M. Tech Business Administration / During the 2010/2011 financial year, the National Department of Human Settlements embarked on its second organisational restructuring effort, in an attempt to align and improve internal departmental performance. It is documented in the academic literature that when organisational change occurs, it impacts on employees. There are, however, few public sector studies of how change affects the psychological contracts of employees. The aim of this research is therefore to add to existing public sector literature by determining whether changes in the National Department of Human Settlements have impacted on employees' psychological contracts in a negative or a positive way. The research seeks to investigate whether the changes have affected employees' trust of their employer, their commitment, dedication, loyalty and career development opportunities.

M. Tech. Business Administration / During the 2010/2011 financial year, the National Department of Human Settlements embarked on its second organisational restructuring effort, in an attempt to align and improve internal departmental performance. It is documented in the academic literature that when organisational change occurs, it impacts on employees. There are, however, few public sector studies of how change affects the psychological contracts of employees. The aim of this research is therefore to add to existing public sector literature by determining whether changes in the National Department of Human Settlements have impacted on employees' psychological contracts in a negative or a positive way. The research seeks to investigate whether the changes have affected employees' trust of their employer, their commitment, dedication, loyalty and career development opportunities.

This study examines the efficacy of change management following an acquisition by a multinational corporation. Staff turnover records are examined to determine whether there are significant changes in staff turnover before and after critical events in the change process. Staff exit questionnaires are examined to determine employees' reasons for leaving. The key change agents are interviewed to obtain their perspectives on the change process. Our conclusion is that the change has been generally well-managed, although more attention could have been paid to the individual groups that make up the staff, and that communication could have been improved. Our recommendation is that a follow-up study be conducted to gauge employee attitudes following the relocation. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

M.Comm. / The Bank under study is one of the big four banks of South Africa, is engaged in a process of transformation, more specifically the implementation of the Employment Equity Act (No.55 of 1998). The overall objective of the study was to identify the employee's perceptions of transformation in a financial institution, which will be called The Bank, for ease of reference. The study was split into two, firstly, the identification of perception held by African, Indian and Coloured (AIC) male and female managers about the implementation of transformation, more specifically, employment equity, as an integral component of transformation in South African companies. Secondly, to conduct a comparative analysis on the similarities and differences of white male and African, Indian and Coloured managers perceptions regarding the implementation of transformation, more specifically employment equity act A further objective was to obtain suggestions from the participants as to possible ways in which the Bank can deal with their specific concerns relating to transformation.

Until recently South Africa experienced an economic decline, however, despite the current positive trends, many large corporations are compelled to reduce personnel costs. Retrenchments have therefore become an increasingly common occurrence within South Africa. This has had an impact on the level of organisational commitment, absenteeism and turnover. Studies support the link between the levels of organisational commitment of employees, absenteeism and subsequently labour turnover. There is a relative lack of research in South African organisations into the influence of retrenchments on employees within call centre environments that have undergone retrenchments. The aims of this study was therefore to identify the levels of organisational commitment amongst call centre employees who survived a retrenchment that occurred in 2001.

Until recently South Africa experienced an economic decline, however, despite the current positive trends, many large corporations are compelled to reduce personnel costs. Retrenchments have therefore become an increasingly common occurrence within South Africa. This has had an impact on the level of organisational commitment, absenteeism and turnover. Studies support the link between the levels of organisational commitment of employees, absenteeism and subsequently labour turnover. There is a relative lack of research in South African organisations into the influence of retrenchments on employees within call centre environments that have undergone retrenchments. The aims of this study was therefore to identify the levels of organisational commitment amongst call centre employees who survived a retrenchment that occurred in 2001.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Xstrata Coal South Africa (XCSA) embarked on a restructuring exercise towards the end of 2005 to enable the organisation and its management to adapt to the pressures and requirements of an ever-changing South African coal industry. The executive team of XCSA felt that some of the business units were too large to be effectively managed by one general manager and his/her management team. The Tweefontein and Impunzi business units fell into this category. Further, the executive team felt that the existing organisational structures on the mines were unable to effectively manage the demands coming from an ever-changing coal industry. Most such demands emanated from sustainable development issues: workplace safety, environmental management, health-related concerns to do with the employees and community development around the mines. The restructuring took place towards the end of 2005, not long after the restructuring of the business performance went into decline. The author of this thesis, as the General Manager of the Tweefontein Complex from the beginning of 2006 until mid-2008, was responsible for the day-to-day management of the division at the time. After explaining the need for restructuring, as well as how the structure was changed, the author will describe a comprehensive literature research study. The aim of such a study is to create a common understanding with the reader of the principles relating to culture, leadership and change management. The author then compares the two climate assessments of the organisational culture of the Boschmans Colliery undertaken during 2005 prior to embarking on the restructuring exercise, and of the Tweefontein Complex undertaken during 2007, on completion of the restructuring. Boschmans Colliery employees now constitute most of the underground and surface operations areas of the Tweefontein Complex. The organisational culture of the Tweefontein Complex was found to have been influenced by the restructuring exercise. The author concludes with recommendations on how the organisational culture of XCSA as a whole could be aligned. Chief among the recommendations are that: • A cultural alignment programme should be implemented to create a common organisational culture across XCSA. • A leadership development programme should be implemented to promote the desired organisational culture. • A communication strategy should be implemented to support the cultural alignment programme. • A branding campaign should be launched to strengthen the image of XCSA within the surrounding community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Xstrata Coal South Africa (XCSA) het aan die einde van 2005 besluit om die besigheid te herstruktureer om aan te pas by die veranderende aard van die Suid-Afrikaanse steenkoolindustrie. Die gevoel van die uitvoerende komitee was dat sekere van die besigheidseenhede te groot was om effektief deur een algemene bestuurder, bestuur te word. Die Tweefontein- en Impunzi-besigheidseenhede het in die kategorie geval. Verder het die uitvoerende kommitee gevoel dat die bestaande bestuurstruktuur per myn nie voldoende was om al die verwagtinge vanuit 'n vinnig veranderende steenkoolindustrie effektief te kan bestuur nie. Die vernaamste verwagtinge van die vinnig veranderende industrie was die vanuit die veld van Volhoubaarheid, naamlik veiligheid op myne, omgewingsbewustheid, gesondheid van die werknemers, sowel as die opbou van die gemeenskap. Die herstrukturering het aan die einde van 2005 plaasgevind en nie lank na die herstrukturering nie het die prestasie van die besigheid drasties afgeneem. Die skrywer was die Algemene Bestuurder van die Tweefontein Complex vanaf die begin van 2006 tot die middel van 2008, en was verantwoordelik vir die dag-tot-dag-bestuur van die afdeling. As deel van die studie sal die skrywer eerstens poog om die redes vir die herstrukturering te gee en ook hoe die nuwe struktuur daar uitsien. Tweedens sal die skrywer 'n deeglike literatuurstudie verskaf om 'n gemeenskaplike verstandhouding tussen die skrywer en die leser oor die beginsels van kultuur, leierskap en veranderingsbestuur te skep. Derdens sal die skrywer die resultate van twee klimaatstudies ontleed wat op die besigheidskultuur van die Boschmans-steenkoolmyn in 2005 voor die herstrukturering gedoen is en een wat in 2007 op die Tweefontein Complex na die herstrukturering gedoen is. Die werknemers van die Boschmans-steenkoolmyn maak tans die grootste gedeelte van die Tweefontein Complex se ondergrondse en aanleg- en logistieke afdelings uit. Na aanleiding van die analise van die twee klimaatstudies, bevind die skrywer dat die herstrukturering 'n daadwerklike invloed op die kultuur van die Tweefontein Complex gehad het. Die skrywer maak dan na gelang van sy bevindinge aanbevelings oor hoe die kultuur van Xstrata Coal South Africa (XCSA) as 'n geheel belyn kan word. Sy belangrikste aanbevelings is as volg: • Die implementering van 'n kultuurbelyningsprogram om 'n gemeenskaplike besigheidskultuur regoor Xstrata Coal South Africa (XCSA) daar te stel. • Die implementering van 'n leierskapsontwikkelingsprogram wat belyn is met die verlangde besigheidskultuur. • Die implementering van 'n kommunikasiestrategie wat die kultuurbelyningsprogram ondersteun. • Die loodsing van 'n Xstrata Coal South Africa (XCSA) bemarkingsveldtog am Xstrata Coal se beeld in die gemeenskap te bevorder.

South African company law has provided for the rescue of financially distressed companies since 1926 when the statutory procedure of judicial management was introduced by the Companies Act 46 of 1926. Unfortunately, judicial management has never been regarded as a successful corporate rescue procedure and for most of its existence it has been severely criticised on many grounds. The Companies Act 61 of 1973 that replaced the Companies Act 46 of 1926 did very little to improve this situation and judicial management remained underutilised. As a result, the Companies Act 71 of 2008 now introduces two newly-created corporate rescue procedures in the form of business rescue proceedings and the compromise with creditors. This study analyses judicial management and the new corporate rescue procedures to establish whether the identified weaknesses of judicial management have been adequately and effectively addressed in the new procedures. A comparative study with similar procedures in England and Germany is undertaken to determine whether the South African legislature has delivered on its promise to create a system of corporate rescue that will meet the needs of a modern South African economy. Several weaknesses in the new procedures are identified and a number of recommendations are made to improve the relevant provisions and to assist in providing South African company law with an efficient and acceptable corporate rescue regime. / Mercentile Law / LLD (Mercentile Law)

Thesis (LLM)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis compares South African and German Competition Law. The focus is the control of mergers between newspaper enterprises. It has to be asked whether special rules should apply to transactions in this field, considering the importance of an unconcentrated, competitive press from an economic and political point of view. It will be shown that South African and German Competition Law are similar in many respects. Both legal systems follow a flexible, primarily economic approach to the consideration of proposed transactions, taking into account a plurality of factors to determine potential detrimental effects of mergers on competition. Moreover, pro-competitive gains and public interest issues are recognised under South African and German law. When it comes to the control of mergers between newspaper enterprises, though, the two legal systems diverge. Only under German Competition Law, are there specific provisions for press mergers. In view of a recently proposed amendment of the German Competition Law, the appropriate form of regulation that is likely to guarantee a free press, will be investigated. It will also be analysed, whether there is a specific need for press regulation in the South African context. Even though there are no special provisions under South African Competition Law, the South African Constitution leaves space for a broader understanding of the freedom of the press. Hence, it will be examined if the South African Constitution obliges the state to enact particular laws to protect press-plurality. Moreover, it will be analysed if the South African Competition Act should be interpreted in a manner that would promote plurality of the press. In the view of the eminent role of the press for a democratic society, it will be argued in this thesis, that there is a particular need for media regulation. Notably the significant levels of concentration in both German and South African press markets raise concerns as regards the protection of a free and pluralistic press. It will be shown that there are different foreign approaches to maintaining and promoting freedom of the press and it will be suggested that South Africa recognises a need for more press-specific regulation in the future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling vergelyk Suid-Afrikaanse en Duitse mededingingsreg. Dit is gefokus op beheer oor persondernemings. Die vraag word gevra of spesiale reëls van toepassing behoort te wees op transaksies in hierdie sektor, indien die politieke en ekonomiese belang van 'n ongekonsentreerde en mededingende pers in ag geneem word. Dit word uitgewys dat Suid-Afrikaanse en Duitse mededingsreg in vele opsigte soortgelyk is, wat die regulering van samesmeltings betref. Beide regsstelsels volg 'n buigsame, hoofsaaklik ekonomiese benadering tot die oorweging van 'n transaksie. Beide neem 'n veelheid van faktore in ag om te bepaal of 'n transaksie moontlik negatiewe gevolge vir mededinging het. Verder word pro-mededingende en publieke belangsaspekte in beide die Suid- Afrikaanse en Duitse reg in ag geneem. In die geval van 'n samesmelting tussen koerantondernemings verskil die twee sisteme egter. Die Duitse reg het spesiale reëls vir samesmelting van sulke ondernemings. In die lig van wysigings wat onlangs aan die Duitse mededingsreg voorgestel is, word geskikte vlakke van regulering van die pers, wat nodig is om 'n vrye pers te waarborg, ondersoek. Aandag word geskenk aan die vraag of daar'n behoefte is aan regulering van die pers in die Suid-Afrikaanse omgewing. Alhoewel die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet nie spesiaal daarvoor voorsiening maak nie, laat die Grondwet plek vir 'n wyer begrip van persvryeid. Dus word vasgestelof daar 'n plig op die staat is om wetgewing in te voer wat die staat dwing om perspluralisme te beskerm. Verder, word bepaal of die Suid-Afrikaanse Mededingingswet op so 'n wyse interpreteer kan word dat dit perspluralisme sal bevorder. In die lig van die sentrale rol vir 'n vrye pers in 'n demokratiese samelewing, word geargumenteer dat, daar 'n spesiale behoefte aan reguleringvan die media is. Die hoë vlakke van konsentrasie in beide die Duitse en Suid- Afrikaanse persmarkte skep besorgheid oor die beskerming van 'n vrye en pluralistiese pers in hierdie lande. Dit word aangetoon dat daar verskillende benaderings tot die beskerming en bevordering van 'n vrye pers in ander lande is en daar word voorgestel dat Suid-Afrika 'n behoefte aan meer spesifieke reëls vir regulering van die pers erken.

This research has investigated the long-run performance of corporate restructurings through unbundling transactions on the JSE between 2000 and 2012. The corporate unbundling transactions considered by the research are spin-offs and sell-offs. From the two unbundling transactions, four samples were derived, that is, 21 spin-offs, 14 parent-spin-offs, 14 sell-offs and 20 parent-sell-offs. The share price performance of these samples was investigated by a matching firm methodology under the buy and hold abnormal returns. The research found that positive abnormal returns are present for both samples for up to four years after unbundling. Secondly, with the exception of parent-sell-offs, significant abnormal returns were experienced by both samples for up to four years after unbundling. It was also found that a spin-off is a preferable corporate unbundling strategy to a sell-off over a long-run period. This research implies that companies with heavy structures should unbundle in order to unlock shareholders’ value. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)