Thesis (MCom)–Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Leadership is, without a doubt, one of the most valuable commodities in business. It is no secret that organisations depend greatly on leaders for their success, and that the effectiveness of the organisation is related to the effectiveness of its leaders. Organisations worldwide are continuously searching for the finest leaders to organise and lead their organisation to optimal performance. However, leadership is much more complex than initially meets the eye. A great many researchers have conducted decades of research on the topic and have not yielded irrefutable evidence on leadership. Although research has succeeded in defining different types of leadership and leader influencing, and power tactics, the characteristics, behaviour and situational factors of effective leadership are still under contention. The phenomenal complexity and elusive character of the leadership construct should be considered as a problem whose resolution would greatly enrich our knowledge. For social and organisational psychologists, understanding leadership, its behaviours and processes, forms a fundamental, if not chief element of group and organisational processes. These processes can arguably lead to group, and thus organisational effectiveness. In this study, leadership is explored from the basis of social learning theory and focused specifically on South Africa’s emerging economy. Bandura, the founder of social learning theory, advocates that people learn their behaviour by observing those who are superior and desirable to them, and then imitate their behaviour. According to this theory, leaders have a very direct effect on the behaviour of their subordinates, which enables them to mould employee behaviour by being a good role model. In addition, literature on leadership has corroborated that role modelling is one of the most effective influencers on employee behaviour. This study attempts to uncover which leadership behaviours is conducive to organisational effectiveness. This information can be useful to all other potential or current leaders in the South African economy, and the insights gained from the study can be used as a valuable framework from which they can lead their organisations through their own behaviour. The objective of this research project is thus to come to a deeper understanding of what the critical leadership behaviour in the emerging South African economy looks like. Through acknowledging the complexity of human behaviour and the leadership construct we want to comprehend what behaviour it is that makes leaders successful. Individual, in-depth interviews with a number of South Africa’s most successful business leaders is seemingly the best method of uncovering what these ‘effective leader behaviours’ are. These interviews create an understanding of how successful leaders view leadership and what behaviour they (as the experts on leadership behaviour) deem important. The repertory grid interview technique is utilised in this qualitative study, to uncover how these leaders perceive leadership. This is an attempt at coming closer to understanding what the cunning logic of nature’s design looks like, in terms of effective leader behaviour. This study focuses on South Africa in the current emerging economy, and aims at providing insights into the specific leader behaviour that is conducive to organisational effectiveness. These insights can be used as a starting point from which leaders can cultivate their own behaviour to mould a desired organisational culture, and reach organisational objectives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Leierskap is ongetwyfeld een van die sakewêreld se waardevolste kommoditeite. Dit is algemene kennis dat organisasies baie afhanklik van goeie leierskap vir organisatoriese sukses is. Daar kan ongetwyfeld aangevoer word dat die effektiwiteit van organisasies direk aan die effektiwiteit van sy leiers gekoppel is. Organisasies wêreldwyd is voortdurend op soek na die beste leiers om hul besighede te organiseer, te inspireer en tot optimale prestasie te lei. Leierskap is egter baie meer kompleks as wat dit aanvanklik voorkom. Dekades se navorsing oor leierskap kon tot op hede nog nie onweerlegbare bewyse rakende leierskap lewer nie. Alhoewel navorsing al der duisende verskillende definisies van leierskap, leierskapstipes, beïnvloedingstaktieke en magstaktieke opgelewer het, kon navorsing oor leierskap nog nie daarin slaag om definitiewe leierskapsgedrag, leiereienskappe of situasionele faktore wat aan effektiewe leierskap gekoppel is, te bepaal nie. Die enorme kompleksiteit en ontwykende aard van die leierskapskonstruk behoort vir die besigheidswêreld ‘n probleem te wees waarvan die oplossing baie waardevol sal wees. Bedryfsielkundiges sal veral baie baat vind by die volledige begrip van leierskap en die gedrag en prosesse wat daarmee gepaard gaan, aangesien leierskapsgedrag as ‘n fundamentele, indien nie ‘n kerndeel van groep- en organisatoriese prossesse se sukses, gesien kan word. Deur leierskap beter te verstaan sal organisasies in ‘n beter posisie wees om groep- en organisatoriese effektiwiteit te verbeter. In die studie onder oë is leierskap ondersoek vanuit die raamwerk van sosiale leerteorie soos geproklameer deur Albert Bandura, met ‘n spesifieke fokus op die huidige en ontluikende Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie. Bandura voer aan dat as mense, leer ons gedrag aan deur na ander in hoër en geloofwaardige posisies te kyk, en dan hulle gedrag na te boots. Leiers, volgens hierdie teorie, het ‘n baie direkte en wesenlike invloed op hulle volgelinge, en kan daarom werknemergedrag vorm en beïnvloed deur hulle eie gedrag, deur ‘n goeie rolmodel te wees. Hierbenewens bestaan daar ook ‘n magdom literatuur oor leierskap wat aanvoer dat rolmodellering een van die mees effektiewe beïnvloeders van werknemergedrag is. Hierdie studie het gepoog om spesieke leiergedrag wat gunstig vir organisatoriese effektiwiteit is, te verken. Hierdie kennis kan baie nuttig wees vir enige huidige of potensiële sakeleier in Suid-Afrika, aangesien dit hulle sal voorsien van ‘n waardevolle raamwerk waarvolgens hulle, hul werkspanne en organisasies kan lei deur aandag aan hulle eie gedrag te skenk. Die doelstelling van hierdie studie is dus om ‘n dieper begrip van kritieke leierskapsgedrag in ons ontluikende Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie, te bekom. Deur die kompleksiteit van menslike gedrag en leierskapsgedrag te aanvaar en te waardeer, het die studie probeer verstaan watter gedrag leiers suksesvol maak. Deur individuele in-diepte onderhoude met 12 van Suid-Afrika se mees suksesvolle en bekende leiers te voer, blyk die beste manier te wees om te verstaan wat presies dit is wat hierdie leiers, en ander soortgelyke leiers suksesvol maak. Deur beter te verstaan hoe hierdie suksesvolle leiers leierskap sien, en watter gedrag hulle as bevorderlik beskou, kan ons hopelik nader aan die waarheid kom oor watter gedrag tot organisatoriese effektiwiteit bydra. In hierdie kwalitatiewe studie is daar van die repertoirerooster tegniek (‘repertory grid technique’) gebruik gemaak om agter te kom hoe hierdie leiers leierskap beskou in ‘n poging om nader aan ‘n volle begrip van die ingewikkelde logika van die natuur se ontwerp in terme van leierskapsgedrag te kom. Die studie het gefokus op Suid-Afrika se ontluikende ekonomie, en het gepoog om waardevolle insig te lewer rakende watter leiersgedrag tot organisatoriese effektiwiteit kan bydra. Hierdie insig kan dan gebruik word as ‘n beginpunt en verwysingsraamwerk waarvandaan leiers hulle eie gedrag kan vorm en ontwikkel ten einde ‘n gewensde organisasiekultuur te kweek waarin alle werkemers gunstige en gewensde gedrag kan toon ten einde organisasiedoeltwitte te bereik.

The study focuses on the interface between the democratic governance and traditional leadership in rural development at EmaQadini Tribal Authority. The study tries to explore whether this institutions can or are suitable enough to function collaborate in developing rural communities. A combination of sociological classical theories has been used since they are interrelated. The data from the two communities forming this tribal authority (ward 3 and ward 59) was collected by means of questionnaires and an interview schedule was administered to the two councilors of the wards. The results and findings that, is there any development in these communities at the hands of these institutions are also presented. The main conclusion of the study relates to whether is there any role of traditional leadership in rural development in the new democratic dispensation. The recommendations of the study focus on the connection between the government and traditional leaders in rural development. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

Thesis (M.M. (Public and Development Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits School of Governance, 2016 / Over the past twenty years and even during the apartheid era, South Africa has undergone significant waves of migration and leadership challenges. Migration into South Africa has been, and still is, a result of many different factors that include economic reasons and seeking political refuge. This migration wave has also taken its toll on the country’s leadership skills and strategies as well as the Immigration Department as regards the issuance of legal documents to migrants to be able to stay legally in the country. Leadership is usually revered in Africa, but this places pressure to perform well on the country’s existing leadership in relation to the control of migration and the maintenance of peace within the borders of the country. The study aimed to identify whether the leadership is performing the way it is supposed to perform. Is the leadership performing with character and competence and are they taking responsibility for their actions when dealing with the public as this matter affects the public sector. Statistics South Africa has an estimate of number of the migrants flowing into the country and the Department of Home Affairs does not have an accurate number of the migration flow, due to the daily rapid movement at the border posts. It is known, however, that the number of migrants into the country has increased and continues to increase, and this poses a challenge for the leadership. One of the recommendations that emerged from the findings of the study is that more programmes and workshops should be undertaken to equip the civil servants in the Department of Home Affairs as they are all leaders in various ways and are also representatives of the Department. Their conduct should therefore be professional as they represent the image of South Africa. / XL2018

This study was conducted to investigate and explore a coaching intervention in an organisation that received and implemented systemic coaching for the systemic development of leadership. Although dyadic coaching is widely used by individual leaders in organisations, its impact in enhancing the wider development of systemic leadership is limited. This limitation is largely compounded by the narrow appreciation of the loci of leadership and how leadership is conceptualised, perceived and discharged in organisations. The reductionist approach to leadership development has led to many organisational resources being reserved, directed and used exclusively for the development of the select few. The difference between leader and leadership development is discussed in literature. Leader development refers to the development of an individual leader for his/her personal developmental interests. This individualistic development often occurs outside the context of that leader’s peers, team and organisation. Leadership development refers to a collective development of leaders with the primary purpose of becoming a unified coherent force for the success and sustainability of the organisation Thus, leader development is preoccupied with the improvement of a leader, whereas, leadership development is preoccupied with building collective capabilities. It is a result of the current inadequate and reductionist view of leadership development in organisations that the study seeks to suggest a systemic approach to coaching for the systemic development of leadership in organisations. A qualitative approach was employed as a research methodology, to evaluate systemic coaching implementation in depth. An interview discussion guide was used to engage respondents. Eighteen respondents were invited to participate in the study. The researcher ensured hierarchical representivity, from CEO to general workers, given the interest in the systemic nature of the coaching experienced. This was also to ensure that the study sample was representative of respondents who participated in both dyadic and systemic coaching received at NAC. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and uploaded into Atlas ti.7 software for analysis. Regarding systemic coaching, the findings showed that systemic coaching is more adequate in the systemic development of leadership rather than dyadic coaching. Systemic coaching was found to promote a collective and inclusive development of leadership and focused with optimising performance for the entire organisation rather than just individuals. Systemic coaching benefits were identified as key in enhancing leadership capabilities, in fostering innovation and in transforming organisational cultures. Eighteen areas were identified where systemic coaching can potentially make a difference in organisations. Some of those areas include, employee retention, organisational alignment and innovation. Seven critical factors to be considered when implementing systemic coaching were identified, chief among those being organisational culture and client readiness. Finally, though systemic coaching serves as no panacea to organisational challenges, it was found to be an appropriate tool for systemic leadership development. Hence it is proposed as a method to complement the dyadic coaching approach.

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, 2016 / Although corporate entrepreneurship has been examined extensively and alike the antecedents of corporate entrepreneurship, have become a key interest to researchers. The examination of organisational and cognitive factors that drive corporate entrepreneurship is an area of study still in its infancy. This research report, aimed to bridge this knowledge gap, by evaluating the effect of transformational leadership and entrepreneurial mindset in enhancing levels of corporate entrepreneurship. This cross-sectional, empirical study is composed of 173 independent samples of management employees, taken from within a major African bank, headquartered in South Africa. The research, based on structural equation modelling, demonstrated that an entrepreneurial mindset and transformational leadership is positively related to higher levels of corporate entrepreneurship. Equally, empirical evidence was discovered, using structural equation modelling and regression analytics, that transformational leadership positively influences the behavioural relationship between the entrepreneurial mindset and corporate entrepreneurship. This occurs through the mediation causal relationship of transformational leadership, between both latent variables, and the bidirectional causal effect between transformational leadership and an entrepreneurial mindset. / MT2016

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Business Executive Coaching Johannesburg, 2017 / Executive presence is suggested as critical for the success and efficacy of leaders in the complex and uncertain environment of 21st century organisations. This research study offers a formulation and description of the construct of executive presence and establishes the relevant and impactful aspects of coaching for executive presence; hence the study makes a contribution to the development of a theoretical body of knowledge. Executive presence is an emerging construct and executive coaching is still in a theory building stage (first meta-analysis in 2009). Currently, practitioners in the field of executive presence development and coaching for executive presence are operating in the absence of a solid theoretical foundation, and this may detract from good practice or even impact negatively on the credibility of the coaching profession. Due to the emergent nature of the construct there is a great deal of meaning that needs to emerge; and so a qualitative phenomenological research method is appropriately utilised in this study. Based on the evidence-based literature review and research findings a definition for executive presence is suggested as: a highly influential and embodied leader with the capacity to mobilise and lead organisations (and society) from the emerging future through mindful and projected personal power, and the flexibility and openness to operate across the presence continuum. This study establishes the relevant and impactful aspects of coaching for the development of executive presence. A working definition incorporating the key findings from this research study is: Coaching for executive presence is a business integrated coaching-on-the-axis phased offering for leadership development, incorporating the use of multiple approaches based on sound theoretical and well-understood methodologies and the requirements of the individual and organisational clients, in order to deliver leadership presence capable of leading from the emerging future for the achievement of the organisational vision. The development of executive presence through coaching is significant and of value for leaders, organisations, and specific functions mandated with ensuring the leadership capability for business effectiveness, sustainability, success and growth. The research contributes significant value through its contribution to an evidence-based definition and model for both executive presence and coaching for executive presence. / MT2017

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

It has been twenty years since F W De Klerk unbanned the African National Congress. This momentous occasion changed overnight the business landscape in South Africa and the way business were done for many decades. Before and after this crucial moment in South African history, leaders played a significant role in bringing change about as well as managing it. Whether hierarchical or non-hierarchical, leadership manifests itself through all spheres of civilisation. Within any collective, formal as well as informal leadership are always at work and within the environment there always seems to be an individual that appears to hold equal or more influence and sway over the collective. This research investigates the characteristics and role of this individual, the informal leader. In addition, against the melting pot of the diversity of culture, social structures, economics, and demographics in South Africa, the influence of culture on how leadership is being perceived and experienced is also researched. The research is grounded in a post-positivists approach and conducted within a constructivist-interpretative paradigm. A qualitative approach is followed with personal interviews as the method to collect the data from respondents. The interview protocol consists of a combination of questions containing questions of both a quantitative and qualitative nature. Questions of a qualitative nature were open-ended and of an in-depth nature. The research is two pronged. The focus of the research is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the South African Motor Industry and for the primary goal of the research data was collected from employees within work groups of the OEM. The primary research goal investigates the role and characteristics of informal leaders in work groups as seen and experienced by their fellow employees and if there is any congruence with that of the role and characteristics of formal leaders. The study found no fundamental differences between the characteristics and role of formal and informal leaders. The characteristics and role of leaders between different cultures also appear to be the same. For the secondary research goal – determining whether the role and characteristics of informal leaders in work groups could be underpinned in the principles of Ubuntu and if consideration should be given to any cultural differences between leaders and followers by organisational hierarchies – the literature was reviewed in order to reach a conclusion with regards this goal. The literature indicates that culture does affect leadership, especially on how the leadership is executed and experienced in a multicultural society and if ignored, will have a detrimental effect on effective leadership. In order to strive towards achieving maximum productivity, it is imperative that management in South African organisations be aware of the changed dynamic within their organisations as well as on the global stage. The research therefore ends with the practical implications of informal leaders for organisations in South Africa. It is recommended that the importance and contribution of informal leaders within work groups in a multi-culture organisation needs not only to be considered as an element of group leadership, but should be accommodated by the organisation. It is also recommended that organisations recognise the cultural differences between leaders and followers in organisations and the possible consequences if ignored. If the competitive pressures and requirements of globalisation are ignored against the background of Afrocentric expectations and motivational imperatives of the South African workforce, it will result in an ineffective workforce, which will in due course render these organisations uncompetitive and non-sustainable locally and globally.

School managers currently face major challenges of finding innovative ways to improve the quality of teaching and learning and ultimately student outcomes. This might be because contemporary leadership models promote either requisite curricular expertise or requisite leadership qualities or requisite norms and values which impact notably on teaching and learning. This study examined to which extent School Management Teams (SMT’s) contribute to the quality of teaching and learning when utilizing an integrated leadership approach in primary schools.The extent to which integrated leadership contributes to the quality of teaching and learning is investigated through an exploratory mixed method approach. Case studies in six different schools were conducted through both qualitative and quantitative research methods to obtain data regarding the thirty-six participants’ integrated leadership qualities. Data was gathered through focused group interviews, observations and a questionnaire. The Annual National Assessment results for two consecutive years (2010 and 2011) of grade three and six learners for literacy and numeracy were collected to determine the relationship between integrated leadership and quality teaching and learning and the extent to which integrated leadership impacted on student outcomes.The findings revealed that SMT’s confused integrated leadership with the utilization of qualities from a range of leadership styles each seeking to fit the purpose of an activity, and then claim they are employing an integrated leadership approach. Integrated leadership on the contrary is one leadership model with different qualities and when utilised as a complete package, in a unified manner, has the potential to have a significant impact on the quality of teaching and learning and ultimately student achievement. The findings also indicated that the majority of SMT members are either not utilising integrated leadership or occasionally utilise some of the integrated leadership qualities. This might be one of the main reasons for unsatisfactory academic performance in schools. Integrated leadership thus, when implemented in its totality at all times, possesses all the qualities to have a significant impact on the quality of teaching and learning nationally and internationally.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract