M.Tech (Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / In terms of the Public Service Act, 1994, as amended by Act 30 of 2007, all government departments operate under a recruitment system whereby applicants and employees are selected for positions based on their qualifications for the job. Equity and fairness are underlying democratic values and principles of the system. Therefore, the system guards against pre-determined successors until such time as all qualified candidates are provided an equal opportunity to apply for, and be considered, for the job (RSA 1994). However, organisations need to ensure that the appropriate people are in place with the required values, skills and competencies that are necessary to bring about change and accomplish goals to drive organisational strategy forward. It is also necessary to ensure that a suitable leadership team is chosen to help preserve and build upon an organisation’s existing vision, mission and values. Ensuring that leaders have the appropriate skills, abilities and competencies is crucial to assist an organisation to implement its strategic direction and overall goals and objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of organisational strategy, recruitment strategy and organisational culture on effective succession planning in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). In this study, focus was on trait behavioural, situational and chaos leadership and management theories; and their relationship to succession planning. The study made use of a quantitative research technique. Quantitative primary research was conducted by employing a self-administered questionnaire in the gathering of primary data for the study. The target population comprised employees (from entry level to executive levels) of DIRCO based in Gauteng Province as well as 127 South African Embassies and Consulates in foreign countries. Descriptive analysis was used in the analysis of the sample composition and participants’ perception of succession planning at DIRCO. Furthermore, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to assess model fit and to test the hypotheses. The results of the study confirmed that the recruitment strategy of DIRCO does not create opportunities for identification of internal talent. In order to address these deficiencies, it is recommended that DIRCO identify, mentor and promote diverse pools of internal candidates through succession planning. A proper succession plan will provide an organisation with a surplus of talent and will assist officials to realise their potential. DIRCO prefers to recruit external candidates rather than developing training programmes that will prepare the internal workforce for future leadership positions. The results indicate that lack of organisational and recruitment strategies have substantial influence on organisational processes.

This study is about the investigation of the impact of organisational culture on employee commitment during an acquisition process in an insurance organisation. A sample of 318 employees was selected from a population of +/-600 in a South African insurance organisation. The sample was categorised between employees in non-management as well as those in management positions. Managers were further categorised as junior managers and middle managers. These participants were selected based on the fact that they were not involved in the strategic decision-making processes during the acquisition. Thus they had no input in the decision making regarding the acquisition process. Employees on senior management level and above did not form part of the study because they were involved in the acquisition process's strategic decision-making. The sample was also based on employees who were already employed by the organisation when the acquisition process was finalised. The acquisition process started in 2013 and was finalised in 2017. The descriptive correlation research method was used for the study. The methodological approach adopted was the quantitative approach analysed based on descriptive statistics followed by inferential statistics using the SPSS 2017 (version 25). Analysis of data was done using Pearson correlation coefficient, regression analysis, independent T-test and ANOVA. The internal consistency of the measuring instruments was determined using the Cronbach's alpha. Questionnaires, namely the Organisational Culture Questionnaire (OCQ) and Organisational Commitment Scale (OCS), were used to measure organisational culture and employee commitment, respectively. The results revealed a high level of internal consistency across the scale and the items of the OCQ (EC & PC) and OCS variables. The conclusions of the empirical study describe the impact of organisational culture on employee commitment during an acquisition process. The empirical study indicated that the impact of preferred organisational culture on employee commitment is insignificant. However, the impact of existing organisational culture on employee commitment is significant. The findings further indicated that the dominant existing culture is the role culture whilst the dominant preferred culture is the power culture. Affective commitment was found to be dominant in terms of employee commitment. The limitations of this study are presented together with recommendations for future research. The recommendations for the profession of industrial and organisational psychology highlight pertinent aspects for practicing psychologists and managers in this field. Based on the study's findings, organisations are advised to diagnose their cultures and determine how it affects their employees’ commitment in addition to other recommendations provided. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

A review of the literature reveals that organisational commitment is an outcome of organisational culture, when reviewing the definitions, theoretical development and models of these two concepts. The integration of organisational commitment with organisational culture indicates that there is a need for a scientific study to determine the relationship between these two variables. The empirical study involved the participation of 371 respondents in an organisation. A survey was conducted using the organisational commitment scale and the organisational culture questionnaire to determine the relationship between organisational culture and organisational commitment. The results suggest that organisational culture has an effect on organisational commitment. Recommendations are made to successfully implement both organisational culture and organisational commitment change initiatives. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This research explores the relationship between the organisational culture and financial performance of a South African investment bank by means of quantitative research. The Denison Organizational Culture Survey was used to measure the organisational culture of the investment bank and was administered to a sample of 327 employees. Income statement ratio analysis was selected as a means to assess the financial performance. The results indicate that very few of the financial measures selected could be shown to be correlated with the organisational cultural traits or subscales. Correlations between the cultural dimensions of team orientation, agreement, customer focus and vision were found with certain financial measures. Although these correlations were above the 0.50 level, the levels of significance were not sufficient in all cases to draw conclusions with confidence. The only cultural trait that was found to be correlated with financial measures was the consistency trait. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Diversity has, over the last few decades, become a burning issue on the agenda of most companies. Current diversity-related interventions are mainly based on behaviouristic and socio-cognitive approaches. In this research diversity was approached from the systems psychodynamic paradigm. The general aim was to gain an understanding of the diversity dynamics that manifests in an South African diversity experience. The literature review focussed on diversity in the workplace, on the group relations training model, and on the application of the group relations training model to diversity. Qualitative research was done by interviewing a sample of 15 delegates who attended the November 2000 Robben Island Diversity Experience. These unstructured interviews were used to obtain in-depth information about the participant's experience and the data was analysed hermeneutically. The emerging themes were `crossing the boundary, engage the new world, the ties that bind, being imprisoned, the struggle, the road to reconciliation, integration and healing, back to the future and the crucible'. It is recommended that South African organizations make more use of the systems psychodynamic approach to study the manifestations of diversity dynamics. The aim is not to replace the other approaches to diversity, but to add a perspective that can enhance awareness and sensitivity to the covert, unconscious and irrational forces that impact on diversity. / Industrial and Organisational Psycology / M. A.(Industrial and Organisational Psycology)

The general objective of this research was to do a comparative study of the Trust Audit results - obtained during 2000 - of three Business Units of a South African Company in order to determine whether there are any significant differences between them regarding the ”Big Five” personality dimensions and the ”Managerial Practices” dimensions. Trust has been found to be an essential ingredient in all organisations, providing the impetus for employers to gain a better understanding of the building blocks of organisational trust and to restore eroded trust. The intensity of any trust relationship will depend on certain facilitators of trustworthiness which may facilitate or impede the flow of trust. Research studies indicate that organisations with high levels of trust will be more successful, adaptive, and innovative than organisations with low levels of trust or pervasive mistrust. Positive results were indicated for all Business Units regarding the personality aspects. The most positive ”Big Five” dimensions were conscientiousness, extraversion and agreeableness while the lowest dimension was resourcefulness. Overall results regarding managerial practices indicated that not enough information sharing took place and that this had a negative effect within the work environment. The credibility dimension, being lower than the others, indicated that better credibility of persons that are reported to, could improve trust and optimal functioning within the working environment. Team management, work support and trust relationship were viewed positively by all Business Units. One of the main conclusions of this research was that managers/leaders have a pivotal role to play in creating high-trust organisations and engendering trusting relationships. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The objective of this study was mainly to describe, analyse and evaluate the determinants of the phenomenon of whistle blowing that influences the protection of employees making authorised and/or unauthorised disclosures. It was also a purpose of the study to evaluate the specific role of the Protected Disclosures Act 2000 (Act 26 of 2000) (PDA) in fulfilling its mandate to protect authorised disclosures on wrongdoing in public and private sector organisations. The PDA seeks to combat crime and corruption through the disclosing of wrongdoing. The intention is to create a culture which will facilitate the disclosure of information by employees relating to criminal and other irregular conduct in the workplace in a responsible manner, by providing comprehensive statutory guidelines through the PDA for the disclosure of such information, and protection against any retaliation as a result of such disclosures. An important aspect that this study dealt with was the provision, as a prerequisite to the PDA to be implemented successfully, that individual members of the private and public sectors have to act responsibly and in good faith in making disclosures in order to be protected by the PDA. In order to provide clarity on the conceptualisation of whistle blowing, the study explored the conceptual knowledge of the variables influencing the determinants of whistle blowing and the whistle blower through the application of a literature study of the concept and theories of ethics, values, morals, loyalty, trust and whistle blowing, in order to describe and analyse the variables influencing the whistle blower, the whistle blowing process, the characteristics of whistle blowers and the strategies and procedures employed to blow the whistle in an organisation. The study explored the organisational determinants influencing a whistle blower's decision to blow the whistle in the social context of an organisation in order to determine the influence of organisational culture and organisational trust as internal social factors that may facilitate the effective management of whistle blowing resulting in no whistle blowing taking place. The study objectives, appropriate conclusions and proposals are addressed based on the role that the PDA, the ethical determinants of the work environment, the determinants influencing the individual whistle blower and the organisational determinants influencing effective whistle blowing, can fulfil, in order to serve as a mechanism to combat corruption. / Public Administration / D. Litt. et Phil. (Public Administration)

The primary goal of this study is to promote knowledge and understanding of the restructuring process of the Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit in the South African Police Service (SAPS) through impact evaluation. Many evaluation programmes provide blueprints and methods to manage and help solve organisational transformation. They, however, lack dealing with the unique organisational transformation process characterised in the South African Police Service (SAPS). Given this importance, there appears to be potential value in evaluating the impact of the restructuring process in the FCS. During the research extensive panel studies and individual interviews were conducted in the West Rand policing district with FCS members, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) directly involved with family violence, child protection and sexual offences, Senior Public Prosecutors involved with cases concerning the FCS and researchers at a security research institute. Furthermore, a descriptive literature study was conducted to acquire relevant information and perspective from available national and international literature. Various objectives were fulfilled in this study: • The impact of the restructuring process in the FCS, to assess the internal and external climate on service delivery, was identified and described. • It was determined whether the restructuring process in the FCS is achieving its proposed objective. • Feedback to help improve the effectiveness of the restructuring process and improve future strategies was provided. Moreover, this study and its results provide a framework to the SAPS as an organisation that is currently going through an extensive transformation process. As a result, the management of the SAPS will receive first hand information on the areas to specifically focus on during the restructuring of the FCS, or utilised this impact evaluation as a learning curve and an opportunity to rectify shortcomings and also systematically be guided through this process in realisation thereof. Consequently, this impact evaluation could act as a management tool to support and further develop the transformation process in the SAPS. Finally, this study contributes to the baseline of knowledge, with regard to structural transformation in the specialised field of policing. / Police Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Police Science)

D. Admin. (Public Administration)

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)