M.A. / The aim of this dissertation is to establish the relevance, if not, of the debate surrounding standard and non-standard language with specific reference to the current South African situation. Some background to the debate is provided by means of a concise study of literature where opposing perspectives of several South African and foreign linguists are analysed. The debate is consequently viewed from an educational perspective. Attention is also paid to extra-linguistic factors currently influencing the unique linguistic situation in South Africa; South Africa's membership of Africa as well as its twenty-first century time-spirit comes under scrutiny. An empirical study tries to establish attitudes of a group tertiary college students towards varieties of English, i.e. Standard English, Black English Vernacular and Black South African English. Certain deductions are made from all aquired information whereupon some recommendations follow.

M.Com. / At present the macro business milieu in South Africa is prevailed by a climate which, more than ever, imposes high demands upon employers and employees. It is evident that organizational effectiveness and the occupational success of individuals are increasingly dependent upon a purposeful intervention, by which the establishment of optimal interfaces can be facilitated. These interfaces have a specific bearing on the imbalance which often exists between the needs and expectations of individuals and those of the organizations by which they are employed. In this regard, it must be stated that the behavioural sciences, and in particular occupational psychology, can fulfil an important function in the establishment of the above-mentioned interfaces. A special type of problem occurs as a manifestation of the imbalance referred to above. This problem is created in circumstances of a high demand for management staff, when professionals are promoted to managerial positions outside their fields of specialization, and irrespective of the nature of their managerial training, experience and aspirations. An occupational group which is especially characterized by this phenomenon is the accounting profession. This problem gave rise to the objective of the present study and it was consequently decided to gather information on accounting persons in the early career stage against a frame of reference pertaining to the behavioural sciences. The approach adopted for this purpose was the determination of the career orientation(s) of early career stage individuals in different phases of involvement in the accounting profession. A literature study undertaken consisted mainly of life cycle theory, the career anchor and -orientation model as proposed by Schein (1975), and the nature and effect of professional occupations. Against this theoretical background the Career Orientation Inventory was administered to persons in the accounting profession. The sample consisted of the following groups: 1) full-time first year accounting students; 2) part-time honours students in accounting; and 3) Chartered Accountants in auditing and other firms. The empirical study yielded the conclusion that managerial skill featured as the most prominent career orientation of accounting persons in the early career stage. It was also evident that respondents who had had occupational experience measured highest on the same orientation, that is managerial skill, irrespective of their phases within the early career stage. Furthermore, there were indications that career orientation differentiation increased in accordance with occupational experience. From the study it appeared that knowledge concerning career orientation may be conducive to occupational counselling and guidance processes. A resultant implication of this may then be the creation of more realistic expectations which could enhance the establishment of optimal interfaces between the respective needs of individuals and organizations. In conclusion, it can be stated that a need was identified for further research regarding the career orientations of other occupational groups. However, a prerequisite of such research efforts is the use of structured interviews in order to determine the career anchors of respondents, rather than merely the career orientations.

M.Com. (Financial Management) / In this study, the extent to which performance persistence exists within the scope of South African collective investment schemes was analysed. In addition, the current practices of financial planners were investigated to establish whether or not financial planners use past performance as a criterion for recommending specific investment funds to investors. In other words, the extent to which financial planners are justified in using past performance as a criterion for fund selection was investigated. The study is exploratory in nature and is comprised of two phases, both of a quantitative nature. During Phase A, secondary data relating to the historical returns of South African collective investment schemes was collected to determine the extent of performance persistence over a one- and three-year period respectively. During Phase B, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine the practices of financial planners when advising investors on fund selection decisions. The findings revealed that performance persistence does not exist to the extent that past performance is an indicator of future performance. Financial planners, however, tend to utilise past performance as the main criterion for recommending specific collective investment schemes to investors.

M.Comm. / The size of South Africa's banking industry grew from R398 billion in 1995 to R471 billion in 1996 while banking transactions totalled R58 634 billion during 1996. Like most other service companies, the banking industry also experiences customer turnover. During the period March 1995 to February 1996 customer switch, which refers to the closing of an account at one institution and the opening of a new account at another institution, by clients of all banks amounted to 4,9 percent. Mutual interaction between a service provider and a client is a very important determinant of customer satisfaction with a service. It is therefore important for the company to focus on the retention of customers because it is more profitable to retain a customer rather than recruiting new customers. Customer switching can damage the future stream of income of a company. The loss of a customer therefore, is not only one transaction, the company looses a life long stream of income. Customer satisfaction therefore influences the primary source of future income of most companies directly. Quality service is of utmost importance for the success and survival of companies in today's competitive environment. To be successful it is necessary for each department within the company to operate effectively and to be client orientated. Companies believe that they will be more profitable if a marketing orientation is established within the company. Employees must therefore, understand their role in the total service chain. A client's perception of a service becomes reality when he/she experiences the service during a service encounter where interaction between the customer and the company takes place with the employee as intermediary. Employees of the company are seen as individuals who are in a relationship with the company similar to that between an external customer and the company. A company must therefore concentrate on both his external and internal clients because quality service rendered to internal clients results in quality service to the external client. The rendering of quality service is a very important dimension, in ensuring success and survival of a company. If investment in service quality therefore results in perceived improvement in service, quality is a profit strategy. Although theoretical studies suggest that companies offering a higher degree of service quality generate higher profits, no published studies or model exist where the total series of consequences, from the allocation of resources to customer satisfaction and eventually profitability, is discussed. Researchers believe that customer satisfaction results in profitability, but question the possibility of a positive correlation between market share and customer satisfaction. Against this background it was the purpose of this study to determine the impact of service quality, customer retention and staff retention on the market share and profitability of a financial institution by constructing a service quality-profitability relationship model to determine the relationship between the different dependent and independent variables. A literature and empirical study was therefore undertaken to on the one hand evince the role and importance of the relationship between the service company and the customer, employee and internal markets in accomplishing a loyal customer base and enduring market share and to on the other hand relate service quality with market share and profitability. The primary finding of this study is that relationships exist between the various dependent and independent variables of the hypothesized model which confirms that service quality do impact on market share which in turn correlates with the profitability of a company. Moreover, customer retention positively correlates with profitability. It was also determined that customer retention positively correlates with market share. It was, however, found that no correlation exists between service quality and customer retention whilst relationships between marketing costs and market share and marketing costs and profitability could also not be determined. In view of the findings of the empirical investigation, it is recommended that the chosen bank attends to the following aspects: the improvement of service excellence; the improvement of aspects accomplishing customer and employee retention; establishing a more Afrosentric rather than a Eurosentric dimension of culture within the organisational culture and managerial practice of the bank; determining the critical psychological state of employees; establishing a positive and constructive psychological state within the bank; revising the format of reporting management information in order to calculate the impact of service quality on profitability rather than determining relationships between the elements. In taking this approach, the bank should be able to employ the service quality-profitability relationship model to the advantage of the bank to measure the impact of service quality on profitability and optimizing the relationship between service quality and profitability.

M.Comm. / Soos reeds vermeld bring die afkondiging op 14 Februarie 1991 van regulasie 265 in Goewennentskennisgewing no. 125 van die Wet mee dat registrasie-owerheidsbeheerde toetsstasies hul vir die eerste keer sedert 1931 in mededinging met die privaat sektor bevind. 6 Die probleemstelling in die onderhawige studie is of die JMVT in die huidige konteks mededingend en lewensvatbaar kan bly, inaggenome die skerp daling in die volume voertuie wat ondersoek word met 'n gepaardgaande verlies aan inkomste. Verder watter strategiese stappe geneem of aksies ingestel moet word om dit mededingend te maak en of privatisering as 'n strategiese alternatief vir die JMVT oorweeg behoort te word. Indien wel, watter vorm van privatisering sal die geskikste wees, gegewe deregulerende wetgewing wat reeds in werking getree het. Die doel van die studie is om 'n aantal strategiese aksies te identifiseer wat die JMVT onmiddellik en oor die lang termyn moet ondemeem om te verseker dat dit in 'n gedereguleerde omgewing sal kan meeding en lewensvatbaar sal bly. Uit die strategiese aksies wat geidentifiseer word, sal die aksie wat die grootste moontlike voordeel vir die Stadsraad inhou, geselekteer word en sal die lewensvatbaarheid van sodanige aksies ondersoek word.

M.A. (Communication) / This study examines the creative approach of the South African advertising industry towards the black consumer. The study of literature finds its point of departure in the systems approach of communications. The communication process and the components therein (sender, message, communication medium and receiver) are analysed as a system in the cultural context of the black consumer. The cultural context of the black consumer represents the external environment of the system. In this study emphasis is placed on the sender of the advertising message to the black consumer ...

M.Com. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Industrial Relations) / The objective of this study is to examine the way in which the traditional role of the supervisor in South African industry is changing in the context of the social, political and economic transformation of the country. Because the author is on an overseas posting for the duration of the study period, it is not possible to conduct empirical research of any depth. Therefore, the dissertation is mainly a literature study based on the historical and present development of labour relations and the changing role of the supervisor. Where possible, the literature study is supplemented by unstructured interviews with training, personnel and industrial relations managers, supervisors and trade union representatives and workers in Scotland, Kenya and South Africa. It will be found that the changes to the position and role of the first line supervisors in the USA, UK, and Germany are more extensive than in South Africa. However, there is clear evidence that the management of South African firms are realising the advantages of long term strategies of empowering their employees, sharing information, and of good training and development programmes. within this context the study will establish that the role and position of the South African supervisor is indeed changing. It will also be pointed out that a significant problem facing firms in the "new" south Africa is a shortage of managers who are not only trained within their own sphere of work, but who are capable of recognising the role they and their subordinates play in the labour relations climate of their firm. The supervisor, at the interface between management, workers and shop stewards, is a key actor responsible for shaping and maintaining the firm's labour and human relations...

LL.D. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

LL.M. / Please refer to full text to view abstract