Thesis (M.Hous.M.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-119). Also available in print.

Diversity management is of strategic importance in all organisations throughout the world. Its importance is derived from the belief that workplaces by nature consist of diverse employees, who in one way or another are different in terms of race, gender, religion, or any other difference that may have an impact on the business and its employees. The differences among people need to be managed. This study investigated the influence of diversity management initiatives on business and social outcomes in South African businesses. Literature reviews on diversity management and multicultural education in various parts of the world have revealed an impact on the influence of diversity management initiatives on business and social outcomes. However, existing South African literature on diversity management does not conclusively expose the effects of diversity management on business and social outcomes, hence the need for this study. The study was based on a conceptual framework, which included variables on diversity management initiatives, diversity management models, institutional development theory and business and social outcomes. Hypotheses for the study were also developed and tested. In testing the hypotheses, the empirical data collected was subjected to a series of statistical tests, using STATISTICA version 13. MANOVA tests were conducted to determine the existence of differences among variables and the extent to which the variables differed was measured by means of ANOVA tests. Tukey post hoc tests (Tukey HSD) were used to determine practical significance among variables. The study was also subjected to Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis tests to ascertain the existence of relationships between all diversity management initiatives and business and social outcome factors. The analysis was concluded by conducting an exploratory factor analysis. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to confirm or reduce the number of factors and the number of factors was subsequently reduced. A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient test was also done for the extracted factors, after which a regressions analysis test was conducted to confirm the existence of relationships between the extracted diversity management initiatives factors and business and social outcomes factors. This formed the basis for the development of a proposed diversity management model. The model of the implementation of diversity management initiatives is an important contribution to the study because it shows the different aspects that guide the process of implementation. The model is based on the implementation of a formal diversity management change strategy and programme of action; employment equity plan and strategy; and the recruitment and empowerment of women and people living with disabilities. The study was not without limitations. Challenges with regard to access to respondents were experienced and this was one of the delays in data collection. Another challenge experienced was that the study did not include qualitative research approaches, which could have been used for in-depth responses. The study provides an important milestone for the use of diversity management initiatives in South African companies.

Problem: In South Africa, women have not always had opportunities in society or the workplace due to historical discriminatory political and socio-economic policies and practices, including apartheid (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, 2011). Gender disparity at the top echelons of organisations is still prevalent, and the South African business landscape is not different despite progressive legislation promulgated in the late 90s when the democratic government took over. Aim of the study: The aim was to identify challenges faced by women when attempting to advance into executive positions and strategies that could assist them in this respect. Method: A literature study was conducted to establish what work had already been done in the field of gender studies and advancement of women in the corporate world. For the empirical study an interpretivist paradigm with a qualitative research approach was adopted. Interviews were conducted with ten women who were members of the Port Elizabeth branch of the Businesswomen's Association of South Africa (BWASA) and who were categorised as hopeful, emerging or already in executive positions. They were asked about the challenges they were facing or had experienced and the strategies that assisted or could assist them in advancing to an executive position. They were also asked to provide critical incidents with the view of enriching the data and gaining a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. Results: Gender-insensitive organisational policies, an unsupportive organisational culture and unknown barriers in selection emerged as key challenges experienced by the participants. Facilitative strategies that emerged included a supportive corporate culture, family support, an enabling supervisor and affiliation to professional bodies. Conclusion: Whilst a large pool of work has been done on the advancement of women, gender equality in corporate South Africa remained a challenge. This challenge should be addressed from a corporate, personal and professional perspective. Recommendations: An integrated organisational approach to this phenomenon is required which should include appropriate company policies, a supportive organisational culture and enabling supervisors. In addition, women should garner the support that their families provide and they could greatly benefit from affiliating to professional bodies.

No description available.

The management of health and safety risks in the oil refinery tends to be centred on the collection and simulation of technical data which can then be used to make decisions on the wellbeing of the workforce as well as the refinery installations. While the number crunching in the process is immensely vital, there tends to be a problem of ignoring or, at the very least, side-lining the social-cultural values of the people dealing with health and safety risk assessment processes. The economic driver for the operation of the oil refinery tends to be more important because of the generally huge initial financial outlay, and the eventual high costs of maintenance; hence health and safety risk management should have evidence of ensuring that the installations, as well as the people that work in them, are well catered for. In the Kuwait Gulf Oil Company this problem is more evident in newer installations where lean management processes have been instituted by oil firms so that they can reduce waste in the oil refining process without compromising the occupational health and safety needs of the refinery. Therein lies the initial problem of integrating health and safety risk assessment processes because most approaches concentrate on the technical elements of waste elimination while ignoring the social-cultural factors that impact on the health and safety of the workforce. This is an exploratory piece of research that examines the impact of rational and cognitive decision theories – herein called the psychology of risk – and how they impact on the occupational health and safety systems in the oil and gas refining sector of Kuwait. The research concludes that the application of lean concepts in the oil refining process is noble in itself but it needs to be integrated with the rational and cognitive detection factors that are necessary to incorporate and support the social-cultural tendencies of the workforce. The research recommends a framework for incorporating social-cultural values in the decision making process pertaining to health and safety risk assessment in oil refining process plants. Key Words: occupational health and safety risk assessment; lean management; social-cultural values; rational and cognitive decision making; oil and gas process plants.

No / Trust management in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) has become a significant issue in securing routing protocols to choose reliable and trusted paths. Trust is used to cope with defection problems of nodes and stimulate them to cooperate. However, trust is a highly complex concept because of the subjective nature of trustworthiness, and has several social properties, due to its social origins. In this paper, a friendship-based trust model is proposed for MANETs to secure routing protocol from source to destination, in which multiple social degrees of friendships are introduced to represent the degree of nodes' trustworthiness. The model considers the behaviour of nodes as a human pattern to reflect the complexity of trust subjectivity and different views. More importantly, the model considers the dynamic differentiation of friendship degree over time, and utilises both direct and indirect friendship-based trust information. The model overcomes the limitation of neglecting the social behaviours of nodes when evaluating trustworthiness. The empirical analysis shows the greater robustness and accuracy of the trust model in a dynamic MANET environment.

Yes / In this paper, a stochastic method for active distribution networks planning within a distribution market environment considering multi-configuration of wind turbines is proposed. Multi-configuration multi-scenario market-based optimal power flow is used to maximize the social welfare considering uncertainties related to wind speed and load demand and different operational status of wind turbines (multiple-wind turbine configurations). Scenario-based approach is used to model the abovementioned uncertainties. The method evaluates the impact of multiple-wind turbine configurations and active network management schemes on the amount of wind power that can be injected into the grid, the distribution locational marginal prices throughout the network and on the social welfare. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated with 16-bus UK generic distribution system. It was shown that multi-wind turbine configurations under active network management schemes, including coordinated voltage control and adaptive power factor control, can increase the amount of wind power that can be injected into the grid; therefore, the distribution locational marginal prices reduce throughout the network significantly.

Yes / In this paper, a novel deterministic approach for the planning of active distribution networks within a distribution market environment considering multi-configuration of wind turbines (WTs) and photovoltaic (PV) cells is proposed. Multi-configuration multi-period market-based optimal power flow is utilized for maximizing social welfare taking into account uncertainties associated with wind speed, solar irradiance and load demand as well as different operational status of WTs and PVs. Multi-period scenarios method is exploited to model the aforementioned uncertainties. The proposed approach assesses the effect of multiple-configuration of PVs and WTs on the amount of wind and solar power that can be produced, the distribution locational marginal prices all over the network and on the social welfare. The application of the proposed approach is examined on a 30-bus radial distribution network. / This work was supported in part by the Royal Academy of Engineering Distinguished Visiting Fellowship Grant DVF1617/6/45 and by the University of Bradford, UK under the CCIP grant 66052/000000.

This interpretive research study examines peer leadership in a distributed online MBA community of practice at New States University (NSU pseudonym, based in USA). It explores ways in which faculty members in a global business course, NMBA616 (pseudonym), negotiate relationships, meaning and identity in their efforts to be effective teachers and address their own needs for professional growth and development. The research participants provide insights about community formation and function in a virtual domain where they work together at a distance without meeting face-to-face. The study appears to be a new application of culture code methodology, symbolic interactionism and social learning theory as they conjoin on social, psychological and organizational levels. To my knowledge it is the first study of an MBA virtual community of practice. Research interviews were conducted primarily by distance using web-based technology, teleconferences and email, as well as some face to face discussion. The central questions are: 1) To what extent does a distributed faculty team in an online global business management course constitute a community of practice? 2) What is the nature of faculty relationships in the online global business management course? and 3) What are the leadership issues in a virtual practice setting? Findings reveal that online community practitioners are resourceful in creating peer leadership that is embedded within the group and its relationships. The study is motivated by my personal interests and professional experience, as well as by the quest of online colleagues for ways to assess, support and improve themselves and their practice. Building on personal experience as an online business communications instructor, the thesis presents an example of peer leadership in a virtual global business community of practice and in its completion stands as a case study.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, and Aeronautical Engineering), October 2017 / The research was conducted to investigate the existing cultural factors that influence international projects and whether project teams are aware of these dynamics. The research specifically focused on South African and German project teams. One company from each country was chosen for the investigation; namely Company SA (from South Africa) and Company GER (from Germany); Company SA is Company GER’s subsidiary company. The project teams that were included for data collection were working on the Medupi/Kusile coal-fired, new-build power stations. The commissioning of these power stations is severely delayed. A case study approach was utilised to collect data; and qualitative methods were incorporated. This entailed conducting semi-structured interviews with six managers; two of which were based at Company SA and four at Company GER, respectively; and participant observations at Company SA’s and Company GER’s prefabrication workshops. Cultural factors do exist in international projects and the project-specific ones were summarised for the project relationship between the South Africans and Germans. Furthermore, the management level is mindful of cultural factors; however, their employees are not consciously aware that the reasons for their differences stem from cultural diversities. All managers also were of the opinion that management of cultural factors do affect the successful outcome of projects. Both companies have not provided their employees with a fixed technique or process on how to manage and adapt in projects with variable cultures. Some recommendations were included regarding methods to increase knowledge and manage an international project where there is cultural diversity; including specifics to manage a South African and German project. / CK2018