This study investigated the causes of employee dissatisfaction by means of a case study of the Business Application Solution Centre (BASC) at the Eskom Academy of Learning (EAL). The rationale for the study was to contribute further to a general understanding of employee dissatisfaction. This study highlighted the issue of the under-representation of blacks and females (of all races) in senior positions, and further emphasised appointment and recruitment issues that promote unfair labour practices, organisational culture and structure issues that undermine workplace relations, and the extent to which management responds to the abovementioned issues. A mixed method approach was employed to gather data from BASC employees. Qualitative data was collected by means of one focus group discussion and nine in-depth, face-to-face interviews. For the focus group and face-to-face interviews, purposive sampling was used for the selection of respondents, in order to ensure representation on all race, gender and occupational strata. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for both the focus group and face-to-face interviews. The questioning route was guided by the themes of gender, appointment and recruitment issues, culture and structure issues, and management response and practice. Quantitative data was collected by means of an online survey. Even though the online survey link was sent to employees on all strata, top managers did not participate. The use of a web-based online survey had an element of immediacy and also ensured maximum confidentiality, as responses were transferred to a development server with no link or trace to the respondents. The study revealed many underlying causes of employee dissatisfaction, such as the following: (1) the main drivers of black and female under-representation in top positions were lack of skills development, mentoring and career-pathing; (2) among the recruitment and appointment practices leading to employee dissatisfaction was the appointment of employees to ‘acting’ rather than permanent management positions; (3) there was a perception that managers abused their authority by promoting their favourites and overlooking those who they did not like; (4) although an affirmative action (AA) policy had been implemented at BASC, it was felt that employees should be appointed and promoted on merit, and that this should be accompanied by mentoring; (5) in some instances, the hiring of consultants deprived employees of opportunities to perform critical tasks. The fact that consultants were paid more than employees was also a source of discontent; (6) appointment criteria were non-transparent, and respondents revealed that they knew who was going to be appointed even before the recruitment process had been completed; (7) a bureaucratic culture was found to be the main organisational culture issue undermining workplace relations. On the other hand, a culture of teamwork appeared to reduce dissatisfaction and enhance unity; (8) the major organisational structure issues undermining workplace relations were managers who lacked managerial competencies and unequal payment on the same grade; (9) employees who stood their ground were given a low rating during performance appraisals. Others were bullied by senior managers and colleagues, who were rude towards them; (10) a hostile working relationship between managers and employees was caused by managers who lacked human resource skills; and (11) junior managers were undermined by employees who bypassed them and went straight to senior managers to discuss workplace issues. This study addresses both the general lack of information regarding the causes of employee dissatisfaction in South Africa, and of employee dissatisfaction in the information and communication technology (ICT) workplace environment. The findings of the study will also contribute towards a better understanding of the general causes of employee dissatisfaction. The results of this study suggest that more in-depth investigations of the causes of employee dissatisfaction are necessary to fully address this issue, and in order to ultimately prevent a further increase in the rate of employee turnover. Some implications for further research became apparent during the course of this study: similar studies on employee dissatisfaction should be conducted with top managers; studies on the experience of managers appointed to acting positions should be undertaken; and follow-up studies on employee dissatisfaction should be conducted as causes are addressed and relevant interventions are implemented. / Business management / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)

The general aim of this research was to investigate whether a relationship exists between the perceptions of job characteristics, job satisfaction (JS) and organisational commitment (OC) of e-tutors in a virtual work environment in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) university in South Africa. Considering the nature of the virtual work environment and the Job Characteristics Model (JCM), the design of e-tutors’ jobs does not encompass some of the core dimensions. This creates certain distinctive issues in terms of how e-tutors work, relate and communicate with their supervisors and co-workers. This has the potential to negatively affect their levels of JS and OC and increase their intention to leave the organisation. Accordingly, a quantitative survey was conducted on a sample of 279 (n = 279) e-tutors serving contracts at an ODL institution in South Africa. An exploratory factor analysis in the absence of good fit revealed a three-factor model for job characteristics, a two-factor model for JS, and a three-factor model for OC. Moreover, a correlational analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between perceptions of job characteristics, JS, and OC. A bivariate-partial correlation revealed that the relationship between job characteristics and JS is stronger than the relationship between job characteristics and OC. Following these correlations, a regression analysis was done to test the influencing nature of job characteristics on JS and OC. Accordingly, the results revealed that 26% of the effect of JS on OC is mediated by job characteristics. Tests for statistically significant mean differences revealed no significant difference between male and female e-tutors, nor differences in terms of their job tenure. However, in terms of educational background, significant mean differences were found between e-tutors holding undergraduate degrees and those holding postgraduate degrees. In order to determine which colleges differ significantly, multiple comparison tests were done, but the results revealed no significant individual differences. These results are applicable to similar populations and may help to improve the work experiences of other virtual workers. In addition, it is envisioned that they may help to improve human resource management practices in virtual work environments. / Human Resource Management / M. Com. (Human Resource Management)

The South African economic landscape changed for ever after the first democratic election of 1994. The change heralded an era of inclusion, the economic landscape became open to people from all races, whereas before economic power was centralised in the hands of a minority group due to Apartheid legislation. Exploring the relationship of diversity of board members on the corporate governance of small, micro and medium enterprises (SMME’s) in South Africa has become imperative. Understanding the relationship, if any, which exists can aid SMME’s in board selection and corporate governance alike. Data for the study was collected through a self-enumerated questionnaire completed electronically and followed-up by interviews with heads of boards surveyed. Both the questionnaire and the interviews focussed on corporate governance, which included different components of governance such as the general principles of governance followed in the enterprise, the stakeholder focus exerted by the board of directors and the functioning of the board of directors. This resulted in a score for the enterprise which can be expressed as a percentage. This governance indicator was related to questions on the diversity of board members. The findings were in many cases contradictive when a single variable was observed against the score an enterprise achieved for governance. When taking a more holistic approach and evaluating multiple variables, it became evident that it is rather a combination of variables which displays some relationship with corporate governance. This study found that board diversity does have a relationship with corporate governance. The magnitude of this relationship could not be ascertained and warrants further research in a wider spectrum of the South African economy and also with a larger group of subjects. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / This study was conducted to address a distinct lack of knowledge regarding strategizing as a function of social interaction. Social researchers like Critchley contend that an organisation should essentially be regarded as an evolving product of people’s continuous interaction resulting in shared meaning. In subscribing to Critchley’s premise, and assuming that strategy inquiry is an empirically informed social science, the current study consequently set out to gain an understanding of how social interaction between practitioners shapes organisational strategizing and subsequent strategic outcomes. The strategy-as-practice perspective served as an integrative lens for the current research. This perspective that subscribes to the practice turn in social research, focuses on the actual practices (praxis) of strategy actors (practitioners) within unique organisational settings with unique strategizing tools, techniques and artefacts (practices). Informed by the philosophical underpinnings of a pragmatic worldview and a qualitatively driven mixed methods approach, a case study design allowed for in-depth analyses of multiple sources of empirical data to facilitate an understanding of the research phenomena. In addition to exploring social interaction during episodes of strategy practice, the current research investigated how practitioners’ motivations to interact shape and are shaped by ongoing interactions and meaning making. The current study also examined how external and internal organisational contexts, including organisational practices, influence and are influenced by ongoing social interactions. Two small private higher education institutions that reflect the typology of most private providers in the South African higher education landscape were selected for the case study. These private providers face numerous challenges in a tough current economic climate. Private providers further fulfil a pivotal role in the demand absorption of a growing need for higher education in South Africa. The main findings of the current research confirmed that strategizing at the two case study organisations is indeed mainly a function of social interaction. Strategizing is mostly shaped by people as emotional beings. Strategizing is the product of sometimes-irrational interactions and subsequent constantly evolving shared meanings and relationships between people. It is the social interaction between strategy actors during episodes of strategy praxis that serves as a social mechanism in transforming strategizing intent into strategy outcomes. Different strategy actors employ a wide array of techniques to get their ideas or views accepted during strategy-related interactions. Findings indicated that the selected strategies at the two case study organisations are mostly not based on objective reasoning linked to a clear plan or vision, but rather on strategy actors’ abilities in getting their ideas to be accepted by the group. Findings further suggested that the owners of the respective case study organisations strongly influence how things are done during episodes of strategy praxis. Strategizing at both companies is informal and comprises mostly of reacting to challenges and dealing with crises. Both organisations follow a differentiation strategy. Safety and security; employment prospects, as well as certain academic issues like small classes for better learning can be regarded as areas of competitive advantage for both. The proliferation of private providers, significant investment in private higher education, as well as private provision’s important demand absorption role suggest that there is a definite future for private higher education in South Africa. The intended main contribution of the current research is to facilitate an understanding of how social interaction as social mechanism shapes strategizing and resultant strategic outcomes. The understanding of the social world supposedly increases as the collection of the compatible causal mechanisms grows – where mechanisms reveal how the observed relationships between phenomena are created and are explained. The findings of the current research could thus serve as a building block in accumulating social science theory regarding this unexplored avenue of interaction-driven strategy research. To this end, a conceptual framework is proffered to guide similar future studies. The current study provided a glimpse into the strategy-workings of two small private higher education providers and ultimately contributes towards the growing body of knowledge regarding private provision within the South African higher education landscape / Hierdie studie is uitgevoer om die kennelike gebrek aan kennis oor strategie as ʼn funksie van sosiale interaksie aan te spreek. Sosiale navorsers soos Critchley beweer dat ʼn organisasie in wese beskou moet word as ʼn ontwikkelende produk van mense se deurlopende interaksie wat aanleiding gee tot gedeelde betekenis. In ooreenstemming met Critchley se veronderstelling dat strategiese ondersoek ʼn sosiale wetenskap is wat empiries ingelig is, was die uitgangspunt van die bepaalde studie gevolglik om te begryp hoe sosiale interaksie tussen praktisyns organisasiestrategie en gevolglike strategiese uitkomste bepaal. Die strategie-as-praktyk-perspektief het as ʼn integrerende lens vir die bepaalde navorsing gedien. Hierdie perspektief wat ooreenstem met die praktykomwenteling in sosiale navorsing, fokus op die werklike praktyke van strategierolspelers (-praktisyns) in unieke organisasie-omgewings met unieke strategie-instrumente, -tegnieke en -artefakte (praktyke). Ingelig deur die filosofiese ondersteuning van ʼn pragmatiese wêreldbeskouing en ʼn gemengde metodiek van kwalitatiewe benadering, het ʼn gevallestudieontwerp voorsiening gemaak vir indringende ontleding van verskeie bronne empiriese data om ʼn begrip van die navorsingsfenomene te fasiliteer. Bykomend tot die ondersoek van sosiale interaksie tydens episodes van strategiepraktyk, het die bepaalde navorsing ondersoek hoe praktisyns se motivering om in interaksie te wees deurlopende interaksie en betekenisgewing vorm en daardeur gevorm word. Die bepaalde studie het ook ondersoek hoe eksterne en interne organisasiekontekste, insluitend organisasiepraktyke, deurlopende sosiale interaksie beïnvloed en daardeur beïnvloed word. Twee klein privaathoëronderwysinstansies wat die tipologie van die meeste privaatverskaffers in die Suid-Afrikaanse hoëronderwysomgewing weerspieël, is vir die gevallestudie geselekteer. Hierdie privaatverskaffers het te make met verskeie uitdagings in die bepaalde moeilike ekonomiese klimaat. Privaatverskaffers vervul ʼn kernrol in die vraagabsorpsie van ʼn toenemende behoefte aan hoër onderwys in Suid-Afrika. Die hoofbevindings van die bepaalde navorsing het bevestig dat strategie by die twee organisasies in die gevallestudie wel hoofsaaklik ʼn funksie van sosiale interaksie is. Strategie word meestal gevorm deur mense as emosionele wesens. Strategie is die produk van interaksie wat soms irrasioneel is asook gevolglike gedeelde betekenis en verhoudings tussen mense wat konstant ontwikkel. Dit is die sosiale interaksie tussen strategierolspelers tydens periodes van strategiepraktyk wat dien as ʼn sosiale meganisme wat strategievoorneme in strategiese uitkomste transformeer. Verskillende strategierolspelers gebruik ʼn wye verskeidenheid tegnieke om hulle idees of beskouings tydens strategieverwante interaksie aanvaarbaar te maak. Die bevindings het aangedui dat die geselekteerde strategieë by die twee gevallestudie-instansies meestal nie op objektiewe beredenering wat inskakel by ʼn duidelike plan of visie gebaseer word nie, maar eerder op strategierolspelers se vermoë om hulle idees vir die groep aanvaarbaar te maak. Bevindings het verder bevestig dat die eienaars van die onderskeidelike gevallestudie-instansies ʼn groot invloed het hoe dinge tydens episodes van strategiepraktyk gedoen word. Strategie by albei maatskappye is informeel en bestaan meestal uit reaksie op uitdagings en hantering van krisisse. Albei organisasies volg ʼn differensiëringstrategie. Veiligheid en sekuriteit, werkverskaffingsvooruitsigte asook bepaalde akademiese aangeleenthede soos kleiner klasse vir beter leer, kan beskou word as gebiede van mededingingsvoordeel vir albei. Die proliferasie van privaatverskaffers, beduidende investering in hoër onderwys, asook die belangrike vraagabsorpsierol van privaatverskaffers dui daarop dat daar beslis ʼn toekoms vir privaathoëronderwys in Suid-Afrika is. Die beplande hoofbydrae van die bepaalde navorsing is om ʼn begrip te fasiliteer van hoe sosiale interaksie as sosiale meganisme strategie en gevolglike strategiese uitkomste vorm. Begrip van die sosiale wêreld neem waarskynlik toe soos die versameling van die versoenbare kousale meganismes groei – waar meganismes openbaar hoe die waargenome verhoudings tussen fenomene geskep en verduidelik word. Die bevindings van die bepaalde navorsing kan dus dien as ʼn boublok om sosialewetenskapsteorie te akkumuleer oor hierdie onverkende baan van interaksiegedrewe strategienavorsing. Om hierdie rede, word ʼn konseptuele raamwerk aangebied as riglyn vir soortgelyke toekomstige studies. Die bepaalde studie het ʼn blik gebied op die strategiese werking van twee klein privaathoëronderwysverskaffers en uiteindelik bygedra tot die toenemende kennisgeheel van privaatverskaffing in die Suid-Afrikaanse hoëronderwysomgewing. / Ucwaningo lwenzelwe ukubhekana nokusweleka kolwazi maqondana nokwenza isu njengomsebenzi wokusebenzisana kwabantu. Abacwaningi ngabantu, abanjengoCritchley, babeka ukuthi inhlangano kumele ithathwe njengento eguqukayo nenqubo yabantu yokusebenzisana kwabantu okunomphumela wokwabelwana ngencazelo Ngokulandela inqubo kaCritchley, kanye nokuthatha ngokuthi ukuphenyisisa isu yinto esekelwe ubufakazi obusekelwe yisayense ngabantu, ucwaningo lwamanje, ngakho-ke lufuna ukuthola ngokusebenzisana kwabantu phakathi kwemifanekiso yama-practitioner, ukwenza isu lenhlangano kanye nemiphumela ebalulekile elandelayo. Isu njengenqubo eyenziwayo nombono lisebenze njengesibuko esihlangane kucwaningo lwamanje. Umbono ohambisana nenqubo yokwenza kucwaningo ngabantu ugxila kwinqubo yokwenza yangempela (praxis) ngalabo abasebenza ngesu (practitioners) kwisimo esingavamile senhlangano enamathuluzi angavamile okwenza isu, amathekniki kanye nezinto ezenziwa ngezandla zama-artefact (practices). Ngokusekelwa kwisisekelo sefilosofi ngombono womhlaba wokwenza ngokubambekayo kanye nendlela exubene yokwenza ye-qualitative, idizayini yesifundo ngesibonelo, kuvumele ukuthi kwenziwe uhlaziyo olunzulu ngemithombo ehlukene yolwazi olutholakale ngobufakazi bophenyisiso, kusize ukuqondisisa ngento okwenziwa ngayo ucwaningo. Nangaphezu kwalokho, ukuphenya ngokusebenzisana kwabantu ngesikhathi sezikhawu zokwenzeka kwezinto, ucwaningo lwamanje luhenyisisa ngokuthi ngabe ama-practitioner agqugquzelwa yini ukwenza umumo wobunjalo kanye nokuthi lowo mumo nawu ube nomphumela kubo ngokuqhubekela phambili kanye nokuthi kube nencazelo. Ucwaningo lwamanje, lubuye luhlole nokuthi ngabe izimo zangaphakathi nezangaphandle kwenhlangano, ezibandakanya inqubo yokusebenza kwenhlangano, zinomthelela kanjani futhi nazo zibawumthelela kanjani kwezokuxhumana nokusebenzisana kwabantu. Izikhungo ezimbili ezincane zemfundo ephakeme ezibonisa ithayipholoji yabahlinzeki abaningi bangasese kwindawo yemfundo ephakeme eNIngizimu Afrika ziye zakhethwa. Laba bahlinzeki bangasese babhekene nezinselele ezihlukene kumkhakha onzima wamanje kwezomnotho. Abahlinzeki bangasese babuye badlale indima ebalulekile nokuthi badinga ukuthi banganyelwe kwisidingo esikhulayo semfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika. Okuthokele kakhulu ngocwaningo lwamanje kuqinisa ukuthi ukwenza isu ngeziboniso ezimbili zocwaningo, kwinhlangano, kuyadingeka ikakhulukazi njengomsebenzi wokusebenzisana kwabantu. Ukwenza isu kuvamise ukusekelwa ngabantu njengabantu abanemizwa ngokomoya. Ukwenza isu kungumphumela wokuthi ngezinye izikhathi kuba nokusebenzisana okungenasizathu esibambekayo kanti imiphumela kuvamise ukuba ngeshintshayo nokwabelana ngesizathu sayo kanye nobuhlobo bayo phakathi kwabantu. Ukusebenzisa kwabantu phakathi kwalabo abenza isu ngezikhathi zenqubo yokwenza okusiza njengendlela yabantu ekuguquleni inhloso yesu ukuze libe yisu elinemiphumela. Abantu abenza amasu abehlukene basebenzisa amathekniki ehlukene ukwenza ukuthi imibono yabo kanye nezindlela ababona ngayo izinto kwemukeleke ngesikhathi sokuxhumana mayelana namasu. Imiphumela etholakele ikhombisa ukuthi amasu akhethiwe kwizifundo zezibonelo ezimbili zezinhlangano zisekelwe kwizizathu ezingatshekele ohlangothini oluthize, kodwa esihambisana nohlelo olucacile kanye nombono, kodwa kuncike kumakhono abenzi bamasu ekwenzeni ukuthi imibono yabo yemukeleke eqenjini. Okunye okuthokakele kubuye kwaphakamisa nokuthi abanikazi bezinhlangano okwenziwa ngazo iziboniso zesifundo banomthelela kakhulu ngokuthi izinto zenziwe kanjani ngezikhathi zenqubo ebambekayo yokwenza. Ukwenza amasu kuzo zimbili izinkampani kwenziwa ngendlela engahlelekile kakkhulu, kanti kuquka ekuncikeni ekuphenduleni kwizinselele kanye nokuphendula kwizimo ezisikazayo ezivelayo. Zombili izinhlangano zilandela amasu ehlukahlukene. Ukuphepha nokuvikeleka, amathuba emisebenzi kanye nezinto ezithile zesiakhademiki ezifana namaklasi amancane ukuze kufundeke kangcono nakho nngeminye yemikkhakha esiza kakhulu ekuphumeleleni. Ukubakhona ngobuningi kwabahlinzeki bangasese, ukutshalwa kakhulu kwezimali kwimfundo yangasese ephakeme, kanye nokuhlinzekwa kwmefundo yangasese kanye nesidingo sendima yokumuncwa ngokwenganyelwa, kuphakamisa ukuthi likhona ikusasa langampela lemfundo yangasese ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika. Inhloso eqondiwe ngokuthela esivivaneni kocwaningo lwamanje ukusiza ekutheni kube nokuqondisisa ngokuthi ukusebenzisana kwabantu njengendlela yokubumba amasu kanye nemiphumela kungasiza kanjani. Ukuqondisisa ngomkhakha wabantu kuyenyuka njengoba kukhula ukuqoqana kwezindlela zokwenza – lapho khona izindlela zokwenza ziveza ukuthi ngabe ubudlelwane obubhekiwe nobuqashelwayo bungabanjani uma kuqhathaniswa izinto ezenziwe futhi nokuthi zichazwa kanjani. Okutholakele ngocwaningo lwamanje kungasiza ngokuba yisakhelo ekuqokeleleni itiyori yesayense ngabantu maqondana nalo mkhakha ongakaphenyisiswa ngokwanele kwisu elixhumene ngokusebenzisana locwaningo. Maqondana nalokhu, uhlaka lombono luyahlinzekwa ukuba ngumkhombandlela kucwaningo lwangekusasa. Ucwaningo lwamanje luveze kancane ukusebenza kwesu kwizikhungo ezimbili ezincane zabahlinzeki ngemfundo ephakeme yangasese, kanti futhi luthela esivivaneni ekukhuleni kolwazi ngokuhlinzekwa kwemfundo yangasase emkhakheni wemfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

Hierdie studie is gebaseer op die behoefte wat bestaan aan dienslewering wat regerings-departemente behoort te lewer en meer spesifiek ten opsigte van hierdie studie die diens wat die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD) lewer. Gevolglik is die primêre navorsingsdoelstelling egter om 'n evaluasie van strategiese bestuur te doen ten einde te bepaal watter bydrae en waarde dit kan hê vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens ten einde dienslewering te optimaliseer. Hierdie studie vervul die volgende navorsingsdoelwitte:  Die waarde en belang van strategiese bestuur is bepaal,  Die waarde en belang van leierskap is bepaal,  Die waarde van organisasiekultuur is bepaal en die rol wat dit vervul ten einde dienslewering te optimaliseer. Die navorser het 'n nie-empiriese (teoretiese) navorsingsontwerp gevolg wat fokus op 'n sistematiese oorsig van nasionale media-artikels as bronne. Die navorser het vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie dokumentêre bronne, in die vorm van nasionale gedrukte media en persoonlike ondervinding gebruik as datainsamelingsmetode. Volgens Punch (2014:158) mag dokumentêre bronne vir data op verkeie maniere in die sosiale wetenskaplike navorsing gebruik word. Somige studies kan en mag moontlik totaal afhanklik wees van dokumentêre data, met hierdie data dan die fokus in eie reg. Hierdie studie het verder aanbevelings gemaak dat strategiese bestuur wel voordele inhou vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. Strategiese bestuur kan in enige organisasie toegepas word. Die waarde daarvan is dat organisasies wat strategies bestuur word, die eksterne invloede van die omgewing proaktief kan bestuur. Die sosio-politieke en ekonomiese omstandighede in Suid-Afrika maak beleidsaanpassings in openbare organisasies noodsaaklik as gevolg van die dinamiese verandering op hierdie terrein. Met die hulp van 'n strategiese plan kan bestuur die organisasie proaktief bestuur na gelang van wat die interne en eksterne omgewing vereis. Die lojale, effektiewe, opgeleide, doeltreffende leiers en polisiebestuurders behoort daardie beamptes te wees wat strategiese bestuur optimaal benut en daadwerklik toepas sodat doeltreffende dienslewering optimal aan die diverse gemeenskappe gelewer kan word. Dit blyk ook verder dat die strategiese bestuur en beplanningstegnieke waardevolle hulpmiddels is vir die professionele polisiebestuurder in terme van die verwesenliking van doelstellings en doelwitte van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. Die strategiese plan (2014-2019) van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens bevat alle fokusareas wat nodig is vir sukses en die uitvoering daarvan op operasionele vlak bly die maatstaf. Daar word opsommend volstaan dat al vier geformuleerde hipoteses wetenskaplik geverifieer kon word in hierdie teoretiese literatuurstudie en dat al vier die geformuleerde hipoteses wat gestel is aan die begin van hierdie navorsing, wel aanvaar kan word vir die suksesvolle implementering van strategiese bestuur in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens ten einde dienslewering te optimaliseer. Hierdie navorsing lewer ‘n bydrae tot die kennis verwant aan ‘n meer strategiese rol van leiers om dienslewering te optimaliseer. / This study has been based on the need for service delivery by government departments and more specific for this study the service delivery of the South-African Police Service. Consequently, the primary research goal was to evaluate strategic management to establish what contribution and value it could have for the South-African Police Service to optimize service delivery. This study fulfilled the following objectives:  The value and importance of strategic management was ascertained,  The value and importance of leadership was ascertained,  The value and importance of organisational culture was ascertained and the role it fulfills to optimize service delivery. The researcher followed a non-empirical (theoretical) research design that focused on a systematic overview of national media articles as sources. The researcher for the purpose of this study used documented sources, in the form of national printed media and personal experience as data collection method. According to Punch (2014:158), documentary sources of data might be used in various ways in social science research. Some studies might depend entirely on documentary data, with such data the focus in their own right. This study further provided recommendations that strategic management have essential benefits for the South African Police Service. Strategic management can also be implemented in any organisation. The value for organisations using strategic management is actually to be able to manage the influences from the external environment proactively. It is neccessary for public organisations to adjust policy due to the changes in the socio-political and economical circumstances. Management will be able, with the strategic plan, to manage the organisation proactively with regard to the ongoing needs and changes from the external environment. The loyal, efficient, effective, trained leaders and police managers should be those officials to use strategic management optimally and implement the strategic plan so that effective service delivery can be rendered to all diverse communities. Further more strategic management and planning techniques serve as valuable support for professional police managers in terms of reaching the goals and objectives of the South African Police Service. The strategic plan (2014-2019) of the South African Police Service includes all the focus areas that are needed for success, but the executing on operational level will be the measure. Thus, in summary, the researcher accepts that the four formulated hypotheses could be verified scientifically in this theoretical literature research. All four hypotheses are accepted for the successful implementation of strategic management in the South African Police Service to be able to optimise service delivery. This study contributes to the knowledge relating to a more strategic role of leaders to optimise service delivery. / Penology / M.Tech. (Policing)

This dissertation focuses on investigating the relationship between organisational culture and employee engagement in a Public Service department. In this quantitative study, undertaken in a South African Public Service department (North West province), dimensions of organisational culture (measured by the South African Culture Instrument) were correlated with the dimensions of employee engagement (measured by the South African Engagement Measurement). Correlational analyses revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between each of the dimensions of organisational culture and employee engagement, respectively. ANOVA statistical technique was used to determine whether significant differences exist between groups. Regression analyses revealed that leadership, employee needs and objectives, vision and mission, management processes and internal relationships would predict employee engagement. Leadership made the most significant predictor of employee engagement. The means to achieve objectives dimension showed no effect in predicting employee engagement. This indicates that positive perceptions of organisational culture are likely to be related to higher levels of employee engagement. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Mining as a historical male-dominated space is confronted by various transformational structural changes. While the racial composition of mining boards has improved, gender representation of women in boards is problematic. Owing to our historical legacy of apartheid and decades of colonialism, South Africa became a victim of an unequal society. The new political dispensation under the leadership of Nelson Mandela sought to redress those inequalities after the fall of apartheid in 1994. However, gender inequalities and the gender subject remain contentious issues, particularly in historically male-dominated sectors such as mining. With legislation enforcement, only a few mining companies have improved the representation of women on boards (WoB), while some companies remain with no women or only one woman on board. However, despite the atrocities of apartheid, South African mining sector is relatively performing better in terms of WoB than countries that were not exposed to such a discriminatory dispensation. Yet still, mining lags far behind compared to other industries in South Africa. This outlook led me to conduct a multiple cross-case analysis research study to explore how women were integrated into mining by reviewing talent management practices used to appoint women (and men) by exploring recruitment, development and retention practices. I adopted an emancipatory critical research approach, a feminist epistemological paradigm, and I considered African feminism a suitable research approach given the unique context of South African mining history. The results showed that the industry still faces gender structural inequalities guided by an indoctrinated mindset of the sector, and that it is still to a great extent racially biased. While most focus of talent management is directed at recruiting more women, men still control recruitment, which is biased and informal, and different or stringent recruitment criteria are applied for women. Even though women occupy a few board seats and exceed the critical mass in some boards, they still face change-resistant attitudes and stereotypes and a double glass ceiling in terms of who has a right of voice, which disregarded their talent. All women regardless of race, were subject to stereotypes, but dealt with them differently. I found that black women are more affected than any other racial group due to their social identities, facing triple oppression due to their gender and race, but also class, which affects their confidence and their talent offering to board responsibilities. In fear of marginalisation, the black women in my study felt that they needed to earn the trust of men, especially those of white men. White, Indian and 1coloured women who were affected by gender stereotypes were silent about those prejudices, but were also still discriminated against with fewer board opportunities. The effectiveness of training and development of directors and retention was hindered by the culture in mining, individual constructed identities and societal gender constructions of roles and responsibilities. These constructions undermined the talent of women in boards and constructed the talent of men as superior. / Thesisi ye e fa tlhahlobo ye e tseneletšego ya ditirišo tša taolo ya talente ka dikhamphaning tše tshela tša meepo tša go ngwadišwa le JSE ka Afrika Borwa. E nyakišiša gobaneng talente ya mosadi e hlokomologilwe, le gore gobaneng basadi ba tšwela pele go ba palo ye nnyane mo dibotong le ge e le gore molao wa Afrika Borwa o thekga tekatekano ya bong le gore tokafatšo ya taba (business case) e hlatsetšwe go ya ka tirišo. Mokgwatlwaelo wa basadi wa Afrika o šomišwa ka go kopantšha mokgwa wa maemo a magareng woo o lebantšhago go kopano ya morafe le bong. Tšhomišo ya mokgwatlwaelo wa basadi wa Afrika gape e dira teori seemo sa go ithuta bong go ya ka mabaka a moswananoši gomme mo tabeng ye, intasteri ye e tletšego ka banna ka nageng ya morago ga kgatelelo le morago ga kgethollo. Dipoelo di bontšhitše gore intasteri e lebana le diphapano tša sebopego tša bong tše di hlahlwago ke maikutlo ao a tsentšwego a lekala, le le sa ntšego le tšea lehlakore go ya ka morafe. Komiti ya ditšhišinyo e tletše ka thwalo ya taolo ya banna, yeo e tšeago lehlakore ebile e se ya semmušo, gomme dikriteria tša go fapana tša thwalo di a šomišwa go basadi. Basadi ka moka go sa šetšwe morafe, ba be ba lebana le ditlwaedi, eupša ba be ba šogana le tšona ka go fapana. Basadi ba bathobaso ba sa ntše ba lebana le kgatelelo ya go menagana gararo ya go amana le bong bja bona, morafe, le boemo. Ka go tšhoga nyenyefatšo, basadi ba Bathobaso ba be ba nyaka tumelelo go banna, kudu ya banna ba Bathobašweu. Basadi ba Bathobašweu, Bathobaso, Maindia le Bammala ba be ba sa bolele ka dikgethollo, eupša gape ba be ba sa ntše ba gatelelwa kgahlanong le menyetla e se mekae ya boto. Katlego ya tlhahlo le tlhabollo ya balaodibagolo le kganetšo di šitišitšwe ke setšo sa meepo, maitšhupo ao a bopilwego a go ikgetha le dibopego tša bong tša setšhaba tša dikarolo le maikarabelo. Dibopego tše di nyaditše talente ya basadi ka dibotong gomme di bopile talente ya banna go ba ya maemo a godimo. Nyakišišo ye e kgatha tema go dingwalo tša tirišo tša basadi mo dibotong ka go nyakišiša mašomelo a taolo ya talente – a selo se se hlokomologilwego basading mo dinyakišišong tša diboto. E hlaloša ka fao basadi ba thwalwago, hlahlelwago maemo a boto le go hlaloša hlokomologo ya go tsenela taolo ya talente. / Business Management / Ph. D. (Management Studies)