University of Macau / Faculty of Law

This research undertakes a theoretical investigation of concepts related to industrial democracy and examines the need for workplace democracy within South Africa's dynamic contemporary context. It looks at the history of labour relations in South Africa as well as current labour relations and new legalisation in order to identify relevant change that has occurred that may facilitate the realisation of a democratic working environment. Labour relations in South Africa have always been conflictual and currently, during South Africa's transition to democracy, they continue to pose many challenges. This dissertation examines these challenges and investigates ways and means of achieving successful and sustainable transformation within the workplace that reflects the broader ideals of an improved quality of life anticipated by a political democracy. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1998.

This research study is concerned with the effects and dynamics of 'integrated' schemes of employee participation, where workers are involved in both work-related decision-making, and also share in the profits of their employer. Prior research and the literature on employee participation has tended to concentrate on the process and effects of either financial participation in isolation, or of decision-making participation, but seldom on situations where both are employed simultaneously. Based on a thorough literature review, this study presents a 'Model of Integrated Employee Participation (incorporating moderating effects)'. The model explicates a process through which both types of worker involvement may operate together, leading to a set of behavioural and performance outcomes. Where the formal participation schemes are operationalised such that, combined, they lead to perceptions equivalent to 'psychological ownership', a substantial goal-congruence and integration of the employee with the organisation occurs. These processes lead, in turn, to influences on individual and organisational outcomes. Antecedent and moderating variables to the operation of such 'integrated' participation schemes are identified in the model. Specifically, the effects of the schemes are postulated to be moderated by employees' biographical and personality factors, by their perceptions of managerial commitment to employee participation, and by their perceptions of aspects of the organisation's managerial system of communication and control. The relevance and implications of the model to the South African gold-mining industry are discussed. Major pillars of this 'Model of Integrated Employee Participation (incorporating moderating effects)' were tested within a detailed investigation of the participation schemes in operation at a profitable South African gold-mining company. This investigation was longitudinal in nature, with two major surveys being performed over a ten-month period. The findings suggested that while the effects of the 'integrated' schemes on employees' job satisfaction, performance and stability were as anticipated, the proposed moderating effects were generally non-existent or insignificant. In order to obtain greater clarity of the dynamics of 'integrated' schemes of employee participation, a path analytic exploration of the interrelationships between the measured variables of the study was then undertaken. A detailed path model was developed and then tested, at three levels of the organisational hierarchy as well as on the entire workforce. The path model was substantially supported for the 'entire workforce', and for the largest stratum of the mine's employees, being the 'unskilled and semi-skilled' workers. Satisfaction with participation was found to be positively and significantly associated with perceived extent of participation. This applied to both the financial and decisional elements of the schemes. Job satisfaction and employee performance were also found to be positively associated with perceived extent of participation and / or satisfaction therewith. Employees' perceptions of managerial commitment to 'integrated participation' predicted their satisfaction therewith. Aspects of the organisation's system of managerial communication and control were found to significantly affect levels of job satisfaction and employee performance in the participative environment of the mine. The model was only partially supported, however, at the more senior levels of 'management' and 'supervisors and artisans'. It thus appeared that 'integrated participation' schemes may not enhance job satisfaction and performance at the higher levels of the organisational hierarchy, and that the schemes' effects may thus be moderated by employee seniority. The empirical findings were supportive of much of the literature on participation programmes. They were particularly consistent with 'affective' and 'contingency' explanatory models of the effects of -participation. The findings did not, however, support 'cognitive' explanatory models of the effects of participation. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, 1995.

The present study empirically examined working behaviors of men and women within a self-managed working environment. Three models of women and work were studied. Results indicated women exhibited higher levels of job meaning and continuance commitment. The more self-managed production team exhibited higher levels of growth need strength, support from co-workers, continuance commitment, task significance and lower levels of role conflicts. Support teams exhibited higher levels of autonomy and satisfaction with pay. Path analysis, testing a model based on Astin's sociopsychological model indicated direct effects from expectancy to general satisfaction, from gender to expectancy, and task significance to gender. An alternative model showed direct effects between general satisfaction and expectancy, satisfaction with pay, task significance and expectancies, and between satisfaction with pay and teams.

Derived from sociotechnical systems theory, autonomous or self-managed work groups are a form of work design in which employees are multi-skilled, take responsibility for the group's tasks, and have discretion over the decisions which impact group performance. Previously collected survey data from 602 employees of a southwestern manufacturing firm were examined via factor analyses and multivariate analysis of variance. Significant differences were found for self-managed work group members versus traditional job holders regarding enhanced organizational involvement and enhanced work responsibility. However, there was no evidence of an age effect nor interaction regarding age. This study provides evidence to other action researchers and organizational decision makers that an "older" work force should not be considered a barrier to implementing this type of work design

There have been many theories that have examined how leaders can be effective within an organization. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not personality would strengthen or weaken the relationship between the quality of one's relationship with their leader (LMX) and performance outcomes (OCB). Personality did not act as a moderator. In order to test this, 127 participants of both men and women from various organizational and educational backgrounds were surveyed.

Process Safety Management (PSM) is concerned with the safe handling of products, safe production of products and the safe operation of the process as confirmed by Thrower (2013). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (2012) promulgated the PSM standard in 1992, which incorporated fourteen elements, to decrease the occurrence of process safety incidents. Walt and Frank (2007) described the cracks in the implementation of PSM programs, emanating from major process safety incidents and compliance audits. This was confirmed by the decaying process safety performance observed in recent years. It was thus proposed that an analysis into the diverse process safety incident causes and its comparison against the implemented OSHA PSM program, would suggest its associated shortcomings. The aim of the study was to determine the most effective approach to implement and sustain PSM in an organisation to prevent and manage the occurrence of major industrial catastrophes. A semi-qualitative study was conducted through the employment of a survey questionnaire and published incident investigation reports. A total of fifty random process safety incidents were interpreted from published and accredited secondary literature. Most of the secondary literature was obtained from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Centre for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) databases. From the study findings, Mechanical Integrity (MI) failures were found to significantly and consistently contribute to process safety incidents. Further analysis specifically concluded that equipment or control failure was the significant cause. Employee Participation (EP) was found to statistically correlate with the other elements. The researcher found that literature agreed with the aforementioned findings and this study verified that the EP element was instrumental in the implementation of the other elements. The researcher used literature to confirm that safety culture and leadership commitment was crucial to effective and sustainable PSM programs. The case study analysis validated this observation. Therefore the most effective approach to implement and sustain PSM was to adopt the DuPont, Centre for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), Risk Based PSM framework or Energy Institute (EI) models. To conclude, this study was effective as all the objectives and the aim was achieved. / MIng (Development and Management Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Process Safety Management (PSM) is concerned with the safe handling of products, safe production of products and the safe operation of the process as confirmed by Thrower (2013). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (2012) promulgated the PSM standard in 1992, which incorporated fourteen elements, to decrease the occurrence of process safety incidents. Walt and Frank (2007) described the cracks in the implementation of PSM programs, emanating from major process safety incidents and compliance audits. This was confirmed by the decaying process safety performance observed in recent years. It was thus proposed that an analysis into the diverse process safety incident causes and its comparison against the implemented OSHA PSM program, would suggest its associated shortcomings. The aim of the study was to determine the most effective approach to implement and sustain PSM in an organisation to prevent and manage the occurrence of major industrial catastrophes. A semi-qualitative study was conducted through the employment of a survey questionnaire and published incident investigation reports. A total of fifty random process safety incidents were interpreted from published and accredited secondary literature. Most of the secondary literature was obtained from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Centre for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) databases. From the study findings, Mechanical Integrity (MI) failures were found to significantly and consistently contribute to process safety incidents. Further analysis specifically concluded that equipment or control failure was the significant cause. Employee Participation (EP) was found to statistically correlate with the other elements. The researcher found that literature agreed with the aforementioned findings and this study verified that the EP element was instrumental in the implementation of the other elements. The researcher used literature to confirm that safety culture and leadership commitment was crucial to effective and sustainable PSM programs. The case study analysis validated this observation. Therefore the most effective approach to implement and sustain PSM was to adopt the DuPont, Centre for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), Risk Based PSM framework or Energy Institute (EI) models. To conclude, this study was effective as all the objectives and the aim was achieved. / MIng (Development and Management Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of Master of Business Administration, Business Studies Unit, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / South Africa is fast becoming the powerhouse of the African continent, due to its great technological advances in manufacturing, its rich diverse culture, sound business developments and stable economic policies that have seen the country shed the chains of apartheid that had plagued it for more than half a century. The need has become even greater in current economic times, for businesses to find new and innovative ways to improve production and their bottom line. Major corporations are investing heavily in upgrading the skills of their workforce in order to have a more productive workforce. Government legislation has now made it necessary, that all companies acknowledge the previously disadvantaged race groups and make sure that their workforce is fully represented as per the demographics of the country. The term affirmative action is being used more regularly in South African businesses and employees who do not comply with current legislation that seek to redress past disparities, are slapped with hefty fines. This study investigated the preferred as well as the existing culture and employee commitment levels at a South African company. The research reviewed the various types of culture, how culture is created and ways in which culture can be sustained or changed. Ways to cultivate employee commitment and retain skilled employees are also closely explored in this research study. The key results of the research findings revealed that there is a strong achievement culture prevalent at the company, with a good mix of the other culture types like, role culture, power culture and support culture. The employees at Riverview Paper Mill also strongly prefer an achievement and support type, culture. Employee commitment is very low and employees stay with the company out of necessity. Recommendations to improving the culture and commitment levels are also presented in this study.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main purpose of this paper is to give a theoretical construct of servant-leadership and the understanding thereof based on the life experiences of selected leaders in various organisations, ascertained by means of qualitative research. Servant-leadership as described by Greenleaf (1970) is an emerging value-based leadership style that attempts to enhance personal growth of workers and improve the quality of an organisation. This is achieved through a combination of teamwork and community, personal involvement in decision making and ethical and caring behaviour. The methodology applied, involved qualitative research, where qualitative interviews, as a phenomenological research method in evaluation, were used. The reasons for the choice of the research methodology as well as the procedure that was followed in selecting the participants, the role of the interviewer in relation to the research topic, the participants and the research setting, was also described. The research findings reveal that there are many similarities among various writers regarding qualities· and principles of servant-leaders. In the qualitative study which included one-on-one interviews with eight participants, similar information was revealed. It is recommended that leaders should examine their leadership styles and "grow" the necessary changes to enable a more approachable leadership style where the people's needs are met. In addition servant-leadership should be given greater emphasis at academic level so that the value of the discipline can be understood and applied and lived. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van hierdie referaat is om 'n teoretiese konstruksie van 'servant-leadership' en die begrip daarvan, gebaseer op die lewenservaringe van 'n geselekteerde groep leiers van verskeie organisasies, te verkry. Dit is gedoen by wyse van kwalitatiewe navorsing. 'Servant-leadership' word deur Greenleaf (1970) as 'n waarde-gebaseerde leierskapstyl gesien wat poog om die persoonlike groei van werkers en die gehalte van organisasies te verbeter. Dit word bereik deur 'n kombinasie van spanwerk, gemeenskap en persoonlike betrokkenheid by besluitneming en etiese en empatiese gedrag. Die metodologie wat toegepas is sluit in kwalitatiewe navorsing waartydens kwalitatiewe onderhoude, as fenomenologiese navorsingsmetode gebruik is. Die redes vir hierdie keuse van navorsingsmetodologie, asook die prosedure. wat gevolg is, met die keuse van die deelnemers, die rol van die onderhoudvoerder in verhouding tot die navorsingsonderwerp, die deelnemers en die navorsings opset, was ook uiteengesit. Die navorsing bewys dat daar baie ooreenkomste is onder die verskillende skrywers se sieninge aangaande die kwaliteite en beginsels van 'servant-leadership.' Uit die kwalitatiewe navorsing wat individuele onderhoude met die deelnemers ingesluit het, is dieselfde inligting voortgebring. Dit word aanbeveel dat leiers hul leierskapstyle ondersoek en die nodige veranderings aanbring on 'n meer benaderingsvolle leierskapstyl te ontwikkel wat die behoeftes van mense vervul. 'Servant-leadership' behoort ook onderrig te word by akademiese instellings sodat die waarde van die dissipline verstaan, toegepas en uitgeleef kan word.