Assessing the implementation of the performance management system in the Malawian civil service : an application of the Burke and Liwin model
- Authors: Gunchi, Humphreys Kalele
- Subjects: Organizational change -- Malawi -- Evaluation , Performance -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9432 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020363
- Description: The research assessed the implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS) in the Malawian civil service using a change diagnostic model called ‘causal model of organisational performance change’ by Burke and Litwin (1992). The motivation for the research topic comes from a background of the Malawi Government’s goal of improving service delivery to the public. The government launched the performance management system as one of the change interventions that would assist in achieving its service provision goal. For the achievement of the service provision goals, the PMS had to be implemented effectively. Using an integrative approach, the research employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to obtain data that was structured around the organisational elements of the Burke-Litwin model. Using purposive sampling, 195 departments in the Malawian Civil Service formed the population from which the sample was drawn. Of the 195 departments, 69 departments, represented by an officer from each department, participated in the study. Three departments namely; The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), The Department of Human Resource Management and Development (DHRMD) and The Civil Service Commission (CSC) were included in the sample in addition to the 69 departments. These three departments were chosen due to their involvement in the formulation and implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS). Information from the three departments was obtained through interviews while questionnaires were administered to the remaining sample subjects. The research found that both the transformational and transactional factors were lacking in supporting the implementation of the PMS in Malawian civil service. Fundamental prerequisites like systems’ compatibility, assessment of enabling culture and amendments of relevant laws were not considered before the implementation of the system. Upon commencement of the implementation process the support from political leaders and donors declined and the evaluation process lacked inclusion of key stakeholders. The current research expands the application of the Burke-Litwin model in assessing the ‘post change intervention’ implementation processes. The findings could possibly provide valuable input in the form of the following recommendations: The government should consider working on the culture of the civil servants, the capacity of the implementing structure of PMS, the evaluation of the PMS and the prerequisites for the programme. The government should consider being inclusive when evaluating PMS and in assessing the performance of employees, and lastly, there is need to fully utilise technology and the functional position of stakeholders like the Civil Service Commission.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Gunchi, Humphreys Kalele
- Subjects: Organizational change -- Malawi -- Evaluation , Performance -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9432 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020363
- Description: The research assessed the implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS) in the Malawian civil service using a change diagnostic model called ‘causal model of organisational performance change’ by Burke and Litwin (1992). The motivation for the research topic comes from a background of the Malawi Government’s goal of improving service delivery to the public. The government launched the performance management system as one of the change interventions that would assist in achieving its service provision goal. For the achievement of the service provision goals, the PMS had to be implemented effectively. Using an integrative approach, the research employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to obtain data that was structured around the organisational elements of the Burke-Litwin model. Using purposive sampling, 195 departments in the Malawian Civil Service formed the population from which the sample was drawn. Of the 195 departments, 69 departments, represented by an officer from each department, participated in the study. Three departments namely; The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), The Department of Human Resource Management and Development (DHRMD) and The Civil Service Commission (CSC) were included in the sample in addition to the 69 departments. These three departments were chosen due to their involvement in the formulation and implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS). Information from the three departments was obtained through interviews while questionnaires were administered to the remaining sample subjects. The research found that both the transformational and transactional factors were lacking in supporting the implementation of the PMS in Malawian civil service. Fundamental prerequisites like systems’ compatibility, assessment of enabling culture and amendments of relevant laws were not considered before the implementation of the system. Upon commencement of the implementation process the support from political leaders and donors declined and the evaluation process lacked inclusion of key stakeholders. The current research expands the application of the Burke-Litwin model in assessing the ‘post change intervention’ implementation processes. The findings could possibly provide valuable input in the form of the following recommendations: The government should consider working on the culture of the civil servants, the capacity of the implementing structure of PMS, the evaluation of the PMS and the prerequisites for the programme. The government should consider being inclusive when evaluating PMS and in assessing the performance of employees, and lastly, there is need to fully utilise technology and the functional position of stakeholders like the Civil Service Commission.
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Causal layered analysis of South Africa's inclusion in BRICS
- Maliti, Viwe Anda Ntombikayise
- Authors: Maliti, Viwe Anda Ntombikayise
- Subjects: South Africa -- Foreign economic relations , BRIC countries -- Foreign economic relations , BRIC countries -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8922 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021123
- Description: This treatise is undertaken with the purpose of investigating, through the application of the critical futures technique, causal layered analysis (CLA), the case for South Africa’s inclusion in the BRICS alliance. CLA is explored as a technique that allows for the creation of transformative knowledge which contextualises our reality, enabling techniques for exploring different alternatives that lead to outcomes. In an attempt to understand the unique features that underscore these emerging economies and why they are considered the engines behind global economic growth, the member states’ economies are systematically deconstructed. By analysing key economic variables, strengths and weaknesses, CLA allows for the development of conclusive narratives regarding the legitimacy of all BRICS economies. This study discusses the motivation for the formation of this alliance and its role in the global economy. It demonstrates and sorts out the different views concerning its dreams and aspirations. The all-inclusive nature of CLA allows for the consideration of a wide range of perspectives that seek to clarify motives behind the convergence of the BRICS economies to form an alliance. South Africa’s membership is assessed, using both the economic and political schools of thought. On a balance of a number of dominant views, considered valid, that either support or reject the inclusion of South Africa, this study demonstrates that whether or not it belongs amongst the major emerging countries is an absurd question. It thus proposes that a pertinent question to ask is one that explores ways in which South Africa can effectively capitalise on its BRICS membership to drive its own economic growth.
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- Authors: Maliti, Viwe Anda Ntombikayise
- Subjects: South Africa -- Foreign economic relations , BRIC countries -- Foreign economic relations , BRIC countries -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8922 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021123
- Description: This treatise is undertaken with the purpose of investigating, through the application of the critical futures technique, causal layered analysis (CLA), the case for South Africa’s inclusion in the BRICS alliance. CLA is explored as a technique that allows for the creation of transformative knowledge which contextualises our reality, enabling techniques for exploring different alternatives that lead to outcomes. In an attempt to understand the unique features that underscore these emerging economies and why they are considered the engines behind global economic growth, the member states’ economies are systematically deconstructed. By analysing key economic variables, strengths and weaknesses, CLA allows for the development of conclusive narratives regarding the legitimacy of all BRICS economies. This study discusses the motivation for the formation of this alliance and its role in the global economy. It demonstrates and sorts out the different views concerning its dreams and aspirations. The all-inclusive nature of CLA allows for the consideration of a wide range of perspectives that seek to clarify motives behind the convergence of the BRICS economies to form an alliance. South Africa’s membership is assessed, using both the economic and political schools of thought. On a balance of a number of dominant views, considered valid, that either support or reject the inclusion of South Africa, this study demonstrates that whether or not it belongs amongst the major emerging countries is an absurd question. It thus proposes that a pertinent question to ask is one that explores ways in which South Africa can effectively capitalise on its BRICS membership to drive its own economic growth.
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Employee attitudes in a South African metropole post-implementation of the 2010 wage curve collective agreement
- Authors: Somgede-Tshikila, Pateka
- Subjects: Job satisfaction -- South Africa , Organizational commitment -- South Africa , Collective labor agreements -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9436 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020901
- Description: The study will investigate how the workers of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality in the Department of Roads and Stormwater (Eastern region) feel about their jobs in terms of job satisfaction. Furthermore, the study will investigate how they feel about commitment to the union, commitment to the organisation, and management satisfaction during and after the implementation of job task levels, which was the result of the wage curve agreement that was signed in 2010 and implemented in 2011.The first objective of the study is to describe the collective agreements that were signed in 2010 as a result of a need to categorise municipalities and evaluate jobs, and the consequences of the collective agreements on employees through the study of documents supplemented by interviews and questionnaires. The second objective is to investigate if there has been a change in attitudes of the employees in the Roads and Stormwater Department of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality after the implementation of the wage curve agreement. There are six research questions; two relate to the first objective, and these are (a) what was the nature of the wage curve and job evaluation collective agreement? and(b) what were the consequences of the implementation of the wage curve and job evaluation collective agreement of the employees of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality? The other four questions related to the second objective, which led to the following research questions related to the attitudes of the employees and the change in these attitudes after the implementation of the collective agreement. These four questions were (a) what was the change in employee attitudes post the introduction of the wage curve? in particular, the attitudes of organisational commitment, job satisfaction, management satisfaction and union commitment, (b) what is the relationship between the sub-groups and employee attitudes pre the wage curve agreement implementation?(c) what is the relationship between sub-groups and employee attitudes post the wage curve agreement implementation? (d) what is the relationship between the sub-groups and the change in employee attitudes pre and post the wage curve agreement implementation? Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in the study to analyse the strike process and to understand and describe the attitudes of all the participants in relation to the four constructs provided by Chaulk and Brown (2008). Self-administered questionnaires will be given to participants, and there will be face-to-face interviews with the union officials and management. The findings relating to the first objective indicate that the employees were unhappy with the implementation of the wage curve collective agreement. The second objective showed that the changes in the attitudes of employees after the implementation of the job evaluation and wage curve collective agreement were negative and that there was a significant decrease in the level of organisational commitment, job satisfaction, union commitment and management satisfaction after the implementation.
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- Authors: Somgede-Tshikila, Pateka
- Subjects: Job satisfaction -- South Africa , Organizational commitment -- South Africa , Collective labor agreements -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9436 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020901
- Description: The study will investigate how the workers of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality in the Department of Roads and Stormwater (Eastern region) feel about their jobs in terms of job satisfaction. Furthermore, the study will investigate how they feel about commitment to the union, commitment to the organisation, and management satisfaction during and after the implementation of job task levels, which was the result of the wage curve agreement that was signed in 2010 and implemented in 2011.The first objective of the study is to describe the collective agreements that were signed in 2010 as a result of a need to categorise municipalities and evaluate jobs, and the consequences of the collective agreements on employees through the study of documents supplemented by interviews and questionnaires. The second objective is to investigate if there has been a change in attitudes of the employees in the Roads and Stormwater Department of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality after the implementation of the wage curve agreement. There are six research questions; two relate to the first objective, and these are (a) what was the nature of the wage curve and job evaluation collective agreement? and(b) what were the consequences of the implementation of the wage curve and job evaluation collective agreement of the employees of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality? The other four questions related to the second objective, which led to the following research questions related to the attitudes of the employees and the change in these attitudes after the implementation of the collective agreement. These four questions were (a) what was the change in employee attitudes post the introduction of the wage curve? in particular, the attitudes of organisational commitment, job satisfaction, management satisfaction and union commitment, (b) what is the relationship between the sub-groups and employee attitudes pre the wage curve agreement implementation?(c) what is the relationship between sub-groups and employee attitudes post the wage curve agreement implementation? (d) what is the relationship between the sub-groups and the change in employee attitudes pre and post the wage curve agreement implementation? Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used in the study to analyse the strike process and to understand and describe the attitudes of all the participants in relation to the four constructs provided by Chaulk and Brown (2008). Self-administered questionnaires will be given to participants, and there will be face-to-face interviews with the union officials and management. The findings relating to the first objective indicate that the employees were unhappy with the implementation of the wage curve collective agreement. The second objective showed that the changes in the attitudes of employees after the implementation of the job evaluation and wage curve collective agreement were negative and that there was a significant decrease in the level of organisational commitment, job satisfaction, union commitment and management satisfaction after the implementation.
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Enhanced social protection for orphans and vulnerable children
- Authors: Obayi, Bennycharles A
- Subjects: Child care services -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9064 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1352 , Child care services -- South Africa
- Description: This study is intended to contribute to the existing body of knowledge relative to social protection of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). It proffers recommendations on sustainable assistance mechanisms which will ensure effective support systems for improved quality of life for OVCs. The impacts of orphanhood and other vulnerability issues on children directly challenge social protection systems and how they support the wellbeing of the children. This presents grave threat to social and economic development as well as the wellbeing of children. Child Support Grant (CSG) is one of South Africa’s largest social protection programmes targeting vulnerable children. The effectiveness of the grants in addressing the concerns of the children is greatly dependent on how it is utilised. The aim of this study is for a review of the support systems for OVCs in South Africa, within the context of social grants to determine its viability to address the challenges of vulnerability. The study is informed by empowerment framework as theoretical paradigm; which postulates that people need to be empowered through sustainable programmes that enhance their capacities to realize their full potentials and become self-sufficient. The study reviewed and appraised relevant approaches that aid empowering OVCs in order to ensure that they are supported to move from state of helplessness to an empowered state. A quantitative research method was used for the survey, data analysis and review. A case study approach was adopted for the study. The population of this study consisted of selected families of OVCs and community volunteers in Port St. Johns and Ndlambe local municipalities of the Eastern Cape Province. The study findings show that the CSG is relevant in the context of providing the needed support for the OVCs, which will enhance their wellbeing and development. It identified CSG as a mechanism which supports the concept of ensuring that OVCs have an adult caregiver who supports them. It shows that the CSG is able to reduce the number of OVCs without an adult caregiver. xii The study identified that many of the caregivers of the OVCs do not have other source of income and this affects their utilisation of the grant to attend to the needs of the children such as caregivers who do not support the wellbeing of the children though they receive CSG. The findings did not identify many challenges with the functioning and management of the CSG scheme. The concerns identified by the study are related to challenges of accessing the grant. The findings show that the caregivers do not encounter obstacles while applying for CSG for reasons related to the fact that some of them are being assisted. It shows that most children that are eligible but are not receiving CSG were for reasons such as caregiver not applying on time for the child or lack of documents required for the application. The study further noted that it was mostly caregivers that were not assisted during the applications process that experienced difficulties. The study observed that supporting the needed infrastructure in resource constrained environment is necessary to assist the children. Building facilities for banking, health care, and recreation as well as educational facilities such as libraries and computer centres were identified as relevant in schemes that aim to improve the quality of lives of children. The study findings revealed that hunger and deprivation could be a defining factor, which influences a child’s interest in education. It concludes that the provision of CSG to families could have strong influence in determining children’s interest in education. The study identified other support systems in the community that complement the CSG mechanism. The supports includes the assistance to process the application for CSG as well as guidance in the utilisation of the grant; after school care programme which provides opportunity for children to receive additional educational support; and material assistance for OVC families. The supports were mostly through community volunteers of organisations in the communities. These supports were found to be useful in supporting the caregivers of the OVCs to support the children.
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- Authors: Obayi, Bennycharles A
- Subjects: Child care services -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9064 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1352 , Child care services -- South Africa
- Description: This study is intended to contribute to the existing body of knowledge relative to social protection of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). It proffers recommendations on sustainable assistance mechanisms which will ensure effective support systems for improved quality of life for OVCs. The impacts of orphanhood and other vulnerability issues on children directly challenge social protection systems and how they support the wellbeing of the children. This presents grave threat to social and economic development as well as the wellbeing of children. Child Support Grant (CSG) is one of South Africa’s largest social protection programmes targeting vulnerable children. The effectiveness of the grants in addressing the concerns of the children is greatly dependent on how it is utilised. The aim of this study is for a review of the support systems for OVCs in South Africa, within the context of social grants to determine its viability to address the challenges of vulnerability. The study is informed by empowerment framework as theoretical paradigm; which postulates that people need to be empowered through sustainable programmes that enhance their capacities to realize their full potentials and become self-sufficient. The study reviewed and appraised relevant approaches that aid empowering OVCs in order to ensure that they are supported to move from state of helplessness to an empowered state. A quantitative research method was used for the survey, data analysis and review. A case study approach was adopted for the study. The population of this study consisted of selected families of OVCs and community volunteers in Port St. Johns and Ndlambe local municipalities of the Eastern Cape Province. The study findings show that the CSG is relevant in the context of providing the needed support for the OVCs, which will enhance their wellbeing and development. It identified CSG as a mechanism which supports the concept of ensuring that OVCs have an adult caregiver who supports them. It shows that the CSG is able to reduce the number of OVCs without an adult caregiver. xii The study identified that many of the caregivers of the OVCs do not have other source of income and this affects their utilisation of the grant to attend to the needs of the children such as caregivers who do not support the wellbeing of the children though they receive CSG. The findings did not identify many challenges with the functioning and management of the CSG scheme. The concerns identified by the study are related to challenges of accessing the grant. The findings show that the caregivers do not encounter obstacles while applying for CSG for reasons related to the fact that some of them are being assisted. It shows that most children that are eligible but are not receiving CSG were for reasons such as caregiver not applying on time for the child or lack of documents required for the application. The study further noted that it was mostly caregivers that were not assisted during the applications process that experienced difficulties. The study observed that supporting the needed infrastructure in resource constrained environment is necessary to assist the children. Building facilities for banking, health care, and recreation as well as educational facilities such as libraries and computer centres were identified as relevant in schemes that aim to improve the quality of lives of children. The study findings revealed that hunger and deprivation could be a defining factor, which influences a child’s interest in education. It concludes that the provision of CSG to families could have strong influence in determining children’s interest in education. The study identified other support systems in the community that complement the CSG mechanism. The supports includes the assistance to process the application for CSG as well as guidance in the utilisation of the grant; after school care programme which provides opportunity for children to receive additional educational support; and material assistance for OVC families. The supports were mostly through community volunteers of organisations in the communities. These supports were found to be useful in supporting the caregivers of the OVCs to support the children.
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Measuring employee participation initiatives within RoyalServe Cleaning (Pty) Ltd
- Authors: Ntini, Vusani
- Subjects: Management -- Employee participation , Strategic planning -- Employee participation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9430 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018677
- Description: Employee participation is a common and popular aspect of most labour relations systems in many countries, including South Africa (the RSA). For years now, there have been debates around the actual benefits of employee participation initiatives to both the business and its employees. Various factors influence the development of participation initiatives within businesses. Some of these factors include legislation, management perceptions and attitudes, socio-economic factors, political and business complexities. These factors vary from one economy to another, from industry to industry, from company to company and may be classified into internal or external factors. It is even suggested that participation initiatives and levels of implementation may be different within the same organization, from department to department, and from one geographic set-up to another within the same organisation. It is for this reason that this research was undertaken. RoyalServe(RS) has an average of 12 000 employees and about 800 sites or branches or units within the RSA. A number of employee participation models and initiatives exist within RS, and it has been argued by many (inter alia trade unions, employees, managers) that the implementation of these models varies from one site to the next - with one of the major influencing factors being the size of a branch or site. Employee participation initiatives and models are established either voluntarily or in response to compliance with legislation. Some scholars and practitioners have suggested that employee participation models that yield positive results for both parties are the ones that are voluntary and have not been undertaken for legal compliance purposes. Others argue that even in cases where it is legislated and practiced for compliance, the end result remains the same. From a comparative point of view, the Japanese and German models of employee participation have been, for some time now, crowned as classic examples of employee participation. Interestingly, the two models (Japanese and German) were implemented for contrasting reasons. The Japanese model is voluntary whereas the German model is legislated. Both models remain leading examples of how successful participation can be, regardless of the reasons for its implementation. Royal Serve Cleaning operates in three Sub Saharan countries: South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia (making it a transnational organisation). The Head Office is situated in Midrand, Johannesburg, RSA. The following regional offices exist to provide immediate and more flexible support to both employees and clients at regional level: Cape Town: Western Cape; Midrand: Gauteng Province, Limpopo, North West and Mpumalanga; Bloemfontein: Free State, Lesotho and Northern Cape; Durban: KZN; Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape; Namibia.The primary goal of this research was to investigate how the size of a site influences the implementation of employee participation within RoyalServe Cleaning (Pty) Ltd. Put differently, the question to be answered by the research is: are employee participation initiatives applied similarly across all sites within RoyalServe regardless of size? Another question that has been answered in this research report, albeit indirectly, is: do RoyalServe employees understand the various participation initiatives in place at all levels of the organisation? Accusations have been leveled by some employees that employee participation initiatives at RS are benefiting only those employees based at the big sites at the expense of the smaller ones. The research methodology followed in this paper includes: A review of the available literature about RoyalServe employee participation strategies, initiatives, minutes, reports and practices; The development of a questionnaire which was then distributed to selected employees at all levels within the organisation. The analysis of information gathered in the above activities and recommendations formulated was based on gathered data.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Ntini, Vusani
- Subjects: Management -- Employee participation , Strategic planning -- Employee participation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9430 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018677
- Description: Employee participation is a common and popular aspect of most labour relations systems in many countries, including South Africa (the RSA). For years now, there have been debates around the actual benefits of employee participation initiatives to both the business and its employees. Various factors influence the development of participation initiatives within businesses. Some of these factors include legislation, management perceptions and attitudes, socio-economic factors, political and business complexities. These factors vary from one economy to another, from industry to industry, from company to company and may be classified into internal or external factors. It is even suggested that participation initiatives and levels of implementation may be different within the same organization, from department to department, and from one geographic set-up to another within the same organisation. It is for this reason that this research was undertaken. RoyalServe(RS) has an average of 12 000 employees and about 800 sites or branches or units within the RSA. A number of employee participation models and initiatives exist within RS, and it has been argued by many (inter alia trade unions, employees, managers) that the implementation of these models varies from one site to the next - with one of the major influencing factors being the size of a branch or site. Employee participation initiatives and models are established either voluntarily or in response to compliance with legislation. Some scholars and practitioners have suggested that employee participation models that yield positive results for both parties are the ones that are voluntary and have not been undertaken for legal compliance purposes. Others argue that even in cases where it is legislated and practiced for compliance, the end result remains the same. From a comparative point of view, the Japanese and German models of employee participation have been, for some time now, crowned as classic examples of employee participation. Interestingly, the two models (Japanese and German) were implemented for contrasting reasons. The Japanese model is voluntary whereas the German model is legislated. Both models remain leading examples of how successful participation can be, regardless of the reasons for its implementation. Royal Serve Cleaning operates in three Sub Saharan countries: South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia (making it a transnational organisation). The Head Office is situated in Midrand, Johannesburg, RSA. The following regional offices exist to provide immediate and more flexible support to both employees and clients at regional level: Cape Town: Western Cape; Midrand: Gauteng Province, Limpopo, North West and Mpumalanga; Bloemfontein: Free State, Lesotho and Northern Cape; Durban: KZN; Port Elizabeth: Eastern Cape; Namibia.The primary goal of this research was to investigate how the size of a site influences the implementation of employee participation within RoyalServe Cleaning (Pty) Ltd. Put differently, the question to be answered by the research is: are employee participation initiatives applied similarly across all sites within RoyalServe regardless of size? Another question that has been answered in this research report, albeit indirectly, is: do RoyalServe employees understand the various participation initiatives in place at all levels of the organisation? Accusations have been leveled by some employees that employee participation initiatives at RS are benefiting only those employees based at the big sites at the expense of the smaller ones. The research methodology followed in this paper includes: A review of the available literature about RoyalServe employee participation strategies, initiatives, minutes, reports and practices; The development of a questionnaire which was then distributed to selected employees at all levels within the organisation. The analysis of information gathered in the above activities and recommendations formulated was based on gathered data.
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The human resource department as a strategic business partner in organisations
- Authors: Sakonda, Archford
- Subjects: Human capital -- Management , Strategic planning , Employment agencies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9431 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020178
- Description: The human resource department in many organisations is at a crossroad of relevance, constantly being faced with the challenge to prove that it can add value towards the objectives of the business. The Human Resource (HR) department is also faced with a reality that, if the department does not add value to the organisation, it will be farmed out to independent contractors, who can deliver the HR functions at a more efficient and cost effective way. However, organisations have a great opportunity to achieve excellence and competitive advantage through the utilisation of the organisation‟s human resources. Many scholars and authors argued that organisations can achieve the most out of its human resources if the HR department is a Strategic Business Partner (SBP) in these organisations. A thorough literature review has led to the discovery that, despite the appraisal of the Strategic Business Partners (SBP) approach to the management of human resources, little progress has been made with the reinvention of the HR departments from support function towards being a SBP (Lawler & Morhman, 2003; Keith, 2007). The slow progress in the transformation of the HR department was attributed to a wide range of factors including the lack of competencies to take up Strategic Business Partnership roles, lack of management support, and incongruent organisational cultures (Keith, 2007; Sanders & Frenkel, 2009; Ulrich & Brockbank, 2005). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with HR professionals, Managing Directors and other Directors, who sit on a strategic table, to identify the challenges and opportunities the HR department faced as a SBP in organisations. A self-administered questionnaire, based on an existing questionnaire (Ulrich & Cornell (1997) HR role assessment survey) was used to gather the perception of employees regarding the roles the HR departments play in organisations. In this study organisational culture was identified as having a huge impact towards the implementation of HR departments as SBPs. The study also identified the competencies needed for the effective execution of SBP roles, the challenges HR departments may face in the process as well as the important roles the HR department should be devoting most of its time and resources to.
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- Authors: Sakonda, Archford
- Subjects: Human capital -- Management , Strategic planning , Employment agencies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9431 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020178
- Description: The human resource department in many organisations is at a crossroad of relevance, constantly being faced with the challenge to prove that it can add value towards the objectives of the business. The Human Resource (HR) department is also faced with a reality that, if the department does not add value to the organisation, it will be farmed out to independent contractors, who can deliver the HR functions at a more efficient and cost effective way. However, organisations have a great opportunity to achieve excellence and competitive advantage through the utilisation of the organisation‟s human resources. Many scholars and authors argued that organisations can achieve the most out of its human resources if the HR department is a Strategic Business Partner (SBP) in these organisations. A thorough literature review has led to the discovery that, despite the appraisal of the Strategic Business Partners (SBP) approach to the management of human resources, little progress has been made with the reinvention of the HR departments from support function towards being a SBP (Lawler & Morhman, 2003; Keith, 2007). The slow progress in the transformation of the HR department was attributed to a wide range of factors including the lack of competencies to take up Strategic Business Partnership roles, lack of management support, and incongruent organisational cultures (Keith, 2007; Sanders & Frenkel, 2009; Ulrich & Brockbank, 2005). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with HR professionals, Managing Directors and other Directors, who sit on a strategic table, to identify the challenges and opportunities the HR department faced as a SBP in organisations. A self-administered questionnaire, based on an existing questionnaire (Ulrich & Cornell (1997) HR role assessment survey) was used to gather the perception of employees regarding the roles the HR departments play in organisations. In this study organisational culture was identified as having a huge impact towards the implementation of HR departments as SBPs. The study also identified the competencies needed for the effective execution of SBP roles, the challenges HR departments may face in the process as well as the important roles the HR department should be devoting most of its time and resources to.
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The perceptions of educators, in the Queenstown education district, of the labour dispute resolution system
- Authors: Rataza, Themba Theophilus
- Subjects: Labor disputes -- South Africa -- Queenstown , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9434 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020542
- Description: The objective of this study is to conduct a survey concerning the perceptions of educators in the Queenstown education district of the labour dispute resolution system. The education department is one of the biggest departments in the Eastern Cape’s Provincial Administration system. The likelihood of disputes is high when there are many employees. The focus of the study therefore is on how educators perceive the role of the department in terms of ensuring that labour disputes with the department are resolved efficiently and speedily. The advent of a democratic dispensation resulted in the ushering in of progressive labour legislation such as Labour Relations Act 55 of 1995. The objective of this Act is to facilitate economic development, social justice, labour peace and democratization of the workplace. In other words this Act gave birth to the manner in which labour disputes should be resolved. The study was carried out not only to explore the perceptions of educators but also with a view to making recommendations on the findings in order to help contribute towards labour peace and productivity in the workplace. The attitudes of one hundred and forty-one educators were surveyed via questionnaires and six educators who have had labour disputes with the department were interviewed. The key findings of the study revealed that both the educators who were surveyed and those interviewed lack confidence in the effectiveness of the labour dispute procedures in the district; they perceive the system as being inaccessible to them; time taken to resolve disputes is too lengthy; the system lacks necessary independence from the department of education or government and the department is seen as not adhering to its own policies and legislation. Hence there are many disputes and there is a great need for more awareness and for improved training in handling labour dispute resolution systems for district officials and educators. The study recommends more awareness and training sessions for both district officials responsible for labour relations and educators at large. It also calls for an increasingly proactive role by teacher unions in partnership with the department of education to avoid labour disputes. Although the findings cannot be generalized toother districts of the province, they do however highlight critical areas in labour dispute resolution where attention can be paid and focus made in order to ensure labour peace in the workplace for improved productivity and effective teaching and learning.
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- Authors: Rataza, Themba Theophilus
- Subjects: Labor disputes -- South Africa -- Queenstown , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9434 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020542
- Description: The objective of this study is to conduct a survey concerning the perceptions of educators in the Queenstown education district of the labour dispute resolution system. The education department is one of the biggest departments in the Eastern Cape’s Provincial Administration system. The likelihood of disputes is high when there are many employees. The focus of the study therefore is on how educators perceive the role of the department in terms of ensuring that labour disputes with the department are resolved efficiently and speedily. The advent of a democratic dispensation resulted in the ushering in of progressive labour legislation such as Labour Relations Act 55 of 1995. The objective of this Act is to facilitate economic development, social justice, labour peace and democratization of the workplace. In other words this Act gave birth to the manner in which labour disputes should be resolved. The study was carried out not only to explore the perceptions of educators but also with a view to making recommendations on the findings in order to help contribute towards labour peace and productivity in the workplace. The attitudes of one hundred and forty-one educators were surveyed via questionnaires and six educators who have had labour disputes with the department were interviewed. The key findings of the study revealed that both the educators who were surveyed and those interviewed lack confidence in the effectiveness of the labour dispute procedures in the district; they perceive the system as being inaccessible to them; time taken to resolve disputes is too lengthy; the system lacks necessary independence from the department of education or government and the department is seen as not adhering to its own policies and legislation. Hence there are many disputes and there is a great need for more awareness and for improved training in handling labour dispute resolution systems for district officials and educators. The study recommends more awareness and training sessions for both district officials responsible for labour relations and educators at large. It also calls for an increasingly proactive role by teacher unions in partnership with the department of education to avoid labour disputes. Although the findings cannot be generalized toother districts of the province, they do however highlight critical areas in labour dispute resolution where attention can be paid and focus made in order to ensure labour peace in the workplace for improved productivity and effective teaching and learning.
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The sustainability of Reconstruction and Development Programme Houses : 2004 to 2006 : a case study of Litchis Bay, East London
- Authors: Balani, Thobeka Virginia
- Subjects: Human services -- South Africa -- East London , Human settlements -- South Africa -- East London , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8855 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020141
- Description: The South African government has endeavored to provide settlement to citizens and policies have been formulated since 1994 to guide these efforts. The South African Constitution (1996, section 26) stated that everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing. Furthermore the African National Congress’s Freedom Charter (1955) made it clear that: “there shall be houses, security and comfort for all, everybody shall have the right to live where they choose, to be decently housed, and to bring up their families in comfort and security. Slums shall be demolished and new suburbs built, where all shall have transport, roads, lights, playing fields, crèches and social centers”. However, after 19 years of democracy the state of housing is still a critical issue that addresses whether development has served to further the cause of sustainable development with respect to the pillars of human settlement such as shelter, infrastructure and economic opportunities. The study was conducted in the Litchis Bay settlement in East London, Eastern Cape Province. Mixed approaches of quantitative and qualitative methods were used to solicit data. Random Sampling techniques were conducted to select the sample population. Data was captured on Excel sheets to generate graphs. Findings of the study and conclusions were drawn. Therefore when measuring the term ‘sustainable human settlement’ against the findings on RDP houses in Litchis Bay, one can conclude that sustainable human settlement is not fully absorbed in defining the sustainability of RDP houses in Litchis Bay. Moreover the majority of houses have defects, and social amenities are not easily accessible.
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- Authors: Balani, Thobeka Virginia
- Subjects: Human services -- South Africa -- East London , Human settlements -- South Africa -- East London , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8855 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020141
- Description: The South African government has endeavored to provide settlement to citizens and policies have been formulated since 1994 to guide these efforts. The South African Constitution (1996, section 26) stated that everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing. Furthermore the African National Congress’s Freedom Charter (1955) made it clear that: “there shall be houses, security and comfort for all, everybody shall have the right to live where they choose, to be decently housed, and to bring up their families in comfort and security. Slums shall be demolished and new suburbs built, where all shall have transport, roads, lights, playing fields, crèches and social centers”. However, after 19 years of democracy the state of housing is still a critical issue that addresses whether development has served to further the cause of sustainable development with respect to the pillars of human settlement such as shelter, infrastructure and economic opportunities. The study was conducted in the Litchis Bay settlement in East London, Eastern Cape Province. Mixed approaches of quantitative and qualitative methods were used to solicit data. Random Sampling techniques were conducted to select the sample population. Data was captured on Excel sheets to generate graphs. Findings of the study and conclusions were drawn. Therefore when measuring the term ‘sustainable human settlement’ against the findings on RDP houses in Litchis Bay, one can conclude that sustainable human settlement is not fully absorbed in defining the sustainability of RDP houses in Litchis Bay. Moreover the majority of houses have defects, and social amenities are not easily accessible.
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