Strategic leadership within the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Association between 1988 and 2004
- Authors: Andrew, Craig Bruce
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Duke of Edinburgh's Award (Organization) Duke of Edinburgh's Award -- History Nonprofit organizations -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:764 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003885
- Description: Providing strategic leadership for global Not-for-Profit organisations poses great challenges to the leadership structures of these voluntary organisations. This study looks at the phenomenon of strategic leadership in the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DOE) International Award Association (IAA) as a global Not-for-Profit Organisation (NPO). The main aim of the research was an in-depth examination of the processes involved in leadership at the top level in a global NPO. Eight strategic leaders from the top management team were interviewed. Further information was generated from a study of the Annual Reports spanning the 15 year period (1988/9 – 2003/4), and key strategic documents were used as supporting material. The research was conducted in a phenomenological paradigm, using the case study research method. Care was taken to minimize possible researcher bias and interpretations, as the researcher has been associated with this organisation for the past 18 years. It was found that the Royal Family play extremely valuable and multifaceted roles in the organisation. The triumvirate of The Royals; The Secretary General’s; and The Trustees; works well as individual ‘great groups’ yet when necessary, they form a collective collaborative grouping to effect strategic leadership for the IAA. The two main themes to emerge from the findings were the nature of the DOE as a global NPO and the role of strategic leadership in the DOE Award. The DOE Award has demonstrated that it has many unique strategic leadership features and is using these features to become more business-like in the application of its new strategic vision. The individual ‘great groups’ offer sound leadership throughout the process of overseeing and running the business of the DOE Award yet, when necessary and appropriate, these great groups appear to work collectively, perhaps in an unstructured manner, as the triumvirate of power. Their collective collaborative leadership is a unique feature of the DOE Award. The highly interactive role of the Royal Family is unique and sets the DOE Award apart from other similar youth organisations globally. The nature of the loose association of National Award Authorities all subscribing to the rules and conditions of association is also a very unique feature of this NPO. The DOE Award is not a movement organisation but is guided by its service ethic. The DOE Award is a service organisation in which the strategic leadership plays a crucial role yet the constitutional power resides with the International Award Association membership. This IAA membership meets every three years at the World Forum Triennium to approve all new policy and procedures.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
A critical analysis of the management of climate change risk among short-term insurers in South Africa: evidence from company annual reports
- Authors: Banda, Musale Hamangaba
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Insurance companies -- South Africa -- Case studies Risk (Insurance) -- South Africa Risk management -- Evaluation -- South Africa Insurance companies -- South Africa -- Management South Africa -- Economic conditions -- 1991 -- Environmental aspects Climatic changes -- Risk assessment -- South Africa Disaster insurance -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:792 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003943
- Description: This study investigates the extent to which South African short-term insurance companies manage climate change risk, as evidenced in their annual and sustainability reporting. The study context takes into account the fact that the world’s climate has been changing at a more accelerated rate since the early 1970s, causing disasters that have negatively affected world economies in the last ten years. Insurers, due to their huge financial resource base, long history of spurring innovation around risk and encouraging loss-reducing behaviour as well as high levels of vulnerability, have been identified as one industry that could lead societies in finding solutions to climate change risk. A key element of such a corporate resolve involves taking a leadership position which makes business sense for insurers. As such, this research analyses how innovative solutions to change-related problems could result in reduced exposure to climate change in line with corporate triple bottom line objectives. Based on a purposive sampling of short-term insurance companies operating in the South African market during the 2007 financial year, the study uses the companies’ annual and sustainability reports in order to critically assess evidence of climate change-related performance. The assessment is undertaken against the best practice indicators of climate change risk management, as defined by Ceres – a global researcher on climate change management in the business context. The data analysis is largely qualitative, consisting of a narrative presentation of the results and a conceptual application of the results to the triple bottom line which forms the theoretical framework of this study. The study finds that the South African short-term insurers were generally not living up to the climate change management ideals, in comparison to their multinational counterparts. For the South African short-term insurers, corporate strategic product innovation and planning was insignificant. Also negligible was board involvement, as well as CEO involvement, though in at least one case of the 4 local short-term insurance, there was evidence of extensive CEO involvement in climate change risk management. On the whole, these findings represent a lapse in corporate governance inasmuch as climate change risk management is concerned. Local short-term insurers generally performed well in the area of public disclosure, with their scores ranging from insignificant to extensive. In contrast, multinational short-term insurers’ performance with regard to climate change risk intervention ranged from insignificant tointegrated, across the five governance areas of board oversight, management execution, public disclosure, emissions accounting and strategic planning. As such, the study broadly recommends that short-term insurers in South Africa should make climate change part of their overall risk management strategies in order for them to remain competitive in an environment of increased climate change-related risk. More specifically, the research project recommends that the local insurers should proactively lead climate change mitigation measures through, for instance, investing in clean energy projects and incentivising their clients’ participation in the carbon market to prepare themselves for possible regulatory restrictions after the Copenhagen climate change conference planned for December 2009. This study also challenges insurers to help communities and as well as other businesses in their value chain to reduce their negative impacts on the world’s climate and to be more resilient against disasters which may arise from the high levels of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. Further, it recommends that insurers should create internal board and executive level climate change-related structures, as these will facilitate the integration of the proposed initiatives into their overall sustainability strategies. Above all, the study recommends that insurers should enhance the reporting of their climate change-related risk, opportunities and initiatives to improve their integrity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Leading strategic change: driving the transformation in the provision of legal services to the Eastern Cape Provincial government
- Authors: Beningfield, Perry Guy
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Eastern Cape (South Africa) -- Politics and government Legal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Organizational change Strategic planning Leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:755 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003876
- Description: Effective change leadership is important to any organisation undergoing fundamental transformation. In particular, the ability of senior public sector leaders to successfully drive strategic change is crucial to meeting the developmental and service delivery challenges faced by the Province of the Eastern Cape in ensuring the effective, efficient and innovative government demanded by all its various stakeholders. The creation on 3 October of a Shared Legal Service situated in the Office of the Premier provided a unique opportunity to examine the leadership of this change initiative in the context of the organisational culture that existed in the provincial public service. This thesis consequently probes the phenomenon of effective change leadership by means of an examination of the understandings of the three change agents involved in driving the transformation of the provision of legal advisory services to the provincial administration and its constituent departments. The picture which emerges from the insights of the participants is one that casts a shadow over the validity of the contemporary theory of transformational leadership. Furthermore, the research conducted has identified the need to view the nature of effective change leadership through a more nuanced, situation-specific lens: one that appreciates the role of relationships and emotions, and that recognises the importance of culture and its impact on the success of organisational transformation. The case study of the Shared Legal Service change initiative provides useful insights into the many and varied challenges faced by public sector leaders in driving strategic transformation in the provincial administration. It offers an example of successful change leadership and demonstrates the need for change agents within the public service to harness more emotionally resonant and relational forms of leadership if they are to soar to new heights in meeting the service delivery expectations of all who look to provincial government to deliver the fruits of democracy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
The antecedents of customer satisfaction in a financial institution : a qualitative study
- Authors: Bleske, Adrian
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Standard Bank Properties , Banks and banking -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- Customer services -- South Africa , Financial services industry -- South Africa , Bank management -- South Africa , Banks and banking -- Customer services -- Effect of marketing on
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:840 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015482
- Description: The following is a case study report on the Cape Town business unit of Standard Bank Properties. The research project falls within the ambit of services marketing which introduces several unique management challenges for service businesses that sell services as a core offering. The principal aim of the case study is to gain an understanding of why customers bank at the business unit and to discover what aspects are critical to customer satisfaction. A further goal of the research is to examine how the business unit could improve customer satisfaction and to highlight any impediments to further improving customer satisfaction at the business unit. It is generally regarded that quality customer service is essential to building customer relationships and hence the research project emphasis on services marketing and customer satisfaction within a financial services context. The paper commences with an overview of the South African Banking Sector and its unique challenges such as the Financial Service Charter and newly introduced legislation such as Financial Intelligence Centre Act. The case study will specifically investigate the property finance industry and a detailed analysis of the business unit's operations and process flow will also be undertaken. The reason for this background information is to assist the reader to understand how the business unit operates. The research project will investigate four unique differences between goods marketing and services marketing whereafter three theoretical propositions are introduced, namely the dyadic interaction and service encounter, the Service Profit Chain and finally Relationship Marketing. Evidence in the form of a narrative will be led from insights obtained from interviews conducted with customers and staff at the business unit against these propositions with support (or otherwise) from independent surveys and documents from the business unit. The result of this analysis is the identification of several areas of concern specifically: New employees and the service encounter, Problems with FICA, Lack of a customer complaint handling system, Empowerment issues, Turnaround times, Reliance on key staff These insights together with the evidence from the literature review will be analysed and several recommendations made to improve customer service and ultimately customer satisfaction at the business unit. Several recommendations for further research are offered as well as the identification of limitations including but not limited to the specificity of the case study report.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
An empirical investigation of the extension of servqual to measure internal service quality in a motor vehicle manufacturing setting
- Authors: Booi, Arthur Mzwandile
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Automobile industry and trade -- Quality control -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Automobile industry and trade -- Customer services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Automobile industry and trade -- Quality control -- Statistical methods Customer services -- Quality control Automobile industry and trade -- Quality assurance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Consumer satisfaction Industrial productivity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:801 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006139
- Description: This research explores the role, which the construct, service quality plays in an internal marketing setting. This is achieved by evaluating the perceptions and expectations of the production department with regards to the service quality provided by the maintenance department of a South African motor vehicle manufacturer. This was done using the INTSERVQUAL instrument, which was found to be a reliable instrument for measuring internal service quality within this context. A positivist approach has been adopted in conducting this research. There are two main hypotheses for this study: the first hypothesis is concerned with the relationship between the overall internal service quality and the five dimensions of service quality namely: tangibles, empathy, reliability, responsiveness and reliability. The second hypothesis focuses on the relationship between the front line staff segments of the production department and the five dimensions of internal service quality. The results of this research suggest that the perceptions and expectations of internal service customer segments plays a major role in achieving internal service quality. In addition, the importance of the INTSERVQUAL instrument in measuring internal service quality within the motor vehicle manufacturing environment is confirmed.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
Goat production in the Northern Cape: what are the impacts of farmer training?
- Authors: Burgess, Roberta
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Northern Cape (South Africa) Animal culture -- South Africa -- Northern Cape -- Management Animal culture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Northern Cape Goat farmers -- South Africa -- Northern Cape -- Education
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:747 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003868
- Description: The main millennium development goal is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger in the world by 2015. South Africa is one of the countries that signed this pledge at the millennium summit in 2000. The Department of Agriculture, has initiated a number of projects to assist farmers and communities with reaching this goal. In the Northern Cape, the commercialization of goats is one such anchor project. The major activities of this project is to train farmers in applied and appropriate production practices, assist them with accessing markets and supporting them with improved livestock. The main aim of this research was to evaluate whether the project has achieved its outcome and whether this outcome, is having an impact on the livelihoods of the farmers involved in the project. After reviewing the literature on evaluation research and programme evaluation across time, the different paradigms and approaches, participatory methodology was used in this study. A case study approach was applied to evaluate the outcomes and effects of the training received by farmers, as part of the commercialization of goats programme. The results of the study proved that the training received by members of the Campbell Agricultural Co-operative Enterprises, changed their goat production practices. The training also had a secondary impact. Trained farmers were imparting (technology transfer) their acquired knowledge to other members of the co-operative. This appeared very effective as all members of the cooperative were farming more scientifically. These changes to the production practices had a positive impact on the livelihoods of the farmers, as their animals were of a better quality and they were able to sell their animals at different markets and for better prices. This has however not commercialized their farming operations as they are still faced with many challenges. These challenges are the lack of a proper marketing structure, access to financial assistance, proper infrastructure and adequate transport for the animals to mention a few. If the Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs is serious about assisting these farmers to move from the status of “emerging farmer” to “commercial farmer” they will have to look at addressing the problems experienced with financial access and access to adequate and appropriate transport.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
The value of a Rhodes University degree and securing employment
- Authors: Chambers, Tracy Laura
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Rhodes University -- Graduate students -- Employment Education, Higher -- South Africa Graduate students -- Employment -- South Africa Labor supply -- Effect of education on -- South Africa Economic development -- Effect of education on -- South Africa Labor market -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:769 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003890
- Description: In South Africa, reform policies and frameworks introduced since the 1994 democratic election have sought to bring about change to a highly ineffective and unfair system. In spite of all the changes which have occurred, however, there is evidence to suggest that the system is still not functioning as effectively as it might, given that a relatively large number of graduates remain unemployed in a country with a high skills shortage. This thesis aims to explore the experiences of graduates from one university, Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape, as they enter the job market. It does this through the administration of a first job destination survey administered at the 2009 Graduation Ceremonies held in Grahamstown. Analysis of the survey takes into account the idea that it is not a degree per se, or even a degree from a prestigious university which brings employment, but also the social, cultural and human capital that graduates can bring to their job search.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
The value of the middleman in the supply chain of South African tyre production
- Authors: Cornelius, André G
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Tires -- Industrialists -- South Africa Tire Industry -- South Africa Commercial agents -- South Africa Business logistics -- Management -- South Africa Physical distribution of goods -- Management Commercial agents -- South Africa Marketing channels -- Management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:770 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003891
- Description: Only a few middlemen linking chemical intermediate product supply to world tyre productions have managed to survive new direct business models. In fact, the only region, where the practice of using a middleman in the supply chain of tyre production, for a certain primary manufacturer, is in South Africa. Tyre producers in other world regions, similar in market complexity to South Africa, have experienced the elimination of the middleman. Hence the question of this research, why is the middleman in the supply chain of tyre production in South Africa still a better option than that of direct business models? To begin with, the thesis stated that the middleman in the supply chain of South African tyre producers delivers better value than that of the direct business model. To prove/disprove this thesis, the principle that value is a trade-off between what you get for what you give was the basis of this research (Zeithaml, 1998). Further, a model was developed, from secondary literature, to conceptualise this trade-off to provide evidence to prove/disprove that the middleman provides greater value than value from the direct business model. From this point, the research approach was to collect data through interviews to find out the most important aspect of value created by the middleman. Data collected were analysed, using the structure of the model as a guide, to find evidence of the trade-off. This analysis provided evidence that the relationship between the middleman and the tyre producers in South Africa and between the middleman and primary product supplier is the value that the direct business model cannot replace.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
The role of strategic leadership in Coega Development Corporation: a case study
- Authors: Davids, Mogamad Sadiek
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Coega Development Corporation Industrial development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Strategic planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:763 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003884
- Description: South Africa became a democracy after its election in April 1994. Thereafter, the country faced the daunting task of trying to fast-track economic growth and addressing social challenges. The Department of Trade and Industry was mandated by the newly elected government to spearhead economic development in order to address these challenges. Trade policy instruments such as industrial development zones formed part of government’s strategic economic instruments to achieve economic reform. The Coega Industrial Development Zone (CIDZ) near Port Elizabeth was one of many economic development zones created principally to promote export orientated manufacturing. The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) was registered as a company to develop, operate and manage the CIDZ. The literature suggests that strategic leadership is important for organizational success. Strategic leadership is described as the ability to influence others to make day-to-day voluntary decisions that enhance long-term viability while maintaining short term financial stability. Literature further suggests that strategic leaders deal with the evolution of organizations and their changing aims and transform them through their capabilities and strategic leadership roles such as being a figurehead, spokesperson, team builder, design school planner and so on. The aim of this research is to analyse the role of strategic leadership with the objectives to ascertain whether strategic leadership contributed to the success of the development of CDC, and identify possible challenges they are confronted with in the execution of their leadership duties. This research was conducted from an interpretivist perspective as the researcher attempted to develop insight into how the strategic leadership of CDC viewed and understood their role. The strategic leadership of CDC, who were the focus of this study, consisted of the executive management team of the organization, including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The research design was in the form of a case study of the CDC leadership, with data collected through semi-structured interviews and documents. The most prominent roles exercised by the leadership of CDC included creating a vision and strategy development and inculcating a teamwork corporate culture. Other roles identified include that of team builder, fostering innovation and developing human capital etc. A lack of stakeholder management as well as managing the culture of the organization as it expands and grows, remain critical challenges. Finally recommendations are made together with suggestions for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
An empirical study of client satisfaction with service recovery within a South African banking institution
- Authors: Davies, Gareth M
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: First National Bank of Southern Africa Banks and banking -- South Africa Bank management -- South Africa Financial services industry -- South Africa Banks and banking -- Customer services -- South Africa Banks and banking -- Customer services -- Effect of marketing on
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:725 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003845
- Description: In many industries, service is the critical determinant of success or failure. Service failure is almost inevitable, and this has the potential for the organisation to lose its customer. However, if implemented successfully, Service Recovery can rectify the breakdown in service, and turn angry, frustrated customers into loyal ones. Service Recovery is vital for profitability, especially for companies operating in the services market, like First National Bank (FNB). Unfortunately, few service firms know how satisfied customers are with their Service Recovery efforts, and FNB is no exception. This study attempted to rectify the situation, to ensure that the bank does not fail its customers a second time. The major focus of the study is to assess client satisfaction with Service Recovery (SR) from FNB. By using the RECOVSAT instrument (developed by Boshoff in 1999), the study aims to establish how effective FNB was in terms of the six dimensions of SR, namely communication, empowerment, feedback, atonement, explanation, and tangibles. The relationship between each of the dimensions and customer satisfaction, as well as between customer satisfaction and loyalty, was measured, and a hypothesis for each relationship rejected or accepted. The empirical results show that, from 702 complainants, a RECOVSAT score of 68% was computed, which could be regarded as only satisfactory. The dimensions of communication, explanation, atonement, and empowerment, had the strongest positive correlation with customer satisfaction, while feedback and tangibles, although positively correlated, were not statistically significant, and thus not as important as the first four dimensions. FNB performed best on tangibles (81%), then communication (75%), explanation (70%), atonement (68%), empowerment (62%), and lastly feedback (51%). The study reinforced the view that customer satisfaction is positively related to loyalty. Other findings were that, administration and errors were the most frequent complaints, followed by pricing, fees, and interest, while time delays/waiting were the third most numerous. Over 54% of complainants had been with the bank for over 10 years, which could be a problem if the customers had left the bank, as the profitability of a customer generally increases with time. Age and gender did not appear to be factors that influenced behaviour of complainants. In terms of the managerial implications, it is recommended that FNB implement a Customer-Complaint-Handling (CCH) system that is both national and inter-group. The bank should also focus on empowering employees, improving communication skills, explaining to customers why the problem occurred, apologising, and offering some atonement. By adopting the recommendations, FNB should improve their service recovery, and as a consequence, their customer satisfaction and loyalty, and profitability should also increase.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
An appraisal of the Department of Provincial and Local Government's management and coordination of Donor Assistance Programs to local government in South Africa
- Authors: Dzengwa, Simphiwe
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: South Africa. Dept. of Provincial & Local Government , Local government -- South Africa , Municipal government -- South Africa , Economic assistance -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government , South Africa -- Foreign relations
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:816 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007923
- Description: This study is a contribution to the ongoing debate concerning the role and involvement of foreign donor entities in the processes of transforming and creating viable and sustainable municipal entities in South Africa. The discussion particularly focuses on the relationship between the donor community and the Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) and how this relationship has been nurtured, coordinated and managed. The study acknowledges the challenges pertaining to local government transformation and the role and mandate assigned to the DPLG by the South African Constitution and the Presidential Coordinating Council (PCC) for it to facilitate the creation of developmental local government. In discussing this, consideration is given to capacity and resource constraints within the Department, which necessitate that it collaborates closely with other stakeholders, particularly donors, in seeking to augment its resource base and capacity. The Department's lack of capacity is further complicated by the various pieces of legislation, which have a serious bearing on how municipalities have to work - irrespective of their capacity and resources limitations. The research also focuses on how this relationship, between the DPLG and foreign aid donors working in the local government sector, is coordinated and managed. From evidence gathered and interviews conducted, the conclusion is drawn that there is much room for the DPLG to improve and strategically focus its interaction with donors as informed by its mandate and strategic priorities. Proposals, which entail development of donor management guidelines, setting up of a donor coordination unit within DPLG, the improvement of the understanding of donor work politics and modalities among DPLG officials, etc., are made.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
Trends and perceptions of sustainabilty reporting and corporate governance : a case study of Eskom
- Authors: Fabricius, Karin
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: Eskom (Firm) King Committee on Corporate Governance Corporate governance -- South Africa Corporation reports -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:826 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011782
- Description: The King II Report on Corporate Governance was released in March 2002. This report, although focusing on South African businesses, is acclaimed as a world first in setting superior governance standards. Corporate governance in South Africa is undergoing transformation due to the influence of the King II Report, and a range of other global trends such as Global Reporting Initiative guidelines and the infamous collapse of Enron due to governance failures. Non-financial reporting (also referred to as sustainability reporting) forms the main focus of this research project. The financial reporting aspects of corporate governance, and the role of governing boards and auditors fall outside the scope of this study. Through document analysis methods, Eskom's annual reports from 1998 - 2002, were analysed to establish whether patterns in sustainability reporting were identifiable. Employees and consumers of Eskom were. interviewed, using structured interviews to explore their awareness and knowledge regarding sustainability issues. A drastic increase in Eskom's non-financial reporting was identified in 2000. Apart from the corporate governance category, none of the chosen categories showed a major change after the 2002 release of the King II Report. Possible reasons for the lack of clear trends since 2002 are that the pattern is either not yet visible or it could be speculated that Eskom, who had won various reporting awards, is a leader in the field of corporate reporting and specifically on sustainability issues. Eskom had been involved in the reviewing of the first King Report and the drawing up of the recommendations for King II, and could therefore have modified their reporting procedures in 2000, prior'to the release of King II. As shown in the trend analysis, companies are coming under increased pressure to be socially accountable and transparent. This is fast becoming a 'core business issue', illustrated by the status of the King II Report requirements for corporate governance. Even though the terminology 'sustainability reporting' is unfamiliar to employees and consumers, both groups want disclosure and transparency of sustainability issues. Employees were, however, more aware than consumers of Eskom policies regarding sustainability issues. This report recommends that companies take a pro-active approach to corporate governance and sustainability reporting, noting the desire of consumers and employees to be informed about non-financial issues. These stakeholders also need to be made more aware of the meaning and significance of sustainability reporting.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
An evaluation of whether the management practices of four companies (representing the printing industry in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) have affected their profitability and success in the period 2003-2004
- Authors: Farren, Sean Michael
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Printing industry -- Zimbabwe Organization change -- Zimbabwe Success in business -- Zimbabwe Management -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:817 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007926
- Description: Nohria, Joyce and Roberson, a trio of academics in the United States, wrote an article in the July issue of the Harvard Business Review in 2003 entitled "What Really Works". For several years they had studied the management practices of 160 companies in the United States with a view to determining what made certain companies consistently successful. They found that the most profitable companies in their study were not successful because they utilised the latest management tools and techniques, but rather that they had a strong grasp of business basics. Companies outperformed their industrial peers, because they excelled at what they called the four primary management practices - Strategy, Execution, Culture and Structure. These practices were supplemented by a proficiency in any two out of four secondary practices - Talent, Innovation, Leadership and Mergers and Partnerships. They called this winning combination the 4 + 2 Formula for business success. The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether competence in these management practices applies in the Third World. The study will concentrate on four companies representing the printing industry in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean companies are faced with a number of unusual obstacles that do not exist in First World free market economies. This study will attempt to examine the nature of the obstacles faced and how each company deals with them. It will determine whether the management practices outlined by Nohria et ai, are valued to the same degree in the Zimbabwean context, and how far they contribute to profitability.Because of the pace of change in Zimbabwe, the research will focus on the period 2003 - 2004 and evaluate another management practice - change management. The forces of change can often be so radically negative, that if companies are not adequately prepared, they may face imminent collapse. Change management, the process of anticipating, reacting to and driving forces of change, has become a vital competency. Without it, the prospects of profitability and success in the Zimbabwean environment are slim. For this reason, this management practice will be given the same focus as those eight discussed by Nohria et al.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
The relevance of sustainable development principles and goals through a case study of Gold Fields and Living Gold
- Authors: Ferreira, Adrian
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/192977 , vital:45286
- Description: The conventional definition of sustainable development as proposed by the Brundtland Report (United Nations, 1987), involving the integration of economic, social and environmental components, is widely accepted. Presumed benefits of these current framework applications tend to perpetuate a business as usual status, with no real sustainable development occurring. The growing debate surrounding this topic makes the case for relevant and contextual inputs to be included into sustainable development objectives. A case study, of Gold Fields and Living Gold, attempts to create a deeper understanding of the components of this debate, and begins to contextualise sustainable development principles, goals and their outcomes. This is carried out though an enquiry of the use of cultural development as a fourth sustainable development category. The case study includes the opinions of a directly affected local community entity (Living Gold) in order to observe the difference between the two organisations (Gold Fields and Living Gold). During the study, the focus began to move away from purely unabated growth impacts and looked to the creation and fostering of resilience and flexibility by the use of adaptive management. In breeding states of resilience, it was recognised that cultural impacts played an important role in ensuring long term systemic resilience. The case study involved assessing the feedback and responses of strategically selected individuals at both organisations, with Gold Fields representing a more western centric entity and Living Gold a formal representation of a traditional/ indigenous community. Similarities and differences were assessed in order to understand how current sustainable development criteria might differ between organisations that have different end objectives in mind, yet are dependent on each other. The findings resulted in a perspective of how culture could be used to describe the qualities of a local community, and how to begin aligning development goals with affected communities. The result was the development of the Integrated Resilience Sustainability Method and the consequent development of the Balanced Bottom Line Framework, which seeks to promote sustainable development along the lines of economic, social, environmental and cultural development. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Investec Business School, 2007
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
An examination of an incentive system to maximize performance in an automobile manufacturing environment
- Authors: Fourie, Dawie
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Daimlerchrysler -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Incentives in industry -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Automobile industry workers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Performance Performance -- Management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Goal setting in personnel management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Achievement motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:745 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003866
- Description: This investigation was undertaken to explore an incentive system to maximize performance in an automotive manufacturing environment. The unit under study was a motor manufacturing company in the Eastern Cape in South Africa. The approach to this investigation was to start with a quantitative analysis to identify if there was a relationship between the incentive reward and employee satisfaction. This was to be done by correlation analysis between the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) and the performance related incentive reward (PBR) of the abovementioned company. The data was then used to develop an interview guide, which was used in a focus group study, to evaluate the current incentive system as a motivator of performance. The analysis of the qualitative interview data was to be done through the use of thematic analysis. Using a percentage based estimation per production line, 150 workers were selected from the 2100 shop floor workers. The Job Descriptive Index (JDI) questionnaires were used to measure the satisfaction index of the workers. The performance data was gathered from the company's incentive statistics over the past year, 2004. All other related data was obtained though thematic analysis by the researcher, who was interested to get the insiders' view. From the emic perspective, more data could be obtained by the researcher by probing with follow-up questions. After both the quantitative and qualitative procedures were completed, the results of the study were found to be much the same as those described in the reviewed literature. The quantitative analysis did not prove a significant correlation between incentive reward and satisfaction; and employees were most satisfied with work, supervision and co-workers and less satisfied with pay and promotion. The qualitative procedure (thematic analysis) highlighted that the current reward system was not motivating performance, but rather demoralised employees, as it was used as a punitive measure to encourage work attendance. The current system also confirmed the error made by many organisations, where the organization purely concentrates on motivating employees with extrinsic rewards and little thought is given to intrinsic recognition.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
The response of an original equipment manufacturer to the Motor Industry Development Programme: a case study
- Authors: Franse, Ricardo
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Motor Industry Development Programme Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa -- Case studies Automobile industry and trade -- Government policy -- South Africa Foreign trade regulation -- South Africa -- Case studies South Africa -- Commercial policy -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:761 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003882
- Description: On the 21st September 1995, the government introduced the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP), in compliance with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Deliberate efforts by the South African government were required to promote structural changes to the domestic motor industry by opening up the economy to international competition through a programme of tariff reduction and export promotion. The integration of the South African automotive industry into global markets would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible, without the MIDP and it would thus be safe to conclude that the economic performance of the researched would have been close to impossible if it was not for the MIDP. The MIDP, as an economic policy, has been embraced by the researched company as a "vehicle" to drive corporate goals in terms of value creation for all stakeholders. The research proposition that the MIDP as an economic policy has contributed to the economic performance of the researched company is examined. In this respect, Annual and Management Accounting reports were analyzed to determine the effect the MIDP has had on the researched company over the last ten years. In addition, two semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the Strategic Finance Planning executive and the Financial Controller of the company. The results show that the MIDP has had positive spin-offs for the researched company. The same results should be valid for the other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the local automotive industry that have embraced the MIDP as a vehicle to create economic value added.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
"It was a brilliant time" : an investigation into the experiences of the founder group of the Directorate of Special Operations
- Authors: Geyer-van Rensburg, Karen Helen
- Date: 2004
- Subjects: National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa. Directorate of Special Operations Crime -- South Africa Crime -- Prevention -- South Africa Criminal Justice, Administration of -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:815 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007919
- Description: The President, Thabo Mbeki, established the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO) in 1999 shortly after the general elections. The DSO was intended to supplement the efforts of the South African Police Services in combating crime. The unit would concentrate on national priority crimes and police corruption and would report to the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP). The founder members of the DSO were identified in my research and open-ended interviews were conducted with them. The goal of my research was to understand the founder group's experience of the creation of the organisational culture of the DSO and what that experience meant to them . In particular, I wanted to establish what role the founder members of the DSO believed their values and beliefs played in creating the organisation's culture, and their perception of how those values influenced the leadership, management and organisation processes of the DSO. The public sector environment seldom offers opportunities to create something new and this was a unique experience. The founder members received no personal gain except the satisfaction of creating something that would be there for their descendants, something that would change the face of law enforcement forever and in fact, pioneer the troika methodology for the first time in the world within a permanent structure. The values of the founder members influenced their decision to join and they believed that the DSO would make a difference in the lives of ordinary South Africans. They were dedicated, committed, loyal and passionate. Their leadership inspired the members of the organisation and ensured the success of the DSO, despite the lack of resources, staff and legislation. This was an exciting time in the history of the organisation and many personal sacrifices were made. The founder members are proud of the achievements of the DSO and of having been a part thereof. It certainly was "a brilliant time".
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
Economic diversification of a mining town: a case study of Oranjemund
- Authors: Helmuth, Angelo
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Economic development -- Namibia -- Oranjemund -- Case studies Mineral industries -- Namibia -- Oranjemund -- Case studies Sustainable development -- Namibia -- Oranjemund
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:723 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003843
- Description: Can mining industries and mining based localities promote Local Economic Development (LED)? This case study, on the mining town of Oranjemund, seeks to examine the economic diversification prospects of the town. Stakeholder views are considered and their aspirations determined, through an interview process. Relevant theories on economic development, growth and sustainability are outline. Lessons are drawn from local and international empirical studies on mining towns. The roles and contributions stakeholders and institutions could realize that could lead to local economic diversification and LED are defined. The opportunities and threats that could affect the town’s LED process are identified. This paper concludes that it is imperative that sound relationships be developed amongst key stakeholders. It further, recommends that a strategic LED plan be designed for Oranjemund and that national government, through the regional and local authority, lead the process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
The identification and evaluation of key sustainable development indicators and the development of a conceptual decision-making model for capital investment within Gold Fields Limited (GFL)
- Authors: Jacobs, Phillip A H
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Industrial management -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Case studies Social responsibility of business -- South Africa -- Case studies Environmental protection -- South Africa -- Case studies Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Case studies Business ethics -- South Africa -- Case studies Industries -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Case studies Industries -- Moral and ethical aspects -- South Africa -- Case studies Gold Fields Ltd -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:820 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008304
- Description: The current trends in sustainable development (SO) were examined in this study, which brought about the realisation that SO has become a business imperative. Mining, which is a highly impacting industry, is faced with the dilemma of implementing the principles of SO despite the realisation that its activities are severely limited by· the finite nature of the resource it is capitalising on. This reality, however, does not detract from the non-negotiable requirement for the industry to meet the increasing pressures to act responsibly towards the environment and the community in which it operates. Gold Fields has stepped up to the plate and has already taken several steps to achieve this end. These include the adoption of SO in its Vision, Values and strategies and the development and implementation of a SO framework to ensure the integration of the principles of SO into the business. Furthermore, Gold Fields has also entered into voluntary activities that further cement the commitment the company has towards so. These other initiatives include, inter alia, its International Council on Mining and Metals membership, UN Global Compact participation, becoming a signatory to the cyanide code, IS014001, and so on. This study focussed on several indicator categories and the identification of a set of supporting sustainable development indicators (SOls) for each, which included environmental, social, economic, technological, and ethics, legal and corporate governance (not in order of priority). These indicators were assessed by a carefully selected group of respondents whose collective wisdom and expertise were used to identify and weight supporting SOls for each of the indicator categories. These supporting SOls were in turn used to develop a model that is able to assist in the business's decision making processes when capital investment is being considered . A water treatment project that is currently being considered by Gold Fields was utilised to demonstrate how the decision making model can be applied to two different scenarios. The result clearly and successfully demonstrated that by proactively taking environmental, economic, social, technological, and ethics, legal and corporate governance considerations into account, a gold mining company is able to increase the level of SO of a capital investment project.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
A case study of strategy implementation at a major Eastern Cape component supplier company in the automotive industry
- Authors: Koyana, Gwyneth Puseletso
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Automobile industry workers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Industrial organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies Strategic planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:735 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003855
- Description: A review of the literature on strategy implementation reveals that there is limited knowledge on how strategies should be implemented. This thesis focuses on a case study of strategy implementation at a major Eastern Cape component supplier company in the automotive industry, for purposes of establishing how the company implemented its strategies to become one of the best cost leaders in the manufacture of automotive pressed metal body components in South Africa. Data collated from the company is analysed and discussed with a resultant description of how the research participants understood the process of strategy implementation within the research company during the period January 2006 to December 2007. Interviews were undertaken within the levels of top management, middle management and the operational employees. Interpretations were made of the constructs made by the research participants in their understanding of how the research company implemented its strategy to become one of the best cost leaders in the manufacture of automotive pressed metal body components. It transpired from the findings of the research that the research company manufactured 70% of its products for one major client. During the manufacture of its products, the research company had to conform to the quality standards required by the main client. The main client was therefore offered the desired service at the best price. The strategy of the research company was to strive to be one of the best cost leaders in the manufacture of its products. It sought to do this by producing high quality products. Analysis is made of the strategic content, strategic context, operational processes and outcomes for the research company after the implementation of its strategy. It emerges in the case study that the strategy implementation factors cannot be considered separately in linear models but holistically, since one implementation factor may influence the others, resulting in a context and process based approach.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009