Browsing by Author "Bester, Willem."

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A comparison of management style before and after retrenchment.
(2012) Bester, Willem.; Kader, Abdulla Dawood.
While there is an abundance of literature on models of coping with the loss of employment, the present study adopts the more particular focus of a study by Ribton-Turner and De Bruin who investigate stressors and support relating to unemployed mid-career adults. In their study, Ribton-Turner and De Bruin interviewed six individuals who had lost their employment, and suggested that a potential area for further research would be to investigate whether the re-employed person returns to his or her previous state of functioning and whether the experience of ongoing stress scars the affected individual. Does the mid-life adult return to his or her emotional and mental state prior to this experience of unemployment? The method of data collection consisted of 16 phenomenological, qualitative interviews with upper management. In the interviews the participants were asked to tell their story of being unemployed and to share their most critical experiences of the past months. The participants were asked how this experience of retrenchment had changed their subsequent way of management. A criterion for selecting interviewees was that they should have been re-employed for at least for six months. In conclusion the interviewed managers said that their management style had become more compassionate and they tend to have a new, enriched view on family life. Some of the managers reported that they experience difficulty in building a trust relationship with their respective new employers and tend to be over committed in fear of going through a retrenchment. The management style of these re-employed managers can appropriately be described as servant-leadership management style.
Perceived customer value in the internal delivery of capital projects at Transnet port terminals.
(2013) Madlala, Andile B.; Bester, Willem.; Bozas, Alexander Robert.
Transnet State Owned Company Limited is rolling out large infrastructure projects in line with the South African Government’s economic growth strategy. As such, Transnet Port Terminals’ infrastructure roll-out programme is changing the face of its terminals. This rollout is questioned by some as to whether the terminals are getting the expected value from the large capital investments. The concept of Perceived Customer Value was explored in this study to understand its subjective nature, the limitations within which it is used, and the dimensions that need to be utilised to measure it. The research adapted an existing multidimensional scale (Global Purchase Perceived Value) in order to develop and propose the use of a ranking system referred to as the Case Research Perceived Customer Value Equation. The use of this model has provided a practical method to measure Perceived Customer Value according to the specific research case. This research has tested whether the Perceived Customer Value of the terminal representatives receiving internal capital projects within the KwaZulu-Natal region of Transnet Port Terminals is more than 80% or not. Notwithstanding that the hypothesis could not be proven, invaluable findings were made in terms of the Perceived Customer Value dimensions where only one out of six dimesions met the expectations. The Capital Projects Department within Transnet Port Terminals should be able to take measures to address the problems identified through this study.
The selling of broken and reject biscuits.
(2017) Chetty, Kubandran.; Bester, Willem.
Bakers Biscuits is the largest biscuit manufacturer in South Africa. As with most manufacturing processes across varied industries, there is a level of waste that the manufacturer has to contend with. This waste, though negligible in terms of final good production, is sold at minimal cost as a means of production cost recovery. The two re-packers who buy the broken and reject biscuits subsequently sell them in informal markets which sits outside the established retail and wholesale market structures. Consumers who purchase these biscuits do so at reduced prices in comparison to the selling prices at established retailers like Checkers and Spar. The aim of this study was to determine the level of esteem in which Bakers biscuits is held in these informal markets. The results of the study could pave the way for Bakers Biscuits to specifically target low-end consumers in the future. A probability sample of 260 consumers were drawn from the total population of 500 customers who purchase regularly from the two re-packers. Data was collected using questionnaires which were developed specifically for the project. Descriptive statistics revealed that there are a significant number of relationships between demographical data and the purchase of broken and reject biscuits. The study revealed that the Bakers brand is highly recognised and esteemed in the informal markets. Furthermore, based on the higher quality of biscuits, consumers are willing to pay more for the brand. It is recommended that the firm undertakes further studies to better appreciate and understand the lower-end consumers of biscuits. It is also recommended that the firm enhance its partnership with the re-packers to pave the way for low-end consumers to possibly become a future target market of the firm. This study can benefit Bakers biscuits by emphasising the esteem of the brand in low-end markets.