This dissertation looks at the existence of multiculturalism within the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus after the merger. It also assesses the extent to which there is organisational commitment and job satisfaction within this institution of higher learning. Using frequencies and descriptive statistics, the article provides an overview of the extent of the impact of multiculturalism on organisational commitment and job satisfaction in the identified institution. Furthermore, the article evaluates the extent of relationships between multiculturalism as an independent variable and organisational commitment and job satisfaction as dependent variables. Data collected from 250 respondents using the self-administered questionnaires was analysed using SPSS. The results show that respondents’ self-assessment of their productivity is affirmative. It also indicates that most respondents are satisfied with their work and their responses to the intention to leave the organisation are in the negative. Contrary to the position of most researchers in previous literature, data collected in this study shows that multiculturalism does not result in the sampled employees intending to leave the organisation. It also indicates that the respondents do not show any negative effect of multiculturalism. This positive impact may be attributed to the fact that most respondents indicated their commitment to the institution and satisfaction with their work. The results of this study should be interpreted in the context of academia. In this regard, in a different environment, multiculturalism may be found to result in different findings. Therefore, the findings cannot be generalised to other sectors and industries. In addition, it is safe to generalise the findings only to the Campus at which the study was conducted. Findings of this study show that there is no relationship between multicultural norm and practices and organisational commitment as well as job satisfaction. It nonetheless shows that most employees are productive and satisfied and have no intention to leave the institution. The study recommends that the institution adopts a focused approach to nurturing multiculturalism. In order to improve multiculturalism, it is recommended that the institution creates awareness and trains employees about diversity. It is also recommended that the North-West University enhances job satisfaction through team building activities. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This dissertation looks at the existence of multiculturalism within the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus after the merger. It also assesses the extent to which there is organisational commitment and job satisfaction within this institution of higher learning. Using frequencies and descriptive statistics, the article provides an overview of the extent of the impact of multiculturalism on organisational commitment and job satisfaction in the identified institution. Furthermore, the article evaluates the extent of relationships between multiculturalism as an independent variable and organisational commitment and job satisfaction as dependent variables. Data collected from 250 respondents using the self-administered questionnaires was analysed using SPSS. The results show that respondents’ self-assessment of their productivity is affirmative. It also indicates that most respondents are satisfied with their work and their responses to the intention to leave the organisation are in the negative. Contrary to the position of most researchers in previous literature, data collected in this study shows that multiculturalism does not result in the sampled employees intending to leave the organisation. It also indicates that the respondents do not show any negative effect of multiculturalism. This positive impact may be attributed to the fact that most respondents indicated their commitment to the institution and satisfaction with their work. The results of this study should be interpreted in the context of academia. In this regard, in a different environment, multiculturalism may be found to result in different findings. Therefore, the findings cannot be generalised to other sectors and industries. In addition, it is safe to generalise the findings only to the Campus at which the study was conducted. Findings of this study show that there is no relationship between multicultural norm and practices and organisational commitment as well as job satisfaction. It nonetheless shows that most employees are productive and satisfied and have no intention to leave the institution. The study recommends that the institution adopts a focused approach to nurturing multiculturalism. In order to improve multiculturalism, it is recommended that the institution creates awareness and trains employees about diversity. It is also recommended that the North-West University enhances job satisfaction through team building activities. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Even though change is regarded as a natural phenomenon, the rate of change seems to hasten in many activities, especially for organisations to survive and remain competitive. This can be complex and exhausting, and individuals' emotional experiences may influence their behaviours and attitudes, affecting performances and production. Subsequently, emotions in the workplace can no longer be ignored and management might need to consider this when resistance to change is managed. Although awareness of emotional intelligence and its importance in the workplace has only recently been recognized, MBA students from the Potchefstroom Business School are encouraged to develop their emotional intelligence in order to reason intelligently about emotions and thus become more effective managers. Since emotions are evident during change and any resistant behaviour, it is proposed to determine whether MBA students will use emotional intelligence to manage resistance to change. Perceptions on emotional competencies were used in the empirical study, and results from the empirical study indicated that emotional intelligence is perceived to be important when resistance to change is managed, therefore this suggests that emotional intelligence might be utilized during change management. Emotional intelligence is learned abilities, and the results suggested that these abilities may have developed throughout the MBA programme. Knowledge gained during the programme from complementary modules can also assist students in the use of emotional intelligence during the management of resistance to change. It is recommended that managers are encouraged to become aware of emotions during change initiatives and that training programmes may include emotional intelligence. More research is also needed to validate the importance and need for emotional intelligence skills in the management of resistance to change. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Even though change is regarded as a natural phenomenon, the rate of change seems to hasten in many activities, especially for organisations to survive and remain competitive. This can be complex and exhausting, and individuals' emotional experiences may influence their behaviours and attitudes, affecting performances and production. Subsequently, emotions in the workplace can no longer be ignored and management might need to consider this when resistance to change is managed. Although awareness of emotional intelligence and its importance in the workplace has only recently been recognized, MBA students from the Potchefstroom Business School are encouraged to develop their emotional intelligence in order to reason intelligently about emotions and thus become more effective managers. Since emotions are evident during change and any resistant behaviour, it is proposed to determine whether MBA students will use emotional intelligence to manage resistance to change. Perceptions on emotional competencies were used in the empirical study, and results from the empirical study indicated that emotional intelligence is perceived to be important when resistance to change is managed, therefore this suggests that emotional intelligence might be utilized during change management. Emotional intelligence is learned abilities, and the results suggested that these abilities may have developed throughout the MBA programme. Knowledge gained during the programme from complementary modules can also assist students in the use of emotional intelligence during the management of resistance to change. It is recommended that managers are encouraged to become aware of emotions during change initiatives and that training programmes may include emotional intelligence. More research is also needed to validate the importance and need for emotional intelligence skills in the management of resistance to change. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

The main focus of the study was to find out whether tertiary institutions such as the University of North-West (now North West University- Mafikeng Campus) can handle the Help Desk effectively, with regard to IT staff workloads and skills, and students' and staff IT skills. The aim of the research was to examine the extent to which users can make use of the help desk for different sectors of the university community (administrative, academic, support personnel and students). The study looked at the structure of a user help desk appropriate for the North West University (Mafikeng Campus), and also examined the distribution and channels to be used for a user help desk. The assumption was made that a help desk at the North West University (1'v!aftkeng Campus) can provide services of high quality to its entire community. A questionnaire was used to solicit the perceptions of the university community towards the introduction of the Information System's helpdesk. The respondents' responses were then analysed with the use of spread sheet tables. The target was 150 respondents of which 120 managed to respond to the questionnaire. Most of the participants agreed that they were prepared to accept changes brought about by the use of help desk. The study also revealed that there were serious problems at the NWU (Mafikeng Campus) regarding shortage of support received from the Information Technology department of the University. The researcher therefore recommends that the automated Helpdesk be introduced as soon as possible so that the users can become familiar with it. In general the skill of staff and students are actually good and most of them will welcome the help desk. The IT staff workload is more with few members of staff, and the recommendation is that there is a need to implement the help desk. / (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2004

Although every organisation disposes of a corporate identity, it is not a given that the organisation will also have a corporate brand. Corporate brands refer not only to the visual corporate identity elements such as the name, the logo and the corporate colours but also reflect the associations that the internal and external interest groups attach to the organisation. The staff members of the organisation are regarded as the ambassadors of an organisation’s corporate brand which they should live and express in their work and actions. For that reason it is important that the corporate brand should be well established within the organisation itself. The North-West University (NWU) was established in 2004 as the result of a merger between the former Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education and the University of the North-West. The North-West University consists of four business units, viz. the Institutional Office, the Mafikeng Campus, the Potchefstroom Campus and the Vaal Triangle Campus. Because of the diversity of the erstwhile institutions, there were several serious implications for the North-West University. One of these was the development and the subsequent suitable management model, given the distance between campuses, and the other would the design and establishment of a corporate brand for the institution, given the culture and background of the former institutions. The result has been the use of a hybrid model with regard to the over-arching corporate brand of the North-West University to the extent that each campus has developed its own separate corporate brand. Although various studies have been done in the field about corporate brands, to date no study has been undertaken about the situation at the North-West University. Against this background it was possible to formulate the following general research question. What are staff members’ perceptions of, respectively, the corporate brand and corporate brand management of the North-West University and the Potchefstroom Campus? For the purposes of this study semi-structured interviews were conducted with management of the Institutional Office and the Potchefstroom Campus directly involved in the application of the corporate brand. A quantitative electronic questionnaire was also sent to all academic, administrative and support staff members of the Potchefstroom Campus. The study indicates that the management of the Institutional Office and of the Potchefstroom Campus in some instances hold differing views about the corporate brand of the North-West University and the Potchefstroom Campus. In contrast to this the study indicated that the staff members of the Potchefstroom Campus gave recognition to the fact that the Potchefstroom Campus had their own corporate brand, but that it is regarded as part of the over-arching corporate brand of the North-West University. The study also indicated that the North-West University and the Potchefstroom Campus corporate brands consisted of different components and that the management of corporate brand depended on the leadership of senior management, but that each staff member played a role in living and establishing the different corporate brands. / MA (Communication Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The objectives of the study are to explore the effectiveness of the ABC HIV prevention strategy in South Africa with the purpose of establishing problem areas of the ABC HIV prevention strategy in South Africa. A systematic review design was followed. Electronic databases; Google scholar, Medline and PubMed were searched using broad combination of keywords to obtain all relevant articles. Studies written in English, published between 2000 and 2010, were selected if they met the inclusion criteria. In order to be included the study had to discuss the ABC HIV prevention strategy with the focus on effectiveness of the strategy. The Critical appraisal instrument for qualitative research studies (CASP, 2006) and Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative studies (Effective Public Health Practice Project, 2005) were used to critically appraise the 9 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis was used for the analysis process. The findings regarding each objective were combined in a summary of findings. The findings revealed that the South African population engages in sexual activities at an early age. Males and females have concurrent sexual partnerships, which mean they are not faithful to their primary sexual partners and lastly, women are unable to use or negotiate condom use. Identified problem areas of the ABC HIV prevention strategy in South Africa were that the age gap between sexual partners is a problem as women cannot negotiate condom use with their seniors. The notion of love and romance that influences the use of condoms, has a negative impact whereby condom use is unacceptable in a long term relationship, irrespective of the level of faithfulness. Low socio-economic status of women that makes women to be dependent on men and also prone to engage in transactional sex. Lastly, local norms about sexuality that men subscribe to, to prove masculinity. / Thesis (M.Cur) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2011

Although every organisation disposes of a corporate identity, it is not a given that the organisation will also have a corporate brand. Corporate brands refer not only to the visual corporate identity elements such as the name, the logo and the corporate colours but also reflect the associations that the internal and external interest groups attach to the organisation. The staff members of the organisation are regarded as the ambassadors of an organisation’s corporate brand which they should live and express in their work and actions. For that reason it is important that the corporate brand should be well established within the organisation itself. The North-West University (NWU) was established in 2004 as the result of a merger between the former Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education and the University of the North-West. The North-West University consists of four business units, viz. the Institutional Office, the Mafikeng Campus, the Potchefstroom Campus and the Vaal Triangle Campus. Because of the diversity of the erstwhile institutions, there were several serious implications for the North-West University. One of these was the development and the subsequent suitable management model, given the distance between campuses, and the other would the design and establishment of a corporate brand for the institution, given the culture and background of the former institutions. The result has been the use of a hybrid model with regard to the over-arching corporate brand of the North-West University to the extent that each campus has developed its own separate corporate brand. Although various studies have been done in the field about corporate brands, to date no study has been undertaken about the situation at the North-West University. Against this background it was possible to formulate the following general research question. What are staff members’ perceptions of, respectively, the corporate brand and corporate brand management of the North-West University and the Potchefstroom Campus? For the purposes of this study semi-structured interviews were conducted with management of the Institutional Office and the Potchefstroom Campus directly involved in the application of the corporate brand. A quantitative electronic questionnaire was also sent to all academic, administrative and support staff members of the Potchefstroom Campus. The study indicates that the management of the Institutional Office and of the Potchefstroom Campus in some instances hold differing views about the corporate brand of the North-West University and the Potchefstroom Campus. In contrast to this the study indicated that the staff members of the Potchefstroom Campus gave recognition to the fact that the Potchefstroom Campus had their own corporate brand, but that it is regarded as part of the over-arching corporate brand of the North-West University. The study also indicated that the North-West University and the Potchefstroom Campus corporate brands consisted of different components and that the management of corporate brand depended on the leadership of senior management, but that each staff member played a role in living and establishing the different corporate brands. / MA (Communication Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Relationships with internal stakeholders within the organisation (employees) are crucial for organisational survival and success (Hargie & Tourish, 2000:293; Jensen, 2010:32; Koschmann, 2007:12; McDermott & Chan, 1996:5; Van der Colff, 2003:258). Therefore, twoway symmetrical communication with employees in building relationships and relationship management is so important (Bezuidenhout, 2010; Koschmann, 2007:8). The North-West University focuses on maintaining good relationships with their employees through communication, but experience challenges in this regard. The Institutional Office of the North-West University is the main source of information and communication with employees of all three campuses. A consultant (Media Mosaics, 2010) and two other studies (Holtzhausen & Fourie, 2011; Mmope, 2010) identified various problems with the communication and consequent relationships between the Institutional Office and the Potchefstroom Campus employees. Given that good relations between the two business units are a focus of the university and that the outcomes of internal communication are good relationships, it is necessary to determine how the internal communication from the North-West University Institutional Office to Potchefstroom Campus employees are conducted in order to build good relationships. To determine the above a literature study, questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews were carried out. The systems approach, reflective paradigm, excellence theory, two-way symmetrical communication model and stakeholder relations theory were used as a theoretical framework (Dozier, et al., 1995; Ferreira & Staude, 1991; Grunig & Grunig, 2000:310; Grunig et al., 2002; Ledingham & Bruning, 2001:63; Skinner & Von Essen, 1999:257; Steyn & Puth, 2000; Verčič et al., 2001:382). From the results it appears that the North-West University Institutional Office and Potchefstroom Campus employees do not agree on all aspects of the relationship and communication between them. It appears that the North-West University Institutional Office meets only some of the requirements of communication and relationship building, as it has been set out in the literature, and that there is room for improvement. / MA (Communication Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Relationships with internal stakeholders within the organisation (employees) are crucial for organisational survival and success (Hargie & Tourish, 2000:293; Jensen, 2010:32; Koschmann, 2007:12; McDermott & Chan, 1996:5; Van der Colff, 2003:258). Therefore, twoway symmetrical communication with employees in building relationships and relationship management is so important (Bezuidenhout, 2010; Koschmann, 2007:8). The North-West University focuses on maintaining good relationships with their employees through communication, but experience challenges in this regard. The Institutional Office of the North-West University is the main source of information and communication with employees of all three campuses. A consultant (Media Mosaics, 2010) and two other studies (Holtzhausen & Fourie, 2011; Mmope, 2010) identified various problems with the communication and consequent relationships between the Institutional Office and the Potchefstroom Campus employees. Given that good relations between the two business units are a focus of the university and that the outcomes of internal communication are good relationships, it is necessary to determine how the internal communication from the North-West University Institutional Office to Potchefstroom Campus employees are conducted in order to build good relationships. To determine the above a literature study, questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews were carried out. The systems approach, reflective paradigm, excellence theory, two-way symmetrical communication model and stakeholder relations theory were used as a theoretical framework (Dozier, et al., 1995; Ferreira & Staude, 1991; Grunig & Grunig, 2000:310; Grunig et al., 2002; Ledingham & Bruning, 2001:63; Skinner & Von Essen, 1999:257; Steyn & Puth, 2000; Verčič et al., 2001:382). From the results it appears that the North-West University Institutional Office and Potchefstroom Campus employees do not agree on all aspects of the relationship and communication between them. It appears that the North-West University Institutional Office meets only some of the requirements of communication and relationship building, as it has been set out in the literature, and that there is room for improvement. / MA (Communication Studies), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014