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Doctor Ayanda Magida

Digital Business
Research

Job Title
Programme Director: PhD and MMR programme; Programme Director: Master of Management in the field of Digital Business; Chairperson: WBS Ethics and Plagiarism Committees
Qualifications MA (Research Psychology) UP; PhD (Digital Business) Wits;
Organisational Unit Wits Business School
Biography

Dr. Ayanda Magida is a senior lecturer and a full-time faculty member in the Digital Business discipline at Wits Business School (WBS). She is the current Director of the Master of Management by Research (MMR) and PhD programmes and Programme Director: Master of Management in the field of Digital Business and serves as Chairperson of the WBS Ethics Committee. She previously served as Programme Director of the Postgraduate Diploma in Management in Digital Business. A qualified research psychologist, she holds a PhD in Digital Business and specialises in the intersection of digital transformation, psychology, and technology.

In 2019, Dr. Magida was recognised as one of the Top 100 Mail & Guardian Young Achievers in Education, an award celebrating South Africa’s most impactful young leaders in the education sector.

Her research primarily addresses the digital divide, with a particular focus on digital inclusion, access, and equity. She has extensive expertise in qualitative and quantitative methods, systematic reviews, evidence-based practice, programme evaluation, and implementation science. Her broader research agenda spans digital transformation, digital business in Africa, digital leadership, gender and inequality in the digital economy, and the societal and business implications of artificial intelligence.

Dr. Magida is currently involved in projects that explore meaningful digital connectivity and the impact of digital technologies on health and wellbeing, reflecting her commitment to research that bridges technology, society, and human development.

Courses taught:

  • Research Methodology
  • Digital transformation and change management
  • Digital business

Other Teaching Experience: 
Research Methods; Systematic and Meta Reviews, in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Research Interests: 
Digital transformation and employee wellbeing and health, digital divide, digital inclusivity.

Work

Recent Publications and Scholarly Contributions: 

Sansovini, E., & Magida, A. (2025). Effect of digital technologies on employee wellbeing and mental health. Behaviour & Information Technology, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2025.2483795

Magida, A (2024). The use of digital tools and emerging technologies in qualitative research - a systematic literature review. Computer Supported Qualitative Research: New Trends in Qualitative Research (WCQR2024). Springer

Magida A & Nqala Z. (2023). The Function of Middle Management in the Execution of Digital Transformation in a South African Bank. Research in Southern African Digital Business, VOL II

Pieterse, C & Magida, A. (2023) Doctors’ Intention to Use Buy-Now-Pay-Later Technology for Medical Services: A Modified UTAUT Analysis. Research in Southern African Digital Business, Vol II

Magida, A. (2023). Socio-Economic Drivers of the Third Level of the Digital Divide: A Study on the Benefits Associated with Online Activities. Research in Southern African Digital Business, Vol II

Magida, A. (2022). Theorizing digital transformation, digitization and digitalization in Africa emerging research in digital business: A critical review of the current scholarship. ICDBEC001 2022: 16. International Conference on Digital Business and E-Commerce, January 28-29, 2022, New York, USA. (Accepted for oral presentation).

Magida, A. (2019). First and second level digital divide in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross country analysis. Wits Business School, August 29-30, 2019. Paper presented at African Review of Economics and Finance Conference. 

Magida, A., & Armstrong, B. (2019). Digital financial inclusion in sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-sectional study.  International Conference on Financial Services, 9–10 October, 2019, Durban, South Africa.

Other Scholarly Contributions: 

Member of the Golden Key Society.

Recipient of the Female Academic Leaders Fellowship (2021).

Jakes Gerwel Fellowships (2021).

Mail and Guardian Young South African (2019).

Recipient of the Early Career Academic Development Program Grant (2019).

WBS Ethics Committee member. 

Recent Media: 

June 2019, article in Mail and Guardian: Technology in the classroom.

In partnership with the Mail & Guardian, Kagiso Trust held a Critical Thinking Forum on July 2 2019, at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Johannesburg: (https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/mail-guardian/20190712/282776358107816)

Personal Information

Ayanda Magida

Activities

Employment 2
Toggle ORCID item details 2025-04-01 to present | Senior Lecturer (Graduate School of Business Administration) Employment
Date range
2025-04-01 to present
Role title
Senior Lecturer
Department
Graduate School of Business Administration
Organization
University of the Witwatersrand
Organization location
Johannesburg, Gauteng, ZA
ROR
https://ror.org/03rp50x72
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2026-03-01
Last modified
2026-03-01
Toggle ORCID item details 2017-12 to 2025-03-31 | Lecturer (Graduate School of Business Administration) Employment
Date range
2017-12 to 2025-03-31
Role title
Lecturer
Department
Graduate School of Business Administration
Organization
University of the Witwatersrand
Organization location
Johannesburg, Gauteng, ZA
GRID
grid.11951.3d
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2019-09-17
Last modified
2026-03-01
Education and Qualifications 2
Toggle ORCID item details 2024-01-31 to 2025-11-30 | Post Graduate diploma in Higher Education (Education) Education
Date range
2024-01-31 to 2025-11-30
Role title
Post Graduate diploma in Higher Education
Department
Education
Organization
University of the Witwatersrand
Organization location
Johannesburg, Gauteng, ZA
ROR
https://ror.org/03rp50x72
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2026-09-10
Last modified
2026-09-10
Toggle ORCID item details 2019 to 2023 | PhD (Graduate School of Business Administration) Education
Date range
2019 to 2023
Role title
PhD
Department
Graduate School of Business Administration
Organization
University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg
Organization location
Johannesburg-Braamfontein, Gauteng, ZA
RINGGOLD
37707
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2019-09-17
Last modified
2024-02-29
Works 13
Toggle ORCID item details Algorithmic Bias in Credit Decision-Making: A reflexive thematic analysis of data practitioners in a South African Bank IJMADA Journal Article
Publication date
2026-08-24
Journal title
IJMADA
Type
Journal Article
URL
https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.22086301
DOI
10.5281/ZENODO.22086301
Short Description
Algorithmic bias in credit decision-making is increasingly recognized as a socio-technical phenomenon where historical and structural inequalities become embedded in data-driven systems. In financial services, biased models can contribute to discriminatory lending and economic exclusion. This study explored how data practitioners at a South African bank perceive diversity and inclusivity in training data, population representation, and geographic/demographic bias, as well as the controls, considerations, and model training integrity practices used to prevent or mitigate bias. Exploratory qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 bank-employed data analysts/data scientists and analyzed inductively in Atlas—ti (v21) using thematic analysis and collaborative codebook development. Four themes emerged. Participants identified insufficient demographic diversity in training data as a threat to fairness and representativeness, noting testing of race, gender, and age but limited consideration of disability. They emphasized full-population representation and warned that narrow geographic sampling and proxies such as suburb “area rating” can encode socioeconomic and demographic bias. Controls included structural-bias testing, rules against modelling on narrow subpopulations, monitoring, and re-evaluation. Findings suggest that mitigating bias in banking requires integrated sociotechnical governance, inclusive representative data practices, transparency, human oversight, and diverse development teams, rather than reliance on fairness metrics alone.
Citation Citation Type
bibtex
Citation Citation Value
@article{https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22086301, doi = {10.5281/ZENODO.22086301}, url = {https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.22086301}, author = {Magida, Ayanda and Wong, Alice and Mayayise, Thembekile Olivia}, title = {Algorithmic Bias in Credit Decision-Making: A reflexive thematic analysis of data practitioners in a South African Bank}, publisher = {IJMADA}, year = {2026}, copyright = {Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International}}
Contributors Contributor 0 Credit Name
Ayanda Magida
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
author
Contributors Contributor 1 Credit Name
Alice Wong
Contributors Contributor 1 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
author
Contributors Contributor 2 Credit Name
Thembekile Olivia Mayayise
Contributors Contributor 2 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
author
Language Code
en
Country
ZA
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2026-09-10
Last modified
2026-09-10
Toggle ORCID item details Qualitative Methodological Approaches, Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities<b></b> International Journal of Applied Research in Business and Management Journal Article
Publication date
2026-06-26
Journal title
International Journal of Applied Research in Business and Management
Type
Journal Article
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.713
DOI
10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.713
ISSN
2700-8983
Short Description
<jats:p>This paper provides an analysis of qualitative research methodologies, concentrating on research designs, sampling strategies, and data collection techniques. It traces the evolution of qualitative enquiry, examines its philosophical foundations, and addresses common critiques regarding subjectivity, generalisability, and methodological rigour. Six primary qualitative research designs are explored in detail: generic qualitative research, ethnography, case study, grounded theory, narrative research, phenomenology (including interpretative phenomenological analysis), and action research. The paper emphasises non-probability sampling methods, such as purposive, convenience, snowball, and theoretical sampling, and highlights the importance of achieving data saturation. Various qualitative data collection methods are presented, including interviews, focus groups, document analysis, photovoice, and observation, along with practical considerations for their effective implementation. The discussion highlights the capacity of qualitative research to capture rich, context-sensitive insights into human experiences and social phenomena, thereby supporting scholarly advancement and practical applications across diverse fields.</jats:p>
Contributors Contributor 0 Credit Name
Ayanda Magida
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
author
Language Code
en
Country
ZA
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2026-09-10
Last modified
2026-09-10
Toggle ORCID item details Effect of digital technologies on employee wellbeing and mental health Behaviour & Information Technology Journal Article
Publication date
2025-11-08
Journal title
Behaviour & Information Technology
Type
Journal Article
URL
https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2025.2483795
DOI
10.1080/0144929X.2025.2483795
Contributors Contributor 0 Credit Name
E. Sansovini
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
author
Contributors Contributor 1 Credit Name
A. Magida
Contributors Contributor 1 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
author
Source
Crossref
Added
2025-04-05
Last modified
2025-10-30
Toggle ORCID item details Qualitative methods in the digital era- a systematic review of literature Conference: WCQR2024 | 7th World Conference on Qualitative Research Conference Abstract
Publication date
2024-01-23
Journal title
Conference: WCQR2024 | 7th World Conference on Qualitative Research
Type
Conference Abstract
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Uri
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8874-7795
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Host
orcid.org
Contributors Contributor 0 Credit Name
Ayanda Magida
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
http://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-review-editing/
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2024-04-09
Last modified
2024-04-09
Toggle ORCID item details Doctors’ Intention to Use Buy-Now-Pay-Later Technology for Medical Services: A Modified UTAUT Analysis Research in Southern African Digital Business VOL II Book Chapter
Publication date
2023-12
Journal title
Research in Southern African Digital Business VOL II
Type
Book Chapter
Citation Citation Type
formatted-apa
Citation Citation Value
Doctors’ Intention to Use Buy-Now-Pay-Later Technology for Medical Services: A Modified UTAUT Analysis.Research in Southern African Digital Business, 292-314.Silk Route Press
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Uri
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8874-7795
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Host
orcid.org
Contributors Contributor 0 Credit Name
Ayanda Magida
Contributors Contributor 1 Credit Name
Carl Pieterse
Contributors Contributor 1 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
http://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-original-draft/
Language Code
en
Country
ZA
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2024-04-09
Last modified
2024-04-09
Toggle ORCID item details Socio-Economic Drivers of the Third Level of the Digital Divide: A Study on the Benefits Associated with Online Activities Research in Southern African Digital Business VOL II Book Chapter
Publication date
2023-12
Journal title
Research in Southern African Digital Business VOL II
Type
Book Chapter
Citation Citation Type
formatted-apa
Citation Citation Value
Magida, A (2023). Socio-Economic Drivers of the Third Level of the Digital Divide: A Study on the Benefits Associated with Online Activities. Research in Southern African Digital Business, Vol II, 363-374.
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Uri
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8874-7795
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Host
orcid.org
Contributors Contributor 0 Credit Name
Ayanda Magida
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
http://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-review-editing/
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2024-04-09
Last modified
2024-04-09
Toggle ORCID item details The Function of Middle Management in the Execution of Digital Transformation in a South African Bank Research in Southern African Digital Business VOL II Book Chapter
Publication date
2023-12
Journal title
Research in Southern African Digital Business VOL II
Type
Book Chapter
Citation Citation Type
formatted-apa
Citation Citation Value
Nqala,Z. & Magida, A.(2023). The Function of Middle Management in the Execution of Digital Transformation in a South African Bank. Research in Southern African Digital Business, 221-240, Silk Route Press.
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Uri
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8874-7795
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Host
orcid.org
Contributors Contributor 0 Credit Name
Ayanda Magida
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
http://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-original-draft/
Contributors Contributor 1 Credit Name
Zibu Nqala
Contributors Contributor 1 Contributor Attributes Contributor Role
http://credit.niso.org/contributor-roles/writing-original-draft/
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2024-04-09
Last modified
2024-04-09
Toggle ORCID item details The Second Level, Digital Divide in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Country Analysis Research in Southern African Digital Business Book Chapter
Publication date
2022-12-13
Journal title
Research in Southern African Digital Business
Type
Book Chapter
URL
https://silkroutepress.com/product/research-in-southern-african-digital-business/
Citation Citation Type
formatted-apa
Citation Citation Value
Magida, A.(2022). The Second Level, Digital Divide in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Country Analysis. In G.J. Lee & R.Dagada (Eds.), Research in Southern African Digital Business(pp.431-446). Johannesburg: Silk Route Press
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Uri
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8874-7795
Contributors Contributor 0 Contributor Orcid Host
orcid.org
Contributors Contributor 0 Credit Name
Ayanda Magida
Language Code
en
Country
ZA
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2023-03-07
Last modified
2023-03-07
Toggle ORCID item details Theorizing Digital Transformation, Digitization and Digitalization in Africa Emerging Research in Digital Business: A Critical Review of the Current Scholarship Digital Business and E-Commerce, January 28-29, 2022 - United States, New York Conference Abstract
Publication date
2022-01-29
Journal title
Digital Business and E-Commerce, January 28-29, 2022 - United States, New York
Type
Conference Abstract
URL
https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=Ayanda%20Ndokwana
Citation Citation Type
formatted-ieee
Citation Citation Value
Open Science Index, Industrial and Systems Engineering Vol:16, No:01, 2022 publications.waset.org/abstracts/137023/pdf
Language Code
en
Country
US
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2022-05-20
Last modified
2022-05-20
Toggle ORCID item details First and second level Digital Divide in sub-Saharan Africa: a cross country analysis African Review of Economics and Finance Conference Conference Paper
Publication date
2019-09-29
Journal title
African Review of Economics and Finance Conference
Type
Conference Paper
URL
https://arefconference.com/submitted_documents/AREF-Conference-2019-print.pdf
Country
ZA
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2020-02-14
Last modified
2020-02-14
Toggle ORCID item details HIV and sexually transmitted co-infections among sex workers in the Southern African economic region Annals of Tropical Medicine and Public Health Journal Article
Publication date
2017
Journal title
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Public Health
Type
Journal Article
URL
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85033217871&partnerID=MN8TOARS
DOI
10.4103/ATMPH.ATMPH_31_17
EID
2-s2.0-85033217871
Citation Citation Type
bibtex
Citation Citation Value
@article{Magida2017,title = {HIV and sexually transmitted co-infections among sex workers in the Southern African economic region},journal = {Annals of Tropical Medicine and Public Health},year = {2017},volume = {10},number = {5},pages = {1128-1136},author = {Yah, C. and Tambo, E. and Adeagbo, O. and Magida, A.}}
Contributors Contributor 0 Credit Name
Yah, C.
Contributors Contributor 1 Credit Name
Tambo, E.
Contributors Contributor 2 Credit Name
Adeagbo, O.
Contributors Contributor 3 Credit Name
Magida, A.
Source
Scopus - Elsevier
Added
2020-02-14
Last modified
2022-05-29
Funding 2
Toggle ORCID item details Wits Early Career Academic Development Programme University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Grant
Date range
2019-01 to 2019-12
Title
Wits Early Career Academic Development Programme
Organization
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Organization location
Johannesburg, Gauteng, ZA
FUNDREF
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001336
Type
Grant
Organization Defined Type
University of Witwatersrand
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2020-02-14
Last modified
2020-02-14
Toggle ORCID item details Female Academic Leaders Fellowship FALF Award
Date range
2021 to 2021
Title
Female Academic Leaders Fellowship
Organization
FALF
Organization location
Johannesburg, ZA
GRANT_NUMBER
2021
Type
Award
Short Description
Female Academic Leaders Fellowship (FALF) NPC is a non-profit company that seeks to develop a pipeline of women academic leaders, using an intersectional lens to ensure no demographic group is left behind. Based on the Ministerial Task Team Report (2020) the social group that lacks representation in academic leadership and senior research is black women, namely African and Coloured South African women, as defined by the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003, as may be amended from time-to-time B-BBEE Act), (the Designated Group). FALF was founded by the Wits University Chancellor, Dr. Judy Dlamini in 2020 to develop knowledge producers, academic leaders at all levels, research chair holders and directors of centres of excellence from the Designated Group. FALF offers grants and a wraparound support to successful fellows including running workshops on leadership, mentorship, academic citizenship, grant funding application, mental health, research, amongst others. This is made possible by the generous donors who are aligned to FALF’s vision. FALF has been able to form partnerships with other local and international universities beyond Wits University, the first partner of the FALF program. FALF’s internationalisation program was started at Oxford University in 2025, a partnership between FALF and the Oxford University Africa Initiative (AfOx), co-funded by Standard Bank. The research chairs to be launched in 2025 and 2026 represent areas that are of national importance, namely Gender Based Violence and Femicide to be hosted at Wits University co-funded by the NRF and Ford Foundation; Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion to be hosted at the Nelson Mandela University, funded by FirstRand Empowerment Foundation (FREF) and the Gender Equality Research Chair to be hosted at Wits University, funded by WDB Trust. FALF will be scaling to other public universities supported by donors and the executive leadership at the host universities.
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2026-09-10
Last modified
2026-09-10
Professional Activities 1
Toggle ORCID item details 2019-06-29 to present | 200 Young South African 2019 (Mail and Guardian Media Ltd) Distinction
Date range
2019-06-29 to present
Role title
200 Young South African 2019
Organization
Mail and Guardian Media Ltd
Organization location
Johannesburg, ZA
RINGGOLD
400461
URL
https://200youngsouthafricans.co.za/ayanda-magida-2019/
Source
Ayanda Magida
Added
2020-02-14
Last modified
2020-02-14