Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current effects of globalisation are requiring of leaders to deal with many changes in the workplace, including a globally changing, diverse workforce. The question that this research report aims to address is what does it require of a leader to be successful in the business environment today and what characteristics or behaviours would such a leader display? It is argued that although the context of leadership has and will continue to change, the fundamentals of leadership have essentially remained the same (Kouzes and Pousner, 2002:xviii). A comprehensive study of literature in the field of leadership will reveal the views of various writers on this subject, namely what constitutes effective leadership. Five leadership theories, which in the researcher's opinion give a balanced overview of the various theories, are discussed in more detail and later on used to evaluate the leadership characteristics and style of one of the very successful leaders in South Africa, the current CEO of Sanlam, Dr. Johan van Zyl. The combination of these five theories focuses on leadership characteristics, leadership behaviours, different leadership styles and the relational aspect of leadership, that is the interaction between the leader and his followers. These five theories include the situational leadership theory, servant leadership, transformational leadership, the theory of level five leadership and emotional intelligence. A broad overview of Sanlam's history focusing on the company's transformation in recent years and its contribution to broad based empowerment are also discussed, providing the background and context to discuss the leadership provided by Johan van Zyl in recent years. The fourth chapter of this report provides an analysis of primary data collected through questionnaires sent to senior executives of Sanlam as well as through an interview with Van Zyl. The final chapter contains conclusions from the research results, namely the leadership characteristics and style of Van Zyl and his leadership approach as compared to the various theories studied. The researcher is of the opinion that valuable lessons are to be extracted from examining Van Zyl's leadership characteristics and style and that these could be applied to modern business practice. The research results showed that Van Zyl has characteristics of most of the leadership theories investigated in this study including characteristics of the situational leader, transformational leader, level five leader and that of an emotionally intelligent leader and that this is standing him in good stead for the transformation and strategic repositioning of Sanlam. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige gevolge van 'n globaliserende wereld vereis van leiers om voortdurende veranderinge in die werksplek te bestuur, insluitende 'n globaal veranderende, diverse werkspan. Die vraag wat hierdie navorsingsprojek pobeer beantwoord is wat vereis dit van 'n leier om suksesvol te wees in die besigheidswereld vandag en watter leierseienskappe en gedrag sal so n leier betoon? Dit word beweer dat alhoewel die konteks van leierskap verander het en voortdurend sal verander, het die fundamentele begrip van leierskap dieselfde gebly. 'n Omvattende literatuurstudie in die veld van leierskap sal die standpunte van verskillende skrywers in die vakgebied daarstel om vas te stel wat, volgens die teorie, effektiewe leierskap behels. Vyf leierskap teoriee, wat in die navorser se opinie 'n geredelike oorsig gee van die verskeie leierskapsteoriee, word in groter diepte beskryf en later gebruik as die grondslag waarop 'n baie suksesvolle leier in Suid-Afrika, huidige uitvoerende beampte van Sanlam, Dr. Johan van Zyl se leierskap eienskappe en styl ge-evalueer word. Die kombinasie van die vyf teoriee fokus op leierseienskappe, gedrag, leierskapstyle, en die verhoudingsaspek van leierskap, byvoorbeeld die interaksie tussen die leier en navolgers. Die vyf teoriee sluit die situasionele leierskapteorie, dienende leierskap ('servant leadership'), transformasionele leierskap, vlak vyf leierskap en die teorie van emosionele intelligensie in. 'n Bree oorsig van Sanlam se geskiedenis wat fokus op die maatskappy se transformasie die afgelope paar jaar en bydrae tot breed gebaseerde swart ekonomiese bemagtiging ('broad based black economic empowerment') word ook bespreek en dien as die agtergrond en konteks om Dr. Johan van Zyl se leierskap te evalueer. In Hoofstuk Vier word 'n analise van primere data gedoen. Die data is ingesamel deur vraelyste wat voltooi is deur senior bestuurders van Sanlam asook deur 'n onderhoud met Van Zyl. Die finale hoofstuk beval afleidings i.v.m die leierskapseienskappe en -styl van Van Zyl en sy leierskapsbenadering soos vergelyk met die teoretiese benadering bestudeer. Die navorser is van die opinie dat belangrike lesse geleer kan word vanaf die studie van Van Zyl se leierskaps eienskappe en -styl en dat dit toegepas sal kan word as moderne besigheids beginsels vir leiers. Die bevindinge van die studie het getoon dat Van Zyl eienskappe van die meeste van die leierskapsteoriee wat bestudeer is in die studie betoon. Dit sluit eienskappe in van n situasionele leier, 'n transformasionele leier, n vlak vyf leier en 'n emosionele intelligente leier. Hierdie bevindinge word onderskraag deur die literatuur oor leierskap en die navorser is van die opinie dat hierdie eienskappe hom in n goeie posisie plaas vir die transformasie en strategiese herposisionering van Sanlam.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University. 2012. / Strategic planning has become part of higher education institutes (HEIs) in the late 1990s. Even though several authors disagree on the merit of strategic planning in HEIs, the challenge is to use planning well and wisely. The need for strategic planning exist due to a constantly changing environment, e.g. an increased demand for tertiary education, a decline in government funding and the changing demographics of students. In this research report, a strategic plan for the Department of Genetics at Stellenbosch University was formulated. Following a literature review of strategic planning in higher education, a contextual overview of the institute is conveyed and subsequent analyses of the internal and external environments. The research design included engagement with all relevant stakeholders (staff members, students in the department and the Dean and faculty manager of the Faculty of AgriSciences). The department also serves students in the Faculty of Science and secondary data was obtained from both faculties for analyses. Five strategic themes were identified for the department. These themes contribute to the sustainable growth of the department as well as the overall strategic direction of the institute. The strategic themes were prioritized for implementation to commence in 2013. The key to successful execution of the strategic plan in the department is related to strong leadership, inclusion of all staff members and students and by encouraging creativity and innovation. The identified strategic themes also aims to alleviate, in part, some of the challenges faced by the South African government in higher education and, if successful execution occurs, will prove to serve the society as a whole.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / In an environment characterised by dwindling resources and citizens’ expectations relentlessly increasing, public sector organisations face many challenges to improve service delivery. This is further exacerbated by the failing confidence and public trust that result from leaders not leading with values. Recent research has illustrated that the importance of good leadership across the public sector is critical for building effective countries. Additionally, research has also shown that public sector organisations embracing value-driven cultures are able to achieve far greater performance and overcome some of the current challenges in the environment. The purpose of this research study was therefore to gain insight into the relationship between value-based leadership and organisational performance. The study was conducted within the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport and considered the importance of values to senior managers, how value congruency was achieved and how this related to the achievement of organisational performance. A detailed study of the literature in the field of leadership, values and organisational performance has provided various researchers’ opinions on these subjects, namely how values affects organisation performance. Information was obtained from the various documents available within the broader public sector. The target population for this research included the Head of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) and his senior managers. The fourth chapter of this assignment discusses the results obtained from the primary data collected through the questionnaires sent to senior executives as well as the interviews conducted with the head of department (HOD) and senior managers of DCAS. The conclusions from the research results are discussed in Chapter 5. The findings of this study will contribute significantly to better inform public policy practitioners, departments and leadership on the role of value-based leadership and how it could greatly enhance performance within organisations. The study concluded that the senior managers of DCAS attribute great importance to values and could illustrate this through living these values. The research also revealed that leadership places great emphasis on implementing a detailed strategy to achieve value congruency within the organisation. Finally, the research concluded that DCAS is a value-based organisation and as a result infuses core values into all activities of employees, thereby resulting in the excellence they have achieved as a public sector organisation.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / On t.p.: Doctor of Philosophy in Education Policy Studies. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation I critically explore educational leadership and management practices in relation to how current school principals lead and manage schools in a democratic society. The aim of this study is to explore to what extent school leaders and managers are transformative in their approach to deepening democracy in schools. In order to contextualise my understanding, I choose to tell my story. Therefore, I give a narrative account of my personal career experience as a teacher, and specifically as a school principal. I argue that educational leaders and managers continue to think and act according to traditional notions of leading and managing school practices. I contend that educational leadership and management practices ought to change in order for schools to transform into institutions implementing democratic practices in a more thoroughgoing way. I argue that current understandings of leadership and management in schools seem to be embedded in positivist tendencies that undermine transformative practices in schools and that positivist leadership and management engender thin forms of democratic school practices. I show how positivist theories of educational leadership and management connect with indefensible forms of leading and managing, namely skewed authority, gender discrimination and exclusion of cultural diversity. I contend that school leadership and management practices ought to be reconceptualised in relation to a framework of democratic citizenship education. Cultivating democratic citizenship education with reference to the seminal thoughts of Jürgen Habermas, Seyla Benhabib and Iris Marion Young will hopefully strengthen my argument for social justice, renewal and redress in school practices. These theorists have shaped the thinking and actions of educational leaders and managers to provide a critical understanding of transformative educational leadership and management practices in schools. Such ideas conceptualise a critical understanding of deliberative leadership and management practices as constructs for deepening democracy in schools. It is within this context that the dissertation explores a pathway towards deepening democracy in schools through a deliberative leadership and management approach. Such an approach has the potential to cultivate communicative democratic moments in educational leadership and management practices through engaging the voices of “others”. For deliberative leadership and management practice to manifest itself, I propose that conditions ought to be established whereby the democratic rights of “others” as incorporated voices in classroom pedagogy, school management and school governance engender deeper citizenship through the inclusion of these “other” previously marginalised voices. By embracing the voices of “others”, the potential is created to move towards deepening democratic leadership and management practices which can possibly engender “schools of hope” for the future. Keywords: Educational leadership, educational management, positivist, critical, citizenship, deliberative democracy, communicative democracy / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif is ʼn kritiese ondersoek na skoolhoofde se onderwysleierskap en -bestuurspraktyke in die huidige demokratiese bestel. Die doel van die studie is om die mate van transformatiewe integrasie van demokrasie onder skoolleiers en -bestuurders te verken. Ek het besluit om my eie storie te vertel, dus gee ek ʼn verhalende verslag van my loopbaan as ʼn onderwyser, en spesifiek as ʼn skoolhoof. Ek beweer dat leiers en bestuurders in die onderwys nog steeds die tradisionele opvattings oor skoolleierskap en bestuur huldig, en dat hierdie opvattings hulle denke en optrede rig. Ek voer aan dat onderwysleierskap en bestuurspraktyke verander moet word sodat skole tot dieper, demokratiese praktyke kan transformeer. Ek argumenteer voorts dat dit voorkom asof huidige begrippe van leierskap en bestuur in skole in positivistiese tendense vasgelê is wat transformatiewe praktyke in skole ondermyn en dat positivistiese leierskap en bestuur “dun” vorme van demokratiese skoolpraktyke voortbring. Ek toon aan hoe positivistiese teorieë van onderwysleierskap en -bestuur verband hou met onverdedigbare wyses van lei en bestuur, naamlik verwronge gesag, genderdiskriminasie en die uitsluiting van diverse kulture. Ek voer aan dat onderwysleierskap en -bestuurspraktyke geherkonseptualiseer behoort te word binne ʼn raamwerk van demokratiese burgerskapsopvoeding. Die ontwikkeling van demokratiese burgerskapsopvoeding wat onder meer voortspruit uit die seminale denke van Jürgen Habermas, Seyla Benhabib en Iris Marion Young, versterk my betoog vir sosiale geregtigheid, vernuwing en herstel binne die skoolpraktyke. Hierdie teoretici vorm die denke en optrede van leiers en bestuurders in die onderwys as deurslaggewende begrippe van transformatiewe onderwysleierskap en bestuurspraktyke in skole. Sulke idees konseptualiseer ʼn deurslaggewende begrip van oorlegplegende leierskap en bestuurspraktyke as konstrukte vir grondliggende integrasie van demokrasie in skole. Binne hierdie konteks ondersoek die proefskrif ʼn werkwyse vir ʼn grondliggende integrasie van demokrasie in skole deur oorlegplegende leierskap en bestuur. So ʼn benadering het die potensiaal om kommunikatiewe demokratiese momente in onderwysleierskap en -bestuurspraktyke aan te moedig deur na die stemme van die “ander” te luister. Ek stel voor dat, ten einde demokratiese leierskap- en bestuurspraktyke te vestig, toestande geskep moet word waardeur die demokratiese regte van die “ander”, wat voorheen gemarginaliseer was, in klaskamerpedagogie en skoolbestuur ingesluit moet word om “dieper” burgerskap te verseker. Met ander woorde, deur na die stemme van die “ander” te luister, word die potensiaal geskep om verdiepende demokratiese leierskap en bestuurspraktyke aan te moedig sodat “skole met hoop” tot stand gebring kan word. Trefwoorde: Onderwysleierskap, onderwysbestuur, positivisties, kritiese, burgerskap, oorlegplegende demokrasie

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There are many new developments in education taking place specifically in the field of schooling. Some of these developments - school based management, OBE curriculum developments and the devolution of control to the school level have brought with it many significant policy changes. Many educational leaders are struggling to keep abreast with these transformational changes that are confronting them with regard to leadership and management of education, and educational structures within the school. Therefore, visionary leadership is an essential ingredient in understanding the democratic changes and restructuring taking place at present. Many principals at schools are struggling with the changes, while possibly not fully understanding the political, social and economic dynamics of these changes. This assignment seeks to establish the need for visionary leadership in order to meet the challenges and constraints educational leaders face in their attempts to effect transformation in South Africa. I strongly identify with the democratic principles used to overcome the challenges and constraints to redress education in South African schools. Interviews were conducted and data was constructed with principals of six different schools in the East London area. The educational leaders interviewed, ranged from primary to high school principals giving a vast expanse of expertise as leaders within a specific school community. This assignment is based on the assumption that there is scope for educational leaders to bring about greater change and transformation in schools. There are many ways to visualise an effective school landscape based on a combination of personal, organisational and professional strategies. This assignment can be considered a contribution in this regard. KEY WORDS: Educational leaders, transformation and visionary leadership / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is baie nuwe verwikkelinge wat plaasvind in die onderwys veralop die gebied van skole. Baie van hierdie verwikkelinge, onder andere, skoolgebaseerde bestuur, kurrikulumontwikkeling en die oordrag van gesag op skoolvlak het baie nuwe, aanpasbare opvoedkundige beleide en veranderings verwesenlik. Baie opvoedkundige leiers worstelom aan te pas by hierdie veranderinge. Hierdie veranderinge vereis dat leiers en bestuurders in die onderwysomgewing en strukture binne skoolverband om meer responsief op te tree. Visionêre leierskap is 'n belangrike vereiste om die demokratiese veranderinge en herstrukturering van skole te bevorder. Baie skoolhoofde worstel met hierdie veranderinge, omdat hulle nie heeltemal besef wat van die politieke, sosiale en ekonomiese uitdagings wat verandering bied, verwag word nie. Hierdie taak poog om die noodsaaklikheid vir visionêre leierskap en die vereistes en beperkinge wat onderwysleiers konfronteer in hulle benadering om transformasie in Suid-Afrikaanse skole te bewerkstellig, te ondersoek. Onderhoude was onderneem en data was gekonstrueer met skoolhoofde van ses verskillende skole in die Oos-London-omgewing. Die onderhoude met die onderwysleiers het plaasgevind by primêre- sowel as hoërskole. 'n Omvattende uitbreiding van wysheid en vaardigheid as leiers binne 'n spesifike skool omgewing was geopenbaar. Hierdie taak is gebaseer op die aaname dat daar ruimte is vir onderwysleiers om beter transformasie in skole aan te bring. Daar is baie maniere om visuele, effektiewe skole se terrein, gebaseer op 'n kombinasie van persoonlike, organisitoriese en professionele strategieë, te verwesenlik. Hierdie taak kan beskou word as 'n definitiewe bydrae in hierdie verband. KERNBEGRIPPE: Onderwysleiers, transformasie en visionêre leierskap.

In 2003, Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) introduced policies on performance management in an endeavour to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools. With these policies, schools are supposed to be constantly audited, monitored, and supported by district officials. Within district offices, there are unit supervisors who are responsible to manage PMDS to inculcate a performance culture. This performance culture is subsequently cascaded down to schools to yield quality matric results and yet this remains to be seen. Furthermore, the study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of supervisors and officials on the PMDS management within districts. With an interpretive paradigm, the researcher was able to analyse data from interviews and questionnaires. The study revealed that PMDS is generally acknowledged and positively perceived albeit with significant challenges to its implementation in the GDE districts. / Educational Leadership and Management / M.Ed. (Education Management )

This report draws on the findings from data gathered for a mini dissertation. The research investigates the role, importance and effectiveness of the Accounting HoD as an instructional leader in contributing towards learner performance. Data has emerged from questionnaires, interviews and discussions with principals, educators, some senior learners and from the HoDs themselves. Much of the literature points to the school principal as the focus of this leadership style but this study regards the HoD/middle manager/curriculum leader as being well suited to implement instructional leadership and sees this position as one where it could potentially have the greatest impact on learning and teaching. The Head of Department (HoD) as the middle manager should have a vision that is underpinned by an aspiration to strive for academic excellence within a particular subject area as well as considering the holistic development of learners. This vision should be transparent to the learners, parents, educators and management. Accordingly, if the EMS HoD envisions his/her role as that of an instructional leader, the teacher of Accounting should have the necessary support to make learning successful and ultimately learner performance should improve. Since the revision and restructuring of the Accounting curriculum in South Africa the demands on teaching this curriculum have been higher than ever before and have impacted negatively on learner performance. Many teachers across the country have not been successful in facing up to those challenges and yet the need for expertise in this area in South Africa has never been greater. Hence the potential importance the researcher sees for this study at this time. The two schools investigated were selected for the very similar socioeconomic profile of their learners, while displaying a wide discrepancy in the pass marks they achieve in matric. Both had HoDs of Accounting who were qualified in the subject but the HoD of the successful school was considerably better qualified than the HoD in the unsuccessful school. Thus as far as possible the only distinguishing factors in the schools selected were the quality of leadership of the Accounting department and the knowledge levels of their HoDs. As anticipated from the literature, the findings confirm the key significance of each of these factors.

The purpose of this study was to to investigate the impact of leadership practices on service quality in private higher education in South Africa as a source of competitive advantage. Higher education institutions and, more specifically, private higher education institutions, have faced increasing pressure on many fronts in recent years. These pressures include increased competition, lack of support from key constituencies, an increase in the size and diversity of the student population, dealing with changing technology, increased calls for accountability, a higher demand for quality by all the stakeholders involved, more responsibility for research and teaching and greater emphasis on efficient and effective management. The literature review for this study suggested that leadership impacts positively on quality and, equally important, on service quality. The academic leaders at these institutions have a tremendous influence on the quality of the education provided and the service rendered to the growing number of students. Using a quantitative methodology and a cross-sectional survey research design, this study was conducted on five campuses of a prominent private higher education provider across South Africa using two survey instruments. The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) questionnaire was utilised to conduct the leadership survey while the SERVQUAL instrument was applied in the service quality survey. The campus principals of the five campuses and some of their selected subordinates completed the LPI survey. The SERVQUAL questionnaires were completed by 984 students from the five campuses. Correlation analysis was the major statistical tool used to analyse the data. The findings of the study indicated a strong positive linear correlation between the leadership practices of principals and service quality to students at these institutions. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

xii, 99 leaves / This study is concerned with the secondary school female principals in Kone-Kwena Cluster. It is undertaken to establish the challenges and success experienced by these female principals as they lead and manage secondary schools. The study also sought for the strategies on how to enhance their leadership and management roles. The researcher reviewed the existing literature on female leadership and management roles. The data were collected by means of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Interviews were conducted with ten (10) female principals and questionnaires were administered to forty (40) teachers who were selected from the staff members of these principals. Quantitative data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Qualitative data analysis was done thematically through organising it by separating it into a few workable units which were coded, described, categorised, and then developed into a pattern. Data collected was triangulated to seek convergence and corroboration of the results from the two methods. The findings were presented in rich descriptions, which also included anecdotes from participants. The key findings revealed an increase in the number of female principals in Kone-Kwena Cluster but there is still underrepresentation of female principals. The number of female principals is less than half of the male principals. The underrepresentation is revealed that it is due to female teachers’ reluctance to take up leadership positions, as was evidenced by their lower qualifications. Challenges such as lack of confidence, role conflict, stereotypes, negative teacher attitudes, lack of organisational support, and lack of succession plan, induction and mentoring programs for new principals were also revealed in the study as major contributory factors. The study revealed that female teachers’ participation in promotional positions can be enhanced by offering institutional support to female teachers, mentoring and further training and development.

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2005 / Refer to the document