Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: ABSTRACT: "People are our most valuable asset" is a cliché that no member of any senior management team would disagree with. Yet, the reality for many organisations is that their people remain under-valued, under-trained and under-utilised. The rate of change facing organisations has never been greater and organisations must absorb and manage change at a must faster rate than in the past. In order to implement a successful business strategy to face these challenges, organisations, large and small, must ensure that they have the right people and strategy in place to deliver the right people at the right time at the right cost. It has become clear over the last two to three years that a major problem is developing within the Human Resources management in Bank Windhoek. The opportunity to address this problem in an effective and objective way did not however present itself until late in 1999 when the then relatively new Managing Director tried to convince the Board Manpower Committee to appoint a senior Human Resources manager, a position, as will be seen in the forthcoming discussion, that has been absent for a number of years. The request was turned down with reasons that the size of the staff complement in the bank did not justify such a senior appointment. When the Managing Director was then approached for permission to do a study relating to the repositioning of Human Resources in Bank Windhoek, it was immediately granted. The goals for the study were multifarious. In the first place the actual state of affairs were to be determined, from a management perspective as well as from a client perspective. Secondly the aim was to determine what the ultimate Human Resources department should look like, in the process identifying the existing gaps. The next goal was to make recommendations to reengineer the department in order for it to start functioning effectively and to all the parties' content. The final goal was to implement systems to constantly monitor the Human Resources department's performance and make continuous adjustments to keep it on track. Bank Windhoek has come to a crossroad where certain decisions pertaining to its Human Resource management have to be made. This paper will endeavour to make facts clearer to facilitate the best decision-making and propose actions to be taken in this very important facet of the bank's overall strategy and management. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: "Mense is 'n maatskappy se waardevolste bate" is 'n uitdrukking waarmee alle bestuurders sal saamstem. Die werklikheid is egter dat personeel by die meerderheid organisasies onderwaardeer, onopgeleid en onder-benut is. Die spoed van verandering wat organisasies deesdae in die gesig staar was nog nooit meer intens as nou nie, en organisasies moet hierdie veranderinge absorbeer en bestuur teen 'n vinniger pas as ooit vantevore. Ten einde 'n suksesvolle besigheid-strategie te implementeer om sodoende hierdie uitdagings die hoof te kan bied, moet besighede, klein en groot, verseker dat hulle die regte personeel en strategieë in plek het om die regte mense op die regte plekke teen die ideale koste te kan plaas. Dit het oor die afgelope twee tot drie jaar duidelik geword dat 'n grootse probleem besig was om in die Menslike Hulpbronne bestuur van Bank Windhoek te ontstaan. Die geleentheid om hierdie probleem objektief en effektief aan te spreek het eers in die laaste helfte van 1999 ontstaan toe die nuwe Besturende Direkteur gepoog het om die Mannekrag Komitee te oortuig om 'n senior bestuurder Menslike Hulpbronne aan te stel. 'n Aanstelling wat ons in hierdie bespreking sal merk, afwesig was vir 'n hele aantal jare. Sy voorstel was summier afgeskiet aangesien, volgens die komitee, die aantal personeel in die bank nie 'n senior aanstelling regverdig het nie. Toe die Besturende Direkteur genader is om toestemming ten einde 'n ondersoek te doen oor die herposisionering van die Menslike Hulpbron afdeling in die bank, is dit dadelik toegestaan. Die doelwitte van hierdie ondersoek was velerlei. In die eerste plek was dit nodig om die ware toedrag van sake rakende die bestuur van Menslike Hulpbronne in die bank te bepaal, vanuit 'n bestuurs- sowel as 'n kliënte oogpunt. Tweedens was dit die doel om te bepaal hoe die ideale Menslike Hulpbronne afdeling daaruit moet sien. Gedurende hierdie proses is bestaande gapings dan geïdentifiseer. Derdens was dit nodig om aanbevelings te maak om die afdeling tot so 'n mate te herstruktureer om tot alle betrokke partye se voordeel te kan funksioneer. Verder was dit ook nodig om stelsels te implementeer om die Menslike Hulpbronne prestasie te kan evalueer asook om voortdurende aanpassings te maak om die afdeling op die regte spoor te kan hou. Bank Windhoek het by 'n kruispad gekom waar sekere besluite rondom Menslike Hulpbronne geneem moet word. Hierdie werkstuk sal poog om feite duideliker te stel rondom die beste besluitneming en voorgestelde aksies wat geïmplementeer moet word in hierdie belangrike aspek van die bank se oorhoofse strategie en bestuur.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The challenge facing managers and employees in the 21st century is to cope with the changing environment in which they find themselves. This study project aims to give managers guidelines to optimise human capital through emotional intelligence and, in so doing, assist them with a practical tool to challenge the modern business environment. Here the key question is: What does it mean to optimise human capital through emotional intelligence in practice? In an attempt to answer this question, the primary aim of this study project is to develop a practical and accessible tool which the modern manager can use in understanding and optimising the concepts of human capital and emotional intelligence, both in his personal and professional life. Gone are the days when managers and employees were told to leave their emotions at home. This study project also wishes to highlight the importance of emotions at work, how the management of emotions can significantly affect an individual's potential for development and promotion at work and, lastly, how different the workplace might be if everyone was helped to recognise and manage their emotional intelligence. The methodology used involves a thorough exploration of international and local literature, including books, articles and relevant electronic resources. Existing definitions, theories, text and themes regarding human capital and emotional intelligence are broken down into practical advice that is accessible to and can be understood by the modern manager. Thirty specific coaching guidelines are given that can be used as a management tool. The author attempts to anchor the study with reference to a South African case study. This case study involved testing the EQ of fourteen individuals from Media24 FamilyMagazines, a division of Media24, by means of the BarOn EQ-I test. It is concluded that if managers and employees develop their emotional intelligence, both parties will benefit. The key lies in engaging people's heads and hearts and in optimising human capital through emotional. intelligence. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uitdaging wat bestuurders en werknemers in die 21ste eeu in die gesig staar is om optimaal te funksioneer in die veranderende omgewing waarin hul hulself bevind. Hierdie studieprojek het ten doel om moderne bestuurders riglyne te gee om menslike kapitaal deur middel van emosionele intelligensie te optimaliseer en hulle sodoende te voorsien van 'n praktiese hulpmiddel waarmee hulle die uitdagings van die 21ste eeuse sake-omgewing die hoof kan bied. Die sleutelvraag is: Wat beteken dit in die praktyk om menslike kapitaal deur emosionele intelligensie te optimaliseer? In 'n poging om hierdie vraag te beantwoord is die primêre doel van hierdie studie om 'n praktiese en toeganklike hulpmiddel te ontwikkel wat die moderne bestuurder kan gebruik om die konsepte menslike kapitaal en emosionele intelligensie in sy persoonlike en professionele lewe te verstaan en te optimaliseer Die dae toe bestuurders en werknemers gevra is om hul emosies tuis te laat, is verby. Hierdie studieprojek het ook ten doel om die belangrikheid van emosies by die werk uit te lig, hoe die bestuur van emosies 'n beduidende uitwerking op 'n individu se potensiaal vir ontwikkeling en vordering by die werk kan hê, en laastens, hoe anders die werkplek kon wees as almal gehelp word om hul emosionele intelligensie te herken en te bestuur. Die metodologie wat gevolg word sluit 'n verkenning van internasionale en plaaslike literatuur, met inbegrip van boeke, artikels en tersaaklike elektroniese bronne, in. Bestaande definisies, teorieê, tekste en temas oor menslike kapitaal en emosionele intelligensie word verwerk tot praktiese raad wat toeganklik is vir en deur die moderne bestuurder verstaan kan word. Dertig spesifieke opleidingsriglyne word gegee wat as 'n bestuurshulpmiddel gebruik kan word. Die skrywer poog om die studieprojek met verwysing na 'n Suid-Afrikaanse gevallestudie te anker. Hierdie gevallestudie sluit in die EI-toetsing van veertien individue van Media24 Gesinstydskrifte, 'n afdeling van Media24, deur middel van die BarOn EQ-I toets. Ten slotte word daarop gewys dat, indien bestuurders en werknemers hul emosionele intelligensie ontwikkel, beide partye daarby sal baat. Die sleutel lê daarin om mense se verstand en hul harte te betrek en om sodoende menslike kapitaal deur emosionele intelligensie te optimaliseer.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / In 1999, a study was conducted by Christo Nel within the People Management and Leadership domain. His research was based on responses to a questionnaire regarding the application of people management practices as a means of competitive advantage. The study was implemented to investigate and elicit opinions and reasons vis-a-vis the importance of specific people management practices to globally competitive organisations. In early 2001, building on Nel's research, Bekker and de Villiers embarked on a comprehensive study of literature regarding the nine people management practices within organisations. This was done by exploring each of the specific people management practices with a view to gleaning information about programmes that best-in-class organisations have implemented to ensure that employees are aligned with the following factors: Knowledge development (or knowledge management) - How to best "partner technology with a corporate culture and business processes, and using this as a vehicle to manage and deliver the business information and expertise of fellow workers to the most fundamental driver of business growth: the knowledge worker." Service excellence - Ensuring that organisations are fully accountable to their customers and providing a strong level of service. Focus on goals - Ensuring that organisations are emphasising the conversion of overall organisational objectives into specific objectives for organisational units or individual members (i.e. a process whereby objectives are "cascaded" down the organisation). Participation Encouraging employees to "take ownership and responsibility for business results," through programmes such as ESOP plans, representative participation and employee empowerment. From the vast amount of information that has been synthesised pertaining to the topic, a clear thread runs through the dissertation: Agility! An agile firm manages change as a matter of routine. By combining a competitive vision with internal and external initiatives, and the application of technology, an enterprise can deliver on the four key competitive priorities - cost, quality, dependability, and flexibility. The proposed model suggests that being focused on organisational goals is central to effectively utilising an organisation's biggest asset, namely its people. By linking goals to all the other people management practices, an organisation becomes increasingly agile and more adept at outperforming its competition.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As the world's economic landscape undergoes a fundamental shift from industrial economy in which plant and equipment are the core assets, to the 'new' economy which places a high premium on people and intangible assets traditional accounting systems are becoming less effective. Intellectual Capital has become the indispensable component of corporate value. The significant rise in the market-to-book ratio of listed companies is testimonial of this fact. By focusing on physical and cash assets, and remaining oblivious to Intellectual Capital, conventional accounting methods are missing a very crucial point. The exclusion of Intellectual Capital from financial performance reports results in information deficiency for both internal and external stakeholders of organizations. Measurement and reporting of Intellectual Capital has thus become imperative. However, it is the Human Capital component (of Intellectual Capital) that should be the prime concern of business leaders and other stakeholders. People are the true agents in business; all the other assets, whether tangible or intangible, are the result of human actions and ultimately depend on people for their continued existence. Measurement and reporting of Human Capital is therefore of the essence. Measurement of Human Capital is not simple and straightforward. Development of methodologies for valuation of Human Capital is a daunting challenge. In spite of its difficulty, measurement of Human Capital has to be vigorously pursued; the stakes are just too high for the challenge to be shunned. This study proposes a system for valuation of Human Capital. "Valuation" may conjure expectations of financial measurement; however, despite concerted efforts by the accounting profession, currency-based valuation of people has received very little, if any, appreciation in industry. The model put forward here, is a non-monetary Human Capital Index. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die fundamentele verskuiwing van die ekonomiese landskap van die wêreld, vanaf 'n industriële ekonomie met produksie-aanlegte en toerusting as primêre bates, tot die nuwe ekonomie wat 'n hoë premie op mense en ontasbare bates plaas, het konvensionele rekeningkundige stelsels toenemend ondoeltreffend geraak. Intellektuele kapitaal het 'n onontbeerlike onderdeel van korporatiewe waarde geword. Die betekenisvolle premie wat die markwaarde bo die batewaarde van genoteerde maatskappye geniet, lewer bewys van hierdie tendens. Deur te fokus op fisiese en monetêre bates, en nie intellektuele bates in ag te neem nie , verontagsaam konvensionele rekeningkundige stelsels 'n kern beginsel. Die uitsluiting van intellektuele kapitaal as deel van prestasie verslagdoening lei tot 'n gebrekkige inligtingsbasis vir beide interne en eksterne belangegroepe van die organisasie. Meting van, en verslagdoening oor intellektuele kapitaal, het dus 'n noodsaaklikheid geword. Dit is egter die menslike hulpbron komponent van intellektuele kapitaal wat die primêre oorweging by sakeleiers en ander belanghebbendes behoort te wees. Mense is die werklike rolspelers in organisasies. AI die ander bates, tasbaar of ontasbaar, is die gevolg van menslike aktiwiteit, en hang uiteindelik van mense af vir hul voortgesette bestaan. Daarom is dit van die uiterste belang dat daar 'n proses is wat menslike bates evalueer en verslag doen. Die meting van menslike kapitaal is nie eenvoudig en voor die hand liggend nie. Die ontwikkeling van metodes om menslike kapitaal te assesseer is 'n besondere uitdaging. Ten spyte van die probleme moet die assessering van menslike kapitaal daadwerklik nagestreef word; hierdie saak is te belangrik om te ontwyk. Hierdie studie stel 'n model voor om waardebepaling van menslike kapitaal te doen. So 'n waardebepaling mag verwagtinge van 'n finansiële metingsbasis skep; tog, ten spyte van doelgerigte pogings deur die rekeningkundige professie, het 'n monetêre waardebepaling van mense weinig, indien enige, aanvaarding in die sakewêreld ontvang. Die model wat hier voorgestel word, is 'n nie-monetêre menslike kapitaal indeks.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the extent to which educational attainment, school quality and numeric competency influence individuals’ employment and earnings prospects in the South African labour market using data from the 2008 National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS). While NIDS is one of the first datasets to contain concurrent information on individual labour market outcomes, educational attainment levels, numeric proficiency and the quality of schooling received in South Africa, it is also characterised by limited and selective response patterns on its school quality and numeracy measures. To account for any estimation biases that arise from the selective observation of these variables or from endogenous selection into labour force participation and employment, the labour market returns to human capital are estimated using the Heckman Maximum Likelihood (ML) approach. The Heckman ML estimates are then compared to Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimates obtained using various sub-samples and model specifications in order to distinguish between the effects that model specification, estimation sample, and estimation procedure have on estimates of the labour market returns to human capital in South Africa. The findings from the multivariate analysis suggest that labour market returns to educational attainment in South Africa are largely negligible prior to tertiary levels of attainment and that racial differentials in school quality may explain a significant component of the observed racial differentials in South African labour market earnings. Neither numeracy nor school quality appears to influence labour market outcomes or the convex structure of the labour market returns to educational attainment in South Africa significantly once sociodemographic factors and other human capital endowment differentials have been taken into account. Though the regression results vary substantially across model specifications and estimation samples, they are largely unaffected by attempts to correct for instances of endogenous selection using the Heckman ML procedure. These findings suggest that the scope for overcoming data deficiencies by using standard parametric estimation techniques may be limited when the extent of those deficiencies are severe and that some form of sensitivity analysis is warranted whenever data imperfections threaten to undermine the robustness of one’s results. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek in watter mate opvoedingspeil, skoolgehalte en numeriese vaardighede individue se werks- en verdienstevooruitsigte in die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark beïnvloed. Die studie gebruik data van die 2008 National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS). Alhoewel NIDS een van die eerste datastelle is wat inligting oor individuele arbeidsmarkuitkomste, opvoedingsvlakke, numeriese vaardighede sowel as skoolgehalte bevat, word dit ook gekenmerk deur beperkte en selektiewe responspatrone rakende skoolgehalte en die numeriese vaardigheidmaatstaf. Die arbeidsmarkopbrengs op menslike kapitaal word deur middel van die Heckman ‘Maximum Likelihood (ML)’-metode geskat om te kontroleer vir moontlike sydighede wat mag onstaan weens selektiewe waarneming van hierdie veranderlikes of as gevolg van endogene seleksie in arbeidsmarkdeelname of indiensneming. Die Heckman ML-skattings word dan vergelyk met gewone kleinste-kwadrate-skattings wat met behulp van verskeie modelspesifikasies en steekproewe beraam is, om sodoende te bepaal hoe verskillende spesifikasies, steekproewe en beramingstegnieke skattings van die arbeidsmarkopbrengste op menslike kapitaal in Suid-Afrika beïnvloed. Die meerveranderlike-analise dui daarop dat daar grotendeels onbeduidende arbeidsmarkopbrengste is op opvoeding in Suid-Afrika vir opvoedingsvlakke benede tersiêre vlak, en dat rasseverskille in skoolgehalte ’n beduidende deel van waargenome rasseverskille in arbeidsmarkverdienste mag verduidelik. Indien sosio-demografiese faktore en ander menslike kapitaalverskille in ag geneem word, beïnvloed syfervaardigheid en skoolgehalte nie arbeidsmarkuitkomstes en die konvekse struktuur van die arbeidsmarkopbrengste op opvoeding in Suid-Afrika beduidend verder nie. Terwyl die regressieresultate aansienlik tussen die verskillende modelspesifikasies en steekproewe verskil, word die resultate weinig geraak deur vir gevalle van endogene seleksie met behulp van die Heckman ML-metode te kontroleer. Hierdie bevindinge dui daarop dat daar net beperkte ruimte bestaan om ernstige dataleemtes met behulp van standaard parametriese beramingstegnieke te oorkom, en dat die een of ander vorm van sensitiwiteitsanalise benodig word wanneer datagebreke die betroubaarheid van die beraamde resultate nadelig kan raak.

Low-income women, including women who receive welfare, are some of the most misunderstood citizens in the U.S. Low-income women often live in extreme situations that are complicated by poverty and multiple issues related to human capital, social support, mental health, and substance use. These factors make low-income women unique in that they contribute not only to the women’s current situations, but to their potential for future self-sufficiency. The majority of previous studies have described these factors as barriers to self-sufficiency. This study explored these factors differently by examining the extent to which human capital is associated with mental health problems and substance use problems and whether those associations are moderated by social support among low-income women. By exploring human capital among low-income women, this study closes a gap in the literature. Previous literature has examined human capital as an outcome of life choices and circumstances. This study is unique in that human capital is conceptualized as a combination of strengths that are employed in unique ways and that help determine whether life outcomes among low-income women will be related. This study examined secondary data collected from 11,495 low-income women who participated in the University of Kentucky’s Targeted Assessment Program (TAP) between July 2005 and July 2011 and is informed by theoretical literature on human capital, social support, and relationships, as well as empirical literature on study factors related to problems experienced by low-income women (i.e., mental health problems, substance use problems, and social support). Study hypotheses were developed to examine the relationships between human capital and mental health and substance use among low-income women and whether social support moderates those relationships. Results indicate that while some human capital factors are indicative of fewer mental health and substance use problems, perceived social support was a significant indicator of each of the mental health and substance use factors. Perceived social support was not found to moderate relationships between predictor and outcome variables.

<p>The purpose of this study is to analyse the problem that the companies do not use the potential of their employees on innovations and intrapreneurial processes.</p><p>The source of innovation is usually the entrepreneur. These are individuals that come up with new ideas of what the market is likely to want or desire. These people have usually gathered this knowledge through interaction with consumers. Sometimes it is the imaginative impulsive desire on their part to offer something new or different, at other times it is an improvement on previous knowledge. However in a corporate or large organisation environment it is often the employees who come up with innovative ideas because of their close contacts with consumers of the product or service of the company. They are very close to the ground realities and can be a great source of finding out the consumer desires or preferences. Although they are employees, they have the entrepreneurial spirit to understand the need of urge to meet the expectations. This gives them the same satisfaction an entrepreneur would feel on the success and acceptance of his innovative idea.</p><p>Therefore being innovative is not the sole domain of the leaders, corporate or individual. The potential of the workers and employees remains unexploited in this direction.</p><p>This study will try to find out the importance of the mental force of the employee on the survival of the company in this competitive world, from the perspective of innovation and intrapreneurship.</p> / QC 20100708

<p>This doctoral thesis discusses the competence structures and the development of human capital in the graphic arts and media sector. The study has focused on exploring the new media landscape and in particular the structural changes that influence the sector, the print-versuselectronic- media debate and the future of print media. The influence of new technologies and management concepts on the graphic arts and media sector has also been investigated, as has the role and the importance of people in new societal and industrial settings as well as new ways of managing and developing people in changing media environments. </p><p>The primary research objective was to identify the competence requirements and characteristics for existing and potential employees in the graphic arts and media sector and, in particular, the areas of digital printing and cross-media publishing. The second objective was to elucidate the various actions and strategies established and applied for the professional development of people in the graphic arts and media sector, such as further training, recruitment policies and the evaluation and certification of competence. The third objective of the study was to suggest the formation of a strategy for the professional development of people in the graphic arts and media sector – namely the creation of a human capital development strategy. An important issue was to identify the various components (or substrategies) of the strategy and determine if it was possible to integrate them under a common platform. </p><p>The work has been based on literature studies, industry reports and observations, market analyses and forecasts, and empirical studies. Participatory research methods have also been used. In addition, case-study research has been performed at the company and sector levels. Human resource management and development concepts have been surveyed to determine whether they are efficient for the professional development of people in the entire spectrum of an industry sector. </p><p>The graphic arts and media sector – including print media – will remain active for the foreseeable future; however, the results presented here show that the sector has been significantly influenced by structural changes that have taken place over the last decade, affecting organizations, companies and people involved in the sector, and this process of change will continue. </p><p>The study shows that there is indeed a need for new competence in people employed in or to be recruited to the graphic arts and media sector. The initial identification and description of the competences for the new structure of the graphic arts and media industry is proposed. Various actions for the development of people in the sector, mainly regarding education, further and continuous learning, and recruitment, are also identified. However, these activities have been established mainly at the national level by various organizations (educational institutes, industrial partners and the governmental/European Union authorities). </p><p>Finally, the principal characteristics of a human capital development strategy are described, and components (or substrategies) that form a strategy that could be introduced for the graphic arts and media sector in Europe are proposed. </p><p><b>Keywords: </b>Graphic arts and media sector, digital printing, cross-media publishing, human capital, intellectual capital, human resource management and development, human capital development strategy.</p>

<p>This paper examines the effect of foreign direct investments, FDI, on economic growth in developing countries. This is done by the presentation of a theoretical framework, in which technological transfer and the learning of new technologies is considered to be the engine of growth along with a critical examination of a number of empirical studies on the subject. I will later on perform a discussion of the underlying conditions for FDI to work efficiently along with the implications for Sub-Saharan Africa regarding FDI inflows. The implications are studied within a framework that considers human capital as an important channel through which the potential benefits arising from FDI may be realized.</p>

<p>Recent studies claims that Sweden has the lowest returns on education compared to other OECD countries. Other research made in the subject tend to focus on the gains from education, but forget to calculate the costs, both direct cost such as material, accommodation and food, but also opportunity costs from not working instead of investing in education.</p><p>The purpose of this thesis is to study if an investment in an education is an effective way of monetary utility maximizing in Sweden, in other words income. This thesis will investigate whether education will be a profitable investment, and if so how many years of employment it will take an individual to gain from that investment.</p><p>The Human Capital theory is the theoretical framework of this thesis and the result is in Swedish Crowns. This research quantifies that an education is an effective way to income maximizing and men’s payback time in monetary terms are more likely to be shorter than female’s.</p>