A new business world is emerging, which every organisation must appreciate and know how to exploit. The concepts of strategy do not need to be rewritten, but must be adapted to this new era. Utilisation of the Internet and human capital to its fullest is transforming the way that business is conducted in achieving its objectives. The key to an organisation’s competitive advantage, is to invest in training, skills enhancement and the personal development of its staff. A requirement of the National Ports Authority is to be committed to basic adult education and preparing employees for re-skilling from the shop floor to the boardroom to ensure it is seen as an equal opportunity employer. The research problem addressed in this study was to determine the factors necessary to achieve strategic advantage using human capital. Relevant literature was used to develop a new model to address some of the issues facing the organisation, as well as ensuring that the National Ports Authority can leverage itself into a competitive advantage. To manage and measure knowledge-based resources is one of the most important challenges for a modern company. This challenge is incorporated in the new model developed by the study. The theoretical model consisted of various factors, which were analysed and formed into principles which were identifiable from the literature study. This model was then used to compile a questionnaire to test the responsiveness of the role players concurring. The empirical results analysed indicated that the respondents concurred with the theoretical study and factors of the new model that was developed.

From Preface: Although Alfred Marshall's definition of economics has been criticised for its allegedly narrow conception of the subject, it is sometimes overlooked that he considered the study of wealth but one side of the matter. To Marshall, the other and "more important" side of economics was that it also forms "a part of the study of man". The basic thought which underlies the present study is a similar one, namely, that economics is not only concerned with goods and service, but also with men and human action. It is spatially confined to an analysis of the human resources in a region consisting of 21 magisterial districts in the Eastern Cape Province, which cover an area of 72, 462 square kilometres, collectively described here as the Cape Midlands.

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantees the right of education to all citizens of the country. The Eastern Cape Department of Education went a step further by adopting a vision to ensure quality public education that will result in the positive transformation of all schools. Education is therefore a very important part of the life of any society and needs to be protected at all costs. It is therefore important that all obstacles in the way of providing quality public education be removed. It is no secret that the Eastern Cape Department of Education has had a number of battles with some of its social partners. These battles have negatively impacted on the education system. This Department also received the largest slice of the taxpayers’ money. It is time to take serious steps to halt the waste of time and resources. It is against this background that this study wanted to consider policies, procedures and practices that generated tension between the management and labour in the Eastern Cape Department of Education. It is my belief that if tension between the different social partners can be reduced, we would have gone a long way in achieving the vision of the Department of Education. The research methodology that was followed for this study comprised the following: • Literature was reviewed that dealt with labour relations and human resources. • A questionnaire was designed to collect information from the different participants. • The information in the questionnaire was incorporated into the main study where findings were identified and recommendations were formulated.

A descriptive research with quantitative approach examined human capital in Non-profit organisations with three objectives: to ascertain the qualifications and skills essential in the non-profit sector; to determine if Non-profit organisations provide training and education support for its workforce and to describe formal education level of NPO workforce in South Africa. The study population were employees of Non-Profit organisation (NPO’s) operating in Cape Town. In order to evaluate human capital, workforce level of education of the non-profit organisations in South Africa, significant to addressing most Non-profit organisations challenges in recent time, a survey has been conducted among the South Africa non-profits, identified on the basis of the simple random sampling. 300 questionnaires were sent out, and 147 valid responses received. Empirical results from the selected civil society organisation seem to suggest and concluded that Non-profit organisations workforce are educated up to Honours degree level on average. However, that education may not be priority for the workforce, rather passion for the job and that satisfactory human capital management reduces turnover, in order word attract and enable retention of productive workforce for non-profit organisation effectiveness.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management specialising in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation Johannesburg, 2017 / Existing literature indicates a positive relationship between human capital and entrepreneurial capital. This has been a dominant supported view for ages. Among other scholars, Unger, et al. (2011); Davidson and Honig (2003); still uphold the view that human capital influence entrepreneurial success to a certain magnitude. However, contemporary studies argue that although the relationship has been demonstrated for decades, some assumptions to the perception should be questioned as the world evolves over time. Unger (2011); Martin, et al. (2013), and more other scholars identify the modification of the traditional assumptions. In terms of these scholars, uncertainty remains over the magnitude of this relationship and the circumstances under which human capital is more or less strongly associated with entrepreneurial success. Consideration of fragmentation in today's study with regard to conceptualization of human capital, the choice of success indicators, the context of study provide some critical challenges to the traditional perception of consistent relationships. All these aspects provide some open gaps to be filled by research. Oostebreek, et al. (2010) sees a questionable relationship between human capital factors and entrepreneurial success, which in terms of Unger, et al. (2011) give rise for the consideration of a moderator approach to study the effects of human capital on business success in order to efficiently determine whether the stated relationships exist or not. Resourced-Based Theory (RBT) was used as theoretical framework to this study. Three main constructs and five sub-constructs have been used to formulate the conceptual model from which three hypotheses were developed and tested. Empirical studies was conducted among selected informal traders in Limpopo Province – focusing in three districts. 257 unregistered small business owners were potential respondents. A quantitative methodology was employed to collect and analyse data through survey research design. The Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) along with AMOS 23, SPSS were used as descriptive statistical tools to test the validity of the hypotheses. Both theoretical and applied implications will assist the knowledge-base of researches. Policymakers will also find the implications useful in industrial policymaking. This study provides recommendations which may assist further research and other related enquiries of academic nature. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management specialising in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation. Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (March 2017) / Innovation is one of the core and key characteristics of entrepreneurship, which stimulates operational and financial success of a firm. Innovation is ambidextrous in nature, characterised by exploration and exploitation. This report is concerned with exploitative innovation, which is characterised by new; products, services, and processes. This Research Report investigates how human capital investments (years of schooling and years of work experience of telecoms firms’ senior managers and executives) relate to innovation performance. This paper uses the human capital theory and the resource base theory to understand the perceived impact of human capital investments on performance and also its perceived moderation effect on the nexus between innovation and performance. Research findings from 81 senior management and executives of four major telecoms firms in South Africa indicate that innovation has a perceived direct impact on the perceived success of the firm. However, a counterintuitive relationship of human capital investments with performance is observed. Furthermore, human capital investments have a counterintuitive moderating effect on the nexus between innovation and performance. Therefore, this research report discusses human capital variable configurations that are more likely to have a perceived impact on a telecoms firm performance, and human capital variable configuration that are likely to have a moderating effect on the nexus between innovation and performance. / MT2017

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Commerce in Business Science from the School of Economics and Business Sciences. Johannesburg South Africa / Increasing competition in industries has made it necessary for established companies to regenerate themselves and renew their ability to compete. This is the goal of Corporate Entrepreneurship (CE) activities, which involve extending the firm‟s domain of competence and corresponding opportunity set, through internally and externally resources. Recently, CE has evoked interest not only from academics, but also from business practitioners and policy makers. This interest stems from the recognition of the advantage that can be gained from corporate entrepreneurship activities (Entebang, Mansor, & Puah, (2006). The prominence of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in the economy continues to grow. Their assets have been growing steadily since 2011 while SOEs play a critical role in the economic pursuit of advancing economic growth and developmental objectives of the country (Brown, 2014). This dissertation assesses the impact of forms of capital on corporate entrepreneurship in State Owned Enterprises in South Africa. The focus is on three forms of entrepreneurial capital which are; (1) economic capital, (2) human capital, and (3) social capital. Each form of capital is critical and has been discussed in the literature in order to orientate its utility in relation to entrepreneurship. The study was carried out in three major SOEs, which are administered by the Department of Public Enterprises. The study was based on quantitative measures using a self-administrated questionnaire. It was found that some forms of capital have a significant impact on a company‟s entrepreneurial activities. For instance, it was found that forms of entrepreneurial capital have significant influence on corporate entrepreneurship because they contributed positive toward the growth of the business. This study considered the nature or the quality of the company‟s workforce by means of employee human capital. Therefore, of all the managerial processes that can affect the pursuit of corporate entrepreneurial outcomes, Human capital is considered as one of the more vital. Furthermore, the recent loan guarantees from government to SOEs such as Eskom and South African Airways are a practical indication on the level of importance Economic capital is on corporate entrepreneurial activities. On Social capital and Corporate Entrepreneurship, Foil (1995) argued that it is the access to a diverse set of firm resources that significantly enhances corporate entrepreneurship activities, which points to the importance of Social capital at multiple levels within the organisations in pursuing corporate entrepreneurship. However, more research is required to investigate further how forms of capital impact established company‟s entrepreneurial activities. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management specialising in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, 2016 / Despite the significant role that SMMEs play in the growth of developed and developing economies, they are often plagued by various constraints. Access to finance is considered as one of the major constraints that exist within businesses and is also a consequence of other issues which create an impediment towards the success of SMMEs which compromises the growth of any given economy. The pervasive issue on the lack of access to finance tends to be greater for informal businesses as opposed to formal businesses due to various aspects, such as the entrepreneurial attributes that informal business owner-managers have, which are indeed found to be lacking, consequently leading to circumstances where banks reject loan applications made by these businesses, suppliers reject any request of trade credits made by the owner-managers operating these businesses and potential investors find these businesses to be less attractive when investing for future returns. This study has examined certain determinant factors that are embedded within the theory of entrepreneurship which are perceived to be some of the factors which in essence are considered as success drivers for the growth of all forms of businesses. More importantly, these factors have been closely analysed in the context of informal businesses with regard to whether they prove to be important factors to soliciting finance which is considered a crucial resource for the growth of informal SMMEs. In examining the perceived importance of each of these factors in relation with access to finance, as well as the perceived importance of finance in leading to growth of informal SMMEs, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed across 385 informal business owner-managers in the Gauteng province. Given that the nature of the study was quantitative, descriptive and inferential statistics were performed on the data. Various statistical methods, such as correlation analyses and multiple regressions, were employed to test the proposed hypotheses associated with the relationship of social capital, and human capital to the access to finance, and access to finance on growth. The findings reflected that social capital and human capital are important factors to accessing finance. Furthermore, access to finance is an important factor in the growth of SMMEs in the informal sector. The study contributes towards addressing the existing gap in the knowledge base regarding the determinants of financial access for SMMEs. It also contributes towards providing direction to policy makers involved in enterprise development to reach out to informal business ownermanagers by providing training to these entrepreneurs so as to improve their social and human capital and grow their businesses to graduate into the formal sector as their contribution is needed to grow the South African economy / GR2018

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.B.A)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietemaritzburg, 2005.

The brain-drain phenomenon was first reported in the 1960s in India, where skilled professionals were voluntarily leaving India to settle abroad in western countries. Thereafter, most developing countries have reported witnessing brain-drain in some form or the other. In South Mrica, with the advent of the post-apartheid government, the country saw a drastic change in its social fabric. The brain-drain phenomenon has gathered momentum since, and with every passing year, more and more people continue to emigrate from the country. With skill distribution already highly skewed to the emigrating white minority, the problem of emigration attains more serious proportions as more and more white South Mricans contemplate leaving their motherland. Owing to grey emigration it is very difficult to report the exact number of skilled South Mricans that have emigrated to Australia, UK, Western Europe, and the US, however, the best estimates indicate the number to be around 233 000. While many brand these emigrants as being 'unpatriotic', the phenomenon of emigration may be occurring because of valid reasons. While many whites may claim that with a non-white government in power, their and their country's future well-being could be in jeopardy and hence the desire to emigrate, such claims may not be baseless after all. Recent studies have shown that the rate of crime and violence are increasing, and that many of the emigrants have sighted concerns of safety as their primary reason for leaving. And it should be borne in mind that the phenomenon, which is perceived to be a 'white-only' phenomenon, has lost ground as many Asians and Africans have shown an equal desire to leave, predominantly due to concerns of personal safety. Studies, newspaper reports, and magazine articles, have shown that the country is losing valuable skills in the Information Technology sector, Finance and Banking sector and in the Medical Field. These three sectors play a vital role in the development of any developing economy and loss of valuable skills in these sectors evoke serious concerns. This skill loss, while a worrisome factor, stands to be compounded if more and more highly qualified professionals actually emigrate. The study on the emigration of Masters of Business Administration (MBA) students is scant and, knowing their demand in the market and the contributions that they make to the country's economy, their loss could well seal the fate of this country. MBA students contribute to a country's economy in several ways. Firstly, they are seen as the future business leaders of the country. Through knowledge gained in their business schools (Bschools), MBAs not only manage departments but are also known to lead organisations into a better future. They contribute to their respective organisations by streamlining work flow, ensuring that productivity per person is always on the up, surveying the market to introduce products that will improve the prospects of the company and thereby, bring about growth. In the process, they create jobs that aid in the betterment of the economy. Secondly, they are involved in exports of their products to countries that demand their goods, thereby bringing in the much-needed foreign exchange. Furthermore, when foreign countries decide to set up operations locally, they rely on the skills and talents of the MBAs to spearhead operations. Needless to mention, as these foreign companies grow they again create much-needed jobs that benefit the economy. MBAs also train fresh graduates to obtain the required exposure and experience as one day these very graduates will be spearheading their own projects. Many corporate heads are also assisting the government in developing the economic and commercial policies of the country. Many MBAs, entrepreneurial in nature, venture into business themselves. This entrepreneurial flair has added to the development of many small and medium enterprises. Today's fast-paced business environment and breakthrough technological developments have necessitated greater reliance on the MBA to make critical decisions that impact upon the future of the organisation and the lives of many employees. The MBAs of today are needed to be visionaries and to lead by example. They are entrusted with the onerous task of being agents of change, to be able to see the changing business horizons and make proper investments in skills, technology and other requirements for the benefit and survival of the organisation. Indeed it may seem a daunting task, but then the salaries they receive commensurate the requirements of the job. The contribution they make is invaluable and definitely their loss can have serious ramifications for the country. The purpose of this dissertation is to study the emigration phenomenon vis-a-vis the MBA students. Looking at a sample of MBAs that is representative of the Kwa-Zulu Natal MBA programmes, this research looks into ascertaining the emigration potential of MBA students. Furthering to that, the research probes into the management orientation and leadership orientation of these emigrants. The underlying assumption is that if the potential MBA emigrant has management orientation, then the loss for the country is not all that much, as compared to the potential emigrant having a leadership orientation. This is argued by the fact that it is much easier to take a mind and train it to run a department, as most managers do, than tryiIlcg to create a mind to lead. While it is still disputed whether leadership can totally be taught, one indisputable fact is that there are aspects that can be taught and those that cannot be taught. While one can be taught interpersonal skills, communications skills and other skills, there are certain traits intrinsic to leadership that just cannot be taught, e.g. risk taking, judgement and challenging the status quo. Some have even gone to state that leadership is a life-long learning process, and most leaders have had a difficult childhood that has led to their need to prove something to the world. It is for this reason that many authors have written that leaders are 'twice born.' Anyhow, the point is that, it is easier to teach someone to manage a department than it is to teach someone to run an organisation. The third part of the research looks at the view-point of the MBA students towards their institution's orientation, i.e. are their business schools preparing them to be managers or are they being prepared to be leaders. After all, if the business community needs leaders to take over the helm of companies, and if the need of the hour is students who can work under intense pressure trying to tie decision-making with the fast-paced technological developments, the ever increasing pace of competition and the intensity with which globalisation is affecting domestic markets, then the business schools need to produce that calibre ofMBA graduates. If the students feel that their business schools have only equipped them with managerial know-how, then these very business schools are being negligent in producing leaders and need to gear their faculties and curricula towards a greater leadershiporientation. This research will indicate whether the country needs to worry about the future of their corporations being in good hands, and whether emigration is really going to sap the remaining skills that the country's business sector needs desperately. It will also reveal if there is a leadership gap in the market that business schools need to address, i.e. a demand for MBAs with leadership orientation and an under-supply of such students coming out of the current business schools. This research could be an eye-opener for business schools to realise that they are falling short in providing quality products to the market. Gone are the days of yore when the market was forced to buy what organisations produced. In today's world, the choice empowered consumer (the business community at large) will seek the desired product of their choice (MBAs that are qualified with the required skills and competencies) and if they are unable to obtain it from the current suppliers (the recognised business schools they currently depend on), they will have no option but to look elsewhere. This could well be taken as a warning sign for business schools that if the very organisations that allow select business schools to have top rankings in the country, were to take away their support and start recognising and recruiting from other, at the moment, lesser recognised B-schools, the fate of the current Bschools could well be sealed. After all history is fraught with examples, and it is a well known fact that has received much attention from consultants, business school professors and management gurus, that if external change outpaces internal change, then only one future awaits such organisations, 'doom'! / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.