An evaluation of employee assistance programmes and the impact of workplace wellness on employee productivity: a case study of the Eastern Cape Provincial (2007-2012)
- Authors: Mazantsana, Nomzamo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee assistance programs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee empowerment , Employee health promotion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee retention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- Training of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11657 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007041 , Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee assistance programs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee empowerment , Employee health promotion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee retention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- Training of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: An employee wellness programme is a programme that promotes and supports the well-being of its employees and is aimed at increasing productivity. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) are used as a means of ensuring employee wellness. Employee Assistance Programme can be defined as a programme aimed at improving the quality of life of employees and their families by providing support and helping to alleviate the impact of everyday work and personal problems. EAPs are intended to help employees deal with their personal problems that might adversely impact their work performance, health and well-being. The main goal of the EAP is to enhance productivity as well as social functioning of individuals.The main objective of the study as to evaluate the Employee Assistance Programmes and the impact of Workplace Wellness on employee performance in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature. This was triggered by the fact that Wellness and EAPs are not visible in the ECPL and the Legislature continues to lose employees due to ill-health and resignations. The institution is characterised by a culture of “us” and “them”, us, referring to Labour and them to Management, and therefore resulting in low staff morale. This raised some concern from the researcher as there is an EAP paid for by the Legislature, but awareness, utilisation and effectiveness of the programme remain a challenge. Due to the nature of the institution’s core business, it is perhaps even more vital for the Legislature to create an organisational culture of caring and employees to be nurtured. It is believed that it is more cost effective and beneficial to both the employer and the employee to retain trained employees, than it is to lose troubled employees and hire new ones, in particular because there is no guarantee that the new ones will not, in time also show signs of problems. The researcher used applied research in this study to explore the need for the EAP as well as how best the programme can be implemented. A combination of an explanatory-descriptive design was used for this study because little is known about the phenomenon or programme. For this research, the researcher used a combination of interval/systematic and random sampling to complement each other in reducing any bias that has the potential of occurring when applying interval/systematic sampling. To get representation and precision, the researcher divided 285 employees according to their ranks. The results from this attempt were: Secretariat=25, Management=42, Administrative staff=196, General Workers=33 NEHAWU Shopstewards=10. The researcher then divided employees in each respective category by one tenth or 10% of each category to get the number of respondents from each category to be included in the sample and added up all categories to get the sample size. The sample of this study was thus, Secretariat=1, Management=4, Administrative staff=20, General workers=3 and NEHAWU Shopstewards=1 and made up a sample size of 29. Only one questionnaire was compiled for all the respondents because EAP recognise that employees start from the CEO of a company to the lowest paid employee in that company and, as such considers all employees to be equal. Research results indicated that there are some limitations in the utilisation of EAP and that employees are faced with both personal and work-related problems. Thus it became clear that the whole concept of Employee Wellness and Employee Assistance Programmes needed to be overhauled and restructured to ensure maximum benefit.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mazantsana, Nomzamo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee assistance programs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee empowerment , Employee health promotion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee retention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- Training of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11657 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007041 , Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee assistance programs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee empowerment , Employee health promotion -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee retention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- Training of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: An employee wellness programme is a programme that promotes and supports the well-being of its employees and is aimed at increasing productivity. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) are used as a means of ensuring employee wellness. Employee Assistance Programme can be defined as a programme aimed at improving the quality of life of employees and their families by providing support and helping to alleviate the impact of everyday work and personal problems. EAPs are intended to help employees deal with their personal problems that might adversely impact their work performance, health and well-being. The main goal of the EAP is to enhance productivity as well as social functioning of individuals.The main objective of the study as to evaluate the Employee Assistance Programmes and the impact of Workplace Wellness on employee performance in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature. This was triggered by the fact that Wellness and EAPs are not visible in the ECPL and the Legislature continues to lose employees due to ill-health and resignations. The institution is characterised by a culture of “us” and “them”, us, referring to Labour and them to Management, and therefore resulting in low staff morale. This raised some concern from the researcher as there is an EAP paid for by the Legislature, but awareness, utilisation and effectiveness of the programme remain a challenge. Due to the nature of the institution’s core business, it is perhaps even more vital for the Legislature to create an organisational culture of caring and employees to be nurtured. It is believed that it is more cost effective and beneficial to both the employer and the employee to retain trained employees, than it is to lose troubled employees and hire new ones, in particular because there is no guarantee that the new ones will not, in time also show signs of problems. The researcher used applied research in this study to explore the need for the EAP as well as how best the programme can be implemented. A combination of an explanatory-descriptive design was used for this study because little is known about the phenomenon or programme. For this research, the researcher used a combination of interval/systematic and random sampling to complement each other in reducing any bias that has the potential of occurring when applying interval/systematic sampling. To get representation and precision, the researcher divided 285 employees according to their ranks. The results from this attempt were: Secretariat=25, Management=42, Administrative staff=196, General Workers=33 NEHAWU Shopstewards=10. The researcher then divided employees in each respective category by one tenth or 10% of each category to get the number of respondents from each category to be included in the sample and added up all categories to get the sample size. The sample of this study was thus, Secretariat=1, Management=4, Administrative staff=20, General workers=3 and NEHAWU Shopstewards=1 and made up a sample size of 29. Only one questionnaire was compiled for all the respondents because EAP recognise that employees start from the CEO of a company to the lowest paid employee in that company and, as such considers all employees to be equal. Research results indicated that there are some limitations in the utilisation of EAP and that employees are faced with both personal and work-related problems. Thus it became clear that the whole concept of Employee Wellness and Employee Assistance Programmes needed to be overhauled and restructured to ensure maximum benefit.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of gender equity in the Amathole District Council head office, East London 2006-2010
- Authors: Tsomo, Zixolele
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa -- East London , Sex discrimination -- South Africa -- East London , Gender identity in the workplace -- South Africa -- East London , Women's rights -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8259 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012685 , Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa -- East London , Sex discrimination -- South Africa -- East London , Gender identity in the workplace -- South Africa -- East London , Women's rights -- South Africa -- East London
- Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate the promotion of gender equity in the Amathole District Municipality (ADM). This investigation originated against the phenomenon that women are continuously faced with barriers to progress in the workplace. In an endeavour to find a meaningful solution to the problem, it was necessary to assess the degree of transformational change in the workplace; to ascertain what these barriers are; and how they can be overcome. The study commenced with an overview of the stance of women in the Republic of South Africa, especially their struggle to find a platform from where their voice could be heard. In order to achieve the research objectives, an in-depth literature study was undertaken. A survey was also conducted to examine the perceptions of gender equity in the ADM. The required data was collected by means of face-to-face semi-structured interviews with female officials in senior managerial positions. The study concludes with a number of recommendations that emanate from the literature review and qualitative study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Tsomo, Zixolele
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa -- East London , Sex discrimination -- South Africa -- East London , Gender identity in the workplace -- South Africa -- East London , Women's rights -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8259 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012685 , Sex discrimination against women -- South Africa -- East London , Sex discrimination -- South Africa -- East London , Gender identity in the workplace -- South Africa -- East London , Women's rights -- South Africa -- East London
- Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate the promotion of gender equity in the Amathole District Municipality (ADM). This investigation originated against the phenomenon that women are continuously faced with barriers to progress in the workplace. In an endeavour to find a meaningful solution to the problem, it was necessary to assess the degree of transformational change in the workplace; to ascertain what these barriers are; and how they can be overcome. The study commenced with an overview of the stance of women in the Republic of South Africa, especially their struggle to find a platform from where their voice could be heard. In order to achieve the research objectives, an in-depth literature study was undertaken. A survey was also conducted to examine the perceptions of gender equity in the ADM. The required data was collected by means of face-to-face semi-structured interviews with female officials in senior managerial positions. The study concludes with a number of recommendations that emanate from the literature review and qualitative study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of political participation by coloured people, 1994-2009
- Authors: Bloemiers, Gary
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Colored people (South Africa) , Political participation , Racially mixed people -- South Africa , Apartheid -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8184 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008078 , Colored people (South Africa) , Political participation , Racially mixed people -- South Africa , Apartheid -- South Africa
- Description: The aim of the study was to gain an understanding of the level of political participation of Coloured people in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth. The focus was to investigate and identify if political apathy exists among Coloureds in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth and the reasons thereof, if it existed. The northern area of Port Elizabeth is a historically Coloured area created with the imposition of the segregation policies of the apartheid government. The study attempted to explore means to improve political participation of Coloured people in Port Elizabeth. Coloured people have played an important role in the political landscape in South Africa during the colonial and apartheid period. The voting power of the Coloured people during the colonial and apartheid period have been a determining factor in shaping the political landscape. The study commences with a broad overview of the political participation and political identity of Coloured people during the colonial and apartheid periods, including the current political dispensation. The study also included the analysis of secondary information in the form of statistical data in respect of election results from the 1999 elections through to the 2009 national elections. Data was collected by using qualitative and quantitative methods referred to as methodological triangulation. The qualitative method comprised face-to-face semi-structured interviews with political and community leaders in the northern areas that gained information on the levels of political participation and the extent of political disengagement. The quantitative method included a questionnaire that established views of respondents regarding levels of political participation and apathy to determine the levels of political disengagement. The interviews elicited valuable information on political participation of Coloured people before and after 1994. Information was also gained on the existence and the reasons for the perceived political apathy. Valuable insight was gained as to how Coloured people view the importance of political participation and the results indicated the limited participation beyond elections. Recommendations are made on the importance of civil society participation, the visibility of political parties and the importance of political education and how it can contribute to increased political participation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Bloemiers, Gary
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Colored people (South Africa) , Political participation , Racially mixed people -- South Africa , Apartheid -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8184 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008078 , Colored people (South Africa) , Political participation , Racially mixed people -- South Africa , Apartheid -- South Africa
- Description: The aim of the study was to gain an understanding of the level of political participation of Coloured people in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth. The focus was to investigate and identify if political apathy exists among Coloureds in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth and the reasons thereof, if it existed. The northern area of Port Elizabeth is a historically Coloured area created with the imposition of the segregation policies of the apartheid government. The study attempted to explore means to improve political participation of Coloured people in Port Elizabeth. Coloured people have played an important role in the political landscape in South Africa during the colonial and apartheid period. The voting power of the Coloured people during the colonial and apartheid period have been a determining factor in shaping the political landscape. The study commences with a broad overview of the political participation and political identity of Coloured people during the colonial and apartheid periods, including the current political dispensation. The study also included the analysis of secondary information in the form of statistical data in respect of election results from the 1999 elections through to the 2009 national elections. Data was collected by using qualitative and quantitative methods referred to as methodological triangulation. The qualitative method comprised face-to-face semi-structured interviews with political and community leaders in the northern areas that gained information on the levels of political participation and the extent of political disengagement. The quantitative method included a questionnaire that established views of respondents regarding levels of political participation and apathy to determine the levels of political disengagement. The interviews elicited valuable information on political participation of Coloured people before and after 1994. Information was also gained on the existence and the reasons for the perceived political apathy. Valuable insight was gained as to how Coloured people view the importance of political participation and the results indicated the limited participation beyond elections. Recommendations are made on the importance of civil society participation, the visibility of political parties and the importance of political education and how it can contribute to increased political participation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of programming assistance tools to support the learning of IT programming: a case study in South African secondary schools
- Authors: Koorsse, Melisa
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Computer science , Computer literacy , Computer programming
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:10472 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010581 , Computer science , Computer literacy , Computer programming
- Description: Worldwide, there is a decline in interest in the computer science profession and in the subject at secondary school level. Novice programmers struggle to understand introductory programming concepts and this difficulty of learning to program is contributing to the lack of interest in the field of computer science. Information Technology (IT) learners in South African secondary schools are novice programmers, introduced to introductory programming concepts in the subject which also includes topics on hardware and system software, e-communication, social and ethical issues, spreadsheets and databases. The difficulties faced by IT learners are worsened by the lack of suitably qualified teachers, a saturated learning programme that allocates very little time to the understanding of complex programming concepts and limited class time where practical examples can be implemented with the support of the IT teacher. This research proposes that IT learners could be supported by a programming assistance tool (PAT). A PAT is a software program that can be used by novice programmers to learn how to program and/or improve their understanding of programming concepts. PATs use different techniques to assist novice programmers. The main objective of this research was to determine whether the use of a PAT impacted IT learners’ understanding of programming concepts and motivation towards programming. The literature study and feedback from IT learners and teachers were used to identify novice programming difficulties and IT learner programming difficulties, respectively. Selection criteria were derived from the programming difficulties identified. The selection criteria were grouped into three categories, namely, programming concepts, programming knowledge and programming skills. Existing PATs were evaluated using the selection criteria and three PATs, namely, RoboMind, Scratch and B#, were selected as suitable for use by IT learners. RoboMind was adapted in this research study, allowing it to support the Delphi programming language. The three PATs were evaluated by participating IT learners at four schools. The findings of this research provided no conclusive evidence that IT learners who used a PAT had a significantly better understanding of programming concepts and motivation towards programming than learners who did not use a PAT. IT learner feedback was used to identify the strengths and shortcomings of the three PATs and to provide recommendations for the development of PATs specifically to support IT learners. This research study has provided several theoretical and practical contributions, including the research design, selection criteria, adaptations to RoboMind and the evaluation of the three PATs. In addition, IT teachers and learners have been made aware of PATs and the support that can be provided by these PATs. IT teachers have also been provided with a means of selecting PATs applicable to the IT curriculum. All the research contributions have formed the basis for future work, such as improving and extending RoboMind’s functionality and support of programming concepts, the refinement of the selection criteria and, ultimately, the development of a new PAT, specifically designed to support IT learner understanding of programming concepts and motivation towards programming.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Koorsse, Melisa
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Computer science , Computer literacy , Computer programming
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:10472 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010581 , Computer science , Computer literacy , Computer programming
- Description: Worldwide, there is a decline in interest in the computer science profession and in the subject at secondary school level. Novice programmers struggle to understand introductory programming concepts and this difficulty of learning to program is contributing to the lack of interest in the field of computer science. Information Technology (IT) learners in South African secondary schools are novice programmers, introduced to introductory programming concepts in the subject which also includes topics on hardware and system software, e-communication, social and ethical issues, spreadsheets and databases. The difficulties faced by IT learners are worsened by the lack of suitably qualified teachers, a saturated learning programme that allocates very little time to the understanding of complex programming concepts and limited class time where practical examples can be implemented with the support of the IT teacher. This research proposes that IT learners could be supported by a programming assistance tool (PAT). A PAT is a software program that can be used by novice programmers to learn how to program and/or improve their understanding of programming concepts. PATs use different techniques to assist novice programmers. The main objective of this research was to determine whether the use of a PAT impacted IT learners’ understanding of programming concepts and motivation towards programming. The literature study and feedback from IT learners and teachers were used to identify novice programming difficulties and IT learner programming difficulties, respectively. Selection criteria were derived from the programming difficulties identified. The selection criteria were grouped into three categories, namely, programming concepts, programming knowledge and programming skills. Existing PATs were evaluated using the selection criteria and three PATs, namely, RoboMind, Scratch and B#, were selected as suitable for use by IT learners. RoboMind was adapted in this research study, allowing it to support the Delphi programming language. The three PATs were evaluated by participating IT learners at four schools. The findings of this research provided no conclusive evidence that IT learners who used a PAT had a significantly better understanding of programming concepts and motivation towards programming than learners who did not use a PAT. IT learner feedback was used to identify the strengths and shortcomings of the three PATs and to provide recommendations for the development of PATs specifically to support IT learners. This research study has provided several theoretical and practical contributions, including the research design, selection criteria, adaptations to RoboMind and the evaluation of the three PATs. In addition, IT teachers and learners have been made aware of PATs and the support that can be provided by these PATs. IT teachers have also been provided with a means of selecting PATs applicable to the IT curriculum. All the research contributions have formed the basis for future work, such as improving and extending RoboMind’s functionality and support of programming concepts, the refinement of the selection criteria and, ultimately, the development of a new PAT, specifically designed to support IT learner understanding of programming concepts and motivation towards programming.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of public participation on service delivery at Lukhanji Municipality
- Authors: Fuku, Mzwamadoda
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation.
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8281 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016495
- Description: After 1994, the democratic South Africa passed a number of legislations in order to address the imbalances of the previous apartheid regime. The new South African government had a special mandate to provide appropriate services to all the citizens of the country. In 1995 the government formulated the White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service. The aim was to transform the South African public service, which is the indication of the importance of service delivery, as the key machinery of the government to equalize service delivery to all citizens. In 1996, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa anchored the Bill of Rights as the cornerstone of democracy that enshrines the rights of all people and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. Chapter ten of the Constitution stipulates the basic values and principles governing public administration. The South African Government has developed a wide range of legislation that ensures that communities are consulted on a continuous basis with regard to how services need to be rendered. Communities have a right to be consulted and to give input into issues affecting them. Public consultation as envisaged in the South African legislation has, however, not yielded the desired results which is evident in the spate of service delivery protests over poor or non-service delivery. Section 152(1) (e) of the constitution stipulates amongst others, promotes involvement of communities and community organisations in the matters of local government. Section 73 of the Municipal Structures Act (no.117 of 1998) also requires municipalities to establish ward committees in a manner that seeks to enhance participatory democracy at the local level. The study therefore is to check that decision-makers at the Chris Hani Municipality understand the consequences of their decisions before they act and people affected get the opportunity to participate in designing their future.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Fuku, Mzwamadoda
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation.
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8281 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016495
- Description: After 1994, the democratic South Africa passed a number of legislations in order to address the imbalances of the previous apartheid regime. The new South African government had a special mandate to provide appropriate services to all the citizens of the country. In 1995 the government formulated the White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service. The aim was to transform the South African public service, which is the indication of the importance of service delivery, as the key machinery of the government to equalize service delivery to all citizens. In 1996, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa anchored the Bill of Rights as the cornerstone of democracy that enshrines the rights of all people and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. Chapter ten of the Constitution stipulates the basic values and principles governing public administration. The South African Government has developed a wide range of legislation that ensures that communities are consulted on a continuous basis with regard to how services need to be rendered. Communities have a right to be consulted and to give input into issues affecting them. Public consultation as envisaged in the South African legislation has, however, not yielded the desired results which is evident in the spate of service delivery protests over poor or non-service delivery. Section 152(1) (e) of the constitution stipulates amongst others, promotes involvement of communities and community organisations in the matters of local government. Section 73 of the Municipal Structures Act (no.117 of 1998) also requires municipalities to establish ward committees in a manner that seeks to enhance participatory democracy at the local level. The study therefore is to check that decision-makers at the Chris Hani Municipality understand the consequences of their decisions before they act and people affected get the opportunity to participate in designing their future.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the child support grant as a poverty alleviation strategy : the case of King William's Town Centre
- Authors: Ganto, Cikizwa
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Child support -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Child welfare -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public welfare -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social security -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8282 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016496
- Description: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the CHILD SUPPORT GRANT as a poverty alleviation strategy as imposed by government in the King William‟s Town Centre. To achieve the objective of the study, a literature review and empirical research were conducted. During the empirical research, interviews were conducted and CSG beneficiaries taken on board as a sample. The impact of the CSG was evaluated to see if these are in line with what the literature reveals. The descriptive method was used to analyze the data and to find responses to the research questions and objectives. The research showed that the determinants are multiple: behavioral, lack of efficiency, and so on. Secondly, it is time for policy makers and others to work with implementers/beneficiaries to understand the implications and context of the CSG in the lives of the people. The critique of the Child Support Grant had not taken on board the viewpoints of caregivers concerning its socio-economic role. The discourse of the Child Support Grant therefore resulted in an over-representation of perceptions that excluded caregivers who collected and used the same grant. The popular approach by scholars to the Child Support Grant was to conclude, based on statistically measurable impacts of the grant, that it was effective in poverty alleviation, without regard to the viewpoint of caregivers. Others regarded its role as disastrous based on observable trends in society, such as increases in teenage fertility, and attributed the same to the provision of the grant, without regard to it as a poverty alleviation strategy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Ganto, Cikizwa
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Child support -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Child welfare -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public welfare -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Social security -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8282 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016496
- Description: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the CHILD SUPPORT GRANT as a poverty alleviation strategy as imposed by government in the King William‟s Town Centre. To achieve the objective of the study, a literature review and empirical research were conducted. During the empirical research, interviews were conducted and CSG beneficiaries taken on board as a sample. The impact of the CSG was evaluated to see if these are in line with what the literature reveals. The descriptive method was used to analyze the data and to find responses to the research questions and objectives. The research showed that the determinants are multiple: behavioral, lack of efficiency, and so on. Secondly, it is time for policy makers and others to work with implementers/beneficiaries to understand the implications and context of the CSG in the lives of the people. The critique of the Child Support Grant had not taken on board the viewpoints of caregivers concerning its socio-economic role. The discourse of the Child Support Grant therefore resulted in an over-representation of perceptions that excluded caregivers who collected and used the same grant. The popular approach by scholars to the Child Support Grant was to conclude, based on statistically measurable impacts of the grant, that it was effective in poverty alleviation, without regard to the viewpoint of caregivers. Others regarded its role as disastrous based on observable trends in society, such as increases in teenage fertility, and attributed the same to the provision of the grant, without regard to it as a poverty alleviation strategy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the efficacy of digital real-time noise control techniques in evoking the musical effect
- Authors: Warneke, Andrew Travis
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Music -- Acoustics and physics , Signal processing -- Digital techniques
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8524 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020158
- Description: This study sought to determine whether or not it may be possible to evoke ‘the musical effect' – the emotional response perceived by music listeners – using white noise as a sound-source and real-time digital signal processing techniques. This information was considered to be valuable as in a world driven by technological progress the potential use of new or different technologies in creating music could lead to the development of new methods of – and tools for – composition and performance. More specifically this research asked the question 'what is music?' and investigated how humans – both trained musicians and untrained people – perceive it. The elements of music were investigated for their affective strengths and new fields of research explored for insights into emotion identification in music. Thereafter the focus shifted into the realm of Digital Signal Processing. Common operations and techniques for signal manipulation were investigated and an understanding of the field as a whole was sought. The culmination of these two separate, yet related, investigations was the design and implementation of a listening experiment conducted on adult subjects. They were asked to listen to various manipulated noise-signals and answer a questionnaire with regard to their perceptions of the audio material. The data from the listening experiment suggest that certain DSP techniques can evoke ‘the musical effect’. Various musical elements were represented via digital techniques and in many cases respondents reported perceptions which suggest that some effect was felt. The techniques implemented and musical elements represented were discussed, and possible applications for these techniques, both musical and non-musical, were explored. Areas for further research were discussed and include the implementation of even more DSP techniques, and also into garnering a more specific idea of the emotion perceived by respondents in response to the experiment material.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Warneke, Andrew Travis
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Music -- Acoustics and physics , Signal processing -- Digital techniques
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:8524 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020158
- Description: This study sought to determine whether or not it may be possible to evoke ‘the musical effect' – the emotional response perceived by music listeners – using white noise as a sound-source and real-time digital signal processing techniques. This information was considered to be valuable as in a world driven by technological progress the potential use of new or different technologies in creating music could lead to the development of new methods of – and tools for – composition and performance. More specifically this research asked the question 'what is music?' and investigated how humans – both trained musicians and untrained people – perceive it. The elements of music were investigated for their affective strengths and new fields of research explored for insights into emotion identification in music. Thereafter the focus shifted into the realm of Digital Signal Processing. Common operations and techniques for signal manipulation were investigated and an understanding of the field as a whole was sought. The culmination of these two separate, yet related, investigations was the design and implementation of a listening experiment conducted on adult subjects. They were asked to listen to various manipulated noise-signals and answer a questionnaire with regard to their perceptions of the audio material. The data from the listening experiment suggest that certain DSP techniques can evoke ‘the musical effect’. Various musical elements were represented via digital techniques and in many cases respondents reported perceptions which suggest that some effect was felt. The techniques implemented and musical elements represented were discussed, and possible applications for these techniques, both musical and non-musical, were explored. Areas for further research were discussed and include the implementation of even more DSP techniques, and also into garnering a more specific idea of the emotion perceived by respondents in response to the experiment material.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the government communication and information system's communication strategy: a case study of the 16 days of activism campaign in Soshanguve
- Authors: Hadji, Mutambuli James
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Government Communication & Information System (South Africa) -- Evaluation , Information services -- Government policy -- South Africa , Communication policy -- South Africa , Human rights -- Women , Public health -- South Africa , Women -- Crimes against -- South Africa , Children -- Crimes against -- South Africa , Soshanguve (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Com)
- Identifier: vital:11364 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1004900 , Government Communication & Information System (South Africa) -- Evaluation , Information services -- Government policy -- South Africa , Communication policy -- South Africa , Human rights -- Women , Public health -- South Africa , Women -- Crimes against -- South Africa , Children -- Crimes against -- South Africa , Soshanguve (South Africa)
- Description: United Nation's (UN) millennium development goal number three is aimed at eliminating gender inequality and empowering women. Gender-based violence is recognised as a global public health and human rights problem that leads to high rates of morbidity and mortality, including sexually transmitted infections, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance dependence and suicide. In responding to this international public health and human rights concern, the South African government has adopted numerous public health communication strategies to highlight the plight of women and children. One of the campaigns that are conducted in South Africa is the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children (16 Days of Activism Campaign). This campaign was introduced in 1999 but the literature review reveals that to date, no studies have focused on its evaluation. As such, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the 16 Days of Activism Campaign with special reference to the Soshanguve community in Gauteng province. This study builds on two theories, namely the excellence theory and the diffusion of innovation theory. Mixed research methods (also called triangulation) was used whereby in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives from the Government Communication and Information System and the Department of Women, Children and People with Disability to establish the promotion strategies used in the campaign and the methods used to assess the effectiveness of the campaign. Furthermore, a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted within the Soshanguve community to evaluate the promotion strategies and assess the impact of the campaign.This study revealed a high level of reliance on the television, radio and newspapers in the communication strategies. Both government departments acknowledged that they do not have a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign from the receivers‟ perspective. The Soshanguve community felt that in essence the campaign is relevant but not on time. The residents viewed the study as an important part of creating awareness about the campaign and they believed the campaign helped them to know what to do when faced with gender-based violence so that they can assist those who are affected by it.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Hadji, Mutambuli James
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Government Communication & Information System (South Africa) -- Evaluation , Information services -- Government policy -- South Africa , Communication policy -- South Africa , Human rights -- Women , Public health -- South Africa , Women -- Crimes against -- South Africa , Children -- Crimes against -- South Africa , Soshanguve (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Com)
- Identifier: vital:11364 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1004900 , Government Communication & Information System (South Africa) -- Evaluation , Information services -- Government policy -- South Africa , Communication policy -- South Africa , Human rights -- Women , Public health -- South Africa , Women -- Crimes against -- South Africa , Children -- Crimes against -- South Africa , Soshanguve (South Africa)
- Description: United Nation's (UN) millennium development goal number three is aimed at eliminating gender inequality and empowering women. Gender-based violence is recognised as a global public health and human rights problem that leads to high rates of morbidity and mortality, including sexually transmitted infections, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance dependence and suicide. In responding to this international public health and human rights concern, the South African government has adopted numerous public health communication strategies to highlight the plight of women and children. One of the campaigns that are conducted in South Africa is the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children (16 Days of Activism Campaign). This campaign was introduced in 1999 but the literature review reveals that to date, no studies have focused on its evaluation. As such, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the 16 Days of Activism Campaign with special reference to the Soshanguve community in Gauteng province. This study builds on two theories, namely the excellence theory and the diffusion of innovation theory. Mixed research methods (also called triangulation) was used whereby in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives from the Government Communication and Information System and the Department of Women, Children and People with Disability to establish the promotion strategies used in the campaign and the methods used to assess the effectiveness of the campaign. Furthermore, a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted within the Soshanguve community to evaluate the promotion strategies and assess the impact of the campaign.This study revealed a high level of reliance on the television, radio and newspapers in the communication strategies. Both government departments acknowledged that they do not have a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign from the receivers‟ perspective. The Soshanguve community felt that in essence the campaign is relevant but not on time. The residents viewed the study as an important part of creating awareness about the campaign and they believed the campaign helped them to know what to do when faced with gender-based violence so that they can assist those who are affected by it.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the impact of the provincial housing policy in the Nxuba Municipality
- Authors: Dywili, Mhlobo Douglas
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Housing policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Housing development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11636 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/510 , Housing policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Housing development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The Eastern Cape Department of Housing has a constitutional and legislative mandate to provide houses to the poor and disadvantaged citizens living within the province. Parliament must also, according to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, as amended, take reasonable legislative and other measures within its available resources to achieve the progressive realisation of the right of citizens to have access to adequate housing (section 26 (1) and (2)). The commitment to improve the existing housing situation, namely the serious lack of adequate housing and basic services in urban townships and rural settlements, is thus in the first instance a policy matter and secondly a financial matter. However, despite the existing policy measures, such as the Housing Act, 1997 (Act 107 of 1997), the rendering of housing services resulted in uncompleted and defective houses due to inexperienced contractors providing poor workmanship and also corruption in the housing programmes. The rendering of housing services as a functional area has constitutionally been given to the national and provincial legislatures in South Africa. The Constitution allocated this function to the local sphere of government. Municipal authorities are the facilitators of sustainable housing services to (xiv) citizens on behalf of the national and provincial spheres of government. The study was thus conducted within the Nxuba local municipality which is one of eight local municipalities in the Amathole district municipality. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the implementation of the provincial housing policy and to determine the impact of the existing policy on the housing needs of the citizens of the Nxuba local municipality. For this purpose the fundamental and overall study problem was found to be that the rendering of housing services at the Nxuba local municipality is hampered by the implementation of an inadequate provincial housing policy and by incompetent municipal personnel and that these actions do not satisfy the growing demand for sustainable and suitable housing. The hypothesis was furthermore based on the fact that the existing provincial housing policy is inadequate to satisfy human needs and impacts negatively if not harmfully on human well-being. The study revealed that besides the implementation of an inadequate housing policy by incompetent municipal personnel, there are economic, social, political, physical and environmental effects on the citizens. As far as the environmental is concerned, the staging of protest marches resulting in the burning of tyres, rubbish cardboards and road barricades had caused serious air pollution which might lead to the spread of diseases such as TB, cancer and bronchitis when people inhale the poisonous gas evolving from smoke such as carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide gases. Secondly, there is an economic impact on the citizens. Houses have been built away from town and people are compelled to commute between the town and their place of residence on a daily basis. With a continuous increase in the petrol price and its associated increase in transportation costs people pay large amounts to get to town. Furthermore the building of the RDP houses frequently comes to a standstill, builders, plumbers and carpenters lose their jobs. People’s income levels fall, impacting negatively on economic activity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Dywili, Mhlobo Douglas
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Housing policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Housing development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11636 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/510 , Housing policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Housing development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The Eastern Cape Department of Housing has a constitutional and legislative mandate to provide houses to the poor and disadvantaged citizens living within the province. Parliament must also, according to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, as amended, take reasonable legislative and other measures within its available resources to achieve the progressive realisation of the right of citizens to have access to adequate housing (section 26 (1) and (2)). The commitment to improve the existing housing situation, namely the serious lack of adequate housing and basic services in urban townships and rural settlements, is thus in the first instance a policy matter and secondly a financial matter. However, despite the existing policy measures, such as the Housing Act, 1997 (Act 107 of 1997), the rendering of housing services resulted in uncompleted and defective houses due to inexperienced contractors providing poor workmanship and also corruption in the housing programmes. The rendering of housing services as a functional area has constitutionally been given to the national and provincial legislatures in South Africa. The Constitution allocated this function to the local sphere of government. Municipal authorities are the facilitators of sustainable housing services to (xiv) citizens on behalf of the national and provincial spheres of government. The study was thus conducted within the Nxuba local municipality which is one of eight local municipalities in the Amathole district municipality. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the implementation of the provincial housing policy and to determine the impact of the existing policy on the housing needs of the citizens of the Nxuba local municipality. For this purpose the fundamental and overall study problem was found to be that the rendering of housing services at the Nxuba local municipality is hampered by the implementation of an inadequate provincial housing policy and by incompetent municipal personnel and that these actions do not satisfy the growing demand for sustainable and suitable housing. The hypothesis was furthermore based on the fact that the existing provincial housing policy is inadequate to satisfy human needs and impacts negatively if not harmfully on human well-being. The study revealed that besides the implementation of an inadequate housing policy by incompetent municipal personnel, there are economic, social, political, physical and environmental effects on the citizens. As far as the environmental is concerned, the staging of protest marches resulting in the burning of tyres, rubbish cardboards and road barricades had caused serious air pollution which might lead to the spread of diseases such as TB, cancer and bronchitis when people inhale the poisonous gas evolving from smoke such as carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide gases. Secondly, there is an economic impact on the citizens. Houses have been built away from town and people are compelled to commute between the town and their place of residence on a daily basis. With a continuous increase in the petrol price and its associated increase in transportation costs people pay large amounts to get to town. Furthermore the building of the RDP houses frequently comes to a standstill, builders, plumbers and carpenters lose their jobs. People’s income levels fall, impacting negatively on economic activity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the implementation of capacity building strategies in the provision of health services in the central region of Malawi
- Authors: Chowawa, Rosemary Shanice
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Medical care -- Malawi , Public health -- Malawi , Health services accessibility -- Malawi , Community development -- Malawi , Strategic planning -- Malawi , Human services -- Malawi , Administration , Capacity -- Capacity building , Efficiency -- Effectiveness , Management -- Public administration , Organising -- Planning , Policy making
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11673 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007122 , Medical care -- Malawi , Public health -- Malawi , Health services accessibility -- Malawi , Community development -- Malawi , Strategic planning -- Malawi , Human services -- Malawi , Administration , Capacity -- Capacity building , Efficiency -- Effectiveness , Management -- Public administration , Organising -- Planning , Policy making
- Description: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of implementing capacity building strategies on the provision of health services in the central region of Malawi. The study intended to determine why a lack of quality services is still prevailing in the health services in the central region despite implementing capacity building strategies aimed at improving the delivery of health services. In addition to this, to come up with recommendations to improve the implementation of the existing capacity building strategies so that the implementation results in the intended impact, that is efficient and effective provision of health services in the central region of Malawi. The studies reviewed what various scholars have written on capacity building in order to ground capacity building in Public Administration and provide the study with a conceptual, theoretical and legislative framework. This enabled the researcher to describe the nature and place of capacity building in Public Administration. It was evident from the review that the implementation of capacity building strategies is a systematic process which requires that chief officials follow all the steps in order to effectively and efficiently implement the capacity building strategies so that the intended impact is achieved. In this regard, capacity building is a management function which requires that chief officials play an enabling role by providing the necessary resources (both human and financial) and policies that support the implementation of capacity building strategies. The study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods whereby thirty-five respondents composed of political office-bearers and chief officials from Lilongwe, Dedza, Mchinji and Dowa districts and Ministry of Health Headquarters in the central region of Malawi were given self-administered questionnaires to complete. Face-to-face interviews and document analysis were also used as research methods. The intention was to determine the problems that are being experienced in the implementation of the existing capacity building strategies and find out if the strategies are resulting in the intended impact. The study findings confirmed that there are indeed problems being experienced in the implementation of the existing capacity building strategies, namely: inadequate human and financial resources, corruption, political interference, lack of consultation with stakeholders and lack of political will to make sure that the implementation of the capacity building strategies is effectively and efficiently done. It was also revealed that the implementation of the existing capacity building strategies is impacting negatively on the provision of health services in the central region of Malawi, hence indicating a need to change in approach. The study concludes that in order for the capacity building strategies to achieve the intended impact there is a need to broaden the scope of the legal framework on health capacity building strategies in Malawi, enforce the use of performance standards and improve the operational framework to gain efficiencies and effectiveness from current investments in capacity building.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Chowawa, Rosemary Shanice
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Medical care -- Malawi , Public health -- Malawi , Health services accessibility -- Malawi , Community development -- Malawi , Strategic planning -- Malawi , Human services -- Malawi , Administration , Capacity -- Capacity building , Efficiency -- Effectiveness , Management -- Public administration , Organising -- Planning , Policy making
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11673 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007122 , Medical care -- Malawi , Public health -- Malawi , Health services accessibility -- Malawi , Community development -- Malawi , Strategic planning -- Malawi , Human services -- Malawi , Administration , Capacity -- Capacity building , Efficiency -- Effectiveness , Management -- Public administration , Organising -- Planning , Policy making
- Description: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of implementing capacity building strategies on the provision of health services in the central region of Malawi. The study intended to determine why a lack of quality services is still prevailing in the health services in the central region despite implementing capacity building strategies aimed at improving the delivery of health services. In addition to this, to come up with recommendations to improve the implementation of the existing capacity building strategies so that the implementation results in the intended impact, that is efficient and effective provision of health services in the central region of Malawi. The studies reviewed what various scholars have written on capacity building in order to ground capacity building in Public Administration and provide the study with a conceptual, theoretical and legislative framework. This enabled the researcher to describe the nature and place of capacity building in Public Administration. It was evident from the review that the implementation of capacity building strategies is a systematic process which requires that chief officials follow all the steps in order to effectively and efficiently implement the capacity building strategies so that the intended impact is achieved. In this regard, capacity building is a management function which requires that chief officials play an enabling role by providing the necessary resources (both human and financial) and policies that support the implementation of capacity building strategies. The study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods whereby thirty-five respondents composed of political office-bearers and chief officials from Lilongwe, Dedza, Mchinji and Dowa districts and Ministry of Health Headquarters in the central region of Malawi were given self-administered questionnaires to complete. Face-to-face interviews and document analysis were also used as research methods. The intention was to determine the problems that are being experienced in the implementation of the existing capacity building strategies and find out if the strategies are resulting in the intended impact. The study findings confirmed that there are indeed problems being experienced in the implementation of the existing capacity building strategies, namely: inadequate human and financial resources, corruption, political interference, lack of consultation with stakeholders and lack of political will to make sure that the implementation of the capacity building strategies is effectively and efficiently done. It was also revealed that the implementation of the existing capacity building strategies is impacting negatively on the provision of health services in the central region of Malawi, hence indicating a need to change in approach. The study concludes that in order for the capacity building strategies to achieve the intended impact there is a need to broaden the scope of the legal framework on health capacity building strategies in Malawi, enforce the use of performance standards and improve the operational framework to gain efficiencies and effectiveness from current investments in capacity building.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the implementation of decentralization of the World Bank's operations of poverty reduction in Uganda
- Okiria-Ofwono Jacqueline Jane
- Authors: Okiria-Ofwono Jacqueline Jane
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Decentralization in government -- Uganda , Poverty -- Africa, Sub-Saharan , Sustainable development -- Africa, Sub-Saharan , Poverty – Uganda -- International cooperation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9105 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012605 , Decentralization in government -- Uganda , Poverty -- Africa, Sub-Saharan , Sustainable development -- Africa, Sub-Saharan , Poverty – Uganda -- International cooperation
- Description: Continued debates on economic development, poverty eradication and the growing skeptism concerning the paradigms proposed through many decades, has led to a continued search for a paradigm that would, finally, resolve the issue of pervasive poverty in the Sub-Saharan Africa. Having implemented decentralization within government entities without any significant contribution to poverty eradication, the focus has now turned to the development agencies themselves. What are the inefficiencies in these agencies which if addressed might enable them deliver development aid more efficiently thus, providing more resources for development from being lost in the attrition of overheads? It is, therefore, argued that decentralization of development agencies will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of IFIs in delivering development aid. At the same time, decentralization reforms have been proposed as a response to the failures of highly centralized states (or organizations in this case). Empirical evidence, strongly, suggests that physical proximity and more "face-time", promotes better results-on-the-ground, delivered by staff who are better attuned to local conditions and have a better understanding of the client and their development agenda. But, will decentralization alone solve the issue of pervasive poverty? This research recognises that the factors affecting poverty are diverse and intricate and isolating just one part of the puzzle is not enough. Nevertheless, it is argues that decentralization, has a positive impact on poverty reduction thus, this study presents both practical and theoretical considerations from which policy measures can be derived. This thesis focused on establishing how the World Bank, changed its strategies through the implementation of decentralization of its operations as proposed in the ‗Strategic Compact‘, renewed the way it worked in order to maintain its relevance in the development world. The World Bank President, James Wolfensohn, proposed the Compact as a solution to the organization‘s self diagnosis that it was in distress, in a state of possible decline and was not fulfilling its mission of poverty eradication. This research, using Uganda Country Office as a case study, undertook, mainly, a qualitative review of the overall strategy of decentralization and its implementation organization wide and specifically, in Uganda. The research examined how the implementation of the strategy impacted on poverty trends in Uganda. This research found that the decentralization strategy was, fundamentally, the right one to deliver better results of the Bank‘s mission of ‗fighting poverty for lasting results‘ and its vision of ‗A World Free of Poverty‘. Contrary to the popular notion that the World Bank has been, largely ineffective in the delivery of its mission and its decentralization strategy just another one of its 'shams‘, this research established that the implementation of the strategy, although not having a direct or causal relationship, did have positive impact on poverty alleviation in Uganda. This study, therefore, makes a case for decentralization of donor organizations as a means of better delivery of the poverty eradication agenda in the developing world. The benefits though hard to measure in monetary terms are, nevertheless, real in terms of faster and better quality engagement with the clients which in turn, result into better delivery of services and programmes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Okiria-Ofwono Jacqueline Jane
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Decentralization in government -- Uganda , Poverty -- Africa, Sub-Saharan , Sustainable development -- Africa, Sub-Saharan , Poverty – Uganda -- International cooperation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9105 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1012605 , Decentralization in government -- Uganda , Poverty -- Africa, Sub-Saharan , Sustainable development -- Africa, Sub-Saharan , Poverty – Uganda -- International cooperation
- Description: Continued debates on economic development, poverty eradication and the growing skeptism concerning the paradigms proposed through many decades, has led to a continued search for a paradigm that would, finally, resolve the issue of pervasive poverty in the Sub-Saharan Africa. Having implemented decentralization within government entities without any significant contribution to poverty eradication, the focus has now turned to the development agencies themselves. What are the inefficiencies in these agencies which if addressed might enable them deliver development aid more efficiently thus, providing more resources for development from being lost in the attrition of overheads? It is, therefore, argued that decentralization of development agencies will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of IFIs in delivering development aid. At the same time, decentralization reforms have been proposed as a response to the failures of highly centralized states (or organizations in this case). Empirical evidence, strongly, suggests that physical proximity and more "face-time", promotes better results-on-the-ground, delivered by staff who are better attuned to local conditions and have a better understanding of the client and their development agenda. But, will decentralization alone solve the issue of pervasive poverty? This research recognises that the factors affecting poverty are diverse and intricate and isolating just one part of the puzzle is not enough. Nevertheless, it is argues that decentralization, has a positive impact on poverty reduction thus, this study presents both practical and theoretical considerations from which policy measures can be derived. This thesis focused on establishing how the World Bank, changed its strategies through the implementation of decentralization of its operations as proposed in the ‗Strategic Compact‘, renewed the way it worked in order to maintain its relevance in the development world. The World Bank President, James Wolfensohn, proposed the Compact as a solution to the organization‘s self diagnosis that it was in distress, in a state of possible decline and was not fulfilling its mission of poverty eradication. This research, using Uganda Country Office as a case study, undertook, mainly, a qualitative review of the overall strategy of decentralization and its implementation organization wide and specifically, in Uganda. The research examined how the implementation of the strategy impacted on poverty trends in Uganda. This research found that the decentralization strategy was, fundamentally, the right one to deliver better results of the Bank‘s mission of ‗fighting poverty for lasting results‘ and its vision of ‗A World Free of Poverty‘. Contrary to the popular notion that the World Bank has been, largely ineffective in the delivery of its mission and its decentralization strategy just another one of its 'shams‘, this research established that the implementation of the strategy, although not having a direct or causal relationship, did have positive impact on poverty alleviation in Uganda. This study, therefore, makes a case for decentralization of donor organizations as a means of better delivery of the poverty eradication agenda in the developing world. The benefits though hard to measure in monetary terms are, nevertheless, real in terms of faster and better quality engagement with the clients which in turn, result into better delivery of services and programmes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the nature and extent of alignment between the strategic performance plans of selected Eastern Cape provincial government departments and the provincial growth and development plan 2004-2014
- Authors: Mbanga, Sijekula Larrington
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Eastern Cape Provincial government (South Africa) , Strategic planning , Public administration -- South Africa -- Planning , Performance -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:8253 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011942 , Eastern Cape Provincial government (South Africa) , Strategic planning , Public administration -- South Africa -- Planning , Performance -- Management
- Description: One of the key challenges that continue to confront governments, worldwide, with regard to development management, other than the obvious limited resources to meet the overwhelming and competing needs of the constituencies, is the efficiency and effectiveness of the state machinery. Within state machinery itself the major issue that is viewed as a primary shortcoming is the process of translating sound development policies into implementable programmes and projects. Within the processes of policy implementation the key weaknesses appear to lie on planning processes. As such, governments continue to cite poor alignment between policies, plans and priorities across various spheres of government, a challenge that manifests itself in a lack of integrated service delivery, duplication in application of resources and efforts, lack of sustainability of development initiatives, slow pace and poor quality of services provided to communities. This study was aimed at evaluating the nature and extent of alignment between the Strategic Performance Plans of selected Eastern Cape provincial government departments and the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP): 2004-2014. The main objectives of the study were to gain insight into the nature and extent of alignment between the Strategic Performance Plans of selected Eastern Cape provincial government departments and the PGDP objectives, indicators and targets; identify the new service delivery mechanisms, policies, procedures and change management plans that have been introduced, if any, to ensure the successful implementation of the PGDP programmes; and indentify risks and challenges that pose a threat to the successful implementation of the PGDP programmes and provide preliminary risk response strategies. Of paramount importance is that this study was not limited to assessing the nature and extent of harmony or strategic fit between a macro-provincial plan, known as the PGDP, and sector specific plans, called Strategic Performance Plans, but it sought to determine the bases of alignment, where it exists, and sources of misalignment where planning disjuncture are found. To this end, the study was intended to generate a conceptual framework for assessing alignment of plans within public institutions across all levels of government. Ten provincial government departments drawn from the four provincial administrative clusters that feed their work into, and hence accountable to various Cabinet Committees and, ultimately, Cabinet, participated in the study. Key issues that emerged, and remained unresolved, during the direct engagement of provincial government departments were consolidated and verified, later on, with the public entity that supports the Office of the Premier on matters of macro-policy and strategy development and socio-economic research, known as the Eastern Cape Socio Economic and Consultative Council (ECSECC). This study followed a qualitative research methodology approach. Strategic Performance Plans of selected provincial government departments were analysed to establish linkages with the PGDP. A standard Alignment Evaluation Matrix was utilized to provide the results of content analysis of departmental plans. This Matrix was developed based on extensive literature study conducted that yielded a working Strategic Planning Alignment Model. The results of analysis of departmental plans and the key features of the Planning Alignment Model formed the basis of engagement of selected government departments during field study. Managers and officials working in components such as Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Special Programmes, infrastructure Planning, Demand Management and Research, Budget Planning and Control, Municipal Support, Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Planning, participated in the focus groupdiscussions. This study revealed both positive and negative factors on how provincial government departments have, over time, attempted to give effect to the intentions of the Provincial Growth and Development Plan; 2004-2014. Firstly, the study demonstrated that the PGDP was viewed in the same light as any other planning framework generated at national and local government level, with its priorities and targets found in the same basket of policy issues that are competing for limited resources. Secondly, it was found that the PGDP has, over time, degenerated in terms of its strategic significance in the planning environment, with new priorities that have emerged at a national government level securing more attention of politicians and senior administrators at the detriment of the PGDP intentions. Political championing of the PGDP was viewed as having dwindled from one term of government to the next. As such, the PGDP was not found to be having the level of significance and traction that the regionalist-planning paradigm is beginning to suggest within the global policy development discourse. Thirdly, the study revealed that while plans of selected government departments had a sound articulation of the PGDP goals, this did not translate into well-costed operational plans with clear targets and timelines that link to the 2014 targets. Organisational structures and service delivery models of the selected government departments had not fundamentally changed since the PGDP was introduced in the Province. Incremental changes to departmental processes have been seen since the PGDP came into effect. The changes were more influenced by new priorities that emerged at national government level. As such, provincial government departments continued to be more inclined towards sector priorities which could be viewed as unfunded provincial priorities. As such, budget allocation to PGDP programmes was limited from department to department, due to competing national priorities. One argument advanced for this disjuncture in planning was that the PGDP itself should have, from time to time, been reviewed to consider priorities that might have emerged at national and local government sphere, including conditions that have changed in the socio, economic and political environments. This seemed not to have happened, despite a Planning Coordination and Monitoring Unit being established within the Office of the Premier, during PGDP inception, for this explicit purpose. Fourthly, the study noted the challenge of different planning cycles between the provincial and local government spheres, which was viewed as promoting planning disjuncture within the two spheres. This was pointed out as of critical importance in alignment since provincial government departments are expected to respond to community needs that are embodied in Integrated Development Plans of municipalities. For this vertical integration to happen, the study revealed that there has been over-reliance in inter-governmental structures which were relatively weak in various municipalities. In the same vein, horizontal integration at provincial government level seemed to be a challenge also due to the ineffectiveness of the cluster system introduced since 1999. While part of a Cluster system, and submitting plans and reports to Clusters, provincial government departments continued to work in silos. Priority setting, spatial targeting and resource allocation has remained a competency of individual provincial departments. The cluster budgeting and programme implementation envisaged in the PGDP was still to be seen, and it appeared that there was no Treasury tool to give effect to this noble intention. In fact, this intention was viewed as contradictory with the spirit of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 that places single financial accountability on Heads of Departments, as individuals rather than a group or cluster. Fifthly, the study further revealed that the PGDP itself had design deficiencies that created a challenge for implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The PGDP was viewed as straddling between being a strategic framework that guides socio-economic planning, with a longer-term focus, and being a provincial plan. The PGDP was also found to be an all encompassing plan that contains a basket of everything that a provincial government would be expected to do. A viewpoint advanced herein regards international experience which suggests that being strategic means being selective, sorting the critical few from the important many, and giving that selection a ‘bite’ by shifting resources and demanding performance sufficient to make the desired impact. The latter was viewed as a fundamental shortcoming of the PGDP. In fact, the study revealed that some of the PGDP programmes were underway within provincial government departments even before the PGDP was formulated. Whether those programmes would serve the province achieve the few outcomes it set itself for 2014, is a matter the PGDP design could not confirm. It also transpired that a number of provincial departments were not adequately consulted during the determination of PGDP targets. Furthermore, it has emerged that the province lacks coherent competency at a level higher than provincial departments, which is capacitated with a pool of analysts possessing a deeper appreciation of various government sectors and the provincial economy. This competency would include development planners, spatial planners, sector policy analysts, researchers and other technical skills.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mbanga, Sijekula Larrington
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Eastern Cape Provincial government (South Africa) , Strategic planning , Public administration -- South Africa -- Planning , Performance -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:8253 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011942 , Eastern Cape Provincial government (South Africa) , Strategic planning , Public administration -- South Africa -- Planning , Performance -- Management
- Description: One of the key challenges that continue to confront governments, worldwide, with regard to development management, other than the obvious limited resources to meet the overwhelming and competing needs of the constituencies, is the efficiency and effectiveness of the state machinery. Within state machinery itself the major issue that is viewed as a primary shortcoming is the process of translating sound development policies into implementable programmes and projects. Within the processes of policy implementation the key weaknesses appear to lie on planning processes. As such, governments continue to cite poor alignment between policies, plans and priorities across various spheres of government, a challenge that manifests itself in a lack of integrated service delivery, duplication in application of resources and efforts, lack of sustainability of development initiatives, slow pace and poor quality of services provided to communities. This study was aimed at evaluating the nature and extent of alignment between the Strategic Performance Plans of selected Eastern Cape provincial government departments and the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP): 2004-2014. The main objectives of the study were to gain insight into the nature and extent of alignment between the Strategic Performance Plans of selected Eastern Cape provincial government departments and the PGDP objectives, indicators and targets; identify the new service delivery mechanisms, policies, procedures and change management plans that have been introduced, if any, to ensure the successful implementation of the PGDP programmes; and indentify risks and challenges that pose a threat to the successful implementation of the PGDP programmes and provide preliminary risk response strategies. Of paramount importance is that this study was not limited to assessing the nature and extent of harmony or strategic fit between a macro-provincial plan, known as the PGDP, and sector specific plans, called Strategic Performance Plans, but it sought to determine the bases of alignment, where it exists, and sources of misalignment where planning disjuncture are found. To this end, the study was intended to generate a conceptual framework for assessing alignment of plans within public institutions across all levels of government. Ten provincial government departments drawn from the four provincial administrative clusters that feed their work into, and hence accountable to various Cabinet Committees and, ultimately, Cabinet, participated in the study. Key issues that emerged, and remained unresolved, during the direct engagement of provincial government departments were consolidated and verified, later on, with the public entity that supports the Office of the Premier on matters of macro-policy and strategy development and socio-economic research, known as the Eastern Cape Socio Economic and Consultative Council (ECSECC). This study followed a qualitative research methodology approach. Strategic Performance Plans of selected provincial government departments were analysed to establish linkages with the PGDP. A standard Alignment Evaluation Matrix was utilized to provide the results of content analysis of departmental plans. This Matrix was developed based on extensive literature study conducted that yielded a working Strategic Planning Alignment Model. The results of analysis of departmental plans and the key features of the Planning Alignment Model formed the basis of engagement of selected government departments during field study. Managers and officials working in components such as Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Special Programmes, infrastructure Planning, Demand Management and Research, Budget Planning and Control, Municipal Support, Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Planning, participated in the focus groupdiscussions. This study revealed both positive and negative factors on how provincial government departments have, over time, attempted to give effect to the intentions of the Provincial Growth and Development Plan; 2004-2014. Firstly, the study demonstrated that the PGDP was viewed in the same light as any other planning framework generated at national and local government level, with its priorities and targets found in the same basket of policy issues that are competing for limited resources. Secondly, it was found that the PGDP has, over time, degenerated in terms of its strategic significance in the planning environment, with new priorities that have emerged at a national government level securing more attention of politicians and senior administrators at the detriment of the PGDP intentions. Political championing of the PGDP was viewed as having dwindled from one term of government to the next. As such, the PGDP was not found to be having the level of significance and traction that the regionalist-planning paradigm is beginning to suggest within the global policy development discourse. Thirdly, the study revealed that while plans of selected government departments had a sound articulation of the PGDP goals, this did not translate into well-costed operational plans with clear targets and timelines that link to the 2014 targets. Organisational structures and service delivery models of the selected government departments had not fundamentally changed since the PGDP was introduced in the Province. Incremental changes to departmental processes have been seen since the PGDP came into effect. The changes were more influenced by new priorities that emerged at national government level. As such, provincial government departments continued to be more inclined towards sector priorities which could be viewed as unfunded provincial priorities. As such, budget allocation to PGDP programmes was limited from department to department, due to competing national priorities. One argument advanced for this disjuncture in planning was that the PGDP itself should have, from time to time, been reviewed to consider priorities that might have emerged at national and local government sphere, including conditions that have changed in the socio, economic and political environments. This seemed not to have happened, despite a Planning Coordination and Monitoring Unit being established within the Office of the Premier, during PGDP inception, for this explicit purpose. Fourthly, the study noted the challenge of different planning cycles between the provincial and local government spheres, which was viewed as promoting planning disjuncture within the two spheres. This was pointed out as of critical importance in alignment since provincial government departments are expected to respond to community needs that are embodied in Integrated Development Plans of municipalities. For this vertical integration to happen, the study revealed that there has been over-reliance in inter-governmental structures which were relatively weak in various municipalities. In the same vein, horizontal integration at provincial government level seemed to be a challenge also due to the ineffectiveness of the cluster system introduced since 1999. While part of a Cluster system, and submitting plans and reports to Clusters, provincial government departments continued to work in silos. Priority setting, spatial targeting and resource allocation has remained a competency of individual provincial departments. The cluster budgeting and programme implementation envisaged in the PGDP was still to be seen, and it appeared that there was no Treasury tool to give effect to this noble intention. In fact, this intention was viewed as contradictory with the spirit of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 that places single financial accountability on Heads of Departments, as individuals rather than a group or cluster. Fifthly, the study further revealed that the PGDP itself had design deficiencies that created a challenge for implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The PGDP was viewed as straddling between being a strategic framework that guides socio-economic planning, with a longer-term focus, and being a provincial plan. The PGDP was also found to be an all encompassing plan that contains a basket of everything that a provincial government would be expected to do. A viewpoint advanced herein regards international experience which suggests that being strategic means being selective, sorting the critical few from the important many, and giving that selection a ‘bite’ by shifting resources and demanding performance sufficient to make the desired impact. The latter was viewed as a fundamental shortcoming of the PGDP. In fact, the study revealed that some of the PGDP programmes were underway within provincial government departments even before the PGDP was formulated. Whether those programmes would serve the province achieve the few outcomes it set itself for 2014, is a matter the PGDP design could not confirm. It also transpired that a number of provincial departments were not adequately consulted during the determination of PGDP targets. Furthermore, it has emerged that the province lacks coherent competency at a level higher than provincial departments, which is capacitated with a pool of analysts possessing a deeper appreciation of various government sectors and the provincial economy. This competency would include development planners, spatial planners, sector policy analysts, researchers and other technical skills.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the organizational communication of a performance management system in the city of Windhoek
- Authors: Shilongo, Johannes Angula
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Communication in organizations -- Namibia -- Windhoek Performance -- Management -- Namibia -- Windhoek Personnel management -- Namibia -- Windhoek Organizational change -- Namibia -- Windhoek Organizational behavior -- Namibia -- Windhoek
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:788 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003909
- Description: This study evaluated how the communication of the new performance management system by the City of Windhoek influenced the beliefs of its employees and consequently to determine the effects of the communication process on the degree to which buy-in and readiness is created. Armenakis, Harris and Field's (1999) five element model of examining the change recipient's beliefs, namely, discrepancy, appropriateness, principal support, efficacy, and valence was used as a framework for this study. These beliefs play a major role in affecting behaviours of the change recipients (employees) toward the implementation of a new change initiative in an organisation. Discrepancy involves assessing if employees believe that a need for change does really exist in the organization. Appropriateness seeks to find out from the change recipients whether the performance management system being introduced in the organization is an appropriate reaction to the need and the vision of the organisation. Principal support describes the support from change agents and opinion leaders for the organizational change. Efficacy refers to a belief in one's capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments. Valence refers to the intrinsic and extrinsic attractiveness (from the change recipient's perspective) associated with the perceived outcome of the change. Literature on organizational change, organizational communication and change implementation were used, to gain and highlight insights regarding the role of change communication during change implementation, and to provide the conceptual framework for the research design and analysis. A single case study research method was used under a mixed research paradigm. The study used a survey questionnaire that was sent to 711 employees; a sufficient and representative 202 questionnaires were returned from all levels of the organization, yielding a response rate of 22.4%. In addition, three focus group interviews of a representative cross section of staff were conducted as also document analysis to collect data for the study. The summative average percentages of levels of agreements and disagreements of the respondents for each of the five change recipient's beliefs indicate a fairly high degree of agreement (buy-in) and considerably low degree of disagreement (resistance) among the respondents to nearly all five change recipient's beliefs. Discrepancy received the highest degree of agreement (buy-in) 84%; efficacy received 73%, appropriateness 66% and valence 59% whereas principal support scored the lowest degree of agreement of about 40% of the respondents. Despite the high degree of agreement (buy-in) for these elements, there was also a notable number of the respondents who neither agreed nor disagreed to some of the five change recipient's beliefs. In particular, principal support had 38%, valence had 28%, and appropriateness had 22% who neither agreed nor disagreed. The degree of disagreement (resistance) is relatively low in almost all five change recipient‟s beliefs except for principal support which indicated slightly higher levels of disagreement (19%). The results of the study indicate that the communication methods e.g., the road show, leaflets and brochures, discussions and training sessions used during the pre-implementation phase of the new performance management system influenced the change recipient‟s beliefs on the discrepancy for the new performance management system. The evidence is that these communication methods and actions helped to create a sense of urgency and the need to implement a new performance management system among employees. The new performance management system was also believed to be appropriate and its appropriateness was justified through the use of various communication methods which provided detailed explanations on how the new performance management system was different to the earlier performance appraisal system. Notwithstanding the belief in the appropriateness of the new performance management system, the study found that the absence of such a performance management system over a long period of time had cultivated a hidden but unifying shared set of values, beliefs and assumptions among employees that seem not to fit or be suitable to the demands of the new performance management system and the current challenges facing the organization. The employees themselves noted this discrepancy. Hence, they argued, there is a need to bring about new culture with new sets of values, beliefs and assumptions that will better suit and support the current demands facing the organisation and its members. The study found that although employees significantly believe that they have high levels of personal self-efficacy, the change message that was communicated to them did not in itself appear to help to create and further develop this employee self-efficacy. The change message mainly focussed on the need for training, and the design of job descriptions and technical aspects of the performance management system. The study revealed that the employees' belief in principal support of the new performance management system was that principal support was seen as less than sufficient or not as evident as they would have liked. Employees remarked that principal support was only conveyed during the initial stage of communication, thereafter, principal support from senior management was seen to have declined throughout the pre-implementation phase. Nonetheless, immediate supervisors and managers were believed to more supportive than senior management. The literature points to a lack of belief in principal support as an important cause of a loss momentum in change initiatives, which in turn may result in cynicism and greater resistance, especially by those who have vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Valence refers to the intrinsic and extrinsic attractiveness (from the change recipient's perspective) associated with the perceived outcome of the change. The results show that respondents have mixed beliefs about the personal benefits associated with the new performance management system. Thus, 63% of the respondents believe that it will benefit them, 75% believe that it will increase their self fulfilment, 68% believe that it will increase their feeling of accomplishment, 45% believe that their fringe benefit will remain the same after it is implemented, and 58% believe that they could earn high performance return. However, the result also shows that there are still many respondents who neither agree nor disagree to the presence of personal valance with regard to the new performance managements system. This study established that the use of various communication methods persuaded the majority of the City of Windhoek employees to view the new performance management system overall in a favourable light. However, interviewees criticised the communications process on the grounds that most of these methods were only used once and were not repeated, as they would have liked. Lessons on this item from other change studies are that when communicating new change initiatives, change agents should use different methods of communication and as many times as possible to influence the belief of employees. This report is structured as follows: Section 1 provides an abstract and introduction to the study. Section 1.2 presents a brief review of core theories and recent empirical studies relevant to the research problem. Section 1.3 provides a description of the research method followed in addressing aim and objectives of this study. Section 1.4 presents the results of the evaluation report and section 1.5 discusses the findings and make conclusive recommendations. Section 2 of this study complements subsection section 1.2 (in section 1) with a more detailed review of the literature on organizational change, organizational communication and change implementation. This more detailed review was conducted before the field work and write up of Section 1. The literature incorporated into Section 1 was distilled from this more detailed review. Similarly, Section 3 of this study complement subsection 1.3 (of section 1) with an extended description of the research design and research procedure followed in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Shilongo, Johannes Angula
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Communication in organizations -- Namibia -- Windhoek Performance -- Management -- Namibia -- Windhoek Personnel management -- Namibia -- Windhoek Organizational change -- Namibia -- Windhoek Organizational behavior -- Namibia -- Windhoek
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:788 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003909
- Description: This study evaluated how the communication of the new performance management system by the City of Windhoek influenced the beliefs of its employees and consequently to determine the effects of the communication process on the degree to which buy-in and readiness is created. Armenakis, Harris and Field's (1999) five element model of examining the change recipient's beliefs, namely, discrepancy, appropriateness, principal support, efficacy, and valence was used as a framework for this study. These beliefs play a major role in affecting behaviours of the change recipients (employees) toward the implementation of a new change initiative in an organisation. Discrepancy involves assessing if employees believe that a need for change does really exist in the organization. Appropriateness seeks to find out from the change recipients whether the performance management system being introduced in the organization is an appropriate reaction to the need and the vision of the organisation. Principal support describes the support from change agents and opinion leaders for the organizational change. Efficacy refers to a belief in one's capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments. Valence refers to the intrinsic and extrinsic attractiveness (from the change recipient's perspective) associated with the perceived outcome of the change. Literature on organizational change, organizational communication and change implementation were used, to gain and highlight insights regarding the role of change communication during change implementation, and to provide the conceptual framework for the research design and analysis. A single case study research method was used under a mixed research paradigm. The study used a survey questionnaire that was sent to 711 employees; a sufficient and representative 202 questionnaires were returned from all levels of the organization, yielding a response rate of 22.4%. In addition, three focus group interviews of a representative cross section of staff were conducted as also document analysis to collect data for the study. The summative average percentages of levels of agreements and disagreements of the respondents for each of the five change recipient's beliefs indicate a fairly high degree of agreement (buy-in) and considerably low degree of disagreement (resistance) among the respondents to nearly all five change recipient's beliefs. Discrepancy received the highest degree of agreement (buy-in) 84%; efficacy received 73%, appropriateness 66% and valence 59% whereas principal support scored the lowest degree of agreement of about 40% of the respondents. Despite the high degree of agreement (buy-in) for these elements, there was also a notable number of the respondents who neither agreed nor disagreed to some of the five change recipient's beliefs. In particular, principal support had 38%, valence had 28%, and appropriateness had 22% who neither agreed nor disagreed. The degree of disagreement (resistance) is relatively low in almost all five change recipient‟s beliefs except for principal support which indicated slightly higher levels of disagreement (19%). The results of the study indicate that the communication methods e.g., the road show, leaflets and brochures, discussions and training sessions used during the pre-implementation phase of the new performance management system influenced the change recipient‟s beliefs on the discrepancy for the new performance management system. The evidence is that these communication methods and actions helped to create a sense of urgency and the need to implement a new performance management system among employees. The new performance management system was also believed to be appropriate and its appropriateness was justified through the use of various communication methods which provided detailed explanations on how the new performance management system was different to the earlier performance appraisal system. Notwithstanding the belief in the appropriateness of the new performance management system, the study found that the absence of such a performance management system over a long period of time had cultivated a hidden but unifying shared set of values, beliefs and assumptions among employees that seem not to fit or be suitable to the demands of the new performance management system and the current challenges facing the organization. The employees themselves noted this discrepancy. Hence, they argued, there is a need to bring about new culture with new sets of values, beliefs and assumptions that will better suit and support the current demands facing the organisation and its members. The study found that although employees significantly believe that they have high levels of personal self-efficacy, the change message that was communicated to them did not in itself appear to help to create and further develop this employee self-efficacy. The change message mainly focussed on the need for training, and the design of job descriptions and technical aspects of the performance management system. The study revealed that the employees' belief in principal support of the new performance management system was that principal support was seen as less than sufficient or not as evident as they would have liked. Employees remarked that principal support was only conveyed during the initial stage of communication, thereafter, principal support from senior management was seen to have declined throughout the pre-implementation phase. Nonetheless, immediate supervisors and managers were believed to more supportive than senior management. The literature points to a lack of belief in principal support as an important cause of a loss momentum in change initiatives, which in turn may result in cynicism and greater resistance, especially by those who have vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Valence refers to the intrinsic and extrinsic attractiveness (from the change recipient's perspective) associated with the perceived outcome of the change. The results show that respondents have mixed beliefs about the personal benefits associated with the new performance management system. Thus, 63% of the respondents believe that it will benefit them, 75% believe that it will increase their self fulfilment, 68% believe that it will increase their feeling of accomplishment, 45% believe that their fringe benefit will remain the same after it is implemented, and 58% believe that they could earn high performance return. However, the result also shows that there are still many respondents who neither agree nor disagree to the presence of personal valance with regard to the new performance managements system. This study established that the use of various communication methods persuaded the majority of the City of Windhoek employees to view the new performance management system overall in a favourable light. However, interviewees criticised the communications process on the grounds that most of these methods were only used once and were not repeated, as they would have liked. Lessons on this item from other change studies are that when communicating new change initiatives, change agents should use different methods of communication and as many times as possible to influence the belief of employees. This report is structured as follows: Section 1 provides an abstract and introduction to the study. Section 1.2 presents a brief review of core theories and recent empirical studies relevant to the research problem. Section 1.3 provides a description of the research method followed in addressing aim and objectives of this study. Section 1.4 presents the results of the evaluation report and section 1.5 discusses the findings and make conclusive recommendations. Section 2 of this study complements subsection section 1.2 (in section 1) with a more detailed review of the literature on organizational change, organizational communication and change implementation. This more detailed review was conducted before the field work and write up of Section 1. The literature incorporated into Section 1 was distilled from this more detailed review. Similarly, Section 3 of this study complement subsection 1.3 (of section 1) with an extended description of the research design and research procedure followed in the study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of the postgraduate diploma in Enterprise Management at Rhodes University
- Authors: Earle, Nicola Lynne
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Rhodes University -- Curricula Education, Higher -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Evaluation Business education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Evaluation Business education -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1180 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002797
- Description: This research is concerned with the development of entrepreneurship at higher education institutions (HEI). Entrepreneurship is very important in every country as there is a direct correlation between entrepreneurship development and economic growth (Hegarty, 2006). Entrepreneurship education is essential as it assists students who want to start up their own businesses by giving them the relevant skills and knowledge to have a successful business. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the Postgraduate Diploma in Enterprise Management (PDEM) within the Management Department at Rhodes University, Grahamstown. A qualitative approach was implemented which used an adapted version of the Context, Input, Process and Product Model (Stuffelbean, Mckee and Mckee, 2003). Data was collected in the form of interviews and focus group interviews. There were six lecturer interviews, one course coordinator interview and five past student interviews. There were two focus group interviews that took place; this was done so to gather data from seven current PDEM students. The data collected was then analysed through the use of qualitative data analysis techniques. These were sensing themes, constant comparison, recursiveness, inductive and deductive thinking and interpretation to generate meaning (Ruona 2005, cited in Swanson and Holton, 2005). The Management Department aims to equip students to think realistically in terms of starting their own business and to enhance the students’ knowledge and skills so that they are better able to find employment in the corporate and government sectors. The PDEM aims to be an action-learning course and to create an entrepreneurial environment which will encourage students to start up their own businesses. The role of the lecturers and the course coordinator is important as they need to ensure that there is a continuous transfer of knowledge to the students. Students are not expected to be specialists within each subject; however they need to have a basic grounding in order to run a business. Students felt that the Alpha Project was important and useful as it improved their confidence about starting a new business. An issue that was raised about the Alpha Project was that the separation of students into the Alpha Project groups was not executed well. The course was perceived to be disorganised however the students tended to enjoy it and felt that the Management Department was supportive of their businesses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Earle, Nicola Lynne
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Rhodes University -- Curricula Education, Higher -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Evaluation Business education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Evaluation Business education -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1180 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002797
- Description: This research is concerned with the development of entrepreneurship at higher education institutions (HEI). Entrepreneurship is very important in every country as there is a direct correlation between entrepreneurship development and economic growth (Hegarty, 2006). Entrepreneurship education is essential as it assists students who want to start up their own businesses by giving them the relevant skills and knowledge to have a successful business. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the Postgraduate Diploma in Enterprise Management (PDEM) within the Management Department at Rhodes University, Grahamstown. A qualitative approach was implemented which used an adapted version of the Context, Input, Process and Product Model (Stuffelbean, Mckee and Mckee, 2003). Data was collected in the form of interviews and focus group interviews. There were six lecturer interviews, one course coordinator interview and five past student interviews. There were two focus group interviews that took place; this was done so to gather data from seven current PDEM students. The data collected was then analysed through the use of qualitative data analysis techniques. These were sensing themes, constant comparison, recursiveness, inductive and deductive thinking and interpretation to generate meaning (Ruona 2005, cited in Swanson and Holton, 2005). The Management Department aims to equip students to think realistically in terms of starting their own business and to enhance the students’ knowledge and skills so that they are better able to find employment in the corporate and government sectors. The PDEM aims to be an action-learning course and to create an entrepreneurial environment which will encourage students to start up their own businesses. The role of the lecturers and the course coordinator is important as they need to ensure that there is a continuous transfer of knowledge to the students. Students are not expected to be specialists within each subject; however they need to have a basic grounding in order to run a business. Students felt that the Alpha Project was important and useful as it improved their confidence about starting a new business. An issue that was raised about the Alpha Project was that the separation of students into the Alpha Project groups was not executed well. The course was perceived to be disorganised however the students tended to enjoy it and felt that the Management Department was supportive of their businesses.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of two poverty alleviation projects in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
- Authors: Sojola, Vuyisile Theophilus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9215 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020801
- Description: The researcher is disturbed by the high rising levels of poverty and unemployment in the Eastern Cape whilst there are poverty alleviation programmes that have been established since the ushering in of the Democratic Government in 1994. The sole purpose of the research is to investigate two poverty alleviation projects in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality under Amatole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape. The study will focus on the following aspects: project management, capacity building, support, coaching, monitoring and evaluation, the market and the views community members have on poverty alleviation projects. The research sought to find out what challenges have been encountered by Tshabo Bakery Project and Ilitha Poultry Project which might impact negatively to the project. The researcher will use interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, direct observation and document analysis to collect information for the study. Findings and recommendations for this study will also be presented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Sojola, Vuyisile Theophilus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9215 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020801
- Description: The researcher is disturbed by the high rising levels of poverty and unemployment in the Eastern Cape whilst there are poverty alleviation programmes that have been established since the ushering in of the Democratic Government in 1994. The sole purpose of the research is to investigate two poverty alleviation projects in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality under Amatole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape. The study will focus on the following aspects: project management, capacity building, support, coaching, monitoring and evaluation, the market and the views community members have on poverty alleviation projects. The research sought to find out what challenges have been encountered by Tshabo Bakery Project and Ilitha Poultry Project which might impact negatively to the project. The researcher will use interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, direct observation and document analysis to collect information for the study. Findings and recommendations for this study will also be presented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of urban poverty and its alleviation in the Nelson Mandela Metro with special reference to prostitution as an income generator
- Authors: De Bruin, Mbulelo Douglas
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic conditions -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Poverty -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Prostitution -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9001 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011663 , Economic conditions -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Poverty -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Prostitution -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
- Description: This paper is set to evaluate the factors leading to prostitution and provide the understanding of the hardships that are experienced by prostitutes in their pursuit for income generation. However, this will be preceded by the background to the study. Secondly, this paper will lament or touch on the strategies employed by the Nelson Mandela Metro and other countries in an attempt to alleviate poverty. Thirdly, the views of academics and other experts in the fields of both the prostitution and poverty will be put into perspective. The relevant research methodology used to this study was found to be a descriptive study. The concluding remarks and recommendations on what is needed in order to improve the situation in the Nelson Mandela Metro are provided for the purpose of this study. Towards the end of this study, bibliography has been provided followed by the relevant annexures which will serve as evidence that inform this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: De Bruin, Mbulelo Douglas
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic conditions -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Poverty -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Prostitution -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9001 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011663 , Economic conditions -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Poverty -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality , Prostitution -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
- Description: This paper is set to evaluate the factors leading to prostitution and provide the understanding of the hardships that are experienced by prostitutes in their pursuit for income generation. However, this will be preceded by the background to the study. Secondly, this paper will lament or touch on the strategies employed by the Nelson Mandela Metro and other countries in an attempt to alleviate poverty. Thirdly, the views of academics and other experts in the fields of both the prostitution and poverty will be put into perspective. The relevant research methodology used to this study was found to be a descriptive study. The concluding remarks and recommendations on what is needed in order to improve the situation in the Nelson Mandela Metro are provided for the purpose of this study. Towards the end of this study, bibliography has been provided followed by the relevant annexures which will serve as evidence that inform this study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of women participation in housing delivery in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa: the case of the Mdantsane Township in Buffalo City Municipality (1962–2012)
- Ssekibuule, Henry Jacob Festus
- Authors: Ssekibuule, Henry Jacob Festus
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (in Public Administration)
- Identifier: vital:11689 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1013593
- Description: This study, Women Participation in Housing Delivery of the Mdantsane Township Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) Area is explained in this thesis as a heterogeneous, long lasting, immobile and an essential consumer good that need to be delivered to the homeless. Such a delivery process needs to ensure that the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality area remains sustainable. Women's participation in housing delivery in South Africa; the extent of empowerment in the post 1994 era, with specific reference to case studies in Mdantsane Township 1962 -1998, begins with the premise that post-apartheid housing policies, compared to those of the apartheid era, have provided women with greater access to housing. In 1994, the housing backlog was estimated to be about 3.5 million units, with the majority of those in need of shelter, being African women. This backlog was due to past policies that largely excluded women from ownership and access to capital or resources to build formal housing. The changes wrought by the democratic dispensation, such as constitutional provision for gender equality, promised women greater participation in the social, political and economic spheres of the country. The recognition of gender equality and housing as rights protected within the constitution was reinforced by pronouncements in various policy documents, such as the Housing White Paper (HWP) that underlined the need for women's involvement in shelter development. When the Government of National Unity took office in 1994, it inherited a country with severe inequalities in resource distribution and land ownership. In particular, it inherited a housing crisis, which was largely, caused by apartheid legislation and policies. This research focused on the women participation in the housing delivery crisis from 1962 to post-1994, by considering the impact and effect of the constitutional right towards women to have access to adequate housing, especially for those living in intolerable conditions. It does so by utilising a social-scientific approach to the law. This approach acknowledges that the housing right must exist alongside other social phenomena and as a part of everyday life in South Africa. Accordingly, the implementation of the housing right by three local municipalities in the EC was examined.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Ssekibuule, Henry Jacob Festus
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD (in Public Administration)
- Identifier: vital:11689 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1013593
- Description: This study, Women Participation in Housing Delivery of the Mdantsane Township Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) Area is explained in this thesis as a heterogeneous, long lasting, immobile and an essential consumer good that need to be delivered to the homeless. Such a delivery process needs to ensure that the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality area remains sustainable. Women's participation in housing delivery in South Africa; the extent of empowerment in the post 1994 era, with specific reference to case studies in Mdantsane Township 1962 -1998, begins with the premise that post-apartheid housing policies, compared to those of the apartheid era, have provided women with greater access to housing. In 1994, the housing backlog was estimated to be about 3.5 million units, with the majority of those in need of shelter, being African women. This backlog was due to past policies that largely excluded women from ownership and access to capital or resources to build formal housing. The changes wrought by the democratic dispensation, such as constitutional provision for gender equality, promised women greater participation in the social, political and economic spheres of the country. The recognition of gender equality and housing as rights protected within the constitution was reinforced by pronouncements in various policy documents, such as the Housing White Paper (HWP) that underlined the need for women's involvement in shelter development. When the Government of National Unity took office in 1994, it inherited a country with severe inequalities in resource distribution and land ownership. In particular, it inherited a housing crisis, which was largely, caused by apartheid legislation and policies. This research focused on the women participation in the housing delivery crisis from 1962 to post-1994, by considering the impact and effect of the constitutional right towards women to have access to adequate housing, especially for those living in intolerable conditions. It does so by utilising a social-scientific approach to the law. This approach acknowledges that the housing right must exist alongside other social phenomena and as a part of everyday life in South Africa. Accordingly, the implementation of the housing right by three local municipalities in the EC was examined.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An examination of health care financing models : lessons for South Africa
- Authors: Vambe, Adelaide Kudakwashe
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: National health insurance -- South Africa , Medical care -- South Africa , Public health administration -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9032 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021110
- Description: South Africa possesses a highly fragmented health system with wide disparities in health spending and inequitable distribution of both health care professionals and resources. The national health system (NHI) of South Africa consists of a large public sector and small private sectors which are overused and under resourced and a smaller private sector which is underused and over resourced. In broad terms, the NHI promises a health care system in which everyone, regardless of income level, can access decent health services at a cost that is affordable to them and to the country as a whole. The relevance of this study is to contribute to the NHI debate while simultaneously providing insights from other countries which have implemented national health care systems. As such, the South African government can then appropriately implement as well as finance the new NHI system specific to South Africa’s current socio-economic status. The objective of this study was to examine health care financing models in different countries in order to draw lessons for South Africa when implementing the NHI. A case study was conducted by examining ten countries with a national health insurance system, in order to evaluate the health financing models in each country. The following specific objectives are pursued: firstly, to review the current health management system and the policy proposed for NHI; secondly, to examine health financing models in a selected number of countries around the world and lastly to draw lessons to inform the South African NHI policy debate. The main findings were firstly, wealthier nations tend to have a much healthier population; this is the result of these developed countries investing significantly in their public health sectors. Secondly, the governments in developing nations allocate a smaller percentage of their GDP and government expenditure on health care. Lastly, South Africa is classified as an upper middle income developing country; however, the health status of South Africans mirrors that of countries which perform worse than South Africa on health matters. In other words the health care in South Africa is not operating at the standard it should be given the resources South Africa possesses. The cause of this may be attributed to South Africa being stuck in what is referred to as the “middle income trap” amongst other reasons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Vambe, Adelaide Kudakwashe
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: National health insurance -- South Africa , Medical care -- South Africa , Public health administration -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9032 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021110
- Description: South Africa possesses a highly fragmented health system with wide disparities in health spending and inequitable distribution of both health care professionals and resources. The national health system (NHI) of South Africa consists of a large public sector and small private sectors which are overused and under resourced and a smaller private sector which is underused and over resourced. In broad terms, the NHI promises a health care system in which everyone, regardless of income level, can access decent health services at a cost that is affordable to them and to the country as a whole. The relevance of this study is to contribute to the NHI debate while simultaneously providing insights from other countries which have implemented national health care systems. As such, the South African government can then appropriately implement as well as finance the new NHI system specific to South Africa’s current socio-economic status. The objective of this study was to examine health care financing models in different countries in order to draw lessons for South Africa when implementing the NHI. A case study was conducted by examining ten countries with a national health insurance system, in order to evaluate the health financing models in each country. The following specific objectives are pursued: firstly, to review the current health management system and the policy proposed for NHI; secondly, to examine health financing models in a selected number of countries around the world and lastly to draw lessons to inform the South African NHI policy debate. The main findings were firstly, wealthier nations tend to have a much healthier population; this is the result of these developed countries investing significantly in their public health sectors. Secondly, the governments in developing nations allocate a smaller percentage of their GDP and government expenditure on health care. Lastly, South Africa is classified as an upper middle income developing country; however, the health status of South Africans mirrors that of countries which perform worse than South Africa on health matters. In other words the health care in South Africa is not operating at the standard it should be given the resources South Africa possesses. The cause of this may be attributed to South Africa being stuck in what is referred to as the “middle income trap” amongst other reasons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An examination of public participation in decision-making within the IDP processes with reference to Mhlontlo Local Municipality
- Authors: Pule, Banguxolo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Public administration -- Decision making -- Citizen participation , Local governmen -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Political participation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9154 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019746
- Description: Public Participation is widely accepted as a way to strengthen the pillars of democratic and accountable governance. In South Africa, public participation is receiving prominence and increasing attention especially at local government level as this level is regarded as the sphere of government closest to the people. The new democratic government in South Africa regards public participation as a cornerstone of democracy. Ackerman (2004:448) asserts that the opening up of the core activities of the state to societal participation is one of the most effective ways to improve accountability and governance. Such accountability and involvement can be better achieved when communities are part of decision making processes in their communities. In South Africa, public participation was heralded by various pieces of legislations which obligated the public to participate and have a say in the decisions taken by their communities. Section 152 of the constitution: Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No 108 of 1996) requires local authority to “encourage the involvement of local communities and community organizations in matters of local government” Informed by the broad principles of the Constitution, the White Paper on Local Government 1998 introduced the notion of developmental local government. According to this Paper, “developmental local government is defined as local government that is committed to working with citizens and groups within the community to find sustainable ways to meet their social, economic and material needs and improve the quality of their lives”. It is through the process of public participation that citizens are given the opportunity to provide input and partake in decision making on service delivery and governance matters of their municipalities. It is widely acknowledged that active public participation is evidence of deepened democracy and can assist municipalities in i) enhancing service delivery ii) making government and officials more effective and accountable and most importantly involve the communities in decisions affecting their lives and communities. By and large, community involvement through public participatory systems ensures that municipalities incorporate the developmental needs of the people. Theseneeds are expressed and consolidated in municipal integrated development plans. To realise the above, the White Paper on Local Government 1998 suggests that “municipalities should develop mechanisms to ensure citizen participation in policy initiation and formulation, and the 3 monitoring and evaluation of decision-making and implementation”. As outlined above various laws gave a new meaning and a legitimised mandate to the role of local communities in the development of their communities. Informed by the above, this study examines the extent to which public participation influences decision making within the IDP processes and by association its impact on service delivery. This study is premised on the widely accepted view that public participation is a process involving the community or the public to gather opinions, investigate the needs, desires and wishes of the local community and to ensure that they as the community are involved in the decision making processes of their municipality. The study is of the view that the IDP processes represent a structured vehicle to enable citizens and groups to influence decision making through institutionalised municipal participatory structures. By so doing, the public and the government form a pact/partnership to ensure that the needs and aspirations of the community receive priority in the IDP processes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Pule, Banguxolo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Public administration -- Decision making -- Citizen participation , Local governmen -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Political participation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9154 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019746
- Description: Public Participation is widely accepted as a way to strengthen the pillars of democratic and accountable governance. In South Africa, public participation is receiving prominence and increasing attention especially at local government level as this level is regarded as the sphere of government closest to the people. The new democratic government in South Africa regards public participation as a cornerstone of democracy. Ackerman (2004:448) asserts that the opening up of the core activities of the state to societal participation is one of the most effective ways to improve accountability and governance. Such accountability and involvement can be better achieved when communities are part of decision making processes in their communities. In South Africa, public participation was heralded by various pieces of legislations which obligated the public to participate and have a say in the decisions taken by their communities. Section 152 of the constitution: Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No 108 of 1996) requires local authority to “encourage the involvement of local communities and community organizations in matters of local government” Informed by the broad principles of the Constitution, the White Paper on Local Government 1998 introduced the notion of developmental local government. According to this Paper, “developmental local government is defined as local government that is committed to working with citizens and groups within the community to find sustainable ways to meet their social, economic and material needs and improve the quality of their lives”. It is through the process of public participation that citizens are given the opportunity to provide input and partake in decision making on service delivery and governance matters of their municipalities. It is widely acknowledged that active public participation is evidence of deepened democracy and can assist municipalities in i) enhancing service delivery ii) making government and officials more effective and accountable and most importantly involve the communities in decisions affecting their lives and communities. By and large, community involvement through public participatory systems ensures that municipalities incorporate the developmental needs of the people. Theseneeds are expressed and consolidated in municipal integrated development plans. To realise the above, the White Paper on Local Government 1998 suggests that “municipalities should develop mechanisms to ensure citizen participation in policy initiation and formulation, and the 3 monitoring and evaluation of decision-making and implementation”. As outlined above various laws gave a new meaning and a legitimised mandate to the role of local communities in the development of their communities. Informed by the above, this study examines the extent to which public participation influences decision making within the IDP processes and by association its impact on service delivery. This study is premised on the widely accepted view that public participation is a process involving the community or the public to gather opinions, investigate the needs, desires and wishes of the local community and to ensure that they as the community are involved in the decision making processes of their municipality. The study is of the view that the IDP processes represent a structured vehicle to enable citizens and groups to influence decision making through institutionalised municipal participatory structures. By so doing, the public and the government form a pact/partnership to ensure that the needs and aspirations of the community receive priority in the IDP processes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An exploration into self-extending systems in early literacy in English of Grade One isiXhosa speaking learners
- O'Donoghue, Elizabeth Lindsay
- Authors: O'Donoghue, Elizabeth Lindsay
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Foreign speakers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Second language acquisition -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Second language acquisition -- Ability testing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Language and languages -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Foreign speakers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Competence and performance (Linguistics) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Literacy -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Reading (Elementary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Children -- Writing -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Reading Recovery®
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1532 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003414
- Description: The purpose of this research was to explore the ways in which a small, purposefully sampled group of Grade One isiXhosa-speaking children began the process of becoming literate in English as their second language. The research looked specifically for evidence of strategic behaviours in reading and writing which, according to Clay (200 I, 2005), form the foundation for self-extending systems and have the potential to accelerate learning. The research was guided by the principles of Clay's early intervention Reading and Writing Recovery. By Clay's definition, self-extending systems are literacy processing systems that work, that is, they enable children to continue to learn to read by reading and to write by writing. Within this context, the research explored the role of oral language in learning to read and write in English. Consideration was given to the potential for transfer of the principles that underlie Reading Recovery to South African mainstream classrooms in an attempt to raise literacy outcomes for all. This is a particularly urgent need in South Africa where many attempts to tum around poor trajectories of literacy learning do not seem to have the desired long term effects. The results of the research showed that the children began to actively engage in their English literacy learning within a network of strategies, primarily motivated by making meaning of their texts. The findings of the research suggested that a mismatch of needs and instructional procedures was evident here in this formative stage of second language literacy learning. The results suggested that children who were already educationally at risk for a multitude of reasons, were being set back even further by instructional approaches that were unresponsive to their linguistic needs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: O'Donoghue, Elizabeth Lindsay
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Foreign speakers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Second language acquisition -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Second language acquisition -- Ability testing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Language and languages -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Foreign speakers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Competence and performance (Linguistics) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Literacy -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Reading (Elementary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Children -- Writing -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Reading Recovery®
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1532 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003414
- Description: The purpose of this research was to explore the ways in which a small, purposefully sampled group of Grade One isiXhosa-speaking children began the process of becoming literate in English as their second language. The research looked specifically for evidence of strategic behaviours in reading and writing which, according to Clay (200 I, 2005), form the foundation for self-extending systems and have the potential to accelerate learning. The research was guided by the principles of Clay's early intervention Reading and Writing Recovery. By Clay's definition, self-extending systems are literacy processing systems that work, that is, they enable children to continue to learn to read by reading and to write by writing. Within this context, the research explored the role of oral language in learning to read and write in English. Consideration was given to the potential for transfer of the principles that underlie Reading Recovery to South African mainstream classrooms in an attempt to raise literacy outcomes for all. This is a particularly urgent need in South Africa where many attempts to tum around poor trajectories of literacy learning do not seem to have the desired long term effects. The results of the research showed that the children began to actively engage in their English literacy learning within a network of strategies, primarily motivated by making meaning of their texts. The findings of the research suggested that a mismatch of needs and instructional procedures was evident here in this formative stage of second language literacy learning. The results suggested that children who were already educationally at risk for a multitude of reasons, were being set back even further by instructional approaches that were unresponsive to their linguistic needs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012