PhD

ACADEMIC & SUPPORT STAFF

PhD ACADEMIC STAFF

Prof Joseph Lekunze

Mini Dissertation Lecturer

Read more about Prof Lekunze

Prof Joseph Lekunze is a Research Associate Professor and the Academic Research Chair at the NWU Business School. Prof Lekunze has vast experience in leading consultancy projects at the continental level (TerrAfrica project on the Development of a harmonized Monitoring and Evaluation tool for sustainable land and water resource management in Sub-Saharan Africa). He conducted over 350 due diligence projects for the National Development Agency (NDA) of South Africa and participated in the development of the monitoring and evaluation guidelines for the National Department of Agriculture of South Africa in 2007.

He is an experienced Research Administrator, Academic, and Researcher at higher institutions of learning within the African context and South Africa. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals; international and local peer-reviewed conference papers and co-authored 3 chapters in books and one book. He has also been invited to review BSC programs for universities, guest speakers at international conferences, and panel member on round table discussions on trending global issues such as green hydrogen, the purpose of responsible management in education (PRME), reviewers for both peer review journal publications, NRF applications, conference papers, sessional chairs at conferences.

Education: 

  • PhD in Agricultural Economics and Management 
  • MSc in Agricultural Economics
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Economics and Management
  • BSc Honours in Agricultural Economics and Management
  • BSc Hons in Geography
  • BSc in Agricultural Economics and Management
  • Certificate in Project Management Application
  • Certificate in Moderation and Evaluation

Research interests/focus: 

  • Agriculture and Economics
  • Business Management
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Research Methodology
  • Climate Change
  • Management strategies

Achievements: 

  • NWU Mobility Grant and Best Quantitative Paper at the 22nd International Business Conference, 2021.

Service to the Academic Community: 

  • He has been invited to review BSC programs for universities. 
  • He has been invited as a guest speaker at international conferences. 
  • He has participated in round table discussions on trending global issues such as green hydrogen, the purpose of responsible management in education (PRME), reviewers for both peer review journal publications, NRF applications, conference papers, sessional chairs at conferences.

Publications: 

Modules offered at the NWU Business School: 

  • Research Methodology
  • Project Management

Prof Stéphan van der Merwe

Entrepreneurship Lecturer

Read more about Prof vd Merwe

Prof Stéphan van der Merwe is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the NWU Business School. He completed his doctorate at the North-West University, where he studied the formal planning practices of small and medium-sized family businesses. Stephan is passionate about entrepreneurship and believes it is important to transfer knowledge gained by scientific research to the broader public.

Over the past 20 years, he has made presentations and led workshops on small business management and family businesses for various organisations and businesses in Southern Africa. He also founded a consultancy business for family businesses.

Education: 

  • PhD (NWU)
  • MSc degree in Agricultural Management (UFS)
  • MBA (Cum Laude) (NWU)

Research interests/focus: 

  • Unique challenges facing family businesses
  • Women entrepreneurship
  • Corporate entrepreneurship 
  • Entrepreneurial ecosystems

Publications: 

Modules offered at the NWU Business School: 

  • Project Management
  • Entrepreneurship 
  • Business Management 

 

Prof Leenta Grobler

MBA Programme Leader

*** Need bio

Professor Raymond Parsons teaches Executive Economics for the MBA students.

He studied economics at the Universities of Cape Town, Oxford and Copenhagen before playing a leading role in organized business in SA for many years. Prof Parsons is a former Director-General of the SA Chamber of Business (SACOB). Until 2012, he was the Deputy CEO of BUSA and subsequently a Special Policy Advisor to that organization until April 2014. He has also lectured at the Department of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Pretoria. Prof Parsons was the Overall Business Convenor at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) until 2010, which is the major social dialogue institution in South Africa. He is a key contributor to public and academic debate on a broad spectrum of issues of critical importance to the political economy of SA and is a recognized authority on the SA economy and its implications for the business community.

Prof Parsons was mainly responsible for the creation of South Africa’s first quarterly Policy Uncertainty Index, which was launched under the aegis of the NWU Business School in 2016. In 2023, Prof Raymond received two annual NWU Media & OCBR Awards as the academic who generated the most media coverage for the university in 2022. From 2000-2003, he was Visiting Professor at the School of Economic and Business Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand. Prof Parsons also holds an Honorary Doctorate from Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and is an Honorary Professor there. He is a Past-President of the Economic Society of South Africa (ESSA). In 2017, ESSA conferred honorary life membership on him in recognition of his distinguished contribution to the economics profession in SA.

In 2004, former President Thabo Mbeki appointed Professor Parsons to the Board of Directors of the SA Reserve Bank, and he was reappointed in 2008. He was also a director of the SA Mint.

He is the author/editor of seven books:

  • The Mbeki Inheritance: SA’s Economy 1990-2004;
  • Parson’s Perspective: Focus on the Economy;
  • Manuel Markets and Money: Essays in Appraisal;
  • Zumanomics: Which way to shared prosperity in South Africa?;
  • Zumanomics Revisited: The Road from Mangaung to 2030;
  • Good Capitalism, Bad Capitalism: The Role of Business in South Africa; and recently,
  • Recession, Recovery, and Reform: South Africa after Covid-19.

Prof Raymond Parsons

Executive Economics Lecturer

Read more about Prof Parsons

Professor Raymond Parsons teaches Executive Economics for the MBA students.

He studied economics at the Universities of Cape Town, Oxford and Copenhagen before playing a leading role in organized business in SA for many years. Prof Parsons is a former Director-General of the SA Chamber of Business (SACOB). Until 2012, he was the Deputy CEO of BUSA and subsequently a Special Policy Advisor to that organization until April 2014. He has also lectured at the Department of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Pretoria. Prof Parsons was the Overall Business Convenor at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) until 2010, which is the major social dialogue institution in South Africa. He is a key contributor to public and academic debate on a broad spectrum of issues of critical importance to the political economy of SA and is a recognized authority on the SA economy and its implications for the business community.

Prof Parsons was mainly responsible for the creation of South Africa’s first quarterly Policy Uncertainty Index, which was launched under the aegis of the NWU Business School in 2016. In 2023, Prof Raymond received two annual NWU Media & OCBR Awards as the academic who generated the most media coverage for the university in 2022. From 2000-2003, he was Visiting Professor at the School of Economic and Business Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand. Prof Parsons also holds an Honorary Doctorate from Nelson Mandela University (NMU) and is an Honorary Professor there. He is a Past-President of the Economic Society of South Africa (ESSA). In 2017, ESSA conferred honorary life membership on him in recognition of his distinguished contribution to the economics profession in SA.

In 2004, former President Thabo Mbeki appointed Professor Parsons to the Board of Directors of the SA Reserve Bank, and he was reappointed in 2008. He was also a director of the SA Mint.

He is the author/editor of seven books:

  • The Mbeki Inheritance: SA’s Economy 1990-2004;
  • Parson’s Perspective: Focus on the Economy;
  • Manuel Markets and Money: Essays in Appraisal;
  • Zumanomics: Which way to shared prosperity in South Africa?;
  • Zumanomics Revisited: The Road from Mangaung to 2030;
  • Good Capitalism, Bad Capitalism: The Role of Business in South Africa; and recently,
  • Recession, Recovery, and Reform: South Africa after Covid-19.

Mr Albert van Zyl

Corporate Governance Lecturer

Read more about Mr Van Zyl

Albert van Zyl is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and has practiced focusing on civil litigation, he also practised as a forensic investigator at one of the big four auditing firms. In 2006 he joined the Programme for Forensic Accountancy in the School of Accounting Sciences of the North-West University as a Senior Lecturer. In 2012, he was appointed as Programme Leader. In 2019 he was seconded as a researcher to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture before joining the NWU Business School in January 2021, heading up the Unit for Corruption and Integrity Studies and lecturing on the MBA programme.

Albert serves on several audit committees in both the public and private sector. He is proud to be a full member, past company secretary, and, since October 2012, to have served as a board member of the Institute for Commercial Forensic Practitioners.

Education: 

  • LLM (UFS)
  • LLB (UFS)
  • Bcom (Law) (UFS) 
  • Certificate in Money Laundering Control (UJ)

Research interests/focus: 

  • Corporate Governance
  • Forensic Practice Accountancy
  • Financial crime – in particular the combatting of fraudt and corruption  

Achievements: 

  • In 2019, Albert  was seconded as a researcher to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
  • Albert serves on several audit committees in the public and private sector. 
  • Albert is proud to be a full member, past company secretary, and, since October 2012, to have served as a board member of the Institute for Commercial Forensic Practitioners.

Modules offered at the NWU Business School: 

  • Corporate Governance 

Ms Martine Vorster

Operations Management Lecturer

Read more about Ms Vorster

Martine Vorster is a registered pharmacist member of the South African Pharmacy Council. With eight years of experience in the Department of Health, she has served as a Responsible Pharmacist and Sub-District pharmacist. Currently, she is a senior lecturer at North-West University and lectures third-year undergraduate students on pharmacotherapy of Disorders of the Central Nervous System and Governance in Pharmaceutical Systems as part of the MPharm curriculum.

She obtained her MBA at the North-West University Business School, specialising in Organisational Behaviour. She supervises postgraduate students at Medicine Usage in South Africa (MUSA) and the Business School. She is an active locum pharmacist to keep herself involved and connected to the ever-changing landscape of medicine practice. Her interests lie in Pharmacovigilance and Pharmaceutical Public Healthcare Governance.

Prof Leon Jackson

Corporate Governance Lecturer

*** Still need Bio

Prof Christo Bischoff

Marketing Management Lecturer

Read more about Prof Bischoff

Prof Christo Bisschoff started his career as an agricultural economist at the North-West Cooperative. After joining the University of Pretoria as a lecturer in Business Management, he moved to the North-West University’s Business School in Potchefstroom where he lectures Marketing Management.

Prof Christo focuses his research on brand loyalty, business ethics and still researches his favourite topic, agricultural business management. He collaborates with his international network and also focuses on comparative intercountry research and obtained an NRF research rating in 2020.

Education: 

  • PhD in Business Management (UP)

Research interests/focus: 

  • Brand loyalty, 
  • Business Ethics 
  • Agricultural business management

Achievements: 

  • Prof Bisschoff obtained an NRF research rating in 2020. 

Service to the Academic Community:

  • Served as the chairman of the International Business Conference. 
  • Serves as an editor to publish the International Business Conference proceedings. 

Publications: 

Modules offered at the NWU Business School: 

  • Marketing Management  

Prof Ronnie Lotriet

Strategy Management Lecturer

Read more about Prof Lotriet

Prof Ronnie Lotriet is a Professor of Strategy and Chairperson of the General Scientific Committee of the NWU Business School. He serves as an Exco member of the Provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industry and he also consults and advises businesses of various sizes on management issues. He has previously served as a Director of Tlokwe Development Consultants, Inc. and now Du Plessis & Associates Consultancy. 

He has received numerous accolades for teaching excellence and research, and has won an award for the best research paper in Ethics Management. He is a panel member of MBA Standards Development Committee of the Council on Higher Education: Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework. 

Education: 

  • PhD
  • MCom (cum laude)
  • BCom (cum laude)
  • Certificate in NOSA (Beroepsveiligheid) 
  • Certificate in Labour Relations (cum laude) 
  • Certificate in Project Management (cum laude)
  • Certificate in Advanced Competitive Strategy (cum laude) (Ludwig-Maxmillians-Universität München, Germany)
  • Certificates as an Accredited Higher Education Facilitator and Assessor

Research interests/focus: 

  • General Management 
  • Strategic Management 
  • SMMEs
  • Business Ethics
  • Strategic-, Market- & Business Intelligence

Achievements: 

  • Best presentation category winner – awarded the African Farm Management Association Conference
  • Best debut research paper award in Ethics Management

Service to the Academic Community:

  • Panel member of MBA Standards Development Committee of the Council on Higher Education: Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework

Service to the Business Community: 

  • Exco member of the Provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Publications: 

Modules offered at the NWU Business School:

  • Company Project (Capsule module)
  • Strategic Management 

Prof Wedzerai Musvoto

Financial Management Lecturer

*** Need Bio

Martine Vorster is a registered pharmacist member of the South African Pharmacy Council. With eight years of experience in the Department of Health, she has served as a Responsible Pharmacist and Sub-District pharmacist. Currently, she is a senior lecturer at North-West University and lectures third-year undergraduate students on pharmacotherapy of Disorders of the Central Nervous System and Governance in Pharmaceutical Systems as part of the MPharm curriculum.

She obtained her MBA at the North-West University Business School, specialising in Organisational Behaviour. She supervises postgraduate students at Medicine Usage in South Africa (MUSA) and the Business School. She is an active locum pharmacist to keep herself involved and connected to the ever-changing landscape of medicine practice. Her interests lie in Pharmacovigilance and Pharmaceutical Public Healthcare Governance.

Prof PA Botha

Organisational Behaviour and Change Lecturer

Read more about Prof Botha

Prof PA Botha holds several degrees from the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Pretoria. Since 2010, Prof Botha has been a professor at North-West University and the acting Deputy Director at the Business School since March 2023. Before that, he served as the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences at North-West University from 2010 to 2014. He was also an Academic Manager and Senior Lecturer in Public Management at Tshwane University of Technology’s Polokwane Campus from 1996 to 2009.

Education: 

  • PhD in Organisational Behaviour
  • MA in Public Management
  • BA Honours in Public Management (Cum Laude)
  • BA in Public Management

Research interests/focus: 

  • Organisational Behaviour
  • Human Resource Management
  • Wellness in the workplace

Publications: 

Modules offered at the NWU Business School: 

  •  Organisational Behaviour & Change 

NWU BUSINESS SCHOOL SUPPORT STAFF

Christine Bronkhorst

Research & Innovation Manager

Sophy Mogorosi

Research & Innovation Administrator

Christie Munro

Research & Innovation Administrator

Tebogo Tebejane

Research & Innovation Administrator