M.Phil. (Employment Relations) / Outsourcing as a strategy has been utilised by many organisations as a strategic initiative to improve core business functions and reduce costs. In the South African context, outsourcing includes the forced transfer of employees from one organisation to another. This automatic transfer is facilitated through Section 197 of the Labour Relations Act of 1995. In principle employees have a choice to seek employment elsewhere, but such a move is often restricted by long tenures of service, the lack of opportunities in the labour market, the psychological contract of employees with their employer, social affiliation with colleagues, perceived job security and comfortableness with familiar surroundings. Due to the forced nature of the employment transfer, employees would be subject to a change in identification or belonging, organisational culture, structures, management, operating principles and salary structures. These changes may significantly affect productivity, employee commitment and job satisfaction. Research purpose The research study explores the experiences of employees in an outsource transfer conducted under the ambit of Section 197 of the Labour Relations Act of 1995. The study reconnoitres employees‟ reactions to the forced organisational change so as to identify important psychological and organisational processes. Motivation for the study Despite the increasing practice of outsourcing in South Africa and abroad, limited research has been conducted on the experiences of employees during an outsource transfer. Employees that have been subject to an outsourcing transfer would have experienced a grave impact on their employment behaviour and attitudes. This would affect their relationship with previous colleagues, career development, contribute to lower levels of commitment and negatively influence their psychological contract. All these elements may influence the success of the outsourcing of business and should be taken into consideration when organisations decide to embark on outsourcing parts of their business. This study explores the employee‟s experiences during such a transfer of employment as a means to provide insight into the effect these experiences may have on the success of an outsource event. This study would aid management, human resource professionals, organisational development practitioners and scholars in understanding the impact of an outsourcing business decision on employees. Research Approach In the study, I followed a qualitative research approach. I aligned myself with the constructionist research tactic and explored the research participants‟ social construction of the outsource transfer experience. The study was conducted using as a case study a South African information-technology outsource service provider. Case-study research methodology was employed and seven research participants provided their experiences in unstructured interviews. Data was also gathered through participant observation and human documents such as e-mails. Main Findings On analysing the research data, the research participants‟ experiences could be grouped according to phases in the outsource transfer, themes and categories of constructs. These themes, categories and constructs were related to concepts and theories that had emerged from literature. This in turn culminated in the development of an Outsourcing Transition Model which integrated the psychological theory in literature and the concepts that had emerged from the research. The model provides for a holistic view of psychological theory within an operationally categorised phased approach that is easy to interpret and apply.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 2016. / INTRODUCTION: Homoeopathy is a medical system that offers a gentle approach to healing. In the Republic of South Africa, homoeopathic medicines are readily available in most retail pharmacies, hyper-stores, supermarkets and health shops. It is common and expected that in a pharmacy setting, one will find a qualified pharmacist dispensing medicines he/she is highly knowledgeable about, as well as advising customers/patients on the indication, administration and contraindications of these medicines. With this premise in mind, where complementary and alternative medicines are sold, we ideally expect qualified personnel dispensing and advising customers on the use of complementary and alternative medicines also not only conventional medicines. At the time of conducting this study, the knowledge of pharmacy staff was questionable pertaining to the depth of homoeopathic knowledge they possess, as there is limited formal training available on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in their curriculum in South Africa. It has been noted that, prior to the development of short courses, a needs analysis should be conducted. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the needs of pharmacy front shop assistants when dealing with homoeopathic medicines with the prospect of developing a short course. METHODOLOGY: The research was a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory study. A measurement of views on what homoeopathy is, where pharmacy staff currently attain training on homoeopathy, and perceptions on the need for further training were conducted by means of a semi structured interview guide. Tesch’s Eight Step method was utilised for data analysis. CONCLUSION: The study clearly highlighted that there exists a poor level of knowledge of homoeopathy amongst pharmacy staff in the greater Durban area of KwaZulu-Natal South Africa, at the time of conducting the study. Despite low knowledge levels, the study was able to establish a keen interest amongst pharmacy staff on furthering and advancing their knowledge of homoeopathy to better serve the public and improve the quality of health care offered by pharmacy staff. / M

M.A. (Information Science) / Management is usually concerned with the motivation and job satisfaction of employees. When workers are adequately motivated and they derive sufficient satisfaction in their job, it is assumed that their productivity is likely to be enhanced. However, even without relating it to productivity, workers' job satisfaction is considered important enough to deserve serious attention from managers and researchers in various disciplines. This study intends to examine the motivation and job satisfaction of information specialists in public libraries in South Africa. The study of motivation is a candid search for answers to perplexing questions that revolve around human nature. There is no doubting the fact that the problem of motivating other people is surely as old as human history. The common adage that "one can lead a horse to water but cannot force it to drink" was, and remains, the most important aspect of the motivation problem. Because human behaviour is complex, there are numerous theories of motivation. Eight of the most well known theories are discussed: Maslow, Herzberg, MacGregor, McClelland, Atkinson, Hackman and Oldham, Vroom and Porter and Lawler. Attention is paid to the possible implications of the theories for library management. It seems though that, whatever theory of motivation one consults, some fertile sense and some constraining theory turns up. The focus should therefore rather be on the development and integration of existing theories to formulating new ones. A review of literature revealed that there is a relationship between motivation and job satisfaction. Thesurvey instrument was a forty-six-item questionnaire developed specifically for this study by the researcher. The first section of the questionnaire elicited background information, such as age, marital status, qualification, tenure, salary and benefits. The second section of the questionnaire gathered information about the participation and perceived participation of the responding information specialist in the library situation.

D.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / The problem of strikes in South Africa has infiltrated the whole work industry, and has led to the Municipalities also participating in strike action; this affects service delivery and often has a negative impact on the mental health of those who participate. The overall goal of this study is to develop and describe a psycho-educational model to be used as a framework of reference to facilitate the mental health of workers involved in strike action, before during and after strikes. The research also focused on developing guidelines for operationalisation of the model for impact and sustainability of the therapeutic interventions after the termination phase. Garber's (1972) (in Myburgh, Niehaus &Poggenpoel2000: 150-156) psychoeducational developmental model was employed as a departure premise to for this study in order to capacitate the workers with the skills to manage the effects of strike action. Focus groups as well as individual interviews were held with workers and worker representatives of a Metropolitan Municipality respectively to identify empirical evidence and the central concepts for the model. A theory generative design that is, qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature was used to develop the model and the operational guidelines. The model was developed according to the approach of Chinn and Kramer (1991); Walker and Avant (1995) of theory generation, which embraces the following steps: Concept analysis which includes identification of the central concepts for the model through conducting a field study to explore and describe the lived experiences of the workers as well as the worker representatives ...

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / The amalgamation of municipalities came into effect as a legislative requirement brought about a number of challenges for the local government. One such major challenge relates to the impact that these amalgamations will have on human resource practices of the various municipalities. Literature study reveals that during any merger or amalgamation, less attention is paid to the human element of a merger until the merger is almost complete. This lack of attention impacts negatively on the merger results. Like other municipalities, Ethekwini Municipality is a product of this legislative requirement. It was formed as a result of the amalgamation of different municipal entities that had different human resource practices. The problem facing eThekwini Municipality is the misalignment of human resources policies and their effect on the working environment. This study looks at the impact of this amalgamation on the human resources practices of the eThekwini Municipality. The sub-objectives of the study are: to ascertain employees' perceptions of amalgamation; to determine whether employees believe that the human resources' matters are handled in a manner that will bring about stability and equity in the workplace; and to establish whether different perceptions exist between employees of the former Durban Metro Central and those of the erstwhile entities. A stratified random probability sample of 150 employees was selected. The sample was drawn from 5 former entities that now form eThekwini Municipality, namely: Inner-west, Outer-west, Metro Central, North and South Operational entities. Using face-to-face interviews, employees were asked to complete a questionnaire. The results of the research revealed that there was generally a positive perception of the amalgamation process amongst employees. The study also revealed that different perceptions exist between the employees of the former entities and those of Metro central It is recommended that, during a merger, management should have detailed work plans. The plans should detail how the organization will deal with the structure of the organization, its people, culture, technology and processes. Secondly, management should consider a total reward system as opposed to total cost package. / M

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Migration and Displacement) July 2017 / This research report gives an account of the social networks, links, connections and relationships of undocumented Zimbabwean women working as domestic workers in Johannesburg, Gauteng. The primary aim was to understand the role of these ties in providing social, political, emotional and economic support in addressing the challenges that undocumented domestic workers face. The study also explored how social networks enhanced the capabilities and resources of non-national women, particularly focusing on how they defined wellbeing and development. Based on 12 semi-structured interviews with undocumented women living and working in Johannesburg, the findings that emerged from this study, show that unlike what the majority of literature in South Africa points to, undocumented domestic workers do not live in isolation from others, but rather have a diverse range of social networks that allow them to be active agents and participants in their lives. The results highlight that the majority of social networks that undocumented domestic workers use are in actual fact useful to them and how they navigate their contexts. Migrants in this instance are largely dependent on their families for support both in the originating country and in the host community. / XL2018

Research report submitted to the Wits School of Arts University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the field of Drama therapy April 2016 / The aim of this research was to evaluate Narradrama as a drama therapy method in assisting South African domestic workers to shift their identity towards a more positive one, so they will be able to better deal with their current socially oppressive issues. I postulated, based on research done by sociologists and anthropologists, that domestic workers still feel oppressed marginalised and differentiated even to date, twenty years after the apartheid era; the racial discrimination that was perpetuated by the doctrine of the apartheid regime and cemented the master-servant relationship as the only possible relationship between domestic worker and employer was normalised within the harsh realities of minimum wages, long working hours and appalling living conditions; oppression of women by women, sexism and racism. Moreover, the domestic workers legal rights that were established after 1994 in the Bill of Rights have not changed their lives and working conditions. These working conditions continue to affect them and are a risk to their physical and mental health. (Mohutsioa-Makhudud, 1989; Williams, 2008; Ally, 2009). The risk that is inherent in chronic perceived discrimination to one’s mental health (Mohutsioa- Makhudu ,1989:40) and the risk of developing a negative identity and self hatred by internalising the negative views of a dominant society(Phinney, 1989:34) has influenced the decision to do this research. The method of Narradrama chosen for this study was researched by Dunne (as cited in Leveton 2010) and found to be effective in working with marginalised groups but has not yet been researched with a marginalised stratum within the South African context. Narradrama, became the preferred method as it is centred on story (Dunne and Rand, 2013:7) which led to the thought it would be effective when working with a group of African women who are considered to be story tellers in the African culture. (Scheub, 1970: 119-120). Thematic data analysis was used in analysing the results. Identity shift was measured by comparing the change between the initial negative themed stories, that substantiated the hypothesis that participants do feel oppressed and marginalised, with the new, positive themes that appeared later in the research processes The Narradrama processes were analysed through the theoretical lens of Landy’s role theory, who proposes that for a person to have a healthier identity he needs to take on a variety on new roles, and to be able to play them proficiently. The playing of new roles assists participants to enlarge their perspectives, discover new identity descriptions and experience what it would feel like to move forward in life in preferred ways towards a more manageable, hopeful future. (Landy, 1994:93-97) This parallels the Narradrama notion which claims that by re-storying a client’s narrative, the client opens up to new preferred choices; a new landscape of identity and action (Johnson and Emunah, 2009:182). The research results show the start of a shift, in the participants’ re-authored stories and their assumed choices of new roles- these changes signify that the group has benefited from processes. As the researcher, I therefore recommend that these processes be resumed in order to allow these identity shifts inclusive of the suggested roles to become more substantial, and more integrated in the participants’ identity within their current living and working context. However, though Narradrama proved to be a method that can assist this group, the results of this research cannot be generalised, and further research with different groups of domestic workers will need to be done in order to be able to generalise to the wider context of the stratum of South African domestic workers.

A Research Report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Art in Political Studies, Johannesburg, 2017 / Despite their long history of organising, South African domestic workers are deprived of a platform to organise due to the post-apartheid state positioning itself as the primary articulator, representative, and protector of domestic workers‟ collective interests and the resultant displacement of the domestic workers‟ union in these roles. Even at its peak, the union struggled to rally domestic workers around its cause. The shift from “live-in” domestic work to “live-out” domestic work provides workers with greater personal freedom and less isolation from friends and family; allows them to gain some control over their working conditions and; challenges the “atomised” nature of domestic work as domestic workers interact quite frequently with each other in spaces such as taxis and buses, taxi ranks and street corners as they go about travelling to and from work every day. Domestic workers‟ engagement in the everyday practice of commuting to work and the spaces where domestic workers regularly interact with each other allow for the appearance of social networks where grievances can be shared and rallied around; mutual support is given and; information regarding work can be obtained. Significantly, these social networks are integral to the formation of collective identities and the building of political subjectivities of domestic workers, who as a group are deprived of a platform to organise. Furthermore a fuller conception of political action needs to be adopted. Domestic workers, who are without resources and the leadership of a vital union, find themselves in a position of political marginalization; yet participate in everyday forms of resistance. These coupled with their engagement in everyday life, constitute the invisible face of political mobilization. The social networks that have appeared show promise, however they are under-developed and have not yet been formalised in a way that organised action can ensue. As such it is possible that organisational impetus will have to come from the efforts of middle class actors belonging to NGOs, activists and government agencies as has been experienced in other parts of the globe. / MT2018

Thesis (MPA)--University of Limpopo, 2011 / The paper examines the causes of the high turn-over rate and the non-retention of the academic staff at the University, and come up with possible solutions to curb the problem. The study addresses the factors that affect the academic staff recruitment and retention strategies. The paper further address identification of factors contributing to the high turnover rate of the academic staff at the University of Limpopo, analyze causes of the problems, work on the feedback obtained from interviewees, and make recommendations that will enable the University to come up with possible and implementable strategies for the recruitment and retention of the academic staff. This was evident by the results of the study through the literature review and the interviews held that academic staff recruitment and retention is a problem. It is therefore advisable for the University to take note of the results of this study, and that there should be a turn-around strategy that could be implemented and monitored. The Human Resource department should have a database that tracks the career path of all academic staff, and notify all appointees who are coming up for tenure. This notice could go out at the start of the last but one year before the appointees become eligible for appointment with tenure. The university must develop a culture of reasonable, clearly articulated, and enforced deadlines for processing applications for promotion. Human Resources department have a role to play in the promotion process as well. Access to information about the promotion process can be enhanced by revamping the websites for some of the institutions which are not really helpful in this respect. Relevant documents (e.g., conditions of service, appointment and promotion guidelines, benefits) can then be made accessible via institutional websites in a very organized manner than is currently the case in many universities

Thesis (MDev. ) -- University of Limpopo, 2011 / The provision of Employee Assistance Programme in a working environment such as a municipality is very crucial. In order to determine the effectiveness of the implementation of the programme to justify its existence to the outside world and to assess the impact of its fulfilment to its objectives, evaluation is therefore necessary. The aim of this research study was to ascertain the implementation of the EAP at the Makhado Municipality in Vhembe District with special focus on the employees’ awareness of the programme, its utilization and also the programme adequacy. A qualitative approach was used in this study. Forty two (42) employees of various ranks or level’s in the municipality were randomly selected to participate in the study, and they were from all the four main centres of the municipality i.e. Makhado, Waterval, Dzanani and Vuwani. Summary of the Main Findings A high percentage (81%) of the employees knew of the existence of an EAP within the municipality, and meetings appeared to be the main awareness strategy. − The attitudes of employees towards the EAP were positive, this state of affairs points to the usefulness of the EAP service. − The EAP provided by the Municipality was viewed as accessible by the majority of employees. − The utilization rate of the EAP in the Municipality was very low as only 17% of respondents indicated that they had utilized the service before. − The majority of referrals were conducted by supervisors while only 9.1% were self referral. The majority of respondents did not answer the question implying various reason/s and could also mean lack or poor knowledge and information about referrals within the programme. (iv Implementation of the EAP at Makhado Municipality in Limpopo Province − The majority of employees did not respond to the question on whether they were satisfied with the EAP within the municipality, and that could translate into low knowledge and information about the programme. − The majority of employees were generally happy with the current location of EAP in the municipality. − The majority of employees viewed EAP as confidential and the level of trust in the EAP staff was high. − The majority of employees were not aware of the EAP policy and never participated in its formulation. − The majority of employees felt that EAP services were useful, and this means that provision of proper information might encourage employees to use the service. − Most employees suggested that frequent dissemination of information to employees through meetings, workshops and other regular contact sessions could enhance the EAP in the municipality. Recommendations The following recommendations with regard to the employees’ familiarity with the EAP are important: o That more awareness sessions be conducted with all employees, especially those at regions unit so that adequate information is cascaded to all employees of the municipality. o The awareness sessions should be conducted at least quarterly involving all regions, and the EAP Advisory Committee should meet at least bi-monthly to discuss aspects to improve and enhance EAP services in the municipality. o It is also recommended that additional qualified EAP personnel, with at least minimum qualifications in Social Work and, or Social Psychology, or any relevant (v Implementation of the EAP at Makhado Municipality in Limpopo Province qualifications and experience in EAP be appointed to run the programme on full-time basis. o That evaluation of the programme implementation should be conducted using the participatory strategies such as suggestion boxes, arranging focus groups and bench-marking with other institutions. The recommendation to allow employees opportunities to submit suggestions, in-puts and give feedback regarding the programme will no doubt assist in the improvement and promotion of the programme. o The Makhado Municipality should utilize different marketing strategies as recommended by EAP literature, such as the following: i. The use of promotional material such as brochures, leaflets, and posters that are user-friendly and in languages understandable by all employees of the municipality. ii. Outreach programmes: The EAP unit needs to regularly visit all the regional offices of the municipality in order to intensify information sharing to employees about the EAP. These can also include decentralising EAP workshops to the periphery offices in order to reach the employees who are far away from the head office in Louis Trichardt. The above-mentioned could serve as effective strategies in promoting and maximising the visibility of the EAP, and may close the gap on information not reaching all employees in the municipality thereby increasing its penetration rate.