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
The audit committee’s role in preventing corporate governance failure within state owned enterprises
- Authors: Mbatha, Feziwe
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Government business enterprises , Corporate governance -- South Africa , Audit committees -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32311 , vital:32015
- Description: Widespread reports of the poor governance within the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) has proliferated the media in South Africa over recent years. This progressive decline of governance structures has raised varied concerns, most of which are expressed as questions of note. For example, questions exist about the reasons why laws, regulations and policies that aim to ensure effective corporate governance practices have largely been ignored. Secondly, questions exist about the identities of those employees / executives within these enterprises, who are responsible for ensuring that good corporate governance practices are maintained within an organisation. Similarly, there is need to clarify the role of the audit committees in upholding good corporate governance practices within SOEs? This study aims to identify, describe and clarify the role(s) of the audit committee in preventing corporate governance failures within SOEs. A qualitative research methodology was utilised as the basis for collating data to develop an in depth understanding of the audit committee’s oversight responsibility within SOEs. In-depth individual interviews (n=6) were conducted with board members as well as members of the audit committee of a specifically selected SOE that had a history of compromised corporate governance practices and suffered severe financial losses. From the interpretation of the collated data, it was noted that the presence of a strong audit committee enables a more accountable environment that requires senior management to account for their actions openly and transparently. SOEs need to appreciate corporate governance as an asset to a company’s operations rather than as a poorly rationalised compliance requirement.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
The audit committee’s role in preventing corporate governance failure within state owned enterprises
- Authors: Mbatha, Feziwe
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Government business enterprises , Corporate governance -- South Africa , Audit committees -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32311 , vital:32015
- Description: Widespread reports of the poor governance within the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) has proliferated the media in South Africa over recent years. This progressive decline of governance structures has raised varied concerns, most of which are expressed as questions of note. For example, questions exist about the reasons why laws, regulations and policies that aim to ensure effective corporate governance practices have largely been ignored. Secondly, questions exist about the identities of those employees / executives within these enterprises, who are responsible for ensuring that good corporate governance practices are maintained within an organisation. Similarly, there is need to clarify the role of the audit committees in upholding good corporate governance practices within SOEs? This study aims to identify, describe and clarify the role(s) of the audit committee in preventing corporate governance failures within SOEs. A qualitative research methodology was utilised as the basis for collating data to develop an in depth understanding of the audit committee’s oversight responsibility within SOEs. In-depth individual interviews (n=6) were conducted with board members as well as members of the audit committee of a specifically selected SOE that had a history of compromised corporate governance practices and suffered severe financial losses. From the interpretation of the collated data, it was noted that the presence of a strong audit committee enables a more accountable environment that requires senior management to account for their actions openly and transparently. SOEs need to appreciate corporate governance as an asset to a company’s operations rather than as a poorly rationalised compliance requirement.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Sustainable tourism opportunities for Mauritius
- Authors: Ternel, Maeva
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6118 , vital:21046
- Description: Sustainable Tourism (ST) integrates governance, economic, socio-cultural and environmental dimensions of tourism in tourism development and management. Growing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) concerns suggest that traditionally, tourism tends to corrupt the very resources it needs to thrive, and thus its sustainability over the long haul has become of general concern. However, despite the vast and extensive literature dedicated to ST, including preeminent journals providing both a theoretical base and reliable empirical evidence to the subject, the concept of sustainability in tourism remains somehow at its embryonic stage, especially in the case of a small island developing state (SIDS). The research occurred within the context of the destination (Mauritius), with however, a focus on five sizeable Mauritian hotel groups. With tourism being one of the pillars of the Mauritian economy, this research intended to explore the different repercussions of such an industry. The aim of the research was to determine to what extent tourism’s operations and development, was appropriately managed in Mauritius by assessing the country’s current tourism situation relating to sustainability and identifying priority areas for intervention. This, was done using different tools, including the United Nations World Tourism Organisation's framework, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council's guidelines and the Sustainable Tourism Attitude Scale. The contribution this research intended to make was to suggest sustainable tourism opportunities and make recommendations for the tourism sector and its stakeholders for the island of Mauritius. Overall, the research concluded that despite the increased importance of ST, the need for Managed Tourism (MT) and the formulation of general principles and guidelines, tourism governance; poverty reduction; and the sustainability of the natural and cultural environment were identified as areas of particular need and should be considered with high priority for intervention/action.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Ternel, Maeva
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6118 , vital:21046
- Description: Sustainable Tourism (ST) integrates governance, economic, socio-cultural and environmental dimensions of tourism in tourism development and management. Growing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) concerns suggest that traditionally, tourism tends to corrupt the very resources it needs to thrive, and thus its sustainability over the long haul has become of general concern. However, despite the vast and extensive literature dedicated to ST, including preeminent journals providing both a theoretical base and reliable empirical evidence to the subject, the concept of sustainability in tourism remains somehow at its embryonic stage, especially in the case of a small island developing state (SIDS). The research occurred within the context of the destination (Mauritius), with however, a focus on five sizeable Mauritian hotel groups. With tourism being one of the pillars of the Mauritian economy, this research intended to explore the different repercussions of such an industry. The aim of the research was to determine to what extent tourism’s operations and development, was appropriately managed in Mauritius by assessing the country’s current tourism situation relating to sustainability and identifying priority areas for intervention. This, was done using different tools, including the United Nations World Tourism Organisation's framework, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council's guidelines and the Sustainable Tourism Attitude Scale. The contribution this research intended to make was to suggest sustainable tourism opportunities and make recommendations for the tourism sector and its stakeholders for the island of Mauritius. Overall, the research concluded that despite the increased importance of ST, the need for Managed Tourism (MT) and the formulation of general principles and guidelines, tourism governance; poverty reduction; and the sustainability of the natural and cultural environment were identified as areas of particular need and should be considered with high priority for intervention/action.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
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