Investigating teamwork competencies in the value chain of a selected wool brokerage logistics department
- Authors: Craig, Kenneth Bruce
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8712 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/936 , Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Management
- Description: department of BKB Ltd. The research aimed at addressing the team balance, the environment and culture in which the team operates and teamwork competencies of the value chain. Thus, creating a high performance value chain team will add to the success of the team, and hence the company as a whole. Research to establish the degree of teamwork within the value chain was undertaken. A survey which included a structured self-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information from all eight value chain team members (four section heads and their four supervisors), who represented the entire cross-section of the value chain team. The research revealed the following important points pertaining to the value chain team: • The team’s balance needs to be addressed; and • The culture and environment in which the team operates needs to be reviewed. Points of interest pertaining to teamwork competencies include the following: • The degree of teamwork is average; • The level of individual competencies is high; • The extent that team members are team players is average; • That team communication is below average; • A high perception of hidden agendas exists; • Dysfunctional team conflict exists; • A high level of empowerment and autonomy exists; • Team leadership - team linker is absent; • Co-operation and collaboration is below average; • Team attitude is high; • Team motivation is high; • Team strategies exist, but need more attention; • Team set goals are set; • Free-wheelers exist in the team; • Job satisfaction is above average; • Team recognition is high; and • Team synergy is average. Teamwork needs to be analyzed holistically, to ensure that the complex dynamics of teamwork is acknowledged and understood. A greater knowledge and understanding of the characteristics and measurement criteria of teamwork will equip team enthusiasts in building high performance teams, to the benefit of all role players. High performance team based organisations will add to the current and future success of the business. As the term “synergy” implies, the result is greater than the sum of the individual effects and capabilities. This emphasises why team-based organisations are fast becoming the modern trend of doing business.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Craig, Kenneth Bruce
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8712 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/936 , Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Management
- Description: department of BKB Ltd. The research aimed at addressing the team balance, the environment and culture in which the team operates and teamwork competencies of the value chain. Thus, creating a high performance value chain team will add to the success of the team, and hence the company as a whole. Research to establish the degree of teamwork within the value chain was undertaken. A survey which included a structured self-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information from all eight value chain team members (four section heads and their four supervisors), who represented the entire cross-section of the value chain team. The research revealed the following important points pertaining to the value chain team: • The team’s balance needs to be addressed; and • The culture and environment in which the team operates needs to be reviewed. Points of interest pertaining to teamwork competencies include the following: • The degree of teamwork is average; • The level of individual competencies is high; • The extent that team members are team players is average; • That team communication is below average; • A high perception of hidden agendas exists; • Dysfunctional team conflict exists; • A high level of empowerment and autonomy exists; • Team leadership - team linker is absent; • Co-operation and collaboration is below average; • Team attitude is high; • Team motivation is high; • Team strategies exist, but need more attention; • Team set goals are set; • Free-wheelers exist in the team; • Job satisfaction is above average; • Team recognition is high; and • Team synergy is average. Teamwork needs to be analyzed holistically, to ensure that the complex dynamics of teamwork is acknowledged and understood. A greater knowledge and understanding of the characteristics and measurement criteria of teamwork will equip team enthusiasts in building high performance teams, to the benefit of all role players. High performance team based organisations will add to the current and future success of the business. As the term “synergy” implies, the result is greater than the sum of the individual effects and capabilities. This emphasises why team-based organisations are fast becoming the modern trend of doing business.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
An analysis of the factors that influence effectiveness in information technology student project teams
- Authors: Patrellis, Yiota
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: Information technology -- Management , Project management , Teams in the workplace , Organizational effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech (Information Technology)
- Identifier: vital:10800 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/199 , Information technology -- Management , Project management , Teams in the workplace , Organizational effectiveness
- Description: More and more organizations are making use of teamwork. Effective teams are also important from an Information Technology (IT) perspective, since teamwork forms an integral part of all software development activities. It is therefore extremely important that IT students are able to work together as an effective team. These statements lead to the following questions – How can IT student project teams be effective and what obstacles need to be overcome in order to ensure effectiveness? This dissertation reports on an exploratory study of second and third year IT project teams and exposes factors that lead to ineffectiveness. Firstly, the problems experienced by the groups seem to have the largest detrimental effect on effective team functioning. Secondly, the project mark is also affected by the priority issue that is associated with the particular task. Thirdly, the issues of time management, communication, conflict management, compromise, social loafing and group cohesion also play an important role in team effectiveness. This dissertation sets out to prove that the key to "effectiveness" lies in empowering the student to deal with all possible dilemmas that may be faced when working in teams in the tertiary team situation. The benefits of these actions will hopefully lead to the realization of “effectiveness” in the tertiary team situation and ultimately, in the student’s work environment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
- Authors: Patrellis, Yiota
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: Information technology -- Management , Project management , Teams in the workplace , Organizational effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech (Information Technology)
- Identifier: vital:10800 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/199 , Information technology -- Management , Project management , Teams in the workplace , Organizational effectiveness
- Description: More and more organizations are making use of teamwork. Effective teams are also important from an Information Technology (IT) perspective, since teamwork forms an integral part of all software development activities. It is therefore extremely important that IT students are able to work together as an effective team. These statements lead to the following questions – How can IT student project teams be effective and what obstacles need to be overcome in order to ensure effectiveness? This dissertation reports on an exploratory study of second and third year IT project teams and exposes factors that lead to ineffectiveness. Firstly, the problems experienced by the groups seem to have the largest detrimental effect on effective team functioning. Secondly, the project mark is also affected by the priority issue that is associated with the particular task. Thirdly, the issues of time management, communication, conflict management, compromise, social loafing and group cohesion also play an important role in team effectiveness. This dissertation sets out to prove that the key to "effectiveness" lies in empowering the student to deal with all possible dilemmas that may be faced when working in teams in the tertiary team situation. The benefits of these actions will hopefully lead to the realization of “effectiveness” in the tertiary team situation and ultimately, in the student’s work environment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
The impact of strength-based leadership on high-performance work teams : a Volkswagen case study
- Authors: Jacobs, Corneluis Theodorus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Leadership , Teams in the workplace
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8810
- Description: In the modern day organisation where the emphasis is largely on teams rather than individuals, it is of critical importance to have teams who can be regarded as high-performing. High performing teams will ensure that companies can achieve more with less in terms of resources required. However the creation of a high performing team remains a consistent challenge due to innate human behaviour and traits. One of the keys that could assist in the creation of a high-performing work team is a strength-based leadership approach. The study compromised of firstly, the philosophy of strength-based leadership and the underpinnings of this philosophy. Secondly, the author also looked at the high-performance team model, attributes associated with this model and the various theories of how a high-performing team can be created. Thirdly an empirical study was conducted using a selected management team within a major automotive manufacturer that was already following the strength-based leadership approach. The empirical study aimed to establish to what degree this leadership philosophy is being followed as well as gauging the current level of team performance. Finally the empirical findings were correlated with the theoretical back ground established, and recommendations were made. Overall the team studied can be regarded as a high-performing work team, partially due to their approach in following the strength-based leadership approach. Individual team members are very aware of their own strengths as well as those of their fellow team members. The manager also seeks to continually utilize the individual strengths of his team. The team also has a very positive attitude and subsequently team motivation and performance is very high. However conflict resolution is currently a potential barrier to further performance enhancement.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Jacobs, Corneluis Theodorus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Leadership , Teams in the workplace
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8810
- Description: In the modern day organisation where the emphasis is largely on teams rather than individuals, it is of critical importance to have teams who can be regarded as high-performing. High performing teams will ensure that companies can achieve more with less in terms of resources required. However the creation of a high performing team remains a consistent challenge due to innate human behaviour and traits. One of the keys that could assist in the creation of a high-performing work team is a strength-based leadership approach. The study compromised of firstly, the philosophy of strength-based leadership and the underpinnings of this philosophy. Secondly, the author also looked at the high-performance team model, attributes associated with this model and the various theories of how a high-performing team can be created. Thirdly an empirical study was conducted using a selected management team within a major automotive manufacturer that was already following the strength-based leadership approach. The empirical study aimed to establish to what degree this leadership philosophy is being followed as well as gauging the current level of team performance. Finally the empirical findings were correlated with the theoretical back ground established, and recommendations were made. Overall the team studied can be regarded as a high-performing work team, partially due to their approach in following the strength-based leadership approach. Individual team members are very aware of their own strengths as well as those of their fellow team members. The manager also seeks to continually utilize the individual strengths of his team. The team also has a very positive attitude and subsequently team motivation and performance is very high. However conflict resolution is currently a potential barrier to further performance enhancement.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Bullock team pulling a wagon with Cradock in the distance
- Authors: Lidbetter, William Walpole
- Subjects: Transportation -- South Africa -- Cradock -- Photographs Wagons -- South Africa -- Cradock -- Photographs
- Type: still image
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/55781 , vital:26733 , This glass negative is held at the Cory Library for Humanities Research at Rhodes University. For further information contact cory@ru.ac.za. , PIC/GN 4521
- Description: Glass negative : View of a bullock team pulling a wagon with Cradock in the distance.
- Full Text: false
- Authors: Lidbetter, William Walpole
- Subjects: Transportation -- South Africa -- Cradock -- Photographs Wagons -- South Africa -- Cradock -- Photographs
- Type: still image
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/55781 , vital:26733 , This glass negative is held at the Cory Library for Humanities Research at Rhodes University. For further information contact cory@ru.ac.za. , PIC/GN 4521
- Description: Glass negative : View of a bullock team pulling a wagon with Cradock in the distance.
- Full Text: false
View of Dundas Street, Cradock, with an ox- team, September 1901
- Authors: Lidbetter, William Walpole
- Date: 1901
- Subjects: Cradock -- Streets -- Photographs Cradock (South Africa) -- History -- Photographs
- Type: still image
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/55966 , vital:26760 , This glass negative is held at the Cory Library for Humanities Research at Rhodes University. For further information contact cory@ru.ac.za. , PIC/GN 4555
- Description: Glass negative : View of Dundas Street, Cradock, with an ox- team, September 1901.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1901
- Authors: Lidbetter, William Walpole
- Date: 1901
- Subjects: Cradock -- Streets -- Photographs Cradock (South Africa) -- History -- Photographs
- Type: still image
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/55966 , vital:26760 , This glass negative is held at the Cory Library for Humanities Research at Rhodes University. For further information contact cory@ru.ac.za. , PIC/GN 4555
- Description: Glass negative : View of Dundas Street, Cradock, with an ox- team, September 1901.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 1901
The development and evaluation of a cohesion-building programme for a South African male collegiate basketball team
- Authors: Razafimbola, Sandimampita
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Teamwork (Sports) Basketball teams College sports Sports -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3040 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002549
- Description: There is a general consensus among sport coaches and practitioners that it is better to work with a cohesive team. Research on cohesion has provided positive links between cohesion and performance as well as the overall well-being of the team and its members. The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a cohesion-building programme under an Action Research paradigm. The Group Environment Questionnaire, in parallel with focus group discussions were used to assist in the development and evaluation of a cohesion-building programme tailored to the specific needs of the Rhodes University men’s basketball 1st team. The team is known to be a good team but it was missing something that made it become great. Fostering higher cohesiveness was deemed to be the missing link to the chain of success. Various changes were brought to the 1) team structure, 2) team processes, 3) team environment to enhance the team’s cohesiveness levels. It was found that the programme was positive and powerful in that it accelerated the process of cohesion building within the team. It was also found that the programme had the power to transcend demographical barriers and unite people from diverse backgrounds. Finally, the programme increased the team’s performance level and enabled it to achieve objectives that were never achieved by any other men’s basketball team at Rhodes University before. Naturally there are going to be some ups and downs, especially if you have individuals trying to achieve at a high level. But when we stepped in between the lines, we knew what we were capable of doing. When a pressure situation presented itself, we were plugged into one another like a cohesive unit. That’s why we were able to come back so often and win so many close games. And that’s why we were able to beat more talented team. - Michael Jordan (former Chicago Bulls; NBA Hall of Famer).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Razafimbola, Sandimampita
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Teamwork (Sports) Basketball teams College sports Sports -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3040 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002549
- Description: There is a general consensus among sport coaches and practitioners that it is better to work with a cohesive team. Research on cohesion has provided positive links between cohesion and performance as well as the overall well-being of the team and its members. The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a cohesion-building programme under an Action Research paradigm. The Group Environment Questionnaire, in parallel with focus group discussions were used to assist in the development and evaluation of a cohesion-building programme tailored to the specific needs of the Rhodes University men’s basketball 1st team. The team is known to be a good team but it was missing something that made it become great. Fostering higher cohesiveness was deemed to be the missing link to the chain of success. Various changes were brought to the 1) team structure, 2) team processes, 3) team environment to enhance the team’s cohesiveness levels. It was found that the programme was positive and powerful in that it accelerated the process of cohesion building within the team. It was also found that the programme had the power to transcend demographical barriers and unite people from diverse backgrounds. Finally, the programme increased the team’s performance level and enabled it to achieve objectives that were never achieved by any other men’s basketball team at Rhodes University before. Naturally there are going to be some ups and downs, especially if you have individuals trying to achieve at a high level. But when we stepped in between the lines, we knew what we were capable of doing. When a pressure situation presented itself, we were plugged into one another like a cohesive unit. That’s why we were able to come back so often and win so many close games. And that’s why we were able to beat more talented team. - Michael Jordan (former Chicago Bulls; NBA Hall of Famer).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
The application and outcomes of action research as a team development intervention
- Authors: Kloppers, Paul
- Date: 2021-04
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace , Teams in the workplace|xTraining of , Management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/51721 , vital:43366
- Description: An action research design was used to develop a team development intervention to determine the effect of the team development intervention on team functioning, as considered within a postmodern paradigm. A team of nine members agreed to participate in this study. For the purpose of this study, the researcher targeted an existing (intact) team who was already operating as a team within the work context. Therefore, convenience sampling (purposive) was used to select the relevant team. Data was collected using focus group sessions. The initial intention was to record these sessions to allow for collecting verbatim data that would aid the process of data analysis. However, due to participant concerns regarding confidentiality, the researcher suggested introducing a co-facilitator who would record proceedings by making process notes. The additional benefit of this approach included observation data that was obtained during the focus group sessions. A nine-step model was used as a guideline to conduct the focus group discussion and an intervention in the form of a team workshop was designed. The workshop, consisting of three integrated sessions, was implemented and the effect thereof determined by conducting a follow-up session with the team. The data collected from the focus group session before as well as after the workshop was processed and interpreted using thematic analysis. Issues of trustworthiness and data authenticity was dealt with during the focus group sessions by means of reciprocal feedback loops. The teambuilding workshop that was informed by the focus group input, focused on creating awareness around communication (interpersonal), behaviours driven by team values (interpersonal), as well as managing focus and energy (team processes). The team reported that the style and content of the workshop was apt and that the process was a good learning experience. This seems to support research suggesting that team building has a positive effect on developing interpersonal relationships, which could then benefit organisational performance. The results are discussed in relation to theory and suggestions are proposed for future research. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Industrial Psychology, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-04
- Authors: Kloppers, Paul
- Date: 2021-04
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace , Teams in the workplace|xTraining of , Management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/51721 , vital:43366
- Description: An action research design was used to develop a team development intervention to determine the effect of the team development intervention on team functioning, as considered within a postmodern paradigm. A team of nine members agreed to participate in this study. For the purpose of this study, the researcher targeted an existing (intact) team who was already operating as a team within the work context. Therefore, convenience sampling (purposive) was used to select the relevant team. Data was collected using focus group sessions. The initial intention was to record these sessions to allow for collecting verbatim data that would aid the process of data analysis. However, due to participant concerns regarding confidentiality, the researcher suggested introducing a co-facilitator who would record proceedings by making process notes. The additional benefit of this approach included observation data that was obtained during the focus group sessions. A nine-step model was used as a guideline to conduct the focus group discussion and an intervention in the form of a team workshop was designed. The workshop, consisting of three integrated sessions, was implemented and the effect thereof determined by conducting a follow-up session with the team. The data collected from the focus group session before as well as after the workshop was processed and interpreted using thematic analysis. Issues of trustworthiness and data authenticity was dealt with during the focus group sessions by means of reciprocal feedback loops. The teambuilding workshop that was informed by the focus group input, focused on creating awareness around communication (interpersonal), behaviours driven by team values (interpersonal), as well as managing focus and energy (team processes). The team reported that the style and content of the workshop was apt and that the process was a good learning experience. This seems to support research suggesting that team building has a positive effect on developing interpersonal relationships, which could then benefit organisational performance. The results are discussed in relation to theory and suggestions are proposed for future research. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Industrial Psychology, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-04
A study to determine the factors to improve group and team effectiveness in Transnet Engineering
- Authors: Ngwenya, Sandile Goodwill
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace , Organizational effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8877 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020626
- Description: Teams have increasingly become the means for completing tasks in many organisations, and organisations have turned to teams as a better way to use employee talents. Many South African companies have established work teams to solve both complex and minor problems, and some companies’ performance has increased due to the implementation of work teams. The fact that organisations are using teams does not necessarily mean they are always effective, there are many factors that contribute to team effectiveness in an organisation, and these factors need to be identified and managed properly so that the team can remain effective and produce the results that are expected. Management of most companies is unaware of the factors that contribute to group and team effectiveness, and most teams are ineffective because of the lack of focus on the factors that improve group and team effectiveness. This is the reason or objective why this study was conducted at Transnet Engineering, to identify the factors that are critical to improving team effectiveness. The researcher conducted a literature review in order to determine the factors that improve group and team effectiveness. Some of the factors deal with organisational culture, motivation (monetary and non-monetary motivation), diversity in teams, size of teams, formulation of teams, team leadership, team goals, team structures, team member training, trust in teams, etc. An empirical study with the use of a questionnaire was also conducted to determine the perceptions that supervisors, superintendents, foremen and managers have at Transnet Engineering with regards to factors that improve group and team effectiveness. The research instrument was grouped into five categories; organisational context, individual context, team context, management support and team effectiveness. More than 50 percent of the respondents agreed with the organisational and individual context factors that were tested, around 75 percent of the respondents agreed with team context factors that were tested, almost 60 percent of respondents agreed with management support factors, and more than 60 percent of respondents indicated that their teams are effective. Although there is general agreement between most factors identified in the literature study and the empirical study, the following will need more focus: Offering of team resources Leadership support from executive committee members (EXCO) Proper reward and recognition systems Conducting research to identify employee satisfaction levels Team development Diversity management Talent management Team size
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Ngwenya, Sandile Goodwill
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace , Organizational effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8877 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020626
- Description: Teams have increasingly become the means for completing tasks in many organisations, and organisations have turned to teams as a better way to use employee talents. Many South African companies have established work teams to solve both complex and minor problems, and some companies’ performance has increased due to the implementation of work teams. The fact that organisations are using teams does not necessarily mean they are always effective, there are many factors that contribute to team effectiveness in an organisation, and these factors need to be identified and managed properly so that the team can remain effective and produce the results that are expected. Management of most companies is unaware of the factors that contribute to group and team effectiveness, and most teams are ineffective because of the lack of focus on the factors that improve group and team effectiveness. This is the reason or objective why this study was conducted at Transnet Engineering, to identify the factors that are critical to improving team effectiveness. The researcher conducted a literature review in order to determine the factors that improve group and team effectiveness. Some of the factors deal with organisational culture, motivation (monetary and non-monetary motivation), diversity in teams, size of teams, formulation of teams, team leadership, team goals, team structures, team member training, trust in teams, etc. An empirical study with the use of a questionnaire was also conducted to determine the perceptions that supervisors, superintendents, foremen and managers have at Transnet Engineering with regards to factors that improve group and team effectiveness. The research instrument was grouped into five categories; organisational context, individual context, team context, management support and team effectiveness. More than 50 percent of the respondents agreed with the organisational and individual context factors that were tested, around 75 percent of the respondents agreed with team context factors that were tested, almost 60 percent of respondents agreed with management support factors, and more than 60 percent of respondents indicated that their teams are effective. Although there is general agreement between most factors identified in the literature study and the empirical study, the following will need more focus: Offering of team resources Leadership support from executive committee members (EXCO) Proper reward and recognition systems Conducting research to identify employee satisfaction levels Team development Diversity management Talent management Team size
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Investigating the factors influencing the effectiveness of the task teams of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber
- Authors: Schultz, Lizle
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Organizational effectiveness -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8896 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020915
- Description: Business Chambers worldwide strive to promote trade and investment. These chambers act on behalf of businesses in an effort to enhance economic growth and development. The Port Elizabeth Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PERCCI) was established in 1994 with a view to fostering, encouraging, promoting, protecting, developing and establishing commercial and industrial enterprises within the Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage Metropole (now Nelson Mandela Bay). Thus PERCCI has since changed its name to Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber (NMBBC). The NMBBC focuses on the provision of services to business in the form of information, communication, seminars, task teams, networking functions and a strong international trade focus. Lobbying, representation and strategic interventions are also key focus areas, with the objective of facilitating an environment which is conducive to economic growth. The vision of the NMBBC is to be a leading and dynamic business chamber that contributes effectively to the economic growth of Nelson Mandela Bay. The vision, mission and objectives of the NMBBC are delivered through the following task teams, each its own specific mandate: Crime Task Team, Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Task Team, Environment, Health & Wellness, Human Capital Development, Industrial Development Strategy, International Trade & Investment, Mentorship Programme, Service Excellence, SME Task Team, Strategic Projects/Infrastructure, Strategic Resources Forum, Tourism Task Team and Transport Task Team. Currently, only four of these task teams are in operation and the effectiveness of their functioning is currently not well established. Therefore, the present study investigated the factors which influence the effective functioning of the task teams, with a view to improving their performance and overall contribution to the organisation. A literature study was conducted on factors influencing the effectiveness of teams and a hypothesized theoretical model developed. Thereafter, an empirical study was conducted within a positivist paradigm using primarily a case study approach. Initial focus group interviews with 17 task team members were followed up by a questionnaire survey distributed amongst 75 NMBBC task team members. The factors investigated were: Clear Purpose, Clear Roles, Open Communication, Shared Leadership, Motivation and Commitment and their influence on team effectiveness. The empirical results indicate that relationships exist amongst all the factor variables investigated with the most significant relation found to be between commitment and motivation. The results further indicate that all the measured factor variables exert an influence on the effectiveness of the task teams with commitment being the most influencing variable and motivation the least. The study concludes that while the task teams are making a significant contribution to the performance of the NMBBC, they are nonetheless not functioning optimally. As there is room for improvement, the study makes a number of recommendations to the NMBBC in an effort to increase the effectiveness of their task teams.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Schultz, Lizle
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Organizational effectiveness -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8896 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020915
- Description: Business Chambers worldwide strive to promote trade and investment. These chambers act on behalf of businesses in an effort to enhance economic growth and development. The Port Elizabeth Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PERCCI) was established in 1994 with a view to fostering, encouraging, promoting, protecting, developing and establishing commercial and industrial enterprises within the Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage Metropole (now Nelson Mandela Bay). Thus PERCCI has since changed its name to Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber (NMBBC). The NMBBC focuses on the provision of services to business in the form of information, communication, seminars, task teams, networking functions and a strong international trade focus. Lobbying, representation and strategic interventions are also key focus areas, with the objective of facilitating an environment which is conducive to economic growth. The vision of the NMBBC is to be a leading and dynamic business chamber that contributes effectively to the economic growth of Nelson Mandela Bay. The vision, mission and objectives of the NMBBC are delivered through the following task teams, each its own specific mandate: Crime Task Team, Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Task Team, Environment, Health & Wellness, Human Capital Development, Industrial Development Strategy, International Trade & Investment, Mentorship Programme, Service Excellence, SME Task Team, Strategic Projects/Infrastructure, Strategic Resources Forum, Tourism Task Team and Transport Task Team. Currently, only four of these task teams are in operation and the effectiveness of their functioning is currently not well established. Therefore, the present study investigated the factors which influence the effective functioning of the task teams, with a view to improving their performance and overall contribution to the organisation. A literature study was conducted on factors influencing the effectiveness of teams and a hypothesized theoretical model developed. Thereafter, an empirical study was conducted within a positivist paradigm using primarily a case study approach. Initial focus group interviews with 17 task team members were followed up by a questionnaire survey distributed amongst 75 NMBBC task team members. The factors investigated were: Clear Purpose, Clear Roles, Open Communication, Shared Leadership, Motivation and Commitment and their influence on team effectiveness. The empirical results indicate that relationships exist amongst all the factor variables investigated with the most significant relation found to be between commitment and motivation. The results further indicate that all the measured factor variables exert an influence on the effectiveness of the task teams with commitment being the most influencing variable and motivation the least. The study concludes that while the task teams are making a significant contribution to the performance of the NMBBC, they are nonetheless not functioning optimally. As there is room for improvement, the study makes a number of recommendations to the NMBBC in an effort to increase the effectiveness of their task teams.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Team-related factors influencing intra-team knowledge sharing in knowledge-intensive businesses
- Authors: Van Greunen, Conrad
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Knowledge management , Organizational behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54630 , vital:46873
- Description: In today’s knowledge-driven economy, knowledge is regarded as possibly the most important factor of production next to labour, land and capital. Knowledge is the lifeblood of a business and therefore crucial for its survival in today’s constantly changing and competitive economic environment. In fact, effective knowledge management holds many benefits for an organisation, such as increased productivity and enhanced business performance. Knowledge management is therefore key to ensure business success. In the knowledge management process, knowledge-sharing is typically recognised as the most important activity. Knowledge that is not shared, in particular tacit knowledge residing in the minds of individuals and accrued over time, loses its value. Notably, team knowledge-sharing is of utmost importance in that it enables a team to resolve practical issues more successfully, given that knowledge is shared among team members that hold various kinds of specialised and unique expertise. Organisations increasingly organise their specialised knowledge-intensive work around projects that consist of allocated members who cooperate on a regular basis to accomplish specific goals before a set deadline. However, without knowledge-sharing among team members, the diverse knowledge of various members cannot be optimally utilised to the benefit of the team and the organisation. Although it is well documented that knowledge-sharing among team members, in particular knowledge-intensive teams, may hold various advantages for teams and organisations in terms of their performance and competitive advantage, researchers also acknowledge that individuals are sometimes reluctant to share their knowledge. Moreover, there is a lack of empirical research on the team-related factors influencing intra-team knowledge-sharing, and a subsequent lack of guidance in terms of encouraging intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. Notably, the lack of current systematic, integrated research, that pay particular attention to the team-related factors influencing the knowledge-sharing behaviour within a team is problematic. This lack of research calls for further empirical research to better understand the teamrelated factors influencing intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour in knowledgeintensive teams. As such, the main research objective of this study was to identify and empirically examine selected team-related factors influencing the intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour of individual members participating in knowledgeintensive teams in knowledge-intensive businesses. Based on an extensive literature review, the following team-related factors influencing knowledge-sharing in a team context were identified and hypothesised to have a relationship with the dependent variable Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. These factors, which also served as the independent variables in this study, are: Team development competition, Team hyper-competition, Team psychological safety, Perceived surface-level diversity, Perceived deep-level diversity, Team identification, Metacognitive cultural intelligence, Cognitive cultural intelligence, Motivational cultural intelligence, Behavioural cultural intelligence, Affective team commitment, Continuance team commitment and Normative team commitment. Following the construction of the proposed hypothesised model, the researcher proceeded to develop a research design that would be suitable to address the research questions. For the purpose of this study, a positivist research philosophy and deductive approach to theory building were adopted, which is in line with the quantitative nature of this study. In addition, a survey research strategy was used and the study was cross-sectional in nature. The measuring instrument, which was in the form of a self-administered online questionnaire, was subjected to a pilot study. Minor adjustments were made to the questionnaire before an electronic link to the final version, accompanied by a cover letter, was e-mailed to 8 496 potential respondents. These potential respondents, who were identified using a convenience sampling technique, were likely to participate in knowledge-intensive teams and be representative of the population. A total of 384 usable responses were received. Following the data collection, the data were analysed to examine the proposed relationships as depicted in the hypothesised model. To address possible multicollinearity concerns associated with different variables that belong to a shared category, such variables were first combined into a single hierarchical variable. Thereafter, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on each factor that confirmed the factor structures by using various goodness-of-fit indices. Subsequent to the CFAs, the validity and reliability of the measuring instrument was assessed. The reliability of the measuring instrument was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, while the assessment of validity involved calculations of the average variance extracted (AVE) estimates and squared correlations between constructs. Based on the results of the reliability and validity assessments, the hypothesised model was revised accordingly. The revised model included Team development competition, Team psychological safety, Cultural intelligence, Team commitment and Perceived deep-level diversity as the independent variables influencing Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. Descriptive statistics and correlation results were presented on the constructs in the revised hypothesised model, while a structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was the main statistical technique used to test the significance of the relationships between the dependent and the independent variables. The relationships between selected demographic variables and Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour were assessed by means of general linear modelling (GLM), a subset of SEM. In light of these analyses, it was concluded that Team psychological safety, Team development competition, Cultural intelligence and Age have a significant influence on Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour and could thus be seen as predictors or determinants thereof. Of all the significant relationships identified in this study, Team psychological safety had the strongest effect on Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. One should, however, not lose sight of the impact that competition and cultural intelligence could have on the knowledge-sharing behaviour of individual members participating in knowledge-intensive teams. This study contributes to the body of knowledge-sharing research in general, but also to knowledge-sharing behaviour in a team context in particular. Besides the theoretical contributions, this study makes several practical recommendations to knowledgeintensive businesses on how to manage the team-related factors influencing the Intrateam knowledge-sharing behaviour of individual members participating in knowledgeintensive teams. These recommendations could possibly enhance the competitive advantage of knowledge-intensive businesses. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Van Greunen, Conrad
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Knowledge management , Organizational behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54630 , vital:46873
- Description: In today’s knowledge-driven economy, knowledge is regarded as possibly the most important factor of production next to labour, land and capital. Knowledge is the lifeblood of a business and therefore crucial for its survival in today’s constantly changing and competitive economic environment. In fact, effective knowledge management holds many benefits for an organisation, such as increased productivity and enhanced business performance. Knowledge management is therefore key to ensure business success. In the knowledge management process, knowledge-sharing is typically recognised as the most important activity. Knowledge that is not shared, in particular tacit knowledge residing in the minds of individuals and accrued over time, loses its value. Notably, team knowledge-sharing is of utmost importance in that it enables a team to resolve practical issues more successfully, given that knowledge is shared among team members that hold various kinds of specialised and unique expertise. Organisations increasingly organise their specialised knowledge-intensive work around projects that consist of allocated members who cooperate on a regular basis to accomplish specific goals before a set deadline. However, without knowledge-sharing among team members, the diverse knowledge of various members cannot be optimally utilised to the benefit of the team and the organisation. Although it is well documented that knowledge-sharing among team members, in particular knowledge-intensive teams, may hold various advantages for teams and organisations in terms of their performance and competitive advantage, researchers also acknowledge that individuals are sometimes reluctant to share their knowledge. Moreover, there is a lack of empirical research on the team-related factors influencing intra-team knowledge-sharing, and a subsequent lack of guidance in terms of encouraging intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. Notably, the lack of current systematic, integrated research, that pay particular attention to the team-related factors influencing the knowledge-sharing behaviour within a team is problematic. This lack of research calls for further empirical research to better understand the teamrelated factors influencing intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour in knowledgeintensive teams. As such, the main research objective of this study was to identify and empirically examine selected team-related factors influencing the intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour of individual members participating in knowledgeintensive teams in knowledge-intensive businesses. Based on an extensive literature review, the following team-related factors influencing knowledge-sharing in a team context were identified and hypothesised to have a relationship with the dependent variable Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. These factors, which also served as the independent variables in this study, are: Team development competition, Team hyper-competition, Team psychological safety, Perceived surface-level diversity, Perceived deep-level diversity, Team identification, Metacognitive cultural intelligence, Cognitive cultural intelligence, Motivational cultural intelligence, Behavioural cultural intelligence, Affective team commitment, Continuance team commitment and Normative team commitment. Following the construction of the proposed hypothesised model, the researcher proceeded to develop a research design that would be suitable to address the research questions. For the purpose of this study, a positivist research philosophy and deductive approach to theory building were adopted, which is in line with the quantitative nature of this study. In addition, a survey research strategy was used and the study was cross-sectional in nature. The measuring instrument, which was in the form of a self-administered online questionnaire, was subjected to a pilot study. Minor adjustments were made to the questionnaire before an electronic link to the final version, accompanied by a cover letter, was e-mailed to 8 496 potential respondents. These potential respondents, who were identified using a convenience sampling technique, were likely to participate in knowledge-intensive teams and be representative of the population. A total of 384 usable responses were received. Following the data collection, the data were analysed to examine the proposed relationships as depicted in the hypothesised model. To address possible multicollinearity concerns associated with different variables that belong to a shared category, such variables were first combined into a single hierarchical variable. Thereafter, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on each factor that confirmed the factor structures by using various goodness-of-fit indices. Subsequent to the CFAs, the validity and reliability of the measuring instrument was assessed. The reliability of the measuring instrument was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, while the assessment of validity involved calculations of the average variance extracted (AVE) estimates and squared correlations between constructs. Based on the results of the reliability and validity assessments, the hypothesised model was revised accordingly. The revised model included Team development competition, Team psychological safety, Cultural intelligence, Team commitment and Perceived deep-level diversity as the independent variables influencing Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. Descriptive statistics and correlation results were presented on the constructs in the revised hypothesised model, while a structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was the main statistical technique used to test the significance of the relationships between the dependent and the independent variables. The relationships between selected demographic variables and Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour were assessed by means of general linear modelling (GLM), a subset of SEM. In light of these analyses, it was concluded that Team psychological safety, Team development competition, Cultural intelligence and Age have a significant influence on Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour and could thus be seen as predictors or determinants thereof. Of all the significant relationships identified in this study, Team psychological safety had the strongest effect on Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. One should, however, not lose sight of the impact that competition and cultural intelligence could have on the knowledge-sharing behaviour of individual members participating in knowledge-intensive teams. This study contributes to the body of knowledge-sharing research in general, but also to knowledge-sharing behaviour in a team context in particular. Besides the theoretical contributions, this study makes several practical recommendations to knowledgeintensive businesses on how to manage the team-related factors influencing the Intrateam knowledge-sharing behaviour of individual members participating in knowledgeintensive teams. These recommendations could possibly enhance the competitive advantage of knowledge-intensive businesses. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
A critical assessment of team building as a tourism offering in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Blumel, Astrid
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tourism -- Marketing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6225 , vital:21057
- Description: This study researched team building as a tourism offering. Team building has particular potential to benefit tourism in the Western Region of the Eastern Cape. Team building has grown in popularity and is offered by several tourism operators in the Western Region of the Eastern Cape. Team building can be practiced throughout the year by the use of numerous indoor and outdoor activities thereby attracting participants and tourists. The activity involves a wide range of tourism-related services and facilities which shows its potential value as tourism resource. The research methodology for this study aimed to identify the link between team building and tourism. Additionally, the study draws attention to team buildings possible socio-economic value which is added to a tourism business’s offering range and its effect on the host destination. A survey was conducted among a randomly selected target population representing role-players involved in team building and tourism activities, for which a questionnaire was developed by adapting the SERVPERF model. This enabled the researcher to identify the team building participants’ level of satisfaction with the team building operator, activity and host destination. Emerging from the gained insight into the dynamics between team building offerings and tourism businesses, recommendations have been formulated as to the relevance of team building for a tourism businesses’ offering range and the impact on the host destination. The research study identified numerous beneficial spin-off effects for the Western Region of the Eastern Cape driven from team building activities. These benefits were an increase in awareness of the destination, improved image of the Western Region of the Eastern Cape, and tourist engagement in other tourism offerings during their stay at the destination, among others.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Blumel, Astrid
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tourism -- Marketing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6225 , vital:21057
- Description: This study researched team building as a tourism offering. Team building has particular potential to benefit tourism in the Western Region of the Eastern Cape. Team building has grown in popularity and is offered by several tourism operators in the Western Region of the Eastern Cape. Team building can be practiced throughout the year by the use of numerous indoor and outdoor activities thereby attracting participants and tourists. The activity involves a wide range of tourism-related services and facilities which shows its potential value as tourism resource. The research methodology for this study aimed to identify the link between team building and tourism. Additionally, the study draws attention to team buildings possible socio-economic value which is added to a tourism business’s offering range and its effect on the host destination. A survey was conducted among a randomly selected target population representing role-players involved in team building and tourism activities, for which a questionnaire was developed by adapting the SERVPERF model. This enabled the researcher to identify the team building participants’ level of satisfaction with the team building operator, activity and host destination. Emerging from the gained insight into the dynamics between team building offerings and tourism businesses, recommendations have been formulated as to the relevance of team building for a tourism businesses’ offering range and the impact on the host destination. The research study identified numerous beneficial spin-off effects for the Western Region of the Eastern Cape driven from team building activities. These benefits were an increase in awareness of the destination, improved image of the Western Region of the Eastern Cape, and tourist engagement in other tourism offerings during their stay at the destination, among others.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
An evaluation of the interventions utilized by manufacturing organizations in the Eastern Cape to ensure the optimal implementation and functioning of self-directed work teams
- Authors: Mey, Michelle Ruth
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: Self-directed work teams , Teams in the workplace
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech (Human Resources Management)
- Identifier: vital:10870 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61 , Self-directed work teams , Teams in the workplace
- Description: Organisations worldwide are attempting to increase individual job satisfaction, productivity and efficiency by implementing work teams. This research study evaluates the interventions considered necessary to optimally implement and maintain self-directed work teams (SDWTs). In order to complete this study it was necessary to address the characteristics associated with SDWTs, problems commonly experienced during implementation and functioning of SDWTs and the identification of the interventions used to promote the successful implementation and maintenance of SDWTs. These objectives were achieved by means of a comprehensive literature study. Subsequent to the literature study, a process model for the successful implementation and maintenance of a SDWT within a South African organization was developed. Thereafter, a questionnaire was developed based on the findings of the literature study and distributed to a randomly selected population. The objective of the questionnaire was to evaluate the interventions utilized during the implementation and maintenance of SDWTs. The results of the empirical study were statistically analysed and interpreted. Finally, conclusions and recommendations were made. The most important recommendations are as follows: Firstly, the trade union must be consulted and involved in the decision to implement SDWTs. Members of the team must be exposed to training interventions prior to the implementation of the SDWT. Thereafter, team members must undergo advanced training in interpersonal and problemsolving skills. Salary and reward structures within the organisation must be adapted to suit a teambased environment. Finally, the success of the SDWT will depend on the support provided by management. Management needs to exhibit total commitment to the change on a continuous basis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
- Authors: Mey, Michelle Ruth
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: Self-directed work teams , Teams in the workplace
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech (Human Resources Management)
- Identifier: vital:10870 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61 , Self-directed work teams , Teams in the workplace
- Description: Organisations worldwide are attempting to increase individual job satisfaction, productivity and efficiency by implementing work teams. This research study evaluates the interventions considered necessary to optimally implement and maintain self-directed work teams (SDWTs). In order to complete this study it was necessary to address the characteristics associated with SDWTs, problems commonly experienced during implementation and functioning of SDWTs and the identification of the interventions used to promote the successful implementation and maintenance of SDWTs. These objectives were achieved by means of a comprehensive literature study. Subsequent to the literature study, a process model for the successful implementation and maintenance of a SDWT within a South African organization was developed. Thereafter, a questionnaire was developed based on the findings of the literature study and distributed to a randomly selected population. The objective of the questionnaire was to evaluate the interventions utilized during the implementation and maintenance of SDWTs. The results of the empirical study were statistically analysed and interpreted. Finally, conclusions and recommendations were made. The most important recommendations are as follows: Firstly, the trade union must be consulted and involved in the decision to implement SDWTs. Members of the team must be exposed to training interventions prior to the implementation of the SDWT. Thereafter, team members must undergo advanced training in interpersonal and problemsolving skills. Salary and reward structures within the organisation must be adapted to suit a teambased environment. Finally, the success of the SDWT will depend on the support provided by management. Management needs to exhibit total commitment to the change on a continuous basis.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
An evaluation of social team building intervention on MBA group formation
- Authors: Westraadt, Johan Ewald
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Team learning approach in education , Business Administration -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45679 , vital:38926
- Description: Teamwork and the ability to work effectively in a team is a critical skill in a technologically complex workplace where no individual can possess all the knowledge and skills. MBA programmes, therefore, require students to work in collaborative learning groups in order to not only share their knowledge and skills, but also to develop the needed team-based competencies. However, collaborative learning groups are prone to many pitfalls that could result in intra-group conflict and inefficiencies such as social loafing, where the group performance is less than the sum of the output of the individual members when working alone. Team development interventions (TDI) aim to improve team-based competencies of a team. One type of TDI that is often employed is social team building. It typically consists of a one-day extra-mural excursion involving some non-work-related tasks performed by teams to improve interpersonal relationships. The MBA groups are pre-allocated at the start of the academic programme and team building interventions are therefore needed to facilitate group formation. The main research question in this study deals with the effectiveness of these social team building TDI’s to promote group formation. The literature of teams and the factors that influence team effectivity were reviewed. Input-Process-Output models relate the factors that drive team performance. Three team viability measures critical to a teams’ performance were identified namely, group cohesion, group communication and goal-setting. There is strong empirical evidence that these factors contribute positively to the performance of the team. The influence of team building interventions on each of these factors were discussed. There is empirical evidence for the impact of team building interventions on these affective outcomes. However, empirical evidence for the link to objective performance measures is still lacking
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Westraadt, Johan Ewald
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Team learning approach in education , Business Administration -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45679 , vital:38926
- Description: Teamwork and the ability to work effectively in a team is a critical skill in a technologically complex workplace where no individual can possess all the knowledge and skills. MBA programmes, therefore, require students to work in collaborative learning groups in order to not only share their knowledge and skills, but also to develop the needed team-based competencies. However, collaborative learning groups are prone to many pitfalls that could result in intra-group conflict and inefficiencies such as social loafing, where the group performance is less than the sum of the output of the individual members when working alone. Team development interventions (TDI) aim to improve team-based competencies of a team. One type of TDI that is often employed is social team building. It typically consists of a one-day extra-mural excursion involving some non-work-related tasks performed by teams to improve interpersonal relationships. The MBA groups are pre-allocated at the start of the academic programme and team building interventions are therefore needed to facilitate group formation. The main research question in this study deals with the effectiveness of these social team building TDI’s to promote group formation. The literature of teams and the factors that influence team effectivity were reviewed. Input-Process-Output models relate the factors that drive team performance. Three team viability measures critical to a teams’ performance were identified namely, group cohesion, group communication and goal-setting. There is strong empirical evidence that these factors contribute positively to the performance of the team. The influence of team building interventions on each of these factors were discussed. There is empirical evidence for the impact of team building interventions on these affective outcomes. However, empirical evidence for the link to objective performance measures is still lacking
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
An analysis of perceived and operationalised team effectiveness in community-based organisations within the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area: a case study
- Authors: Gititu, Diana Wambui
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Community-based organisations -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Management committees -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:16144 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/908 , Teams in the workplace -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Community-based organisations -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Management committees -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: Literature on effectiveness indicates the interest of researchers in the role that teams play within organisations. The conclusion is that different variables affect team performance effectiveness. A further analysis of literature on team effectiveness enabled the researcher to develop a matrix of assessment of team effectiveness from these variables to serve as a benchmark. In addition to this, a matrix consisting of perceived variables of team effectiveness was constructed from the outcome of in-depth interviews and focus group sessions with the members of management committees of community-based organisations (CBOs) based within Port Elizabeth townships. These matrixes were used by the researcher to assess the operationalisation of these variables within the CBO management committees. The research indicates that management committees either did not operationalise these variables within their teams or did not do so to their fullest capacity. The overall outcome of these assessments indicates the areas that require attention, and provides opportunity for group practitioners to assist CBO management committees to enhance their effectiveness as teams. It is suggested that group practitioners together with members of CBO management committees, embark as a task team project to develop a strategy to refine the perceived variables guided by those emphasised by experts within this field, to strategise a clear path towards enhanced team effectiveness.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Gititu, Diana Wambui
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Community-based organisations -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Management committees -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:16144 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/908 , Teams in the workplace -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Community-based organisations -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Management committees -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: Literature on effectiveness indicates the interest of researchers in the role that teams play within organisations. The conclusion is that different variables affect team performance effectiveness. A further analysis of literature on team effectiveness enabled the researcher to develop a matrix of assessment of team effectiveness from these variables to serve as a benchmark. In addition to this, a matrix consisting of perceived variables of team effectiveness was constructed from the outcome of in-depth interviews and focus group sessions with the members of management committees of community-based organisations (CBOs) based within Port Elizabeth townships. These matrixes were used by the researcher to assess the operationalisation of these variables within the CBO management committees. The research indicates that management committees either did not operationalise these variables within their teams or did not do so to their fullest capacity. The overall outcome of these assessments indicates the areas that require attention, and provides opportunity for group practitioners to assist CBO management committees to enhance their effectiveness as teams. It is suggested that group practitioners together with members of CBO management committees, embark as a task team project to develop a strategy to refine the perceived variables guided by those emphasised by experts within this field, to strategise a clear path towards enhanced team effectiveness.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Identifying departmental team dynamics in a regulated casino environment
- Authors: Hughes, David Robert
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Training of , Casinos -- Management , Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8734 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/798 , Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Training of , Casinos -- Management , Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa
- Description: Literature has been reviewed on the formation and structure of groups and teams in order to establish what differences there are in the types of teams that exist in the modern workplace, and what it is that facilitates effective and high performance of such teams. From the results of the qualitative research conducted, the author is of the opinion that the notion of teams operating in the regulated casino environment is somewhat exaggerated. At year end functions and award ceremonies, mention is made of the teams that successfully contributed to the various achievements but, upon closer inspection, no teams are evident at the “coal face”. Some of the reasons for this may be that there appears to be a lack of those skills necessary to harness people into successful teams especially during the early stages of the business lifecycle. Too few people at grass root level have the required knowledge, skills and attitude to take the lead and form a team especially in an unfamiliar environment. It may also be as a result of the different management styles imposed on the labour force over a long period of time. As organisations are forced to become more competitive, especially on the global market, it is the author’s opinion that the management style in progressive organisations will probably have shifted from autocratic to paternalistic to democratic; yet very few businesses are practicing participative management, although buzzwords relating to participative management are used freely. Ultimately, accountability rests with top management and results are measured by bottom line figures. Since accountability is centralised, the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards for success are also confined to management who is likely to be criticised, attacked, or got rid of, and these recipients are often not volunteering to share the benefits reaped – even though the recipients would mutter words such as “if it were not for my team” or “ thanks to my team”. With this viewpoint in mind the treatise aims to address specific and practical interventions that could be implemented without much organisational change and yet developing a culture of team development and team building within an organisation. The author is of the opinion that the responses imparted from the different respondents in the research results could benefit Sun International within its training methodology policy framework. Although, each casino unit is managed autonomously, Sun International, via its centralised training facility, could apply successful specific and practical training interventions in respect of team dynamics. Results extracted from unit staff climate surveys and staff feedback sessions could be collated from the different training departments within the group and presented in workshops at quarterly conferences and feedback seminars. The effectiveness of these interventions, once implemented, could be assessed in a performance measurement framework. Eales-White (1996: 34) quotes Peters as saying, “I observe the power of the team is so great that it is often wise to violate common sense and force a team structure on almost anything … companies that do, will achieve greater focus, stronger task orientation and enhanced individual commitment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Hughes, David Robert
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Training of , Casinos -- Management , Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8734 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/798 , Teams in the workplace -- South Africa , Teams in the workplace -- Training of , Casinos -- Management , Management -- Employee participation -- South Africa
- Description: Literature has been reviewed on the formation and structure of groups and teams in order to establish what differences there are in the types of teams that exist in the modern workplace, and what it is that facilitates effective and high performance of such teams. From the results of the qualitative research conducted, the author is of the opinion that the notion of teams operating in the regulated casino environment is somewhat exaggerated. At year end functions and award ceremonies, mention is made of the teams that successfully contributed to the various achievements but, upon closer inspection, no teams are evident at the “coal face”. Some of the reasons for this may be that there appears to be a lack of those skills necessary to harness people into successful teams especially during the early stages of the business lifecycle. Too few people at grass root level have the required knowledge, skills and attitude to take the lead and form a team especially in an unfamiliar environment. It may also be as a result of the different management styles imposed on the labour force over a long period of time. As organisations are forced to become more competitive, especially on the global market, it is the author’s opinion that the management style in progressive organisations will probably have shifted from autocratic to paternalistic to democratic; yet very few businesses are practicing participative management, although buzzwords relating to participative management are used freely. Ultimately, accountability rests with top management and results are measured by bottom line figures. Since accountability is centralised, the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards for success are also confined to management who is likely to be criticised, attacked, or got rid of, and these recipients are often not volunteering to share the benefits reaped – even though the recipients would mutter words such as “if it were not for my team” or “ thanks to my team”. With this viewpoint in mind the treatise aims to address specific and practical interventions that could be implemented without much organisational change and yet developing a culture of team development and team building within an organisation. The author is of the opinion that the responses imparted from the different respondents in the research results could benefit Sun International within its training methodology policy framework. Although, each casino unit is managed autonomously, Sun International, via its centralised training facility, could apply successful specific and practical training interventions in respect of team dynamics. Results extracted from unit staff climate surveys and staff feedback sessions could be collated from the different training departments within the group and presented in workshops at quarterly conferences and feedback seminars. The effectiveness of these interventions, once implemented, could be assessed in a performance measurement framework. Eales-White (1996: 34) quotes Peters as saying, “I observe the power of the team is so great that it is often wise to violate common sense and force a team structure on almost anything … companies that do, will achieve greater focus, stronger task orientation and enhanced individual commitment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
The impact of team emotional intelligence in team decision making at Transnet Port terminals
- Authors: Mtunzini, Samnkelisiwe
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace , Emotional intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8851 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020121
- Description: Numerous decisions in organisations are made by teams, groups or committees. The need for group decision making is brought about by the increased complexity of many decisions which require specialised knowledge in numerous areas usually not possessed by one person. As such there has also been an inherent recognition that different members bring different contributions and that a marshalling of these contributions enhances decision-making. Most research about how to make teams more effective has focused on identifying the task processes that distinguish the most successful teams - that is specifying the need for collaboration, involvement and commitment to goals. The assumption seems to be that, once identified; these processes can simply be imitated by other teams, with similar effects but it is not the case since they do not take the level of the team’s emotional intelligence into consideration. Emotional intelligence should always be considered in a team setting since teamwork is an inherently social activity and as such emotions play an important role in team processes including decision making. Surprisingly the study of the effects of emotions and emotional intelligence in decision making at group level is a relatively new research avenue. Research indicates that emotional intelligence has been the subject of a significant amount of literature for a number of years. However little has been contributed to how the behaviours associated with emotional intelligence may be practically applied to enhance both individual and group decision-making. Druskat and Wolff (2001a and 2001b) proposed a model for emotional intelligence at the group level. According to their model, groups develop a set of behavioural norms called the Group Emotional Competence Norms (GEC norms) which guide the emotional experience in groups. The proposed model by Druskat and Wolff was used to define and measure group emotional intelligence in this study. The aim of the study was to establish whether there was a relationship between team emotional intelligence and team decision making at Transnet Port Terminal’s Ngqura Container Terminal. The findings of the literature study and the empirical study were combined to evaluate whether team emotional intelligence affected team decision making in the chosen population.The literature study suggested that there was a relationship between team emotional intelligence and team decision making. The empirical study confirmed the relationship between group emotional intelligence and group decision making but failed to confirm whether the chosen population consisted of teams.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Mtunzini, Samnkelisiwe
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace , Emotional intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8851 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020121
- Description: Numerous decisions in organisations are made by teams, groups or committees. The need for group decision making is brought about by the increased complexity of many decisions which require specialised knowledge in numerous areas usually not possessed by one person. As such there has also been an inherent recognition that different members bring different contributions and that a marshalling of these contributions enhances decision-making. Most research about how to make teams more effective has focused on identifying the task processes that distinguish the most successful teams - that is specifying the need for collaboration, involvement and commitment to goals. The assumption seems to be that, once identified; these processes can simply be imitated by other teams, with similar effects but it is not the case since they do not take the level of the team’s emotional intelligence into consideration. Emotional intelligence should always be considered in a team setting since teamwork is an inherently social activity and as such emotions play an important role in team processes including decision making. Surprisingly the study of the effects of emotions and emotional intelligence in decision making at group level is a relatively new research avenue. Research indicates that emotional intelligence has been the subject of a significant amount of literature for a number of years. However little has been contributed to how the behaviours associated with emotional intelligence may be practically applied to enhance both individual and group decision-making. Druskat and Wolff (2001a and 2001b) proposed a model for emotional intelligence at the group level. According to their model, groups develop a set of behavioural norms called the Group Emotional Competence Norms (GEC norms) which guide the emotional experience in groups. The proposed model by Druskat and Wolff was used to define and measure group emotional intelligence in this study. The aim of the study was to establish whether there was a relationship between team emotional intelligence and team decision making at Transnet Port Terminal’s Ngqura Container Terminal. The findings of the literature study and the empirical study were combined to evaluate whether team emotional intelligence affected team decision making in the chosen population.The literature study suggested that there was a relationship between team emotional intelligence and team decision making. The empirical study confirmed the relationship between group emotional intelligence and group decision making but failed to confirm whether the chosen population consisted of teams.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Talking about teams within a team building context: a discourse analytic study
- Authors: Chapman-Blair, Sharon
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: Discourse analysis , Teams in the workplace
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2947 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002456 , Discourse analysis , Teams in the workplace
- Description: This research initiative responds to some of the issues raised by theoretical challenges leveled at Industrial Psychology (postmodernism), and practical challenges in the workplace (the use of teams) by investigating notions of what a team is via the postmodern methodology of discourse analysis. The research explores “team talk” – repertoires of speech employed by individuals to construct particular versions of “the team” for specific effects, of importance given emphasis placed on shared understanding, expectations and goals in a “team”. A Rhodes University Industrial Psychology Honours class required to work as a team (having participated in a team building exercise), as well as their lecturers who facilitated the team building process were interviewed to obtain “talk” to analyse. This uncovered a multiplicity of meaning, namely four ways of speaking about (constructing) the team. These repertoires are explored in terms of how they are constructed, how they differ across context and speakers, how they interrelate and what they function to achieve. The educational team repertoire constructs academic hierarchy, justifies individualism, positions members as experts and maintains distance from interpersonal processes. The machine repertoire divides work and interpersonal issues, regulates productivity and constructs team roles (defining individual activity and “team fit”), but is inflexible to change. The family repertoire voices emotive aspects to maintain cohesion via conformity, leaderlessness, group identity and shared achievement, but cannot accommodate conflict or workpersonal boundaries. The psychologised team repertoire constructs the team primarily as a therapeutic entity legitimately creating individual identities (and expertise) and facilitating personal growth, but this flounders when support in the “team” fails. Given that each repertoire has a different emphasis (reflective learning versus work processes versus building relationships versus personal growth), there are slippages / clashes between repertoires. This postmodern look at “the team” thus assists in recognizing and problematising these multiple meanings and identifying practical implications.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
- Authors: Chapman-Blair, Sharon
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: Discourse analysis , Teams in the workplace
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2947 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002456 , Discourse analysis , Teams in the workplace
- Description: This research initiative responds to some of the issues raised by theoretical challenges leveled at Industrial Psychology (postmodernism), and practical challenges in the workplace (the use of teams) by investigating notions of what a team is via the postmodern methodology of discourse analysis. The research explores “team talk” – repertoires of speech employed by individuals to construct particular versions of “the team” for specific effects, of importance given emphasis placed on shared understanding, expectations and goals in a “team”. A Rhodes University Industrial Psychology Honours class required to work as a team (having participated in a team building exercise), as well as their lecturers who facilitated the team building process were interviewed to obtain “talk” to analyse. This uncovered a multiplicity of meaning, namely four ways of speaking about (constructing) the team. These repertoires are explored in terms of how they are constructed, how they differ across context and speakers, how they interrelate and what they function to achieve. The educational team repertoire constructs academic hierarchy, justifies individualism, positions members as experts and maintains distance from interpersonal processes. The machine repertoire divides work and interpersonal issues, regulates productivity and constructs team roles (defining individual activity and “team fit”), but is inflexible to change. The family repertoire voices emotive aspects to maintain cohesion via conformity, leaderlessness, group identity and shared achievement, but cannot accommodate conflict or workpersonal boundaries. The psychologised team repertoire constructs the team primarily as a therapeutic entity legitimately creating individual identities (and expertise) and facilitating personal growth, but this flounders when support in the “team” fails. Given that each repertoire has a different emphasis (reflective learning versus work processes versus building relationships versus personal growth), there are slippages / clashes between repertoires. This postmodern look at “the team” thus assists in recognizing and problematising these multiple meanings and identifying practical implications.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
School principals' perceptions of team management : a multiple case-study of secondary schools
- Van der Mescht, Hennie, Tyala, Zakunzima
- Authors: Van der Mescht, Hennie , Tyala, Zakunzima
- Date: 2008
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6105 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009732
- Description: The notion of school management through teams (team management), though not a new phenomenon in South Africa, was formalized after the advent of democracy in 1994 and the subsequent reorganization of the education system. The concept was subsequently fleshed out in official documentation where the composition and roles of school management teams (SMTs) were elaborated upon. The notion of team management is rooted in theories that stress participation, notably site-based (school-based) management, teamwork, and distributed leadership. We report on a study in which the perceptions of secondary school principals, in Grahamstown, South Africa, of team management were explored. The study was interpretive in orientation, and utilized qualitative data gathering techniques in all (ten) of the state-aided secondary schools in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province. We found that, while team management was generally welcomed and even celebrated by principals, there were fundamental tensions surrounding principals' understanding of their leadership roles in a team context. We consider the implications of these findings for leadership development in the context of team management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Van der Mescht, Hennie , Tyala, Zakunzima
- Date: 2008
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6105 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009732
- Description: The notion of school management through teams (team management), though not a new phenomenon in South Africa, was formalized after the advent of democracy in 1994 and the subsequent reorganization of the education system. The concept was subsequently fleshed out in official documentation where the composition and roles of school management teams (SMTs) were elaborated upon. The notion of team management is rooted in theories that stress participation, notably site-based (school-based) management, teamwork, and distributed leadership. We report on a study in which the perceptions of secondary school principals, in Grahamstown, South Africa, of team management were explored. The study was interpretive in orientation, and utilized qualitative data gathering techniques in all (ten) of the state-aided secondary schools in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape province. We found that, while team management was generally welcomed and even celebrated by principals, there were fundamental tensions surrounding principals' understanding of their leadership roles in a team context. We consider the implications of these findings for leadership development in the context of team management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
Development of a model of factors promoting team effectiveness in the automotive component industry
- Authors: Hutton, Timothy Strathearn
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace , Automobile industry and trade -- Management , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10833 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/24 , Teams in the workplace , Automobile industry and trade -- Management , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa
- Description: The research problem addressed in this study was to determine what makes a work team successful. To achieve this objective a theoretical model of factors promoting team effectiveness was developed, using relevant literature in which models for team effectiveness are described. The theoretical model consisted of the following factors: Individual background factors; Facilitation; Team Factors; Synergy; Team effectiveness; Organisational factors. Each factor of the model was broken down into dimensions that were then analysed using literature identified during the literature study. The theoretical model was then used to develop a questionnaire to test the degree to which managers working for automotive component manufacturers in the Port Elizabeth /Uitenhage magisterial district and falling under Chapter III of the Bargaining Council for the Motor Industry concur. The empirical results obtained indicate a strong concurrence with the theoretical model of factors promoting team effectiveness that was developed in the study. This resulted in the theoretical model being confirmed and being accepted as a model of factors promoting team effectiveness.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
- Authors: Hutton, Timothy Strathearn
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace , Automobile industry and trade -- Management , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10833 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/24 , Teams in the workplace , Automobile industry and trade -- Management , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa
- Description: The research problem addressed in this study was to determine what makes a work team successful. To achieve this objective a theoretical model of factors promoting team effectiveness was developed, using relevant literature in which models for team effectiveness are described. The theoretical model consisted of the following factors: Individual background factors; Facilitation; Team Factors; Synergy; Team effectiveness; Organisational factors. Each factor of the model was broken down into dimensions that were then analysed using literature identified during the literature study. The theoretical model was then used to develop a questionnaire to test the degree to which managers working for automotive component manufacturers in the Port Elizabeth /Uitenhage magisterial district and falling under Chapter III of the Bargaining Council for the Motor Industry concur. The empirical results obtained indicate a strong concurrence with the theoretical model of factors promoting team effectiveness that was developed in the study. This resulted in the theoretical model being confirmed and being accepted as a model of factors promoting team effectiveness.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
Investigating the problems experienced by virtual team members engaged in requirements elicitation
- Authors: De Abrew, Upuli Kanchana
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Virtual work teams Virtual work teams -- South Africa System design System analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1151 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007845
- Description: The constant acceleration in the rate of technological innovation, and the ever growing emphasis on the importance of information for competition has seen organisations around the world strive for the technologies that give them global customer reach. One of the most pervasive technological innovations developed is the internet, and its unique quality of being able to draw people from across the world together in one virtual space has given birth to the concept of virtual teams. Organisations have seized the advantages of such virtual teams to give them the cost and time reductions they need to stay competitive in the global marketplace. In the software industry, where product and service development is always a race against time, forward thinking software companies in the developed world have taken full advantage of the cost and time saving benefits that virtual teams have to offer. In addition, the rate of expansion of technology and software to support such teams is also growing exponentially, offering increasingly faster ways of virtual working. Despite the immense advantages offered by such teams, South African software development companies do not seem to engage in distributed work to any great degree. The importance of this research rests on the belief that South African software development companies will be unable to avoid engaging in distributed software development if they are to achieve and maintain competitiveness in the global marketplace. This research focuses on a sub-section of the software development process with a specific reference to South African software development. The requirements elicitation phase of software development is one of the initial stages of any software project. It is here that developers work with the users in order to identify requirements for the system to be built. It is acknowledged that other phases of distributed development also bring to bear their own problems, however, in the interests of scoping this research, only the requirements elicitation process is focused on. The research shows that most techniques of requirements elicitation can be adapted for use within the virtual environment, although each technique has its share of advantages and disadvantages. In addition, virtual team members experience problems during their general, day-to-day interactions, many of these arising from the dependence on technology for communication and task performance. The research identifies the problems in both categories, and develops a holistic model of virtual requirements elicitation to prevent or solve the problems experienced by virtual teams engaged in distributed requirements elicitation. The model is made up of three key frameworks, each of which prescribes actions to be taken to ensure the success of the virtual team within the requirements elicitation process. The model is verified through the testing of its critical success factors. Certain aspects of the model were adapted based on the findings of the study, but it was confirmed that the rationale behind the model is sound, indicating that it has the potential to solve the problems of virtual RE when implemented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: De Abrew, Upuli Kanchana
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Virtual work teams Virtual work teams -- South Africa System design System analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1151 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007845
- Description: The constant acceleration in the rate of technological innovation, and the ever growing emphasis on the importance of information for competition has seen organisations around the world strive for the technologies that give them global customer reach. One of the most pervasive technological innovations developed is the internet, and its unique quality of being able to draw people from across the world together in one virtual space has given birth to the concept of virtual teams. Organisations have seized the advantages of such virtual teams to give them the cost and time reductions they need to stay competitive in the global marketplace. In the software industry, where product and service development is always a race against time, forward thinking software companies in the developed world have taken full advantage of the cost and time saving benefits that virtual teams have to offer. In addition, the rate of expansion of technology and software to support such teams is also growing exponentially, offering increasingly faster ways of virtual working. Despite the immense advantages offered by such teams, South African software development companies do not seem to engage in distributed work to any great degree. The importance of this research rests on the belief that South African software development companies will be unable to avoid engaging in distributed software development if they are to achieve and maintain competitiveness in the global marketplace. This research focuses on a sub-section of the software development process with a specific reference to South African software development. The requirements elicitation phase of software development is one of the initial stages of any software project. It is here that developers work with the users in order to identify requirements for the system to be built. It is acknowledged that other phases of distributed development also bring to bear their own problems, however, in the interests of scoping this research, only the requirements elicitation process is focused on. The research shows that most techniques of requirements elicitation can be adapted for use within the virtual environment, although each technique has its share of advantages and disadvantages. In addition, virtual team members experience problems during their general, day-to-day interactions, many of these arising from the dependence on technology for communication and task performance. The research identifies the problems in both categories, and develops a holistic model of virtual requirements elicitation to prevent or solve the problems experienced by virtual teams engaged in distributed requirements elicitation. The model is made up of three key frameworks, each of which prescribes actions to be taken to ensure the success of the virtual team within the requirements elicitation process. The model is verified through the testing of its critical success factors. Certain aspects of the model were adapted based on the findings of the study, but it was confirmed that the rationale behind the model is sound, indicating that it has the potential to solve the problems of virtual RE when implemented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013