M. Tech. Public Administration. / The study investigates the management of quality of service delivery in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan municipality focusing on electricity, water provision and refuse collection. In recent years, South African consumers expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of public service delivery by means of protests. Service delivery protests have, however, not occurred to a significant extent in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan municipality though it is one of the world's largest cities. Such a state of affairs warrants research to establish how the municipality manages the quality of public service delivery.

M. Tech. Business Administration / The study aims to probe into the SANDFs strategic purpose for implementing the MSDS and whether the learners acquire the skills they regard declared as essential. The study will also investigate whether the MSDS fulfils the learners career aspirations and further asses their view regarding the programme.

Thesis (MTech. degree in Local Government.)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2012. / The point of departure of this study is to evaluate service delivery in the Office of the Compensation Fund. The year 1994 ushered in a new era for South Africa. Since then, the South African Public Service has gone through a process of transformation. The introduction of new legislation regarding service delivery and transformation changed the manner in which the South African Public Service functioned. The main task of those in power is to transform the lives of all South Africans and this could be achieved by improving service delivery. Service delivery improvements have characterised government institutions and have not left the Compensation Fund behind. The primary objective of this research is to suggest ways of evaluating improved service delivery in the Office of the Compensation Fund.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing performance management system (PMS) in enhancing performance at this freight rail organisation (FRO). The focus of this study was to establish whether the performance management processes are effective in enhancing the individual performance level in this FRO. The performance management processes referred to in this study include conceptualising and exploring; performance management and its processes, the balanced scorecard (BSC) as a tool of performance management and explaining the relationship between performance management and a reward system within the FRO. A qualitative research design was used for this study to answer the research question. The research design consisted of a case study where thirty semi structured interviews were conducted with the first line managers, junior managers, middle managers and senior managers at this FRO. The interviews were transcribed, and research data was analysed using a content analysis method. This study yielded a number of benefits in terms of the research findings, conclusions and recommendations about the effectiveness of performance management processes, the BS and the relationship between individual performance and reward. As a result, the study will not only benefit management in dealing with a strategy and drive individual performance, but will also assist all levels of employees within the FRO and other organisations in understanding the day-to-day operational activities of performance management. It will also help human capital professionals, industrial psychologists at the FRO and other organisations in knowing and understanding the best practices to adopt, in managing their individual performance levels. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The study sought to investigate the performance measurement practice of retail Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Zimbabwe and to develop a performance measurement framework for monitoring and managing the performance of retail MSMEs in developing countries. The performance measurement framework may enhance the chances of success and survival of these retail MSMEs. The framework was developed based on a review of the literature and an empirical study. Questionnaires were administered to 373 owner/managers of which only 189 responded. Interviews were held with 20 senior employees in the accounts/finance departments of MSMEs. Stratified random sampling was employed to select the 20 senior employees interviewed. Interviews were also held with eight (8) owner/managers who were purposively selected from the 189 MSMEs who participated in the study. It was established that most of the MSMEs do not measure the CSFs identified from the literature review. The study identified innovation, management of costs, and management of customers, management of competitors, market scanning, employee motivation, and management of regulators as the factors that need to be measured and monitored if MSMEs are to succeed. The performance measurement framework which emerged from the study focused more on measurement of non-financial performance rather than financial performance. Most owner/managers interviewed indicated that the proposed performance measurement framework can be used to enhance the performance of MSMEs. The study recommends that a confirmatory study such as structural equation modelling should be carried out in order to test the cause-effect relationship between the CSFs identified in this study. The study also recommends a longitudinal study where the researcher will assess the performance measurement practices of the retail MSMEs over time rather than relying on the perceptions of owner/managers and employees of the MSMEs. Keywords: Critical success factors, MSMEs, performance measurement, / Management Accounting / D. Phil. (Management Accounting)

The purpose of this study is to explore the manager-subordinate conflicts or disagreements in relation to performance appraisal in the Department of Home Affairs in Tshwane area. An understanding of the reasons for manager-subordinate conflicts pertaining to performance appraisal is essential in order to identify viable solutions for improving workplace relations and morale. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, a qualitative research design was adopted, whereby semi structured interviews were used to collect data. A sample of twenty five research participants was selected from five offices of the Department of Home Affairs in Tshwane area using a purposive sampling strategy. Qualitative content analysis was conducted to analyse data obtained through interviews and observations. The major findings of the study revealed that performance bonuses and biased ratings are the sources of conflicts or disagreements between managers and subordinates in relation to performance appraisals. Therefore, is recommended that the National Department of Home Affairs should expose both managers, supervisors and operational staff members to training and development to ensure an effective performance appraisal process. In addition, managers and supervisors should be equipped with necessary conflict management skills to resolve manager-subordinate conflict in the workplace. / Public Administration / M. Admin. (Public Administration)

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.Com. (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)

Atualmente os temas tecnologia, sustentabilidade, produtividade e inovação têm recebido destaque na estratégia das organizações, particularmente nos ambientes produtivos mais dinâmicos da sociedade. Percebe-se que, com frequência, estes ambientes têm negligenciado a variável mais importante de um empreendimento, as pessoas. Esquece-se de que as transformações são resultantes das competências individuais, da qualificação, motivação e engajamento das mesmas para com os projetos institucionais. Na busca da melhoria contínua, diversos mecanismos são utilizados como fonte de levantamento e subsídios para a reorientação de processos, mudanças de atitudes e do planejamento da gestão. Nesta dissertação levantou-se os instrumentos de avaliação de uma instituição pública e verificou-se se os mesmos servem como subsídio para a melhoria da gestão. A metodologia utilizada foi pesquisa documental e o estudo de caso. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de questionário eletrônico e os instrumentos de avaliação pesquisados foram: Pesquisa de Clima Organizacional; Avaliação do Servidor; Avaliação das Chefias; Avaliação do Docente pelo Discente e Avaliação Externa. / Currently the technology topics, sustainability, productivity and innovation have gained attention in the strategy of organizations, particularly in more dynamic productive environments of society. It is noticed that, often, these environments have neglected the most important variable of an enterprise, people. It is forgotten that transformations are the result of individual competencies, skills, motivation and engagement of the same towards institutional projects. In pursuit of continuous improvement, several mechanisms are used as a source of research and subsidies for process reorientation, changes of behavior and management planning. This dissertation raised up the evaluation tools of a public institution and verified if the same served as a resource for management improvement. The methodology was based on desk research and case study. The data collection occurred through electronic poll and the evaluation tools surveyed were: Organizational Climate Survey, Employee Assessment, Management Assessment, Teacher Evaluation by Student and External Assessment.