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Optimising the marketing mix to influence consumer purchasing decisions in liquor outlets

  • Authors: Mhlatyana, Lovington Unathi
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Branding (Marketing) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Consumer behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Liquor industry -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11712 , vital:26959
  • Description: Retailers, Wholesalers, Marketers, Alcohol distributors and Manufacturers continuously fight for volume growth and market-share gain within the total alcohol market. Most of the answers of how much each can gain over a period of time remain a mystery that can only be answered by the consumers. The consumers determine who will have more share of wallet or share of throat more than the other. This is also equally applicable to brands, packs and the various alcohol categories that exist in the market. Why is it important, you possibly wonder? It is important because the alcohol market is an integrated part of our society; it contributes immensely to the South African economy and its value chain is enormous in value. Consumption expenditure increased from R3 513 039 000 in 2004 to R8 558 232 000 by 2013 in the Eastern Cape alone. In the last 10 years there has been an increase of new products that are being introduced into the market across all categories ranging from traditional alcoholic brands to flavoured and ready to drink brands. This presents an opportunity to alcohol consumers, alcohol shoppers and sellers alike. This opportunity meant that the consumer is spoilt for choice and retailers / wholesalers have an opportunity to list more brands which could possibly result in increased margins. Further to the above, South African marketers face both market challenges as well as proposed legislation regarding advertising of alcohol products. Some of the challenges include marketing clutter, competition, diverse nature of the South African consumer, infrastructure issues, government legislations, social media and digital platforms. The liquor industry of the Eastern Cape contributes approximately R7,7 billion to the Gross Geographic Product of the economy of the Eastern Cape through direct and indirect impacts; Approximately 23 620 permanent jobs are supported by the Eastern Cape liquor industry annually; Tax revenue attributable to the liquor industry in the Eastern Cape is R3,9 billion; and the economic impact of the liquor industry on gross capital formation is in the region R3,4 billion per annum. The purpose of this research is to optimise the marketing mix to influence consumer purchasing decisions in liquor outlets within the Border district within the above context. The objective of this study is to identify the marketing mix that influences consumer purchasing decisions in liquor outlets. The study will be conducted within the Border district. The Border district consists of various geographies within the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The area of the study will focus on key municipalities namely; Buffalo city, Amathole, Chris Hani and Joe Gqabi municipalities. The target sample size for this study was 360 consumers. A survey questionnaire was used to measure respondents’ preferences, attitudes, motivations and perceptions. The respondents were instructed to highlight the answer that best described them and / or their preferences. Questions were asked and the respondents had to highlight to what extent they agreed or disagreed with the question. Key findings are that there is high level of agreement that price and promotions influence consumer-purchasing decision in liquor outlets. The highest percentage of respondents are in agreement that beer is a first choice of drink and a second is spirits. 69% of the respondents agree that they change from the usual drink to a different drink when they go out. This can be attributed to the notion that consumers like to badge and want to be seen drinking brands that will be deemed socially acceptable in public, or brands that are the latest trend. The key benefits from the study include improved ability for marketers to reposition brands, give clear recommendations for drinking occasions and better understanding on how to efficiently distribute alcohol portfolios, extend brands and introduce limited editions.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Organisational culture as a determinant of efficiency in the O R Tambo district municipality

  • Authors: Msebi, Nombasa
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Organizational effectiveness -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Organizational behavior Corporate culture
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12264 , vital:27049
  • Description: The O R Tambo District Municipality is the only district municipality in South Africa whose finances are monitored by the National Treasury, and not delegated to its Provincial Treasury. During the mid-term budget implementation assessment in the 2014/2015 financial year, National Treasury raised a concern on the under-performance of this municipality in achieving the set targets while fully spending its budget allocation. This raised a concern about the efficiency of the municipality in utilising its resources and the manner in which the municipality conducts its business. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the organisational culture of the O R Tambo District Municipality enables or hampers an efficient utilisation of its resources. The paradigm that has been followed in this study is the positivism research paradigm and the population used was the O R Tambo District Municipality’s staff in the main offices in Mthatha. Sixty employees participated in the study by responding to questionnaires. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS), which is an Excel-based statistical analysis instrument. The study revealed that the O R Tambo District Municipality does not have a dominant organisational culture, resulting in employees who struggle to determine whether their behaviour is acceptable or not. The lack of workplace procedures has a negative impact on employee performance as they instead rely on their experience, or that of a manager at a particular time, to undertake their tasks. The study found that the culture of the O R Tambo District Municipality is also not conducive for an effective management system. This paper will conclude by making recommendations to senior management and leadership on how to change the organisational culture of the municipality to ensure that it promotes efficient utilisation of the municipality’s resources.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Personality traits and emotional intelligence as predictors of sustainable commercial agricultural producers in South Africa

  • Authors: Posthumus, Karen-Louise
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa Emotional intelligence -- South Africa Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/10399 , vital:26742
  • Description: The dual agriculture sector in South Africa comprises both a well-developed commercial farming and a smaller scale communal component. It is however, the commercial sector that is relied upon for food security. The multi-dimensional and complex nature of agricultural production in South Africa demands that sustainable commercial farmers of the future need to demonstrate the ability to effectively handle a multitude of tasks, which may be a function of individual personality traits and emotional intelligence. In this paper, the contribution of individual differences in personality and emotional intelligence as drivers for sustainability of South African commercial agricultural producers was investigated for inclusion into a selection model defining the entry-level requirements (skills, knowledge and competencies) for this occupation. Despite several studies that reported on the personality traits of farmers on a global level, no reports are found on similar studies conducted within a South African context. The main objective of this study was to improve the sustainability of all commercial agricultural producers in South Africa by investigating the personality traits and emotional intelligence driving that sustainability. This study focused on the commercial farming sector in South Africa, which has a unique need to integrate emerging/new farmers into the modern agricultural value chain. This is in accordance with the objectives of the Land Reform Bill (South Africa, 2015) as set out in the government’s National Development Plan (South Africa, 2012). The population of the study comprised commercial agricultural producers throughout South Africa and the sample frame was the estimated 40 000 commercial agricultural producers from whom the sample was drawn. The sampling method employed was snowball sampling (non-probability sampling) with the sampling unit selected on a degree of personal judgement. Quantitative questionnaires were administered to 60 commercial farmers throughout South Africa. Quantitative data was analysed using the STATISTICA Version 10.0 (2011) computer software programme and results were presented in tabulated format. The empirical results revealed that amongst the independent variables investigated in this study, only two variables were significantly related to the successful implementation of sustainable farming; they are neuroticism and management of emotions. Emanating from the findings of this study, recommendations were made to respective role-players on how to manage and support these findings.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Preparing for life after rugby

  • Authors: Koch, Wilhelm
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Retirement -- Planning Rugby football players -- Retirement
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21537 , vital:29535
  • Description: The inception of rugby as a workforce in 1995 created a range of new issues surrounding sport as a vocation. With professional rugby often wearing the glamorous coat of fame and fortune, young athletes sacrifice education and learning additional life-skills in pursuit of well-paid contracts and glitzy lifestyles unaware of the realities rugby as a profession holds. One such reality is the relatively short lifespan of a professional rugby career and the fact that transition to a whole new career is firstly inevitable and secondly a very challenging process. Traditional retirement has been associated with the end of a long working career, making comprehensive lifestyle- and financial planning part of the preparation process. This process helps the retiree anticipate and understand the expected demands of life beyond a working career. In rugby however, the retirement experience of a player can be extremely difficult to cope with, especially if the player is not adequately prepared or has not planned for such an event. This leaves players vulnerable for the imminent new phase of life and often leads to physiological - and other challenges players are not able to withstand in a world outside sport (Price, 2007). The aim of this study is to identify the different aspects that influence a professional rugby player’s retirement – and transition experience into a new profession. The researcher believes that an increased understanding of how current and retired professional rugby players perceive/experienced the retirement process would assist current players to better plan and prepare for this phase of life. This ultimately would reduce the anxiety and uncertainty for life after rugby. If players are more relaxed and stress-free about their future, more focus could also be placed on the here-and-now, leading to greater performance on the current field of play. The views of both current and retired professional rugby players were captured through questionnaires distributed all around South Africa. The researcher utilised a mixed mode paradigm of both positivistic and interpretive research methods. This approach enabled him to best compare the views of the two groups and test the developed theories and hypothesis. Ultimately, the research revealed that the presence of the following variables will have a positive influence on a player’s retirement and transition experience: A) Leadership, advice and planning for retirement B) Tertiary education and additional work skills C) Popularity amongst fans and other influential people D) Sufficient wealth and E) A self-selected retirement. With these findings the researcher will develop some specific guidelines for current professional rugby players to help them firstly better prepare for their life beyond sport and secondly successfully switch to a new career. A few valuable recommendations were also made to other stakeholders to better assist and support players in their preparation and transition process.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Preventative measures implementation of occupational health and safety injuries at SABMiller

  • Authors: Mahlinza, Zwelibandze Phillip
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Industrial safety , Human rights workers
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8392 , vital:26351
  • Description: Purpose of study: The purpose of this study was to explore preventative measures in the implementation of occupational health and safety at SABMiller. Objective: The primary objective was to examine preventative measures in the implementation of occupational health and safety injuries at SABMiller. The study assessed the effectiveness of management strategies in the prevention of occupational health and safety injuries within SABMiller. Population and sample: The primary case is a beer manufacturing company in Rosslyn called SABMiller. The brewery operates in six different departments and each has a large staff population. Methodology: This study applied a mixed-method using a multiple case study design as an approach to the enquiry. Methods of data collection: Documents, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews were be used to obtain data to answer the research questions. Process of analysis: Qualitative and quantitative themes were analysed in a matrix. The three data sources were triangulated to validate the findings. Benefits of the study: Injury prevention benefits the employer and employee in many ways, including increased employee performance leading to increased productivity as well as cost savings. Main findings: Injuries that were reported were mostly musculoskeletal injuries and are mainly caused by human error. Most injuries that were reported are caused by contractors. Health and safety training and knowledge sharing was not well supported and injury prevention strategies were not optimised. Poor quality incident investigation, contractor injuries, lack of funding on safety projects, slow progress on loop closer and induction procedure not followed were the five main challenges to injury prevention management systems. Conclusions: The implementation of an effective injury measurement implementation programme could benefit the organisation and translate into increased operational value (organisational quality).
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Promoting innovation through intrapreneurship at Eskom distribution (Eastern Cape)

  • Authors: Phillips, Abraham James
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Entrepreneurship -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Technological innovations -- Economic aspects , Satellite solar power stations
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13060 , vital:27148
  • Description: Maintaining and improving innovation is vital to any organisation.There are many challenges organisations are faced with, both internally and externally when it comes to maintain and improving innovation. Eskom is such an organisation. The employees, both non-managerial and managerial, of Eskom are faced with various challenges in their daily activities. The quest for innovation advantages requires increased creativity to assist employees in adopting an intrapreneurial outlook to provide proactive solutions. Intrapreneurship is an autonomous process. Eskom which bulk suppliers South Africa mission is to provide electricity reliably at a low cost to all South African. This seems less reachable with high operating cost, slow capacity growth and aging infrastructure. This study focused and contributed to the innovation environment of Eskom, with the area of study being confined within the Eastern Cape. The study objectives sought to review Eskom Distribution’s business plan and innovation policy, while identifying if employees have intrapreneurial trait, if organisational culture, system and managerial styles are conducive for intraprenuership, if the external environment will promote intrapreneurship within the organisation, and which ideas have best adoption rates of innovation within the organisation, these factors may hinder the success of innovation in the organisation, based on the theoretical findings of the literature study. Employees, at both managerial and non-managerial levels participated in a research study. The research instrument used comprised of questions that covered the various objectives listed above. This provided the basis for a quantitative study to be done. Using statistical methods to identify any special relationships or trends, the research was conducted and recommendations were made based on the objectives of this study in relation to the organisation under study, Eskom Distribution, Eastern Cape Operating Unit. Based on the findings, recommendations to improve innovation, through intrapreneurship methods were made.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Sports events for the citizens of the Nelson Mandela Bay

  • Authors: Solomon, Steffen Brett
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: City promotion -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Branding (Marketing) -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12897 , vital:27132
  • Description: The concept of city branding has sprung to prominence in recent years. This can be attributed to globalisation and the ease of access to all corners of the globe with the improvements in technology and modes of transport. This increased competition for resources, skills, talent and revenue has made cities not only compete with other cities in close proximity to one another, but also with cities across the world. The answer to this conundrum was found to be a comprehensive marketing strategy composed of clever and catchy slogans, beautiful logos, media campaigns and public relations drives. This process only led to the loss of large amounts of money since the benefits were not longstanding and the results were not tangible as these avenues only benefitted the home country’s tourism industry. A long term solution for cities was needed to build a favourable image. Corporations were used as models to build a brand since manufacturers of similar products are in constant competition to gain market share and revenues from their competitors. The similarities between corporations and cities are undeniable and efforts were made to incorporate successful branding strategies from corporations into city branding efforts. Cities and corporations must be effective in developing and incorporating social, economic and political aspects of their culture into a successful city brand image. The major difference between cities and corporations stems from the fact that it takes considerably longer to leverage a comprehensive brand of a city, when compared to the brand of a product since their lifespans are completely different. In the past, city brands were based on historical significance. Today, city brands are exclusively influenced by the events it hosts. The hosting of events has been seen as a guaranteed way for a city to improve its brand image. On the contrary, the hosting of events has been found to either improve a city brand or tarnish it. Sports events have been deemed as the best way to improve a city brand because sports appeal to a wide audience and are relatively inexpensive to host in comparison to the benefit and improvements they bring. This treatise investigates the approach and various types of sports events which must be included for the successful branding of Nelson Mandela Bay as part of a destination marketing strategy. The suggestions from this study were formulated upon scrutiny of the available literature and case studies on various branding efforts undertaken by cities around the world to establish and improve their brand image. A survey was conducted amongst the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay using a questionnaire. A total of 952 responses were received. The questionnaire measured the respondents’ attitude to what types of sports events they will support, their feelings on the standard of facilities and quality of events in Nelson Mandela Bay. This treatise served to identify which sports events should be used in any branding effort undertaken by Nelson Mandela Bay. Literature and case studies served as the foundation for this study. The survey insights and expectations enabled a plan to be developed that will be unique for Nelson Mandela Bay based on its location, characteristics, tastes and preferences of its residents. This plan would serve to benefit the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay, the city itself and encourage additional investment from external sources. The results of this study indicate that the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay advocate the use of sports events as the main driver in branding the city. Furthermore, the residents have made it clear that cricket, rugby and Iron Man-type of events are favoured and more likely to be supported than any other type of sports event in Nelson Mandela Bay.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

Sustainble public bus transport services in the Nelson Mandela Bay

  • Authors: Mntwini, Mkhonto
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Urban transportation -- Economic aspects Urban transportation -- Research Transportation -- Customer services
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11875 , vital:27000
  • Description: Purpose - Transport is a common constant variable found in just about every aspect of our lives as well as commercial activities; this is so because transport enables accessibility to people, places and goods. The effective management of public passenger transport operations is a more complex and all-embracing concept than what it may appear at first glance. Wider dispersed work place locations and urban sprawl is on the rise driven by among other factors the increased rate of globalisation. A unique opportunity is then presented in a developing country like South Africa for effective planning and management of public passenger bus operations. In the main, the purpose of this case study research was to develop a more sustainable public passenger transport bus operation to better connect people, places and goods. The organisation that will be studied is Blunden Coach Tours a luxury and semi-lux coach Tour operator, operating from the Nelson Mandela Bay. Design / Methodology / Approach – This study employed the case study research approach which was based on the qualitative research paradigm as such allowed for in-depth description and analysis of the case as well as related phenomena in real world context. The researcher focused only on the public passenger bus transport operations in Nelson Mandela Bay thus assuming a single context focus with a single case namely the development of a more sustainable public passenger transport operations in Nelson Mandela Bay. An embedded multiple unit of analysis strategy was employed selecting a sample of key persons responsible for strategic operational areas at Blunden Coach tours, sub-contractors and suppliers. The case study employed an in-depth probing interview process in an effort to better comprehend occurrences within the actual context of the events observed. The secondary sources of information gathered were used to structure and backup the interview questions. Practical implications – The case study enabled thought provoking insight which by virtue of South Africa’s historical socio-economic landscape offered an unusual perspective of the South African bus transport scene with a particular focus on environmental, regulatory and socio-economic sustainability considerations. A limitation to the study – The lack of responses to the interview questions from some of the key role players in the bus industry who were contacted as well as some of the respondents interviewed. The lack of responses to some of the interview questions could be perceived as a limitation to validating the Summary drawn from the study.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The development of a recommended digital marketing strategy for Pan Macmillan, South Africa

  • Authors: Conradie, Tessa Jane
  • Date: 2016
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:865 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021247
  • Description: This research attempts to create a recommended digital marketing strategy for Pan Macmillan, South Africa. As a result of the advance of technology and the increase of connectivity, digital marketing is becoming a highly important tool with regards to competitive advantage, differentiation and the overall marketing of a company and its product or service (Barwise and Farley, 2005, p. 68). Digital marketing is, in South Africa specifically, a relatively new concept (Sandmann, 2014, p. 1). If South African companies are able to efficiently utilise the gap in the market, they will ensure a significant competitive advantage (Sandmann, 2013, p. 1). In order to accomplish this successfully a digital marketing strategy must be created and adopted to ensure a full understanding of the requirements of effective digital marketing. This research focusses on understanding digital marketing requirements in relation to a South African book publisher and how those requirements can be met by the publisher through the development of a digital marketing strategy. The literature has been reviewed and previous research indicates that an established framework is needed to guide the development of a digital marketing strategy. The framework used in this research is the RACE framework (Chaffey and Bosomworth, 2013, p. 14) which is used in conjunction to the SOSTAC planning system (Chaffey and Bosomworth, 2014, p. 11) and the 7 steps to digital marketing strategy creation (Chaffey and Bosomworth, 2014, p. 2). The literature suggests that a combination of the established traditional marketing strategy of a company and current digital marketing practices and tools is the most practical with regards to the development of a successful digital marketing strategy, implementation and evaluation. In order to understand the current marketing strategy and practices of Pan Macmillan, interviews with the Marketing Manager of the company were conducted as well as an analysis of marketing documents relating to Pan Macmillan’s current marketing actions. Results of the interviews and documentation analysis showed that Pan Macmillan had many elements digital marketing but no decisive digital marketing strategy. Using the selected frameworks and information gathered on the company’s marketing practices, digital marketing goals were established and a digital marketing strategy was created. The goals of the research were reached as a recommended digital marketing strategy was developed for Pan Macmillan based on the assessment made, using RACE, SOSTAC and the 7 steps to digital marketing creation, of the company’s current practices, challenges and opportunities with regards to digital marketing.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The effect of on-site wellness programs on absenteeism, presenteeism, stress and health care costs

  • Authors: Gxolo, Zingisani Mzontsundu
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Employee health promotion -- Economic aspects Absenteeism (Labor)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14323 , vital:27570
  • Description: The prevalence of health risk behaviours is growing among South African employees. The deteriorating health of the public and the costs there off, which arise from making unhealthy choices about one’s lifestyle, are a major cause of many preventable Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD’s). The effect of these NCD’s on an organisation can result in employees’ ill health and negative stress, which in turn can lead to absenteeism, presenteeism and thus decreased productivity. Several studies propose that the absenteeism together with presenteeism can cost an organisation up to three times as much as medical costs with stress also being flagged as a severe work-related hazard. Literature shows that ill health affects employee ability to function optimally, thus indirectly affects productivity. Studies on on-site wellness programs, although they report savings in health care costs and increase in productivity, their true effectiveness is not sufficiently measured. To add to this, there is a paucity of work that exists regarding the benefits of on-site wellness programs in South Africa. It is suggested that data about the effect of successful wellness programs does not always make its way to academic literature, thus the observed shortage in investment on such programs from South African companies. This study we aim to find out the effect of on-site wellness programs on absenteeism, presenteeism, stress and health care costs. The results oppose what literature findings report. Reasons for these findings are therefore speculated.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The effectiveness of research management at a selected higher education institution

  • Authors: Koeberg, Algene Maria
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Research -- Management Education, Higher -- Research , Research institutes
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/47959 , vital:40456
  • Description: Due to the importance of research in creating sustainability of knowledge, active research management has become a highly strategic function within progressive universities. The practice of research management and administration (RMA) in higher education and elsewhere has developed considerably over the last ten to fifteen years to become an activity that encompasses significant elements of institutional strategy, policy, governance, profile, finance, people management, postgraduate research, assessment, systems, and so on.The objective of the study was to improve research administration at the selected Higher Education Institution by investigating the role of strategic planning or an institutional research plan in the university‟s research portfolio and how effective and efficient it is in terms of research administration and service delivery to staff and students. A detailed literature review was conducted on the research trends in South Africa and globally, as well as on research management in higher education. A qualitative approach was used as the most appropriate research methodology for this study.In a selected South African university, the study investigated whether an Institutional Research Plan exists within its Research Office and whether the latter is effective and efficient with regards to research administration. A questionnaire was developed to survey the directors of the NMMU Research Office. Another questionnaire was developed to survey the postgraduate students‟ and staff members‟ perceptions about the quality of services that they received from the Research Office. The results were analysed and, based on the findings, recommendations were made for further research.The empirical results show that the selected higher education institution has an Institutional Research Plan located in the institution‟s Strategic Plan. Students and staff members surveyed in the study are largely satisfied with the services they received. The study also revealed factors that negatively impact the research office in this university, namely funding constraints due to historical political views about the institution; inadequate support from other support services within institutions; and uncompetitive salaries to attract and retain strong research academics. The study provides insights into the research function of the selected university and makes recommendations on how this function could be improved in other similar institutions. In this way, the study attempts to contribute to the body of knowledge on research management at higher education institutions.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The effects of emotional intelligence on entrepreneurial intention of university students in the Eastern Cape Province

  • Authors: Kanonuhwa, Michelle
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Entrepreneurship -- Psychological aspects Emotional intelligence Businesspeople -- Psychology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/8451 , vital:32833
  • Description: Prompted by the various advantages presented by entrepreneurship, there has been an increase in studies investigating the factors that could influence entrepreneurial establishment and success. The purpose of this study was to determine whether emotional intelligence could stimulate entrepreneurial interest, thereby contributing to the literature on antecedents of entrepreneurship. This study tested the various socio-demographic characteristics of the sample and how each variable influenced entrepreneurial intent and emotional intelligence. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 385 students in the Eastern Cape Province using the purposive sampling method. Correlations, simple linear regression and multiple regressions were computed to test the hypotheses using the SPSS data analysis package. The findings of the study showed that there is a direct relationship between emotional intelligence and intention to become an entrepreneur. Furthermore, socio-demographic factors examined showed immense relevance to the development of entrepreneurial intent. As such the study suggested that apart from developing an effective entrepreneurship education program open to all individuals with a keen interest in the subject irrespective of academic merit; educators should create a learning environment that encourages effective expression and use of emotions to nurture the emotional intelligence of students. Moreover, mentorship relationships between students and local entrepreneurs should be highly encouraged.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The exploration of a relationship between leadership styles and organizational commitment of Richards Bay Coal Terminal employees

  • Authors: Khoali, Bafokeng Ngcobile
  • Date: 2016
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:870 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021315
  • Description: Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) is situated in the South African deep water harbour of KwaZulu- Natal. The company provides coal mining organizations a strategic logistics link to international coal markets by enabling the use of a coal exporting facility. RBCT recognizes that its lifeblood is the human capital it retains and that achieving a competitive edge equitably and fairly through its people is a priority (du Preez, 2012). In the modern organization operating in an environment of uncertainty and constant change, employee’s commitment to the organization can be a critical determinant of its success or failure in anchoring a competitive advantage (Ulrich, 1998). The current study explored a relationship between the full range leadership styles of supervisors and the organizational commitment of the subordinates to the organization. The literature reviewed in the study includes two models; the first model is by Bass and Avolio and is referred to as the full range leadership model (FRL). This is the independent variable of the research. The dependent variable is organizational commitment, which belongs to the three component model by Meyer and Allen. These models each contain an instrument which was used on a sample of 120 non-supervisory employees. The independent variable used an instrument called the multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) and the dependent used the organizational commitment questionnaire (OCQ). The data collected with these two questionnaires was then subjected to statistical scrutiny. A two-tailed Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to ascertain the strength and direction of the linear relationship, but most importantly to, at 95%-99% confidence, ascertain the statistical significance of the relationships. The findings of the study reflected no statistically significant relationships between transactional leadership and all of the three components of organizational commitment. The two components; affective and normative commitment, both reported a significant relationship with laissez-faire, whilst continuance commitment reflected insignificance. A positive significant relationship between transformational leadership and affective commitment was evident. This leadership style demonstrated no statistically significant relationship between it and continuance and normative commitment. The combined findings suggested that transactional leadership style of supervisors is somewhat unrelated to the subordinate’s need, desire and or sense of obligation to remain employed. A more transformational style of leadership appears to inspire a desire to sustain employment and affectively commit to the organization, whilst this style bears no relation to the need and sense of moral obligation of the subordinate to maintain employment. Laissez-faire reported a weak insignificant negative relationship with continuance commitment. The result suggests the independence of the subordinates’ need to maintain employment to the lack of leadership presence of the supervision. The significant relationship between laissez-faire and normative commitment may be accepted as indicative of how the absence of leadership is related to the employee’s recognition of no developmental intentions demonstrated by the supervisor. Although weak, the relationship between laissez-faire and affective commitment entails that the more prevalent the non-leadership (absence of leadership) style of the supervisor, the less desire do subordinates demonstrate to remain employed.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The impact of credible municipal budget planning and implementation on service delivery: a comparative study of two municipalities

  • Authors: Sikuza, Pumeza Ndabakazi Vuyelwa
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Local budgets -- Political aspects -- South Africa , Public administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12725 , vital:27115
  • Description: Poor service delivery in South Africa is a serious problem.The poor delivery of services by municipalities has left many communities dissatisfied and even led to service delivery protests. The delivery of services to municipalities is financed through municipal budgets and this study evaluated the quality of the municipal budgets of two municipalities with one budget being credible and the other not being credible. Selected municipal conditional grant spending as well as the findings of the Auditor General’s office against each municipality were assessed and compared with each other. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a municipality with a credible budget achieved more of its service delivery targets than one which had a budget which was not credible. The findings of this study were that the municipality with the credible budget performed better, in terms of conditional grant spending and against predetermined objectives, than the municipality with the budget which was not credible. Therefore, more concerted efforts should be made by all relevant spheres of government to improve the quality of municipal budgets as this will ultimately lead to improved service delivery.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The impact of gain-sharing on employee job satisfaction at a manufacturing company in Nelson Mandela Bay

  • Authors: Mbotshelwa, Sipo Victor
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Gain sharing -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Employee loyalty -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11691 , vital:26955
  • Description: In this economically challenging era, companies have got to find the best system that can help to enhance productivity. A very important method is by encouraging takeholders through various forms of incentives. The gain-sharing incentive has been adopted by many organisations today to enhance staff loyalty and productivity. A gain-sharing programme ensures that both the organisation and team members benefit from the expected performances, rather than an individual or group incentive which is given based on a specific finite goal which could be achieved at the cost of other key critical business need. A couple of years ago Autocast Aluminium decided to enhance employee performance by initiating the gain-sharing incentive programme. After the programme was rolled out, the organisation is yet to examine the extent to which it enhances job satisfaction in the organisation. The primary objective or aim of the study is to examine the extent to which gain-sharing at Autocast meets the purpose for which it was created. The sample of the study was 176 of the employees at Autocast Aluminium; however 130 questionnaires were distributed. A total of 88 questionnaires were returned, of which 80 were usable, whilst eight were scrapped due to more half of the questionnaire having missing data. This resulted in a 68 % response rate. A framework has been developed to measure to what extent does the programme enable employees to feel satisfied with their jobs. The empirical results revealed that out of six independent variables tested: fair payment, involvement, personal growth, communication, job security and leadership style, only three that plays significant role on employee job satisfaction. These are fair payment, communication and leadership style.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The influence of power distance relationships on the success of lean manufacturing implementations

  • Authors: De Beer, Lourens
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Corporate culture
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6919 , vital:21166
  • Description: The research project measured the influence of lean culture elements as well as power distance elements on the success of lean manufacturing implementations. The literature review revealed that lean transformations are not always successful and sustainable since organisation see these as quick win opportunities to improve short term profits. Lean, however, is a long term philosophy that entails not just quick changes but a fundamental change in the way that business is done. The elements that were measured in the study were organisational awareness, employee engagement, managerial consistency, accountability, mutual respect and autocratic behaviour. The study revealed a strong relationship between these factors and the success of lean implementations. The results indicated that there is a positive relationship between lean culture and the other lean elements. The study also indicated that autocratic behaviour has a positive relationship to lean implementation. The study showed that tools that were developed in the past are valid across various industries and that power distance does play a role in lean implementations.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The leadership characteristics and development of Doctor Trudy Thomas : a case study in servant-leadership

  • Authors: Fietze, Jennifer Anne
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Servant leadership , Thomas, Trudi , Leadership -- South Africa -- Case studies
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:860 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020184
  • Description: Doctor Trudy Thomas is a leader that served; as a medical doctor and as a public servant over five decades during and after the apartheid era in South Africa. The aim of this qualitative study was to identify the leadership characteristics that are evident in Doctor Thomas, the former MEC for Health for the Province of the Eastern Cape; as a leader and to explore how they developed over five decades, given her role within healthcare in South Africa. The first requirement of a servant-leader according to Robert Greenleaf (the contemporary pioneer of servant-leadership) (Greenleaf, 1977), is that the leader is a servant first and starts with a desire to serve. Doctor Thomas started her professional life as a medical missionary doctor, a profession that by its nature is serving and ultimately healing, in the poor rural communities of the Eastern Cape. Her leadership grew out of her initial concern for her patients and their communities and by the opportunities that she was presented with to apply her skills to serve. She was able to identify the deeper needs within these communities and was able to envision practical solutions to these problems, enlisting the assistance of others. Throughout her leadership journey she exhibited humility, and many other trademarks of a servant-leader. She did not see herself as a leader, believing rather that it was a privilege to serve and help people. This study was therefore able to conclude that the leadership that Doctor Thomas has exhibited is that of a servant-leader and that her leadership journey was unintentional and grew out of her desire and ability to serve. This thesis consists of three separate yet interrelated sections. Section One, The Academic Case Study is a holistic, biographical academic case study on an individual. The outcomes of this research are presented as an academic paper, which includes a condensed literature review, results and discussion, as well as recommendations for future research. It also presents recommendations regarding the application of servant-leadership in service industries like Healthcare in South Africa. The presentation of the results is predominantly qualitative with some quantitative aspects. Section Two, The Literature Review presents an extensive review of literature that relates to the phenomena of leadership; servant-leadership; leader and leadership development; servant-leadership development through service and finally servant-leadership in South Africa. Other aspects like Ubuntu and Unintentional leadership are examined. The literature review conducted serves as a broad foundation for understanding servant-leadership but does not purely focus on the issues of this individual study. Section Three, The Research Methodology is an outline of the research aim and objectives, and the research paradigm that has been adopted. The discussion also details the research methodology; the case study method; an inductive approach; an intersubjective position; the individual researched; data collection techniques and analysis; objectivity; issues of quality; ethics; and the limitations of this research.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The National School Nutrition Programme in selected schools in Peddie

  • Authors: Zazini, Thando William
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: School children -- Food -- South Africa -- Peddie School children -- Nutrition , School management teams -- Nutrition -- South Africa -- Peddie
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12769 , vital:27119
  • Description: The Department of Basic Education classifies the NSNP as one of the critical omponents of the government's Programme of Action, which was specifically assigned the responsibility of addressing learners' ability to learn by providing them with nutritious meals. The success of the programme may therefore contribute towards the country's realisation of the Millennium Development Goals which include the reduction of mortality and the eradication of extreme hunger and poverty by 2015 as well as achieving universal primary education. The aim of the National School Nutrition Programme seeks to promote sustainable food production initiatives in all School Nutrition Schools in order to develop skills. It also aims to enhance learning capacity of a learner through feeding and to promote nutrition education in order to improve healthy eating and lifestyles amongst communities. This study seeks to assess the current status in administering the NSNP in selected schools in Peddie, Eastern Cape. Due to the extensive nature of the geographical area of Peddie, this study focused exclusively on 25 schools. For the purpose of this study, a quantitative approach was employed through a questionnaire constructed to obtain the perceptions of the sample group. The responses from the statements in the questionnaire were analysed by a Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University registered statistician. In the last chapter a number of recommendations are stated to aid in improving the current administering status of the National School Nutrition Programme.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The relationship between emotional intelligence and success in the project management

  • Authors: Tikwayo, Victor Vuyile
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Project Management--South Africa Emotional Intelligence--South Africa , Tire industry--South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45300 , vital:38568
  • Description: Project management plays an important role as a common method of reinforcing chosen organisational strategies that leads to sustainable competitive advantage (Steyn, et al. 2013:5). Organisations that respond quickly to customer demands with the use of projects have more opportunities of adding value to their shareholders and increase their market share or responding faster to mitigate risk. A major challenge facing management in many manufacturing organisations is the increasing gap between big investment demands on one hand and the knowledge and expertise on the other hand of the teams that need to make the project a reality. The increasing recognition of failures encountered in projects to meet the expectations of their stakeholders are cited to be jeopardizing the economic development and growth many developing countries like South Africa. As such, organisations are forced to become more resourceful to reduce project failures in an effort to ensure that the positive project outcomes are realized. Relationship management has been identified as one of the aspects that can help improve coordination and communication between all parties involved in a project. As such, emotional intelligence provides a framework for interpersonal skills among project teams, which is claimed to contribute to project success (Clarke, 2010a:14; Davis, 2011:39)The contemporary study, therefore explored the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and success in project management. The study was conducted within the context of manufacturing projects in Continental Tyre South Africa (CTSA). Based on the main findings, it was concluded that emotional intelligence plays an important role in project success. Various recommendations from the results of the empirical study are presented in the final chapter.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

The relationship between engagement strategies and intention-to-stay of engineering professionals

  • Authors: Sibiya, Petros Mandla
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Employee retention -- South Africa Engineering -- Employment -- South Africa , Electric power-plants -- Maintenance and repair
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13028 , vital:27145
  • Description: The focus of the study was on the relationship between employee engagement strategies and intention-to-stay of engineering professionals at a power station. The investigated engagement strategies or drivers in the model adopted for this study included: leadership style, remuneration structure, physical and emotional work climate, nature of work and career development opportunities. The purpose of the study was to investigate and contribute to a better understanding of a voluntary turnover problem of engineering professionals at a power station by considering the influence of engagement on intention-to-stay. The research was conducted on a sample of 65 engineering professionals employed at a power station. The findings of the study revealed that only one variable, namely nature of work, was significantly related to employee engagement. It was also established that of the five engagement strategies investigated, nature of work and leadership style (transformational) were significantly related to intention-to-stay. A positive relationship between employee engagement and intention-to-stay was proven in this study.
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  • Date Issued: 2016
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