An analysis of use of cloud enterprise resource planning systems in South Africa
- Authors: Atukwase, Denise
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Enterprise resource planning -- South Africa , Business planning -- South Africa , Management information systems -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8874 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020352
- Description: Due to innovation, Information Technology (IT) is changing all the time. One of the fast growing IT innovations is cloud computing. The phenomenon of cloud computing has changed the way that business consumes IT and in particular Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. This phenomenon has led to a need for research in the field of cloud ERP systems. A review of the literature revealed a gap in research related to cloud ERP systems and particularly to the adoption of these systems in South African companies. Only a few studies have been done regarding the adoption of cloud computing in South Africa, and the extent of adoption of cloud ERP systems in South Africa is not known. This study set out to answer the research question “What is the extent of understanding and adoption of ERP system in South African companies?” The study will be useful to the ERP industry in understanding the level of adoption of and perceptions about cloud ERP systems by South African companies. In order to answer the research question a survey research strategy was adopted and was of an exploratory nature. The sample was composed of IT professionals and line managers in South African companies. Questionnaires were sent via web link and 41 complete responses were obtained. The results showed that the respondents had a good understanding of the advantages/benefits of cloud ERP systems. However, a lack of clear understanding of the disadvantages/drawbacks of cloud ERP systems was evident in the research data which could lead to non-adoption of cloud ERP systems. Adoption of cloud ERP systems was highest in the engineering, manufacturing and IT sector. It was evident that IaaS and PaaS have not been adopted at all. The majority of the companies (60 percent) that had adopted cloud ERP systems were SMEs. This is in line with international studies that show that SMEs are driving the change in IT innovation such as cloud ERP systems.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Survival of women in law enforcement
- Authors: Badi, Yvonne Tankiso
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Policewomen -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Women police chiefs -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8860 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020179
- Description: This study seeks to investigate the underlying ideologies and practices behind the perception that women who are in command positions are unable to command and control, especially those who are in the operational environment. The study was executed in the Eastern Cape Province (Eastern Cape), in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCM). The research participants (respondents) were constituted by 33 police officers from diverse police stations within the BCM. The participants were divided according to gender, i.e. 24 females and 9 males. With regards to objectives of the study, the aim was to investigate the following issues: i) to understand factors that make women not to be accepted in their positions as SAPS' operational commanders, by their male subordinateslcolleagues and community members. ii) To understand factors that make women not to be accepted in their positions as SAPS' operational commanders, by their male subordinates/colleagues and community members, and iii) to explore strategies to utilize in making SAPS' women operational commanders, survive while managing their day-te-day respective units/components effectively and efficiently. Regarding research design, this study mainly used a qualitative research method combined with a bit of a quantitative approach. And then the data collection method involved making use of semi structured interviews to all the respondents. The results of this study show that there is still a huge difference in the number of women who are commanders compared to their male counterparts, especially in those environments that were previously regarded as male dominated. Further, despite the necessary training being provided by the SAPS to women officers, the necessary support in particular from management is still a challenge. Lastly, the argument of this study is that there is still not a fair representation of women in command positions within the SAPS, especially, in the previously male dominated environments.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Sustainable training support framework for the wind power industry in South Africa
- Authors: Barton, Cayleigh Ann
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Wind power industry -- South Africa Wind power industry -- Technological innovations , Energy development Renewable energy sources
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50020 , vital:41985
- Description: South Africa has emerged as one of the most important renewable energy markets as reflected by the USD 5.5 billion invested in South Africa in 2014 (Merger’s Alliance, 2015). As the opportunity exists for South Africa to take advantage of its above average natural wind resources, the main purpose of the case study research effort was therefore to develop a theoretical sustainable training framework in support of the rapidly growing wind power industry in South Africa. The proposed location for a sustainable training support framework is at the NMMU Business School and Leadership Academy, strategically located in the Eastern Cape. In addition, the NMMU Business School and Leadership Academy has satellite offices all around South Africa, thus creating accessible training and education solutions to most parts of the country. The case study research approach was qualitative in nature, thus providing valuable insight into the case study phenomenon. The researcher focused on a single context, namely the wind power industry in South Africa, and within a single case of the establishment of a sustainable training support framework at the NMMU Business School and Leadership Academy. The embedded, multiple units of analysis comprised of a purposive sample of strategic individuals operating within the South African wind power sector, socio-economic development, education and training industries. In staying within the research design, the case study made use of an in-depth interview process in order to address the research propositions of the case study. The investigative interview questions were fully supported by secondary sources of information. The case study provided valuable insight into the unique South African wind power industry setting, with a focus on education and training in line with the REIPPPP minimum threshold and targets for socio-economic development and job creation. The researcher experienced a lack of responses from industry experts who were contacted for interviews. This lack of response could be considered as a limitation in validating the outcome of the study. The South African wind power industry is one of the most thriving markets in the world (Merger’s Alliance, 2015) and due to its fledging nature; research on the topic under discussion is not readily available. Thus, the research effort provided relevant information regarding the unique setting of the South African wind power industry and added value through the proposition of a sustainable training support framework strategically located at the NMMU Business School.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Case study : profitability drivers in the South African airline industry : a comparative analysis of SAA and Comair
- Authors: Batidzirai, Davison Herbert
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: South African Airways , Comair Limited , Airlines -- South Africa , Corporate profits -- South Africa , Organizational effectiveness -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:846 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017191
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- Date Issued: 2015
Improving staff turnover in a purchasing department
- Authors: Blignaut, Fredrika Joan
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Labor turnover -- South Africa Human capital , Employees -- Recruiting Employee motivation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50110 , vital:42044
- Description: The value of employees has been established as the best asset a company can have and managers/leaders plays an important role in optimising the value addition of the employee. Retaining employees and attracting them is a challenge due to skill shortages and staff turnover. The costs of staff turnover include but are not limited to recruiting, testing, selecting, training the new staff member, and mandatory overtime due to staff shortages. The indirect costs associated with such turnover are caused by the loss of valued employees, the stress of additional workloads, the loss of the social relationship and the tension of integrating new employees into the team. The objective of the study was to identify the factors that increase voluntary and involuntary turnover intent in the selected purchasing department. These factors were manager /leader’s influence, stress and satisfaction with quality of work life on turnover intent. Convenience sampling was used to distribute sixty-four questionnaires in three departments of the selected firm, namely production purchasing, general purchasing and projects. Only fifty usable questionnaires were received. The results from the descriptive statistics revealed that the participants were generally not happy with manager relations in the firm. The results however showed that this does not motivate employees to stay or leave the firm. The statistics showed that bullying is evident in the selected firm, however the mean score does not reflect high levels thereof. The Pearson correlations show a significantly positive relationship between bullying and employees leaving. The participants generally work in a stressful environment and this affected some employees negatively however Pearson’s correlations showed that work stress is not significantly related to intent to leave.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Performance management of health professionals : an evaluation research study of health services in the subdistrict of Buffalo City in the Provincial Department of Health in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Booi, Mlungisi Wellington
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: South Africa -- Department of Health , Batho Pele (Program) , Public health personnel -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Employees -- Rating of -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Public health -- South Africa -- Buffalo City -- Evaluation , Customer services -- South Africa -- Buffalo City -- Evaluation , Employees -- Training of -- South Africa -- Buffalo City , Employee-management relations in government -- South Africa -- Buffalo City
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:859 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020017
- Description: Integrative Summary In 1997 the Minister of Public Service and Administration of South Africa, Zola Skweyiya, introduced the White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery(Department of Public Service and Administration(DPSA,1997: 1). It was premised on what was called Batho Pele (DPSA, 1997: 9), giving effect to Section 197 of the Constitution, Act 108 of 1996 as amended. A linkage to performance management can be found from the assertion made in the White Paper that in future the Batho Pele would form the basis of any assessment of the performance of individual staff and that would contribute to improving the delivery of service (DPSA, 1997:16). Another factor that contributed to the utilisation of a performance management system was the recommendation put forward by the Public Service Commission of South Africa( PSC,2004: 16),that called for public institutions to adopt a clear, comprehensive performance management and evaluation framework for the delivery of public service. That was expected to turn around the ailing public institutions whose record of serving the public with pride and dignity was on the decline. The research aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the performance management system in creating and resolving role conflict with health professionals employed by the Buffalo City sub-district. The research goal was divided into three objectives, namely: evaluation of the effectiveness of the performance management system as a managerial tool for health managers to manage their subordinates including both professional and support staff, evaluation of the effectiveness of the performance system from the perspective of the health professional as a subordinate and to analyze the functioning and effectiveness of the system in creating and resolving role conflict between professional conduct and organisational requirements. The respondents noted that the implementation of the system was not matched with appointment at managerial level with officials having relevant managerial capacity. Further to that resources at the coal face of service delivery continued to deteriorate and became very scarce and there is no documented proof that has been found of an effort made to check the compatibility of the system to health professionals. The literature identified negative effects that have emanated from the implementation of the performance management system. The study was conducted by interviewing health professionals from the entry level to the management level within the Buffalo City sub-district from three mini hospitals or Health Care Centres. The respondents indicated that there are positives that have been achieved by the implementation of the system, such as the skills gap identification as well as specific targets contained in annual performance contracts. These targets help motivate health professional to focus on that particular direction of activities. Unfortunately it has been clearly documented that the performance management system has also contributed to the development of role conflict in a number of professionals. It has been documented that the system has not been crafted with a health professional in mind and, as such, appears to favour quantity rather than quality of health services as advocated by the codes of practice of different health professionals. There are a number of recommendations that were put forward by the respondents to try to salvage the system and in mitigation of the identified negative factors. For the improvement of the system, the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health has to firstly customise the annual contracts to contain only the fundamental information. Secondly need to improve the transparency pertaining to financial pressures facing the Health Department. Thirdly the provision of essential enablers, need to be prioritised. Fourthly there is a need to upgrade the system to incorporate 360 degree feedback. Further research recommendations include a bigger sample incorporating different research methods and to also incorporate searches for measures that can be implemented to improve the system to be more relevant to health professionals. This document is organised and presented in three sections. The first section is the evaluation report with a review of literature, research methodology, findings, discussion and conclusion. The second section is where an indepth literature review is located and the last section details the research methodology.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Critical success factors to improve direct labour productivity
- Authors: Brown, Conrad Andrew
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Automobile supplies industry -- Labor productivity -- South Africa , Success in business -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8846 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020101
- Description: An increase in the global competitiveness has forced manufacturing organisations to re-look their facility from a labour productivity standpoint. Leveraging a manufacturing operation into a competitive avantage must at all times support the organisation’s objective. It is therefore critical that the operation reviews its strategy so that it fulfils the ever changing needs in the market. Purpose – The main objective of this research is to identify the critical success factors to improve direct labour efficiency within Johnson Controls Automotive South Africa (Pty) Ltd (JCI). Design/methodology/approach – A combination of a comprehensive literature review and visits to the Uitenhage plant and head office were employed in the study. JCI practices were observed to highlight the level of direct labour productivity. This was followed by interviewing relevant and key personel who had an involvement in achieving direct labour productivity in the plant. A questionnaire-based research approach was adopted for this purpose and a total of 83 valid survey responses were received from staff in the Uitenhage plant, together with head office staff who directly supported the plant. The questionnaire was designed to identify and test perceptions of employees, regarding the factors of production, identified as sub variables. The research aim was to determine the most practical and effective strategies to improve direct labour productivity. Results were analysed and interpreted after which recommendations were formulated. Findings – Several critical success factors identified as sub variables were tested to understand their impact on direct labour productivity. Empirical results showed that organisational culture, leadership culture, employee engagement, communication and skills, development and training, had a significant effect on direct labour productivity. Respective ratings of these elements were discussed with the focus of improving this going forward. Research limitations/implications – Continued scepticim within JCI about the benefits of direct labour productivity to their business is one of the fundamental limitations this research faces. Originality/value – The novelty of the research project stems from the realization of key factors contributing to the improvement of direct labour productivity within the JCI enviroment. The results would provide JCI with indicators and guidelines for a successful implementation of direct labour productivity initiatives in the Uitenhage plant.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Understanding workplace bullying in SMME's of South Africa
- Authors: Bruère, Hildé
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Bullying in the workplace -- South Africa , Business enterprises -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8844 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020092
- Description: Workplace bullying is a modern day problem which employers cannot afford to ignore. The impact on both the business (or organisation) and individual is of such a nature that research is needed to understand it better and to determine the extent to which it is present in the business or organisation. Research thus far covered the prevalence, consequences and causes of bullying in the organisation. Various methods to counteract and prevent it have been investigated, but with reference to the South African context knowledge is lacking. This study focuses on workplace bullying in SMMEs as very little research has been done in this field. The purpose of this study is to be able to provide a framework for managers as to how to deal, prevent and minimise workplace bullying in SMMEs of South Africa. A convenient sample was selected and information was gathered by means of a questionnaire. A quantitative study was executed and the prevalence of bullying in the SMMEs was established and a number of independent variables were tested. The independent variables researched were managerial training, awareness training, a corporate anti-bullying policy, risk assessment and mediation. The main findings were that bullying in SMMEs is indeed prevalent, but that the independent variables did not deliver significant correlations. The practical implications for managers are that strategies and tools used in larger organisations are not applicable in SMMEs. The workplace environment of the SMME is unique and different methods and tools must be identified and applied in combatting workplace bullying. The contribution of this study is that managers in South Africa across the broad industrial spectrum must realise that bullying is prevalent and that corporate policies and measures must be put in place to address it. It can no longer be ignored and further research on the subject must be encouraged.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Strategy formulation and implementation in non-profit organisations in the Nelson Mandela Municipality
- Authors: Butler, Lauren
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Strategic planning -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Nonprofit organizations -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8866 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020253
- Description: Literature indicates that the sustainability of Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) is important as they provide pivotal services to the community. In this study, the researcher investigates common problems associated with strategy formulation and implementation in NPOs in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. The researcher reports on the importance of strategy within all organisations and outlines a strategy process that can be used as a guide to measure strategic planning in NPOs. In pursuit of conducting qualitative research, a self-constructed questionnaire was used to perform telephonic interviews with managers of NPOs. The study yielded a low response rate, but based on the analysis of the data collected, findings indicate that the main problem is not with strategy formulation or implementation, but with the understanding of the concept of strategic planning. During the interview process, it became evident that there is a common misconception that the annual operations planning constitutes a strategic plan. A major limitation to this study was the absence of a benchmark against which to measure success. Unlike a for-profit organisation where success is measured by profit margins, NPOs have different priorities and therefore successful strategic planning differs from one organisation to another. A recommendation for managers at NPOs is that they start thinking strategically about their organisation, its planning, and methods for doing so (which is discussed in Chapter Five).
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- Date Issued: 2015
An empirical study on staff turnover and retention within Eskom : Eastern Cape Operating Unit
- Authors: Chibba, Rajesh Chagan
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Eskom (Firm) , Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee retention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Job satisfaction -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Career development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:847 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017514
- Description: This research paper is broken up into three sections, namely an evaluation report, a literature review and a description of the research methodology. The evaluation report section is an assessment of the factors that could contribute to staff leaving the organisation and why staff would choose to remain with the organisation. The Distribution Division of Eskom is divided into nine separate Operating Units (OU's), in line with the nine Provinces. According to an Eskom Human Resource Manager (Mjali, 2013), as at March 2012 there were 2231 employees in the Easter Cape Operating Unit, while the staff turnover for the same period was 4.53%. Of the 101 staff that had resigned for the period 01 April 2011 to 31 March 2012, there were 27 transfers, 26 resignations and 30 retirements. The balance of 18 staff that left was due to dismissals and deaths. While the statistics suggest a healthy level of staff turnover at present, given the current pressures that Eskom employees are under, it is important to investigate their future intentions and to see what Eskom can do to continue to retain their services. The literature relating to staff turnover and retention was examined to determine the meaning of the terms retention and turnover and to review the relevant turnover topics that were emerging from the exit interview data. The research conducted was quantitative in nature, and a questionnaire was distributed to all managerial staff within the Eastern Cape Operating Unit of Eskom. The questionnaire was sent electronically to the participants via email with the link to the questionnaire. Participants were requested to respond on questions relating to factors on turnover and retention, and the responses were used to assess employee's intention to either remain with the organisation or to leave. The feedback received was analysed with the use of data analysis in Microsoft Excel (2010). The results of the research showed that there were two distinct themes related to employees' intention to remain with the organisation, namely job satisfaction and career development. On the other end of the scale, themes which would cause staff to want to leave the organisation were the performance management system of the organisation, not being listened to (i.e. to the ideas and views of staff) and leadership (i.e. the way the organisation was being led). Recommendations are made to management. The study also recommends future research that can be done to get greater insight into factors relating to staff turnover and retention. A detailed review of the literature is included in Section two of the report. Only essential components of the literature are included in Section one of report. Section three of the report provided a detailed description of the research design and the research procedure that was followed.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Change management: transformational issues in South-African rugby
- Authors: Erasmus, Innis
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Organizational change -- Management , Rugby football -- South Africa , Sports administration
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/48819 , vital:41143
- Description: The history of the sport rugby evolved from a football game more than a century ago, in England, in a town called Rugby when a young boy by the name of William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran to score a try. In the last two decades in South Africa the transformation process in getting more players of colour in the national team has become a real big issue. The fast changing society since 1995, the year in which the Springboks won their first Rugby World Cup, is according to government and critics not represented in the senior national side. Change management is a business management approach to implement procedures to deal with changes and to be able to reach the desired future state by profiting from the changing opportunities. SARU wants to address these issues and changes with their Strategic Transformational Plan. The purpose of this treatise was to study the perception of the junior players on the changes in rugby and the STP. The key drivers which will have influences on change management within the sport organisation were examined by the research. With the research objectives in mind a literature review was performed to create and develop a hypothesized model, which could be tested by the design of a measuring instrument which collected quantitative data for statistical results and analysis. The interpretation of the results of the research showed that Engagement, Coaching and Mentoring, Medical and Healthcare, Education/Schooling and Culture have positive associations and influences on change management. Transformational plans, Conditioning and nutrition’s relationship with change management and influences were accepted for the null hypotheses. Finally, change management and the various issues of transformation in SA Rugby showed to be valuable, measurable to a certain extent, and its recommendations actionable. The practical significant differences between the perceptions of the race groups (White, Coloured and African) illustrated valuable information for future communications and possible studies. This study and its proposed model on change management was a benefit to all the stakeholders and sport organisation going through changes and transformation in South Africa.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Business events for the citizens of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Bay
- Authors: Hastie, Dean
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Place marketing -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth. , Sightseeing business -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7554 , vital:21810
- Description: The effective application of destination marketing strategies leads to increased business activity within a city. This in turn leads to higher attainment levels of social and economic development. It can therefore be said that destination marketing strategies are an essential factor in the growth and functioning of a city. The objective of destination marketing is the city’s image or identity which in turn is the starting point for developing the city’s brand. Cities require an identity. It is crucial that a city has a unique identity with which visitors, tourists and residents can relate to. Examples of these unique city identities are Los Angeles which is known as the City of Angels and Florence which is known as the City of Lilies. The image of a place influences people’s perceptions and choices when visiting, living and conducting business in a specific city. The city’s image and brand serves as a conduit for city residents to identify with their city. The essence of the brand must be discovered, identified, brought to the surface and not imagined, created or added from the outside through an artificial process. Cities that make use of effective destination marketing strategies have endured a considerable increase in business and leisure activities. Notably, business events are important attractions and drivers for activity in many destinations. Multiple parties designing a brand strategy for a city should thoroughly assess the resources and assets a city possesses. A city branding strategy can enable a city to leverage its ‘tangible and non-tangible assets‟. In order for business tourism to develop in South Africa, it is essential that players within the sector have a thorough understanding of international dynamics in order to capitalise on the opportunities that are provided in South Africa. Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa is a city with vast potential. The city is ideal as a tourist destination as it is situated along the Sunshine coast of South Africa. It could be said of the city that it is on the threshold of rising eminence in the coming decades. This treatise investigates the approach and success factors for a successful rebranding of Nelson Mandela Bay through business events as part of a destination marketing strategy. The treatise will ascertain which business events residents of the Nelson Mandela Bay would require and support. A survey was conducted among citizens of Nelson Mandela Bay using a questionnaire from which 952 responses were received. The questionnaire measured the respondents’ attitudes to which types of business events they would require and support their feelings on the brand identity of the city as well as the communication medium they would like to receive communication through. The findings of this study indicate that residents of Nelson Mandela Bay are open to the use of business events as the main driver in terms of business event attendance and support. Furthermore, the residents have made it clear they will support exhibitions, conventions and tradeshows. Facebook and local radio are identified as being the preferred communication method for hearing about events.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Job satisfaction levels of health care professionals in a public hospital
- Authors: Hendricks, Janine Jolene
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Job satisfaction Medical personnel -- Job satisfaction Medical personnel -- Attitudes
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11058 , vital:26881
- Description: Health care professionals play a pivotal role in contributing towards the sustainability of a healthy economy and the standard of quality health care. It is therefore important that organisations understand what influences the job satisfaction levels of health care professionals as it could have an impact on their motivational levels and ultimately the quality of health care that is provided. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of job satisfaction amongst health care professionals in a public hospital in the Eastern Cape. Research for this study included a literature review to define what job satisfaction is and to establish a theoretical foundation to identify the factors that influence job satisfaction. Various motivational theories were explored after which Herzberg’s two-factor theory was identified to serve as a theoretical basis for investigating the job content and organisational factors that influence job satisfaction. Selected demographic factors that could possibly influence levels of job satisfaction were also identified. An empirical study, consisting of a survey with a questionnaire as measuring instrument, was conducted amongst 146 health care professionals at a public hospital in the Eastern Cape. The purpose of the questionnaire was to determine the extent to which job content factors and organisational factors that were associated with job satisfaction were present in the jobs of health care professionals in state hospitals. In addition, the purpose was also to determine whether selected demographic variables had an influence on the responses provided to the factors that were associated with job satisfaction and the job satisfaction levels of the target group. The major findings of the study indicated that all job content and organisational factors had an influence on the job satisfaction levels of health care professionals in a public hospital. Three factors namely Achievement, Responsibility and Work itself were identified to have a significant positive influence on the job satisfaction levels. Relationships between the demographic variables and the job content and organisational factors were identified. Work itself, Responsibility and Achievement were the top three factors whilst leadership/supervision, Human Resource systems and policies and Remuneration and benefits were the bottom three factors in terms of presence in the organisation and influence on the job satisfaction levels of health care professionals. Safety aspects, work environment standards, availability of resources, remuneration and benefits were amongst the major concerns highlighted. The job content factors were identified to be overall more present than the organisational factors. Recommendations were suggested to address the areas of concern that were highlighted in this study in order to ensure high levels of job satisfaction amongst the health care professionals.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Using experience from previous failed implementations to improve future lean implementation strategy
- Authors: Hiles, Charmelle Amanda
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing -- Management Production planning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/11047 , vital:26880
- Description: The main objective of the study was to ascertain the presence of the identified critical success factors for lean sustainability in a chemical manufacturing company in Port Elizabeth. The critical success factors that formed part of the research included leadership involvement and commitment, management involvement and commitment, employee engagement and organisational culture. The methodology used was one of a positivistic approach. A questionnaire was utilized and the responses were analyzed using various statistical methods. Based on the results from the analysis, recommendations and conclusions could be drawn. The inferential results of the study indicated that all the critical success factors identified for this study were present within the organisation. However, there were still a large percentage of respondents that remained neutral across all the questions which could indicate reasons why previous attempts in lean implementation failed. The recommendations provided were based on the findings of the study. An implementation strategy was identified and outlined. This strategy and recommendations will assist in providing a sound platform for a sustainable lean initiative within the organisation.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Assessing ecological intelligence and behaviours in organisations
- Authors: Hill, Hayden Clee
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Sustainable development -- Management , Social responsibility of business , Executive ability
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8284 , vital:26319
- Description: The earth has been undergoing a process of global warming and climate change for a period exceeding 100 years. These two occurrences have had many adverse effects on the sustainability of the environment as well as on humans and organisations. The direct cause of global warming and climate change, including the consequential negative ramifications, are due to humans use of natural resources mostly in the form of the consumption of products and services. Organisations are regarded as the largest consumers of products and services within society and as a result are responsible for the major contributions made to global warming and climate change. In order to rectify the negative impact made by organisations in terms of their ecological behaviour and ensure organisational sustainability theory, stipulates that a behavioural change within leadership is required. Ecologically intelligent leaders who hold an affirmation of an ecological worldview and enact pro-ecological behaviours are pivotal to the proliferation of ecological leadership and a subsequent rise in organisational pro-ecological behaviour, towards a sustainable future. On the basis of the above mentioned statements, gained from various literature, a conceptual model was formed and an exploratory research study undertaken to substantiate the presence of correlational or causal relationships between a leader’s ecological intelligence with the enactment of ecological leadership and organisational pro-ecological behaviour. The sample consisted of 42 respondents who occupied positions of leadership within organisations that were members of the Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency. The findings provide substantiating evidence of the presence of ecological intelligence within leadership, the enactment of ecological leadership as well as organisational pro-ecological behaviour. Furthermore significant correlational relationships exist between ecological leadership and organisational pro-ecological behaviour. There is also substantiating indication that the enablers of a leader’s ecological intelligence, an affirmation of an ecological worldview and pro-ecological behaviour, facilitate the outcome of organisational pro-ecological behaviour.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Exploring of a succession planning framework for women in the South African aviation industry
- Authors: Hoffman, Confidence Lydia
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Women executives , Women in development , Women -- Employment , Sex role in the work environment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8272 , vital:26318
- Description: Women globally are seen as key contributors to the economic development and ‘bottom-line’ of businesses, but their presence and representation is still lacking in senior positions and the boardroom. Although after 20 years of democracy, the South African government has made significant progress towards empowering women in all spheres of business, inequalities and imbalances remain huge stumbling blocks. Embracing diversity and advocating gender equality makes business sense; this includes developing women as leaders through effectively implementing succession planning. Research shows that most companies have a succession plan document in place, but whether it is correctly implemented and effective remains to be investigated. A company’s leadership and human resources management together need to create a robust succession planning framework which aligns the vision of the company and talent management. The purpose of this research study was to determine the perceived success of succession planning for women in businesses in South Africa. The study’s primary objective was to develop and explore a succession planning framework for women in the South African Aviation Industry. A detailed literature review was conducted on women in business, leadership and succession planning. A qualitative case study approach was used as the most appropriate research methodology for this study to test whether the six propositions developed by the researcher applied to this single case or not. A questionnaire was developed to be used as a guide when interviewing the female respondents. The results were analysed and based on the findings, recommendations were made for further research. The main finding of this research was that the selected company lacks the correct implementation of the succession planning process. A possible solution to this issue would be the recruitment of a succession planning coordinator who has strong knowledge of the company’s policies, procedures and culture to establish strategies to roll out the succession planning programme.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Destination marketing: George
- Authors: Hunt, Norman William
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Place marketing -- South Africa -- George , Branding (Marketing) -- South Africa -- George , George (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5604 , vital:20914
- Description: A destination is often given its identity by its brand name, creating an image thereof in the customers’ minds which means that destinations exist not only physically but also mentally in the minds of people. Destination marketers play a role in the creation of the images of such destinations which is dependent on what the destination offers in its depth and breadth. Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) should be able to not only understand their destination’s offerings but also who they are targeting and how they should market the destination. DMOs have evolved to become more than mere destination information providers as considerable destination information is now created by fellow travellers which are shared via social networks. The most important change resulting from adopting the concept of social capital in the context of tourism would be that tourism scholars and DMOs become aware of the importance of resources obtained through an individual’s social interactions. Despite the fact that the town of George has a number of attributes it is able to market to potential visitors, it does however not automatically make it a desired destination. The main objective of this treatise is to determine what would give George its marketable destination identity which will be achieved by gaining an understanding of the local residents’ viewpoints of George and to measure them according to specific attributes which are carefully formulated in a survey questionnaire. This treatise aims to determine what George can do to create a destination identity and how such an identity can be applied in the successful marketing of George as a destination town. It is an exploratory quantitative study consisting of literature and case study components used to test proposed hypotheses. It aims to provide guidance to the destination marketers by way of researched literature on the topic of destination marketing as well as offer empirical data gathered from responses to a survey conducted with local residents of George which is focused on creating a destination identity through its business, cultural and sporting events. Based on the statistical analysis of the survey results it will be shown that a relationship exists between Destination Marketing and Events, Branding and Media,which plays a pivotal role in the successful marketing of such events and thereby the brand image of the destination. Based on the literature findings and the empirical data gained for this treatise it was shown that events can be used to create a new brand image for a town like George which already possesses a natural beauty and friendly people. Examples will be discussed where destinations throughout the world have managed to change their brand without changing their environment, from which they have gained a new destination brand. George can strategically convert what it already has to become the destination of choice in terms of intra-town activities and events which could not only enhance its own economy but also that of the surrounding towns. The geographic location of George and that of the Surrounding tourist attractive towns make it possible to design and implement intra-town events with relative ease. As found in researched literature, the residents should be made part of any destination marketing campaign. These events should be designed to incorporate the surrounding towns to capitalise on the concept of intra-town events where George becomes the main centre but uses outlying towns to lure tourist. Respondents to the survey indicate that they somewhat agree that George has sufficient infrastructure to host sports (μ = 3.77), cultural (μ = 3.61) and business events (μ = 3.88) and that hosting such events in George would create job opportunities. The responses for all three event types in this regard have a mean value above μ = 4. Respondents indicated that religious events are deemed the most important (mean value μ = 4.25) while also indicating that they agreed with a mean value of μ = 4.18 that entrance fees influence their decision to attend events. The empirical research conducted in George was designed to gain a representative viewpoint of its residents in terms of what they deem the identity of George to be, the main objective (ROM) of which was to determine what would give George its destination identity. The composite image of the residents of George was measured according to specific attributes which were carefully formulated in the survey.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Enhancing project success using an organisational architecture approach
- Authors: Jonker, Martin
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Project management , Strategic planning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4101 , vital:20512
- Description: Poor project performance creates a dilemma for managers in both the public and private sectors. Much research has been conducted on project success, but the relationship between organisational architecture and project success has not been fully explored. This led to the main research question of the study, which was: How can project success be better explained and understood from the perspective of organisational architecture theory? A literature review was conducted on the nature of projects, the project environment, and how project success can be defined and measured, including a discussion on success criteria and critical success factors. Organisational architecture was broken down into its core components. These components were further categorised into structural, operational or procedural, and behavioural (culture, motivation and leadership) components after which literature within each of these components were analysed and discussed. The study used a positivistic paradigm and collected quantitative data that was statistically analysed. An electronic questionnaire was successfully launched and distributed via an email link, which worked through the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) web survey system. This was done within the framework of built environment projects that are typically implemented through partnerships between the public and private sector. A satisfactory response rate was obtained from built environment professionals in South Africa to allow inference of the sample results to the population. The following hypotheses were tested in this study: H1.1: The perception of South African built environment professionals is that there is a significant relationship between organisational structure and project success. H1.2: The perception of South African built environment professionals is that there is a significant relationship between the use and application of traditional operations management tools and techniques and project success. H1.3: The perception of South African built environment professionals is that there is a significant relationship between organisational culture and project success. H1.4: The perception of South African built environment professionals is that there is a significant relationship between motivation and project success. H1.5: The perception of South African built environment professionals is that there is a significant relationship between leadership and project success. An analysis of the survey results revealed that, according to South African built environment professionals, there is an overall significant relationship between organisational architecture and project success. Following an overview of the main findings, an Organisational Architecture – Project Success (OAPS) framework was presented as a recommendation of how to better explain and understand the relationship between organisational architecture and project success.
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- Date Issued: 2015
The relationship between organisational culture, transformational leadership and organisational change outcomes in private intensive care units
- Authors: Jordan, Portia Janine
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Corporate culture , Organizational change , Leadership , Organizational effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6401 , vital:21082
- Description: In order for organisations to grow and maintain their competitive advantage, change has become the norm. The healthcare industry and especially private healthcare organisations, is no exception. Organisational change often implies a change in organisational culture. The concept of culture refers to the ways of thinking, values and ideas of things rather than the concrete, objective and more visible part of the organisation. Organisational culture is not to be viewed in isolation as culture and leadership are intertwined. Leaders shape cultures and their fundamental role is affecting others and making changes that increase organisational efficiency and performance. Patient safety, cost-effective care based on the best available evidence and patient satisfaction are top priorities of healthcare organisations, especially intensive care units where critically ill patients are cared for. Alignment of the organisational culture and leadership with a hospital‘s vision, namely to deliver quality patient care, is thus essential. A positivistic research paradigm, with a quantitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual approach was used to conduct the study. The study explored whether transformational organisational culture, leadership and desired organisational change outcomes existed in private intensive care units in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan and East London areas. It aimed at exploring the relationship between selected demographic variables, culture, leadership and organisational change outcomes. Lastly, the relationship between organisational culture and leadership (independent variables) and organisational change outcomes (dependent variable) was explored. The sample comprised 130 professional nurses who were selected from all the adult intensive care units in the private healthcare industry in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan and East London areas. A structured questionnaire with a Cronbach‘s alpha of more than 0.8 was used to collect data. The empirical results indicated that transformational leadership and a conducive organisational culture existed in the private intensive care units sampled. However, it was found that innovation and innovative care practices could be improved. Care practices were not necessarily aligned with the latest, available innovative techniques, procedures and practices. Reflective practices and in-service training to improve care practices and encourage and promote innovative care practices were not always optimised. Recommendations related to the findings were made for managers, as well as for research, education and practice. Ethical principles were maintained throughout the study.
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- Date Issued: 2015
A frame for improving employee commitment to a sustainability strategy
- Authors: Kanyi, Juliet
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Employee morale , Strategic planning , Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3832 , vital:20467
- Description: The changing business environment has increasingly driven organisations to incorporate sustainability into their corporate strategy for them to remain competitive. The economic, social and environmental goals and objectives of the organisation are now being factored into corporate strategy. This is as a result of the opportunities presented with the adoption of sustainability as a strategy and the threats caused by failure to adopt sustainability within their corporate strategy. For organisations to reap any benefits of incorporating sustainability, successful implementation of the strategy is needed. The role employees’ play in the implementation process of the sustainability strategy is critical. For successful implementation of the strategy, employee commitment is required as they have to adjust their actions and behaviours to be congruent with those required for the successful implementation of the sustainability strategy. However literature suggests that employees have received little attention in past research in regard to sustainability especially in emerging markets where research on sustainability has been limited. For this reason, the research problem for this study was how employee commitment can be improved towards the implementation of the sustainability strategy in their day-to-day operations. To achieve this objective, a conceptual framework was developed by investigating the organisational factors that impact on employee commitment to implementing sustainability in their day-to-day activities. To develop the conceptual framework, a literature review was conducted. The conceptual framework served as a basis for the construction of the questionnaire, to determine the nature of employee commitment to sustainability, to what extent they were implementing sustainability in their day-to-day activities and finally for the employees who were committed and were implementing sustainability what were the organisational factors that influenced their commitment to the sustainability strategy. The questionnaire was distributed to employees of different organisations in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan area who were MBA students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. The findings of the empirical study indicate that the majority (75.5%) of the respondents were committed to all the tenets of sustainability, and were implementing the sustainability strategy. Though there were trade-offs in how the sustainability strategy was implemented, with the economic aspect having precedence where 84.5% of the respondents were implementing it, 70% of the respondents were implementing the social aspect of sustainability and 72.2% implementing the environmental tenet of sustainability. The organisational factors that influenced employee commitment to sustainability as was developed in the conceptual framework were all positively confirmed by the findings of the empirical study. Employee socialisation had the highest influence on commitment, followed by leadership, culture, communication, sustainability programmes and finally performance management. Formal and informal socialisation in the form of training and influence from experienced employees was the leading organisational factor that influenced commitment. The different roles top and middle management played in regard to sustainability followed. The organisational culture that existed in the organisation and the internal communication that was received all contributed to employee commitment to sustainability. The sustainability programmes in place and performance management systems in place were all organisational factors contributing to employee commitment to sustainability.
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- Date Issued: 2015