During this research, an attempt was made to gain an understanding of management and their employees' perceptions regarding functional and numerical flexibility practices within South African organisations. To achieve this, twenty-six people, comprising of a variability of positions within the organisation, were interviewed in the region of the Western Cape. It was found that, although extensive research on the two forms of flexibility have been globally conducted, South African literature, particularly on the part of numerical flexibility, is limited. It is thus believed that this study will present a valuable basis to pursue in further research. Literature that was consulted was found to be supportive of the theoretical notion that South African organisations, in order to be globally competitive, have had to restructure and redefine themselves by ensuring that they make the most efficient and effective use of their human resources. The study found that whilst functional flexibility practices benefit employees in that they experienced increased job satisfaction and job mobility, it was the area of numerical flexibility which raised many dissatisfactions, including those of immense job insecurity and remuneration, both financial and otherwise. The study findings suggest a need for a more comprehensive and employee integrated approach by combining organisational with individual oriented initiatives, and ensuring the trade union's involvement in all facets of functional and numerical flexibility initiatives. The thesis ends with recommendations of various strategies for addressing the concerns of management, employees and the trade union in order to ensure full and proper utilisation of human resources so that the end product, namely job satisfaction, leads to organisational success.

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master Technologiae: Quality in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology / Beginning in the United States in December 2007, and with much greater intensity since September 2008, much of the industrialised world is being subjected to an economic downturn, which manifests in unemployment, small-business lending, and in particular, the closing of small business enterprises, etc. Customer satisfaction, quality and retention are global issues that affect all organisations, no matter whether they are large or small, profit or non-profit, global or local. In a globally changing landscape characterised by continuous structural changes and enhanced competitive pressures, the role of small business in society has become even more important as providers of employment opportunities and key players for the well-being of local and regional communities. Under the current global worldwide economic crisis, small business is considered to be a major force behind the South Africa‟s economy. Regarding the implementation of quality, probably the most serious constraints a small firm has is that the manager is almost constantly under time pressure, usually dealing with the urgent staff and operational matters.Especially in very small companies, the manager usually has to cope with to all issues irrespective of their nature, in addition to day to day duties such as record keeper, inventory management and scheduling. Ironically, it is this type of small business that needs quality solutions because quality strategies do not from the basis of the traditional small business enterprises, thus impacting on the successful management of the business environment.

Thesis (MTech (Public Relations Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, 2004 / This research paper is aimed at formulating a corporate communication strategy for a medium- sized organisation, Highbury Solutions, operating in the computer software ' industry. Highbury Solutions consists of a Managing Director and four managers who, together with fifteen operational staff, make up a total staff complement of twenty. Highbury Solutions had a tumover of approximately R25 million over the past financial year (2004). The organisation enjoys a partnership with the computer conglomerate IBM in which the branding of Highbury Solutions products carries the computer giants' endorsement. This relationship has been in existence since 2001. The relationship, however, according to preliminary research, indicates no communication strategy or formal communication channels in place between the two organisations. The aim of this research paper will thus be to transform theoretical perspectives into a practical approach and design of a suitable corporate communication strategy for Highbury Solutions. This strategy will be based on sound research principles of both the organisation and its stakeholders and will be based on the model for Corporate Communication Strategy in Steyn & Puth (2002: 62). This research paper will aim to formulate a corporate communication strategy that will nurture and grow the relationship between the two organisations for the next three to five years. Chapter one consists of an introduction to the research issue, including the aim of the research, the stating of the research problem as well as identifying subproblems and possible assumptions.

Thesis (DTech (Marketing Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2008. / There is little doubt that public relations faces an identity crisis threatening to relegate this troubled organisational function permanently to the sidelines, unless it succeeds in reinventing itself. Such reinvention is mooted by a number of authors who propose the solution that public relations should rename itself. However, as others are quick to point out, renaming will not be the only solution, and a more extensive realignment of public relations is needed. The reinvention of public relations pertains specifically to its role in the organisation, its reputation (currently negative), and its contribution to the organisation's strategy and ethics. This thesis examines the problems beleaguering public relations and proposes that Porter's value chain analysis be used as the foundation for the reinvention of public relations. Arguments in support of the use of Porter's value chain analysis are presented, and empirical evidence supporting the likelihood of this approach succeeding is sought - and found. In conjunction with the problems surrounding public relations, the ethical landscape of the 21st Century is investigated with specific reference to unethical organisational practices so prevalent today. In proposing that Porter's value chain analysis be used to reinvent public relations, the thesis also argues that public relations can play a role in ensuring greater ethical responsibility of organisations. The relationship between public relations and marketing, so long a thorn in the side of public relations practitioners, academics, and authors, is clarified, and the organisational position of public relations is addressed. Finally, the thesis argues that public relations should see itself as a support activity in the organisation, where it is involved in organisation-wide communication support to all of the primary activities that are carried out to seek, find, create, and deliver value to customers.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The crisis that business face regarding the constant change in the environment will not go away. Therefor business will have to go on with transformation to help the business adept to the changing environment. Business in the United States of America has develop a business transformation model to guide business during the process of transformation. In South Africa we face the same circumstances but with a few differences. We arc: nota developed country and the economic objectives of the new South Africa do not allow business to use the same business transformation model. Research in the risk management department in Spoornet during a transformation process has shown the following differences to transformation in America and Europe: • South African companies need to take the economic objectives of the new South Africa into account when transforming the business and it's processes. • Need to include an employment control and management function into the transformation model. '111e research has also found that business. management and employee's are not prepared for the transformation process as their fellow businesses in America and in Europe. Business docs not understand the value and importance of transforming the business. Most managers and employee's think it's a process to automate business and a quick fix process to help the business tobecome more productive and effective. Companies in South Africa do not have the choice between transformation or not. If they want to adapt to the changing environment in South Africa and the rest of the world, they need to transform the business. To survive the severe competition of other companies in South Africa and the rest of the world transformation is not a question to consider.

M.B.A. / The last decade has been a period of great transformation in South Africa and many companies have found themselves facing many challenges. Prospering in this environment have lead many companies to embark on programmes of restructuring and refocusing their companies in order to face the new challenges locally and globally. For this reason the purpose of this study is to determine if management in non-listed companies based in Gauteng have a formalised business plan in place to achieve its short-term objectives and a formalised strategy that would synergise the company's short-term objectives with its long-term vision. The reason for undertaking this research was to enable the researcher to provide an in-depth analysis of the strategic planning process used by nonlisted companies in Gauteng when in developing its business strategy in a transformational environment. The researcher relied on quantitative research techniques and the following data collection method was utilised. Email survey questionnaires produced by the researcher on a proprietary software programme to respondents of the sample group. In assessing the research data and the literature review, the researcher provides a wealth of knowledge on strategic planning in non-listed companies in Gauteng and globally. With this insight strategy consultants will be ideally positioned to facilitate a strategic planning session or the development of a strategic business plan/strategy for a non-listed company in Gauteng. The researcher is confident that the literature review, the research data and the recommendations will provide excellent insight into the strategic planning process in non-listed companies based in Gauteng, South Africa.

M.Com. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Phil. (Information Management) / The purpose of this study was to establish what the current situation is within the South African pharmaceuticals industry's competitive intelligence (CI) capacity. For a developing country such as South Africa, its political history and newly acquired democracy clearly make it vulnerable to the competitiveness of globalisation. South Africa faces a massive challenge to implement quality social and economic policies to redress the wrongs of the past. In so doing, it continues to disrupt natural market forces through legislation and policies. It has set a goal of optimal growth by 2018 for the pharmaceutical industry. Despite government s promotion of research and the funding of certain aspects of the industry, to date the strategy seems to have failed. The question can therefore be asked whether a legal and ethical business tool such as CI assist in the industry s defence against competitive markets and whether senior management can make use of CI s capacity to help with strategic planning, thereby enhancing decision-making. The findings of the study confirmed that CI activity takes place in the pharmaceutical industry. The study is mainly descriptive. A questionnaire survey methodology was used. Questionnaires were administered electronically to senior managers in the industry. The majority of the respondents were of the opinion that a culture of information sharing and an environment of collaboration on competitive issues existed in their companies. Furthermore, they endorsed the fact that CI generates profit. Respondents confirmed that CI is used on a continuous basis in strategic decision-making and that company strategies are being used to manage competitors.

M.Com. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The primary aim of this thesis is to explore, through organisation development (OD) consultants' accounts, the meaning of 'capacity building' in the South African development context. The need for theory development in this area is apparent from two interrelated vantage points. Firstly, while 'capacity building' is an increasingly espoused development approach, it is seen to be a confusing and ill-defined concept, for which there exists no adequate theory. Secondly, there is an growing call within the OD field to perfonn 'recOIlllaissance' (Weick,1990) on OD as it is being practised in different socio-historical and organisational contexts, so as to discern future trends for this discipline. Due to the lack of documented debate which grounds OD issues in the South African development sector, OD practitioners' 'capacity building' interventions were seen to provide suitably unchartered terrain for this study. Given that theory generation was intended, the general epistemological principles provided by Glaser and Strauss's (1967) 'grounded theory' methodology were adopted. As a way of avoiding some of the criticisms and limitations of this approach, this thesis followed later conceptualisations of this method, in particular its reframing within the social constructionist idiom. In accordance with this perspective, this study directed attention to the ways in which OD consultants, in a non-governmental organisational (NGO) sector known as 'intermediary' NGOs, accounted for their 'capacity building' role in this development context. The results, based on in-depth interviews with ten OD consultants, indicate that 'capacity building' is an elusive and inchoate concept with more than one meaning for the participants. Their narrative account variously constructs 'capacity building' as value-driven OD process facilitation; funder and market regulated service provision; and people-driven product delivery. As a result of this multi-vocal construction, the participants' accounts reveal that OD consultancy in this sector is primarily concerned with 'managing the tensions' of the consultants' ambiguous and contradictory roles. By examining how the tensions articulated by the consultants inhere in their relationship to the environment in which they operate, this thesis firstly explores how the contradiction and anlbiguity attached to this concept can be traced to different stakeholder expectations of 'capacity building'. Secondly, it exanlines how these different stakeholder discourses conflict with each other and with an OD perspective. Thirdly, through an explication of the core category of 'managing tensions', it explores the image of OD consulting as a 'shifting and inconstant balancing act'. Fourthly, it shows how there exist wider contextual forces operating in the development sector which serve to throw these consultants 'off balance' and into delimited and 'received' service provision roles which run counter to their raison d'etre. Finally, the research examines new ways of approaching the 'capacity building' question and of understanding the nature of OD consultancy. It concludes with an attempt to respond to a conceptual aporia in OD literature by examining possible alternative images and metaphors for the role of the OD consultant.