Assignment (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Fourteen years into democracy, South Africans yet need to transform into a truly united society. Transformation entails meaningful change and requires new mindsets, behaviours and worldviews. In this country, such change hinges on interaction and communication between all South Africans to facilitate insight into the unfamiliar lifeworlds and beliefs of others. In 2005 Dr. Steve Booysen, Group Chief Executive of the Absa Group, initiated an internal choir festival as a platform for social interaction and team building of staff across all cultures, age groups and post levels in the bank. This happened in the process of the Barclays Bank investment of billions of rands that would translate to its controlling share in Absa. Recognising the merge as a potential threat to the morale of the Absa work force, Booysen envisaged the choir project as a means to support staff during this phase of transformation in the bank. This study links theories relating to organisational development and the inherent power in music and musicking for positive change. The questionnaire (administered in three interventions between 2006 and 2008) was the primary instrument for obtaining data for this study. Absa’s choir project (the first of its kind in South Africa and possibly elsewhere in the world) offers unique possibilities for investigating the positive effects of musicking, and in particular choral singing, within a corporate environment. For optimal functioning, societies rely on their citizens to trust each other and share a civic culture. With the exception of the Indian community, choral singing is a practised tradition across all cultures in South Africa and thus presents a possible vehicle to promote healing and nation building in post-Apartheid South Africa. Genuine communication between citizens from all cultural backgrounds could help liberate South Africans of superficial prejudgments of each other. Where the inability to speak the others’ language(s) inhibits authentic communication, choral singing proffers unique opportunities for shared communicative experiences. Should choral singing prove to be an appropriate key to unlock such experiences for South Africa of differing cultural and language backgrounds, then choral singing is of great value to this society. / Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Music / unrestricted

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to fit the external forces driving change with the ABSA Group's transformation since 1998; as well as to measure the success of it by evaluating the market's response to the changes. To provide a theoretical framework, a background to the external forces driving change, with specific reference to the South African banking industry is given. It was concluded that the entry/exit of major firms, globalisation, regulation and technological changes are the major forces impacting on the banking industry. There are however, also a number of unique forces driving change that is related to the South African environment. ABSA also had to deal with these factors such as the socio-political change and the domestic economic development. ABSA responded to these challenges by implementing various projects since the merger in 1991. Since 1998 (the time frame within which this study is undertaken), two major projects were initiated and implemented. Both these projects (Project IMPACT and Project ABLE) are two of the biggest transformation exercises ever undertaken in South Africa. ABSA's strategy evolved over time to such a point where the Group is currently focussed on the customer in targeted market segments. Strategic Business Units were established to optimise the focus on the customer. This process is currently still continuing. The success of the ABSA Group's transformation exercises is however, only as successful as the degree to which their changes fit the driving forces and the market's response to it. Against the backdrop of the major external driving forces (Chapter 2), it is concluded that these forces do fit the forces driving change within the ABSA Group. Looking at the cost-to-income ratio, it is evident that ABSA still need to do much more to improve this figure and to bring it more in line with its peer competitors. It is however heartening to see that the Group managed to reduce the ratio constantly year-an-year in spite of the considerable cost of the major initiatives undertaken. A comparison of the price-earnings ratio's of the four major banks over time indicate that the market's trust in ABSA's earnings potential increased and that their response to the changes is therefore in general positive / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om die eksterne kragte wat verandering dryf, te pas met die ABSA Groep se transformasie sedert 1998; asook om die sukses daarvan te meet deur te kyk na die mark se respons op die veranderinge. Ten einde 'n teoretiese raamwerk te verskaf, word as agtergrond die eksterne kragte geskets wat veranderinge dryf, met spesifieke verwysing na die Suid- Afrikaanse bank industrie. Die belangrikste kragte wat 'n impak het op die bank industrie is die intree/uittree van groot firmas, globalisering, regulering en tegnologiese veranderinge. Behalwe vir hierdie belangrike kragte, moes die Groep ook verskeie kragte uniek aan die Suid-Afrikaanse omgewing in ag neem, naamlik die sosio-politieke veranderinge en die plaaslike ekonomiese ontwikkeling. ABSA se reaksie op hierdie uitdagings was die implementering van verskeie projekte sedert die samesmelting in 1991. Sedert 1998 (die tydsraamwerk waarbinne hierdie studie handel) is twee groot projekte geïnisieer en geïmplementeer. Beide hierdie projekte (Projek IMPACT en Projek ABLE) was reuse ondernemings en kan beskou word as twee van Suid-Afrika se grootste transformasie oefeninge wat nog onderneem is. Die ABSA strategie het egter onwikkel oor tyd tot die huidige punt waar die Groep gefokus is op die kliënt in spesifieke mark segmente. Ten einde hierdie fokus te optimaliseer, is Strategiese Besigheidseenhede gevestig. Die vestiging en ontwikkeling van hierdie fokuspunt is steeds in proses. Die sukses van ABSA se transformasie oefeninge is egter net so suksesvol soos die mate waartoe dit die dryfkragte en die mark se respons daarop pas. Teen die agtergrond van die belangrike dryfkragte (Hoofstuk 2) is tot die slotsom gekom dat die Groep se transformasie proses wel in pas is met die eksterne dryfkragte Die koste-inkomste verhouding is 'n syfer wat deur beide die Groep en die mark uitgelig word. Deur hierdie syfer te vergelyk met die kompetisie, is dit duidelik dat ABSA nog baie werk het om te doen om hierdie syfer te verbeter. Dit is egter gerustellend dat die Groep daarin geslaag het om die syfer konstant jaar-op-jaar te verlaag, ten spyte van die groot kostes wat aangegaan is met die verskeie inisiatiewe. 'n Vergelyking van die vier groot banke se prys-verdienste verhoudings oor tyd dui dat die mark se vertroue in ABSA se verdienste potensiaal toeneem en dat hul respons tot die verandering oor die algemeen positief is.

Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Introduction Information is increasingly attaining an unprecedented importance in companies and becoming the basis of competitive advantage. At Absa this has meant a significant shift in the way information is viewed, to such an extent that Management Information (MI) has been identified as one of the Key Strategic Priorities and Enabler of Absa Group Strategy. Based on the value being placed on management information, the Information Management Division has been tasked to explicitly articulate and define the role information will play in the design and execution of Absa’s competitive strategies. At Absa the notion of integrating information into its strategy and planning process has barely been supported. Given the three components that have been identified as critical to creating value through MI, (access to relevant information; insight - rigorous analysis of information in support of key decisions and application of MI), a gap has been identified in terms of the second component, namely, the provision of business insight: a component critical to the integration of information into business strategies and processes. Hence the focus of this research project falls on building-in a business insight capability as a key component in enabling efficient and effective use of management information and improved business performance. Research Method The research project was based on a qualitative case study performed at Absa, where qualitative methods of collecting data were used. Data gathering was carried out in the form of interviews with key information users, whereby complete representation of Absa business units was ensured. Main findings The analysis of the findings suggests that the majority of survey participants know of poor decisions having been made within their organisation because of one of the following reasons: 􀂃 Inadequate integration and aggregation of information from disparate sources; 􀂃 Inefficient access to relevant, accurate and timely information; 􀂃 Inconsistent approach to obtaining business insight as well as cost-effective delivery based on sound governance. As a result, the majority of executives make most of their decisions based on gut-feel rather than on more reliable empirical information. Recommendations From the results discussed in the empirical study, we have articulated several suggestions regarding how Absa can improve its business through effective and efficient utilization of information. The company will have to work on improving its management information process and enablers by focusing on information technology practices, information management practices, as well as the behaviours and values of its staff regarding information. In addition to this, to work on elements discussed in the empirical study as of key importance to the development and implementation of the necessary business insight capability.