Sustainable business intelligence in Master of Business Administration programmes: Johannesburg Business School's breakthrough with the Shiny web application

The University of Johannesburg undertook a strategic digital transformation journey to tackle intricate challenges in managing MBA administration processes. This case study showcases the implementation of modern technology and software engineering practices to streamline operations, ensure compliance with regulations, and improve stakeholder satisfaction. The study emphasises the complexities of MBA administration, including cohort management, examination oversight, supervisor appointments, and cohort analytics, highlighting the necessity for a sophisticated digital solution. Manual processes reliant on spreadsheets resulted in inefficiencies and compatibility issues, further compounded by university regulations on data compliance. In response, a web-based enterprise application was developed using the Shiny framework to centralise tasks, reduce errors, and provide real-time access to data. Key features such as nomination forms, cohort analytics dashboards, and student management modules were thoughtfully designed to enhance efficiency and user experience while emphasising sustainability by reducing paper usage and energy consumption associated with traditional administrative methods. The case study outlines the agile development process, training and adoption initiatives, testing and quality assurance measures, and the deployment and evaluation of the digital solution. Overall, the digital transformation initiative led to streamlined processes, reduced errors, improved compliance, and a reduced environmental footprint.