Perspectives on leadership
- Authors: Arnolds, Cecil Ashleigh
- Subjects: Leadership , Industrial management , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21857 , vital:29794
- Description: My fields of study are business management and organizational behaviour (OB). In business management we study how to manage businesses effectively by executing various functions (marketing, finance, human resources management, general and strategic management, purchasing and logistics, public relations management, production and opertaions, information technology management) and management tasks (planning, organising, leading and control) (Bosch, Tait and Venter, 2006).
- Full Text: false
- Authors: Arnolds, Cecil Ashleigh
- Subjects: Leadership , Industrial management , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21857 , vital:29794
- Description: My fields of study are business management and organizational behaviour (OB). In business management we study how to manage businesses effectively by executing various functions (marketing, finance, human resources management, general and strategic management, purchasing and logistics, public relations management, production and opertaions, information technology management) and management tasks (planning, organising, leading and control) (Bosch, Tait and Venter, 2006).
- Full Text: false
Psychobiographical perspectives on the development and manifestation of extraordinary human achievements
- Authors: Van Niekerk, Roelf
- Subjects: Psychology -- Biographical methods , Social psychology , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53211 , vital:45050
- Description: Psychobiographical research has several characteristic features. Firstly, it is an interdisciplinary approach that uses contributions and perspectives from several scientific disciplines (for example, business science, economics, psychology, political science) and the humanities (for example, history, philosophy, sociology, and religion/spirituality). Secondly, it typically approaches life stories from a longitudinal perspective. Thirdly, psychobiographical research comprises in-depth studies of extraordinary individuals in the contexts in which they made their contributions. Fourthly, psychobiographical research does not afford anonymity or 2 | P a g e confidentiality to participants. Instead, it requires that profiled leaders be identified by name. Fifthly, psychobiographical profiling employs indirect methods to analyse the development or characteristics of individuals. Usually, extensive use is made of biographical material available in the public domain and originally compiled by biographers, journalists, or researchers. This material is not collected primarily to solve a scientific problem, but rather to answer questions and describe phenomena that are inherently important, particularly from psychological and historical perspectives. Lastly, psychobiographical research often focuses on completed lives (Van Niekerk, 2007).
- Full Text:
- Authors: Van Niekerk, Roelf
- Subjects: Psychology -- Biographical methods , Social psychology , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53211 , vital:45050
- Description: Psychobiographical research has several characteristic features. Firstly, it is an interdisciplinary approach that uses contributions and perspectives from several scientific disciplines (for example, business science, economics, psychology, political science) and the humanities (for example, history, philosophy, sociology, and religion/spirituality). Secondly, it typically approaches life stories from a longitudinal perspective. Thirdly, psychobiographical research comprises in-depth studies of extraordinary individuals in the contexts in which they made their contributions. Fourthly, psychobiographical research does not afford anonymity or 2 | P a g e confidentiality to participants. Instead, it requires that profiled leaders be identified by name. Fifthly, psychobiographical profiling employs indirect methods to analyse the development or characteristics of individuals. Usually, extensive use is made of biographical material available in the public domain and originally compiled by biographers, journalists, or researchers. This material is not collected primarily to solve a scientific problem, but rather to answer questions and describe phenomena that are inherently important, particularly from psychological and historical perspectives. Lastly, psychobiographical research often focuses on completed lives (Van Niekerk, 2007).
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Relationship marketing in retail banks: superannuated concept?
- Authors: Tait, Madele
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Banks and banking , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20923 , vital:29418
- Description: All business is based on relationships. The firm only has to make them meaningful for its customers – provided that the customers want this (Grönroos 1994). Relationship marketing concerns the facilitation and managing of the relationships between the business and its customers and was developed as a response to the realisation that businesses were spending vast resources in time and money to attract new customers but very little on retaining existing ones. Relationship marketing is particularly relevant when a customer has alternative service providers to choose from, when the customer makes the selection decision and when there is an ongoing desire or need for a product or service, such as in the banking industry (Morgan & Hunt 1999).
- Full Text:
- Authors: Tait, Madele
- Subjects: Relationship marketing , Banks and banking , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20923 , vital:29418
- Description: All business is based on relationships. The firm only has to make them meaningful for its customers – provided that the customers want this (Grönroos 1994). Relationship marketing concerns the facilitation and managing of the relationships between the business and its customers and was developed as a response to the realisation that businesses were spending vast resources in time and money to attract new customers but very little on retaining existing ones. Relationship marketing is particularly relevant when a customer has alternative service providers to choose from, when the customer makes the selection decision and when there is an ongoing desire or need for a product or service, such as in the banking industry (Morgan & Hunt 1999).
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Research in financial services: professing a way forward
- Authors: Rootman, Chantal
- Subjects: Financial services industry -- South Africa , Financial services industry -- Customer services -- South Africa , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21066 , vital:29435
- Description: Outline: What do we know about financial services research? What is the current state of financial services in South Africa? Professing the way forward for financial services research.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Rootman, Chantal
- Subjects: Financial services industry -- South Africa , Financial services industry -- Customer services -- South Africa , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21066 , vital:29435
- Description: Outline: What do we know about financial services research? What is the current state of financial services in South Africa? Professing the way forward for financial services research.
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Social media reviews to investigate restaurant dinning experiences
- Authors: Van Achterbergh, Leon
- Subjects: Hospitality industry -- Social aspects , Restaurants -- Social aspects , Social media -- Economic aspects , Consumers -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9349 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021126
- Description: Restaurateurs often assume that customers' online reviews of their dining experiences are a reflection of their dining preferences. This study finds this assumption not to be true. Online written reviews do not explain diners’ preferred dining experiences. In this study post-experience reactions captured in reviews are shown to be contextually different to established dining preferences. Results show online reviews to be most important in facilitating customer dining expectations, but not influencing customers’ preferences in dining experiences. Evidence gathered during the secondary research shows that in general, social media has become the great marketing equaliser in commerce. In the dining industry, restaurants cannot solely rely on traditional media in the initial attraction and retention of dining customers. Continuous interaction between the business and customers is increasingly necessary for restaurateurs to remain competitive and in-touch with customers’ needs. This study concentrates its research area on the post-experience evaluation phase as found on review websites, like TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor has especially become a popular means to perpetuate word-of-mouth opinions of dining experiences among prospective customers. Research shows clear evidence of the importance of other's online opinions in the consumer decision-making process. The main variables of the study, namely customer experiences, restaurant dining and social media, are theoretically explored within the disciplines of service management and customer behaviour. These theories have laid a sound foundation for the subsequent research methods followed. The main purpose of the study was using social media reviews from TripAdvisor to investigate dining experiences in the restaurant industry. The outcomes desired were: firstly to advise the restaurant industry about superior customer practices, secondly emphasising the importance for industry of social media use in the dining experience, and thirdly rendering clarification on the experience perceptions of customers about factors that might lead to ‘delight’ and ‘frustration’. This research centralises the constructs of delight and frustration factors, which are typically extremely emotional dining experiences for the customer, that have the common element of surprise. Methodologically, the research required two phases: firstly, the qualitative analysis of online user-generated content by content analysis. The global sample consisted of seven international cities, which included the best, worst and average-rated TripAdvisor restaurant reviews. The content analysis produced the theoretical base for the dining perception variables used in the empirical survey. In the second phase of the study, the global surveys administered resulted in measuring the general public’s perceptions of the delight and frustration factors of dining experiences. Subsequently, the research process required various quantitative data analyses to reach substantial results with inferences. The results and interpreted findings achieved were twofold: Firstly, from the content analysis: customers regard service quality as relatively unimportant in relation to the holistic dining experience. Customers regarded food and beverage quality as crucial in the dining experience. Value for money increasingly becomes an issue as customers become more frustrated, more so than when the dining was generally experienced as pleasant. Secondly, from the empirical data: mood and aesthetics are essential, especially when diners chose between their favourite restaurants. Further results show managing the service basics for restaurants is essential; this included welcoming, professional, attentive and friendly service. Service consistency has also proven to be imperative in customers’ perceptions. Results further show that different nationalities could perceive food quality and service reliability differently. In addition, men and women could perceive food quality, mood and aesthetics, and value for money differently. This study recommends various findings to the restaurant industry: most importantly that the post-experience reviews are contextually different to customers’ dining preferences. The factor determining the reputation of a restaurant is food quality and not so much service quality. Value for money should be associated with a specific service or product feature for it to be of meaningful consequence to the restaurateur.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Van Achterbergh, Leon
- Subjects: Hospitality industry -- Social aspects , Restaurants -- Social aspects , Social media -- Economic aspects , Consumers -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9349 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021126
- Description: Restaurateurs often assume that customers' online reviews of their dining experiences are a reflection of their dining preferences. This study finds this assumption not to be true. Online written reviews do not explain diners’ preferred dining experiences. In this study post-experience reactions captured in reviews are shown to be contextually different to established dining preferences. Results show online reviews to be most important in facilitating customer dining expectations, but not influencing customers’ preferences in dining experiences. Evidence gathered during the secondary research shows that in general, social media has become the great marketing equaliser in commerce. In the dining industry, restaurants cannot solely rely on traditional media in the initial attraction and retention of dining customers. Continuous interaction between the business and customers is increasingly necessary for restaurateurs to remain competitive and in-touch with customers’ needs. This study concentrates its research area on the post-experience evaluation phase as found on review websites, like TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor has especially become a popular means to perpetuate word-of-mouth opinions of dining experiences among prospective customers. Research shows clear evidence of the importance of other's online opinions in the consumer decision-making process. The main variables of the study, namely customer experiences, restaurant dining and social media, are theoretically explored within the disciplines of service management and customer behaviour. These theories have laid a sound foundation for the subsequent research methods followed. The main purpose of the study was using social media reviews from TripAdvisor to investigate dining experiences in the restaurant industry. The outcomes desired were: firstly to advise the restaurant industry about superior customer practices, secondly emphasising the importance for industry of social media use in the dining experience, and thirdly rendering clarification on the experience perceptions of customers about factors that might lead to ‘delight’ and ‘frustration’. This research centralises the constructs of delight and frustration factors, which are typically extremely emotional dining experiences for the customer, that have the common element of surprise. Methodologically, the research required two phases: firstly, the qualitative analysis of online user-generated content by content analysis. The global sample consisted of seven international cities, which included the best, worst and average-rated TripAdvisor restaurant reviews. The content analysis produced the theoretical base for the dining perception variables used in the empirical survey. In the second phase of the study, the global surveys administered resulted in measuring the general public’s perceptions of the delight and frustration factors of dining experiences. Subsequently, the research process required various quantitative data analyses to reach substantial results with inferences. The results and interpreted findings achieved were twofold: Firstly, from the content analysis: customers regard service quality as relatively unimportant in relation to the holistic dining experience. Customers regarded food and beverage quality as crucial in the dining experience. Value for money increasingly becomes an issue as customers become more frustrated, more so than when the dining was generally experienced as pleasant. Secondly, from the empirical data: mood and aesthetics are essential, especially when diners chose between their favourite restaurants. Further results show managing the service basics for restaurants is essential; this included welcoming, professional, attentive and friendly service. Service consistency has also proven to be imperative in customers’ perceptions. Results further show that different nationalities could perceive food quality and service reliability differently. In addition, men and women could perceive food quality, mood and aesthetics, and value for money differently. This study recommends various findings to the restaurant industry: most importantly that the post-experience reviews are contextually different to customers’ dining preferences. The factor determining the reputation of a restaurant is food quality and not so much service quality. Value for money should be associated with a specific service or product feature for it to be of meaningful consequence to the restaurateur.
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Structure and agency in the age of climate change
- Authors: Cherry, Janet
- Subjects: South Africa -- Economic conditions , South Africa -- Social conditions , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21033 , vital:29429
- Description: What I will present here is based on my grappling over the past three decades with one of the central problems of social science – the relationship between social structure and human agency. This is not a new problem for social scientists; from Karl Marx, who understood that human beings make history, but not in circumstances of their choosing; to the French structuralists who conceived the term ‘relative autonomy’ and ‘overdetermination’; to Anthony Giddens’ ‘structuration theory’ and other contemporary sociologists. What is new are the changing physical circumstances of the world in which we live, which mean that human society can no longer afford to analyse ourselves and our social, political and economic systems independently of the natural world.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Cherry, Janet
- Subjects: South Africa -- Economic conditions , South Africa -- Social conditions , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21033 , vital:29429
- Description: What I will present here is based on my grappling over the past three decades with one of the central problems of social science – the relationship between social structure and human agency. This is not a new problem for social scientists; from Karl Marx, who understood that human beings make history, but not in circumstances of their choosing; to the French structuralists who conceived the term ‘relative autonomy’ and ‘overdetermination’; to Anthony Giddens’ ‘structuration theory’ and other contemporary sociologists. What is new are the changing physical circumstances of the world in which we live, which mean that human society can no longer afford to analyse ourselves and our social, political and economic systems independently of the natural world.
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The Entrepreneur as a disequilibrating factor in economic process
- Authors: Ncwadi, Mcebisi Ronney
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship , Equilibrium (Economics) , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55844 , vital:54275
- Description: The evidence of entrepreneurship's significant contribution to economic growth and development, challenges the dominance of general equilibrium theory in microeconomics. The assumptions of the neoclassical economic model which underlies general equilibrium theory has long time been criticised; yet its consideration in policy formulation has not been dismissed despite the fact that general equilibrium theory does not incorporate entrepreneurship. The assumptions embedded in neoclassical economic theory exclude entrepreneurship as an economic variable. However, as microeconomic research finds more and more evidence confirming the importance of new business formation and growth, general equilibrium theory remains incapable of adapting to this reality. To this end general equilibrium theory produces policy prescriptions which favour mainly large, established firms over new, small firms. It is therefore no wonder that a large number of small businesses in South Africa are failing. This lecture presents the theory of the firm and also defines an entrepreneur within the context of the theory of the firm. In doing so, this lecture exposes the shortcomings of the general equilibrium theory which is used to explain entrepreneurship. Based on Schumpeter’s description of an entrepreneur, namely, a Disequilibrating factor of economic processes; this lecture demonstrates how entrepreneurship should be understood and developed within a broader scope of microeconomics discourse.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Ncwadi, Mcebisi Ronney
- Subjects: Entrepreneurship , Equilibrium (Economics) , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/55844 , vital:54275
- Description: The evidence of entrepreneurship's significant contribution to economic growth and development, challenges the dominance of general equilibrium theory in microeconomics. The assumptions of the neoclassical economic model which underlies general equilibrium theory has long time been criticised; yet its consideration in policy formulation has not been dismissed despite the fact that general equilibrium theory does not incorporate entrepreneurship. The assumptions embedded in neoclassical economic theory exclude entrepreneurship as an economic variable. However, as microeconomic research finds more and more evidence confirming the importance of new business formation and growth, general equilibrium theory remains incapable of adapting to this reality. To this end general equilibrium theory produces policy prescriptions which favour mainly large, established firms over new, small firms. It is therefore no wonder that a large number of small businesses in South Africa are failing. This lecture presents the theory of the firm and also defines an entrepreneur within the context of the theory of the firm. In doing so, this lecture exposes the shortcomings of the general equilibrium theory which is used to explain entrepreneurship. Based on Schumpeter’s description of an entrepreneur, namely, a Disequilibrating factor of economic processes; this lecture demonstrates how entrepreneurship should be understood and developed within a broader scope of microeconomics discourse.
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The human resource department as a strategic business partner in organisations
- Authors: Sakonda, Archford
- Subjects: Human capital -- Management , Strategic planning , Employment agencies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9431 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020178
- Description: The human resource department in many organisations is at a crossroad of relevance, constantly being faced with the challenge to prove that it can add value towards the objectives of the business. The Human Resource (HR) department is also faced with a reality that, if the department does not add value to the organisation, it will be farmed out to independent contractors, who can deliver the HR functions at a more efficient and cost effective way. However, organisations have a great opportunity to achieve excellence and competitive advantage through the utilisation of the organisation‟s human resources. Many scholars and authors argued that organisations can achieve the most out of its human resources if the HR department is a Strategic Business Partner (SBP) in these organisations. A thorough literature review has led to the discovery that, despite the appraisal of the Strategic Business Partners (SBP) approach to the management of human resources, little progress has been made with the reinvention of the HR departments from support function towards being a SBP (Lawler & Morhman, 2003; Keith, 2007). The slow progress in the transformation of the HR department was attributed to a wide range of factors including the lack of competencies to take up Strategic Business Partnership roles, lack of management support, and incongruent organisational cultures (Keith, 2007; Sanders & Frenkel, 2009; Ulrich & Brockbank, 2005). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with HR professionals, Managing Directors and other Directors, who sit on a strategic table, to identify the challenges and opportunities the HR department faced as a SBP in organisations. A self-administered questionnaire, based on an existing questionnaire (Ulrich & Cornell (1997) HR role assessment survey) was used to gather the perception of employees regarding the roles the HR departments play in organisations. In this study organisational culture was identified as having a huge impact towards the implementation of HR departments as SBPs. The study also identified the competencies needed for the effective execution of SBP roles, the challenges HR departments may face in the process as well as the important roles the HR department should be devoting most of its time and resources to.
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- Authors: Sakonda, Archford
- Subjects: Human capital -- Management , Strategic planning , Employment agencies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9431 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020178
- Description: The human resource department in many organisations is at a crossroad of relevance, constantly being faced with the challenge to prove that it can add value towards the objectives of the business. The Human Resource (HR) department is also faced with a reality that, if the department does not add value to the organisation, it will be farmed out to independent contractors, who can deliver the HR functions at a more efficient and cost effective way. However, organisations have a great opportunity to achieve excellence and competitive advantage through the utilisation of the organisation‟s human resources. Many scholars and authors argued that organisations can achieve the most out of its human resources if the HR department is a Strategic Business Partner (SBP) in these organisations. A thorough literature review has led to the discovery that, despite the appraisal of the Strategic Business Partners (SBP) approach to the management of human resources, little progress has been made with the reinvention of the HR departments from support function towards being a SBP (Lawler & Morhman, 2003; Keith, 2007). The slow progress in the transformation of the HR department was attributed to a wide range of factors including the lack of competencies to take up Strategic Business Partnership roles, lack of management support, and incongruent organisational cultures (Keith, 2007; Sanders & Frenkel, 2009; Ulrich & Brockbank, 2005). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with HR professionals, Managing Directors and other Directors, who sit on a strategic table, to identify the challenges and opportunities the HR department faced as a SBP in organisations. A self-administered questionnaire, based on an existing questionnaire (Ulrich & Cornell (1997) HR role assessment survey) was used to gather the perception of employees regarding the roles the HR departments play in organisations. In this study organisational culture was identified as having a huge impact towards the implementation of HR departments as SBPs. The study also identified the competencies needed for the effective execution of SBP roles, the challenges HR departments may face in the process as well as the important roles the HR department should be devoting most of its time and resources to.
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The perceptions of educators, in the Queenstown education district, of the labour dispute resolution system
- Authors: Rataza, Themba Theophilus
- Subjects: Labor disputes -- South Africa -- Queenstown , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9434 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020542
- Description: The objective of this study is to conduct a survey concerning the perceptions of educators in the Queenstown education district of the labour dispute resolution system. The education department is one of the biggest departments in the Eastern Cape’s Provincial Administration system. The likelihood of disputes is high when there are many employees. The focus of the study therefore is on how educators perceive the role of the department in terms of ensuring that labour disputes with the department are resolved efficiently and speedily. The advent of a democratic dispensation resulted in the ushering in of progressive labour legislation such as Labour Relations Act 55 of 1995. The objective of this Act is to facilitate economic development, social justice, labour peace and democratization of the workplace. In other words this Act gave birth to the manner in which labour disputes should be resolved. The study was carried out not only to explore the perceptions of educators but also with a view to making recommendations on the findings in order to help contribute towards labour peace and productivity in the workplace. The attitudes of one hundred and forty-one educators were surveyed via questionnaires and six educators who have had labour disputes with the department were interviewed. The key findings of the study revealed that both the educators who were surveyed and those interviewed lack confidence in the effectiveness of the labour dispute procedures in the district; they perceive the system as being inaccessible to them; time taken to resolve disputes is too lengthy; the system lacks necessary independence from the department of education or government and the department is seen as not adhering to its own policies and legislation. Hence there are many disputes and there is a great need for more awareness and for improved training in handling labour dispute resolution systems for district officials and educators. The study recommends more awareness and training sessions for both district officials responsible for labour relations and educators at large. It also calls for an increasingly proactive role by teacher unions in partnership with the department of education to avoid labour disputes. Although the findings cannot be generalized toother districts of the province, they do however highlight critical areas in labour dispute resolution where attention can be paid and focus made in order to ensure labour peace in the workplace for improved productivity and effective teaching and learning.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Rataza, Themba Theophilus
- Subjects: Labor disputes -- South Africa -- Queenstown , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9434 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020542
- Description: The objective of this study is to conduct a survey concerning the perceptions of educators in the Queenstown education district of the labour dispute resolution system. The education department is one of the biggest departments in the Eastern Cape’s Provincial Administration system. The likelihood of disputes is high when there are many employees. The focus of the study therefore is on how educators perceive the role of the department in terms of ensuring that labour disputes with the department are resolved efficiently and speedily. The advent of a democratic dispensation resulted in the ushering in of progressive labour legislation such as Labour Relations Act 55 of 1995. The objective of this Act is to facilitate economic development, social justice, labour peace and democratization of the workplace. In other words this Act gave birth to the manner in which labour disputes should be resolved. The study was carried out not only to explore the perceptions of educators but also with a view to making recommendations on the findings in order to help contribute towards labour peace and productivity in the workplace. The attitudes of one hundred and forty-one educators were surveyed via questionnaires and six educators who have had labour disputes with the department were interviewed. The key findings of the study revealed that both the educators who were surveyed and those interviewed lack confidence in the effectiveness of the labour dispute procedures in the district; they perceive the system as being inaccessible to them; time taken to resolve disputes is too lengthy; the system lacks necessary independence from the department of education or government and the department is seen as not adhering to its own policies and legislation. Hence there are many disputes and there is a great need for more awareness and for improved training in handling labour dispute resolution systems for district officials and educators. The study recommends more awareness and training sessions for both district officials responsible for labour relations and educators at large. It also calls for an increasingly proactive role by teacher unions in partnership with the department of education to avoid labour disputes. Although the findings cannot be generalized toother districts of the province, they do however highlight critical areas in labour dispute resolution where attention can be paid and focus made in order to ensure labour peace in the workplace for improved productivity and effective teaching and learning.
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The relationship between work place well-being, psychological capital and work place trust
- Authors: Schoeman, Johannes Dames
- Subjects: Well-being , Trust , Work -- Psychological aspects , Job satisfaction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9406 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013044
- Description: A study of the available literature on Workplace Well-being, Positive Organisational Capital and Workplace Trust revealed that enormous potential existed for further research. This is a relatively new field with limited literature and research evidence available. It became very clear from the beginning that the relationships between these constructs could successfully be researched. It was therefore decided to embark on an academic research journey in order to contribute to the existing knowledge available on these constructs within the South African business scenario. This quantitative research was used to obtain more clarity about the relationships between the three constructs and to gather the responses from the research population. This research group consisted of 228 managers from the manufacturing operation of a motor vehicle production company and 224 managers from their National Dealership network. The research sample consisted of 452 managers. Three questionnaires were integrated to develop the composite Workplace Wellbeing Questionnaire and consisted of i) Workplace Well-being questionnaire developed by Parker and Hyett (2011), ii) PSYCAP Questionnaire developed by Luthans, Youssef and Avolio (2007), and iii) Workplace Trust Survey developed by Ferres (2001). The managers (n = 452) responded to a 91–item electronic questionnaire. Seven research questions were formulated and covered areas such as: The content, validity and portability of the measuring instruments; The configuration of the various constructs; Relationships between some of the variables; The effect of demographical data on the research variables and; The building of a research model. The content and the structure of the measuring instruments were assessed by means of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA). These assessments showed that the original measuring instruments are not portable to a culture which is different to the one where they were originally developed. The relationships between the variables were determined by: Pearson product moment correlation; Multiple Regression co-efficient; ANOVA and Cohen’s d Test. The relationship between aspects of Workplace Well-being (Job satisfaction) and trust is a significant finding; so are some aspects of PSYCAP (sense of achievement and optimism) and Trust and Well-being. Trust has shown a definite relationship with Work- place well-being. A structural equation model was built to test the relationships between the elements of Workplace Well-being, PSYCAP and Workplace Trust. No satisfactory fit of the model on the data was obtained, although strong correlations between some of the variables existed. The significance of the findings of this study and the contribution that it makes to the existing theory is seen in the importance of the portability of measuring instruments. Recommendations in this regard have been made in Chapter 5. Various findings have also highlighted the relationships between Workplace Well-being, PSYCAP and Work-place Trust. The importance of future research topics has been recommended and a proposal has been made to consider a longitudinal well-being research study.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Schoeman, Johannes Dames
- Subjects: Well-being , Trust , Work -- Psychological aspects , Job satisfaction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9406 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013044
- Description: A study of the available literature on Workplace Well-being, Positive Organisational Capital and Workplace Trust revealed that enormous potential existed for further research. This is a relatively new field with limited literature and research evidence available. It became very clear from the beginning that the relationships between these constructs could successfully be researched. It was therefore decided to embark on an academic research journey in order to contribute to the existing knowledge available on these constructs within the South African business scenario. This quantitative research was used to obtain more clarity about the relationships between the three constructs and to gather the responses from the research population. This research group consisted of 228 managers from the manufacturing operation of a motor vehicle production company and 224 managers from their National Dealership network. The research sample consisted of 452 managers. Three questionnaires were integrated to develop the composite Workplace Wellbeing Questionnaire and consisted of i) Workplace Well-being questionnaire developed by Parker and Hyett (2011), ii) PSYCAP Questionnaire developed by Luthans, Youssef and Avolio (2007), and iii) Workplace Trust Survey developed by Ferres (2001). The managers (n = 452) responded to a 91–item electronic questionnaire. Seven research questions were formulated and covered areas such as: The content, validity and portability of the measuring instruments; The configuration of the various constructs; Relationships between some of the variables; The effect of demographical data on the research variables and; The building of a research model. The content and the structure of the measuring instruments were assessed by means of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA). These assessments showed that the original measuring instruments are not portable to a culture which is different to the one where they were originally developed. The relationships between the variables were determined by: Pearson product moment correlation; Multiple Regression co-efficient; ANOVA and Cohen’s d Test. The relationship between aspects of Workplace Well-being (Job satisfaction) and trust is a significant finding; so are some aspects of PSYCAP (sense of achievement and optimism) and Trust and Well-being. Trust has shown a definite relationship with Work- place well-being. A structural equation model was built to test the relationships between the elements of Workplace Well-being, PSYCAP and Workplace Trust. No satisfactory fit of the model on the data was obtained, although strong correlations between some of the variables existed. The significance of the findings of this study and the contribution that it makes to the existing theory is seen in the importance of the portability of measuring instruments. Recommendations in this regard have been made in Chapter 5. Various findings have also highlighted the relationships between Workplace Well-being, PSYCAP and Work-place Trust. The importance of future research topics has been recommended and a proposal has been made to consider a longitudinal well-being research study.
- Full Text:
The reward preference/motivation paradox and implications for performance and education
- Authors: Snelgar, Robin
- Subjects: Employee motivation , Incentive (Psychology) , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21897 , vital:29799
- Description: The focus on reward preference has emerged essentially as a result of the need to identify what really motivates productive behaviour within the workplace, despite the fact that other variables such as retention and attraction have also been taken into consideratin. Motivation has always been an issue of great interest to both reserachers as well as practitioners within the organizational setting, the intention being to find ways to improve performance and, more specifically, particular types of performance within the world of work. Ultimately, the issue has always been how to understand, predict, shape and control human behaviour.
- Full Text: false
- Authors: Snelgar, Robin
- Subjects: Employee motivation , Incentive (Psychology) , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21897 , vital:29799
- Description: The focus on reward preference has emerged essentially as a result of the need to identify what really motivates productive behaviour within the workplace, despite the fact that other variables such as retention and attraction have also been taken into consideratin. Motivation has always been an issue of great interest to both reserachers as well as practitioners within the organizational setting, the intention being to find ways to improve performance and, more specifically, particular types of performance within the world of work. Ultimately, the issue has always been how to understand, predict, shape and control human behaviour.
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The sustainability of Reconstruction and Development Programme Houses : 2004 to 2006 : a case study of Litchis Bay, East London
- Authors: Balani, Thobeka Virginia
- Subjects: Human services -- South Africa -- East London , Human settlements -- South Africa -- East London , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8855 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020141
- Description: The South African government has endeavored to provide settlement to citizens and policies have been formulated since 1994 to guide these efforts. The South African Constitution (1996, section 26) stated that everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing. Furthermore the African National Congress’s Freedom Charter (1955) made it clear that: “there shall be houses, security and comfort for all, everybody shall have the right to live where they choose, to be decently housed, and to bring up their families in comfort and security. Slums shall be demolished and new suburbs built, where all shall have transport, roads, lights, playing fields, crèches and social centers”. However, after 19 years of democracy the state of housing is still a critical issue that addresses whether development has served to further the cause of sustainable development with respect to the pillars of human settlement such as shelter, infrastructure and economic opportunities. The study was conducted in the Litchis Bay settlement in East London, Eastern Cape Province. Mixed approaches of quantitative and qualitative methods were used to solicit data. Random Sampling techniques were conducted to select the sample population. Data was captured on Excel sheets to generate graphs. Findings of the study and conclusions were drawn. Therefore when measuring the term ‘sustainable human settlement’ against the findings on RDP houses in Litchis Bay, one can conclude that sustainable human settlement is not fully absorbed in defining the sustainability of RDP houses in Litchis Bay. Moreover the majority of houses have defects, and social amenities are not easily accessible.
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- Authors: Balani, Thobeka Virginia
- Subjects: Human services -- South Africa -- East London , Human settlements -- South Africa -- East London , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8855 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020141
- Description: The South African government has endeavored to provide settlement to citizens and policies have been formulated since 1994 to guide these efforts. The South African Constitution (1996, section 26) stated that everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing. Furthermore the African National Congress’s Freedom Charter (1955) made it clear that: “there shall be houses, security and comfort for all, everybody shall have the right to live where they choose, to be decently housed, and to bring up their families in comfort and security. Slums shall be demolished and new suburbs built, where all shall have transport, roads, lights, playing fields, crèches and social centers”. However, after 19 years of democracy the state of housing is still a critical issue that addresses whether development has served to further the cause of sustainable development with respect to the pillars of human settlement such as shelter, infrastructure and economic opportunities. The study was conducted in the Litchis Bay settlement in East London, Eastern Cape Province. Mixed approaches of quantitative and qualitative methods were used to solicit data. Random Sampling techniques were conducted to select the sample population. Data was captured on Excel sheets to generate graphs. Findings of the study and conclusions were drawn. Therefore when measuring the term ‘sustainable human settlement’ against the findings on RDP houses in Litchis Bay, one can conclude that sustainable human settlement is not fully absorbed in defining the sustainability of RDP houses in Litchis Bay. Moreover the majority of houses have defects, and social amenities are not easily accessible.
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Water under troubled bridge: the (ir)relevance of Development Studies pedagogies in African universities
- Authors: Makuwira, Jonathan
- Subjects: Development economics , Universities and colleges -- Africa -- Curricula , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20375 , vital:29271
- Description: The demand for “methodologies of education and learning” is very significant in the current FeesMustFall discourse. This is not just because it is necessary to consider education methodologies, but in the broader scheme of things, it is also a call to both mental and ideological transformation. It challenges university lecturers and educators alike to question their own preconceived pedagogies and engage in an introspection - a 2 reflective moment in their teaching. I will come back to this later in my presentation. The point I am trying to emphasis is that the call for “The-Fall-in-Fees” is a development issue. It is a development issue because it gravitates around access to [Higher] education. We just need to remind ourselves by what Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. We all know-education is a fundamental human right; so too is development (United Nations, 1986). The denial to education is an act of injustice. But like Martin Luther King Jr. said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (Luther King Jr, 1963). In this regard, there is a lot of development injustice to which my lecture this evening alludes to.
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- Authors: Makuwira, Jonathan
- Subjects: Development economics , Universities and colleges -- Africa -- Curricula , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20375 , vital:29271
- Description: The demand for “methodologies of education and learning” is very significant in the current FeesMustFall discourse. This is not just because it is necessary to consider education methodologies, but in the broader scheme of things, it is also a call to both mental and ideological transformation. It challenges university lecturers and educators alike to question their own preconceived pedagogies and engage in an introspection - a 2 reflective moment in their teaching. I will come back to this later in my presentation. The point I am trying to emphasis is that the call for “The-Fall-in-Fees” is a development issue. It is a development issue because it gravitates around access to [Higher] education. We just need to remind ourselves by what Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. We all know-education is a fundamental human right; so too is development (United Nations, 1986). The denial to education is an act of injustice. But like Martin Luther King Jr. said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (Luther King Jr, 1963). In this regard, there is a lot of development injustice to which my lecture this evening alludes to.
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What is the future of financial inclusion?
- Authors: Mago, Stephen
- Subjects: Financial services industry -- Africa , Banks and banking -- Africa , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/56481 , vital:56688
- Description: The purpose of this lecture is to explicate the future of financial inclusion with a focus on Africa. Understanding financial inclusion, its advantages, and its trajectory into the future sets a scene for future research and debates. Materials and methods: In preparing this lecture, I used systematic literature and bibliometric analysis complemented with field research done in two selected areas (Masvingo district in Zimbabwe and the Kirkwood area in the Eastern Cape, South Africa). Results/Findings: Results show that financial inclusion benefits poverty alleviation, job/employment creation, small business growth (through innovation and creativity), sustainability, closing inequality gaps, inclusive economic growth and development (local, national, regional, and global), closing gender gaps, and the promotion of digital finance. In other words, it creates opportunities for individuals, businesses, and economies in various ways. It also contributes to the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Globally, stakeholders such as governments, supranational organisations (the UN, the WB, the IMF, the G20) and development banks are working together to achieve financial inclusion. Alleviation or elimination of financial exclusion (FE) is the ultimate. Social implications: Financial inclusion promotes socio-economic transformation and livelihood enhancement. The unbanked, or the financially excluded, and the underbanked benefit from financial inclusion, thus allowing them access to financial services. Conclusions and recommendations: Extant literature and empirical research demonstrate the immense contribution of financial inclusion. It helps to defy the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality. This lecture therefore recommends deliberate policy intentions by governments in developing countries to support financial inclusion to benefit the marginalised and promote the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). There is a need to digitise the financial systems for inclusivity. I argue that the future of financial inclusion is achieved not only by technology, but also by acceptance, behaviour, and collaboration/synergy, built around strong ecosystems. An underlying thesis is that financial inclusion benefits economies in many ways.
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- Authors: Mago, Stephen
- Subjects: Financial services industry -- Africa , Banks and banking -- Africa , f-sa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Lectures
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/56481 , vital:56688
- Description: The purpose of this lecture is to explicate the future of financial inclusion with a focus on Africa. Understanding financial inclusion, its advantages, and its trajectory into the future sets a scene for future research and debates. Materials and methods: In preparing this lecture, I used systematic literature and bibliometric analysis complemented with field research done in two selected areas (Masvingo district in Zimbabwe and the Kirkwood area in the Eastern Cape, South Africa). Results/Findings: Results show that financial inclusion benefits poverty alleviation, job/employment creation, small business growth (through innovation and creativity), sustainability, closing inequality gaps, inclusive economic growth and development (local, national, regional, and global), closing gender gaps, and the promotion of digital finance. In other words, it creates opportunities for individuals, businesses, and economies in various ways. It also contributes to the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Globally, stakeholders such as governments, supranational organisations (the UN, the WB, the IMF, the G20) and development banks are working together to achieve financial inclusion. Alleviation or elimination of financial exclusion (FE) is the ultimate. Social implications: Financial inclusion promotes socio-economic transformation and livelihood enhancement. The unbanked, or the financially excluded, and the underbanked benefit from financial inclusion, thus allowing them access to financial services. Conclusions and recommendations: Extant literature and empirical research demonstrate the immense contribution of financial inclusion. It helps to defy the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality. This lecture therefore recommends deliberate policy intentions by governments in developing countries to support financial inclusion to benefit the marginalised and promote the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). There is a need to digitise the financial systems for inclusivity. I argue that the future of financial inclusion is achieved not only by technology, but also by acceptance, behaviour, and collaboration/synergy, built around strong ecosystems. An underlying thesis is that financial inclusion benefits economies in many ways.
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