To date, there has been little, if any, holistic evaluation of one of the BankSETA programmes that bank employees are nominated to attend, the Certificate in Management Development (CMD). The programme began in 2010 with the aim of increasing the pool of skills in entry-level management occupations in the banking and micro-finance sector (BankSETA, 2016). In order to verify whether the CMD programme has achieved the purpose for which it was instituted by the BankSETA, it is important that a programme evaluation be conducted. The main aim of this study was to undertake a holistic evaluation of the CMD programme to determine students’ perceptions, their increase in knowledge, their ability to apply on-the-job learning and the impact of the programme on the organisation. It also aimed to identify any barriers or obstacles and to provide recommendations to the BankSETA. Kirkpatrick’s (1996) four-level model of reaction, learning, behaviour and results was used as the theoretical framework for this study. A convergent parallel design was used to gather and analyse the data. The convergent design allowed the researcher to use quantitative and qualitative data-collection methods simultaneously, prioritising the methods equally and keeping each phase independent during analysis, and to then mix the results during the overall interpretation of the findings. The findings of this study highlight the importance of programme evaluation and how indispensable this practice is to the success of any programme. Even though positive results were conveyed at every phase of the study, there are certain areas that can be improved upon in order to maximise the outcomes of the CMD programme. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Owing to past injustices, the South African higher education sector is characterised by inequalities of resource allocation and of learning opportunities. Through the National Qualification Framework (NQF), recognition of prior learning (RPL) was established to address the previous inequalities in higher education and training. RPL can be used as a mechanism to offer non-traditional learners such as workers, adult learners, and community workers access to learning programmes in Library and Information Science (LIS) schools. It can also be used for up-skilling within LIS sector, to enable staff to migrate from paraprofessional to professional roles. LIS schools could possibly use this approach to offer experienced but unqualified library workers opportunities for progressive professional development and career growth. Despite it being a national policy and its obvious benefits, very little is known about RPL implementation in LIS schools in South Africa. This study was conducted to investigate the nature of RPL implementation in LIS schools in South Africa and make recommendations for effective and efficient RPL practice in these schools. The study used the questionnaire as the main data collection tool. In addition, document analysis was used to validate the collected data. The results of the study indicated that there were islands of good RPL practice in LIS schools in South Africa specifically with regard to the aspect of RPL assessment process. However, certain weaknesses were identified in other aspects of RPL implementation in LIS schools including the policy environment, training of personnel conducting RPL assessment and the quality management systems. Among other things, the study recommends that RPL quality management system (QMS) should ideally be driven by the head/chair of the school/department. Furthermore, an integrated student management system should be used to monitor the progression of RPL candidates through the formal academic system post RPL. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

This study captures the transformation of a research methodology module and the workplace learning resulting from teaching research to senior police officers. Using ethnography, the study explores the initial development and transformation of the research module content and the ways in which the police trainers developed their practices to teach research methodology in the regulated police work environment. Through interviews, observations, document analyses and an ethnographic essay, the researcher uncovers the experiences and construction of knowledge at a SAPS Academy where research was taught and in the workplace during the ensuing experiential learning. The study revealed how the research module evolved through compensations made for shortcomings in the initial design. This was done by addressing changing organisational expectations and responding to specific needs of the adult learners. The trainers subsequently adapted their teaching approaches to cater for the specific needs of the learners and the organisation. At the same time, they also protected the reputation of the organisation and the integrity of the research module. The findings indicate that informal learning, constructed unintentionally, was more prominent in the workplace than the intended development of research skills. Evidence suggested that learning is indeed reliant on personal agency and that learning in communities of practice is very effective for the community. However, culture can become a barrier to learning when newcomers resist entry into such community or when its sub-culture conflicts with that of the bigger organisation. These experiences and lessons enabled the construction of a new three-phased research teaching model for organisations that wish to inculcate research as a problem–solving mechanism. The study has implications for policy-makers and educators as it emphasises the need to understand the theory of workplace learning and the necessity of making a deliberate effort to support learning in the workplace. When learning is not supported, employees develop undesirable skills to cope with the pressure of having to work and learn simultaneously. The study contributes to the existing knowledge of workplace theory, ethnographic research in police settings and research teaching pedagogy. The study highlights the need for further exploration of knowledge construction in communities of practice in regulated work environments where sub-cultures are in conflict with the organisational culture. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

This study investigated the development and implementation of methods and procedures as generic administrative function, with specific reference to issuing drivers licences in the Driving Licence Testing Centre of the Madibeng Municipality. The contribution of the study to the discipline, Public Administration, is found in the basic framework for the development of standard operating procedures. Furthermore, a set of standard operating procedures to issue drivers licences was developed. In essence, the systems theory inspired the design of the basic framework for the development of standard operating procedures, while the phases of the ADDIE instructional design model simplified the drafting of the standardised procedures to issue drivers licences. Although the empirical data collection commenced with a quantitative research methodology, a qualitative dimension was required to fully understand the problem why the Driving Licence Testing Centre at the Madibeng Municipality lacks contemporary and relevant standard operating procedures to issue drivers licences. A mixed methods research design was eventually adopted to explore the phenomenon because a second research method was needed to strengthen the primary research method. Data was initially collected through a questionnaire, and follow-up personal interviews were conducted to clarify issues that were not responded to or unclear from the self-administered questionnaires. This conforms to pragmatism - the research philosophy adopted for this study because predetermined research questions dictated the path towards realising the research objectives. Since this study utilised a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research designs, the research methodology was shaped by various strategies, techniques and data collection instruments, such as literature reviews, document analyses to draft the standardised procedures, case study (Driving Licence Testing Centre of the Madibeng Municipality), a structured questionnaire and semi-structured personal interviews. In this study, the administrative generic function of determining and revision of methods and procedures was referred to as ‘methods and procedures’. Within the context of Public Administration, the study revealed that methods and procedures specify the sequence, processes and techniques necessary to execute certain actions and operations during service delivery. Moreover, it states how tasks must be exercised within the public sector, as well as indicate who must take action. Consequently, methods and procedures are built into all public service activities, regardless whether these are administrative, functional or auxiliary activities. It was concluded that methods and procedures form an indispensable part of any public institution’s activities. However, the study focused on methods and procedures to issue drivers licences at the Driving Licence Testing Centre of the Madibeng Municipality. The study realised its overall aim when recommendations were made to the Driving Licence Testing Centre of the Madibeng Municipality of how to develop and implement standard operating procedures to issue drivers licences. In essence, it was recommended that the basic framework for the development of standard operating procedures be applied when updating and/or developing methods and procedures. Moreover, it was recommended that the set of newly developed standard operating procedures be adopted and implemented. It was also suggested, amongst other proposals, that the management and the staff at the Centre engage from the initial stages in the procedure development process, that clear steps and instructions of how to reach organisational short-term objectives, be specified, and caution be taken by the Madibeng Municipality against the implementation of an overly multifaceted internal control system at its Driving Licence Testing Centre. / Department of Public Administration and Management / D.Admin. (Public Administration)

Text in Afrikaans / Die uitsluitlike doel van die studie was om die navorsingsprobleem, naamlik om vas te stel op watter wyse die leierskapstyl van opleidingsbestuurders die werksbevrediging van opleidingskonsultante beïnvloed wat volwassene-onderwys binne ʼn bepaalde bankgroep in Suid-Afrika verskaf, aan te spreek. Die navorser het bepaalde leierskapstyle (naamlik die demokratiese-, outokratiese- en laissez-faire leierskapstyle) en werksbevredigingskomponente geselekteer (naamlik ondersteuning, verhoudings en bemagtiging) ten einde dié ondersoek te doen. ʼn Vraelys is ontwerp wat as kwantitatiewe navorsingsinstrument gebruik is om navorsingsdata elektronies te versamel oor respondente se biografiese besonderhede, hulle bestuurder se leierskapstyl en respondente se persepsies van hul eie werksbevrediging. Een-en-negentig (91) uit eenhonderd sewe-en-dertig (137) respondente het die vraelys per e-pos voltooi, wat ʼn responskoers van 66.42% verteenwoordig. Uit die navorsingsresultate en -analise het dit geblyk dat leierskapstyl wél die persepsies van respondente oor elk van die werksbevredigingskomponente statisties beduidend beïnvloed het. / The sole aim of this study was to address the research problem, namely to determine the way in which the leadership style of training managers influences the work satisfaction of training consultants that provide adult education within a specific bank group in South Africa. The researcher selected specific leadership styles for the purpose of thís study (namely the democratic, outocratic and laissez-faire leadership styles) and work satisfaction components (namely support, relationships and empowerment) to carry out thís investigation. A questionnaire was designed which was used as quantitive research instrument to gather research data electronically about respondents’ biographical details, their manager’s leadership style and the perceptions of respondents regarding their own work satisfaction. Ninety-one (91) out of one-hundred-and-thirty-seven (137) respondents completed the questionnaire by email, which represents a response rate of 66.42%. Out of the research and analysis results it became evident that leadership style indeed influenced the perceptions of respondents over each of the work satisfaction components in a statistically significant way. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Volwassene-onderwys)

Integrative Summary In 1997 the Minister of Public Service and Administration of South Africa, Zola Skweyiya, introduced the White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery(Department of Public Service and Administration(DPSA,1997: 1). It was premised on what was called Batho Pele (DPSA, 1997: 9), giving effect to Section 197 of the Constitution, Act 108 of 1996 as amended. A linkage to performance management can be found from the assertion made in the White Paper that in future the Batho Pele would form the basis of any assessment of the performance of individual staff and that would contribute to improving the delivery of service (DPSA, 1997:16). Another factor that contributed to the utilisation of a performance management system was the recommendation put forward by the Public Service Commission of South Africa( PSC,2004: 16),that called for public institutions to adopt a clear, comprehensive performance management and evaluation framework for the delivery of public service. That was expected to turn around the ailing public institutions whose record of serving the public with pride and dignity was on the decline. The research aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the performance management system in creating and resolving role conflict with health professionals employed by the Buffalo City sub-district. The research goal was divided into three objectives, namely: evaluation of the effectiveness of the performance management system as a managerial tool for health managers to manage their subordinates including both professional and support staff, evaluation of the effectiveness of the performance system from the perspective of the health professional as a subordinate and to analyze the functioning and effectiveness of the system in creating and resolving role conflict between professional conduct and organisational requirements. The respondents noted that the implementation of the system was not matched with appointment at managerial level with officials having relevant managerial capacity. Further to that resources at the coal face of service delivery continued to deteriorate and became very scarce and there is no documented proof that has been found of an effort made to check the compatibility of the system to health professionals. The literature identified negative effects that have emanated from the implementation of the performance management system. The study was conducted by interviewing health professionals from the entry level to the management level within the Buffalo City sub-district from three mini hospitals or Health Care Centres. The respondents indicated that there are positives that have been achieved by the implementation of the system, such as the skills gap identification as well as specific targets contained in annual performance contracts. These targets help motivate health professional to focus on that particular direction of activities. Unfortunately it has been clearly documented that the performance management system has also contributed to the development of role conflict in a number of professionals. It has been documented that the system has not been crafted with a health professional in mind and, as such, appears to favour quantity rather than quality of health services as advocated by the codes of practice of different health professionals. There are a number of recommendations that were put forward by the respondents to try to salvage the system and in mitigation of the identified negative factors. For the improvement of the system, the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health has to firstly customise the annual contracts to contain only the fundamental information. Secondly need to improve the transparency pertaining to financial pressures facing the Health Department. Thirdly the provision of essential enablers, need to be prioritised. Fourthly there is a need to upgrade the system to incorporate 360 degree feedback. Further research recommendations include a bigger sample incorporating different research methods and to also incorporate searches for measures that can be implemented to improve the system to be more relevant to health professionals. This document is organised and presented in three sections. The first section is the evaluation report with a review of literature, research methodology, findings, discussion and conclusion. The second section is where an indepth literature review is located and the last section details the research methodology.

Skills development is one of the major challenges faced by South Africans, with more than 60 percent of the labour force being unskilled. This affects many industries around the country as are they forced to employ unskilled employees a development which has a negative bearing on the quality of products having a negative bearing on the quality of products. The Plastic Manufacturing Industry in the Eastern Cape Province is a prime example of firms that are affected by the short supply of skilled personnel on the labour market. Required skills range from business skills that are essential for the operating of a business, to technical skills that are essential for the employees who are involved in the production of goods and services. Training in skills has been proven to be a key to success. The primary objective of this study was to undertake an analysis concerning the significance of business skills and training needs for business success. Secondary objectives were to determine whether training in business skills as well as technical skills for the employees, could bring on success to the business. The study further went on to investigate the importance of training programmes for businesses. Research methodology included literature review and an empirical study, making use of the survey method through self-administered questionnaires. The statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, frequencies, Chi-square tests and linear regression and ANOVA. The Cronbach’s alpha was used to measure reliability of the research results. The research findings established that training in business skills and related types of skills was essential for the success of a business. The findings further showed that, due to training, there was improvement in sales, annual turnover, and product quality and employee skills. Recommendations included advice to invest in human capital through training which then should improve the quality of products. Further studies in other regions other than the Eastern Cape Province were recommended.

Wendel (1994, p. 91) defined perceived organizational support (POS) as “organization support in terms of all things that relate to assistance and relationships amongst working peers and colleagues, which involve the feeling of need between superiors and subordinates . Rothbard (2001, p. 656) in defining job engagement (JE) listed two components which he thought were critical for its effectiveness on organizational functioning: (i) attention and (ii) absorption, with the former referring to “cognitive ability and the amount of time one spends thinking about the role”, while the latter “means being engrossed in a role and means the intensity of one’s focus on a role”. Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) was first introduced by Organ in the 1980s and he defined the concept of organizational citizenship behavior “as discretionary behaviors by individuals (employees) that do not form part of formal requirements of a job, but are necessary and promote effective functioning of the organization (Organ, 1988)”. The objective of study was to explore the relationship between perceived organizational support and job engagement and their effect organizational citizenship behavior. Other relationships that were tested were first, the direct relationship between POS JE. Secondly, the combined effect of POS and JE on OCB. The study was conducted amongst nurses at Victoria hospital, in Alice within the Nkonkobe district municipality. The results showed a significant relationship between JE and OCB, whilst the relationship between POS and OCB was not accepted. The results for the other two hypotheses that were tested; (i) relationship between POS and JE, (ii) combined effect of POS and JE on OCB also showed that they were not accepted. The consistency scores for these variables were of international level (n=106). The Pearson correlation coefficients were used for hypothesis testing.

The study Assess the role of Cooperatives in Poverty Alleviation in the Eastern Cape Case Study of Amathole District Municipality how cooperatives are conducted in the Amathole District Municipality and establishes the perceptions of staff and members of the public about the service rendered by the municipality, and developing the mechanisms that can be used to identify cooperatives activities and how to improve the services rendered by the municipality, and if there are any challenges, they must be resolved. The research was also to look at how the support from government and other government agencies are used to enhance the cooperatives governance. Lastly, the research was to find the best model for cooperative development and what needs to be done to enhance the capacity of the cooperatives. The literature indicates that staff must be equipped with necessary skills; however it is evident that training and development is essential for the members of the cooperative. Questionnaires and interviews were used as a method of collecting data from the respondents. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyse the data. The research assumption was that cooperative development is a viable tool for economic development of the rural areas. This can help many South Africans and many communities come out of poverty. However, there are limitations that were caused by the inability of government to co-ordinate cooperative development. Despite the role that cooperatives play in South Africa, cooperatives still experience a number of challenges. These challenges are, amongst others, lack of access to finance, lack of access to market, lack of business skills, lack of infrastructural facilities and lack of knowledge about the cooperative. In view of the challenges facing the cooperatives, the government instituted a number of state departments and parastatals for funding and other necessary support. These are DTI, DEDEA (in the Eastern Cape), ECDC, South African Development Agency (SEDA), Department of Labour and municipalities. The objectives of these support institutions are to provide necessary support needed by cooperatives and to ensure that cooperative development is sustainable.

Perceived organisational support and organisational commitment plays a vital role in determining turnover intention. When employees feel that their organisation supports them levels of commitment can increase. Thus, employees feel more obligated because of favourable benefits such as organisational effectiveness and reduced turnover. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect perceived organisational support and organisational commitment have on turnover intention. The study followed a descriptive survey method. A questionnaire, measured on a Likert Scale was used to collect data from respondents. The sample comprised 98 academic staff at the University of Fort Hare and the response rate was 56.6 percent. The results indicated that perceived organisational support and organisational commitment are negatively and significantly related to turnover intention. The study also revealed perceived organisational support and organisational commitment on turnover intention did not account for a higher variance when put together, however moderate variance was found. Perceived organisational support in this study was identified as the most effective predictor of turnover intention. In addition to managerial implications and limitations of the study, direction for future research is also suggested at the end of this study. The findings of this study will help in terms of understanding the state of organisational commitment of academics and its relationship with their intentions to leave.