published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Thesis (MTech (Human Resource Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The successful implementation of any integrated talent management approach is important when embarking on succession planning to mitigate the risk of institutional knowledge being lost or for that matter, the loss of staff with critical and scarce skills occupying key positions. The integrated talent management approach is intended to manage, develop and retain skilled and experienced personnel identified as successors who should be ready to occupy targeted key positions in the event the current incumbents vacated due to retirement or through voluntary or involuntary exit from the municipality at any stage during the employee life cycle. The successful management of successors to key positions during the employee life cycle is highly dependent on the effective management of the succession planning process and system. The metropolitan municipality at the focus of this study has not delivered on a successfully implemented succession planning process and system to support the management and retention of staff and institutional knowledge in key critical and scarce skills and leadership positions. The aim of this study is to investigate and confirm the need for the integration of succession planning practices in an integrated talent management approach. This study applied a multidisciplinary theoretical review of current literature within the fields of talent management, public management, organisational psychology and business survey research at national and international levels. The selection of only one municipality supports a case study design in that it allows for an analysis of specific circumstances and a situation as experienced with regard to succession planning in a local government municipality. The researcher explored a triangulation mixed methods research approach and in such an instance, qualitative and a quantitative research are completed at the same time with equal weighting and with the idea of bringing the results of the two types of research together to validate the research questions posed. The qualitative research approach involved unstructured (in-depth) interviews conducted with eight Devolved Human Resources Managers (DHRM’s) responsible for HR Management within the municipality’s functional areas / departments. A survey technique in the format of a self-administered questionnaire was also used as a quantitative research approach to draw input from a sample group. The researcher, in consultation with a statistician, selected non-probability sampling. The questionnaire provided quantitative data to reflect the view of managerial, as well as non-managerial staff. The quantitative data collected was analysed using suitable descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The qualitative data was recorded through unstructured interviews. The quantitative data was data integration correlated with the qualitative data. The results of the quantitative research were analysed and key factors identified for further interpretation. The results of the qualitative research were described with key themes emerging. The outcomes of both research approaches were consolidated and a linkage with the research objectives established in a tabulated format. New results emerged, confirming the integration of the outcomes by using the mixed method methodology. Congruent and non-congruent data across the qualitative and quantitative dimensions were identified.

No description available.

This master thesis investigates the public servants’ motives for switching their employment from the private to the public sector and for having a tendency to work in the public organization. It also focuses on factors they describe as job satisfaction and the challenges they have encountered after transitioning to the public-sector employment. The framework of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs and Herzberg’s two factor theories provide an explanation for the reasons why public employees switched sectors and their perception on factors they perceived as motivation and challenges after switching into a new workplace in a new sector. A qualitative study was conducted, using semi-structured interviews to collect data from 8 respondents who are currently working for the government. All of them used to work in the private sector and later moved into the public sector. The study reveals a number of distinctive motives for them to make a sector switch. These include secure employment and pension, less workload and work-related stress, family inspiration, pride in the public sector job, career advancement, and making positive impacts to the community. The findings also identify a number of challenges faced by these sector switchers such as low wage and moonlighting, complicated hierarchy and bureaucratic structures, ineffective leadership and other management issues within the public office. The knowledge and information on these challenges have the implications for certain stakeholders, including recent graduates, employees, politicians, leaders at public institutions, and especially policy makers. Policy makers and/or politicians should consider creating employment policies that entice talented individuals to work for the government and enhance the working conditions for new civil servants. The study also has the potential to pave the way for the prospective recent graduates and employees, giving them sufficient information on which to base their choice of employment, either in private sector or for the government.

M. Tech. (Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of presenteeism on job satisfaction and organisational commitment among government employees within the Cacadu district. Research on presenteeism has been conducted and the majority of research on presenteeism has predominantly focused on its prevalence, determinants and economic effects, in the process neglecting important attitudinal results. Sickness presenteeism may signify physical presence and mental absence and can be associated with affective-motivational states such as job satisfaction and organisational commitment. The research methodology used to conduct the study is a combination of a literature review and an empirical study. A quantitative research paradigm and a descriptive research method were used to investigate a sample size of 220 employees within government departments in the Cacadu district. In order to minimise the study bias, simple random sampling was used to ensure that the sample accurately reflects the larger population (N=1025). Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire. The instrument was piloted with 40 respondents and the instrument was hand delivered to all the participants. The results of the correlation analysis indicated that there is a moderate relationship between presenteeism and job satisfaction and a moderate relationship between presenteeism and organisational commitment. Regression analysis showed mixed results among presenteeism, job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Findings and recommendations of this study are significant to employees as they provide essential information regarding the influence and impact of presenteeism within the working environment and how these affect the performance of employees in delivering quality service within the Cacadu district. Given that there is presently little available research on the attitudinal consequences of sickness presenteeism and also non-work related presenteeism, these findings offer further opportunity for conducting research in the area.

Thesis (MPA (Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African (SA) government is experiencing problems with regard to its service delivery mandate in public institutions. These problems have resulted from a number of factors, such as SA’s history of unequal distribution of resources; the introduction of remedial legislations and programmes when the new government took office in 1994; incorrect implementation of these legislations and programmes with the accompanying departure of skilled managers accompanied by the influx of new and inexperienced managers. Deliberate interventions were introduced to address this service delivery problem however, many public institutions remain unsuccessful in fulfilling their mandate to service delivery. In this study, the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) is used as a case study to learn more about the effect of corporate governance in addressing service delivery problems in public institutions. As a government entity, the GEPF experienced some service delivery problems with regard to its mandate. Like any other public entity in SA, the GEPF is governed by all legislative provisions governing public entities and is equally affected by challenges such as scarcity of resources (financial; equipment and skills). The objectives of the study is to identify major principles and techniques related to corporatisation as an approach to management practice; to identify major challenges encountered by GEPF prior to corporatisation; and to analyse the deployment of corporate arrangements in the conduct of the GEPF in relation to these techniques and principles. The basis of this research is a thorough literature study and interviews with managers of the GEPF. The major finding of this study is that the GEPF has entrusted basic duties and responsibilities affecting its mandate to employer institutions (EIs). These basic yet sensitive functions have been left arbitrarily to EIs, hence the GEPF is unable to execute its duties in its benefits administration in line with its vision. Other findings include internal processes are incorrectly applied, thus hampering effective and efficient benefits administration; there is lack of, or limited use of a performance management system; there is an inability to deal with predictable problems; and the organisation of resources does not support the vision of the GEPF. Achievements in terms of the corporatisation process to improve performance were noted. The enrolment of the services of consultants to assist the GEPF to improve its performance led to the following: approval of the organisational structure that supports the GEPF’s vision; empowerment of managers in terms of skills capacity; conversion of contract workers to permanent; and taking an aggressive approach to performance and risk management. It is therefore concluded that although challenges still exist, the GEPF has embarked on a systematic process to rid itself of the challenges it faces. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse Owerheidsektor ervaar tans probleme ten opsigte van sy diensleweringsmandaat. Die probleme met swak dienslewering kan toegeskryf word aan faktore soos Suid-Afrika se geskiedenis van wat betref die onbillike verdeling van hulpbronne, die daarstel van ʼn nuwe regering in 1994 wat gelei het tot regstellende wetgewing en programme, die onoordeelkundige implementering van hierdie nuwe wetgewing en programme, en die gepaardgaande verlies van bekwame bestuurders en die aanstelling van nuwe en onervare bestuurders. Ten spyte van doelbewuste ingrypings om die diensleweringprobleem aan te spreek, bly owerheidsinstellings steeds in gebreke om aan hul diensleweringsmandaat te voldoen. Die Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) is as ʼn gevallestudie gebruik om die effek van korporatiewe bestuur op die hantering van diensleweringsprobleme in owerheidsinstellings te bepaal. Die GEPF as ʼn owerheidsinstelling ervaar ook probleme wat sy mandaat van dienslewering betref. In vergelyking met ander owerheidsinstellings ervaar die GEPF soortgelyke uitdagings ten opsigte van hulpbronverdeling (op finansiële vlak, en wat toerusting en vaardighede betref). Die doelwit van die studie is om die hoofbeginsels en -tegnieke verbonde aan korporatisering as ʼn bestuursbeleid te identifiseer, om die hoofuitdagings vir die GEPF voor intervensie op ʼn objektiewe en onbetrokke wyse te identifiseer, en om die tegnieke en beginsels aangewend sedert die implementering van die intervensie te analiseer. Hierdie studie is op ʼn deeglike literatuurstudie en die voer van onderhoude met bestuurslede van die GEPF geskoei. Die vernaamste bevinding van die studie is dat die GEPF sy basiese verpligtinge en verantwoordelikhede rakende sy mandaat aan die werkgewersinstellings toevertrou. Die basiese, dog sensitiewe funksies wat arbitrêr aan die werkgewer oorgelaat word, kniehalter die GEPF om sy administratiewe pligte volgens sy visie uit te voer. Ander bevindings sluit in dat interne prosesse op ʼn ondoeltreffende manier toegepas word, wat dan doeltreffende administrasie kortwiek. Dit sluit in die gebrek of beperkte gebruik van ʼn prestasiebestuurstelsel, die onbevoegdheid om ooglopende probleme te identifiseer en beperkte hulpbronne, wat nie die visie ondersteun nie. Die aanwending van korporatiewe prosesse om dienslewering te verbeter blyk suksesvol te wees. Die aanstelling van konsultante om behulpsaam te wees met dienslewering het gelei tot die goedkeuring van ʼn organisatoriese struktuur wat die visie van die GEPF ondersteun, die bemagtiging van bestuurders omdat hul vaardigheid verbeter is, die aanstelling van kontrakwerkers in permanente poste en ʼn aggressiewe benadering tot prestasie- en risikobestuur. Die gevolgtrekking is dat alhoewel daar nog uitdagings bestaan, die GEPF ʼn sistematiese proses onderneem het om die uitdagings te oorkom.

This dissertation explores the impact of the state public sector legal environment as a determinant of the governance content of faculty collective bargaining agreements. Using content analysis, the legal environment and contractual content are reduced to quantities that may be explored through the lens of population ecology. Legal environment is determined to have a significant impact on the development of contractual content and individual factors of governance and statutory form are identified. Specifically, the statutory scope language and reservation of management rights are seen as the primary environmental forces determining policy and rule issues in contractual content. Further, the relevant temporal element for an ecological model appears to be the tenure of public sector bargaining in each state. National affiliation, institutional type and other temporal variables do not have a significant impact on governance language. Implications and directions for further research are discussed.

No abstract available.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration