Magister Legum - LLM / South Africa

Important changes that have taken place within South African politics mean that most companies today are under pressure to implement affirmative action (AA) policies within their organisations (equity policies). These AA policies include employment equity (EE) policies and Black economic empowerment (BEE) policies. Company agendas now include aspects such as equality and social justice and organisations will continue to be evaluated in terms of how well they meet employment equity targets. Many employees and citizens in general view the process and implementation of these policies with great scepticism and even reluctance. It is important to understand and examine these perceptions because employee perceptions influence employee attitudes and behaviour and therefore have an effect on the success (or failure) of an organisation. The effective implementation of EE and BEE policies will to a large extent depend on whether or not these policies fit into the overall culture of an organisation or whether the organisational culture is adapted to accommodate these policies. Previously, corporate cultures largely ignored principles of diversity and difference. It is important that the question of whether this has changed or changed to a large enough degree be answered, especially with regard to the implementation of EE and BEE policies. Some EE and BEE programmes may fail because previous structures, cultural systems and management styles are adhered to without adapting these to suit the needs of these policies. Ultimately, employees’ perceptions of AA in their organisation, namely the EE and BEE policies that are implemented, influence the attitudes and behaviour of employees and ultimately the success of the organisation. These perceptions are related to the culture of the organisation. This study explores employee perceptions of equity policies, specifically EE and BEE, in terms of differences in demographic characteristics, including race, gender, age, years’ service and occupational level; as well as relative to the main factors of these equity policies, as confirmed by a factor analysis performed on the data, namely the importance, impact and clarity of these policies. The sample company’s organisational culture is also explored in terms of these equity policies and perceptions thereof. The ultimate goal of this research is to examine if any relationships exist between the implementation of organisational cultural practices in an organisation relative to equity policies and employee perceptions of these, and if any relationships do exist, to determine the nature of such relationships. The sample size in this study is 476 employees. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Psychology / unrestricted

This study set out to establish an informed framework for the use of social network services in South African museums. Social network services are utilised by a wide demographic spectrum so they offer a cost-effective way to engage with communities and with existing and new stakeholders. The Standard of Generally Recognised Accounting Practice on Heritage Assets, or GRAP 103, and the draft National Policy on Digitisation of Heritage Resources imply that museum collections get documented and managed in digital form. It will coincidentally also enable museums to embrace the use of social network services and share the collections in their custody with many South Africans who are yet to experience the value of museums in the country. Museums are institutions in the service of society which acquires, conserves and communicates the tangible and intangible heritage of people and their environment. During the twentieth century museums have had to reinvent themselves from being unapproachable custodians of heritage to being part of society, willing to engage in discourses and be transformed to remain relevant to the communities they serve. The 2011 Census has found that about 18.2 million of 51.7 million South Africans have had access to the Internet before. Active Internet users however, are about half that figure because it is expensive, the broadband and telecommunications network is not efficient or because people have not yet experienced the value it offers. Government regulations compel Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enterprises to spend 1.5% net profit after tax on socio economic development initiatives. This presents an opportunity for museums as educational institutions to engage with such enterprises to expand Internet access and engage with local communities. The social network service field offers various ways to communicate collections and engage with communities through text, photographs, video and location-based technologies. Various notable local and international initiatives were discussed in this study. For example the Kulturpool which allows visitors to create cyber collections from digitised museum objects and contribute to the knowledge of such objects by allowing them to submit and share information for others to read. SAHRIS, the digital database offered by the South African Heritage Resources Agency, holds the key to similar ventures that museums could pursue. The regulative framework involves privacy, copyright and ethical issues which museums should abide by. Because of the pervasiveness of ICTs museums should take note of these regulations even if they decide not to pursue social network initiatives. ICT skills in museums are insufficient and should be improved upon. Social network services offer training and guidelines on how to use them, which could be a great help provided the reader has a good command of the English language. Cognisance must be taken of an overview social network services and their uses, and of the ethical and regulative framework for museums to benefit from using social network services to engage with communities. This way, communities may benefit from having access to the museum online. / Dissertation (MHCS)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Historical and Heritage Studies / unrestricted

Talent management is a source of competitive advantage and will be achieved by those organisations that are able to attract, develop and retain best in class individuals. It is thus not just a human resources issue but rather an integral part of any organisation’s strategy. Due to negative perceptions about South Africa, skilled workers are immigrating to countries such as Australia to the detriment of the South African economy. This loss is not necessarily being replaced by graduates or through immigration. Government policies such as Broader- Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE), Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and Affirmative Action (AA), compound the issue by then decreasing the pool of skilled applicants that may occupy skilled and senior posts in organisations. Globally there is a shortage of skills and due to employee mobility they can use any opportunity that presents itself. The objectives of this study was to determine the factors which lead to the emigration of skilled South African’s to Australia and then once these factors are known to propose retention strategies to role players to stem the emigration tide. To achieve these objectives a survey was prepared based on previous studies and a link to the web questionnaire was distributed to the population via an Australian immigration agent. The link was sent to all the agent’s clients around the world and thus consisted not only of South Africa respondents but also elicited international responses, which will be used for comparison purposes only. Only 48 South Africans responded to the survey and although limited, it was sufficient for the purposes of this study. The demographic profile was mainly male and dominated by Generation X. Using a Likert scale respondents were questioned on their levels of satisfaction in their country of origin and in Australia through an adaptation of a study by Mattes and Richmond (2000). The study of Hulme (2002) was adapted and incorporated into the questionnaire, where respondents were given the opportunity to rank considerations for leaving South Africa and factors that would draw them back. Respondents were provided with the opportunity for responses to open-ended questions to include other considerations for leaving and factors that would draw them back. Results from these survey items revealed that the primary reasons driving skilled South Africans to emigrate was safety and security, upkeep of public amenities, customer service and taxation. In contrast, South African migrants had high levels of satisfaction with safety and security, upkeep of public amenities and customer service in Australia. Respondents indicated that factors that would draw them back to South Africa would be improvements in safety and security and government, followed by family roots, good jobs and schools. The study also looked at the permanence of the move. If skilled individuals returned with new-found skills and experience then it could be a potential brain gain for South Africa. The results of this study found that 43% of respondents had no intention to return, 42% did not supply a response and only 10% were undecided on whether to return or not. To attract, retain and develop talent, the South African government and the private sector would need to work in partnership to develop policies that would satisfy the lower-order needs of individuals, such as physiological and safety needs. / Business Management / M.Tech. (Business Administration)

Thesis (LLM. (Development and Management Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The study looks into the phenomenon of Black Economic Empowerment in South Africa (B-BBEE) in the mining sector. The newly elected government in South Africa had to deal with the injustices of the past under the apartheid government and had to introduce programmes to help the Historically Disadvantaged South Africans and building the economy. For many years, the mining sector contributed to the South African economy; however, mining operations in South Africa have not given the Historically Disadvantaged South Africans opportunities to participate in the mining industries or partake in the mining sector. The introduction of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment in South Africa aims to promote and provide better opportunities to the previously disadvantaged communities in South Africa. However, it has been reflected that there is a slow transformation in the mining industry and economic participation of the Historically Disadvantaged South Africans in South Africa. The study finds that broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) policies have had little developmental impact and were not properly implemented in the mining sector. Keywords: Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment, Affirmative Action, Empowerment and the Mining Sector in South Africa

In recent decades tourism has asserted its importance as the biggest employer and foreign exchange earner in both the developing and developed countries. Consequently, there has been increasing attention to tourism development as a strategy to stimulate economic growth, local economic development and poverty alleviation, especially in the developing countries. This study was undertaken with the objective of determining the direct benefits of the growth in tourism to the local communities in the vicinity of protected areas in South Africa's Mpumalanga Province. The tourism sector is strategically located within the economic mainstream as it links easily with other sectors of the economy such as agriculture, hospitality, transport and entertainment. It has added advantages, including the fact that the tourist product is consumed at the destination. This offers local communities opportunities in job creation, skills development, economic empowerment and social development. The study found that meaningful involvement of local communities in the tourism industry through ownership of tourism-related enterprises was almost non-existent. There were no meaningful linkages between the industry and the local communities other than the communities' supply of unskilled labour. There were also no programmes aimed at harnessing the phenomenal growth in South Africa's tourism for the economic empowerment of local communities. The economic empowerment of local communities need not be achieved through the ownership of tourism-related enterprises only, but may also include shareholding, outsourcing, affirmative procurement and social responsibility programmes by the industry.The continued marginalisation of the local communities by the tourism industry was attributed to unsatisfactory progress with the industry's transformation. The launch of the Tourism Black Economic Empowerment Charter and Scorecard in 2005 provided impetus for the transformation of South Africa's tourism industry. However, more work still needs to be done in the identified areas of ownership and control of tourism-related businesses, distribution of tourism benefits and the development of tourism-related skills and entrepreneurial culture in local communities. The role of the private sector in stimulating community involvement in tourism is particularly important. The private sector is singled out because of government policy that tourism development would be regulated by government and be private-sector driven. Furthermore, the private sector has the capacity and the resources to mobilise, not only to improve the attractiveness and marketing of a destination and the overall management of the tourism industry, but also to build thriving local communities. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

Between 1980-2006, thousands of South African pension funds converted members from defined benefit to defined contribution structures. This research set out to answer the questions of why this phenomenon occurred and whether peculiar environmental circumstances influenced the outcome. The research framework identified various stakeholders in the retirement fund industry - government; regulator; pension fund adjudicator; ombudsman for long term insurance; trade unions; members; trustees; business; employers and service providers - and isolated the elements to be considered in the research. Industry experts were interviewed to obtain a macro view of the phenomenon and specific manifestations of the phenomenon were also considered in case studies. The purpose of the research was to develop a model for managers to assist them in dealing with environmental change. Qualitative research methodology was utilised and feedback from semi-structured interviews was categorised into several emergent themes. Within-case and cross-case analyses were conducted. Research results indicate that the conversion phenomenon occurred in two waves - one initiated in the 1980s and driven by the trade unions and a second in the 1990s, driven by employers, often at the advice of their consultants. Evidence of the start of a third wave also emerged. Results indicate that an environmental shock exerted a substantial influence on the course of events. Under these:  Various factors combined to drive organisational evolution (i.e. adaptation to the environment).  Adaptation speed was inappropriate and exceeded that which was required for sufficient thought.  Uncertainty and vacuum circumstances arose leading to consequences that require redress.  The power of the relative stakeholders changed and influenced the strategic outcome.  An imbalance in stakeholder interests arose and ethical factors became consequential.  Business acted to restore certainty for itself. Existing literature explained organisational behaviour in environments of competitive shock and high turbulence, but not in circumstances of environmental shock. A model emerged to assist managers to deal with environmental change, which was applied to an analysis of pension fund reform. It was also applied to the pension fund perspective on Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment. This model may also be applied in analysis of land redistribution, sanctions and constitutional development. / Business Management / DBL

In recent decades tourism has asserted its importance as the biggest employer and foreign exchange earner in both the developing and developed countries. Consequently, there has been increasing attention to tourism development as a strategy to stimulate economic growth, local economic development and poverty alleviation, especially in the developing countries. This study was undertaken with the objective of determining the direct benefits of the growth in tourism to the local communities in the vicinity of protected areas in South Africa's Mpumalanga Province. The tourism sector is strategically located within the economic mainstream as it links easily with other sectors of the economy such as agriculture, hospitality, transport and entertainment. It has added advantages, including the fact that the tourist product is consumed at the destination. This offers local communities opportunities in job creation, skills development, economic empowerment and social development. The study found that meaningful involvement of local communities in the tourism industry through ownership of tourism-related enterprises was almost non-existent. There were no meaningful linkages between the industry and the local communities other than the communities' supply of unskilled labour. There were also no programmes aimed at harnessing the phenomenal growth in South Africa's tourism for the economic empowerment of local communities. The economic empowerment of local communities need not be achieved through the ownership of tourism-related enterprises only, but may also include shareholding, outsourcing, affirmative procurement and social responsibility programmes by the industry.The continued marginalisation of the local communities by the tourism industry was attributed to unsatisfactory progress with the industry's transformation. The launch of the Tourism Black Economic Empowerment Charter and Scorecard in 2005 provided impetus for the transformation of South Africa's tourism industry. However, more work still needs to be done in the identified areas of ownership and control of tourism-related businesses, distribution of tourism benefits and the development of tourism-related skills and entrepreneurial culture in local communities. The role of the private sector in stimulating community involvement in tourism is particularly important. The private sector is singled out because of government policy that tourism development would be regulated by government and be private-sector driven. Furthermore, the private sector has the capacity and the resources to mobilise, not only to improve the attractiveness and marketing of a destination and the overall management of the tourism industry, but also to build thriving local communities. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

Between 1980-2006, thousands of South African pension funds converted members from defined benefit to defined contribution structures. This research set out to answer the questions of why this phenomenon occurred and whether peculiar environmental circumstances influenced the outcome. The research framework identified various stakeholders in the retirement fund industry - government; regulator; pension fund adjudicator; ombudsman for long term insurance; trade unions; members; trustees; business; employers and service providers - and isolated the elements to be considered in the research. Industry experts were interviewed to obtain a macro view of the phenomenon and specific manifestations of the phenomenon were also considered in case studies. The purpose of the research was to develop a model for managers to assist them in dealing with environmental change. Qualitative research methodology was utilised and feedback from semi-structured interviews was categorised into several emergent themes. Within-case and cross-case analyses were conducted. Research results indicate that the conversion phenomenon occurred in two waves - one initiated in the 1980s and driven by the trade unions and a second in the 1990s, driven by employers, often at the advice of their consultants. Evidence of the start of a third wave also emerged. Results indicate that an environmental shock exerted a substantial influence on the course of events. Under these:  Various factors combined to drive organisational evolution (i.e. adaptation to the environment).  Adaptation speed was inappropriate and exceeded that which was required for sufficient thought.  Uncertainty and vacuum circumstances arose leading to consequences that require redress.  The power of the relative stakeholders changed and influenced the strategic outcome.  An imbalance in stakeholder interests arose and ethical factors became consequential.  Business acted to restore certainty for itself. Existing literature explained organisational behaviour in environments of competitive shock and high turbulence, but not in circumstances of environmental shock. A model emerged to assist managers to deal with environmental change, which was applied to an analysis of pension fund reform. It was also applied to the pension fund perspective on Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment. This model may also be applied in analysis of land redistribution, sanctions and constitutional development. / Business Management / DBL