Mergers have been described as the most complex business process that an organisation can be faced with, requiring executives and other stakeholders to discharge the promise of a more successful merged organisation. However, several studies have highlighted the factors that led to the demise of the merged organisations. One of the often quoted and frequently blamed aspects related to merger failure has been the lack of effective post-merged organisational culture integration and alignment. Where mergers have been successful, it was attributed to a structured approach to integrating and aligning all aspects related to organisational culture thus ensuring the creation of a high performing organisation, conducive to effective performance management. The main research problem in this study centred around the identification of strategies that could be used to design an integrated model for creating a post-merged organisational culture which is conducive to effectively managing performance. To achieve this objective, the following approaches were adopted: A literature study was conducted with the view to identifying the challenges facing merged organisations in general and post-merged South African Higher Education institutions in particular. The researcher also conducted interviews with senior HR practitioner at the institutions participating in this study to gain insights into their experiences of performance within their merged institutions. The institutions involved in this study were Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT and Durban University of Technology (DUT). The insights gleaned from these interviews were incorporated into the survey questionnaire. The literature study also concerned itself with the identification of strategies that merged organisations could use in its pursuit of organisational culture alignment and integration. These strategies included conducting critical pre-merger assessments or due-diligence studies, adopting structured approaches to dealing with resistance to change, employee engagement, the design, implementation and communication of monitoring and evaluation of merger success measures as well as several other moderating variables referred to in figure 1.2. In terms of sub-problem six of the study, the findings of sub-problems one, two and five were used to develop an eight-step integrated theoretical model to create an organisational culture conducive to effective performance management in a post-merged environment. The model served as a basis for the design of a survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to ascertain the extent to which respondents from the three participating institutions (NMMU, CPUT and DUT), perceived the various strategies as being important in establishing a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management. The results that emerged from the empirical study showed a strong concurrence with the strategies identified in the literature study and included in the integrated theoretical model. The quantitative and qualitative results from the empirical study where incorporated into the integrated theoretical model, which lead to a refined Eight-Step Integrated Post-merged Organisational Culture Creation Model as depicted in Figure 7.1 with associated details in Figure 7.2.

The main purpose of this thesis is to understand if Investors working in Private Equity and Venture Capital understand what corporate culture is and take it into account when deciding whether to invest or not in a startup or a target company. In order to reach this goal, an empirical research has been developed, interviewing a sample of private equity fund managers and professional business angels, selected randomly and without any personal connection to the author.

M.Com. / The study was conducted with the express purpose of finding thorough understanding, within the framework of bus i ness management, of the concept "corporate culture" and its function as a dimension of the management process. Substantial consensus has been reached by researchers that each enterprise has its own identifiable culture and that this culture ,has a very powerful infiuence on the management process and performance of the enterprise. Uncertainty however still exists regarding the manner in which this phenomenon succeeds to influence and how it can be manipulated to the benefit of a particular concern. A fact worth noting is that few researchers followed a systems approach in their studies of "corporate culture" and its extensive influence on the management process. Many researchers see "corporate culture" only as one isolated component of business management and therefore fail to explain the exact nature and influences of this phenomenon. In order to describe and analyse the concept "corporate culture" from the perspective of business management, a holistic approach forms the basis of this study. The findings hereof confirms the importance of "corporate culture" as an essential element of the process of business management. The concept of "corporate culture" cannot be separated from the business management process. Management thinking and corporate activities are influenced by cultural values and norms. Managers therefore have to take note of this phenomenon, gain knowledge thereof and strive to integrate the proactive managing of corporate culture into overall business management, in order to enhance the performance of their enterprise.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The uncertain, turbulent society we live in today, not only effects our lives but also the business we operate in. Change is taking place world wide. Is the society, in which business and the clientele operates ready for this change? What is the attributes for a successful business in the build up to the year 2000? ITC at present is going through these changes to adapt for the future, and keep its leading edge. Not only is technology leapfrogging, it is also the ability to read the consumers demand for products. To change a company, factors to consider is; culture, leadership style and motivation. The keyword to be a change agent is what personnel should adapt to and be part of there daily routine. ITC organizational culture had to change. A culture audit was done and a culture profile was developed to ascertain where ITC was in the cultural change process. Leadership is one of the most important ingredients in change. The change that took place in leadership attributed to the success in changing the culture in ITC as well as enhancing the motivation process. In both the leadership and culture profiles, performance is what the company is striving towards. Unfortunate performance is second to supportive profile where caring, helpfulness and teamwork is the dominant dimensions. If motivation is absent in the changing process, success will be very difficult to achieve. Motivation is the vehicle where a organization will achieve its goals and objectives. To satisfy the needs of personnel not only contributes to achieving the goals but also spears the individual to greater actions and self fulfilment. ITC must fulfil these needs, for managing the change process successfully motivating workers to participate in the change is the pivot for success.

M.A. (Industrial Psychology) / Participative management is a growing trend worldwide and Is especially in South Africa driven by the spirit of democracy. Although South Africa has moved towards a democratic political dispensation, the establishment of democracy In the Workplace has been left behind. From Available literature It is clear that worker participation is a movement that has not developed systematically but has been influenced by diverse forms of Initiative from different countries. The diversity has led to general confusion in the discussion of worker participation In South Africa. In the said literature the concept of participation is approached on the assumption that the style of managing work relationships is conditioned by the culture of the organisation. On this basis an effective management style will be the most powerful Instrument at the disposal of management to steer South Africa away from the present abyss of Industrial conflict and low productivity.

M.Com. (Human Resource Management) / This study is based on the need for developing an instrument that would be able to assess an engaging leadership climate in organisations. Research has shown that there is a link between leadership and organisational climate. Leaders are therefore responsible for creating a climate that facilitates the optimal engagement of employees. Prior to this study, there was no instrument available to assess to what extent such an engaging leadership climate exists. This study reports on the development of such an instrument within an organisation in the South African financial and banking sector: the Engaging Climate Survey (ECS). A non-random, purposive sampling procedure performed on the target population yielded a sample of n = 1 436 (a 100% response rate). Factor and reliability analyses on the completed questionnaire yielded a uni-dimensional construct with high internal consistency and reliability (α = .964).

Gaming-simulations (G-S) are those in which participants play roles, make decisions and receive feedback while interacting with a simulation model. This study used attitude change to measure of G-S effectiveness in exploring questions relating simulation design and effectiveness. To define participant attitudes and the content for a simulation, the organizational culture of a software engineering firm was studied using an ethnographic approach. Inconsistencies between the existing culture and expressed ideals were measured using an 40 item attitude questionnaire drawn from statements made during interviews. Simulation structure and participant cognitive style were factors hypothesized to influence identification with a simulation role. Role identification was hypothesized to influence attitude change. Two versions of the simulation were designed to produce differential role identification. Role identification was measured by having the simulation software ask players questions near the end of the eight hour simulation class. The Davis (1980) Empathy scale was used to measure cognitive style. The WINNING AT DESIGN AUTOMATION gaming-simulation was created to induce attitude change toward the ideals. The simulation is written in HyperCard. Each participant managed a department, allocating their time to tasks that earned points as they competed in teams. A control group of 42 employees and 97 of the 122 who played the simulation completed pre- and post-simulation questionnaires. There was significant attitude change for all treatment groups. The different versions of the simulation did generate stronger and weaker role identification as predicted. The Empathy scale did predict role identification. The treatment group with highest role identification did not have the greatest attitude change. Other factors influencing the linkage of role identification to attitude change are discussed.

This study examined the relationship between an organization's culture and its performance appraisal (PA) system and process. The initial phase of this study involved examining an organization's culture and the properties of its performance appraisal system from organizational archival information. Information derived from this phase of the study was later utilized to formulate interview questions, guide the search for the organizational culture survey instrument, and to construct the performance appraisal perceptions measuring instrument. This latter instrument is a quantitative measure that was later employed in testing the primary hypothesis that stated the performance appraisal process had a positive effect on organizational culture. The results of the hypotheses testing revealed that the PA process, in terms of individual member perceptions thereof, had a significant positive effect on the selected organizational cultural elements. Further analysis of the data revealed that members of the organization that had been recently appraised had statistically stronger positive perceptions towards the PA process and, therefore, stronger inclination towards the espoused cultural values. These findings make a strong case for using the performance appraisal process for the purpose of not only evaluating individual performance for various administrative goals, but for other goals related to creating, maintaining, and perpetuating the desired organizational culture. This suggests that organizational leadership (through its management), when designing its PA system should pay attention to the value system, or the culture, it wants to prevail in its organization and include this information along with other relevant performance measures into the PA structure. Such a policy can lead to the existence of an appropriate culture for that organization if, as the results of this study show, the managers and supervisors at all levels timely perform such appraisals for all their subordinates. Performance appraisal, which itself is often considered a structural element designed for organizational control, has the potential to have as much impact on an organization's culture as any other mode of communication. In that regard, this study takes a step towards looking at PA as one more criteria to be examined during organizational cultural studies and organizational intervention

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The research study focused on the reasons why professional women are leaving corporate life at mid-career. In a series of in-depth interviews, fifteen mid-career women who had left large organizations recalled their initial expectations of corporate life and expanded and illustrated the ways they felt that these expectations had not been met. There were two key findings. The first was that while the women interviewed needed to work interdependently with others in order to grow professionally, develop personally, and to achieve satisfaction in their work, the corporations in which they worked were seen to hold mainly contrary values. Predominantly, the corporations in which they found themselves esteemed masculine ways of working, rewarding individuality, self-sufficiency, and individual contribution, and valuing tangible outputs, competitiveness, and rationality instead of valuing relationships, interdependence, and collaboration that the women sought. The second finding, corollary to the first, was that the women interviewed had experienced disconnections in the workplace. They felt disconnected from colleagues, clients, and co-workers, from meaning in the work itself, and most importantly, from themselves. By mid-career, they had concluded that in order to find satisfaction, growth, and development in work, and to be rewarded for their relational skills that they considered essential to success, they needed to leave corporate life. Miller and Stiver's (1997) relational theory of women's psychological development helps to explain the women's sense of disconnection in large corporations. The data make clear, consistent with the theory and relational practice, that a central question of development and satisfaction in the professional workplace for the women interviewed was "whether relationships can change so that they can allow and encourage expansion" (p. 53). / 2031-01-01

The objectives of this exploratory research were to 1) operationally define culture strength, 2) develop a procedure for measuring culture strength in organizations, 3) and demonstrate the culture strength measurement procedure in one or more organizations. I used the culture strength measurement procedure in two organizations-a large research organization at a major university and the headquarters organization of a regional provider of life insurance products and services. I used analogies from materials engineering and psychology to help conceptualize and operationally define culture strength. I studied the effectiveness of five culture strength measures (intensity, core values, cultural behavior, effects from external forces, and the gap between the existing and desired culture) to predict three criterion variables (employee commitment, job satisfaction, and group cohesion). I constructed my measurement instrument using mostly existing scales modified for my application. I developed a scale to measure the force effect relationship. I found work groups with stronger cultures had smaller gaps between their existing values and their desired values, had many people whose behavior reflected the desired values, had people whose behavior reflected many of the 53 values used in the survey instrument, had a small set of work group values held tightly by their people, and that small set of work group values closely mirrored the set of values held tightly by all members of the organization. I used a canonical correlation analysis for the culture strength measures at the individual level and rank order correlations for culture strength measures at the work group level. I found culture gaps and its factors (as determined through a factor analysis) were consistently good predictors of the criterion variables. Cultural behavior, a measure of the percentage of people whose behavior reflects a set of mostly positive values, was also a good predictor of the criterion variables. The effects scale was not an effective measure of culture strength in this research. / Ph. D.