The present study examines whether recognition of prior learning (RPL) is being implemented in the workplace, its effectiveness and impact on improving the lives of the previously disadvantaged groups and its contribution towards enhancing a culture of lifelong learning in South Africa. The main aim of this research is to explore the implementation of RPL and the extent of its effectiveness in the workplace, with particular focus on Northern Region of the Eskom Distribution. This was hoped to be addressed through the following objectives: The first objective was to determine the extent to which Eskom employees are aware of the RPL practices and to ascertain the level of awareness among employees. The second objective was to explore the current trends and practices on RPL at the workplace. The third objective was to determine and identify if there are any gaps. The last objective was to suggest ways that can be used to strengthen the RPL practice in the workplace. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to a randomly selected sample of 242 employees. In addition, interviews were conducted with three purposively selected (information rich) participants. The findings reveal that Eskom has policies and guidelines on RPL and a clearly stipulated purpose which is in line with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), however, the current RPL policies and procedures have not been piloted within the Northern Region, the information has not yet reached everyone in the business, and employees’ level of awareness is still low. Findings also reveal that RPL does exist in Distribution and efforts to implement it are visible/traceable. A number of milestones and achievements are noted in the business as a whole as well as in the region, although a lot still needs to be done to ensure full and effective implementation. The last finding shows that there are a number of gaps and challenges impeding the success of RPL. These range from capacity building to quality assurance. On the basis of the findings, a number of recommendations to strengthen the RPL practice in the workplace are proposed and suggested. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The present study examines whether recognition of prior learning (RPL) is being implemented in the workplace, its effectiveness and impact on improving the lives of the previously disadvantaged groups and its contribution towards enhancing a culture of lifelong learning in South Africa. The main aim of this research is to explore the implementation of RPL and the extent of its effectiveness in the workplace, with particular focus on Northern Region of the Eskom Distribution. This was hoped to be addressed through the following objectives: The first objective was to determine the extent to which Eskom employees are aware of the RPL practices and to ascertain the level of awareness among employees. The second objective was to explore the current trends and practices on RPL at the workplace. The third objective was to determine and identify if there are any gaps. The last objective was to suggest ways that can be used to strengthen the RPL practice in the workplace. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to a randomly selected sample of 242 employees. In addition, interviews were conducted with three purposively selected (information rich) participants. The findings reveal that Eskom has policies and guidelines on RPL and a clearly stipulated purpose which is in line with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), however, the current RPL policies and procedures have not been piloted within the Northern Region, the information has not yet reached everyone in the business, and employees’ level of awareness is still low. Findings also reveal that RPL does exist in Distribution and efforts to implement it are visible/traceable. A number of milestones and achievements are noted in the business as a whole as well as in the region, although a lot still needs to be done to ensure full and effective implementation. The last finding shows that there are a number of gaps and challenges impeding the success of RPL. These range from capacity building to quality assurance. On the basis of the findings, a number of recommendations to strengthen the RPL practice in the workplace are proposed and suggested. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

State-owned enterprises (SOES) exist in South Africa to drive economic development and improve service delivery to the large population. In order for SOES to achieve their mandates, as set out by government through their shareholding department, financial assistance by the state is imperative. In the case of the monopolistic power utility, Eskom, the South African government (SAGO) has 100% ownership which is managed through the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE). This total ownership by the state means that government is responsible in ensuring that the utility is operational and supported financially. The current study was aimed at evaluating the financial assistance received by SOEs in South Africa by the state with specific focus on Eskom. Eskom was selected from the eight SOES managed by the DPE for the purpose of focusing the research. The focus of the study was on the financial assistance to SOES in South Africa by the state. In 2008, Eskom received funding from different sources through loan intervention of the South African government. The loan and guarantees made available to Eskom by government, enabled the SOE to achieve a positive credit rating. Data for this research was primarily collected through academic journals, books, Acts, White Papers, legislation and personal interviews at the National Treasury (NT). The recommendation that this research states relates to the need for a single policy document on state financial assistance to SOES in South Africa. / Public Administration and Management / M. Admin. (Public Administration)

This research was initiated due to declining customer satisfaction indices in the Southern region of Eskom, an electricity utility in South Africa. Given the link between customer satisfaction and purchase intentions, the sustainability of the business is at stake. The validity of the current MaxiCare survey tool is questioned and explored, as is the congruence of management and customers' perceptions regarding the key service quality constructs in the industry. The study's objective was to provide management with a reliable and valid customer satisfaction survey instrument as an alternate to the existing tool and to use the knowledge gained through the research process to recommend improvement strategies aimed at closing specific satisfaction gaps identified. The research was performed in two stages; firstly, semistructured interviews with customers and management to gain an understanding of the most important satisfaction dimensions. These influenced the design of a survey instrument based largely on the SERVPERF tool with the inclusion of importance ratings per item in the second stage. The quantitative survey results were used to assess the reliability and validity of the research and to suggest areas for future work. The results show that communication, quality of supply, assurance and price are uppermost in the consumer's mind. Tangibles are not significant and the inclusion of empathy is inconclusive. Management and customer perceptions at a macro level are closely aligned, however the two populations are not in agreement as to the underlying micro considerations. Similarly, the MaxiCare instrument is found to be valid as a macro indicator but lacks sufficient detail to be useful as a strategic tool and needs to be supplemented with additional sources of market information. The survey instrument used in the second phase is both descriptive and reliable but the number of factors it measures, the mix of items and the inclusion of the 'importance' dimension need further refinement to improve its validity. Future revisions of the tool will provide management with specific information that allows them to focus improvement strategies on disgruntled customers and their key service issues.

Private security forms part of a key strategy component in South Africa in terms of the alignment of the safety and security sector. Both private and public sector businesses in South Africa depend on private security systems to safeguard their assets. Although the growth in the private security sector has not provided for outstanding qualities and high levels of qualification criteria for employment in the sector, this quiet transformation of South Africa’s every day security landscape has potentially wide-ranging concerns. It raises important questions about the accountability and responsibility of security companies in providing their clients with disciplined security officers. There are reasons for concerns at Eskom because of the disciplinary problems experienced by security officers. These disciplinary problems create an environment of instability and uncertainty, which impacts on the core purpose of Eskom which is to provide sustainable electricity solutions to grow the economy and improve the quality of life of people in South Africa. Accordingly, the main purpose for the deployment of security officers to Eskom centres is to create a safer environment for Eskom and to safeguard its assets. Currently, disciplinary problems in the workplace constitute one of the most basic problems facing employers in both the public and private sectors. Therefore, developing and maintaining a disciplined security workforce is a priority that should be on the agenda of all private security companies. The objectives of this research included the following:  Examine which factors contribute to disciplinary problems;  Determine what the causes of these factors are that contribute to disciplinary problems; and  Identify what solutions can be used to address the factors contributing to disciplinary problems. A qualitative research approach was used in this study, in that verbal non-numerical data was collected from people in their natural environments who experience xiv everyday situations in the workplace in order to gain a more complete understanding of the problem area. The main method of data collection was by means of face-to-face interviews between the researcher and the interviewees which took place according to a standardised interview schedule. Thirty (30) respondents drawn by means of probability and non-probability sampling processes and were individually interviewed by the interviewer. Accordingly, this study has examined issues as to why security officers do not reliably uphold the discipline that is required of them in the provision of security services at the Eskom centres. The problem of poor discipline at Eskom centres compromises security, which impacts negatively on profitability when a site experiences losses and theft because security officers do not adhere to Eskom’s security requirements while they are deployed at Eskom centres. It is important for any institution to first examine and identify the disciplinary problems experienced by its employees before those problems can be addressed successfully. Accordingly, the nature and extent of disciplinary problems by security officers were examined within this study to assess the effectiveness of security management practices within the private security companies supplying a security service to Eskom. This study, therefore, examined disciplinary problems at Eskom centres (on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal) to identify the specific problems which the security officers have been experiencing and to indicate how effective their company management systems were in dealing with those problems. The study also assisted with formulating adequate recommendations with regard to managing the disciplinary problems at Eskom centres. / Criminology and Security Science / M. Tech. (Security Management)

The need for constructive and effective sustainable community development in South Africa is recognised as a cornerstone for national development. Having a clear understanding of sustainable development and sustainable community development is a prerequisite in developing sustainable communities. A current rate of unemployment and low skills level pose a threat to sustainable development within the communities. There is growing interest within businesses and organisations to contribute towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and initiatives. However, this is an enormous task to address socioeconomic challenges in South Africa due to limited resources and high expectations. The businesses should implement well-structured plans for corporate social responsibility. Furthermore, planned initiatives generally tend to appropriately promote social harmony within targeted community. Skeptics of CSR often claim that business should focus on profits and let the government or non-profit organisations deal with social and environmental issues. The Eskom’ power stations under this study do make some contribution to social and economic development in South Africa, which is realised through corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy within the areas of Ermelo and Balfour. Most people in these communities feel they have been neglected for a long time as their social concerns have not been resolved. The community have recently pressurised these power stations to become corporate citizens; to take on CSR and work towards sustainable community development in their areas. There is a perception within the community that the management of Camden and Grootvlei power stations is not actively involved in executing CSR programmes; hence the intention of the study is to present an interesting analysis of these perceptions by exploring the experienced outcome of CSR initiatives around Ermelo and Balfour in improving the livelihood of the people, inter alia: unemployment and education. The case study research design was adopted for this research and employed a qualitative approach to understand the individual perceptions about the phenomenon under study. The data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and electronic email. The responses from the participants were analysed using ATLAS.ti software to identify codes and patterns in primary data. The total selected sampling was 25, but those who participated were only 17. From the key findings, it was evident that these power stations do make some contributions towards CSR within their community. However, this study revealed a gap in the way CSR is practiced and implemented: social responsibility and real sustainable development do not reach the community. The findings also brought to light vast differences in the perceptions of various stakeholders regarding available programmes that support sustainable development within the community. These vast differences could mean that this study represents the start of a long-term process. Moreover, the study suggests some critical underlying factors that should be dealt with to close this gap: communication, awareness of available programmes, budget challenges and commitment, and identifying who should take responsibility for various aspects of development. The outcomes of this study are based on how stakeholders view community development needs and challenges by means of three cases that emerged during data analysis: case 1) community; 2). CSR project manager; 3) Top Management. Overall, this study contributes to the applied research area of; proper community engagement programmes, management engagement, employment, training and development, and education. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

Private security forms part of a key strategy component in South Africa in terms of the alignment of the safety and security sector. Both private and public sector businesses in South Africa depend on private security systems to safeguard their assets. Although the growth in the private security sector has not provided for outstanding qualities and high levels of qualification criteria for employment in the sector, this quiet transformation of South Africa’s every day security landscape has potentially wide-ranging concerns. It raises important questions about the accountability and responsibility of security companies in providing their clients with disciplined security officers. There are reasons for concerns at Eskom because of the disciplinary problems experienced by security officers. These disciplinary problems create an environment of instability and uncertainty, which impacts on the core purpose of Eskom which is to provide sustainable electricity solutions to grow the economy and improve the quality of life of people in South Africa. Accordingly, the main purpose for the deployment of security officers to Eskom centres is to create a safer environment for Eskom and to safeguard its assets. Currently, disciplinary problems in the workplace constitute one of the most basic problems facing employers in both the public and private sectors. Therefore, developing and maintaining a disciplined security workforce is a priority that should be on the agenda of all private security companies. The objectives of this research included the following:  Examine which factors contribute to disciplinary problems;  Determine what the causes of these factors are that contribute to disciplinary problems; and  Identify what solutions can be used to address the factors contributing to disciplinary problems. A qualitative research approach was used in this study, in that verbal non-numerical data was collected from people in their natural environments who experience xiv everyday situations in the workplace in order to gain a more complete understanding of the problem area. The main method of data collection was by means of face-to-face interviews between the researcher and the interviewees which took place according to a standardised interview schedule. Thirty (30) respondents drawn by means of probability and non-probability sampling processes and were individually interviewed by the interviewer. Accordingly, this study has examined issues as to why security officers do not reliably uphold the discipline that is required of them in the provision of security services at the Eskom centres. The problem of poor discipline at Eskom centres compromises security, which impacts negatively on profitability when a site experiences losses and theft because security officers do not adhere to Eskom’s security requirements while they are deployed at Eskom centres. It is important for any institution to first examine and identify the disciplinary problems experienced by its employees before those problems can be addressed successfully. Accordingly, the nature and extent of disciplinary problems by security officers were examined within this study to assess the effectiveness of security management practices within the private security companies supplying a security service to Eskom. This study, therefore, examined disciplinary problems at Eskom centres (on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal) to identify the specific problems which the security officers have been experiencing and to indicate how effective their company management systems were in dealing with those problems. The study also assisted with formulating adequate recommendations with regard to managing the disciplinary problems at Eskom centres. / Criminology and Security Science / M. Tech. (Security Management)

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Quality in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013 / Many top performing businesses, which achieve superior levels of success and sustainability, have a sound, implemented, and well maintained, Quality Management System (QMS). The correlation between business success and an implemented management system has been shown in numerous papers. This research, which culminates in a quantitative measure of QMS performance, was conducted at Eskom’s Koeberg Nuclear Power Station (KNPS). The power station is the operating leg of the Koeberg Operating Unit (KOU). The researcher is a QMS lead auditor in the KNPS Quality Assurance Department. A program of audits is planned based on the KOU quality and safety manual and the national regulatory licencing requirements. The audit monitoring program is then implemented over a three year period and considers all the management system processes which impact on nuclear safety and business performance. The individual audits each consider ISO 9001 criteria in context of the business area audited. Each major business area (e.g. design, maintenance, etc.) within the power station adheres to all generic ISO 9001 QMS clauses and considerations, such as documentation management, records management, etc. Each process or business area audit is thus effectively a QMS audit. The audit results, when combined are therefore a representative measure of the overall organisational QMS performance. The potential value to be gained from the audit results and data accrued over the monitoring period has not been optimised to maximise the return on investment to Eskom. The research problem statement thus proposes that the performance measurement capability of the quality management system at Eskom's Koeberg Power Station is insufficient. This diminishes management's ability to identify business risk resulting from management system deficiencies, which impacts negatively on business performance. The research question seeks to determine how the performance measurement capability of the QMS can be improved to assist management in identifying business risk resulting from quality management system deficiencies in order to improve business performance. The research objectives are supported by the literature study, which identifies the quality management methods currently used in order to measure and subsequently improve business performance. It also shows how QMS performance measurement, when deconstructed and analysed can provide the required insight for supporting management decision making. The research approach is considered inductive in that a theory is developed based on the collection and the analysis of that data. Applied research, will thus serve as the basis of the research methodology as it is considered the most appropriate research approach, based on the need to answer practical questions around the measurement of QMS performance philosophy. The research shows that by introducing additional theming and severity data into the secondary audit findings data, it is possible over time to extract high level strategic direction information when analysing the additional metadata. The dimensions and value of the QMS Performance measuring instrument are: Ø A cause and effect theming philosophy of audit findings providing an additional context to business improvement advice to management. Ø The provision of a QMS process deficiency locator / identifier which targets management action areas for improvement. Ø The provision of a quantitative measure of the management system performance, providing a reference from which to improve. By providing a quantifiable measure of an organisations QMS performance, a reference point is provided to gauge QMS performance and also render a definitive measure to enable performance improvement of the business.

[Abstract - Conclusion]: This research study confirms the theory in the literature review on delivery of quality service to customers and premise that there is a statistically significant difference between Eskom service as perceived by rural prepaid household customers and their expectations. This study also highlights the need for Eskom management to take into cognisance the unique rural prepaid customer service needs and how to meet them, perhaps a differentiated service approach rather than a one-strategy-fits-all approach. This is in view of gaps created between expectations and perceptions of service, especially in the reliability dimension that could require a concentrated or changed performance approach to close them.