After centuries of oppression, the majority of South Africans were anxious to experience the democratic values of justice, equality, liberty, democracy and peace that were embedded in the 1994 constitution. In order to redress the inequities and imbalances of the apartheid era., former National Education Minister, Professor Sibusiso Bengu declared the Revised Norms and Standards for teacher education as national policy shortly after the Government of National Unity took office in 1994. New political dispensations in response to the pronouncement of the White Paper in 1995 meant that the National Ministry of Education faced insurmountable challenges of transforming education and training. The teacher Rationalisation and Redeployment (R&R) policy was formulated to address issues of inequities and imbalances that have riddled the pre-democratic South African Education system. The rationalisation and redeployment process was intended to facilitate the transformation of education and training under a single Department of Education (DoE). The Department had to ensure that all schools, especially the rural schools that were previously disadvantaged under the apartheid regime had an adequate supply of qualified teachers. It must be noted that the rural communities have suffered the most, and still suffer the consequences of the oppressive ideologies that were embedded in education polices during the apartheid era. An implementation of the rationalisation and redeployment policy meant that schools that were operating over the teacher / pupil ratio of 1: 38 in secondary schools and 1: 40 in primary schools had to be rationaJised and the 'excess' teachers had to be redeployed to previously disadvantaged schools that needed their services. A successful implementation of the R&R policy objectives would have translated into redressing the imbalances and inequities of South African education under the apartheid regime. I argue in this study that the media played a dual role of 'moulder' and 'mirror' in representing the R&R phenomenon in KwaZulu-Natal. How did the media manage to do this? The media basically rooted itself either within the consensus paradigm or the conflict paradigm. Within the consensus paradigm, the media played the role of moulder of mass perception in which dominant ideologies that support the status quo is reflected. Within this paradigm, public discourse is hindered because of the deliberate use of top-down, non-interactive language. By this I mean, that the media does not promote discourse at grassroots level. However, when the media chose to root itself within the conflict paradigm, it played the role of 'mirror' in representing significant events as the rationalisation and redeployment process unfolded itself. Within the conflict paradigm, the critical and reflexive voice of the 'man in the street' is heard and public discourse is promoted. This study explores how four local media products, The Daily News, Mercury, Natal Witness and Post represented the rationalisation and redeployment phenomenon in KZN for the period November 1998 - March 1999. This is a qualitative study, which has also eclectically drawn on quantitative data. Data relating to the intentions of the R&R policy was obtained and analysed from The National Teachers Audit (1995), and the Education Policy Unit (EPU), March 1997 review. The data relating to the objectives and implementation procedures of the R&R policy was obtained and analysed from the original Rationalisation and Redeployment document, HRM 51/98. The sample of the media products was selected on race representavity in KZN. The statistical data was obtained and analysed from the AMPS 2000A. The representative texts were obtained and analysed from the Independent Newspapers Microfish. These documents provided me with in-depth data to examine and triangulate the R&R phenomenon from multi-dimensional perspectives. The data was subject to firstly, a linguistic level of analysis, in which the meanings of the, words, the sentence construction and the signs signalling hidden agendas, silences and gaps were used as tools to deconstruct the media texts. Secondly, the data was subject to a representational level of analysis where I examined the position of the media as communicator of messages or facilitator of discourse. If the media used interactive language, (language that promoted discourse between various role-players) then the media was identified to adopt the conflict paradigm, where it positioned itself as facilitator and fuelled the battle-lines between the various interest groups. If the media used non-interactive language,( language that did not encourage discourse from grassroots) then the media was identified to adopt the consensus paradigm, where it positioned itself as communicator of ruling class ideology. Furthermore it would use words such as 'we' and 'all' to communicate consensus at policymakers level. Significant findings of this research indicate that during the period before implementation November 1998 to January 1999, the print media foregrounded the objectives of rationalisation and redeployment within the consensus paradigm. Furthermore, the issues of control, democracy, equity, from unions perspective were represented in non-interactive language within the consensus paradigm. Moreover, the objective of transformation was represented in non-interactive language Within the consensus paradigm. For the period during implementation, the objectives of redeployment, which are transformation and equity were represented in non-interactive language within the consensus paradigm. The issues of teacher pupil ratio, women and retrenchments were represented within the conflict paradigm. Issues of resistance to implementation, misinterpretation of official circulars were represented within the conflict paradigm. While the objectives of rationalisation were reinforced, the issues of chaos, challenging authority, social action and resignations were represented within the conflict paradigm. The issue of post provisioning norms formula being miscalculated to bring in 'retrenchments through the back door' was highlighted, while the major issue of unions was represented within the conflict paradigm. The overall findings from the four media products, The Daily News, Natal Mercury, Natal Witness and Post indicated that while the Daily News and Mercury initially attempted to coerce the readership to accept the noble objectives of the R&R policy, both these newspapers shifted their paradigm from consensus to conflict when they realised that this policy was met with tremendous resistance because it was almost not pragmatic. However, the Natal Witness and Post came across as being anti policy from the outset and rooted itself it the conflict paradigm. In doing so, it fanned the flames of tension and conflict between the various role-players and celebrated victim-hood. The overall conclusion of this study is that it is located within two influential theoretical media paradigms namely, the Structural-Functionalism Consensus Paradigm and the Political-Economic Conflict Paradigm, as explicated by Hiebert et al (1991: 36), that the main choices of 'theories of media and society are between conflict and consensus', where the media is portrayed either as 'moulder' or 'mirror' of society. This study concurs with the above media theories because the discourses emanating from the four local media products could easily be identified within the consensus paradigm or conflict paradigm. This research indicates that the discourses were controversial, conflicting, volatile and bias in their representation as the recent media studies conducted by the Glasgow and the Birmingham research indicates, as quoted by Fowler (1994: 10), that 'all news is biased'. Nevertheless, as a witness to the rationalisation and redeployment phenomenon in KZN for the period November 1998- March 1999, I partially disagree with the Newsom Report (1963) 'that media texts do not replicate or mirror reality', because the media did present itself as the voice of the voiceless during the period of implementation of the R&R policy. Finally, the media texts were not about the truth value of their assertions, but how the media forged relationships between the various role-players and framed each one in relation to the other, creating an atmosphere of tension and conflict, promoting the discourse, and thereby fuelling the battle-lines between the role-players. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2001.

Thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2003.

Thesis. 1976. M.S.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Alfred P. Sloan School of Management. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Dewey. / Bibliography: leaf 307. / by Richard J. Jackson, Marshall L. Heard, and Charles D. Smith. / M.S.

This study focuses on the impact of unemployment in rural areas at Kwa- Nxamalala. The study shows how the people of Kwa-Nxamalala survive since most of them are unemployed. According to the finding of the study, unemployment rural areas creates lot of problems like, crime deviant behaviour particularly among the youth. Bad relationship particularly between husband and wife. Children are also affected by the situation both from school and at home. Many people in the community are engaged on different activities in order to survive. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.B.A.) -- Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Ponce, 2007. / Digitized and made available on the World Wide Web by Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, 2007.

Procedural justice is applied to layoffs to study the effects of layoffs on survivors. Procedural norms, developed as components of procedural justice, are applied to develop two different layoff procedures, merit and random. The hypotheses come from this application as moderated by the individual's self-perception. Low performers prefer a procedural equality layoff, while high performers demonstrate no clear preference for either layoff procedure. When given the opportunity to choose a layoff procedure, the subjects having control over the layoff procedure to be used were no more satisfied with the process than those who had no control. Performance equity (merit) layoff. Subjects in this condition decreased performance, while the subjects in the other layoff conditions maintained performance levels.

Previously, the Labour Relations Act made it compulsory for the employer to consult on appropriate measures to avoid, minimise and change the timing of dismissals, mitigate the adverse effect of the dismissals, the method for selecting the employees to be dismissed, and severance pay for the dismissed employees. The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (LRA) specifies the steps that must be followed when they consider dismissing employees for reasons based on the operational requirements of their business. The necessary and appropriate steps to be followed for dismissal for operational reasons are contained in Section 189 of the LRA. Before an employer can start the retrenchment process, he/she is required by law to give a written notice inviting the other parties to consult and the employer must be prepared to disclose all relevant information. The new law that governs disclosure states that if an arbitrator or the Labour Court is required to decide whether or not information is relevant to the proposed retrenchments, the onus is on the employer to prove that any information that it refuses to disclose is not relevant for the purpose for which it is sought. It is also provided that if a consulting party makes any representation to the employer in writing, the employer must respond in writing. In terms of Section 189A (19) of the LRA clear guidance is given as to when will a fair reason be granted to dismiss for reasons based on operational requirements. This Section, further suggests that the Labour Court must ascertain that an employee was dismissed for a fair reason if: the dismissal was for requirements based on the employer's economic, technological, structural or similar needs; the dismissal was operationally justifiable on reasonable grounds; there was a proper consideration of other options to save job loses; and criteria used for selecting people for retrenchment were fair and objective. This is a much stricter test for substantive fairness than was previously applied. The aim of this study is to determine whether the retrenchment processes and procedures practiced in the motor manufacturing company in the Eastern Cape are compliant with the legislative framework. The company policy was examined against the literature available and the retrenchment processes of different authors were investigated. For the purpose of this study, the researcher used a structured self-administered questionnaire to collect data from the respondents. The questionnaire was delivered by hand to each respondent and collected later. The questionnaire was carefully designed considering the main components and aspects of dismissal for operational requirements as revealed in the theory. The results of the empirical study revealed that the company conducts fair and proper retrenchment processes and procedures, consults with all the relevant stakeholders, follows the right consulting process when it contemplates dismissing employees for operational requirements, uses fair selection criteria and does not unfairly discriminate against employees based on arbitrary grounds. In respect of disclosure of information, the respondents were aware of what information is shared and disclosed and for what purposes. The findings indicated that the majority of the retrenchment processes and procedures applied in the motor manufacturing company in the Eastern Cape are in line with the best practise and compliant with legislative framework. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that the employer should create awareness and educate employees on the importance of the dimensions related to retrenchment processes and procedures whenever the company embarks on dismissal for operational requirements.

Most microeconomic models of Labor unions take the union's membership size as exogenous, and limit union members' time horizons to a single contract period. Particularly for unions allocating employment by means of a seniority system, and for unions facing stochastic demand for labor conditions, these limitations in current union models lead to unsatisfactory predictions of union behavior. In this thesis, an n-period majority voting model of a monopoly union facing a fixed demand for labor schedule and allocating employment by seniority is developed to show the interdependence between the union's present wage choice, the size of the union's future voter pool and its future wage choices. Union members are assumed to predict the union's future voting behavior, and to account for the consequences of the retirement of senior union members. The optimal contract wage is shown analytically to be not lower than that wage which causes the layoff of twice the number of retiring workers per contract period in each contract period, and not to exceed the wage level at which half of the union's present voter pool would lose its union employment. Computer simulation solutions for various demand conditions suggest that after a potential sharp first-period increase in the contract wage, the union's contract wage path follows its analytically derived lower limit - with each contract, union employment declines by twice the number of retirees per contract period. The time path of union employment is shown to be largely independent of anticipated changes in demand for labor. A similar two-period model is developed for stochastic demand for labor conditions. For some cases, the union's wage choice can be shown to be lower when the consequences of this period's wage choice on next period's voter pool are taken into account. Majority voting instability problems cannot be ruled out for this type of model, and are interpreted as a potential cause for a union-internal political process. These seniority-based models are then compared with models where union employment is allocated by a random draw among union members. With nonstochastic demand for labor, this allows for the analysis of discrete changes in union rules, and yields the principal prediction that the union will eventually replace an employment by random draw rule with employment according to seniority. The economic approach to the analysis of union behavior is assessed critically, and put in some perspective by an informal discussion of other union-internal determinants of union behavior. In conclusion, it is suggested that the formal prediction of an ongoing gradual decline in union employment may be usefully amended by considering potential benefits from union size maintenance and union membership rejuvenation. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a number of variables (relating to the economic environment, firm characteristics, human resource management values and policies, and labor relations values and policies) on the workforce reduction behavior of major United States organizations. Three measures of workforce reduction behavior (probability of permanent workforce reduction, size of the workforce reduction, and the severity of the reduction measures used) were employed in the research. Responses from 378 organizations to a mailed survey were linked with financial data available on Compustat. The results of the study indicated that over 46% of the respondent firms permanently reduced their workforce since January of 1987. For the sample as a whole, the probability of permanent workforce reduction was greater for firms reporting a decline in sales since 1987, for larger firms, for firms characterized by instability, and for firms with a lower commitment to training. For those firms that engaged in a permanent workforce reduction, the size of the workforce reduction and the severity of the reduction measures used were positively related to management instability and negatively related to firm size and commitment to job security. / Ph. D.