Browsing by Author "Kriel, Gustav Peter."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

The effective management of social change in the South African pharmaceutical industry.
(2007) Kriel, Gustav Peter.; Coldwell, David A. L.
The purpose of the study was to find causality for poor social change in the pharmaceutical industry in South Africa. Top, middle, and lower-level management respondents, including the CEOs, were studied in 11 pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Human resources managers selected the participants randomly in such a way as to ensure a 60%-40% split between affirmees and non-affirmees. Participants responded to three questionnaires: the leadership questionnaire to determine if effective or appropriate leadership styles were being used with the respondents given their levels of readiness (ability and willingness to do the required tasks), the organisational climate questionnaire to determine what areas of the companies needed improvement, and the social change questionnaire to determine the problematic aspects of social change within the companies. Participants completed the questionnaires during a designated 45-minute period in their respective company headquarters. A clinical psychologist was in attendance to answer any questions. Prior to participating, respondents received cover letters, and the psychologist provided detailed explanations of the study. The main findings were (a) a mismatch in leadership style in affirmee-led organisations that was normally problematic; (b) differences in existing organisations compared to desired organisations; and (c) problems in the dimensions of support and attitude toward change in the mismatch group, which was the affirmee-led organisations. The conclusion was that, although external factors should be the drivers for transformation and also affect leadership style, leaders must be able to adapt their style to fit the readiness level of their followers. In addition, a proposed model for transformation in the pharmaceutical industry, based on the findings from the study and the literature review, was presented.
Staff turnover at a Durban outbound contact centre.
(2014) De Busser, Craig Robert.; Kriel, Gustav Peter.
Staff turnover is one of the biggest problems in any contact centre for the effect it can have on the operation and the ultimate profitability of the business (Kgomo & Swarts, 2010). This research seeks to analyse specific factors contributing to staff turnover and offers recommendations on what can be done to address them. The research studied the particular circumstances of Durcall, a Durban based outbound contact centre, and investigated the impact that agents reasons for joining, their expectations at recruitment and the influence that training and supervisors have on the company’s staff turnover. The significance of the study was based on the impact that very high levels of turnover were having on the company’s productivity and profitability. A quantitative study was undertaken to determine the potential magnitude of the different contributors to turnover and was conducted on a sample of 270 agents at the company’s Durban offices by means of a paper-based questionnaire, resulting in an 82% response rate. The results revealed the transitory approach that employees have to a job that is not considered a career but a stop-gap to something better. It highlighted the critical role the supervisor plays in an agent’s attitude toward the job, along with the need for adequate training and stress management in what is an intense occupation. The study generated recommendations on how Durcall can seek to reduce attrition through changes to its recruitment processes and training as well as a more macro view on the need for a cohesive industry body to promote the image of call centres in the eyes of prospective and existing employees. The study also offers some insights into outbound contact centres specifically where much of the contemporary literature focuses on customer service type roles or discusses call centres in general.