The role of organisational culture in fostering work life balance in business and private banking
- Authors: Gabayi, Simiselo Albert
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Corporate culture -- Finance , Work-life balance , Banks and banking , Quality of work life
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15204 , vital:28178
- Description: The current socio-economic climate has induced stress on organisations and employees, since they are expected to double their efforts with limited resources. Organisational culture poses a challenge to employees, especially in a high-pressure environment. A highly competitive environment demands organisations that have the ability to change constantly to ensure sustainability. This has resulted in employees feeling that organisational culture has changed to that of sales culture with disregard for people resulting in a lack of work-life balance (WLB). This study intends to contribute to developing a framework of how organisational culture could support work-life balance. When negative in nature, organisational culture can impact negatively on organisational performance and quality of work-life causing best workers to leave. The problem identified by this study is a poor organisational culture in banking that may discourage work-life balance practices. When an organisations’ primary focus is on sales and less on people, this leads to work-life imbalances. A comprehensive questionnaire was developed for this study to establish the perception of employees towards organisational culture and work-life as an aspect of employee wellness. The total sample was forty-four (44) respondents who are from business and private banking space of the four major banks. The results showed that the type of organisational culture that is prevalent in business and private banking is a combination of market and hierarchy culture. Job satisfaction is also positively correlated to organisational culture. Management must ensure that the workforce is satisfied in order to create a positive culture. A positive organisational culture has a positive influence on employees, attaining the desired work-life balance in business and private banking space.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Financial statement analysis as a tool in evaluating the performance on Namibian small and medium-sized enterprises
- Authors: Namwandi, Helmut
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Financial statements Performance -- Evaluation Small business -- Namibia -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12480 , vital:27070
- Description: Literature on financial statement analysis has been documented by various authors on how the performances of organisations can be measured using financial statement analysis as a tool. Most of the literature focused on what has been written in relating to organisations which are listed on the stock exchange. However, the same principles which are applied in evaluating the performance of large organisations can equally be applied to any organisation; this includes small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Namibia. Despite the fact that financial statement analysis is an important tool for evaluating the performance of organisations, no previous literature was found pertaining to the evaluation of the performance of Namibian small and medium-sized enterprises using this tool. This research will attempt to identify how management of Namibian small and medium-sized enterprises can effectively make use of financial statement analysis as a tool in evaluating the performance of the organisations in order to make correct strategic decisions that will benefit the SMEs.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Mental stress among civil engineering construction site agents and foremen in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole
- Authors: Haydam, Erich
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Project management -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Civil engineers -- Job stress -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5545 , vital:20901
- Description: The civil engineering sector of the construction industry as a whole has been suffering from mental stress due to a lack of stress management interventions, rendering employees vulnerable to burnout, poor mental health, and subject to injury on site. The rationale of this study is to explore the prevalence of mental stress in the civil engineering sector of the construction industry, and the potential causes of stress, vis-à-vis the effects it has on an individual. An empirical study based on a descriptive and analytical survey method was conducted among medium to large civil engineering contractors in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole (NMBM). The study adopted the use of questionnaires, and a review of the related literature to effectively summarise and describe the collected field data. The sample stratum included civil engineering site agents and foremen. The salient findings include: high job demands, low job control, and low job social support are contributors to stress; site agents and foremen long for more time spent with family and friends; site agents and foremen are exposed to various physical, organisational and socio-economic stressors; site agents and foremen are displaying coping strategies unsupportive of a healthy lifestyle; there is a lack of awareness of stress management in the civil engineering sector of the construction industry; the level of stress experienced by site agents and foremen is rated as a lesser extent; the prevalence of depression among site agents and foremen is rated as a lesser extent; site agents and foremen are at risk of injury due to feeling stressed, and site agents and foremen are exposed to a range of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to poor ergonomics, and possibly stress too. It can be concluded that stress negatively affects the civil engineering sector of the construction industry by, inter alia, increased employee absence, injuries and accidents, higher staff turnover, depression, and lower levels of production. Furthermore, stress may lead to eventual burnout, rendering an individual at a significantly higher risk of developing physical health complications. Recommendations include: organisations to address the problem of work-family imbalance, by providing more time off to spend with family and loved ones. v Organisations need to promote and implement internal coping strategies, to assist those who are facing strain to effectively deal with their stress. More support from line managers to employees should be provided, as this will increase their resources in terms of job support, job demand, and job control in their working environment. Also, organisations need to promote teambuilding activities and exercise among their employees. Lastly, organisational policy and government legislation need to be revised in the long term, to provide for individual mental wellbeing, and reduced occupational stress.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Decision making for investment in residential real estate
- Authors: James, Matthew Gary Robert
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Real estate investment -- Decision making Investment analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/10868 , vital:26831
- Description: Investment in residential real estate involves almost all members of the public at some stage of their lives, whether this be one's first home or the purchasing of one‟s first investment property. Understanding how to maximise the return on one's investment is something that can benefit the investor from before the investment is made until after the property has been sold, if it is sold at all. Literature surveys have concluded that there are a number of variables to consider when maximising the return on investment. As residential real estate is not a perfect science, there are guidelines and routes that are more beneficial to the investor depending on the current market, environment and economic standing. A survey was undertaken by members of the public that are involved in residential real estate investment, relative to the maximisation of the return on investment in residential real estate. The salient findings include: Investors in residential real estate spend more than average to extensive time prior, to investment researching the chosen residential real estate property; Investors in residential real estate perform a feasibility study before committing to the development whereas; Investors in residential real estate make use of financial advisors/valuers/estate agents or other investors' knowledge bases in deciding whether to invest in a residential property development; Investors in residential real estate believe that their degree of knowledge about the residential property market and residential property investments are average to very high. Investors in residential real estate somewhat agree that residential real estate investors do not effectively manage their investments. It was recommended that investors make use of help and guidance when investing in residential real estate, perform a feasibility study and ensure that they know their market before investing in a project. It was also noted that location plays a large role when deciding on an investment opportunity worth investing into. By creating awareness and ensuring that all methods and guidelines have been used to maximise the returns that their proposed residential real estate investment, investors can ensure a stronger, healthier cash flow and reap the highest possible benefits from their residential real estate portfolio.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Exploring managers' experiences of a monitoring and evaluation dashboard in an Eastern Cape hospital complex
- Authors: Scholl, Joy
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Management -- Evaluation , Organizational effectiveness -- Evaluation , Dashboards (Management information systems)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:10008 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021089
- Description: Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are essential tools for businesses, projects and service delivery structures. The majority of managers in health institutions are from a clinical background and do not use business intelligence principles to manage or monitor performances in their domains. Literature has revealed that managers in South African public health institutions do not monitor and evaluate their data regularly; likewise the most important information is not consolidated for easy reference and assessment. A pilot study of the introduction of an M&E dashboard was implemented at the East London Hospital Complex (ELHC) in May 2011 at the request of the Superintendent General of the Eastern Cape Department of Health to address this challenge. The current study explored the experiences of managers in the implementation of an M&E dashboard at the ELHC in the Eastern Cape. To establish managers’ experiences, a quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study was undertaken to gain insight, while accurately depicting the experiences and perceptions of managers of the dashboard. A survey questionnaire was developed to undertake a case study with respondents, who were involved in the initial implementation of the dashboard project at the ELHC. The results were analysed and recommendations were made addressing the design of the dashboard, and communication and change management in the introduction of the monitoring and evaluation tool. Further recommendations were made relating to future potential research in this area. An important finding of the research is that thirty-one (31) of the thirty-four (34) managers (91 percent) responded positively about the dashboard, while 9 percent were neutral. None of the respondents encountered negative experiences of utilising the dashboard. This indicates that the implementation of the dashboard was an overwhelming positive experience. The dashboard can be implemented in other healthcare institutions in the Eastern Cape, thereby encouraging more reliable methods to monitor data, improve staff efficiency and above all service delivery to patients.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University students' perceptions of television advertisements for four SAB beer brands
- Authors: Tye, Robyn
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Advertising -- Brewing industry , Advertising -- Alcoholic beverages , Television advertising -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8439 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021122
- Description: This research study aimed to provide the South African beer industry and their advertising representative with insights into 18-28-year-olds’ perceptions of the communicated messaged in beer advertisements. This included the use of social and cultural references to attract their attention and the suggestions made by the advertisements about the consumption of beer in certain contexts. This research study aimed to determine the selected sample’s (NMMU students) perceptions of four South African Breweries beer brands, namely Castle Lager, Castle Lite, Carling Black Label and Hansa Pilsener, in terms of their use of references to social and cultural identity of males and females in South Africa within their television advertisements. The survey questionnaire helped determine what the selected sample’s perceptions were of each advertisement, and whether they fully understood the desired communicated message. It also helped to understand whether each advertisement captured their attention. A semiotic analysis of each advertisement was conducted to deconstruct the advertisements and to determine if they do contain elements of social and cultural identity in an attempt to sell products to their target audiences, or to affect the perceptions of the brand and drinking beer in general. This was achieved by examining the signs and imagery in each advertisement, looking specifically at the representamen, interpretant and object using Pierce’s model of a sign. , Hierdie navorsingstudie is daarop gemik om die Suid-Afrikaanse bierbedryf en sy adverteerders ‘n beter begrip te gee van verbruikers tussen die ouderdomme van 18-28, se waarnemings van die boodskappe in bieradvertensies. Dit sluit in die gebruik van sosiale en kulturele verwysings, wat veronderstel is om die verbruikers se aandag te trek, asook die suggesties wat deur die advertensies gemaak word met betrekking tot die verbruik van bier in ‘n bepaalde konteks. Die studie moes ook die gekose monster (“selected sample”), nl. die NMMU-student se persepsies bepaal van vier handelsname van die South African Breweries, naamlik Castle Lager, Castle Lite, Carling Black Label en Hansa Pilsener, en in watter mate daar in bieradvertensies oor die televisie verwys word na die sosiale en kulturele identiteit van Suid-Afrikaanse mans en vroue. Die meningspeiling het die groep se waarnemings van elke advertensie, asook of die boodskap wat gekommunikeer is ten volle verstaan word, ondersoek. Die vraelys kon ook vasstel of die advertensies hulle aandag getrek het. ‘n Semiotiese ontleding van elke advertensie is gedoen, om die advertensies te dekodeer en sodoende vas te stel of die adverteerders elemente van sosiale en kulturele identiteit gebruik het om hul produkte aan die teikenmarkte te verkoop, of om die idees rondom die handelsnaam en bier oor die algemeen te beïnvloed. Aan die hand van Peirce se semiotiese model is die tekens en beelde in elke advertensie bestudeer.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University students' perceptions of television advertisements for four SAB beer brands
- Authors: Tye, Robyn
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Television advertising -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Television -- Social aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8426 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020040
- Description: South Africa's turbulant political and social history has meant that alchol consumption was a way for many to escape from the harsh realities in which people lived. Inder aparthied, prohibition laws dominated the drinking habits of many South Africans. the 1928 prohibition act, which was established to prevent the sale of European beer to Africans, effectively boosted the illicit black drinking culture in shebeens and socially in the townships. As people began to move from rural to urban areas in search of job; commual beer halls became places of connection and support for people who felt alienated and disconnected from their homes and famillies.
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- Date Issued: 2013
The challenges facing the implementation of local economic development programmes: a case study of the Great Kei Local Municipality
- Authors: Matroko, Thuliwe Nopinki
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Regional economics -- South Africa. , Local government -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9192 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020339
- Description: In this study, Local Economic Development (LED) is defined as an outcome of processes aimed at building the capacity of local areas for sustainable economic development. The study intended to investigate the challenges faced by Eastern Cape municipalities in implementing the LED programme. A sample of ten participants was drawn from two LED projects. The sample was distributed evenly with five beneficiaries per LED project. Data was collected using qualitative research methods through questionnaires. The sampling technique used was purposive to enable the researcher to select specific beneficiaries from each project and to allow the LED official responsible for each project to participate in the study. Budgetary constraints and staff shortages were identified as the main challenges facing the Great Kei Local Municipality. These two challenges have made it difficult for the municipality to implement proficiently LED programmes that are meant to effectively eradicate poverty and create employment. It is therefore recommended that the municipality should form partnerships with the private sector to boost the local economy by way of cooperative delivery of services, funding of projects and the supplementing of the municipal budget. The private enterprise/sector in an economy includes all large, medium, small and micro-enterprises (SMMEs). For example, large mining companies and factories as well the smallest spaza shop or stall at a taxi rank are part of private enterprise in a local economy. Whilst regulating such companies by way of licenses and taxes to raise national revenue, the government has limited control in the determination of how these enterprises are run. The result of such partnerships between the municipality and private sector will hopefully be the realisation of “a better life for all” as local people will be employed through investment promotion.
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- Date Issued: 2013
The role of middle managers in creating a motivating climate
- Authors: Wahl, Craig Paul
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Employee motivation , Motivation (Psychology) , Middle managers , Executives -- Attitudes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:9409 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019979
- Description: Middle managers are important role players in organisations today. They are the link between the executive and the employees of organisations. Managers must ensure that the employees under their supervision fulfil their duties and responsibilities in the execution of their tasks, in order that the organisation achieves the strategic goals as set by the executive. For employees to perform at their peak and to ensure continual motivation, employees should find themselves in a motivated work environment. Managers are key to establishing this motivating climate; however they are only able to do this if they have sufficient authority to motivate their subordinates. Managers must not only have the authority, but they must also have the leadership skills and capacity to motivate. The question which forms the base of this research is whether managers are authorised and equipped to motivate their subordinates. The research topic fell within the quantitative paradigm with data being collected through the use of a questionnaire, which was distributed via electronic means to a sample of the population. The sample was selected using a non-random sampling method. The results were analysed and interpreted to ascertain if they aligned with the theory. The Respondents confirmed that motivation is deemed important which is the responsibility of managers to motivate their subordinates. The organisations in which the managers work should enable them to reward and recognise the employees. It was clear that the authority to reward and recognise is still limited in organisations, which creates substantial complications for managers who are not able to utilise all the tools of motivation which is needed for subordinates to achieve their full potential. Recommendations were submitted that organisations should consider effectively empowering and up-skilling their managers on all the tools of motivation and techniques on how to enhance their emotional intelligence to better understand and motivate their subordinates.
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- Date Issued: 2013
Navigating between information security management documents : a modeling methodology
- Authors: Domingues, Steve
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Computer security -- Management , Business -- Data processing -- Security measures , Information resources management -- Security measures , Business -- Standards
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9761 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1212 , Computer security -- Management , Business -- Data processing -- Security measures , Information resources management -- Security measures , Business -- Standards
- Description: Organizations no longer draft their own standards. Instead, organizations take advantage of the available international standards. One standard may not cover all the organization's needs, requiring organizations to implement more than one standard. The same aspect in an organization may be covered by two or more standards, creating an overlap. An awareness of such overlaps led to various institutions creating mapping documents illustrating how a control from one standard relates to a control from a different standard. The mapping documents are consulted by the end user, to identify how a control in one standard may relate to other standards. This allows the end user to navigate between the standards documents. These mapping documents are valuable to a person who wishes to grasp how different standards deal with a specific control. However, the navigation between standards is a cumbersome task. In order to navigate between the standards the end user is required to consult three or more documents, depending on the number of standards that are mapped to the control being investigated. The need for a tool that will provide fast and efficient navigation between standards was identified. The data tier of the tool is the focus of this dissertation. As a result, this research proposes a modeling methodology that will allow for the modeling of the standards and the information about the mapping between standards, thereby contributing to the creation of tools to aid in the navigation between standards. A comparison between the major data modeling paradigms identifies multi-dimensional modeling as the most appropriate technique to model standards. Adapting an existing modeling methodology to cater for the modeling standards, yield a five step standard modeling methodology. Once modeled, the standards can be physically implemented as a database. The database schema that results from the standard modeling methodology adheres to a specific pattern and can thus be expressed according to well-defined meta-model. This allows for the generation of SQL statements by a tool with limited knowledge of the standards in a way that allows the quick navigation between standards. To determine the usefulness of the standards modeling methodology the research presents iv a prototype that utilizes the well-defined meta-model to navigate between standards. It is shown that, as far as navigation is concerned, no code changes are necessary when adding a new standard or new mappings between standards. This research contributes to the creation of a tool that can easily navigate between standards by providing the ability to model the data tier in such a way that it is extensible, yet remains independent of the application and presentation tiers.
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- Date Issued: 2010
An evaluation of how dividend policies impact on the share value of selected companies
- Authors: Barman, Graham Paul
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Dividends , Corporations -- Valuation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:8976 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/806 , Dividends , Corporations -- Valuation
- Description: Wealth maximisation for shareholders is a combination of dividend payouts and an increase in share price. Management, as custodians of shareholder interest, should therefore consciously work towards influencing the share price favourably. The purpose of this study is to examine and analyse, through an empirical study, dividend policy and the effect, if any, it has on the value of shares by conducting a survey among financial managers to measure their views regarding dividends and share value and to either validate or disprove the academic explanation of the practice of paying dividends.
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- Date Issued: 2008