Background: Strategic renewal is a phenomenon where companies decide to do strategic alterations with the aim to improve their stasis in the current market (Kiesler & Sproull, 1982). This can be accomplished in several ways; in this report the focus is on management control systems and how they are incorporated in the strategic implementation process in order to drive and generate renewal. Management control systems are considered to be an important aspect of the strategy process (Simons, 1994). Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to analyze to what extent and in what form interactive and diagnostic management control systems are employed in large organizations in order to drive strategic renewal. Methodology: This is a qualitative research with an abductive approach that is based on a single case study. Through interviews we answer how management control systems are used in the implementation process of strategic renewal on different levels of an organization; we have made ten interviews with top-, middle- and operational management.  Conclusion: Our main finding is that the process of implementing a successful strategic renewal through the adoption of MCS is not a linear one. The process is continuous and conducted in a circular manner; this also implies the interrelation of the variables.

The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions of professional nurses on student mentorship. A qualitative, explorative, hermeneutic phenomenological research was conducted to determine the meaning of mentoring as perceived by professional nurses and to identify the successes and challenges encountered by professional nurses with regard to student mentorship during clinical practice. A face-to-face semi-structured interviews were done to collect data from operational managers (n=16) who were managing all unit activities, student mentoring included. Each interview lasted for ± 45 minutes. A hermeneutic data analysis (hermeneutic circle) was followed for data analysis. Four (4) themes and 15 sub-themes emerged from data collected from operational managers. The findings revealed that mentoring was perceived as a valuable phenomenon to apply in the preparation of student nurses for future professional role. In the process of mentoring, the caring attitude is revealed. Factors found to drive mentoring process successful was amongst other commitment, interest and partnership which guarantee the mutual efforts to the process. Though it is beneficial to mentor, mentee and the organisation as according to findings, challenges were also seen impacting on this process limiting its intentions / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions of professional nurses on student mentorship. A qualitative, explorative, hermeneutic phenomenological research was conducted to determine the meaning of mentoring as perceived by professional nurses and to identify the successes and challenges encountered by professional nurses with regard to student mentorship during clinical practice. A face-to-face semi-structured interviews were done to collect data from operational managers (n=16) who were managing all unit activities, student mentoring included. Each interview lasted for ± 45 minutes. A hermeneutic data analysis (hermeneutic circle) was followed for data analysis. Four (4) themes and 15 sub-themes emerged from data collected from operational managers. The findings revealed that mentoring was perceived as a valuable phenomenon to apply in the preparation of student nurses for future professional role. In the process of mentoring, the caring attitude is revealed. Factors found to drive mentoring process successful was amongst other commitment, interest and partnership which guarantee the mutual efforts to the process. Though it is beneficial to mentor, mentee and the organisation as according to findings, challenges were also seen impacting on this process limiting its intentions / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a measuring instrument based on the Gibb’s Defensive Communication Climate Paradigm (1961) to assess the communication climate focus of professional nurses in selected public hospitals in the Gauteng province. This focus involves the communication behaviour orientation of the professional nurses and their perceptions of the communication behaviour orientation of their operational managers. The Gibb’s model comprises six bipolar conceptual continuums, namely Evaluation-Description, Control-Problem orientation, Strategy-Spontaneity, Neutrality-Empathy, Superiority-Equality and Certainty-Provisionalism Continuums. The study consisted of a non-experimental design, including a developmental phase and a testing phase. During the developmental phase the researcher developed a measuring instrument (a Semantic Differential Scale questionnaire); used a simple, random sample method to pre-test the instrument; analysed the data by applying Cronbach’s Alpha reliability analysis and refined the instrument. Further refinement of this new instrument by future researchers is recommended. During the testing phase the researcher also used a simple, random sample, consisting of professional nurses (N = 270) from three selected public hospitals in Gauteng; tested the items against the biographical data and the three research questions and analysed the obtained data by utilising both descriptive and inferential statistics. A Delphi panel of experts were involved in both phases of the study. The results of the study indicated that although the respondents had a predominantly supportive communication behaviour orientation, they were more focused on the communication behaviour of their operational managers than on their own. Furthermore, the results indicated no significant differences in the influencing factors: age, tenure (periods in hospital), gender, language and institution (public hospital), in terms of the six conceptual continuums. Significant differences were found only in the factor: unit/ward, indicating that the supportiveness of the communication behaviour of professional nurses could be dependent on their specific work environment. Guidelines aimed at the development of a supportive climate were drawn up for the National Department of Health, Gauteng Department of Health, public hospitals, operational managers and professional nurses. It is recommended that implementation of the newly developed guidelines be pivotal for public hospitals, to refocus their communication climates towards supportive communication. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)