Thesis (M.B.A.)-Business Studies Unit, Durban University of Technology, 2007 iv, 116 leaves / The research assesses employee readiness at eThekwini Electricity to form part of the Regional Electricity Distributor, which had been legislated by Government. The premise of the study is to investigate, identify and understand key factors likely to promote or inhibit effective readiness to change. If these factors can be measured by the organisation, an evaluation of the difficulty of the change effort can then be used to plan accordingly. By assessing readiness for change in the organisation, Top Management will be in a position to identify gaps that may exist between their own expectations about the change effort and those of other organisational members. / M

Thesis (M.B.A.)-Business Studies Unit, Durban University of Technology, 2007 iv, 116 leaves / The research assesses employee readiness at eThekwini Electricity to form part of the Regional Electricity Distributor, which had been legislated by Government. The premise of the study is to investigate, identify and understand key factors likely to promote or inhibit effective readiness to change. If these factors can be measured by the organisation, an evaluation of the difficulty of the change effort can then be used to plan accordingly. By assessing readiness for change in the organisation, Top Management will be in a position to identify gaps that may exist between their own expectations about the change effort and those of other organisational members.

Thesis (M Consumer Science)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Clothing is an important phenomenon within corporate and organisational culture and forms an integral part of the total corporate identity. It fulfills a symbolic purpose and serves as a reference. It is a way in which companies can change or modernise their image as it is conveyed to clients. Little research has been done on uniform types of clothing, even though it has been an important phenomenon in the subject area of Clothing for ages. South African companies offers unique opportunities for research within a multi-cultural environment and Consumer Science's distinctive multi-disciplinary approach makes it an ideal starting point for this type of study. Three environments are concerned with the phenomenon of corporate clothing, namely the employers and employees of organisations or companies, academia of educational establishments and the manufacturers of corporate clothing. The study concerned tried to investigate the phenomenon of corporate clothing within the South African corporate environment. This was firstly done by studying the available clothing literature and describing aspects which have direct or indirect relations to corporate clothing. Information and advice was obtained from experts to gain insight into the South African circumstances with relation to corporate clothing. Secondly, employees who wear corporate clothing were questioned as to their opinions on specific aspects with regards to corporate clothing. This was done by means of a questionnaire which was developed to determine if employees of selected South African companies see corporate clothing as representative of company image, culture and policy. The extent to which extent employees are involved in decision-making processes with regards to corporate clothing was also determined. Employees' opinions with regards to consumer requirements and the extent of satisfaction with corporate clothing was determined. The extent to which age and position within the company playa role in employees' opinions of corporate clothing were investigated according to the information obtained through the questionnaire. The above mentioned information was structured to give possible guidelines to companies with in the implimentation and development of corporate clothing within the existing organisational culture. This study did not focus on manufacturers of corporate clothing, but it is assumed that they can benefit from the findings of the study. The study will contribute to the building of theory in the subject area of Clothing and consequently also contribute to the academical field. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Korporatiewe kleredrag is 'n belangrike fenomeen binne die korporatiewe en organisatoriese kultuur en vorm 'n integrale deel van algehele korporatiewe identiteit. Dit vervul 'n simboliese rol en dien as 'n verwysingsmaatstaf. Dit is 'n manier waarop maatskappye hul beeld aan kliënte kan verander of moderniseer. Alhoewel uniforme drag reeds vir eeue 'n belangrike fenomeen in kleredrag is, is daar steeds min aandag in navorsing aan hierdie onderwerp geskenk. Suid- Afrikaanse maatskappye bied unieke geleenthede vir navorsing binne 'n multi-kulturele omgewing en Verbruikerswetenskap se eiesoortige multi-dissiplinêre benadering maak dit by uitstek geskik as vertrekpunt vir hierdie tipe studie. Drie omgewings het belang by die fenomeen van korporatiewe drag, naamlik die werkgewers en - nemers van organisasies of maatskappye, akademici van opvoedkundige instellings en die vervaardigers van korporatiewe drag. Die betrokke studie het gepoog om op 'n verkennende wyse ondersoek in te stel na die fenomeen van korporatiewe drag binne die Suid-Afrikaanse korporatiewe omgewing. Dit is gedoen deur eerstens beskikbare kledingliteratuur te bestudeer en sodoende aspekte te beskryf wat direk en indirek betrekking het op korporatiewe drag. Inligting en advies is vanaf kundiges ingewin om insig in dié verband in die Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede te verkry. Tweedens is werknemers wat korporatiewe drag dra, se menings oor spesifieke aspekte met betrekking tot korporatiewe drag vasgestel. Vir hierdie doel is 'n vraelys ontwikkel om vas te stel of die werknemers van geselekteerde Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye korporatiewe drag sien as verteenwoordigend van maatskappybeeld, -kultuur en -beleid. Daar is ook vasgestel in watter mate werknemers betrek word in besluitneming oor korporatiewe drag. Werknemers se menings oor verbruikersvereistes, die mate van tevredenheid met die korporatiewe drag is bepaal. Die mate waartoe ouderdom en posvlak 'n rol speel in werknemers se menings van korporatiewe drag is ook vasgestel met behulp van die inligting verkry uit die vraelyste. Bostaande inligting is gestruktureer om moontlike riglyne aan maatskappye te bied met betrekking tot die invoer of ontwikkeling van korporatiewe drag binne die bestaande organisatoriese kultuur. Daar is nie in hierdie studie gefokus op vervaardigers van korporatiewe drag nie, maar dit word aanvaar dat die groep wel sal kan baat vind by die bevindings. Die studie sal 'n bydrae lewer tot die opbou van teorie in die vakgebied van Kleding en gevolglik ook 'n bydrae tot die akademie lewer.

Employed individuals spend a majority of their waking time at work. Therefore, within an individual’s working lifetime, most hours will be spent at work. Subsequently, theories abound purporting that humans are hedonistic beings. Considering that on average people spend most of their working lives in a working environment, it then stands to reason that people should endeavor to be satisfied at work if humans are always in pursuit of happiness. The questions arise as thus: what makes people satisfied at work, does being satisfied with the job result in less turnover, and is that the only reason that they would endeavor to prolong their employment, are older employees more satisfied with their jobs than younger employees, is a plant with an older workforce more satisfied than a similar plant with a younger workforce? This study attempts to find an answer to these and other related questions. It was conducted on employees of two plants of an automotive manufacturer based in Port Elizabeth, a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The Job Descriptive Index (JDI) was used to collect the feelings of 92 employees in different shops and analyzed to check for differences in satisfaction levels. No significant differences were found between the plants, shops and age categories surveyed.

The aim of the study is to design a needs assessment data collection instrument; administer it to a representative sample of employees in the department; and to analyze the findings in order to make recommendations regarding the design of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) in the Northern Province. The literature review concentrates on the design and application of needs assessments for EAPs. A data collection instrument, the SAGENA was designed, piloted and then trans,ated into the major languages spoken by DWAF employees in the region, and content is given. Out of the total population of 7,381 employees, a stratified, random sample of DWAF employees was selected for the study. A total of 550 employees completed the questionnaire, which represented a 7,45% sample with a 93% response rate. The findings showed that 97% of employees felt that an EAP would have a positive impact on their well-being and work performance. The majority said they would use counselling for themselves (71%) as well as for referring colleagues and subordinates (67%). The most prevalent problems (financial problems, retrenchment, retiring and HIV fears etc.) and least prevalent problems of employees are reported in the study as well as employees' preferences for various forms of EAP services. Finally recommendations are made regarding the design of an EAP for DWAF: Northern Province. / Social Work / M.A.(Socal Science)

The aim of the study is to design a needs assessment data collection instrument; administer it to a representative sample of employees in the department; and to analyze the findings in order to make recommendations regarding the design of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) in the Northern Province. The literature review concentrates on the design and application of needs assessments for EAPs. A data collection instrument, the SAGENA was designed, piloted and then trans,ated into the major languages spoken by DWAF employees in the region, and content is given. Out of the total population of 7,381 employees, a stratified, random sample of DWAF employees was selected for the study. A total of 550 employees completed the questionnaire, which represented a 7,45% sample with a 93% response rate. The findings showed that 97% of employees felt that an EAP would have a positive impact on their well-being and work performance. The majority said they would use counselling for themselves (71%) as well as for referring colleagues and subordinates (67%). The most prevalent problems (financial problems, retrenchment, retiring and HIV fears etc.) and least prevalent problems of employees are reported in the study as well as employees' preferences for various forms of EAP services. Finally recommendations are made regarding the design of an EAP for DWAF: Northern Province. / Social Work / M.A.(Socal Science)