Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The Performance Management System (PMS) was introduced in the public sector in order to maximise optimal performance of public institutions. The aim was to ensure that public institutions deliver services to the public effectively and efficiently. The Limpopo Department of Public Works has received bad audit opinions from the Auditor General for the financial years 2011/12 to 2013/14. The Department received the following audit opinions: a disclaimer audit opinion for the financial year 2011/12, a disclaimer audit opinion for the financial year 2012/13 and a qualified audit opinion for the financial year 2013/14. The study sought to investigate the manner in which PMS was being implemented in the Limpopo Department of Public Works. A literature review, undertaken in this study shows that there are challenges in implementing the PMS in the public sector, that there is inadequate general understanding of the PMS and that there is no adequate training provided. Data was collected through questionnaires and documentary sources of annual performance plans and annual reports for the financial years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14. The responses collected from the questionnaires mainly indicate that the PMS is not adequately understood in the Department. The annual performance plans and annual reports of the Limpopo Department of Public Works for the financial years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 indicate that the Department did not achieve even 50% of its targets in the core directorates. Further findings in the study indicate that the implementation of the PMS has not impacted positively on the performance of the Department. Recommendations made in the study include providing training linked to the PMS to all employees. Other recommendations include the communication of the departmental targets to employees at all levels.

In the early 1990s, Robert Kaplan and David Norton introduced and developed a new performance measurement and management system called the balanced scorecard (BSC). Most studies have found that evaluators tend to ignore or are not willing to use nonfinancial measures. This study attempts to examine whether the explicit linkage between the evaluator's BSC and the subordinate's BSC makes the evaluators use nonfinancial measures in performance evaluation. This study used an experimental design where subjects were asked to evaluate two managers' performance under explicit linkage versus nonexplicit linkage conditions. The difference between performance evaluation scores of the two managers under the two linkage conditions captures the influence of explicit linkage between BSCs on performance evaluation. I used regression analyses to test my hypothesis. The results of the regression analyses support my hypothesis. This study attempts to explore one possible reason for evaluators' not using nonfinancial measures much in performance evaluation. It is the first one that studies the influence of the linkage between the BSCs on performance evaluation.

Thesis (MPAM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Training and development plays a critical role in ensuring that employees perform better in their daily duties and most of the organizations view training and development as a waste of time and resources. Training and development plays a key role in motivating and inspiring employees in an organization. The study is aimed at analyzing the effect of training and development on the performance of employees in the Limpopo Gambling Board. The study also aimed at investigating whether training and development can promote the performance of the employees in the board. The information was obtained using mainly a questionnaire survey which was circulated to employees in the board. A total of 33 completed questionnaires were received back from the respondents. Additionally, a face-to-face semi structured interview was conducted with the Manager: Human Resources in the board. Data collected was analysed using STATA. The results from the study show that there is no training and development policy in the board. The further reveals that the majority of the respondents at 76.92% are able to implement the knowledge gained during training in their daily duties. This is a clear indication that training and development has a positive effect on the performance on the employees in the board. The study also indicated that employees are not given equal opportunity to attend training and development programmes in the board and this is supported by the majority of respondents at 84.62% who tend to believe that employees are not provided with equal opportunity to attend training and development in the board. The majority of respondents and Manager Humana Resources highlighted budget constraints as the major problem with regard to training and development of employees in the board and therefore there is a need for the board to provide adequate funds to training and development of employees.

The HIV and AIDS pandemic is arguably the greatest threat facing the world today. The pandemic has a far-reaching impact on society, including the workplace. The effect in the workplace is observed in various areas including a reduction in certain skills levels, mortality and declining job performance of employees living with HIV or AIDS. In addition, the fear of discrimination and stigmatisation prevents infected employees from disclosing their HIV status, thus driving the pandemic underground. Despite the potential negative impact that is looming, many employers still do not have any workplace support programmes in place to manage HIV and AIDS in their organisations. However, some employers have implemented workplace support programmes. This research thus explored the influence of workplace support programmes on the job performance of employees that were living with HIV or AIDS. The findings suggest that job performance is positively influenced where workplace support programmes have been implemented. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Recruitment consultants today are faced with considerable stress and challenges as a result of their work. They must cope effectively with these challenges in order to deliver effective job performance, which is crucial to an organisation’s survival. In this study the relationship between sense of coherence, self-efficacy and job performance amongst recruitment consultants was investigated. The Orientation to Life Questionnaire, Generalised Self-efficacy Scale and a job performance measure comprising key performance indicators were used. The study was conducted with 99 recruitment consultants at a national recruitment organisation in South Africa. While a theoretical relationship was determined, this was not supported by the empirical investigation. Relationships did, however, emerge for the comprehensibility component of sense of coherence to job performance total and for two of its dimensions (namely customer service and productivity). A regression model, comprising comprehensibility and meaningfulness, emerged as a significant predictor of total job performance. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Comm.(Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

An increasing number of reports indicate that managers are opposed to performance appraisal. It is important to understand why managers have favourable or unfavourable attitudes towards performance appraisal and it is necessary to investigate the causing factors of these attitudes. The aim of this research was therefore to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence managers’ attitudes towards performance appraisal. This study was conducted within the interpretive research paradigm and situated in a medium-sized organisation within the financial services industry. The sample was purposefully selected and the data were collected through in-depth interviews and naïve sketches. The data were analysed applying Tesch’s descriptive analysis method. The main findings indicated that managers who needed to conduct performance appraisals perceived and experienced performance appraisal as an uncomfortable and emotional process that might cause them to become defensive. Moreover, it was revealed that the managers experienced uncertainties about aspects of performance appraisal, such as the purpose of performance appraisal, what must be measured and frequency of performance appraisal. As a result of such uncertainties, managers might not always have the ability or readiness to conduct performance appraisals, especially when the performance appraisal contains negative performance feedback. Furthermore, the organisational context might put managers in an undesirable situation to distort performance ratings of employees in order to achieve organisational goals or the manager’s personal goals, which in turn influence the attitude of the manager. The findings of the study can assist organisations in influencing managers’ attitudes more positively and in enhancing the overall performance appraisal process. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa, Performance Management Systems (PMSs) are widely implemented in municipalities to monitor and evaluate service delivery mechanisms for the purpose of improving organisational performance. The implementation of an effective PMS depends on several factors, including human elements. Therefore, the purpose of this research at Newcastle Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal was to assess the available managerial knowledge, skills and attitudes required for implementing an effective PMS for organisational performance. A qualitative research design was employed to describe the performance management processes currently implemented at Newcastle Municipality and the characteristics of these processes. A quantitative survey method was useful for collecting data and for precluding the management and performance practitioners identified through a stratified sampling method from providing data that was not within the scope of this research. The research found that managerial knowledge and skills were available and adequate at Newcastle Municipality. Despite these findings, there was a minor but significant need to improve existing managerial skills. Furthermore, the research uncovered mixed reactions towards managerial attitudes and it was difficult to determine the purpose of the implementation of PMS at the municipality and the attitude of members towards it. This was because the majority of respondents provided neutral responses to the question of whether there was a lack of positive attitude towards PMS from members in the organisation and because an equal number of respondents agreed and disagreed that PMS was implemented to comply with legislation rather than used as an internal control measure. Other attitudinal data contradicted the abovementioned findings on managerial knowledge and skills owing to the common feeling among respondents that knowledge and skills pertaining to the implementation of PMS were lacking in the municipality and that the municipality did not have the capacity or sufficient resources to implement PMS. It was concluded that the interaction between performance managers and existing Knowledge Management (KM) sharing practices at Newcastle Municipality probably contributed to an increase in managerial knowledge and skills. Future research is proposed to confirm this assumption. Furthermore, owing to discrepancies in feedback on managerial attitudes, the entire study conducted at Newcastle Municipality should be replicated in a similar setting in order to improve the reliability of its findings. It is recommended that future research should utilise a combination of quantitative and qualitative data-collection methods to grant participants the opportunity to explain their rationale for indicating a particular attitude in the questionnaire. This will also assist prospective researchers to formulate a specific viewpoint of respondents’ attitudes towards the implementation of an effective PMS, which will contribute to the corpus of scientific knowledge about PMSs by highlighting the real causes of PMS implementation failure. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid-Afrika word prestasiebestuurstelsels (PBS’e) algemeen in munisipaliteite geïmplementeer om dienslewerigsmeganismes te monitor en te evalueer. Die doel hiervan is om organisatoriese prestasie te verbeter. Die implementering van ʼn effektiewe PBS berus op verskeie faktore, onder andere menslike elemente. Daarom was die doel van hierdie navorsing om kennis, vaardighede en ingesteldheid met betrekking tot bestuur, wat verlang word om ʼn effektiewe PBS in munisipaliteite te implementeer, te assesseer ten einde organisatoriese prestasie te verbeter. Hierdie studie is by Newcastle Munisipaliteit in KwaZulu-Natal uitgevoer. ʼn Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gebruik om die prestasiebestuurprosesse wat tans by Newcastle Munisipaliteit geïmplementeer word, asook die eienskappe van hierdie prosesse, te beskryf. ʼn Kwantitatiewe opname is gedoen om data in te samel en te verhoed dat bestuurders en prestasiepraktisyns, wat deur ʼn gestratifiseerde steekproefmetode geïdentifiseer is, data voorsien wat buite die bestek van hierdie navorsing val. Daar is deur middel van hierdie navorsing bevind dat kennis en vaardighede ten opsigte van bestuur sowel beskikbaar as voldoende is by Newcastle Munisipaliteit. Ten spyte van hierdie bevinding, is daar bepaal dat daar wel ʼn klein, maar beduidende behoefte daaraan is om bestaande bestuursvaardighede te verbeter. Verder het die navorsing gemengde reaksies ten opsigte van bestuursingesteldheid ontlok en dit was moeilik om te bepaal wat die doel van die implementering van ʼn PBS in die munisipaliteit is en wat lede van die organisasie se ingesteldheid teenoor hierdie stelsel is. Die rede hiervoor is dat die meeste respondente ʼn neutrale stand ingeneem het teenoor organisasielede se moontlike tekort aan ʼn positiewe ingesteldheid teenoor die PBS en omdat dieselfde hoeveelheid respondente beweer en daarvan verskil dat die PBS geïmplementeer is om aan wetgewing te voldoen eerder as om gebruik te word as ʼn interne beheermaatreël. Ander data oor ingesteldheid het die bogenoemde bevindinge oor bestuurders se kennis en vaardighede weerspreek, aangesien respondente oor die algemeen voel dat kennis en vaardighede om ʼn PBS in die munisipaliteit te implementeer, te kort skiet en dat die munisipaliteit nie die kapasiteit en genoegsame hulpbronne het om ʼn PBS te implementeer nie. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat prestasiebestuurders en die bestaande praktyk by Newcastle Munisipaliteit om kennisbestuur te deel, waarskynlik bygedra het tot ʼn toename in bestuurskennis en -vaardighede. Verdere navorsing oor die onderwerp word aanbeveel om hierdie aanname te bevestig. As gevolg van die teenstrydighede in terugvoer oor bestuursingesteldheid, word daar aanbeveel dat verdere navorsing onderneem moet word waarin die hele studie wat by Newcastle Munisipaliteit onderneem is, in ʼn soortgelyke omgewing gerepliseer word. Dit sal die betroubaarheid van studie se bevindinge kan verbeter. Vir die doel hiervan word daar aanbeveel dat verdere navorsing van ʼn kombinasie van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data-insamelingsmetodes gebruik moet maak om aan deelnemers die geleentheid te bied om te kan verduidelik waarom hulle ʼn bepaalde ingesteldheid in die vraelys aangedui het. Voornemende navorsers sal ook hierdeur in staat gestel word om ʼn spesifieke perspektief oor respondente se houdings teenoor die implementering van ʼn effektiewe PBS te formuleer. Dit sal bydra tot die korpus van wetenskaplike kennis oor PBS’e deur die werklike redes aan die lig te bring waarom die implementering van ʼn PBS kan misluk.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / There is deep concern nationally and internationally about the increasing numbers of sexual offences against children. South Africa is one of the countries with a very high incidence of child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse is very traumatic for most children: research reveals that the negative psychological impact of child sexual abuse persists over time and even into adulthood. Disclosure of sexual abuse is often very traumatic for the victim and the response of the investigation officer is crucial as inappropriate responses to disclosure can inhibit the child's healing process, jeopardize the subsequent legal proceedings and expose the child to secondary traumatisation. This study explores the training needs of investigating officers of the South African Police Services with regard to interviewing young victims of sexual abuse. The rationale would be that if investigating officers were adequately trained in interviewing sexually abused children the trauma will be lessened for the child victim and their families. A qualitative study was conducted. Two groups of participants were used in the study: Investigating officers working for the SA Police Service and social workers working for various non-governmental organizations. Participants were purposefully selected. Data were produced by the use of questionnaires and interviews semi-structured. The interviews were analysed thematically. The seven themes that emerged from the data analysis were: reporting of sexual abuse, investigation of sexual abuse, knowledge of sexual abuse, practical skills, attitudes of investigating officers, children with disabilities and support for investigating officers. The data from the questionnaires were also analysed quantitatively. The findings from the study indicate that investigating officers need more in-depth and extensive training on how to interview sexually abused children.

The effective management of individual/team performance is a crucial requirement to ensure that organisational goals are attained. This requires accurate data regarding the performance levels of individuals/teams. Therefore there is a need for a standardised and formal performance management system. An effective performance management system is the centre of an integrated HR system that feeds into a variety of processes and systems such as career planning, rewards, training and development, promotions, and disciplinary decisions. Despite the importance of performance management, most organisations find it difficult to implement, manage and sustain performance management systems and processes effectively. The focus of this study is on appraising the performance management practices in the offices of the Department of Labour in three provinces: Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The results indicate problems with the practices in areas such as alignment, fairness, measuring commitment, systems integrity, and the performance management culture. Recommendations were made to address these issues and improve the effectiveness of the system / Human Resource Management / M. Tech. (Human Resource Development)

Thesis (MPA.) --University of Limpopo, 2002 / Refer to the document