This thesis is based on research aimed to develop and test a systematic framework to describe and analyse dysfunctions in underperforming schools in South Africa, the Explanatory Model of School Dysfunctions. The theoretical foundation of the model was created by synthesising the literature from various disciplines and conceptualising dysfunctions in relation to their antecedents, motivations, and consequences. The model was then applied and refined on three different data sets. The three data sets included data from principals, teachers, and learners. The principal data consisted of 80 essays written by principals or their representatives, the teacher data of 40 essays from teachers in the Gauteng area, and the learner data of 1,500 open-ended responses from recent high school graduates in South Africa. Content Configuration Analysis explored how school dysfunctions varied in degree, kind, and interconnectedness. Four groups of dysfunctions were identified: dysfunctions relating to rules and rule breaking, issues of competence, resources, and issues extrinsic to the school context. After application and refinement, the Explanatory Model of School Dysfunctions was found to be a suitable model to account for the problem sets experienced by these three actor groups. The goal of this model is to provide a theory-based approach to analyse dysfunctions within schools and to invite researchers to explore these and other problems within this framework. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Degree allta.rded with distinction on l June 199;. A research report submitted to the Faculty of Business . Administrat!on, Unfvet'sity of the ~1fitweJtersrand,Johannesburg in partial ffJffffinent of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management. 1992 / Trust is considered by some managementE!:xperts to be a -":'1 'ii critical element· in organisational ;relat,iori!ships. This factor is especially important in South A~rica where organisational rela·tionships are often mistrust * There has ,.;~~~(ill~;lelirtytle empirical rese\t~=Chcord'ired ~~ this topic. /[lhe literature reviewed p1\\pposed'!th) flt the '0 'v. ? ~\\ managerial benaviours .and a;ttitudes that. b~.ild subdic~tinate II. ,!': \ __ _ _,', _\'" _ _ __ -. ·'~\.F ,.',.: t,rus.t are those that relate 't\') the. managers.' ownleyt~l"of •.•. I' ~\ integri ty. 'l'he~e was almost no l~t~~rature ~railable '\hat }\ • . l' Ii,. ~ examinedthe .behaviours and attitu:~e, tihat; destroy trl.l~~. .. II·· 1 Ii -. The aim of the st.udy , t}'lerefore, ~~s to develop guidelines for managex:sby explo:ring the element of trust in the :-~\~" ma,nager-subordinate relationship •. It endeavoured to ident.ify Which managerial behaviours and att.itudes build \'.. t:, ,_~.) and which ones destroy subordinate trttst. It also distingu.ished differences in ,the perception and experience of subordinate 'trust between four identified jc;-h grade levels and three Sites. The ::esearch was conducted within three diverse manUfacturing sites of one company. The dana,was collected by means of the NominalGroupTechnique, which elicited a .. \~ broad set:. of v\?-e,'lS f~om employees within ~, disciplined '\1\ \J :'_;,\~ '. \'~ ;; , ~\" -, n \' /. ,_," . ,\ \i r: \i The" +e'search ~in~.fl!gs differed significantly from the \ Hte),,,ture reV:L!"i.\ The ll\anageria~ "peha,fiours th"t b~Ud \ sUbor<:\inate tru~t ",,",'those t)¥l.tJJempower the ,subordinate to ~.\ develop a.nCt grow. as ,~fell .,as reduce their dependency upon;;,\ _~" lj ')' ' \~" , ,,'\, (j t toanagers. i' WhereasI \'the :manage:es'·OlM lack of personal \ ,~il1tegl;'ity destroys sU~!.)ordinatet:rust.. Thus, managemenil •r\'1\tYle .. 'has .more. 0impa,c.~•o~~ destroying S.Ubordina~e trust than I\W. has on bUilcling',;it\:e,n WaS i~"ntU~ed that, tp,st ·1 \P~.ildin9 and :trust d~S.'·.tr~.;_ ..ng behaViou~sf. are not. rJ..arised. \ ~\\. .' '5; " t\ ',".... '\. .> \ \ " f! \ .' '\ ' \ ~.\ '\1 ',' . \\ . •r. ..~.I'. \, '\., • ' , ;i A\"raralJ_<\l'. be~we"n trus~\ buHd!.ng \~d';oUv~tion was ,'i id\~~tified., in th~t both ~f~)rOaCheSqsat\;Lsfy suborclinates t " \1 ne~p:s.. Tru7t IN'as\~iscovel1e~ ,to )lave a r~\c;:iprocq;.l i'lspe,ct t'b 1/1 :Lt.'\ ~rti's" cit" b~ bllilt \!\,:.~OU,g-che:rtao~n.'~t.ru~~ bU. il.d.tng 'I' \,." \\ !\ " \\ ~': ", " !. ,:\ '\ P'i] J.p .••e. h~~:iours.l ho'(Vevet;"the~e ~.;•lrlaviou:cs Wi~~ ,~o:wbJ: ef:Ee¢.clve \" \\ . \ \: II ...• i " III Mt"'!l" tru$t i~,,\ al'\7,:aclYp,;"'ie~t in the r!l>lationsl)j,'_', . " JI c IThe scope (If th~~stttdy t'las J~~ploratO:CYtand 'as such II ,// opened up many areas for fur:ther research. ili. 11i\ structure~ , \) nas o c o " ;_,)

A research report submitted to the Department of Social Work, School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Occupational Social Work, 2016 / The primary purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of occupational stress among social workers employed by the Department of Social Development in Mpumalanga Province, Ehlanzeni District. Mpumalanga Province is predominantly rural and the assumption is that work-related challenges for social workers in rural areas are different from urban areas. There are theoretical basis suggesting that people view and respond to stress differently thus their coping strategies even in identical situations are different. The study has therefore focused on the experiences of occupational stress among social workers, the contributory factors that led to occupational stress, the impact of occupational stress, the social workers’ coping strategies with occupational stress; and the availability and effectiveness of organisational support offered to employees experiencing occupational stress as perceived by social workers. The research used both qualitative and quantitative methods. The researcher utilised a questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions, together with the Work-Related Quality of Life scale consisting of closed questions that measured work stress, administered to 40 social workers employed at Ehlanzeni District offices. One year’s working experience as a social worker in the Department of Social Development was a qualifying criterion in the study. Thematic content analysis and descriptive statistical analysis were used to analyse data. The findings of the study suggested that unsatisfactory salaries, working conditions, high workload, lack of recognition and a lack of support were the main stressors for social workers in this study. The research concluded with recommendations that will hopefully assist in improving the quality of work-life of the sound workers and facilitate a balanced understanding between the employees and the employer. / GR2017

Thesis (MTech. degree in Architecture: Professional)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2012. / The aim of this thesis is to design a Disaster Prevention Centre for the platinum mining sector which will save lives and aid in the South African Department of Mineral and Resources' campaign towards "zero fatalities" within the mining industry. The facility is intended to be a prototype for the preventative training of platinum miners around the world by examining past, present and predicted future mining incidents and using this information to create a safe simulated learning environment or mock-up scenario of possible mining hazards.

Occupational health is concerned with health in its relation to work and the working environment. This study was undertaken to present an overview of occupational health in South Africa, with national and international perspectives on the discipline, in the light of : (a) the recent commissions of enquiry into aspects of occupational health in South Africa (b) the development of the national and self-governing states (c) new strategies by the authorities in the form of decentralization and deregulation. Information on the health profile of its workers, current legislative and service provisions and on policies for economic development and urbanization is vital for health administrators, occupational health and safety practitioners and policy makers. Data was collected through the use of literature surveys and postal questionnaires to the various interested persons and groups involved with occupational health. The findings reveal that (a) an inadequate occupational health policy exists in that the responsibilities of government(s), employers, workers and health professionals are not defined (b) there is an absence of an organizational and service framework for an occupational health system in South Africa although the morbidity and mortality data are significant (with their concomitant economic and social consequences) (c) there is a lack of financial and human resources for the practice of occupational health in South Africa. Recommendations are made taking into account the developed and developing components of South Africa. / Thesis (M.Med.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1987.

This thesis is based on research aimed to develop and test a systematic framework to describe and analyse dysfunctions in underperforming schools in South Africa, the Explanatory Model of School Dysfunctions. The theoretical foundation of the model was created by synthesising the literature from various disciplines and conceptualising dysfunctions in relation to their antecedents, motivations, and consequences. The model was then applied and refined on three different data sets. The three data sets included data from principals, teachers, and learners. The principal data consisted of 80 essays written by principals or their representatives, the teacher data of 40 essays from teachers in the Gauteng area, and the learner data of 1,500 open-ended responses from recent high school graduates in South Africa. Content Configuration Analysis explored how school dysfunctions varied in degree, kind, and interconnectedness. Four groups of dysfunctions were identified: dysfunctions relating to rules and rule breaking, issues of competence, resources, and issues extrinsic to the school context. After application and refinement, the Explanatory Model of School Dysfunctions was found to be a suitable model to account for the problem sets experienced by these three actor groups. The goal of this model is to provide a theory-based approach to analyse dysfunctions within schools and to invite researchers to explore these and other problems within this framework. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

South African labour laws have undergone tremendous amendments before and after independence. This paper focuses on the development after independence, therefore section 34 of the Constitution of 1996, provisions of the Labour Relations Act of 1995 and other laws which deal with labour matters and regulate the labour relations and disputes in the country will be considered. The labour laws in South Africa provide inter alia for the dispute resolution mechanisms, the manner on which disputes should be handled by different organs which are empowered to do so. My focus will be to see how alternative disputes resolution processes of conciliation and arbitration in the Eastern Cape Province aim to transform the South African and global labour market by promoting an integrated simple, quick but efficient and inexpensive dispute settlement services in order to reduce the back log of cases, maintain labour peace, promote democracy at workplace with the view of advancing economic and social justice.

The thesis examines the Namibian labour dispute resolution system by undertaking a comparative analysis of South African and international labour standards. It describes the legal provisions that exist for the effective and efficient resolution of labour disputes through an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system, which is given recognition in national labour legislation, and in a number of international labour standards and regional labour instruments. It argues for the provision of a proactive and expeditious dispute resolution system that helps to resolve labour disputes in the most effective and efficient manner, without necessarily having to resort to the courts. The study examines the provisions of relevant international labour standards on labour dispute resolution to ascertain their adequacy as part frameworks that apply to Namibia and South Africa’s obligation to provide ADR systems that respond to the needs of the labour relations community. It is argued that ratifying particular ILO conventions creates obligations to comply with their provisions, and to apply them in national legislation and in practice. It is further argued that by having ratified those international labour standards that provide for ADR, Namibia assumes specific obligations under international law, enjoining the country to provide the required ADR system of conciliation and arbitration, which is credible and trusted by disputants and the general public. A comparative approach is adopted, which relies on primary and secondary sources of data, thereby undertaking an in-depth content analysis. The focus of the comparison is on whether the South African ADR system can inform Namibia’s application of its newly adopted ADR system. South Africa has a labour dispute resolution system that has influenced Namibian labour law, prompting Namibia to borrow its ADR system from South Africa’s advanced Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). In this sense, it is submitted that there are fundamental similarities and differences in the two respective systems. Ideally, disputes should be resolved at conciliation level, resulting in the minority of disputes being referred to arbitration or the Labour Court. In terms of implementation, it is argued that despite the international obligation and commitment to provide and make available free and expeditious ADR services, there are gaps that exist between the legal framework regulating the ADR system and the application thereof in practice, making the attainment of effective and efficient labour dispute resolution difficult. Disputes should be resolved as quickly and informally as possible, with little or no procedural technicalities, and without allowing them to drag on indefinitely, offering immediate solutions instead. This is far from the reality of the situation. In contrast, the study found that although the Labour Act, 2007 and the South African Labour Relations Act (LRA) have brought statutory dispute resolution within the reach of the ordinary worker, these Acts may have compounded the problems relating to dispute resolution in the respective countries. The statutes in question have created sophisticated systems of dispute resolution in which most role players are seen as failing to operate as a result of the complex and technical processes of dealing with disputes. For this reason, the author proposes several remedial interventions that look to the future and the continued provision of fast, effective and user-friendly ADR services. Solving these problems and making effective and efficient labour dispute resolution a reality calls for renewed commitment from government and social partners and investment in appropriate human and financial resources. This requires a strong political will as well as concerted efforts from all role players in the labour relations community in the two respective countries.

The restructuring of the South African higher education system ranges widely across mergers and incorporations, the creation of new institutional forms, regional-level programme collaboration and rationalisation. The Council on Higher Education (CHE) calls for greater productivity and more cost-effective deployment of resources. Such changes need to be managed effectively in order for staff and managers to adapt and find new ways to operate effectively within the changing environment and to maintain job satisfaction. The aim of this study was to critically evaluate job satisfaction levels during the transitional period of merger in the case of Walter Sisulu University (WSU), as organisational excellence can be achieved when employees experience job satisfaction. The research method employed to gather data was that of quantitative design. The sample consisted of academics and non-academics of WSU employees from the former Border Technikon, Eastern Cape Technikon and University of Transkei. The instrument used to collect data was a modified version of the 1977 Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). Of the 130 respondents 69 were academics and 61 non-academics. Key findings of the study indicated that there are more factors that contribute to job dissatisfaction compared to those factors that contribute to job satisfaction dimension. The results also indicated that the majority of respondents were dissatisfied with most of the job satisfaction factors. The paper recommends that, during a transitional period, human capital issues should be accorded the proper attention and should be addressed early in order to maintain high staff morale (job satisfaction). This will create a smooth transition during which employees will feel valued and experience job satisfaction. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

This research is based on the problem of allocating indirect overheads to construction projects in order to establish the performance of each project. Traditional costing (TC) systems and Activity-Based Costing (ABC) systems are both used for the allocation of overheads. Both primary and secondary data were used in this research. Primary data was collected by means of two questionnaires, one addressed to construction companies and the other to consultants. The sample of respondents was obtained from the register of contractors and construction industry companies. The researcher sent the links to the Lime survey by email to all respondents. The purpose of the literature review was to identify gaps and justify the need for this research. It considered existing findings by previous researchers. Primary data was therefore required to find answers specific to the problem of overheads allocation in the construction industry. According to the respondents, the use of TC systems produces distorted project cost results while ABC produces more accurate results when used in the construction industry. However, contractors had not adopted the ABC system but used TC systems despite their producing distorted project costs. It is recommended that both TC and ABC systems be used in the construction industry since they complement each other. Contractors may have to adopt the ABC system to enhance their decision-making while continuing to use the TC systems for external reporting. / Management Accounting / M. Com. (Accounting)