The outcome of this research paper provides an emphasis on the role of trust as a trigger for the turnaround strategy that can influence employees’ behaviour, and hence increase satisfaction levels within the organisation in challenging moments of unstable political environment. The aim of understanding trust in this context, is thus to reduce the incidents of business interruptions and eventually improve business performance. Dimensions of trust were categorised into affect-based and cognition-based trust. Furthermore, two influencing moderators; internal communication within the organisation and organisation commitment among employees; were introduced to explicitly identify the dynamics of the relationship between the dimensions of trust and job satisfaction. The study was completed using a survey conducted in Egypt, during the critical period after the president was ousted and there was a take-over by the military, which caused massive turbulence to the business environment. Data was collected from four different firms operating in different industries. The multiple regression model was able to identify the vital role of cognition-based trust as a dominant trigger for job satisfaction. Moreover, internal communication and organisational commitment were found to moderate the impact on the relationship between dimensions of trust and job satisfaction, and hence are able to stimulate improved job satisfaction, thus improve business performance. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / lmgibs2014 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

The safety literature describes senior managers as crucially influencing organisational safety. Yet, it is not fully understood, what contributes to their influence. This thesis investigated senior managers’ characteristics in relation to their impact on safety in air traffic management organisations. A review of the safety literature indicated research in this area would benefit from the introduction of a research model as a theoretical basis. The skills-based leadership model by Mumford and colleagues was proposed as a suitable model for senior managers’ influence on organisational safety. A safety–specific version of the model was devised, consisting of traits (Big Fives, regulatory focus), skills (problem solving, social competence) and safety knowledge as antecedents of safety commitment and organisational safety outcomes. Study 1 explored the relevance of these characteristics for senior managers’ work on safety using semi-structured interviews with senior managers (N = 9). Responses were coded into the characteristics with sufficient reliability using qualitative content analysis. The characteristics were found to be relevant for senior managers’ influence on safety and their content was refined based on the findings. Safety knowledge and social competence were frequently indicated. Interpersonal leadership emerged as additionally relevant. Study 2 investigated the characteristics’ relevance for safety managers’ and CEOs’ influence on safety with questionnaires consisting of open questions (N = 49). Responses were coded using qualitative content analysis with acceptable reliability. The results re-confirmed the relevance of the characteristics. As in the previous study, interpersonal leadership emerged. Furthermore, problem-solving, leadership and safety knowledge were found more frequently for CEOs than for safety managers, whereas personality was more frequently indicated for safety managers than for CEOs. Finally, Study 3 tested the characteristics’ influence on safety commitment, which was conceptualised as indicated through behaviours that reflect a positive attitude towards safety. Interview questions, scenarios and questionnaires were used to measure characteristics and safety commitment in a sample of senior managers (N = 60). Interview and scenario responses were quantified with acceptable reliability. The results indicated that not all characteristics that were previously found to be relevant for senior managers’ influence on organisational safety were also related to safety commitment. Mainly, problem solving was shown to influence safety commitment, with the ability to understand problems, to identify useful information-sources and to generate ideas that relate to changes in the organisation’s culture as most influential. The findings can inform guidance and training for senior managers. Future research in this area could benefit from a focus on the conceptualisation of safety commitment, the role of interpersonal leadership style, as well as safety knowledge and the skills included in the research model.

Thesis (M. Comm.) -- Central University of Technology, Free State, 2007 / From the Stone Age, each nation or group of people has had a distrust of those different from themselves. This is evidenced in various ways, for example, social welfare given to local residents only, scornful names given to foreigners and other ethnic groups and rituals designed to keep themselves separate from others. These incidents of diversity resulted into an unplanned and emergent set of norms, values and beliefs that exert enormous influence on the way in which an organisation operates, how organisational structure is developed, the integration and adaptation of internal and external relationships, as well as the orientation of the underlying values of the organisation. The main aim of changing culture is to improve organisational performance. To achieve this aim, it requires an understanding of the underlying assumptions and values that determine what is important in an organisation as well as assessment of the impact of culture on operational efficiency. The impact of organisational culture is identified through the negative and positive outcomes of mining activities, and is illustrated by employee satisfaction, job commitment, organisational loyalty, turnover, absenteeism and productivity. The aim of this research study was to identify the characteristics of organisational culture and evaluate the impact of organisational culture on gold mining activities in the Free State. The methodology used in this study comprises of empirical as well as a literature study. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather information for the empirical study. The empirical study revealed that firstly, organisational culture is created partially by leaders, and that one of the most critical functions of leadership is the creation and the management of culture. Lastly, organisational culture emerges when employees think, believe and act according to the pressures and priorities of their environment. Unfortunately, employees do not set aside their cultural values and lifestyle preferences when they come to work. It is the responsibility of the management to create an environment that is conducive to a healthy working environment. This study established that the necessity to control the workforce productivity need not be accompanied by ruthless or aggressive exploitation of cultural management, but by reliance on employees’ capability to exercise judgement to cope effectively with environmental uncertainty. Rules, norms and strategies developed cannot “fit” every circumstance but encourage conformity rather than creativity, and compliance rather than commitment.

Thesis (Ph. D.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008 / This study primarily focuses on the factors that should be taken into account when developing Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) to be used by FET Accounting educators to improve the results of their learners. In order to accomplish this aim, literature from published books, textbooks, guidelines and syllabi from the Department of Education, speeches and articles on the internet, interviews and questionnaires were used in capturing data to establish the essence of Accounting and Accounting principles, to determine the educational changes regarding the curriculum that were made and the influence of these changes on the Accounting syllabi for the FET phase, to identify the factors that hamper the improvement of FET Accounting results in schools and to identify, describe and analyse a curriculum and LTSM. A triangulation methodology was employed in this study where qualitative data (interviews) and quantitative data (questionnaires) were captured. Through the interviews with the Learning Facilitators of Accounting and questionnaires completed by Accounting educators, it became clear that a lack of LTSM exist in Accounting. Accounting educators indicated that they are in dire need of LTSM for the FET phase to be able to improve the results of their Accounting learners in tests and examinations.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The consumption of energy results in environmental costs, which include resource shortages, air pollution and radioactive wastes. Due to the economic cost associated, more and more Western industrial organisations are investing in innovative technologies to reduce energy consumption through improved thermal insulation of buildings, modifying equipment and by using energy-saving devices. The organisations are, however, not assured of any savings unless employees handle apparatus and equipment in a manner that conserves energy. Therefore, the important question to answer is how organisational behaviour can be changed to improve and enhance energy conservation efforts. Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has identified that it needs to change its operations to conserve energy, thus ultimately conserving the planet. The company has identified an internal goal of reducing its energy consumption by fifteen percent, without sacrificing output, over a period of ten years from 2004. Current (2011) energy consumption at the Rustenburg Base Metals Refinery (RBMR) facility indicates that the mentioned goal does not seem achievable in 2014 as anticipated. The proposition to this phenomenon is that the prevailing culture at RBMR is not conducive to a conservation culture as required to conserve energy. Organisational culture is the pattern of values, norms, beliefs, attitudes and assumptions that shape the ways in which people behave and things get done. This hypothesis was tested with a culture survey in the form of an environmental questionnaire. The findings from the questionnaire confirm cultural barriers to achieving centralised targets and goals. Responses to the questionnaire indicated that the organisation does not measure energy conservation efforts accurately and that the information on how to attain the required conservation is not sufficient. The respondents further indicated that they have very limited input into energy conservation efforts and that trust issues present themselves as barriers to achieving set goals and targets. The prevailing perception by the respondents is that inadequate recognition systems are in place to drive the required savings. A surprising finding of the research is that the level of education of the respondents showed no significance with regard to energy conservation and the environment in general. A second interesting finding was that most respondents felt that they could do something to conserve energy and thereby conserve the environment. The challenge facing Amplats is to transform this awareness into a vehicle that will produce significant and sustainable results. Clear and decisive action will be required to bring about cultural change.

The general aim of the study was to explore and describe community development workers` perceptions of wellness at an HIV/AIDS organisation in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. The population of 36 community development workers at the Nelson Mandela Bay office of this organisation participated in this study. The sampling technique employed can be described as a census as it involved sampling an entire finite population that included all community development workers in the organisation. These workers are predominantly Xhosa-speaking adults between the ages of 21 and 60 years, and include both males and females. Qualitative data were gathered by means of audio-recorded focus groups, utilising semi-structured interviews. Tesch`s method was used to analyse the data, while Guba`s guidelines were used to enhance the trustworthiness of the research. Focus group interviews with community development workers revealed seven common themes in the experience of working in the HIV/AIDS organisation: (a) participants’ understanding of wellness; (b) organisational factors that impact on wellness; (c) personal factors that impact on wellness; (d) family and community factors that impact on wellness; (e) participants’ wellness; (f) personal coping strategies; and (g) suggestions regarding organisational strategies to enhance employee wellness. It is envisaged that the research findings of this study will be used in future to direct interventions that will be beneficial for the short and long term planning for the wellness of the community development workers of the HIV/AIDS organisation and those around them. It was recommended that the organisation was to develop a workplace wellness programme, increase management support towards the staff wellness and to increase the staff capacity.

Thesis (M. Tech) (Tourism and Hospitality Management)) Central University of Technology, Free State, 2014 / Job stress and burnout can have a detrimental effect on the health of employees and their job performance. This is especially applicable to the hospitality industry which is a service-intensive industry where customer needs and wants are the most important focus. Organisational culture being defined as the social glue that helps bring the organisation together is seen in this case as the proper mechanism that managers could use to deal with the detrimental effects of job stress and burnout. This study assessed the impact of organisational culture on job stress and burnout in graded hospitality establishments in the Free State Province. The two main economic areas of the Free State, namely Bloemfontein and Clarence, were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was administered to all staff members in 46 graded accommodation establishments, and a total number of 227 questionnaires were collected for data analysis. The questionnaire consisted of a demographic section, an organisational culture section (based on the Competing Value Framework), a job stress section (based on Spielberger’s Job Stress Survey) and a burnout section (based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory). Data were interpreted using both descriptive and inferential statistics (including factor analysis and t-tests). The findings indicate that graded hospitality establishments had a predominantly Rational Culture, which points to strong external positioning and competitiveness. The Rational Culture is externally focused and does not adequately consider the needs of internal constituents – notably the employees. The cultural values associated with the Rational Culture are thus not as conducive in moderating job stress and burnout as the Group and Developmental Cultures. Appropriate recommendations are proposed in mitigating the effect of job stress and burnout in the hospitality industry.