Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Beehive Model (Figure 1.1) of organisational renewal is a theoretical model and analytical tool, in a honeycomb formation as developed by Nel (2001), which is used to obtain a 'snapshot' of organisational compliance with the application of either best or poor practices associated with seven individual workplace practices within the contemporary economic climate. Each of the seven workplace practices has eight pairs of indicators, in a questionnaire format (Appendix A), used to obtain the 'snapshot' of how an evaluated organisation/department/business unit performs regarding the application of either poor or best practices. The workplace practices, namely Strategy, Change Leadership, Stakeholder Commitment, Pay and Incentives, Talent Creation, Business Disciplines, and Structures, are suggested to be strongly related to and critical for entrenching change and high performance in organisations if best practices are applied correctly as driven by strategy. It is suggested that the application of poor practices within the organisational environment is likely to result in inertia and poor performance. The study project endeavour to determine the rationale behind the Beehive Model of organisational renewal for the entrenchment of change and high performance in organisational culture, as justified by recent academic literature, using a literature review as research design. The correlation of entrenched change and high performance with the application of best practices, and entrenched organisational inertia and poor performance with the application of poor practices, is in both cases assumed to be positive and no attempt is made to empirically test the correlations within this study project. The Beehive Model and the literature reveal a synthesised environment that culturally and structurally integrates workplace practices and questionnaire indicators, reinforcing and causing high performance, and endeavouring to create and explain the following scenario: All employees are enabled and empowered to achieve their maximum capability and potential through formal and informal workplace practices and processes that are integrated throughout the organisation and structured in such a way that makes them clear and simple to understand and easy to use, channels information flow purposefully, encourages and forces active information flow, and delivers relevant and useful information within specific contexts as underpinned by competent employees that are actively involved in the design, implementation, usage and ongoing adjustment of the workplace practices. This encourages contextual business understanding, and commitment to and participation in performance enhancing problem solving through effort that is aligned with strategy. The findings suggest that the Beehive Model's structure and purpose and the associated questionnaire indicators are soundly supported by recent academic theory as well as the limited available empirical research on related topics. It is therefore possible to conclude with a reasonably high level of confidence, as viewed against the backdrop of trends in the literature, that high compliance with the correct and holistic application of best practice, as associated with the seven workplace practices' indicators, is likely to result in the entrenchment of change and high performance within an organisation's culture. The literature reviewed also strongly suggests the industry independence of the effective application of the Beehive Model's questionnaire indicators. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die 'Beehive'-model (Figure 1.1) van organisatoriese vernuwing is 'n teoretiese model en analitiese werktuig, in 'n heuningkoekformaat soos ontwerp deur Nel (2001), wat gebruik word om 'n 'kiekie' te verkry van organisatoriese nakoming ten opsigte van die toepassing van goeie of slegte praktyke binne die kontemporêre ekonomiese klimaat. Elkeen van die sewe werkplekpraktyke het agt pare aanwysers, in 'n vraelysformaat (Aanhangsel A), wat gebruik word om die 'kiekie' te verkry van hoe die geëvalueerde organisasie/afdeling/besigheidseenheid presteer ten opsigte van die toepassing van óf slegte óf goeie praktyke. Daar word te kenne gegee dat die werkplekpraktyke, naamlik Strategie, Veranderingsleierskap, Verbintenis van belanghebbendes, Vergoeding en Aansporing, Talentskepping, Besigheidsdissiplines en Strukture, sterk in verband staan met en kritiek is vir die vaslegging van verandering en hoë prestasie binne organisasies indien goeie praktyke korrek toegepas word soos gedryf deur strategie. Daar word te kenne gegee dat die toepassing van slegte praktyke binne die organisasie-omgewing waarskynlik traagheid en swak prestasie tot gevolg sal hê. Die studieprojek poog om die rasionaal van die 'Beehive'-model van organisasievernuwing vir die vaslegging van verandering en hoë prestasie in die organisasiekultuur te bepaal soos geregverdig deur onlangse akademiese literatuur deur die gebruikmaking van 'n literatuuroorsig as navorsingsontwerp. Daar word aangeneem dat die korrelasie van vasgelegde verandering en hoë prestasie met die toepassing van goeie praktyke, en vasgelegde organisasietraagheid en swak prestasie met die toepassing van swak praktyke in beide gevalle positief is en geen poging word aangewend om die korrelasies empiries te toets as deel van hierdie studieprojek nie. Die 'Beehive'-model en literatuuroorsig toon 'n saamgevoegde omgewing wat kultureel en struktureel die werkplekpraktyke en vraelysaanwysers integreer en daardeur hoë prestasie versterk en veroorsaak, en wat poog om die volgende scenario te skep en te verduidelik: Alle werknemers word in staat gestel (bekwaam) en bemagtig om hul volle vermoë en potensiaal te bereik deur formele en informele werkplekpraktyke en prosesse wat regdeur die organisasie geïntegreer is en wat duidelik en eenvoudig gestruktureer is om dit maklik te maak om te verstaan en te gebruik, informasievloei doelgerig te kanaliseer, aktiewe inligtingsvloei aan te moedig en te forseer, en wat toepaslike en nuttige inligting binne bepaalde verband lewer soos ondersteun deur bekwame werknemers wat aktief betrokke is by die ontwerp, implementering, gebruik en deurlopende aanpassing van die werkplekpraktyke. Dit moedig die kontekstuele begrip van die besigheid, asook verbintenis tot en deelname aan prestasieverhogende probleemoplossing aan deur inspanning wat strategiegerig is. Die bevindings dui daarop dat die 'Beehive'-model se struktuur en doel en die gepaardgaande vraelysaanwysers sterk ondersteun word deur onlangse akademiese teorie asook beperkte beskikbare empiriese navorsing ten opsigte van verwante onderwerpe. Daarom is dit moontlik om met 'n redelike hoë mate van vertroue tot die gevolgtrekking te kom, soos gesien teen die agtergrond van tendense in die literatuur, dat 'n hoë mate van nakoming van die korrekte en holistiese toepassing van goeie praktyke, soos geassosieer met die sewe werkplekpraktykaanwysers, waarskynlik sal lei tot die vaslegging van verandering en hoë prestasie in die kultuur van 'n organisasie. Die literatuuroorsig dui ook redelik sterk op die begryfsonafhanklikheid van die doeltreffende toepassing van die "Beehive'- modelvraelysaanwysers.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / This study is an evaluation of the components of organisational success and how they combine to distinguish employers of choice from other organisations. Being an employer of choice is attracting interest in the employment market as organisations attach a perceived value to this. Employers of choice are not only of interest to organisations but also to prospective employees who are increasingly choosing the companies for which they would prefer to work according to organisation ran kings. Job seekers try to move to top companies as the benefits and opportunities are believed to be better. This study looks at the various surveys and opinions available in an attempt to identify the specific criteria that make one organisation better than another. These criteria are then evaluated and conclusions drawn regarding the extent to which they are beneficial to organisational performance. Most of the criteria appear to be components of sound human resource management practices. This leads us to believe that success is driven by sound practices, which in turn attract top performers who can continue the cycle by adding improved organisational performance. Being an employer of choice and being a top-performing organisation cannot be separated. The two concepts are interdependent as the one fuels the other.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research is firstly to theoretically describe the concept of talent management and determine the role thereof in the recruitment and retention of a high performance workforce. Secondly the experience of organisations and Recruitment Practitioners in the Cape Peninsula towards talent management is described through the utilisation of phenomenological research principles. The theoretical concepts determined are compared to the actual status quo that presently exists in the marketplace to determine the gaps that resides. The literature investigation concentrated on the central aspects pertaining to this study namely a clear definition of talent management principals, recruitment trends that currently influences the world of work. talent retention practises and the development of an integrated talent management system. The phenomenological investigation was conducted through interviews with selected Human Resource professionals and Recruitment Practitioners in the Cape Peninsula. Carefully constructed open-ended questionnaires were utilised in the interviews. Four themes emerged from the investigation centring on the general principles of talent management, the understanding versus application of talent management, organisational recruitment, retentions practises and the role of the Recruitment Practitioner. From the study it is clear that talent management principles are still not entrenched in organisation especially regarding the retention of their workforce as well as the establishment of an integrated approach towards talent management. An emerging realisation of the importance of talent management existed among the respondents interviewed, however true application is still within a development phase. The role of Recruitment Practitioners and their relationship towards organisations in the recruitment and selection of talent is also scrutinised. It becomes evident that Recruitment Practitioners operate within a highly competitive and volatile market necessitating certain survival techniques that is in contrast to the principals pertaining to proper talent management practises. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om eerstens die aspekte random talent bestuur teoreties te beskryf en sodoende die rol daarvan in terme van die werwing en behoud van 'n uitstaande arbeidsmag te bepaal. Die tweede aspek van die studie wentel rondom 'n fenomenologiese ondersoek wat die ervaring van organisasies en werwings agente in die Kaapse Skiereiland in terme van talent bestuur beskryf. Die teoretiese beginsels wat bepaal is word dan vergelyk met die werklike stand van sake en die gapings word ge"identifiseer. Die literatuurondersoek fokus op die sentrale aspekte van die studie naamlik 'n duidelike definisie van talent bestuur, werwings tendense wat huidig in die mark voorkom, talent behoud in organisasies en die ontwikkeling van 'n geintegreerde talent bestuur sisteem. In die fenomenologiese ondersoek is gebruik gemaak van onderhoude met gekose personeel beamptes as ook werwings agente in die Kaapse Skiereiland. Spesiaal ontwikkelde vraelyste is gebruik vir die onderhoude. Uit die ondersoek ontvou vier temas wat sentreer om, 'n vergelyking van die begrip en die werklike toepassing van talent bestuur, werwings beginsels in organisasies, talent behoud praktyke en die rol van werwings agente. Dit blyk duidelik dat talent bestuur praktyke nog steeds nie geintegreer is in organisasies nie spesifiek in terme van talent behoud en die ontwikkeling van 'n geintegreerde talent bestuur benadering. Respondente het wel die belangrikheid van talent bestuur besef, maar die toepassing hiervan is steeds in 'n ontwikkelings fase. Die studie het ook 'n noukeurige ondersoek gedoen in terme van die rol wat werwings agente speel in terme van die werwing van hoë kwaliteit werknemers in organisasies. Dit blyk duidelik dat werwings agente onder baie wispelturige toestande in 'n hoogs kompeterende mark werk. Dit het sekere faktore tot gevolg wat kontrasteer met die praktyke van talent bestuur.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Making sense of the competitive environment has become an essential condition for organisational survival and growth. The nature of the competitive environment has evolved to a state that all companies in an industry have more or less the same access to information. It is the companies that translate that information into actionable intelligence that will have the best chance of a competitive advantage. However, few organisations have the resources to study every aspect of the competitive environment. Prioritisation is required to ensure that only those aspects of the competitive environment that will really contribute to the performance of a company are studied. Translating information into intelligence requires both a process and a focus. This study was used to derive a conceptual competitive intelligence process model to guide the operations of Old Mutual’s Competitive Intelligence (CI) function. The conceptual model presented is based on a literature study and details the required steps in translating available information into actionable intelligence. The literature study firstly defines the concept of competitive intelligence. Secondly, it describes the conceptual model. Finally, the literature study describes in more detail the first phase of the intelligence process, i.e. the identification of intelligence needs of the organisation, and the translation of those needs into topics that can be prioritised and operationalised for collection and analysis by the CI function. This process is referred to as the Key Intelligence Topics (KITs) process. The identification of needs was done by means of an empirical study and entailed personal interviews with members of the senior management team of Old Mutual. The most significant need identified in the interviews is for forward-looking analysis of industry trends and competitor strategies. The products of these analyses should suggest potential actions to the recipients or users. The interviews and business documentation on strategic and tactical initiatives were used to determine the key intelligence needs of Old Mutual. The process and framework of interpreting the intelligence needs into prioritised KITs is described in Chapter 4. However, on Old Mutual’s request, specifics pertaining to strategic initiatives and intelligence requirements derived from the empirical study have not been documented in this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Om sin te maak van die mededingende omgewing het ‘n noodsaaklike voorwaarde vir ‘n maatskappy se oorlewing en groei geword. Die aard van die mededingende omgewing het ontwikkel tot ‘n vlak waar al die maatskappye in ‘n industrie merendeels toegang tot dieselfde inligting het. Dit is slegs dié maatskappye wat beskikbare informasie kan omskakel in bruikbare intelligensie wat die beste kans op ‘n mededingende voordeel sal hê. Nogtans, weinig maatskappye het die beskikbare hulpbronne om elke aspek van die mededingende omgewing te kan bestudeer. Prioritisering word dus benodig om te verseker dat slegs die aspekte van die mededingende omgewing wat werklik ‘n bydrae sal lewer tot die welslae van die maatskappy, bestudeer sal word. Omskakeling van informasie na intelligensie benodig beide ‘n proses en ‘n fokus. Hierdie studie dien om ‘n konseptuele prosesmodel van mededingende intelligensie af te lei vir die gebruik in die Mededingende Intelligensie (MI) afdeling van Ou Mutual. Die voorgestelde model is gebaseer op ‘n literatuurstudie en beskryf die nodige stappe om beskikbare informasie om te skakel in bruikbare intelligensie. Eerstens beskryf die literatuurstudie die konsep van mededingende intelligensie. Tweedens beskryf dit die konseptuele prosesmodel. Laastens beskryf die literatuurstudie die eerste fase van die intelligensieproses in meer besonderhede, d.i. die identifisering van intelligensiebehoeftes van die maatskappy en die verwerking van daardie behoeftes tot onderwerpe wat geprioritiseer en in werking gestel kan word vir insameling en ontleding van informasie deur die MI afdeling. Dié omskakelingsproses is bekend as die “Key Intelligence Topics (KITs)”-proses. Die identifisering van behoeftes is deur middel van ‘n empiriese studie verkry, en behels die voer van persoonlike onderhoude met lede van die senior bestuurspan van Ou Mutual. Gedurende die onderhoude was die behoefte aan toekomsgerigte ontledings van industrieneigings en mededingerstrategieë geïdentifiseer as die grootste huidige tekorte. Voorts moet die ontledings voorgestelde optredes aan die ontvangers van die intelligensie bied. Die onderhoude, tesame met strategiese en taktiese dokumentasie, is gebruik om die sleutel intelligensiebehoeftes van Ou Mutual te bepaal. Die proses en raamwerk om die intelligensie behoeftes te vertolk in geprioritiseerde KITs word beskryf in Hoofstuk 4. Op versoek van Ou Mutual is spesifieke inligting soos deur die empiriese studie afgelei en met betrekking tot Ou Mutual se strategieë en intelligensiebehoeftes nie weergegee in hierdie studie nie.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The fundamental purpose of this research was to establish whether there was a link between the work performance of individual employees within a technical division and their own levels of job satisfaction. The degree of work performance was ascertained from individual scores achieved in the biannual performance appraisal. The levels of job satisfaction were ascertained by means of completed job satisfaction questionnaires. All the respondents to the job satisfaction questionnaire did so on a voluntary basis and with the condition of anonymity. The outcomes of these questionnaires were analysed and one of the conclusions that could be drawn was that although the performance scores were positively skewed, there was a tendency that those individuals did not experience similar levels of job satisfaction. The results also indicated that despite higher levels of work performance, the respondents experienced high levels of dissatisfaction in relation to their jobs. This outcome should be further researched and appropriate interventions made.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / This discourse was sanctioned by the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) in pursuit of the MBA and is a theoretical exploration of personal authentic leadership, its development and associated constructs. The author endeavoured to describe current thinking on the emerging field of research as well as to raise pressing questions and concerns with respect to the measurement of authentic leadership as a finite quantifiable construct. This was done within the context of a theme, which is inherently subjective and dynamic in nature. The author began by examining some of the organisational and environmental considerations that may have triggered an interest in studying and defining the construct and its associated concepts. An overview was then provided of its content, including the diverse theoretical and methodical perspectives presented, followed by a discourse on the alternate conceptual foundations and definitions that constitute authenticity, authentic leadership, authentic leaders and authentic leadership development. A detailed account of the various components of authentic leadership follows. The similarities and defining features of authentic leadership theory in comparison with transformational, charismatic, servant and spiritual leadership perspectives were subsequently examined. The writer then developed the theme of adult learning and its pertinence within the context of authentic leadership development and this literature was also developed as a philosophical construct. In closing, he discussed the status of authentic leadership theory with respect to its purpose; construct definitions, consideration of context, relational/procedural focus, along with promising directions for possible future research to augment the current body of knowledge on authenticity within the context of leadership and its development.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTACT: The research seeks to investigate the progress of an indigenous group of companies in the advertising industry in Nigeria, in its bid to transform from unsustainable organisational practices to more sustainable and progressive practices that promote increased operational efficiency and organisational performance. The study made use of the Beehive Survey of High Performance Organisation TM and the Evolution to Excellence Framework (EEF), tools that were used by permission of the owners, The Village of Leaders Consulting, as well as interviews with staff of the company. The research objectives were firstly, to identify positive and negative influences on organisational culture change, secondly, to assist the subject company in identifying necessary steps to take in its bid to become world class and finally, to test the questionnaire model, the Beehive Survey, in an environment other than South Africa where it had been extensively used. The research further aimed to identify how far Nigerian companies had been able to achieve their bid to become truly world class with sustainable organisational practices, what type of leadership and cultural challenges they might face and what they needed to do to overcome these challenges. The major findings of the research were that indigenous companies need to reduce authoritative hierarchy and control, increase participation and interaction at all levels, increase transparency and information dissemination and clearly define the organisational vision and get the buy-in of all stakeholders.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Executive remuneration in South Africa has continued to attract public outrage and generate much debate among various stakeholders due to the perceived non-alignment of compensation packages awarded to senior executives and company performance. This research examines the relationship between executive compensation and financial performance of South African listed companies. Furthermore, the study investigates the link between executive pay and sustainability performance measures such as environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. Almost no research has been done in South Africa to examine the link and integration of ESG performance metrics into executive pay as researchers continue to focus on traditional financial measures of performance such as earnings (EBITDA), earnings per share (EPS), return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), total shareholder return (TSR) and share price. The link between executive compensation and sustainability metrics (ESG) has become a topic of much discussion among academics and investors due to the potential influence of ESG factors on companies’ financial performance and sustainable long-term value creation. The research begins by examining the changes in the level of executive compensation during a five-year period and by testing the relationship between executive pay and traditional financial performance measures. The results show that the total compensation of CEOs has been steadily increasing during the five-year period while variable performance bonuses experienced a slight decline during the economic recession of 2007 to 2008. The results provided evidence that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between executive remuneration and company profitability. Findings for the second objective suggest that while executive compensation plans of many companies have been formally tied to ESG performance metrics, few companies in the study have disclosed effective and robust ESG performance measurement systems that tie executive pay to sustainability performance.

Thesis (PhD (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The turbulent and rapidly changing world, including South Africa, has created a society craving for speed and action. Future leaders, therefore, face incredible pressures to deliver immediate results, to do more with less and to manage an ever-increasing personal workload. The pace and urgency of daily demands can make it difficult to be more than the step ahead into the future. But in a world of changing conditions and priorities, leaders and individual contributors alike must be able to look beyond the ‘now’ and take a more strategic leadership approach to their work and responsibilities. Global mega-trends are leading to increasing levels of complexity, dynamism and uncertainty in the corporate environment. In an uncertain economy, organisations need effective strategies that will enable them to thrive. Traditional leadership approaches have been rendered insufficient by the rapid changes in the knowledge economy. Businesses need to practise systemic innovation in this fast-changing, knowledge-driven global business landscape in order to remain competitive. Despite heightened awareness and interest by both scholars and practitioners in the field of strategic leadership, the subject will always be an emerging field of inquiry. Furthermore, limited research has thus far been conducted on the impact of strategic leadership on the operational strategy and performance of business organisations in South Africa. A review of strategic leadership literature revealed a research gap that culminated in the following research question: “What is the impact of strategic leadership on the operational strategy and performance of business organisations in South Africa”? To address the research question stated above, a literature review on the impact of strategic leadership on the operational strategy and performance was conducted, and an empirical study was executed. The literature review emphasised the three interrelated strategic leadership constructs of action, coherence and discipline that explored the relationship between strategic leadership and the organisation’s operational strategy and performance. In this study, operational strategy includes strategic orientation as well as the operational excellence of the organisation. The factors which influence strategic orientation were identified as the organisation’s ability to create and formulate their strategy as well as the discipline of all people in the organisation to execute the strategy. Operational excellence, was influenced by product differentiation, cost management and integration. The literature review also emphasised the influence of adaptive leadership, autonomy, communication, knowledge, processes and systems, and values on self reported organisational performance which was directly related to strategic leadership. To address the research problem, empirical cross-sectional telephone surveys were conducted. The sample selected for the study was the top 200 listed organisations for 2008, as published in the Financial Mail. The key respondent was the chief executive officer (CEO), or a member of the executive team. The sample consisted of 200 organisations of which 118 valid responses were received with a response rate of 59 percent. Measurement instruments were adapted, developed and revised where necessary to ensure the reliability and validity of the data. The collected data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study indicated that strategic leadership is directly and indirectly positively associated with operational strategy and organisational performance. It is positively associated with strategy orientation as well as operational excellence of business organisations in South Africa. Furthermore, strategic leadership can also be related to return on assets (ROA) and earnings per share (EPS). Self reported performance is also associated with higher organisational performance. Strategic leadership is unrelated to the size of the organisation, but is more likely to occur in a turbulent business environment. Product differentiation and cost management were also directly linked to strategic leadership. The most important contribution of this study is based on the testing of successful strategic leadership practices in business organisations in the South African context. Competition in the 21st century’s global economy will be complex, challenging and filled with competitive opportunities and threats. This study asserted that effective strategic leadership practices could help business organisations in South Africa to enhance their performance while competing in turbulent and unpredictable environments. Measurement instruments have also been developed, which may be used by executives, consultants and other researchers to measure these phenomena in future. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die turbulente en vinnig veranderende wêreld, Suid-Afrika inkluis, het ‘n gemeenskap geskep wat gewoond geraak het aan spoed en aksie. Toekomstige leiers is dus blootgestel aan oneindige druk om dadelik te presteer, resultate te lewer, om meer met minder te doen en om ‘n vootdurende en toenemende werkslading te bestuur. Die vinnige pas en dringendheid van daaglikse vereistes kan dit baie moeilik maak om ‘n stap voor die toekoms te wees. Maar, in die wêreld van veranderende omstandighede en prioriteite, moet leiers en individue oor die vaardighede en kennis beskik om verby die ‘huidige’ na die toekoms te kyk en daardeur ‘n meer strategiese leierskapsbenadering te volg ten opsigte van hulle werk en verantwoordelikhede. Die impak van globalisering het aanleiding gegee tot verhoogde vlakke van kompleksiteit, dinamika en onsekerheid in die korporatiewe omgewing. Organisasies het, veral in ‘n onsekere ekonomie, ‘n effektiewe strategie nodig om te presteer. Tradisionele leierskapbenaderings is nie meer voldoende in ‘n kundigheidsekonomie wat vinning besig is om te verander nie. Dit het dus noodsaaklik geword vir leiers in organisasies om effektiewe stelsels en ander innoverende praktyke te implementeer om kompeterend te wees in die toekoms. Nieteenstaande die verhoogde bewustheid en belangstelling van beide studente en persone wat in die praktyk werksaam is teenoor strategiese leierskap, sal dit altyd nodig wees om hierdie vakgebied verder te ontwikkel en te bestudeer. Voorts is daar tot op hede slegs beperkte navorsing gedoen oor die impak van strategiese leierskap op die operasionele strategie en prestasie van besigheidsorganisasies in Suid-Afrika. ‘n Oorsig van strategiese leierskapliteratuur het getoon dat daar ‘n navorsingsgaping bestaan wat aanleiding gegee het tot die volgende navorsingsvraag: “Wat is die impak van strategiese leierskap op die operasionele strategie en prestasie van besigheidsorganisasies in Suid-Afrika”? Om die bogenoemde navorsingsvraagstuk aan te spreek, is daar ‘n omvattende literatuuroorsig asook ‘n volledige empiriese studie gedoen ten opsigte van die impak van strategiese leierskap op die operasionele strategie en prestasie van besigheidsorganisasies. Die literatuuroorsig het beklemtoon dat die drie interafhanklike konstrukte van aksie, samehorigheid en dissipline, (wat strategiese leierskap verteenwoordig), ‘n nou verband het met operasionele strategie en prestasie in besigheidsorganisasies. In hierdie studie het strategiese oriëntasie van die organisasie sowel as die vermoë om die strategie uit te voer die beginsel van operasionele strategie verteenwoordig. Die faktore wat strategiese oriëntasie beïnvloed het, is geïdentifiseer as die organisasie se vermoë om ‘n strategie te ontwikkel en te formuleer, asook om die nodige dissipline te handhaaf om die strategie op alle vlakke suksesvol uit te voer en te implementeer. Operasionele uitnemendheid is beïnvloed deur produkdifferensiasie en die effektiewe bestuur van kostes. Die literatuuroorsig het ook die belangrike invloed van adaptiewe leierskap, outonomie, kommunikasie, kundigheid, effektiewe prosesse en sisteme asook gevestigde waardes bevestig as aspekte wat ‘n direkte en indirekte impak het op die selfgerapporteerde prestasies in besigheidsorganisasies, wat ‘n direkte verband getoon het met strategiese leierskap. Die navorsingsprobleem is aangespreek deur empiriese kruisseksionele telefoononderhoude te voer met gelyste besigheidsorganisasies in Suid-Afrika. Die geselekteerde populasie was die 200 top organisasies vir 2008, soos gepubliseer in die Financial Mail van 2009. As gevolg van die strategiese aard van die studie, was die sleutelrespondente die Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte (HUB), of ‘n lid van die uitvoerende bestuur van die organisasie. Die populasie het bestaan uit al 200 gepubliseerde organisasies waarvan 118 geldige vraelyste geprosesseer is, met ‘n respondentkoers van 59 persent. Die meetinstrument is aangepas, ontwikkel en verander waar dit nodig was om die geldigheid en toepaslikheid van die data te kon verseker. Die versamelde data is met beskrywende en inferensiële statistiek ontleed. Die bevindinge van die studie het aangetoon dat strategiese leierskap direk en indirek positief verbind kan word met operasionele strategie sowel as die self gerapporteerde prestasie van organisasies. Dit kan ook positief geassosieer word met strategiese oriëntasie sowel as operasionele uitnemendheid van besigheidsorganisasies in Suid- Afrika. Voorts kan strategiese leierskap ook verbind word met die opbrengs op bates sowel as die verdienste per aandeel. Selfgerapporteerde prestasie van die deelnemende organisasies kon ook direk verbind word tot verbeterde prestasie van hierdie organisasies. Daar is egter ook bevind dat strategiese leierskap geen verband het met die grootte van die organisasie nie, maar is wel geneig om ‘n positiewe impak te hê op die prestasie van organisasies in ‘n turbulente besigheidsomgewing. Produk- differensiasie en die effektiewe bestuur van kostes kan ook direk geassosieer word met effektiewe strategiese leierskap. Die belangrikste bydrae van hierdie studie is gebaseer op die toetsing van suksesvolle strategiese leierskapspraktyke in besigheidsorganisasies in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Kompetisie in die 21ste eeu in ‘n globale ekonomie gaan kompleks en uitdagend wees, gevul met kompeterende geleenthede en bedreigings. Hierdie studie het empiries bevestig, dat effektiewe strategiese leierskapspraktyke besighede in Suid- Afrika kan help om uitnemend te presteer asook om winsgewendheid te verhoog, alhoewel hulle deel is van ‘n turbulente en onvoorspelbare omgewing. Meetinstrumente is ook ontwikkel wat deur uitvoerende beamptes, konsultante en ander navorsers gebruik kan word om hierdie verskynsels in die toekoms te kan meet.

Thesis (PhD (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005 / South African organisations have to survive in an increasingly competitive and globalised environment. Many believe that South African organisations are ill prepared for these challenges, based on the fact that many organisations are plagued by low productivity, low levels of trust between employees and employers, as well as low levels of organisational commitment, effectiveness and efficiency. Solutions must be found for these problems and the present study offers one such solution. Organisational citizenship behaviour is essentially pro-social organisational behaviour that is characterised by going beyond what is expected in role requirements or role descriptions and is seen as a key driver of individual and organisational performance. Furthermore, an organisation’s ability to elicit organisational citizenship behaviour is believed to be a vital asset that is difficult for competitors to imitate and which provides the organisation with a competitive advantage. Having completed a literature study concerning possible antecedents of organisational citizenship behaviour, and taking into account various suggested future directions for organisational citizenship behaviour research, it was decided that the present study would focus on five variables: three variables that are characteristic of employees, and two that are characteristic of the management or leadership in the organisation. The primary goal of the present study was to design and conduct a scientific investigation that would attempt to determine the relationships between leader emotional intelligence, transformational leadership, trust, meaning intention to quit, and organisational citizenship behaviour, as well as to further determine the role that these five constructs play in influencing organisational citizenship behaviour. A study of the available literature was made to learn as much as possible about each of these six constructs and to determine what is known about the relationships that exist between them. The knowledge gained from the literature study was used to propose several hypotheses and a conceptual model explaining the relationships between these constructs. The relationships and the conceptual model were then empirically tested, using various (mostly confirmatory) statistical methods. This makes the present study confirmatory in nature. Existing measuring instruments were used to measure each of the constructs in a South African sample (n=496). This sample represented a wide range of organisations. Each of the measuring instruments (excepting the intention to quit scale) was subjected to a double cross-validation Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis procedure to test its construct validity. Internal reliability was determined for all of the instruments and their subscales. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis and internal reliability results were then compared to those obtained when the original measurement model was studied, using these same methods (i.e. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and internal reliability) and the data from the present sample. It was found, in all cases, that the derived factorial configuration differed, in some to a lesser degree and in others radically, from that proposed by the original author/s. It was also found that the EFA-derived measurement models and configurations had a better fit to the data than the original measurement model and its configuration. Once the criteria for construct validity and internal reliability were satisfied, the rest of the statistical analyses could be conducted. The next step was to test the hypotheses concerning the individual relationships that made up the conceptual model. Pearson correlations and Standard Multiple Regression was used to study these bivariate relationships. Several indirect or mediating relationships followed from these direct relationships and these were tested using Path Analysis. In a similar vein, four prediction hypotheses were formulated from the conceptual model and these were also tested, using Standard Multiple Regression. Lastly, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to see to what extent the conceptual model fitted the data obtained from the sample and to test the relationships between the constructs when taking the complete conceptual model into account. Both trust and meaning were found to individually mediate the relationships between transformational leadership and organisational citizenship behaviour, and leader emotional intelligence and organisational citizenship behaviour. The relationship between leader emotional intelligence and organisational citizenship behaviour was further found to be mediated by transformational leadership and trust, while this relationship was also found to be mediated by transformational leadership and meaning. No significant direct relationships could be found between leader emotional intelligence and organisational citizenship behaviour, or between transformational leadership and both organisational citizenship behaviour and intention to quit. No significant correlation was found between intention to quit and organisational citizenship behaviour either. This meant that several postulated mediating hypotheses could not be corroborated. The SEM result shows that the conceptual model did not fit the data very well, therefore an alternative model was recommended. The results in essence show that effective leaders who are emotionally intelligent and make use of the transformational leadership style can positively influence trust and meaning among followers. This, in turn, will motivate followers to display organisational citizenship behaviour and reduce their intention to quit. These are believed to positively influence organisational effectiveness and performance. Further conclusions were drawn from the obtained results and recommendations are made for future studies. New insights were gained through the results and it is believed that the present study has contributed to the field of organisational psychology and Industrial Psychology in general, on both the academic and the practioner level.