Breaking the poverty cycle: exploring farmers’ strategies to empower employees in the agricultural sector
- Authors: Venter, Morné
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Agricultural productivity -- South Africa , Agriculture -- Research -- Economic aspects -- Mathematical models , Industrial productivity , Employee motivation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/36772 , vital:34052
- Description: The primary aim of this research project was to explore the various strategies of specific farmers who have chosen to improve productivity through innovative labour management strategies. In particular, to describe strategies that have empowered employees and will enable them to break the poverty cycle. The potential to highlight a business case for quality jobs in the agricultural sector could add to the understanding of labour-intensive agricultural production systems. Participants in this study empower their employees through various means, which includes intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The agricultural sector was specifically targeted in this study as farmworkers are some of the most vulnerable employee-populations in South Africa, because they have a relatively small chance of empowering themselves, or their children, as they are often stuck in the poverty cycle. The research method employed in this study was qualitative in order to gain an in depth understanding of labour management systems (LMS). Information was gathered through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with a number of purposively selected farmers. The participants in this study were selected for a select number of reasons. The main reason being that they employ strategies that empower their employees in various ways to ensure the future employability of these employees. All the participants are committed to ensuring the success of their employees, because this ensures the success of the farms. Farmworkers are one of the cornerstones on which a farming enterprise is built, another cornerstone is the farmer. When these two components understand and respect one another and work with each other, rather than against each other, both will prosper. The approaches that the participants in this study utilise to empower their workers ensure that the poverty cycle for these workers in this semi- and unskilled sector is broken and that they become, not only employable, but invaluable to the farms on which they work. The approaches were categorised from the one end as the point where labour is commodified and treated as a cost factor, the “low road” -this approach aligns with McGregor’s theory X and may be termed “exploitative”. While, at the other end of the continuum of approaches is the view that an employee has potential and investment in the employee will yield commitment and discretionary effort - this approach aligns with McGregor’s theory Y, the “high road”. This includes strategies to improve productivity and empower employees beyond the workplace, and to a certain extent, the community.
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- Date Issued: 2018
The relationship between the leadership, internal quality, and customer satisfaction levels of dealerships in a South African motor vehicle organisation
- Authors: Botha, Jennifer
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Consumer satisfaction , Automobile dealers -- South Africa , Industrial productivity , Customer services
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1185 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002802 , Consumer satisfaction , Automobile dealers -- South Africa , Industrial productivity , Customer services
- Description: This research investigates the relationship between the leadership, internal quality, and customer satisfaction levels in the dealerships of a South African motor vehicle organisation. The Service Profit Chain provides the background theory to this relationship, by suggesting that various factors within the service delivery system of an organisation affect the level of customer satisfaction. From the Service Profit Chain, it is established that two of the prevalent factors affecting customer satisfaction, are leadership and internal quality. The Full Range Leadership Development Theory provides the backdrop for analysing the leadership style of each dealership by using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The Competence Process forms the theoretical construct against which the internal quality of these dealerships is assessed using the Organisation Competence Analysis Questionnaire. Information was gathered, using these two instruments, from a sample of 85 motor vehicle dealerships within South Africa. The customer satisfaction levels at each of these dealerships, is measured by the motor vehicle organisation’s own instrument, known as the Customer Satisfaction Index. Data obtained from each instrument, for the respective dealerships, was then statistically analysed. However, due to the low reliability of the instruments used in this research, the results of this study indicate that there is no relationship between the leadership, internal quality, and customer satisfaction levels within a South African motor vehicle organisation. Therefore we can conclude that the null hypotheses can not be rejected.
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- Date Issued: 2002