M.Sc. (Computer Science) / The attitude of critics towards decision support systems vary from a major breakthrough to just another bussword. The objective of this study is to design an expert system that can advise the ignorant to design, implement and evaluate a decision support system. In chapter one criteria that will influence the design of a decision support system were identified. The four areas the were looked into: Organisational long term goals and -strategy Attitude of the people in the organization The tasks of management The problem a decision support system will be designed for. A list of 'criteria were compiled and carried forward to chapter two. In chapter two a decision support system was defined and the components of the system discussed. The influence that the criteria (of chapter one) had on the components of the decision support system were decided. Chapter three discussed a subset of a decision support system namely expert systems. This chapter were motivated by two things: The objective of this study was to design an expert system According to the definition of a decision support system (chapter two) an expert system is a subset of a decision support system. A brief description of the components of an expert system and a layout of the different rule bases were given. An implementation methodology will be discussed. In chapter four a methodology were described to measure user satisfaction after a decision support system were implemented. A summary of this chapter were accepted for publication as an article in 'Information and Systems Management'. Chapter five discussed a look into the future of decision support systems. A complete Super Intelligent System was described. Although this is fictitious it could trigger ideas for other studies.

M.B.A / The performance of project delivery in the software development domain has a poor history of successes. This research focused on identifying some of the reasons for this poor performance for software development projects in order to propose a possible framework for measuring and evaluating a software development project's performance. The proposed framework is intended to link individual project performance into the strategic performance measurements for an organisation and hence includes the aspect of being able to evaluate an individual project's performance relative to other projects within a programme, organisation or industry. The research was conducted through in-depth interviews and literature studies. The following three Key findings resulted from this study: • Firstly that unless an organisation establishes upfront what the intended use of the measurements is, as well as how they as an organisation and project define "project success" in terms of their overall objectives, any measurements taken will be oflittle value. • Secondly that there is still strong support for the generic measurements of Time, Cost, and Quality all within good customer relations, however, these need to take into account the aspects of project complexity, project management skills, the team fit and the accuracy of the estimates. • Thirdly that the ultimate framework adopted by an organisation for measuring and evaluating project performance should be simple without being simplistic and hence should be generic and easy to implement across a broad range of projects.

The earth has been undergoing a process of global warming and climate change for a period exceeding 100 years. These two occurrences have had many adverse effects on the sustainability of the environment as well as on humans and organisations. The direct cause of global warming and climate change, including the consequential negative ramifications, are due to humans use of natural resources mostly in the form of the consumption of products and services. Organisations are regarded as the largest consumers of products and services within society and as a result are responsible for the major contributions made to global warming and climate change. In order to rectify the negative impact made by organisations in terms of their ecological behaviour and ensure organisational sustainability theory, stipulates that a behavioural change within leadership is required. Ecologically intelligent leaders who hold an affirmation of an ecological worldview and enact pro-ecological behaviours are pivotal to the proliferation of ecological leadership and a subsequent rise in organisational pro-ecological behaviour, towards a sustainable future. On the basis of the above mentioned statements, gained from various literature, a conceptual model was formed and an exploratory research study undertaken to substantiate the presence of correlational or causal relationships between a leader’s ecological intelligence with the enactment of ecological leadership and organisational pro-ecological behaviour. The sample consisted of 42 respondents who occupied positions of leadership within organisations that were members of the Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency. The findings provide substantiating evidence of the presence of ecological intelligence within leadership, the enactment of ecological leadership as well as organisational pro-ecological behaviour. Furthermore significant correlational relationships exist between ecological leadership and organisational pro-ecological behaviour. There is also substantiating indication that the enablers of a leader’s ecological intelligence, an affirmation of an ecological worldview and pro-ecological behaviour, facilitate the outcome of organisational pro-ecological behaviour.

The Agile methodologies have attracted the software development industry's attention due to their capability to overcome the limitations of the traditional software development approaches and to cope with increasing complexity in system development. Scrum is one of the Agile software development processes broadly adopted by industry. Scrum promotes frequent customer involvement and incremental short releases. Despite its popular use, Scrum’s requirements engineering stage is inadequately defined which can lead to increase development time and cost, along with low quality or failure for the end products. This research shows the importance of activity planning of requirements engineering in improving the product quality, cost, and scheduling as well as it points out some drawbacks of Agile practices and available solutions. To improve the Scrum requirements engineering by overcoming its challenges in cases, such as providing a comprehensive understanding of the customer’s needs and addressing the effects of the challenges in other cases, such as frequent changes of requirements, the Design Thinking model is integrated into the Scrum framework in the context of requirements engineering management. The use of the Design Thinking model, in the context of requirements engineering management, is validated through an in-depth scientific study of the IBM Design Thinking framework. In addition, this research presents an Items Prioritization dEcision Support System (IPESS) which is a tool to assist the Product Owners for requirements prioritization. IPESS is built on information collected in the Design Thinking model. The IPESS tool adopts Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique and PageRank algorithm to deal with the specified factors and to achieve the optimal order for requirements items based on the prioritization score. IPESS is a flexible and comprehensive tool that focuses on different important aspects including customer satisfaction and product quality. The IPESS tool is validated through an experiment that was conducted in a real-world project / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (PhD)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Although terms such as input, output, outcomes, productivity, quality, efficiency and effectiveness represent measures of performance, they also measure different aspects of performance. The question of the relevance of the measurement of performance for the South African Police Service (SAPS) invariably arises. The following three questions have, therefore, been formulated: • What is the relevance of performance measurement for the SAPS? • Which performance measurement determinants must be addressed and integrated into the process of performance measurement in the SAPS? • How could performance measurement improve the rendering of service? The purpose of the exploratory study was to provide a conceptual framework for performance measurement by developing a systematic and comprehensive performance measurement system (model) for the SAPS which will have longterm advantages for both the SAPS and the customers and/or communities they serve. The key aims were, "therefore, threefold: • To ensure that the SAPS is fulfilling its mission and accomplishing targeted results. • To measure police performance (successes) in respect of input, output, outcomes, effectiveness and efficiency which will have a direct impact on the combating of crime and is of value to customers and/or communi ties served by the police. • To compare a newly developed and pilot-tested model with the present performance measurement initiative used by the SAPS to prove that the new model has promise. Face-to-face and focus group interviews were conducted with 16 English and Welsh individuals. In addition, face-to-face and focus group interviews were also conducted with 12 police officials of the SAPS in order to determine the current state of affairs regarding police performance measurement. As part of the inductive study and to focus on the formulated questions and purpose, as well as to account for the data, three hypotheses were formulated for this study. The newly developed model will, therefore, enable the establishment of the extent to which: • Resources (human and physical) could be used effectively and efficiently by focussing on performance measurement. • Police operations and activities could be improved on an ongoing basis by focussing on targeted results. • Police operations and activities will have a positive impact on the combating of crime. A conceptual performance measurement framework was developed which reflects the fulfilment of the SAPS's mission and the accomplishment of targeted results. This model also measures the performance (successes) of the SAPS in respect of input, output, outcomes, effectiveness, and efficiency. Twenty police stations of one police area in the Western Cape were selected for the pilot-testing of the newly developed performance measurement system for the SAPS. After the model had been successfully piloted, it was compared with the performance measurement system used by the SAPS at present. The proposed model achieved a substantial higher mark in comparison with the present process/system used in the SAPS. Finally, the new performance measurement system for the SAPS that consists of the following performance measurement determinants namely, strategic direction, performance framework, performance measures, strategy-institutionalizing and performance assessment provides an important building block in the process of analysing the quality of service. In conclusion, according to this exploratory study the newly developed performance measurement system for the SAPS shows that the SAPS can apply the model, in its current format, fully and optimally. However, some shortcomings connected to the model, have been identified. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel terme soos insette, produksie (uitsette), gevolge (resultate), produktiwiteit, 'kwaliteit, doelmatigheid en doeltreffendheid maatstawwe van werkverrigting verteenwoordig, meet dit ook verskillende aspekte van werkverrigting. Die vraag na die toepaslikheid van die meet van werkverrigting vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD) tree telkens na vore. Die volgende drie vrae is derhalwe geformuleer: • In watter mate is die meet van werkverrigting op die SAPD van toepassing? • Aan watter beslissende faktore vir die meet van werkverrigting moet aandag geskenk word en watter van hierdie faktore moet in die proses van die meet van werkverrigting in die SAPD geïntegreer word? • Hoe kan die meet van werkverrigting dienslewering verbeter? Die doel met die verkenningstudie was om 'n voorstellingsraamwerk vir die meet van werkverrigting te verskaf deur 'n stelselmatige en omvattende stelsel (model) vir die meet van werkverrigting vir die SAPD te ontwikkel wat langtermynvoordele sal inhou vir die SAPD, sowel as die kliënte en/of gemeenskappe wat dit bedien. Die sleuteldoelwitte is daarom drievoudig: • Om te verseker dat die SAPD sy missie ten uitvoer bring en die beoogde resultate bereik. • Om die werkverrigting (suksesse) van die Polisie met betrekking tot insette, produksie, resultate, doelmatigheid en doeltreffendheid te meet wat 'n direkte invloed op die bekamping van misdaad sal hê en ook van waarde is vir kliënte en/of gemeenskappe wat die Polisie bedien. • Om die nuutontwikkelde en voorafgetoetse model te vergelyk met die metode wat die SAPD tans gebruik om werkverrigting te meet om te bewys dat die nuwe model belofte inhou. Persoonlike onderhoude is met 16 Engelse en Walliese persone gevoer en fokusgroepsbesprel<.ings is gehou. Persoonlike onderhoude is ook met 12 polisiebeamptes van die SAPD gevoer en fokusgroepsbesprekings is gehou om die huidige stand van sake oor die meet van werkverrigting in die Polisie te bepaal. As deel van die verkenningstudie en om op die gestelde vrae en doel te fokus, asook om 'n verldaringvir die data te gee, is drie hipoteses vir hierdie studie geformuleer. Die nuut ontwikkelde model sal dus die mate van die volgende kan bepaal: • Hulpbronne (menslik en fisies) doeltreffend en doelmatig benut word deur op werkverrigting te fokus. • Polisie-operasies en -aktiwiteite op 'n deurlopende grondslag verbeter kan word deur op die beoogde resultate te fokus. • Polisie-operasies en -aktiwiteite 'n positiewe invloed op die bekamping van misdaad sal hê. 'n Voorstellingsraamwerk vir die meet van werkverrigting is ontwikkel wat die uitvoeringvan die missie van die SAPD en die bereikingvan beoogde resultate weerspieël. Hierdie model meet ook die werkverrigting (suksesse) van die SAPD met betrekking tot insette, produksie, gevolge, doeltreffendheid en doelmatigheid. Twintig polisiestasies van een polisie-area in die Wes-Kaap is gekies vir die vooraftoetsing van die nuutontwikkelde stelsel vir die meet van die werkverrigting vir die SAPD. Nadat die model suksesvol getoets is, is dit vergelyk met die stelsel wat tans deur die SAPD gebruik word om werkverrigting te meet. Die voorgestelde model het 'n aansienlike hoër punt behaal in vergelyking met die stelsel wat tans in die SAPD gebruik word. Laastens bied die nuwe stelsel wat werkverrigting in die SAPD meet en wat bestaan uit die volgende bepalings vir die meet van werkverrigting, naamlik strategiese rigting, raamwerk vir werkverrigting, maatstawvve vir werkverrigting, strategiese institusionalisering en waardebepaling van werkverrigting 'n belangrike bousteen in die ontledingsproses van kwaliteit diens. Sammevattend toon die nuutontwikkelde stelsel VIr die meet van werkverrigting in die SAPD volgens hierdie verkenningstudie dat die SAPD die model in sy huidige formaat ten volle en optimaal kan toepas. 'n Paar tekortkomings met betrekking tot die model is egter geïdentifiseer.

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The City of Cape Town has adopted the Balanced Scorecard as an organisational performance management system. Presently the system has only been implemented as a pilot project in the top three management levels of the organisation. The question then becomes one of how can individual obj ectives be aligned with the organisation's strategic objectives in this scenario. The purpose of this research is to propose a performance management model based on the Balanced Scorecard that aligns individual goals and objectives to those of the organisation. The study is in the form of a case study and specifically applies to the City of Cape Town Fire and Emergency Service. The foundation of the research is based on the creation of a sound theoretical base relating to organisational and individual performance management and the Balanced Scorecard. Once this understanding has been created the next step is to describe the development and implementation of the Balanced Scorecard project within the Cape Town context. This is the point of departure for the proposal of a Personal Scorecard performance management model. Data is to be collected via a process of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The information gained during the interviews created the framework within which the Personal Scorecard model was proposed. The questionnaire was used to pilot the main component of the Personal Scorecard model, namely the objective setting process. This created an opportunity to test the hypotheses made as the Personal Scorecard was developed. Once all of the components have been combined into the performance management model this research will be concluded with the presentation of recommendations relating to the knowledge gained during the model development process and alternative applications for the Personal Scorecard will be discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Stad Kaapstad het die "Balanced Scorecard" as 'n organisasie prestasie bestuursmeganisme aanvaar. Huidiglik is die meganisme net in die boonste drie bestuurs vlakke van die organisasie in gebruik geneem. Die kwessie wat geantwoord moet word is hoe individuele doelwitte met die van die organisasie versoen kan word in hierdie spesifieke scenario. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om n prestasie bestuursmodel voor te stel wat op die "Balanced Scorecard" gebaseer is en individuele doelwitte met die van die organisasie versoen. Hierdie studie neem die vorm van 'n gevallestudie en is spesifiek gerig op die Stad Kaapstad Brand and Nooddienste. Die fondament van hierdie navorsing is gebaseer op die skepping van 'n sterk teoretiese basis met verband tot organisasie- en individuele prestasie bestuur en die "Balanced Scorecard". Die volgende stap is om die Balanced Scorecard ontwikkeling en uitvoering projek van die Stad te beskryf. Hierdie word die vertrekpunt vir die voorgestelde "Personal Scorecard" prestasie bestuursmodel. Data word versamel deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude en vraelyste. Die inligting wat gedurende die onderhoude vesamel is het die raamwerk geskep waarin die "Personal Scorecard" voorgestel is. Die vraelyste is gebruik om die hoof bestanddeel van die "Personal Scorecard" model te loods namelik die doelwitstellendemeganisme. Hierdie proses het die geleentheid geskep om die hipotese wat gedurende die ontwikeling van die "Personal Scorecard" gemaak is, te toets. Na hierdie komponente gëintegreer is binne die prestasie bestuursmodel sal die navorsing afgesluit word met aanbevelings gebaseer op die kennis wat gedurende die modelontwikkeling proses versamel is en alternatiewe gebruike vir die "Personal Scorecard" sal bespreek word.

The present study has originated from the realisation that numerous software development projects either do not live up to expectations or fail outright. The scope, environment and implementation of traditional software projects have changed due to various reasons such as globalisation, advances in computing technologies and, last but not least, the development and deployment of software projects in distributed, collaborative and virtual environments. As a result, traditional project management methods cannot and do not address the added complexities found in this ever-changing environment. In this study the processes and procedures associated with software project management (SPM) were explored. SPM can be defined as the process of planning, organising, staffing, monitoring, controlling and leading a software project. The current study is principally aimed at making a contribution to enhancing and supporting SPM. A thorough investigation into software agent computing resulted in the realisation that software agent technology can be regarded as a new paradigm that may be used to support the SPM processes. A software agent is an autonomous system that forms part of an environment, can sense the environment and act on it over a period of time, in pursuit of its own agenda. The software agent can also perceive, reason and act by selecting and executing an appropriate action. The unique requirements of SPM and the ways in which agent technology may address these were subsequently identified. It was concluded that agent technology is specifically suited to geographically distributed systems, large network systems and mobile devices. Agents provide a natural metaphor for support in a team environment where cooperation and the coordination of actions toward a common goal, as well as the monitoring and controlling of actions are strongly supported. Although it became evident that agent technology is indeed being applied to areas and sections of the SPM environment, it is not being applied to the whole spectrum, i.e. to all core and facilitating functions of SPM. If software agents were to be used across the whole spectrum of SPM processes, this could provide a significant advantage to software project managers who are currently using other contemporary methods. The "SPMSA" model (Software Project Management supported by Software Agents) was therefore proposed. This model aims to enhance SPM by taking into account the unique nature and changing environment of software projects. The SPMSA model is unique as it supports the entire spectrum of SPM functionality, thus supporting and enhancing each key function with a team of software agents. Both the project manager and individual team members will be supported during software project management processes to simplify their tasks, eliminate the complexities, automate actions and enhance coordination and communication. Virtual teamwork, knowledge management, automated workflow management and process and task coordination will also be supported. A prototype of a section of the risk management key function of the SPMSA model was implemented as `proof of concept'. This prototype may be expanded to include the entire SPMSA model and cover all areas of SPM. Finally, the SPMSA model was verified by comparing the SPM phases of the model to the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. These phases of the SPMSA model were furthermore compared to the basic phases of software development as prescribed by the ISO 10006:2003 standard for projects. In both cases the SPMSA model compared favourably. Hence it can be concluded that the SPMSA model makes a fresh contribution to the enhancement of SPM by utilising software agent technology. / School of Computing / Ph. D. (Computer Science)

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Individuals in South Africa are constantly confronted with career related challenges. As a result of high unemployment, affirmative action, the outsourcing of work and other changes in the economy, only the very best employees with relevant skills and qualifications can survive in the contemporary work place. Career self-management therefore cannot be neglected or left to the employer, but should be undertaken by each individual on a continuous basis. An unavoidable question, with which any individual will be confronted at some stage during the process of career management, is: 'Will career management necessarily have a positive effect on job performance?" The essential question of this study is whether there is a statistically significant relation between career self-management and job performance. In an effort to investigate and understand this relation more efficiently, a literature study was first undertaken concerning both the independent variable, namely career self-management, and the dependent variable, namely job performance. This was followed by an empirical investigation. Career self-management may be defined as the process by which individuals take well considered, informed, suitable decisions about their working lives. The process of career self-management consists of different components, namely career exploration, career goal setting, the development of career strategies and career evaluation. Career exploration includes self-exploration as well as exploration of the environment. Self-knowledge focuses on the acquisition of knowledge regarding internal aspects such as values, personality, aptitude, interests, weak points and strong points. Environment exploration, on the other hand, includes the acquisition of knowledge and information about the working environment. Career goal setting is the second component in the career self-management process, and involves the setting of challenging but realistic career goals by the individual for the short, medium and long term. The individual develops career strategies in order to realise career goals. Various types of career strategies may be distinguished, such as competence in the current position, extended involvement at work, development of skills, participation in organisational politics and the utilisation of opportunities by, for example, the creation of networks, self-nomination and visibility. After sufficient time has elapsed for the implementation of the strategies, the individual has to compare the identified goals with achieved goals and adjust the original career plan accordingly. These adjustments will in turn require further career exploration and the process will be repeated. The dependent variable, namely individual job performance, may be defined as the way in which a job or task is executed by an individual, group or organisation. An individual's job performance mainly depends on two aspects, namely ability and motivation (attempt). Ability refers to the individual's potential to successfully complete a task or job. Motivation is an internal driving force which moves an individual and which directs his/her behaviour in such a way that goals may be achieved. The empirical part of the study investigated the statistical relationship between the two constructs on a test sample, consisting of 307 individuals from 5 different sectors (mining sector, real estate sector, health care sector, bank sector, and production sector). The career self-management of these individuals was tested by means of two questionnaires, namely the Career Exploration Survey and the Career Strategies Inventory. Their job performance was measured by the Job Performance Questionnaire, which were handed to their managers/supervisors to complete. Statistical analyses showed that no statistically significant relationship exists between career self-management and job performance. Further statistical analyses also showed that there is no relation between any of the components of career self-management (career exploration, career goal setting, and development of career strategies) and job performance. The research results suggest that career self-management does not necessarily lead to improved job performance, even though an individual may manage his/her career constructively. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Individue in Suid-Afrika word gereeld gekonfronteer met loopbaanverwante uitdagings. Die hoë werkloosheidssyfer, regstellende aksie, uitkontraktering en ander veranderinge in die ekonomie veroorsaak dat slegs die heel beste werknemers met relevante vaardighede en kwalifikasies in vandag se werkplek kan oorleef. Loopbaan-selfbestuur kan dus nie agterweë gelaat word of oorgelaat word aan die organisasie nie, maar behoort deur elke individu op 'n deurlopende basis gedoen te word. 'n Onvermydelike vraag waarmee enige individu op een of ander stadium tydens die loopbaanbestuursproses gekonfronteer sal word, is: "Sal loopbaanbestuur noodwendig 'n positiewe effek op werksprestasie hê?" Hierdie vraag het die essensie van die studie gevorm, naamlik of daar 'n statisties beduidende verband bestaan tussen loopbaan-selfbestuur en werksprestasie. Ten einde hierdie verband beter te kon ondersoek en verstaan, is 'n literatuurstudie eerstens oor beide die onafhanklike veranderlike, loopbaan-selfbestuur, en die afhanklike veranderlike, werksprestasie, gedoen, waarna die empiriese gedeelte van die navorsing gevolg het. Loopbaan-selfbestuur kan gedefinieer word as die proses waartydens individue weldeurdagte, ingeligte, geskikte besluite neem aangaande hulle werksiewens. Die proses van loopbaan-selfbestuur bestaan uit verskeie komponente, naamlik loopbaanverkenning, loopbaandoelwitstelling, die ontwikkeling van loopbaanstrategieë en loopbaanbeoordeling. Loopbaanverkenning sluit self-verkenning sowel as verkenning van die omgewing in. Selfkennis fokus op die verkryging van kennis met betrekking tot interne aspekte soos waardes, persoonlikheid, aanleg, belangstellings, swakpunte en sterkpunte, terwylomgewingsverkenning die verkryging van kennis en informasie oor die werksomgewing insluit. Loopbaandoelwitstelling is die tweede komponent in die loopbaan-selfbestuursproses en behels dat die individu uitdagende, dog realistiese loopbaandoelwitte stel - vir die korttermyn, mediumtermyn sowel as die langtermyn. Ten einde loopbaandoelwitte te laat realiseer, ontwikkel die individu loopbaanstrategieë. Verskeie tipes loopbaanstrategieë kan onderskei word, soos byvoorbeeld bevoegdheid in die huidige pos, uitgebreide werksbetrokkenheid, vaardigheidsontwikkeling, deelname aan organisasiepolitiek en die benutting van geleenthede deur onder andere die vorming van netwerke, selfnominering en sigbaarheid. Nadat voldoende tyd verloop het waartydens die strategieë geïmplementeer kon word, moet die individu die gestelde doelwitte met behaalde doelwitte vergelyk en op grond daarvan aanpassings maak ten opsigte van die aanvanklike loopbaanplan. Hierdie aanpassings sal weer verdere loopbaanverkenning verg en die proses word herhaal. Die afhanklike veranderlike, naamlik individuele werksprestasie, kan gedefinieer word as die wyse waarop In werk of taak gedoen word deur In individu, groep of organisasie. In Individu se werksprestasie is hoofsaaklik afhanklik van twee aspekte, naamlik vermoë en motivering (poging). Vermoë verwys na die individu se potensiaal om In taak of werk suksesvol af te handel. Motivering is In interne dryfkrag wat In individu beweeg en sy/haar gedrag rig sodat doelwitte behaal kan word. Die empiriese gedeelte van die studie het die statistiese verband tussen die twee konstrukte op In steekproef, bestaande uit 307 individue afkomstig van vyf verskillende sektore (mynsektor, eiendomsektor, gesondheidsorgsektor, banksektor, vervaardigingsektor), ondersoek. Hierdie individue se loopbaanselfbestuur is bepaal deur middel van twee vraelyste, naamlik die "Career Exploration Survey" en die "Career Strategies Inventory". Hul werksprestasie is gemeet deur middel van die "Job Performance Questionnaire", wat aan hul bestuurders / toesighouers gegee is om te voltooi. Statistiese analises het getoon dat daar geen statisties beduidende verband bestaan tussen loopbaan-selfbestuur en werksprestasie nie. Verdere statistiese ontledings het ook getoon dat daar geen verband tussen enige van die komponente van loopbaan-selfbestuur (loopbaanverkenning, loopbaandoelwitstelling en ontwikkeling van loopbaanstrategieë) en werksprestasie bestaan nie. Die gevolgtrekking wat op grond van die navorsingsresultate gemaak kan word, is dat, alhoewel 'n individu sy/haar loopbaan konstruktief mag bestuur, dit nie noodwendig tot verbeterde werksprestasie sal lei nie.

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African system of local government has been significantly altered since the democratic local government elections held in November 1995 and July 1996. Soon after taking office in the newly established democratic local authorities, councillors came face to face with the reality of community demands, needs and expectations on the one hand and the limited resources to fulfil these needs on the other hand. Within this challenging context, councillors and officials had to ensure sustainable service delivery and the promotion of good local governance in general. In the South African context, the delivery of sustainable municipal services and good local governance within the constraints of limited financial resources is even more challenging given the constitutional and legal requirement that communities must participate in municipal affairs – including planning and budgeting processes. The research for this study was carried out using a literature review, individual interviews with senior City of Cape Town officials and the personal experience of the researcher. This study examines public participation in the budget process of the City of Cape Town during the period 2004–2006. The Western Cape did not previously have a ward participatory (committee) system like that used in the rest of the country. In contrast, the City of Cape Town set up a metro participation forum called subcouncils with area co-ordinators and ward forums. At the time of the study, the main vehicle for public participation in the city had been the Mayoral Listening Campaign that was embarked upon in 2003. The key focus of this campaign was to invite comments from residents and other stakeholders on governance and development issues facing the city. Comments were submitted via fax, e-mail, workshops and telephone. This study concludes with a number of recommendations on capacity building, the development of ward committees, improving communication systems as well as the implementation of effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. These recommendations should be implemented to enhance public participation in the budget process of the City of Cape Town. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse stelsel van plaaslike regering het beduidend verander sedert die plaaslike demokratiese regeringsverkiesings in November 1995 en Julie 1996. Raadslede het kort ná die vestiging van die nuut gestigte plaaslike owerhede bewus geword van die gemeenskap se nood en die beperkte hulpbronne om daardie nood te verlig. In Suid-Afrika is die lewering van volhoubare munisipale dienste en goeie plaaslike regering binne die konteks van beperkte finansiële hulpbronne selfs meer uitdagend gegewe die grondwetlike en wetlike vereiste dat gemeenskappe aan munisipale bedrywighede moet deelneem; insluitend munisipale beplanning- en begrotingsprosesse. Hierdie studie kyk na openbare deelname aan die begrotingsproses van die Stad Kaapstad vanaf 2004 tot 2006. Die Wes-Kaap het nie voorheen ’n wykskomiteestelsel in plek gehad soos die res van die land nie. Die Stad Kaapstad het wel ’n Metro deelnameforum (sub-rade) met areakoördineerders en wyksforums gehad. In die studietydperk was die hoofmeganisme vir openbare deelname in die Stad Kaapstad die “Mayoral Listening Campaign” wat in 2003 begin het. Die hoofdoel van die veldtog was om terugvoering van die gemeenskap en rolspelers te kry aangaande die ontwikkeling van die Stad Kaapstad. Terugvoering is hoofsaaklik deur middel van e-pos, faks, telefoon en werksessies ontvang. Die studie sluit af met ’n aantal voorstelle vir kapasiteitsontwikkeling, die ontwikkeling van wykskomitees en die verbetering van kommunikasiestelsels sowel as die implementering van doeltreffende monitering- en evalueringmeganismes. Hierdie voorstelle behoort aangewend te word om openbare deelname in die Stad Kaapstad se begrotingsproses te verbeter.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Most people working in the software industry recognise that developing software to predictable schedules is risky and not easy. They experience problems to estimate how long the development of software will take. Underestimation leads to under staffing and setting too short a schedule. That in turn leads to staff burnout, low quality and missed deadlines. Overestimation can be almost as bad: Parkinson's Law that work expands to fill available time comes into action, which means the project will take as long as estimated even if overestimated. Currently people do no put in much effort to estimate jobs and therefore projects take as long as they take. Methods to manage uncertainty lead to putting in excessive safety and then wasting it. Business usually presents a target for the project with tremendous pressure for low 'estimates' during the bidding process and in the end this target becomes the plan. Best practice appears to manage the gap between this target and the estimate as a risk on the project. Without an efficient work breakdown structure (WBS) one cannot accurately estimate. Subject experts should help the project manager to plan the detail of how the work should be done. A functional design by a systems architect helps to break down the technical tasks. This is very important because omitted tasks will not be estimated for. The first step towards sound estimates is to estimate the size. This is extremely difficult at the initial phase but can be overcome if the company store history of size and completion time in a repository. Although lines of code are most often used as a size measure, function points or function blocks appear to be better, especially for the initial estimate. If an organisation has not kept historic data, now is the time to start doing it. The suggested procedure to follow before starting to gather information, is to define what is going to be kept (the norms), to delimit the defined data, to discipline the collection, to deposit it in an established repository and to deliver it in readily usable format. The tool used for storing these metrics must provide building in factors that influence effort like complexity, skills level, elapsed time, staff turnover, etc. There are many different techniques for estimation. The best option seems to use a combination of estimates and include developer opinion and a mathematical method like function point analysis. Estimation of software development, like all other work processes, need management control and this is called metrics management. This process includes establishing some kind of modeL Empirical models, based on a database with data stored by ones own company, give the best results. Two very good models are the Putnam model and the Parr model (for smaller projects). Even the best model and process is never perfect. Therefore the estimation process must be continuously monitored by comparing actual duration times to estimates. Be careful with feedback on how accurate estimates were. No feedback is the worst response. Carefully discussing the implications of underestimation and putting heads together to solve the problem appears to be the best solution. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die meeste mense in die sagteware industrie erken dat om sagteware te ontwikkel teen voorspelbare tydskedules, gevaar inhou en nie maklik is nie. Hulle ondervind probleme om te skat hoe lank die ontwikkeling van sagteware hulle gaan neem. Onderskatting lei tot te min hulpbronne en te kort skedules. Dit veroorsaak uitbrand van mense, lae kwaliteit en einddatums wat nie gehaal word nie. Oorskatting is byna net so erg. Parkinson se Wet dat werk geskep word om beskikbare tyd te vul, kom in aksie en aan die einde beteken dit die projek neem so lank as wat geskat is, selfs al is dit oorskat. Huidiglik doen mense nie veel moeite om tyd te skat op take nie en daarom neem projekte so lank as wat dit neem om te voltooi. Metodes om onsekerheid te bestuur lei tot die byvoeg van oormatige veiligheidstyd net om dit daarna weer te verkwis. Die besigheid verskaf gewoonlik 'n mikpunt vir die projek met geweldige druk vir lae skattings tydens bieery en op die ou end raak hierdie mikpunt die projekplan. Die beste manier om dit die hoof te bied is om die gaping tussen hierdie mikpunt en die skatting te bestuur as 'n projek risiko. Niemand kan akkuraat skat sonder 'n effektiewe metode van werk afbreek nie. Vakkundiges behoort die projekbestuurder te help om die detail van hoe die werk gedoen gaan word, te beplan. 'n Funksionele ontwerp deur 'n stelselsargitek help om die tegniese take verder af te breek. Dit is baie belangrik aangesien take wat uitgelaat word, nie in die skatting ingesluit gaan word nie. Die eerste stap om by gesonde skattings uit te kom, is om grootte te skat. Dit is besonder moeilik in die aanvanklike fase, dog kan oorkom word indien die maatskappy geskiedenis stoor van hoe groot voltooide take was en hoe lank dit geneem het. Alhoewel Iyne kodering die mees algemeenste vorm van meting van grootte is, Iyk dit asof funksie punte of funksie blokke beter werk, veral by die aanvanklike skatting. Indien 'n organisasie nie historiese data stoor nie, is dit nou die tyd om daarmee te begin. Die voorgestelde prosedure om te volg voordat informasie gestoor word, is om te definieer wat gestoor gaan word (norme te bepaal), om die data af te baken, dissipline toe te pas by die insameling, dit te stoor in 'n gevestigde databasis en dit beskikbaar te stel in bruikbare formaat. Die instrument wat gebruik word om hierdie syfers te stoor moet voorsiening maak vir die inbou van faktore wat produksie beinvloed, soos kompleksiteit, vlak van vaardigheid, verstreke tyd, personeel omset, ens. Daar bestaan menige verskillende tegnieke vir skatting. Die beste opsie blyk 'n kombinasie van skattings te wees. Die opinie van die programmeur asook een wiskundige metode soos funksie punt analise, behoort deel te wees hiervan. Soos alle ander werksprosesse, moet skattings vir sagteware ontwikkeling ook bestuur word en dit word metrieke bestuur genoem. Hierdie proses behels dat daar besluit moet word op een of ander model. Empiriese modelle gebaseer op 'n databasis waarin data gestoor word deur die maatskappy self, gee die beste resultate. Twee baie goeie modelle is die Putnam model en die Parr model (vir kleiner projekte). Selfs die beste model en proses is egter nooit perfek nie. Die estimasie proses moet dus voortdurend gemonitor word deur werklike tye met geskatte tye te vergelyk. Wees versigtig met terugvoer aangaande hoe akkuraat skattings was. Geen terugvoer is die ergste oortreding. Die beste oplossing skyn te wees om die implikasie van die onderskatting met die persoon wat die skatting gedoen het, te bespreek en koppe bymekaar te sit om die probleem op te los.