This dissertation explores how middle managers use their micro-strategising practices of agency and sense-making to shape strategic outcomes during and after strategic change implementation within an enabling and/or constraining organisational social structure. The researcher examined this phenomenon through the theoretical lenses of strategy-as-practice perspective and sense-making. The qualitative case-study research design with an interpretivist, social constructionist paradigm captured the lived organisational social reality of the administrative middle managers over time at a for-profit educational brand of a private higher education (PHE) provider. A thematic data analysis approach integrated manual coding with electronic coding to analyse data gathered through an emergent research design of text messages and e-mail journals over a four-month period. Data-driven inductive coding was synthesised with structural deductive coding in response to the research questions. The dissertation concludes that administrative middle managers use micro-level strategising practices of retrospective and prospective cognitive and emotional sense-making and the practical coping of agency, or embodied sense-making, to navigate a complex and contradictory organisational socio-cultural context that is both enabling and constraining. A further contribution of the current study speaks to the embedded practices between the two discrete levels of organisation and individual, which has been interpreted through the contradictions following the equivocal signals that these two main levels demonstrate. The porous inter-dependency between the two levels of organisation and individual creates an inter-woven entity where the strands of individual and organisational action are difficult to pull out and name distinctly, without unravelling the tapestry that is the organisational entity. These contributions affirm the intellectual puzzle which sought to understand and/or restore the balance of the individual within an organisational socio-cultural context to attain organisational security and equilibrium after organisational change. The findings of this current study is not generalisable to the other seven educational brands of the PHE provider. / Boithuto bona bo shebana le tsela eo ka yona baokamedi ba mahareng ba sebedisang ditlwaelo tsa ketso ya meralo e menyane (micro-strategising) ya diejensi le ketso ya moelelo ho bopa diphetho tsa meralo nakong ya le kamora ho kenngwa tshebetsong ha phetolo ya moralo kahare ho sebopeho se dumellang le/kapa se thibelang sa setjhaba. Mofuputsi o hlahlobile mohopolo ona ka leihlo la thiori ya moralo-jwalokaketso le ketso ya moelelo. Sebopeho sa dipatlisiso tsa phuputso ya boleng se nang le saense ya setjhaba le paterone ya kgaho ya setjhaba se hapile mokgatlo wa setjhaba wa sebele o phetsweng wa baokamedi ba mahareng ba tsamaiso nako e telele letshwaong la thuto la phaello ho mofani wa thuto e hodimo ya poraefete (PHE). Katamelo ya manollo ya pokello e amanang le thuto e ikgethang e kopantse tokiso ya tokomane ka letsoho le ka elektoniki ho manolla pokello e bokelletsweng ka sebopeho sa dipatlisiso se qalang sa melaetsa ya mongolo le di-emaili nakong ya dikgwedi tse nne. Mongolo wa qaleho o tsamaiswang ke pokello o ile wa hlahiswa ka elektoniki le mongolo o latelang dikarolo tse itseng tsa molao o akaretsang ho araba dipotso tsa dipatlisiso. Thuto e phethela ka hore baokamedi ba bohareng ba tsamaiso ba sebedisa ditlwaelo tsa mekgwa e boemong bo tlase ba ketsahalo ya moelelo boiphihlelong ka ho kgutlela morao le ho nahanela pele ka kellelo le maikutlo le ho sebetsa ho kgonehang ha mokgatlo, kapa ho fana ka moelelo boiphihlelong ho kopantsweng ho batlisisang maemo a rarahaneng le a hananang a moetlo wa mokgatlo a nolofatsang le a thibelang ka bobedi. Monehelo o eketsehileng wa thuto ya morao-rao o bua ka ditlwaelo tse keneletseng dipakeng tsa maemo a mabedi a fapaneng a mokgatlo le a motho ka mong a tolokuweng ka ho hanyetsana ho latela matshwao a ka tolokehang ka ditsela tse fapaneng tseo maemo ana a mabedi a ka sehloohong a di bontshang. Ho emelana hona ho kenellanang ho dipakeng tsa maemo a mabedi a mokgatlo le motho ka bo mong ho theha mokgatlo wa kgokahano oo ho ona dikgwele tsa motho ka bo mong le kgato ya mokgatlo di bang thata ho hulwa le ho reha ka tsela e hlakileng kantle le ho senya lesela leo e leng mokgatlo. Menehelo ena e netefatsa selotho se neng se batla ho utlwisisa le/kapa ho tsosolosa tekanyo ya motho kahare ho maemo a setso sa setjhaba sa mokgatlo ho fumana tshireletso ya mokgatlo le boikgutso kamora ho fetoha ha mokgatlo. Diphumano tsa thuto ena ya morao-rao ha di akareletswe ho matshwao a mang a thuto a supileng a mofani wa PHE / Lolu cwaningo lucubungula udaba lokuthi izimenenja ezisezikhundleni ezimaphakathi zizisebenzisa kanjani izinkambiso zazo zokwenza amaqhinga namasu emazingeni aphansi okusebenzisa ikhono lazo lokuzikhethela nokuthatha izinyathelo ngokuzimela (agency) nokwenza kuzwakale futhi kuqondakale lokho ezikwenzayo nezikushoyo (sense-making) ngenhloso yokubumba imiphumela enobuqhinga ngaphambi kokuba kuqaliswe uguquko olunobuqhinga futhi nangenkathi sekuqaliswa uguquko olunjalo olwenzeka ngaphakathi ohlakeni lwesakhiwo senhlalo esivumelayo kanye/noma esivimbelayo. Umcwaningi wakuhlaziya futhi wakuhlolisisa lokhu esebenzisa indlela yokubheka izinto ngokwethiyori yokusebenzisa iqhingasu njengenkambiso (strategyas- practice perspective) kanye nokwenza kuzwakale futhi kuqondakale lokho okwenziwayo nokushiwoyo. Idizayini yocwaningo lwesigameko olukhwalithethivu olugxile ekutheni izimenenja zibheke izinto njengoba zinjalo ngokweso lezigameko ezidlule kuzona izimenenja, ngokuqhubeka kwesikhathi, ekuxhumaneni nasekusebenzeni kwazo nabanye abantu esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme esithile esizimele esiqhuba umsebenzi wokuqeqesha ngenhloso yokungenisa imali nokwenza inzuzo, phecelezi umhlinzeki we-private higher education (PHE). Ucwaningo lwasebenzisa indlela yokuhlaziya idatha ngokucubungula nokuqopha amaphethini, okuyindlela eyadidiyela ukuhlelwa nokuhlungwa kwedatha ngesandla nangobuchwepheshe bekhompyutha ngenhloso yokuhlaziya idatha eqoqwe kusetshenziswa i-emergent research design yemiqhafazo (text messages) kanye namajenali ama-imeyili esikhathini esiyizinyanga ezine. Ukuze kuhlinzekwe ngezimpendulo emibuzweni yocwaningo kwahlanganiswa indlela yokuhlela nokuhlunga idatha esuselwa kuhlobo lwedatha eqoqiwe (inductive) kanye nendlela yokuhlunga ngokusebenzisa uhlelo olwenziwe ngaphambi kokuqoqwa kwedatha (deductive). Ucwaningo luphetha ngokukhipha umbono wokuthi izimenenja ezisezikhundleni ezimaphakathi zisebenzisa izinkambiso zazo zokuqhamuka namaqhinga namasu emazingeni aphansi okwenza izinto ziqondakale ngokusebenzisa ingqondo nemizwa mayelana nezigameko ezenzeke esikhathini esedlule, nalezo ezingahle zenzeke esikhathini esizayo kanye nokubonela kwikhono lomunye umuntu, njengoba linjalo, lokuthatha izinyathelo nokwenza izinto ngokuzimela noma ukwenza izinto ziqondakale, okuyingxenye yalokho, ngenhloso yokuchusha nokuthubeleza esimweni senhlalo-masiko esiyinkimbinkimbi futhi esiziphikisayo, esikwenza kokubili ukuvumela kanye nokuvimbela. Elinye futhi igalelo lalolu cwaningo lwamanje liphathelene nezinkambiso ezifakwe zagxila emazingeni amabili ahlukene ngokucacile phakathi kwenhlangano kanye nomuntu ngamunye, ahunyushwe ngokuphikisana okulandela izimpawu eziyindida futhi ezingaqondakali kahle eziboniswa yilawa mazinga amabili amakhulu. Ukuncikana nokuxhasana okuntekenteke phakathi kwalawa mazinga, okuyinhlangano kanye nomuntu ngamunye, kwakha uhlaka oluxhumene lapho kunzima ukutomula nokugagula ngokucacile izingxenye ezakhe izenzo nezinyathelo zenhlangano ezingxenyeni ezakhe izenzo zomuntu ngamunye, ngaphandle kokuqaqa nokuhlukanisa ingxenye ngayinye eyakhe inhlangano ebumbene. Lawa magalelo ocwaningo aqininisekisa futhi asekele indida-mqondo (intellectual puzzle) ebihlose ukuqonda kanye/noma ukubuyisa ukuzimelela komuntu ngamunye esimweni senhlalo-masiko yenhlangano ukuze kuzuzwe ukuvikeleka kwenhlangano nozinzo-kulingana (equilibrium) emva koguquko olwenzekile enhlanganweni. Imiphumelangqangi etholakale kulolu cwaningo lwamanje ayinakuthathwa njengemiphumela engaphinde isetshenziswe futhi iqondaniswe nezimo ezitholakala kwezinye izikhungo eziyisikhombisa zomhlinzeki we-PHE. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

The purpose of this study was to explore the practices and processes executed by middle managers as practitioners during the implementation of strategy. In order to do that, this study investigated the problem of strategy implementation, analysed existing literature, identified the gaps, and explored the roles of middle managers in terms of strategy practices and processes, specifically in the South African Defence Evaluation and Research Institutes (DERI) context. Resources, time and effort are applied to formulating strategy but less of these to the execution of the strategy which includes the emotions, motivations and actions that are intangible during the implementation of strategy. The study therefore attempts to answer the following research question: What practices and processes are employed in strategy implementation in DERIs in South Africa? The literature study was undertaken with the objective of mapping the research problem and to highlight, through critical discussion, the latest work done on the subject of this study. The gap in relation to research work was identified and the contribution is clear that not much work has been done in this environment. Research is a systematic process where information on a specific topic is gathered in order to increase understanding of that phenomenon. A qualitative study was performed and data was obtained from several institutes through interviews, documents and questionnaires in order to build a rich database that could be analysed for the required output. Engagement with the first level of management as well as the next level management teams ensured that a representative population group was used during this study. The data was organised, categorised, interpreted, identified, synthesised and generalised. The quotations identified from the text were coded through inductive coding and grouped into categories until a logical theme, category and concept was formed. The objective of this research was to investigate, identify and understand what the strategy practices and processes are that make highly technical and scientific institutes execute strategies successfully. The study provided insight into and clarity on the complexity of the strategy implementation process as executed by middle managers, particularly in the South African context. The link was explored between formulation and implementation as applied by middle managers as practitioners and the practices and processes in use were identified. It was demonstrated that the outcome of this research is applicable to the research problem and also provides an understanding of the phenomenon, namely strategy practices and processes in use at the Defence Evaluation and Research Institutes. It can therefore be concluded that the research objective was achieved. / Business Management / D.B.L.

Abstracts in English, Zulu and Southern Sotho / Middle managers are tasked with supporting new initiatives and change, while at the same time experiencing challenges in making sense of the strategic initiative and giving sense to other members of the organisation. This dissonance experienced by middle managers tasked with change informed the topic of the research. The current study explores the strategising of middle managers through sensemaking and sensegiving during a strategic initiative in a single case study within a financial services provider in South Africa. The study seeks to examine the phenomenon through the theoretical lenses of the strategy-as-practice perspective, middle manager perspective and the theory of sensemaking and sensegiving. The study adopted a qualitative-exploratory design which involved collecting data through semi-structured in-depth individual faceto-face interviews. Data was analysed through coding, using thematic analysis and the categorisation and interpretation of common themes. Three main themes emerged from the study which were categorised as middle manager dissonance, middle manager sensemaking and sensegiving actions and middle manager practices in sensemaking and sensegiving. These themes offer insight into middle manager strategising, sensemaking and sensegiving during a new strategic initiative. The study concludes that when the organisation introduced a new strategic initiative middle managers’ knowledge was disturbed. These middle managers experienced various emotions as they were trying to make sense of the changes while giving sense to other members of the organisation. Findings confirmed delays in implementation due to lack of understanding of the change by middle managers. The study also concludes that although middle managers experienced challenges initially, they moved into a task of “selling” the new initiative through sensemaking and sensegiving. Middle managers got involved in various practices such as team discussions and information sharing sessions as they make sense and give sense to other team members. Through this interaction, middle managers aligned others and created common understanding while they influence them through sensegiving. Findings of the current study may offer valuable knowledge to organisations in the financial sector and practitioners tasked with v new strategic initiatives. The study also responds to calls for more research using the strategy-as-practice perspective and the theory of sensemaking and sensegiving. / Abaphathi abasesigabeni esiphakathi banikezwe umsebenzi wokuxhasa imizamo emisha kanye nezinguquko, kanti ngesikhathi esisodwa bahlangabezana nezinselele ekwenzeni imizamo yamasu ukuthi izwakale kwamanye amalungu enhlangano. Le nkinga ihlangabezana nabaphathi abasesigabeni esiphakathi abanikezwe umsebenzi wezinguquko ezinomthelela kwisihloko socwaningo. Isifundo socwaningo siphenyisisa ukusetshenziswa kwamasu ngabaphathi abasesigabeni esimaphakathi ngokuveza umbono ozwakalayo kanye nokunikeza umbono ozwakalayo ngesikhathi kunohlelo lwemizamo yamasu kwisibonelo esisodwa ngaphakathi kwezinhlangano ezihlinzekana ngezimali eNingizimu Afrika. Ucwaningo lunqume ukubukisisa lolu daba ngamehlo omqondo wengqubo yamasu, ngomqondo wabaphathi besigaba esimaphakathi kanye nethiyori yokwenza umqondo uzwakale kanye neyokunikeza umqondo. Uhlelo lwedizayini ehlolisisayo (qualitative-exploratory design) lwamuke lwa, kanti lona lwaluxuba ukuqoqwa kwedatha ngokusebenzisa indlela embaxambili ejulile yenhlolovo yokuxoxisana kwabantu ubuso nobuso. Idatha yahlaziywa ngokuphawula, ngokusebenzisa izindlela zokuchaza indikimba kanye nokwehlukanisa izindikimba kanye nokuchaza izindikimba ezejwayelekile. Kuye kwavela izindikimba ezisemqoka ezintathu ngaphakathi kocwaningo, okuyizindikimba ezehlukaniswe njengokungavumelani kwesigaba sabaphathi esimaphakathi, izenzo zabaphathi abasesigabeni esimaphakathi ezinomqondo ozwakalayo kanye nezinikeza umqondo. Lezi zindikimba zinikeza ulwazi olungaphakathi mayelana nohlelo lokuphatha lwesigaba esimaphakathi ekuhleleni amasu, umqondo ozwakalayo kanye nokunikeza umqondo ngesikhathi sokuhlela amasu amasha. Isifundo socwaningo siye saphetha ngokuthi uma inhlangano yethula isu elisha, ulwazi lwabaphathi besigaba esimaphakathi luyaphazamiseka. Laba baphathi besigaba esimaphakathi bahlangabezana nemizwa eyahlukahlukene ngesikhathi bezama ukwenza izinguquko ukuba zibe nomqondo ozwakalayo kanti ngakolunye uhlangothi lezi zinguquko zinikeze amanye amalungu enhlangano umbono ozwakalayo. Ulwazi olutholakele luyaqinisekisa ukuthi kuye kwabakhona ukubambezeleka ekusetshenzisweni kohlelo ngenxa yokuthi abaphathi besigaba esimaphakathi abazwisisanga izinguquko. Ucwaningo futhi luye lwaphetha ngokuthiyize abaphathi besigaba esiphakathi behlangabezene nezingqinamba ekuqaleni, kodwa bangene emsebenzini “wokuthengisa” imizamo emisha ngokukwenza izinguquko zizwakale futhi zilethe umqondo ozwakalayo. Abaphathi abasesigabeni esiphakathi baye babandakanyeka ezenzweni ezahlukahlukene ezinjengezingxoxo zeqembu kanye nezithangameni zokwabelana ngolwazi njengoba benza umqondo ozwakalayo futhi bebenikeza umqondo ozwakalayo kwamanye amalungu eqembu. Ngalokhu kuhlangana, abaphathi abasesigabeni esiphakathi bahlanganisa abanye futhi bakhe ulwazi olufanayo njengoba bebaguqula ngohlelo lokunikezwa kolwazi. Ulwazi olutholakele locwaningo lwamanje lunganikeza ulwazi olubalulekile kwinhlangano emkhakheni wezezimali kanti nabasebenzi ngezimali banikezwe umsebenzi wokucabanga eminye imizamo yamasu amasha. Ucwaningo nalo luphendula ngokucela ukuthi kwenziwe ucwaningo oluningi ngokusebenzisa umqondo wamasu njengezingqubo kanye nethiyoriyokwenza umqondo ozwakalayo nokunikeza umqondo ozwakalayo. / Batsamaisi ba bohareng ba filwe mosebetsi wa ho tshehetsa merero e metjha le phetoho, empa ba ntse ba kopana le diphephetso tsa ho utlwisisa mekgwa e sebediswang ho fihlela dipheo le ho etsa hore ditho tse ding di utlwisise se etsahalang kgwebong. Ho se dumellane hona ha mehopolo ya batsamaisi ba bohareng ba filweng mosebetsi wa phetoho ke hona ho entseng hore phuputso e etswe ka sehlooho sena. Phuputso e batlisisitse ka mawa ao batsamaisi ba bohareng ba tlang ka oona ka ho tlameha hore bona ba bontshe kutlwisiso ya se etsahalang le ho etsa hore baokamedi ba bona le ditho tse ding di utlwisise, nakong eo ho tluwang ka mekgwa e ka sebediswang ho fihlela dipheo, phuputsong e le nngwe e ithutang ka tsela eo bankakarolo ba palo e nyane ba etsang dintho ka yona phanong ya ditshebeletso tsa ditjhelete Aforika Borwa. Phuputso e hlahloba ketsahalo ena ka kgopolo ya tshebediso ya lewa, ho ya ka mohopolo wa motsamaisi ya bohareng le mohopolokakaretso wa ho utlwisisa le ho etsa hore baokamedi le ditho tse ding di utlwisise se etsahalang kgwebong. Mokgwa wa ho fuputsa e bile wa ho botsa dipotso ka botebo ho fumana dintlha ka botlalo ka ho bokella datha ka ho tshwara diinthaviu tsa molomo le molomo. Datha ena e ile ya sekasekwa ka hloko, e fetoletswe khoutung e sebedisetswang ho e hlopha ho ya ka mookotaba o utlwisisehang. Phuputso e bile le mookaba e meraro e ka sehloohong, e hlophisitsweng ho ya diphapano tsa menahano ya batsamaisi ba bohareng, diketso tsa batsamaisi ba bohareng tse bontshang kutlwisiso ya boemo boo ba leng ho bona le dintho tse etsahalang hore ba kgone ho nka diqeto tse loketseng le diketso bontshang bokgoni ba ho etsa hore baokamedi le ditho tse ding di utlwisise. Mookataba ena e fana ka kutlwisiso mererong e etswang ka hloko, kutlwisisong ya se etsahalang le ho etsa hore ba bang ba utlwisise diqeto tse nkwang nakong eo ho tluwang ka mokgwa o motjha wa ho fihlela dipheo. Phethelo ya phuputso ena e bile hore ha kgwebo e qala ho sebedisa mokgwa o motjha wa ho fihlela dipheo tsa yona, batsamaisi ba bohareng ba a kgathatseha. Batsamaisi bana ba bohareng ba eba le maikutlo a fapaneng ha ba leka ho utlwisisa diphetoho tsena ba ntse ba lokela ho etsa hore basebetsi ba bang ba utlwisisa se etsahalang kgwebong. Ho fihletswe hore moralo ona wa phetoho o dieha ho sebetsa ka ha batsamaisi ba bohareng ba sa o utlwisise. Hape phuputso e phethetse ka hore le ha batsamaisi ba bohareng ba e ba le diphephetso tse itseng ha ba qala, ba qetella ba etsa hore moralo o motjha “o amohelehe” ka hore bona ba bontshe kutlwisiso ya oona mme ba tsebe ho nka diqeto tse tla etsa hore baokamedi le basebetsi ba bang le bona ba utlwisise. Basebetsi ba bohareng ba nka karolo dinthong tse fapaneng tse jwalo ka dipuisano tsa dihlopha tsa tshebetso le dikopanong tseo ho hlahlellanwang ho tsona ha ba ntse ba bontsha kutlwisiso le ho etsa hore basebetsi ba bang ba a utlwisisa. Ka dipuisano tsena, basebetsi ba bohareng ba etsa hore ditho tse ding di be le kutlwisiso eo bohle ba nang le yona ha ba ntse ba etsa hore le bona ba utlwisise. Diphihlelo tsa phuputso ya jwale di ka fa dikgwebo tse leng lekaleng la ditjhelete lesedi la bohlokwa mmoho le basebetsi ba lokelang ho etsa mesebetsi e hlokang tshebediso ya mekgwa e metjha ya ho tlisa phetoho tshebetsong. Hape, phuputso e fana ka karabo tlhokehong ya dipatlisiso tse ding tsa mohopolo wa ho sebedisa lewa le mohopolokakaretso wa ho bontsha kutlwisiso ya se etsahalang le ho etsa hore ditho tse ding di utlwisise. / M. Com. (Business Management)