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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have the potential to enhance economic growth and innovation, create jobs, assist large businesses in the distribution of goods and services, and stimulate competition in the economy. However, SMEs face several challenges that influence their longevity, growth, and success. Poor leadership has been highlighted as influencing the job satisfaction and organisational commitment levels of employees, ultimately contributing to employee turnover and SME failure. This study mentions the dishonest, selfish and corrupt nature of modern leadership and identifies a gap in the literature regarding the practice of leadership, especially among South African SMEs. Against this background, the primary objective of this study was to assess the levels of several contemporary leadership styles displayed by SME owners, namely Servant, Authentic, Ethical and Participative leadership, and to investigate their influence on the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape. A quantitative research paradigm was adopted and a sample was drawn from employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape Province. The selection of the sample was done using judgement and convenience sampling. A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was undertaken, and a total of 236 usable questionnaires were returned on which to undertake the statistical analysis. In order to assess the validity of the dependent variables, namely Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment, tests for uni-dimensionality (using factor analysis) were undertaken. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was undertaken on the independent variables and four factors were extracted, which corresponded with the theoretical dimensions of Relational leadership, Participative leadership, Servant leadership and Ethical leadership. The items intended to measure Authentic leadership did not load as expected, but a factor named Relational leadership emerged as a result of several items measuring Ethical and Servant leadership loading together. All the independent and dependent variables returned Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of greater than 0.7. As such, sufficient evidence of validity and reliability for the scales measuring the dependent and the independent variables was provided. The data collected was also subjected to several statistical analyses. These included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment correlations, multiple regression analyses, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The majority of respondents agreed that they experienced Job satisfaction in the SMEs in which they were employed and that they were committed to these businesses. Relational leadership returned the highest mean score while the lowest score was returned for Participative leadership. The majority of respondents also agreed that the SME owners for whom they worked displayed the leadership styles under investigation. All the independent variables were significantly and positively correlated with the dependent variables, Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment. In addition, significant positive correlations were reported between all the independent variables. The multiple regression analyses revealed that three of the four leadership styles investigated in this study had a significant positive influence on both the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in the SMEs. These leadership styles were Servant, Relational, and Ethical leadership. In addition, the results of this study showed that Job satisfaction mediates the relationship between Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership, and the Organisational commitment displayed by employees working in SMEs, but does not mediate the relationship between Participative leadership and Organisational commitment. The findings also showed that the demographic variables investigated in this study had no influence on how SME employees perceived the Servant and Relational leadership behaviours of SME owners. However, the results showed that female respondents perceived SME owners as displaying a Participative leadership style more so than male employees did. The findings also revealed that employees with a post-matric qualification perceived that SME owners displayed higher levels of Participative leadership than those without a post-matric qualification. In addition, the ANOVA revealed that White respondents perceived that SME owners exhibited more ethical behaviours than Black respondents did. Given the findings of this study, several recommendations were put forward to enhance the levels of Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership among SME owners, and to ultimately enhance the levels of Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment experienced by their employees. As such SME owners were provided with practical recommendations on how to attract and retain employees by adopting appropriate leadership behaviours. Employees play a vital role in achieving the goals and vision of a business. Satisfied and committed employees put more effort into ensuring the goals and vision of the business are achieved, contributing to business success and ultimately the economy as a whole.

As Western business increases in China and China acquires more technology from the West, the need to effectively train the Chinese workforce becomes more important. Identifying and understanding the perceived problems that Western corporate trainers encounter when they train Chinese may lead to more effective and efficient training programs. This study examines the experiences of trainers, working for American companies, who have designed and implemented training programs for Chinese from the People's Republic of China. The purpose of the study is to identify perceived problems the trainers encounter and to determine whether differences between Chinese and American cultures may account for these problems. Hofstede's Value Dimensions of Cultural Difference and Hall's Low-High Context Communication Schema are used to analyze the dimensions of cultural difference operating between the trainers and students of these training programs. Hofstede's and Hall's rating of U. S. culture as an individualist, moderately low power-distance, moderately weak uncertainty-avoidance, low context culture contrasts with the collectivist, moderately high power-distance, moderately strong uncertainty-avoidance, high context Chinese culture. Hofstede suggests that when a trainer from a culture with the American configuration trains students from a culture with a Chinese configuration several problems are likely to occur. Specific examples are included in the text. In-depth interviews, lasting between two and three hours, were conducted with nine trainers working for eight American companies. The data were analyzed using an ongoing constant comparative method which produced evolving problem categories and themes. In the final analysis of the data, three major problem categories, each with several subcategories, emerged. The major problem category, Power and Authority includes problems dealing with, Bureaucratic Maze, Decision-making, Getting Things Done, Communication, and the Chinese system of Connections. The second major problem category, Training and Learning Problems describes problems pertaining to Language, Training and Learning Processes, Problem-solving, Technical Sophistication, and Selection of Trainees. The third major problem category, Work Attitudes and Behavior addresses problems relating to Motivation, Responsibility, and Work Habits. Using Hofstede's Dimensions of Cultural Differences and Hall's Low-High Context Communication Schema, a sample of the most salient problems are analyzed for cultural differences between Chinese and American culture. Hofstede's and Hall's theories identify various dimensions of cultural differences between China and the U.S. which potentially lead to problems in a training context. The research revealed several perceived problems common to trainers of Western companies in training Chinese from the People's Republic. This study concludes that many of these problems can be explained in terms of the cultural differences identified by Hofstede and Hall. Finally, recommendations are made concerning both design and implementation of more effective training for Chinese. Possibilities for future study are suggested.

Abstract not available

by Chan Kwok-luen. / Bibliography: leaf 95 / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1986

張家偉. / 論文(哲學碩士) -- 香港中文大學硏究院政治與行政學部, 1997. / 參考文獻: leaves 107-116. / Zhang Jiawei. / Chapter 1. --- 緖論 --- p.1-15 / Chapter 2. --- 中國國有企業的福利制度 --- p.16-32 / Chapter 3. --- 國有企業的福利擴張趨勢 --- p.33-60 / Chapter 4. --- 中國政府對福利擴張的控制 --- p.61-74 / Chapter 5. --- 福利擴張揭示的現象-- 工人與企業經營者的關係 --- p.75-90 / Chapter 6. --- 總結 --- p.91-97 / Chapter 7. --- 附錄一：山東省某國有企業的個案硏究 --- p.98-106 / 附錄二：中國國有企業職工福利發展相關大事記 / Chapter 8. --- 參考文獻 --- p.107-116

While much research and attention have focused on sojourn adjustment to a new culture, very little research has addressed readjustment to the home culture. This research studies the problems of repatriation work adjustment experienced by U.S. corporate employees. This study also.suggests that cultural readjustment is situational and a multifaceted process which is influenced by many different variables. Interviews with 25 corporate repatriated employees were conducted using a 22-question survey instrument. Repatriates were asked to rate their readjustment experiences on a seven-item Likert scale. Respondents also had the opportunity to expand on their answers with open-ended questions. Fourteen variables were examined for their relationship to cultural readjustment and to each other. Of these 14 variables, the ability for repatriates to use job skills which were learned overseas and number of overseas assignments were found to positively relate to readjustment. As predicted, the amount of autonomy expatriates experienced overseas was found to relate negatively to repatriation work readjustment. Based on these findings, recommendations to facilitate readjustment to the corporate home environment are proposed.

As organizations are becoming more and more global, the number of employees on overseas assignments who must adjust to the cultural differences and other aspects of working and living overseas is growing. The high premature rate of return to the home country has increased the already high cost of overseas assignments. The cost of failure includes lost effectiveness on the job, time to find a replacement, discontinuity of work activities, damage to the company's reputation, and discontent on the part of the employee. As the result, it is very important that individuals on overseas assignments also be effective. The aim of this research is to identify how managers can select expatriates based on their personal characteristics and can intervene in the adjustment process to reduce the effects of adjustment difficulties on overseas effectiveness. The personal characteristics studied in this research effort are age, marital status, number of children, previous overseas assignment, and language proficiency. Adjustment difficulties are investigated in the areas of banking, housing, health care, shopping, and schooling. With help of a questionnaire, data was gathered from sixty-two Americans currently working and living in Germany. The results from a backward regression analysis indicate that respondents’ difficulty of dealing with the aforementioned adjustment areas in the first three months has a significant negative effect on their effectiveness in Germany. Although it appears that respondents’ language proficiency has a positive effect on overseas effectiveness, it may actually be a subset of their sense of preparedness at the time of arrival. The results from the regression analysis also indicate that the personal characteristics studied here cannot be used to develop a profile of expatriates who will be most effective in Germany or who will have the greatest difficulties while adjusting to life in Germany. Specific recommendations for how managers may improve the overseas effectiveness of American expatriates in Germany, as well as recommendations for future research, are discussed. / Master of Science

丘海雄. / 論文(哲學博士) -- 香港中文大學硏究院社會學學部, 1996. / 參考文献 : leaves 175-182. / Qiu Haixiong. / Chapter 第一篇 --- 理论和方法 --- p.1 / 导言 --- p.1 / Chapter 第一章 --- 相关的理论 --- p.2 / Chapter 第一节 --- 理性选择理论 --- p.2 / Chapter 第二节 --- 劳动力市场及雇佣关系的理论 --- p.9 / Chapter 第三节 --- 中国劳动力市场及雇佣制度的研究 --- p.16 / Chapter 第二章 --- 本文的理论和方法 --- p.22 / Chapter 第一节 --- 理论架构 --- p.23 / Chapter 第二节 --- 研究方法 --- p.25 / 第一篇 注释 --- p.27 / Chapter 第二篇 --- 制度 --- p.33 / 导言 --- p.33 / Chapter 第三章 --- 劳动用工 --- p.35 / Chapter 第一节 --- 招收工人 --- p.35 / Chapter 第二节 --- 用工形式 --- p.39 / Chapter 第三节 --- 劳动管理 --- p.45 / Chapter 第四节 --- 工人流动 --- p.50 / 小結 --- p.56 / Chapter 第四章 --- 工资分配 --- p.58 / Chapter 第一节 --- 工资分配制度改革综述 --- p.58 / Chapter 第二节 --- 企业之间的分化 --- p.61 / Chapter 第三节 --- 内部工资制度 --- p.65 / Chapter 第四节 --- 工资改革的效果 --- p.74 / 小結 --- p.78 / Chapter 第五章 --- 福利保险 --- p.81 / Chapter 第一节 --- 住房分配 --- p.81 / Chapter 第二节 --- 医疗照顾 --- p.87 / Chapter 第三节 --- 劳动保险 --- p.95 / 小結 --- p.108 / 第二篇 注释 --- p.110 / Chapter 第三篇 --- 行动 --- p.124 / 导言 --- p.124 / Chapter 第六章 --- 工作价值和态度 --- p.124 / Chapter 第一节 --- 工作价值和满足感 --- p.124 / Chapter 第二节 --- 对有关改革的评价 --- p.129 / Chapter 第三节 --- 转工和第二职业的意愿和取向 --- p.131 / Chapter 第四节 --- 对工人、工会和企业地位的评价 --- p.133 / Chapter 第五节 --- 对解决问题的途径的评价 --- p.137 / 小結 --- p.138 / Chapter 第七章 --- 工人的行动选择 --- p.139 / Chapter 第一节 --- 一家两制 --- p.139 / Chapter 第二节 --- 一人两制 --- p.146 / 小結 --- p.160 / 讨论和总结 --- p.175 / 第三篇 注释 --- p.175 / 参考文献 --- p.175 / 英文参考书目 --- p.175 / 中文参考书目 --- p.180

Shi Hui. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 31-34). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Contents / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.4 / Chapter 3 --- Theoretical Model and Predictions --- p.7 / Chapter 4 --- Hypotheses Development / Chapter 5 --- Research Methodology / Chapter 5.1 --- Data --- p.15 / Chapter 5.2 --- Variables --- p.16 / Chapter 5.3 --- Regression Models --- p.18 / Chapter 6 --- Empirical Results --- p.21 / Chapter 6.1 --- Individual Housework Time / Chapter 6.2 --- Housework Allocation Within a Family / Chapter 7 --- Conclusion --- p.27 / References --- p.31 / Tables --- p.35