Doctoral Degrees (Management)

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The employer's obligation of reasonableness in safety management : a study determining the relevant parameters and providing guidelines for their application.
(1993) Louis, Alan.; Poolman, Theodorus.
The high rate of accidents recorded in South African industry and the human and economic consequences involved reflect inadequacies in existing safety management policies and practices. The universally accepted right of employees to protection and the demands of social policy make the prevailing situation unacceptable. The complexities of the parameters of the employer's obligation for sound safety management requires practical guidelines for its understanding and application. The aim of this research is therefore to determine these parameters and to provide guidelines for their application. The parameters at issue are regulated by the principles of modern labour law, the developing common law, and statutory law such as MOSA. In order to pursue sound management practices and employment relations, the employer must not only take cognizance of his legal obligations but also various humanitarian, social and economic considerations. To correlate the complex nature of safety management with the demands of social policy, it is necessary to apply an appropriate standard of conduct to which every safety practice must adhere. This standard relates to the employer's general duty to take fair and reasonable precautions to eliminate or minimize occupational hazards. The employer's conduct is measured in terms of the objective standard of the reasonable employer in labour relations. The concept of reasonableness is therefore fundamental to the formulation of the parameters of the employer's obligation. The parameters are shown to centre round the reasonable foresight of the likelihood of harm and the implementation of reasonable precautionary measures to guard against the occurrence of such foreseeable harm. Furthermore, an unforeseeable incident that occurs in spite of preventive measures taken may reflect the need for subsequent preventive and corrective action. There is clearly scope for employers to adopt a more proactive approach in promoting sound safety management practices. Certain statutory, attitudinal and policy changes will be necessary for improved working conditions. These changes will include the formulation and implementation of an objectively-based safety policy that will facilitate the application of the parameters established. The proposed model flow-chart makes it possible to establish whether the parameters have been effectively implemented, and whether the employer or a third party is liable for a particular accident.
Performance measurement in not-for-profit organisations : relative efficiency among South African public universities
(2000) Taylor, Brian Denis Kibbey.; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas.
This interdisciplinary thesis has two principal objectives: to measure the relative efficiency of South Africa's public universities between 1994-97 and to provide explanations for levels of efficiency observed. Two methods Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and analytical review - were used to measure relative efficiency and to attempt to explain efficiency amongst the ten universities for which comparable data were available, covering the years 1994 to 1997. Three DEA models academic, research and consolidated - were estimated and this analysis was supplemented by the analytical review method. which confirmed the results from the DEA computations. Institutions were grouped according to their relative efficiency measures within three suggested apparent levels of efficiency. An attempt was made to explain efficiency across various dimensions and the issue of quality was also addressed. Finally, some benchmarks of 'best practice' for the university sector were suggested. These findings have important implications for policy in higher education, particularly in respect of university rationalisation and governance.
The economic impact of HIV/AIDS on urban households.
(2004) Naidu, Veni.; Viegi, Nicola.; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas.
The overall objectives of the study are to analyse the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on income-earning urban households and in so doing to develop a methodology for HIV/AIDS household surveys. The study started with 125 households in the first wave. Of these, 113 households were followed over 4 waves (2), over a 12-month period, and across two cohorts referred to as affected (3) and non-affected (4) households. Data on the household were collected from the financial head (5) using the diary method. The methodology for this study was done after a review of 33 HIV/AIDS economic studies conducted around the world. The study obtained buy-in and support from various stakeholders in government, nongovernment organisations, community, academic and funding institutions as from people living with HIV/AIDS. Due to the comprehensive design of the research instrument, the study is able to draw relationships between the various facets of the household and the possible influence that HIV/AIDS has on them. Methodologically, the study found that there are "hidden" costs of morbidity and mortality that needs to be quantified. The costs of health care and funerals are higher in the affected cohort, as expected, due to the frequency of illness or death and not necessarily because there are cost differences as a result of whether a household member has HIV/AIDS or not. The key finding is that affected households re-organise themselves in terms of household size, composition and structure as well as through transfers in, income from grants and other non-market sources, especially to pay for funeral costs. Surviving members are affected not only socially and economically but also psychologically and the needs of this group should not be ignored. (2) Each visit is referred to as a wave (3) Affected household is a household where at least one person is HIV positive (4) Non-Affected household is a household where the index case is HIV negative and no other members presented with an HIV/AIDS-related symptom (5) The person responsible for the finances in the household.
An investigation into the impact of human capital on the performance of small and micro manufacturing ventures (SMMVs) in Tanzania : 1997- 2001.
(2005) Mkocha, Aira Nelson Enock.; Mahadea, Darma.
Small, Micro, and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) and their related entrepreneurship are the focus of considerable policy and research interest as they contribute to mobilization of resources, job creation , and poverty alleviation , the total effect of which is GDP growth, economic development, and other socioeconomic benefits. Emerging research in developing countries seems to further confirm that, despite the problems and limitations facing the SMME sector, it is currently the most effective job creator, when many large firms are downsizing and retrenching labour. This study takes a closer look at the impact of human capital on the performance of Tanzanian Small and Micro Manufacturing Ventures (SMMVs) over the period 1997 - 2001. It involves a random sample of 200 ventures from 18 regions , grouped into the five zones of Mainland Tanzania. Of the surveyed entrepreneurs, 20% had tertiary education, 58% were exposed to some training , 54% had some occupational experience, and 60% had high need achievement (nAch) levels. With regard to employee human capital, 67% of the ventures had employees who attended some kind of training between 1997 and 2001, 49% had employees with less than 7 mean-years of schooling and 51% had employees with more than 7 mean years of schooling. Employee experience in their current firm varied: 50.5% of ventures had mean-employee experience between 1 and 6.25 years, while 49.5% had between 6.3 and 30 years. Examining the influence of employee and entrepreneur human capital on Tanzanian SMMVs gives the following main findings: • Entrepreneur need achievement (nAch) level is positively correlated with business performance, but its impact on the number ofjobs created, sales, and profit does not seem to be significant, other things remaining equal. • Entrepreneur education appears to have a significant impact on performance in terms of the number ofjobs created and sales. • Entrepreneur training appears to impact positively on the firm's sales and profit. • Employee expenence III the current firm appears to have a significant influence on performance in terms of sales and levels of profit. • Employee education and training appear to have significant and positive impacts on sales and profit. Further, business conduct was considered in terms of recruitment practice, training of employees, keeping of business records, and access to bank financing. The findings show that: • SMMVs with educated and trained entrepreneurs are better in all the conduct attributes tested in the study, that is, recruiting an educated workforce, keeping records, access to bank financing, and owning of another business. • Ventures with trained and educated employees are likely to keep more business records, and access more finance from banks than their untrained and uneducated counterparts. • It has also been found that the capacity to generate jobs between different enterprises is not equal. Edible food processing is likely to generate more jobs than other business activities in the study. Lastly, by regressmg a Cobb-Douglas production function on the data from Tanzanian SMMVs, physical capital, human capital of entrepreneur, and of labour are found to be significant predictors of output performance.
Marketing strategies of South African manufacturing firms in international markets.
(2006) May, Christopher.; O'Neill, Charles.
International marketing has become important to firms of all sizes due to factors such as the continued lowering and elimination of trade barriers, increasing regional integration, improvements in communication and transportation, and an overall increase in world trade. Not only has the international marketplace become more turbulent but globalisation of world markets has become competitively more intense. Because of these trends, the formulation of effective international marketing strategies has become more important. Moreover, firms need to get a better understanding of the relationship between international marketing strategies and international performance, as the international market is becoming more competitive. The primary objective of the research study was to determine the relationship between international marketing strategies and international/export marketing performance of South African manufacturing firms, as well as the role of internal and external determinants with regard to international marketing strategy and international/export marketing performance. The research study intended to determine whether these different independent variables had a significant impact on the dependent variable, namely, international/export performance. The findings of this research study indicated that firm size, investment commitment and that management engages in careful planning as firm characteristics had a significant influence on export/international marketing performance. The finding on the relationship between export experience and export performance was insignificant. Firm characteristics can have both a direct or indirect affect on the export marketing performance of the firm. Therefore, given the secondary research objective - to determine how firm characteristics influence choice of international marketing strategies, and consequently export marketing performance - the following were the important findings of the influence of firm characteristics on international marketing strategies. There were no significant findings between firm characteristics and product adaptation, or firm characteristics and promotion adaptation. However, firm size and firm competencies had a significant relationship with distributor/subsidiary support. It can be assumed that the larger the firm, the more resources the firm have to support distributors and subsidiaries. Furthermore the finding between firm size and the degree of pricing adaptation was also significant indicating that the larger the firm, the more willing the firm is to adapt pricing. The nature and characteristics of the export market can either serve as a barrier or a driving force that facilitate internationalisation. These barriers and/or driving forces can also influence the nature of the international marketing mix strategies that are employed by firms. The barriers and/or driving forces can have both direct and indirect effects on export marketing performance. The competitive intensity of the export markets had a significant relationship with export performance. Furthermore, it had the most significant relationship with export performance compared to all the other independent variables and the relationship was also negative, meaning that the export performances of firms were negatively affected with increased competitive activity. However, given the secondary research objective - to determine how export/ international marketing characteristics influence the choice of international marketing strategies, and consequently export marketing performance - the following relationships were identified. Competitive intensity had a significant relationship with the degree of product adaptation and export market characteristics with the degree of promotion adaptation. Both competitive intensity and export market characteristics had a significant relationship with both the degree of distributor/subsidiary support and the degree of pricing adaptation. Export market characteristics equate to export market barriers, and what the above implies is that with more export market barriers, firms tend to adapt distributor/subsidiary support and pricing more. With regard to the degree of adaptation to marketing mix strategies it was found that the degree of pricing adaptation had a significant effect on export/international marketing performance. There was a significant relationship between the degree of product adaptation and export/international marketing performance. However, this relationship was negative, in that the greater the degree of product adaptation, the more negative the performance. One would have expected that the greater the degree of product adaptation, the greater the export/international marketing performance. A non-significant relationship was found between the degree of promotion adaptation and export/international marketing performance. The relationship between the degree of distributor/subsidiary and export performance was also non-significant. Although the study came up with important findings, it once again highlighted the inconsistency of findings in the export/international marketing literature. Furthermore, given the increasingly competitive nature of international markets, it is more important for firms to identify the success factors in their particular industries that could contribute to greater export/international marketing performance than to assume that all international markets and industries require similar strategies.
The importance of branding fast moving consumer goods in retail chain stores : consumers and marketers perceptions in South Africa.
(2007) Pillay, Pragasen.
This investigation probes the perceptions of consumers as well as marketers with regard to the branding of fast moving consumer goods in South African retail chain stores. While much research has been conducted on branding, this investigation will focus on the extent to which marketers’ perceptions and consumers’ perceptions converge with a view to maximizing the mutual benefits to be derived from marketing strategies within a contemporary South African environment. The extent to which South African marketers’ perceptions and consumers’ perceptions converge to promote brand equity is postulated in the brand equity optimization model. The research commenced with an exhaustive literature survey followed by an empirical survey. The fieldwork for this survey was conducted nationally among the three major retail groups in South Africa and among consumers living in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The findings from the literature survey indicate that both local and international companies have realized the potential of investing resources in brand building activities. These findings have provided evidence to suggest that building brand equity for fast moving consumer goods impacts positively on the sales and the popularity of these products. The findings of the empirical research illustrates that the typical South African consumer has become brand conscious and brand building activities encourage them to purchase these products. The findings from the consumer survey were supported by the investigation conducted among retail chain stores who agreed that building brand equity results in increased sales and the popularity of the products concerned. Consumers have a preference for manufacturer branded products but house brands are selected primarily because they are cheaper. Manufacturer brands are viewed by consumers as having the most innovative packaging, excellent promotional support and consistently good quality while retail chain stores believe that manufacturer brands lead the way in terms of brand building activities, packaging innovation, promotional support and quality. The results of both surveys illustrate that retail chain stores and consumers share similar viewpoints with regards to the branding, packaging, pricing, promotions and quality attributes of fast moving consumer goods in terms of optimizing brand equity.
Social responsibility among small and medium enterprises in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2008) Chetty, Soobramoney.; Poovalingam, Kasthuri.
Globally, the social responsibility of business has become an important issue in recent years. In South Africa, it has assumed even greater significance given the enormity of the socio-economic problems besetting the country. There is an extensive body of literature pertaining to the social responsibility of large organizations, but little theoretical or empirical research has been undertaken within small and medium enterprises, notwithstanding the important role they play in the economy of a country. In cognizance of the aforementioned, this study wishes to expand the body of knowledge in respect of the social responsibility of small and medium enterprises, by examining the perceptions and behaviour of SMEs in KwaZulu-Natal regarding their social responsibility. The target population for the study was derived from the membership list of the three largest business organisations in KwaZulu-Natal, viz. the Durban Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business, and the Zululand Chamber of Business, and consisted of organisations employing no fewer than 20, and no more than 200 employees. In general, it emerged that the majority of SMEs in KZN are involved, to a large extent, in socially responsible activities related to their employees, but are minimally involved in socially responsible activities pertaining to the community and the natural environment. However, despite their low level of engagement in the latter, the majority of SMEs in KZN rated their businesses as being either successful or very successful. The most commonly cited reasons for a lack of greater involvement in CSR activities were a lack of time/manpower, and the costs/impact on profits resulting from engagement in CSR activities. The study recommends, inter alia, that the local Chambers of Business and sectoral bodies should play a more active role in fostering CSR among SMEs; that the strategies and initiatives used to foster CSR among large businesses should not be used for SMEs, and that the phrase 'small business responsibility' should be used instead of the term 'corporate social responsibility', as the latter might invoke fear and resistance on the part of SMEs. In light of the research findings, the study concludes by proposing a model/guide to assist SMEs in KZN to become (more) socially responsible.
Managerial competencies required by library managers to effectively manage change in South African university libraries.
(2009) Sukram, Praversh Jeebodh.; Raubenheimer, W. H.
This study has been undertaken to determine and examine the managerial competencies required by library managers at different managerial levels in effectively managing change in university libraries in South Africa. South African universities have experienced a large number of changes since 1994 which have inevitably affected the libraries of these universities. Library managers have been faced with a number of challenges. The study includes a literature review which highlights the findings that library managers in university libraries in South Africa, are not prepared to manage change. The literature review also identifies the competencies that are required to manage change. These are: • Communication • Planning and administration • Teamwork • Strategic action • Global awareness • Self-management. The following management functions are also highlighted in the literature review: • Job descriptions • Job/person specifications • Human resource planning • Recruitment and selection of staff • Staff appraisal • Staff training and development. Questionnaires were used to gather data from the population of the study. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) Version 15. The main findings of the study are: • Library managers in the university libraries are not equipped to manage change • First line managers do not require any of the competencies to manage change. • Middle managers require communication competencies and teamwork competencies. • Communication competencies, planning and administration competencies, teamwork competencies and strategic action competencies are required by senior managers to manage change. Based on the descriptive statistics and the hypotheses tested, this study provides a basis for a model that identifies the competencies and managerial functions that are required by the different managerial levels to manage change in university libraries in South Africa. Recommendations include that: • Library schools introduce a module on change management • Competencies to be work shopped to all levels of library managers • Structured training needs to be undertaken that cover all managerial functions • A management qualification must become a minimum requirement for all managerial jobs in university libraries • All senior managers should at least have a management major in their first degree or a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Strategic enactment : an interpretive approach to organisational strategy.
(2009) Bodhanya, Shamim Ahmed.; Taylor, Robert Gordon.; Pillay, Kribendiren.
The purpose of this thesis is to explore the field of strategy by way of its historical trajectory and to consider the major branches that constitute this broad, but fragmented discipline. It is an interdisciplinary endeavour that draws specifically on systems theories and complexity theory as a way to enrich the field. The strategy field tends to be philosophically unreflexive. As a result it is dominated by an objectivist ontology, which underpins strategic choice. One of the aims of this thesis is to explore the implications for strategy, if instead, an interpretive stance, based on an ontology of social constructionism, is adopted. The literature has not fully explored and developed different ontologies in the context of strategy and hence has left a major gap in theorising about strategy. This thesis attempts to address that gap and therefore one of the contributions of the study will be a tentative theory of strategic enactment. This research attempts to answer the following key questions: 1. What are the major theoretical frameworks and conceptual models that frame the field of strategy? 2. How well do these frameworks and models contribute to strategy under conditions of high ambiguity and uncertainty? 3. What contributions may be made by applying complexity theory to the field of strategy? 4. What are the implications of adopting an interpretive approach to strategy? 5. What are the implications of strategic enactment on strategic leadership? Given that these research questions are of a philosophical and theoretical nature, the research methodology and approach is one based on theoretical exploration. It is therefore not an empirical study, but a conceptual one embracing both breadth and depth. It is broad in that it covers multiple literature sets which include bodies of knowledge in organisational theory, leadership, strategy, systems thinking and complexity theory. It is deep in its interrogation of core conceptual constructs that are pertinent to the strategy frame of reference and in its comprehensive coverage of the major topics that circumscribe the field. While it relies on an extensive coverage of existing texts it is not a hermeneutic study from a methodological point of view. It does not purport to interpret and to elicit the meaning of texts. The term interpretive in the title instead refers to the ontological notion of sensemaking and interpretation that is central to strategic enactment. Interpretive in this sense is not an interpretation of texts in a hermeneutic fashion, but interpretive in relation to enacting reality. Despite being a theoretical study it still draws on deductive, inductive and abductive reasoning. The study makes several contributions. It re-conceptualises strategy in a way that lends itself to be generalisable across all sectors, approaches strategy formulation and implementation as a single intertwined process, interrogates, combines and integrates strategy-related and other concepts in way that has not been done before, provides a theoretical basis for scenario planning and demonstrates how it may considered as a soft systems approach, presents a practical methodology for undertaking scenario planning, critiques existing CAS-based theorising about strategy, leadership and organisation and draws out the potential of complexity theory for strategy and leadership. The final contribution of this study is a tentative theory of strategic enactment that highlights key constructs such as identity and agency that have been underemphasised in the strategy literature. Such a theory offers alternative explanations from that of strategic choice, and is able to deal with the phenomenon of emergence in organisational settings. It is unique in that it integrates complex adaptive systems with an interpretive approach to organisational strategy. The following may be identified as key findings of this study: • Strategy is still a pre-paradigmatic field and hence its theoretical underpinnings are of necessity eclectic. • While strategic choice is the dominant approach, many of its tenets are contested, especially when organisations are considered as complex adaptive systems. • Deliberate strategy is not possible as all forms of strategy are ultimately emergent. • Agency is an important construct in strategy. Agency does not reside in the key power brokers alone, but extends to all organisational actors and their structural networks of relations. Agency is also invested in non-human actors in the form of artifacts. • Agency is limited to micro-level actions and does not embrace macros states of the system. • Identity is an important construct in strategy. The identity of agents is shaped in their interactions with other agents. Who they are impact on what they can and cannot do, and also impact who they construct themselves to be. In this sense there is a strong link between agency and identity. • Identity is also shaped in situated activity in practice and therefore strategy-as-practice is important. • Strategic enactment presents alternate explanations for the utility of strategy tools and strategic plans from strategic choice.
Knowledge management as a strategic tool for human resource management : a study of selected higher educational institutions.
(2010) Govender, Loganathan Narayansamy.; Moodley, Sathiasiven.; Perumal, Sadhasivan.
Although higher educational institutions the world over are beginning to recognize the importance of knowledge management, such institutions are still on the “very first steps of the long ladder” in addressing, evaluating and implementing the benefits of knowledge management with particular reference to the human resource management sector. Knowledge management is a viable means through which higher educational institutions could gainfully capitalize on its intellectual and social capital. Implementing knowledge management principles could bring about improved human resource efficiency and effectiveness and a resultant improved performance at higher educational institutions fostering a culture of excellence. Institutions of higher learning should therefore embrace knowledge management principles and practices in order to adequately address the challenges in a society that is becoming increasingly knowledge based. Relevant knowledge for human resource managers could be located at three different places. Individual knowledge is acquired through personal work experiences. Secondary knowledge could be attained through others insights, experiences and perceptions. Finally, much valued codified knowledge could be found in knowledge repositories. The realistic value of knowledge could be derived through the combination of all three approaches. Against this backdrop, this study explores knowledge management as a strategic tool for human resource management in higher educational institutions. Specifically, the dimensions such as organizational culture, organizational performance, technology, management support, and the institutions mission and vision will be evaluated to understand knowledge management within higher educational institutions. A questionnaire/survey was administered to a sample representing senior, middle and junior human resource managers at selected higher educational institutions in South Africa, Mauritius and India. In addition, a semi-structured interview was conducted with executive managers responsible for the human resource function in the higher educational institutions. The study investigated the impact of policies, systems and processes that the higher educational institutions implemented in support of knowledge management and knowledge sharing. A triangulated research approach was adopted through the administration of survey questionnaires amongst human resource managers, conducting semistructured interviews with executive managers, and a comprehensive literature review backed up with a review of the findings of similar studies. The outcomes of the study demonstrate that significant benefits could be derived by HEI’s in adopting an integrative approach between the human resource and knowledge management functions. The research results provide convincing arguments to support the integration of human resource management and knowledge management initiatives in HEI’s and affirms the assumption that these two disciplines are mutually inclusive. Whilst the HRM function at HEI’s have demonstrated that they have the capability and resources to implement knowledge management initiatives, the results reflect that much ground needs to be covered to realize the full benefits of this endeavour. The research culminates in providing important recommendations and guidelines, as well as the development of an integrated normative model on how human resource departments at higher educational institutions could embrace knowledge management as a strategic human resource management tool. The study confirms that an effective knowledge management strategy for human resource management that is aligned to the organizations’ strategic objectives is imperative in the 21st century organizational era, and more specifically for higher educational institutions in South Africa.
Integrated employee participation schemes in the South African gold-mining industry : a study of their effects and dynamics.
(2010) Lord, Jeremy William.; Coldwell, David A. L.
This research study is concerned with the effects and dynamics of 'integrated' schemes of employee participation, where workers are involved in both work-related decision-making, and also share in the profits of their employer. Prior research and the literature on employee participation has tended to concentrate on the process and effects of either financial participation in isolation, or of decision-making participation, but seldom on situations where both are employed simultaneously. Based on a thorough literature review, this study presents a 'Model of Integrated Employee Participation (incorporating moderating effects)'. The model explicates a process through which both types of worker involvement may operate together, leading to a set of behavioural and performance outcomes. Where the formal participation schemes are operationalised such that, combined, they lead to perceptions equivalent to 'psychological ownership', a substantial goal-congruence and integration of the employee with the organisation occurs. These processes lead, in turn, to influences on individual and organisational outcomes. Antecedent and moderating variables to the operation of such 'integrated' participation schemes are identified in the model. Specifically, the effects of the schemes are postulated to be moderated by employees' biographical and personality factors, by their perceptions of managerial commitment to employee participation, and by their perceptions of aspects of the organisation's managerial system of communication and control. The relevance and implications of the model to the South African gold-mining industry are discussed. Major pillars of this 'Model of Integrated Employee Participation (incorporating moderating effects)' were tested within a detailed investigation of the participation schemes in operation at a profitable South African gold-mining company. This investigation was longitudinal in nature, with two major surveys being performed over a ten-month period. The findings suggested that while the effects of the 'integrated' schemes on employees' job satisfaction, performance and stability were as anticipated, the proposed moderating effects were generally non-existent or insignificant. In order to obtain greater clarity of the dynamics of 'integrated' schemes of employee participation, a path analytic exploration of the interrelationships between the measured variables of the study was then undertaken. A detailed path model was developed and then tested, at three levels of the organisational hierarchy as well as on the entire workforce. The path model was substantially supported for the 'entire workforce', and for the largest stratum of the mine's employees, being the 'unskilled and semi-skilled' workers. Satisfaction with participation was found to be positively and significantly associated with perceived extent of participation. This applied to both the financial and decisional elements of the schemes. Job satisfaction and employee performance were also found to be positively associated with perceived extent of participation and / or satisfaction therewith. Employees' perceptions of managerial commitment to 'integrated participation' predicted their satisfaction therewith. Aspects of the organisation's system of managerial communication and control were found to significantly affect levels of job satisfaction and employee performance in the participative environment of the mine. The model was only partially supported, however, at the more senior levels of 'management' and 'supervisors and artisans'. It thus appeared that 'integrated participation' schemes may not enhance job satisfaction and performance at the higher levels of the organisational hierarchy, and that the schemes' effects may thus be moderated by employee seniority. The empirical findings were supportive of much of the literature on participation programmes. They were particularly consistent with 'affective' and 'contingency' explanatory models of the effects of -participation. The findings did not, however, support 'cognitive' explanatory models of the effects of participation.
Assessing emotional intelligence as a critical factor in organizational performance in the Zambian parastatal sector.
(2010) Mulambya, Alisala Aison.; Pillay, Kribendiren.
This study is focused on assessing emotional intelligence as a critical factor for people in organizational leadership and in the workforce to achieve the desired performance levels within an organisation. The study setting is in the Zambian Parastatal sector and more particularly at the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) and the Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL). These are two large companies whose operations cover the whole nation. Since 1991, when a new government came to power and liberalized the economy, it has been trying ever since to find a solution to poor performance of parastatal enterprises. It has managed to privatize a good number of them, however, there are a few that it considers strategic to the country’s economy, which are still operating as state owned companies including ZESCO and ZAMTEL which the government has been looking at critically. The major reason cited by the government and scholars for the short-comings in these organizations has been that of poor leadership in their management. It is against this background, that this study attempts to provide a solution to the problem by identifying emotional intelligence as a critical factor needed by the leadership of the Zambian parastatal companies to improve organizational performance. Apparently, emotional intelligence is a new concept in the country and there is little that has been done in this area of knowledge worth noting. This study intends to provide more information on the subject and how it can be implemented to influence effective organizational leaderships. A literature review was undertaken on emotional intelligence together with instruments devised to measure it, which have been developed by a number of psychologists. A theoretical framework on the assessing of emotional intelligence has been provided from which the questionnaire was developed to bring out the content, predictive and construct validity. This questionnaire was subjected to internal evaluation by members of the Copperbelt University’s Department of Business Administration and it was used in a pilot survey involving the managers at a local company in Kitwe to test for consistency. The questionnaires were administered to all those managers at the two case study companies through random sampling to ensure that every manager had equal chance of being picked as a respondent. It took six months to administer the questionnaires. Thereafter, data was analysed on how managers assessed themselves and their organizational leadership with regard to emotional intelligence and how it contributed to the performance of their organization. The nature and management of the parastatal sector in Zambia has also been examined. After a discussion of the findings that emerged from the available literature, a conclusion was drawn that emotional intelligence is a critical factor among the other factors needed to increase organizational performance. Without this, good social relationships and industrial harmony in the work place would be difficult to achieve and maintain. Recommendations have been made for both future research and for the organization’s leadership to consider in its work. This study is focused on assessing emotional intelligence as a critical factor for those in organizational leadership and in the workforce to achieve the desired performance in the organization. The study setting is in the Zambian Parastatal sector and more particularly at the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) and the Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL). These are two large companies whose operations cover the whole nation. Since 1991, when a new government came to power and liberalized the economy, it has been trying ever since to find a solution to the poor performance of parastatal enterprises. It has managed to privatize a good number of them which have gone into private hands. However, there are a few of them that it considers strategic to the country’s economy, which are still operating as state owned companies including ZESCO and ZAMTEL. As these are under-performing, the government has been looking for a solution to this problem. This research will hopefully make a contribution to knowledge that is both situational in that it recommends the application of the concept of emotional intelligence to the parastatal sector and other organizations in Zambia that has not been considered in the past and in the second place it is methodological in that it provides an assessing instrument that can be used to determine emotional intelligence in an organization. This will encourage organizational leadership to institute the necessary interventions to improve the emotional intelligence and social interactions and relations in the organization. With an abundance of emotional intelligence in the organization, this study brings to light the following: Organizations will be able to fulfil their mandates for which they were established through positive performance. This positive performance will be achieved through an effective and emotionally intelligent leadership in its management structures that will create an open and conducive work environment. There is a need for an organizational leadership that motivates and inspires the subordinates and that brings out the best in their work performance and to expected standards. The study has provided suggestions on how emotional intelligence can be developed and enhanced in the organization. There is a need to promote the use, understanding and application of emotional intelligence so that it may lead to better performance and better relationships between the organizations’ stakeholders. There is also a need to increase the level of awareness in Zambia of the crucial role of emotional intelligence as a social lubricant in the promotion of good human and social relations and productivity.
Assessment of causes of the failure of Gikongoro Agricultural Development Project.
(2011) Musekura, Celestin.; Taylor, Robert Gordon.; Pillay, Kribendiren.
The Gikongoro Agricultural Development Project (GADP) was implemented in Gikongoro in 1990 and terminated in 2001. It covered 83,508 ha with 250,000 habitants and had a target group of 42,000 farm families, with an estimated total budget of U$ 31.2 million. Its objectives focused on land development, increase of farm crops, environmental conservation and protection, stores and roads construction and bank loans for small farmers. Its expected impacts included the increase of incomes, enhancement of nutritional status and the resolution of the employment problem. The project was closed without achieving these goals. On the basis of this situation, the following research questions were raised: • How and to what degree did inadequate processes of management and evaluation contribute to the GADP failure? • How and to what degree did external environmental events prevent the GADP from achieving its objectives? • How was the participatory development approach used by the GADP in the process of learning? • What were the main causes that led the GADP to fail? • What could be done and what lessons could be drawn from this experience for the benefit of ongoing and future projects operating in Rwanda? The answer to these questions required a review of literature regarding project management and evaluation principles and organizational environment. The methods used for data collection included documentation, systems thinking, observation and interviews. Thematic analysis and systems thinking were used for data analysis. The findings located the reasons for GADP failure in different problem areas. The civil war of October 1990 and the genocide of April 1994, and frequent droughts, swept away the GADP resources. The GADP failed to identify the real needs of the beneficiaries (farmers), coordinate its stakeholders’ activities, and cooperate and communicate adequately with them. This resulted in delays and budget overruns. The failure to bring together management and evaluation caused the project to be ineffective and inefficient in its management of resources. The GADP closed having made no significant positive impacts on the farmers, especially women. To prevent future potential failures, it is recommended to introduce systems thinking in Rwandan higher education programs and to develop strong partnerships between public and private role players.
Investigating service quality perceptions in tertiary institutions : the case of University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2012) Naidoo, Vannie.; Phiri, Maxwell Agabu.
The study aimed to gain insight into staff and student perceptions of service quality at tertiary institutions. As noted in the literature review, service marketing has evolved over time, as more research has been conducted on quality and how it impacts on the customer. Since tertiary education forms part of service marketing, this study aims to identify the quality variables attached to this service sector and illustrate how each quality variable affects the students and staff within the university environment. The literature review highlighted that universities should not merely subscribe to service quality for its own sake, as high levels of service quality within tertiary institutions yield long-term benefits. These include competitive advantage, reducing customer recruitment costs, promoting positive word of mouth and reputation and building loyal internal customers, which all result in a higher Return on Investment (RoI) in the long term. The foundation of this study is based on the theories relating to the SERVQUAL and Gaps model of service quality developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985). The study adapted the variables pertaining to the tertiary education sector to the SERVQUAL instrument. The researcher opted to use a five point LIKERT scale for the questionnaire, which consisted of closed-ended questions. The questionnaire used in the study was adapted to the quality dimensions peculiar to the tertiary education environment and to the SERVQUAL instrument. Convenience sampling technique was employed. The researcher identified the population as all students and staff at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, consisting of approximately 40 000 students and 4 170 staff. The samples included 380 students and 354 academic and non-academic staff from the Westville, Howard College, Edgewood, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine and Pietermaritzburg campuses. These figures were arrived at using Krejcie and Morgan's (1970) tables on sample size for a given population. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 13 for Windows programme was used for the analysis and presentation of the data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. Data will be presented in tables, charts and graphs to illustrate the results of the survey. The findings of this study record the perceptions and expectations of staff and students respectively. Further, the relevant quality “Gaps for Tangibles, Responsiveness, Reliability Empathy and Assurance” are identified for staff and students. Thereafter relevant recommendations are put forward to address these gaps. The findings of the empirical study illustrate that both staff and students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal were very dissatisfied with the quality of services provided. These findings can be used by University management to improve their marketing strategies for each service offering made to students and staff within the University. It is recommended that in order for the University to be recognized as an institution of higher learning with a high quality of excellence it needs to have an organizational culture that embraces high levels of service quality.
A constructivist approach to Theory U as a transformation model in academic development within South African higher education.
(2012) Kimmie, Riedwaan.; Pillay, Kribendiren.
Rampant industrialization, rapidly shifting geo-political dynamics and an increasingly complex global social context, which is punctuated by bewildering, unpredictable and unprecedented transformation, is having a profoundly debilitating impact on human society. With no precedent to draw from, the overwhelming nature of these changes has resulted in many societal ills such as feelings of alienation, helplessness and societal fragmentation. Although the evolution trajectory shows transformation to be an intrinsic part of the human experience, paradoxically, humans generally do not cope effectively with change, especially drastic and sudden change without a conscious and constructive intervention. Hence from the perspective of this thesis, what is of major concern about pervasive transformation is its impact at the micro level of the mainly Black learners at academic development programmes in South African higher education. This must be seen within the context of the debilitating effects of apartheid, and the macro transformation pressures that were brought to bear on South Africa and which manifested in the significant socio-political shift from apartheid to a democratic system of governance. Research based on interviews and observations with Black students studying engineering at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban, revealed that there were many, mainly non-academic factors that impacted on academic success; that the starting point towards overcoming academic deficiency and challenges, was to adopt an alternative ontological and epistemological perspective. These findings are supported by similar research on academic support programmes at other South African universities such as the University of the Witwatersrand (Agar, 1992:95) where surveys conducted with students have confirmed that among the problems which most influence their academic progress, non-academic problems are rated the most influential. Hence, the more an educational initiative addresses both the educational and socio-economic needs of students, the greater the impact on academic success that initiative is likely to have. It needs to be noted that a study of academic development in South African higher education cannot be pursued independent of the complex social system of which it is part. Besides having to contend with generic social transformation as a result of globalization as well as political changes at the local level, Black learners languishing from the effects of apartheid subjugation even after the onset of democracy, still bear the significant brunt of having to transition from socio-economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue academic study, often at formerly „White‟ tertiary institutions. Unfortunately, the lack of academic preparedness, insufficient cultural capital and a myriad of non-academic ontological factors, have resulted in high failure, slow academic progression and increasing attrition rates. In spite of the extensive prevalence of academic development programmes at many institutions of higher learning, academic problems experienced by Black learners seem to be on the rise. This has raised critical questions about the implementation and epistemological approaches of academic development. This is more so since the dominant structural adjustment implementation model coupled with the mechanistic teaching methodologies applied in academic development programmes have largely proved ineffective in addressing learning problems which are systemic in nature. Through critically engaging the conceptual and applied strengths of the Theory U transformation model, the research proposes this model as an alternative to the mechanistic and reductionist methods which have thus far permeated the academic development discourse. This alternative approach challenges the prevailing educational orthodoxy whereby learners are perceived to be „passive‟ learning beings, and replaces it with a model which approaches learning from the premise that all „knowing‟ is subjective and that through a constructive „mindful‟ consciousness, learners can construct their own meaning of reality. Since education is fundamental to redressing the inequalities of the past and developing the potential for the future, there is an urgent need for an alternative approach. However in a fluid and vibrant context such as presented in South Africa, one cannot search for absolute answers, but needs to be receptive to alternative ways of thinking and to harness these with research findings as a route map for further exploration and meaning-making. Emerging research in such diverse fields as quantum physics, consciousness and various transformation discourses (which include Post-postmodernism and Nondualism) derived mainly from contemplative Eastern philosophical traditions (such as Buddhism), point to a new realization. This realization advocates that the alternative approach does not reside in the „grand narratives‟ which were reified during the eras of Enlightenment and Modernity, but that the ability to change our realities resides within each individual. This awareness posits the individual centrally within his/her reality. In other words, through conscious awareness and transformed mental models, individuals can construct a new reality. This research thesis seeks to develop a deeper understanding of the processes of learning and adaptive intelligence, particularly as applied in rapidly transforming, complex social systems. The approach involves the engaging of the human subject in a „mindful‟ process of deconstructing inhibiting thought patterns and then constructively, constructing new meaning. The parameters of the research have been set by the researcher in accordance with the established practitioner-researcher methodology. This method provides a voice to educators and classroom practitioners to interrogate their own experiences in order to improve their praxis.
Perceptions and experiences of organisational misfit : a grounded theory study of South African employees.
(2013) Williamson, Mervywn Kenneth.; Coldwell, David A. L.
Research into person-environment fit has focused on fit and the many positive benefits that have been associated with achieving high fit. Misfit on the other hand, has been given scant attention. To date, not much is known about what exactly misfit is and how individuals experience this phenomenon at work. Moreover, there has been a paucity of studies that have explored misfit in countries outside of North America, the United Kingdom and Western Europe. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature by exploring how South African employees perceive and experience misfit at work. A further objective was to develop a theoretical model that explains the processes of becoming a misfit, its antecedents, coping behaviours and consequences. The study embraced a qualitative research design using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Following a theoretical sampling process, a sample of 40 employees was selected and subjected to in-depth, face-to-face interviews in which they were asked to relate their experiences of misfitting in the South African organisational context. The findings were reported in relation to five guiding research questions. South African employees displayed a unique understanding of what misfit is when compared with certain Western Countries, thus lending support to the notion of a context-specific or cultural element in perceptions and experiences of the phenomenon. Misfit was perceived as both an internal psychological experience and an outward assessment of an individual based on external characteristics such as demographics. Participants emphasised race and gender as the major causal factors of misfit in the South African workplace. An unexpected finding emanating from this research was that a person’s HIV/Aids status was not considered a significant factor in influencing their sense of misfit. Generally, misfit was perceived to have a deleterious effect on both the individual employee and the organisation. On discovering that they did not fit in, South African employees do not immediately leave the organisation for fear of being permanently without a job as a result of the high unemployment rate in the country. Instead, they remained and engaged in a variety of coping behaviours to deal with the condition. It was strongly emphasised that exiting the organisation was deemed to be the last resort. This study further unearthed a wide range of strategies and interventions that South African managers could use to effectively manage their misfitting employees in order to creatively harness their potential. The emergent theoretical framework, entitled “a model of employee misfit” describes the processes of becoming a misfit, its causes, coping behaviour and consequences. The findings of this study make a significant contribution to misfit research, theory and practice.
Training, development and performance in a public corporation : case study of the Nigerian railway corporation.
(2013) Nwokeiwu, Johnson.; Fields, Ziska.; Chitakunye, Pepukayi.
Rail transport in Nigeria confronts the challenge of providing more efficient services to serve the needs of the economy. Past neglect of the corporation has led to poor performance, contributing less than .5% to GDP. A much reduced, ill-motivated and inefficient workforce and management neglect have resulted in the NRC‘s current dilapidated and degraded state. Moribund traffic and diminishing capacity to serve its customers have resulted in a huge loss in income for the corporation. Management has taken up the challenge to restore the corporation to its former glory, by providing efficient services to cargo owners and improved safety and operational performance to the numerous commuters. The NRC has adopted T&D as a core strategy to cope with ever-increasing competitive pressure and demands for efficient and improved services, as well as a better manpower base. This study focuses on analysing Training and Development (T&D), and performance in a public corporation in Nigeria. The primary aim was to analyse the perceived impact of T&D on performance as well as workers‘ perceptions of the organisation‘s effectiveness in managing the factors that hinder or promote training transfer. The relationship between the impact of T&D and performance in a government-owned corporation has not received adequate attention in Nigeria; only occasional references are made to a connection between these concepts. The evidence suggests that the impact of T&D on performance is subject to debate and many organisations do not measure it. However, organisations are increasingly considering human capital (i.e. the people who make up an organisation) a source of competitive advantage; such advantage is sustained mainly through human resource development initiatives. Therefore, investing in human capital has become a critical strategic option for contemporary organisations because the ability of any firm to compete successfully is a function of the availability of skills and knowledge and how they are managed. Furthermore, despite the numerous benefits of T&D to organisations, the influence of T&D in the public sector has not received serious attention and is traditionally not evaluated. This is due to leadership changes when one regime replaces another as politicians‘ lack of awareness of T&D‘s impact on organisations and the economy. There is a dearth of effective instruments to measure changes in performance directly or indirectly related to T&D activities. Furthermore, the bulk of the studies on the influence of T&D initiatives on individual and organisational performance have been conducted in the manufacturing sector. It is not known whether similar results will be obtained in other sectors. This study was carried out among 297 employees of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC). A questionnaire was administered to employees and personal interviews were held with the Directors, as well as technical and administrative staff. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were adopted and the results were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, e.g. Pearson correlation, Chi Square multiple regression etc. The analysis was largely descriptive and regression-based and the investigation was a co-relational study in a public sector organisation. Through a literature review, interviews and a questionnaire survey, the study explored the formulation, implementation and evaluation of T&D initiatives in a public corporation and how these are perceived to influence individual and organisational performance. Training and development was found to impact positively on employees‘ skills, knowledge and ability, irrespective of their position and function. This influenced overall organisational performance. Training and development was found to be responsible for approximately 23% of the improvement in job performance. Motivation to transfer, performance self-efficacy, transfer design and personal capacity were the only factors found to significantly influence transfer of learning on the job; this implies that the influence of transfer factors is contextual or situational, i.e. factors that influence learning transfer in one organisation may not do so in another. This study contributes to knowledge by presenting a framework for essential practices for T&D which was formulated from the findings of the literature review. It further contributes to knowledge by adding value to the on-going debate on the impact of T&D and training transfer on job performance in a typical government organisation, and by presenting a possible framework for the future study and management of T&D programmes. Finally, the study contributes to knowledge as it was carried out in a unique context – the NRC in Africa. The majority of previous studies were conducted in developed countries focusing on commercial organisations, and never on the transport sector.
The relationship between organisational culture and performance : a case of the banking sector in Nigeria.
(2014) Atiku, Sulaiman Olusegun.; Fields, Ziska.
The interplay between organisational culture and performance is an on-going area of research. Previous studies have not being able to provide constructive explanations of the link between organisational culture and performance. The current study proposes a research model as an extension to the direct link between organisational culture and performance, utilising human resource development policy and human resource outcomes as mediating variables. This study also explores the role of human resource outcomes in the relationship between human resource development policy and commercial banks’ performance in Nigeria. The study adopted a non-experimental research design of ex post facto type, utilising a correlational approach with advanced explanatory design. This suggested the utilisation of concurrent transformative mixed methods for data collection and suitable corresponding data analysis procedures. The instruments used for data collection were the: Organisation Culture Scale (OCS), Dimensions of Learning Organisation Questionnaire (DLOQ), Human Resource Outcomes Scale (HROS), Employee Attitude Survey (EAS), Organisational Citizenship Behaviours (OCBs) and Organisational Performance Scale (OPS). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were; 0.886, 0.914, 0.898, 0.900, 0.878 and 0.821, respectively. A combination of simple random sampling and convenience sampling techniques was adopted. While three hundred and eighty (380) questionnaires were distributed to the respondents; three hundred and six (306) were returned. Only one questionnaire was not properly filled and was discarded. The remaining 305 questionnaires represent an 80.3% response rate. Based on the overall objective of the study, five hypotheses were formulated and tested using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) and multiple regression analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) via IBM SPSS statistics version 21 and IBM SPSS AMOS version 21, respectively. The study found a statistically significant alternative route from organisational culture to performance, by communicating core values through human resource development policy and shaping employee skills, attitudes and behaviours; as human resource outcome factors, which better explained the variations in commercial banks’ performance in Nigeria. This study extends the frontiers of knowledge in the field of human resource management and organisational behaviour by offering a four-stage explanation/discussion on the culture-performance link.
An assessment of compensation management and motivation on organisational performance in the insurance industry in Nigeria.
(2014) Adeoye, Abayomi Olarewaju.; Fields, Ziska.
Compensation management is used by human resource practitioners and is a human resource functions that determines the decision of both job applicants, current employees’ and the management of any firm. This study investigates the relationship between compensation management, motivation and organisational performance in the insurance industry in Nigeria. The basic objectives of the research were to: to examine the extent of compensation management and its effect on the performance of insurance industry in Nigeria. Determine whether the firm is achieving employees’ satisfaction; investigate the organisational effectiveness in achieving its objectives and resource allocation. To ascertain the impact of compensation management on employees’ motivation. Determine the impact of compensation management on employees’ leadership roles; to examine the contribution of compensation management to employees’ self-actualisation; and to determine the effects of governmental policies on compensation management and workers motivation in insurance industry in Nigeria. The instruments used to collect data from study respondents were Compensation Management Questionnaire Scale (CMQS); the Short Form of Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ); Motivation Questionnaire Scale (MQS); Job Performance Scale (JPS); Multi-Factors Leadership Questionnaire-Form 5X (MLQ-Form 5X); the Reversed Brief Index of Self-Actualisation (BISA-R); Organisational Effectiveness Assessment Questionnaire (OEAQ) and Governmental Policy Questionnaire Scale (GPQS). The reliability coefficients or Cronbach’s Alpha (α) of the research measures were 0.87; 0.74; 0.81; 0.83; 0.80; 0.81; 0.71 and 0.73 respectively. 250 questionnaires were distributed to employees of Alliance and General Insurance Plc., 213 returned and out of which 212 (84.8%) were found useful and normal. The data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. It was established that a relationship exists between organisational performance and employees’ satisfaction; there is a relationship between organisational effectiveness and objectives achievement. There is a relationship between compensation management and employees’ performance; employees’ motivation, employees’ leadership roles; employees’ self-actualisation though all these relationship that was established were not strong. There is a very weak relationship that existed between government policies on compensation management and employees’ motivation in insurance industry in Nigeria. The findings of the study reflected that compensation management and motivation of employees are factors that employers can use to boost the performance of employee’s as well as that of organisations in the insurance industry in Nigeria. It is recommended that compensation management and employee’s motivation should by given attention by the management of insurance industry in Nigeria.
A critical analysis of the emerging models of power amongst South African Women business leaders.
(2014) Kinnear, Lisa Caroline.; Ortlepp, Karen.
This study aims to understand and analyse the emerging models of power amongst South African women business leaders. The focus of this study is on women’s construction of power in relation to their leadership roles within an organisation. Traditionally models of power have been constructed within the dominant patriarchal discourse relating to the capacity to exert control over others. Current theories are redefining power and the nature of leadership in relation to the changing needs of society. Due to our patriarchal society women have traditionally been excluded from building theories on power, both within an academic and business context. In this thesis women’s autobiographies have been studied to include their growing awareness of power in their past, current leadership role and envisaged future. This has resulted in the identification of emerging models of power amongst these South African women business leaders. The empirical work is grounded in three key bodies of literature: theories on power; literature on leadership; and studies on transformation. Specific to this study has been the inclusion of feminist theories on power since the aim of the study is to include women’s perspectives into the process of theory building. This qualitative study is positioned within a social constructionist paradigm and uses the methodology of discourse analysis to identify emerging models of power. The 10 participants in the study include women executive directors and managers within large scale businesses across a range of industry sectors within South Africa. The findings of this work shows that women continue to grapple with the tensions of constructing their power and leadership identity within a patriarchal environment. As a result they move between models that entrench patriarchy; adapt to patriarchal systems through survival strategies; or tentatively assert an alternative transformative model of power. This emerging model reflects social, psychological and spiritual dimensions of power experienced by the women research participantswithin their leadership context. The research highlights the fact that despite efforts to create gender equality in organisations, transformation will not occur without fundamentally shifting perceptions of power to include these emerging models which are consistent with current leadership thinking.

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