This study explored the role of School Management Teams (SMTs) in leading and managing school-based teacher professional development. This was a case study of three schools from Mafukuzela-Gandhi circuit in Pinetown district. Participants comprised twelve Principals, Deputy Principal, HODs and teachers who were involved in one-toone interviews (for principals) and focus group interviews (for deputy principals, HODs and teachers). Data were also collected through observations and document analysis. According to the information from participants, school-based teacher professional development is necessary because in schools there are unqualified teachers, inexperienced teachers and teachers who qualified a long time ago. All these categories of educators need to be trained and equipped with skills and knowledge that would enable them to teach effectively and efficiently. Findings show that SMTs hold meetings to identify specific problems facing teachers in schools with the intention to assist teachers to overcome the problems they face, SMTs organise school-based training workshops. The challenges that face SMTs in executing school-based teacher professional development include: non-involvement of teachers in decision-making; incompetence of some SMTs in running the workshops; lack of cooperation from teachers and negative attitudes of some teachers who do not want to change. The study concludes by suggesting a modified model of a professional development design framework that can be utilised to minimise SMTs' challenges in school-based teachers‟ professional development. / Thesis (M. Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo refletir sobre o papel do Apoiador em Saúde no Município de São Bernardo do Campo, descrevendo as experiências vividas por uma apoiadora no período de 2010 a 2016, identificando as potencialidades e dificuldades desta estratégia. Este modelo de apoio instituído no município em 2010, visava o trabalho de forma articulada com as equipes de Estratégia Saúde da Família, atuando tanto no apoio matricial quanto nos processos de trabalho e para fortalecer a integralidade na construção do cuidado em rede, onde o apoiador seria um meio pelo qual os trabalhadores e os serviços de saúde e intersetoriais estabelecessem uma relação de forma horizontal entre os pontos de atenção. Através da pesquisa qualitativa, com uso da narrativa, a autora descreve sua atuação nos espaços coletivos ao qual participava, locais potentes para os apoiadores exercerem seu papel, mas, também, locais de disputas e conflitos. / The current work\'s objective is to show the role of a Health Supporter Agent in the county of São Bernardo do Campo, describing experiences lived by a Health Supporter Agent during the periods of 2010 to 2016, identifying the potentialities and difficulties of the given strategy. This support model introduced in the county in the year of 2010, aims to work in an articulated way with the Family\'s Health Strategy teams, working both on matrix support and also work processes, to strengthen the integrity on building the care net, where the supporter would be a middle point, on which the workers and the health services establish a relationship in a horizontal form between the attention points. Trough qualitative research, using the narrative, the author describes her performance in the collective spaces to which she participated, powerful places for the supporters to play their role, but also, places of disputes and conflicts.

No abstract available / Teacher education / M.Ed. (Education Management)

The study examines the effectiveness of the implementation of Developmental Appraisal (DA) within the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in selected secondary schools in Matlosana, North West Province. The methods used to gather information includes the literature review and the empirical investigation, based on the qualitative research approach, which involved six focus group interviews from the six sampled secondary schools in Matlosana Area Project Office, in the North West Province. The review of related literature revealed that there are roles and responsibilities officials are tasked with; processes; challenges; and effective strategies when implementing DA. The empirical investigation revealed that there are challenges that hamper the effective implementation of DA in schools. The challenges include: inadequate support from the Area Project Office; lack of resources for educator development; inadequate time frames for implementation; disruption of normal teaching and learning; lack of honesty on the part of the appraisee and appraiser; and conflict. At the end, the study recommends some strategies that can be used to overcome some of these challenges. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Management)

This study aimed at establishing the role played by school management teams in managing teacher-occupational-stress in Sedibeng West District primary schools in the Gauteng province. The investigation was conducted using a quantitative research approach. The changes in South African schools’ curriculum which did not have a life span of ten years post-apartheid; the rate of absenteeism pointed out by the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshega. She believed that these may be caused by serious illness; therefore it impressed the idea of investigating the role played by school management teams in managing teacher-occupational stress. The study looks at the following two research questions:  What are the causes of teacher-occupational-stress?  What role can the school management teams play in managing teacher-occupational-stress? A questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection from primary schools in Sedibeng West district 8 in the Gauteng province. The researcher’s sample size was 32 (n=32). Findings were that the school management teams are playing their roles and supporting teachers. However, teachers find their teaching job to be stressful. The study found significant factors causing teacher-occupational-stress. One of the factors is failure by the school management team to acknowledge teachers hard work. Recommendations are outlined at the end of this study indicating how the Department of Basic Education can intervene and what the school management teams can do to manage teacher occupational stress. / Educational Leadership and Management

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:26:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jorge Ramon DAcosta Rivera.pdf: 1159002 bytes, checksum: dfbdda65087f0c04b7a1cd38ef698021 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-05-14 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / Several studies relate organizational outcomes to the performance of top management teams (TMT), who are accountable for formulating environment-adaptive responses. Defining such responses involves strategic choices in the face of unstructured problems. Studies often suggest that the process of strategic choice is influenced by the cognitive background and values of the executives in those teams. Many of the studies on top management teams have focused on their composition, using demographic variables as proxies for deep-level characteristics to understand team behavior and outcomes. The present investigation aims to verify the influence of deep-level characteristics the dissimilarities in TMT members individual values on the team s outcomes. Individual values, in the context of this study, are desirable, transituational goals with various degrees of importance that function as principles in a person s life, referring both to life in general, as to specific contexts such as work. The research was carried out within a simulated Business Games environment. A group of 186 Business and Accounting undergraduate students filled out Schwartz s QPV and Porto and Tamayo´s EVT value inventories, both validated in Brazil. The students, gathered in 44 management teams, played the role of executives and made strategic choices that determined the outcomes for the simulated organizations they managed. The quantitative descriptiveexploratory research revealed relationships between team members values dissimilarities the independent variables and the teams outcomes - the dependent variables - using bi- and multivariate statistical treatments. Two statistically significant regression models were found, relating, respectively, team outcomes to the dissimilarities in second order general values Openness to Change and Conservation and to the work values Fulfillment at Work and Prestige . The findings suggest that management teams strategic choice in the face of unstructured problems is influenced by the dissimilarities in some types of their members values and not by others. The regression models also point out that this influence on outcomes can be either positive or negative, depending on the motivational type of the value under consideration. / Numerosos estudos atribuem os resultados organizacionais à atuação de times de alta gerência (TAG), aos quais compete formular respostas adaptativas ao ambiente. A definição dessas respostas envolve escolhas estratégicas, diante de problemas não estruturados. Com freqüência, esses estudos sugerem que o processo de escolha estratégica é influenciado pela base cognitiva e pelos valores dos executivos que compõem esses times. Muitas pesquisas sobre times de alta gerência têm centrado a atenção sobre a composição desses times, utilizando variáveis demográficas como proxies de características em nível profundo para entender o comportamento do time e seus resultados. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a influência de características em nível profundo - as dissimilaridades de valores individuais de membros de TAG - nos resultados desses times. Valores individuais são metas desejáveis e transituacionais que variam em importância e servem como princípios na vida de uma pessoa, podendo dizer respeito tanto à vida em geral quanto a contextos específicos como o trabalho. Este estudo foi realizado em um ambiente simulado de Jogos de Empresas, onde 186 graduandos de administração e contabilidade responderam os inventários de valores QPV de Schwartz e EVT de Porto e Tamayo, validados no Brasil. Os estudantes desempenharam o papel de executivos agrupados em 44 times gerenciais, fazendo escolhas estratégicas que determinaram o resultado das organizações simuladas, administradas por esses times. Mediante uma pesquisa de natureza descritivo-exploratória, utilizando o método quantitativo, foram determinadas as relações entre a dissimilaridade de valores dos membros de times, como variáveis independentes, e o resultado desses times, como variável dependente, por meio de tratamento estatístico bi e multivariado. Foram encontrados dois modelos de regressão estatisticamente significativos que relacionam, respectivamente, o resultado dos times às dissimilaridades dos valores gerais de segunda ordem Abertura à mudança e Conservação e aos valores relativos ao trabalho Realização no trabalho e Prestígio, mostrando que a escolha estratégica de times gerenciais, diante de problemas não estruturados, é influenciada pelas dissimilaridades de alguns tipos de valores individuais e não de outros. Os modelos de regressão encontrados apontam, ainda, que essa influência sobre os resultados pode ser positiva ou negativa, dependendo do tipo motivacional do valor considerado.

This research study took as its point of departure the general state of underperformance of the majority of schools in South Africa. A review of the literature uncovered evidence that suggested that the state of school management in the majority of schools was in disarray. The problem was compounded by the poor quality and haphazard nature of support that District and Circuit Officials of the Education Department rendered to schools. I therefore saw the need to conduct a scientific investigation into how Circuit Teams could be assisted to support School Management Teams towards whole-school development. Against this background, I formulated the following primary research question to guide the study: “How can Circuit Teams effectively support School Management Teams of underperforming schools towards whole-school development?” The following secondary research questions arose out of this to provide further direction to the study: How can Circuit Teams assist School Management Teams to develop and implement their respective School Improvement Plans? How can Circuit Teams be assisted to develop, implement and monitor their Circuit Improvement Plans? What recommendations can be made to improve service delivery to the schools?. The primary aim of the research was therefore to design an action learning model that would enable Circuit Teams to support School Management Teams of underperforming high schools towards whole-school development. A qualitative research approach was adopted for this study, as it best suited the purpose of the research, and the philosophical assumptions of the researcher. In addition, I drew on a constructivist-interpretative and a critical theory paradigm to guide the design. I chose action research as the specific methodology for the study as, in line with critical theory it aims to empower people to facilitate social change and improvement at a local level. Purposive sampling was used to select four underperforming high schools in the same township within the Cape Town Metro, belonging to the same education Circuit and District Office to participate in the research. In addition, the members of the Circuit Team that serviced these schools were also brought on board as participants. In total, 40 people participated in the research: 4 members from the Circuit Team, 4 Principals, 8 Deputy Principals and 24 Heads of Department. Data were generated in the period January to June 2012 using structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. Data were analysed by following the eight steps for analysing qualitative data identified by Tesch. An Action Research cycle consisting of the following five steps was followed with participants during the fieldwork, viz.: Identification of the problem; Designing the action plan; Implementing the action plan; Evaluating the action, and Reflection and lessons learnt. Two Action Research cycles emerged from the fieldwork. The first cycle dealt with assisting the schools and Circuit Team to construct their improvement plans. The main findings from this cycle were (1) that the Circuit Team did not function as a team, due to the autocratic management style of the Circuit Team Manager, and the plan of action to address the underperforming schools was not developed in a participative manner. In addition, the Circuit Team had no Circuit Improvement Plan in place with which to support the schools. (2) The schools did not receive the required support to prepare their School Improvement Plans, and although they were able to articulate their areas of support needed, none of them undertook the process of School Self-Evaluation and therefore did not have School Improvement Plans in place. The second action r esearch cycle dealt with the support that schools needed from the other pillars of the District Office to implement their intervention plans. Three themes emerged from this action research cycle: (1) The School Management Teams required capacitybuilding to manage their schools effectively, (2) teachers needed support to implement the curriculum, and (3) learners required assistance to achieve better results. As the outcome of the research, a spiral model consisting of three distinctive phases, each having several loops that describe the particular action that Circuit Teams and School Management Teams have to undertake was developed as the ultimate outcome of the research. The structure of the model was explained, and explicit guidelines for operationalizing it in practice were provided. Based on the findings and the construction of the model, a number of recommendations were put forward to guide future research and practice in the area of Circuit Team support to nderperforming schools. In conclusion, this research study contributed to the body of knowledge by exploring, investigating and describing the working relationship between Circuit Teams and School Management Teams, which until now has not been adequately covered in the existing literature and research. The study culminated in a theoretical model which can be used to improve this relationship permitting Circuit Teams to better support School Management Teams towards whole-school development. The action research design also allowed a more participative and democratic relationship to develop between the Circuit Team and the School Management Teams of the four schools, which is also an innovative idea considering the traditional hierarchic and autocratic approach which has been the norm in the past. Hopefully the findings of this study will encourage the emergence of democratic partnerships between Departmental officials and school management, leading to the empowerment and transformation of school management.

The aim of this study has been to develop a model from the attributes of existing management teams within a financial organisation, which can be used as a selection strategy to select more effective management teams in future. The observed attributes were linked to the managers’ work performance and behaviour. It is imperative to continuously search for valid and reliable methods to establish and improve effective combinations of selection instruments and criteria for best employment practices. Systems theory is used as a framework for this study to analyse and describe middle management teams as sub-systems of the financial organisation as a larger system. The identification of effective management teams is an attempt to combat entropy in a search for order, and to support the organisation’s survival during a period of transformation and disorder. The independent variables for the purpose of this study are divided in three themes, namely demographic attributes (job experience and academic qualifications), work performance, and personality and competencies. Work performance is described as the outcome of two measurements, namely the performance management evaluation, as well as an evaluation of their behaviour by their superiors using the Inventory of Management Competencies. Their personality and competencies were evaluated by means of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Occupational Personality Questionnaire Concept Model 4.2. Their team role preferences, as identified by Belbin, were calculated using the results of the Occupational Personality Questionnaire. The requirements of the managers’ positions were obtained by means of the Work Profiling System. The match of the profiles of the managers to the requirements of their positions was obtained by means of a computerized fit between their Occupational Personality Questionnaire profiles and the desired personality profiles as a product of the Work Profiling System. The success criteria of the research design are based on the employee-client-profit-chain model. The amount of job satisfaction experienced by employees, the satisfaction which clients experience with regard to the service they received, as well as the extent of financial growth, is identified as the dependent variables. Descriptive statistics revealed certain patterns in the data. Principal component analysis was used to condense the number of independent variables in the study. Canonical correlations were executed to determine which combinations of independent variables were associated with the dependent variables, but the correlations tended to be low. Multiple regression analysis was then utilised with respect to the three distinct dependent variables. The results culminated in the four selection models for the four manager positions in the team. / Thesis (PhD (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Psychology / unrestricted

The issue of gender equality is a constant topic where Sweden is known as one of the most equal countries in the world. Nevertheless, the gender distribution in the top management teams (TMT) of the Swedish listed firms is generally skewed. There are no clear differences in ability between the two genders that reflect this fact. The skewed gender distribution might be a problem since TMT have an impact on firm financial performance. The study investigated the relationship between the proportion of women in the TMT and firm financial performance. In addition, the gender distribution in the TMT and the firm financial performance were examined. As a complement to the study's main research issues, we studied the risk level of firms since it is associated with financial performance. The purpose was to examine if there are any financial incentives with an increased proportion of women in top management. The theoretical perspectives on which the study was based were ‘Agency Theory’, ‘Upper Echelon Theory’ and ‘Resource Dependency Theory’. The relationships were explored quantitatively using multiple regression analysis. The regressions manifested contradictory results where the significant results showed a negative relationship between the proportion of women and ROE. The results also showed that gender diverse TMT had the lowest financial performance in terms of ROE whilst they had the highest performance when tested against Tobin's Q. Furthermore, a significant negative relationship between the proportion of female managers and the firm beta value was identified. Lastly, it was concluded that the proportion of women in TMT, as well as gender diverse TMT, do not have a unanimous relationship with firm financial performance. However, the proportion of women in TMT have a significant negative relationship with the companies' risk level. / Jämställdhetsfrågan är ett ständigt aktuellt ämne där Sverige klassificeras som ett av de mest jämställda länderna i världen. Ändock är könsfördelningen i de svenska börsbolagens ledningsgrupper generellt sett skev. Det råder inga tydliga skillnader i förmågan mellan de båda könen som speglar detta faktum. Den skeva könsfördelningen kan vara ett problem då ledningsgrupper har en påverkan på företagens finansiella prestationer. Studien undersökte dels vilka samband som finns mellan andelen kvinnor i ledningsgrupperna och företagens finansiella prestationer samt sambandet mellan könsfördelningen i ledningsgrupperna och de finansiella prestationerna. Som komplement till studiens huvudsakliga forskningsfrågor studerades företagens risknivå som förknippas med finansiella prestationer. Syftet var att undersöka om det finns ekonomiska incitament med en ökad andel kvinnor i de svenska börsbolagens ledningsgrupper. De teoretiska perspektiv som låg till grund för studien var ‘Agency Theory’, ‘Upper Echelon Theory’ samt ‘Resource Dependency Theory’. Sambanden utforskades kvantitativt med hjälp av regressionsanalyser. Regressionsanalyserna visade på motstridiga resultat där de signifikanta resultaten påvisade negativa samband mellan andelen kvinnor och ROE. Resultaten visade även att jämställda ledningsgrupper presterade sämst när finansiell prestation definierades som ROE. Däremot presterade jämställda ledningsgrupper bäst när de testades mot Tobin’s Q. Vidare identifierades ett signifikant negativt samband mellan andelen kvinnliga chefer och företagens betavärde. Från resultaten drogs slutsatserna att andelen kvinnor i ledningsgrupperna samt jämställda ledningsgrupper inte har ett enhälligt signifikant samband med företagens finansiella prestationer. Däremot har andelen kvinnor i ledningen ett negativt samband med företagens risknivå.

This research is aimed at identifying the challenges facing the effective management of a multicultural teaching environment in Gauteng primary schools by the school management team and educators. The research addressing the problems and sub-problems involved a literature review conceptualising multicultural education. The empirical investigation included the use of observations, a questionnaire and interviews to gather data. The findings linked to the literature review, revealed areas of strength and weakness of the school management team and educators. Based on the findings recommendations were made for school management teams and educators to design development programmes to inculcate in school management teams and educators the competencies necessary to perform effectively in a multicultural environment. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)