PESTLE ANALYSIS AND POWER SECTOR FACTORS AS BUILDING BLOCKS IN THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT MATURITY MODEL (PMMM) CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN POWER SECTOR.

The objective of this study was to determine whether a PESTLE analysis and sector factors can be incorporated as building blocks in the conceptual development of a PMMM for the South African power sector. A PESTLE analysis studies the key external factors (political, economic, sociological, technological, legal and environmental) that influence an organisation. A detailed literature review was conducted on the topic and a research design was developed followed with a case study. The research establishes the characteristics of the South African power sector through a literature review and a PESTLE analysis. This study contributes to the discussion on constructing a conceptual PMMM for the South African power sector. In 2018 African countries created the largest global continental market to boost trade in Africa by signing the Continental Free Trade Agreement. At that time, Africa had the lowest intra-trade figure compared to its Asian and European counterparts. However, Pasara (2020) highlights some of the challenges of African economic integration, including process and systems. The scope of the study focuses on the South African power sector because it is the largest producer of electricity in South Africa. The analysis of this study provides insight into practitioners and professionals in the literature that exists on the sector factors and provides the characteristics of the South African power sector. It also provides a foundation for understanding the building blocks for the PMMM development. The contribution includes an analysis to determine whether a PESTLE analysis and power sector factors should be incorporated into the PMMM measurement for the South African power sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]