D.Phil. / In today's knowledge-intensive economy, an organisation's available knowledge is becoming an increasingly important strategic resource. The effective management of this resource is, consequently, one of the most important challenges facing today's organisation. Organisational learning processes which are responsible for the creation and sharing of knowledge should produce a core competence, which represents a form of valuable intellectual capital for the organisation and this has become a business imperative in the knowledgeintensive economy Without knowledge sharing between individuals, in groups, amongst groups and in the organisation as a whole there can be no knowledge and no sustainable competitive advantage through the use of organisational knowledge. Discovering the enablers and barriers to knowledge sharing is one of the aims of the study. I believe the proposed study could contribute to the "how" of knowledge sharing. This study will explore what the systemic relationship between knowledge management; knowledge sharing and organisational ethos is with the aim of developing a substantive knowledge-sharing model that explicates the knowledge-sharing processes. Based on the literature review, the reasons for organisations to focus on knowledge management and knowledge sharing are relatively consistent across organisations. At one level, organisations are concerned with keeping people informed regarding information and business processes to avoid duplication of effort, but also to stimulate collaboration and encourage group sharing. On a deeper level, most executives would agree that focusing on knowledge management is likely to increase organisational adaptability and competitiveness. Knowledge sharing can be viewed as a type of constant business innovation process.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2008 / The merger of South African municipalities in the year 2000, and the dawn of the era of developmental local government, has confronted local authorities with a range of new challenges. In addition to the need to develop a new organisational culture and mutual trust, or the introduction of soft management actions, municipalities have to aetualise the concepts and processes of co-operative governance, integrated development planning, public participation and developmental local government. In addition, the White Paper on Local Government (WPLG, 1998) implores municipalities to lead and learn while they search for local solutions. An inability to learn and manage in a changed context and circumstances will inevitably lead to public displays of dissatisfaction, such as public demonstrations, that undermine municipalities' legitimacy. To overcome legitimacy dilemmas, municipalities need to strengthen their learning capabilities to enable them to operate effectively within changed circumstances and to become learning organisations. Such organisations, according to Senge (1990), have succeeded in formulating a shared vision, displayed a high level of personal mastery and team learning, as well as practising systems thinking. Together with these elements municipalities must identify and improve potentially constraining mental models. However, transforming any organisation into a learning organisation according to Dilworth (1996) requires a particular set of leadership qualities, such as commitment to the improvement of the quality of work life, democratic leadership and the promotion of human dignity. In this thesis, a learning organisation survey of the Saldanha Bay municipality's leadership cadre, consisting of Municipal Councillors, Executive Directors and Departmental Managers and Division Heads is undertaken with a view to determine whether these key functionaries practise the key learning disciplines of team leaming, shared vision, systems thinking, mental models and personal mastery. The results of this study indicated that the municipality in question has not yet succeeded in becoming a learning municipality. It has at best succeeded in laying a foundation for both councillors and officials to build on in order to achieve the desired result.

The objective of this research was to establish a means to assist, and ultimately encourage, small and micro building contractors to develop and submit a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) that both qualifies for levy grant recovery and provides strategic value to the organisation. Targeted contractors are those who do not have the know-how necessary to develop such a WSP. Thus the need for a basic approach or model that will, through its simplicity and ease of application, assist and encourage such contractors nonetheless to undertake the process. Achieving this objective required a detailed examination of relevant literature and legislation, to identify the basic or minimum requirements for developing a strategic WSP and for meeting grant recovery regulations respectively. Newly released grant recovery regulations were examined to identify the implications thereof, and to establish the minimum legislative requirements, for the WSPs of small and micro contractors. Existing relevant general training and training needs assessment models were examined to identify the requirements for developing a strategic WSP. To establish the minimum strategic requirements it was necessary to firstly identify all the requirements proposed by the different models for identifying and meeting the training needs of an organisation, and thereafter reach a decision regarding which could be considered as minimum requirements. The decision rule for selection as a minimum strategic requirement was inclusion in all the surveyed models. To enable a less subjective analysis than relying solely on the opinion of the researcher, a content analysis was selected as the research technique, as the steps of a typical content analysis include a number of measures to increase objectivity. The legislative and strategic requirements identified by the study were converted into a series of simple sequential action steps to formulate a practical model that would guide the targeted contractors through the process of developing a value-adding WSP.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management (Business Executive Coaching). / The business environment faces constant change due to the dynamic socio-economic, political and technological landscape. With these changes, there is a demand for organisations to adapt and have the right skills to remain competitive. Organisations have not developed their learning capabilities to adequately cope with change (Senge, 2014). Creating an organization that learns and adapts speedily and continuously is a challenge that faces business. While learning takes place both informally and formally in the workplace, formal learning is seen as less effective in transferring training (Saks, 2002). This study explored the role of peer coaching on the learning process. Fifteen participants‘ experiences were explored using a qualitative approach by means of in-depth unstructured interviews. The qualitative approach enabled the researcher to gain full appreciation of the participants‘ experience by allowing them to share freely and openly. The fifteen participants attended a self-leadership course that included a peer coaching component that involved seven of the fifteen participants. The research revealed minimal differences between the learning experiences of those who were in a peer coach relationship and those that were not. The themes of self-reflection, learning from others and support from others emerged the strongest in terms of its impact on the learning process. While the extensive learning theories were developed to understand how people learn, it was evident in this study that while adult learning is self-directed to a large extent, the structural characteristics of organizations provide the framework of the situations in which experience dictates the expediency of change and learning. The value of the peer coach relationship in facilitating the process of learning was also evident as one of the enablers of learning. This study provides insights on the value of peer coaching as an additional enabler of learning and adds to the body of limited literature on the role of peer coaching within business environments. / MT2016

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Reform is one of the most controversial elements in higher education and has therefore attracted much attention from within the academic community and from outside. The present higher education scene is characterised by demands for transformation and change, not only in South Africa but in Africa and the developed countries as well. The pressures and demands for change come from outside the field of higher education as well as from within. Some countries have been involved in the process of change and transformation for a period of over thirty years, while others have just embarked on the route or still have to start the change process. The post-apartheid era has marked an era of profound change for South African higher education institutions with concomitant legislation to ensure the change process. If effective and successful transformation of higher education institutions and systems can take place in South Africa with new models of transformation and the effective integration of cultures and openness to change at all institutional levels, these models could be instructive not only to Africa but also to the rest of the world and to academic life universally. However, the demands for change worldwide indicates not only towards new legislation but also towards flexible approaches and new forms of institutional structures and leadership to accommodate the significant, rapid and fundamental changes taking place in higher education and the realisation that institutions of the future will be different from those of the past and the present. In this study the influence of organisational models are used to establish a conceptual framework towards the development of learning organisations. The study reflects on how these new types of organisations will influence higher education institutions as organisations. It also considers what will be expected of higher education institutions to become learning organisations. Learning organisations have special qualities and higher education institutions or teaching institutions do not automatically qualify as learning organisations. The promise of the new millennium provides the higher educationcommunity with the opportunity to take stock of their position and to find out if they possess the necessary skills and have the enabling structures to accommodate a new world. Becoming a learning organisation involves more than a paradigm shift for higher education institutions. It requires a revolution, a quantum leap towards individual recognition and growth, leadership development and empowerment and institutional learning. The Academic 'Process Leadership' Super structure provides the space, structure and process for higher education organisations to re-organise and re-create itself to fit the demands of a new world. An analysis of leadership, leadership development and institutional change in higher education institutions brought to the fore that these institutions have not been effective in providing programmes that develop leaders because they simply do not know what is necessary for effective leadership development. Institutions do not have an in-depth understanding of leadership and they have not enculturated leadership development as a core aspect and activity in higher education institutions. There is grave concern regarding the development of 'soft' people skills. The qualitative research investigation into the process of change towards learning organisations in higher education institutions indicate that there are profound problems in the areas of leadership, leadership development, people management and satisfaction, knowledge management and learning dynamics. These areas form the core aspects within the new structures, that of learning organisations. The insights gained from the process analysis of five higher education institutions indicate that the implementation of the academic leadership model as described in the study will provide individual leaders with the necessary leadership skills to fulfill their roles in the recreated empowered institutions. This process of leadership development, as indicated in the study, could enable institutions to become learning organisations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:Die huidige konteks van hoer onderwys dui daarop dat verandering een van die belangrikste, maar ook mees kontroversiele aspekte aangaande die studieveld is. Die hoeronderwysomgewing asook hoeronderwysinstellings verkeer onder geweldige druk van beide binne en buite die akademiese gemeenskap om te verander. 'n Analise van die huidige stand van sake en konteks van hoeronderwysinstellings dui daarop dat verandering nie net in Suid-Afrika 'n faktor is en baie aandag geniet nie, maar dat Afrika sowel as die ontwikkelde lande ook onder geweldige druk verkeer om te transformeer. Sommige lande is al vir meer as dertig jaar betrokke by die proses van verandering. Dit wil egter voorkom dat sommige van die ander lande Of nog glad nie begin het nie 6f pas begin het met die proses van verandering en transformasie. Die tydperk na 1994 en die oorgang na 'n nuwe demokratiese regenng m Suid- Afrika was ook die begin van dramatiese verandering in die Suid-Afrikaanse hoeronderwysomgewing. Die kwessie van verandering is nie net in sekere nasionale beleidsdokumente aangespreek nie, maar ook in meegaande wetgewing. Indien Suid-Afrikaanse hoeronderwysinstellings in staat sou wees om nuwe modelle te kan akkommodeer en te kan verwesenlik terwyl hulle besig is met die transformasieen veranderingsproses, kan hierdie modelle van nut en van waarde wees, nie net vir Afrika nie, maar ook vir die ontwikkelde wereld en die internasionale hoeronderwysgemeenskap. Nuwe strukture en modelle kan ongelukkig nie net deur wetgewing daargestel word nie. Instellings sal toeganklik moet wees vir moontlike nuwe vorms van leierskap, leierskapsontwikkeling en die konsep van veranderde strukture om sodoende te kan aanpas by die eise van 'n voortdurend veranderende wereld en die geweldige impak wat verandering op hoeronderwysinstellings het. Hoeronderwysinstellings sal moet besef dat instansies wat op die toekoms gerig word nie kan vashou aan ou uitgediendemodelle nie. Toekomsgerigte modelle verskil van die huidige vorms, sowel as die van die verlede. Die invloed van organisasiemodelle op hoeronderwysinstellings verskaf konseptuele verwysingsraamwerke vir die ontwikkeling van nuwe begrippe en konsepte. Die konsepte help om rigting aan te dui en te bepaal wat van instansies verwag word om sodoende te kan verander na lerende organisasies. Dit is belangrik om kennis te neem dat lerende organisasies spesifieke eienskappe het en dat hoeronderwysinstellings nie sonder meer gereken en geklassifiseer kan word as lerende organisasies nie. Hierdie nuwe vorm van organisasiestruktuur sal 'n fundamentele invloed he op institusionele prosesse asook op die manier waarop instellings in die toekoms bedryf sal word. In die nuwe millennium sal hierdie paradigmaskuif die geleentheid aan hoeronderwysinstellings voorsien om nie net revolusioner te verander nie maar ook om 'n kwantumsprong te maak na die belangrike mens- en leervaardighede. Hierdie vaardighede is nie net noodsaaklik vir die ontwikkeling om 'n lerende organisasie te word nie, dit maak ook die kern uit van hierdie nuwe organlsaSles. Die proses van akademiese leierskap en leierskapsontwikkeling, soos wat voorgestel word in die model van die Akademiese Leierskapsproses Superstruktuur sal aan instellings die geleentheid bied om die noodsaaklike leierskapsvaardighede te ontwikkel. Dit sal ook die kreatiewe en innoverende omgewing skep wat dit vir hierdie soort organisasie strukture moontlik sal maak om nuut te kan ontwikkel en sodoende in staat sal stel om te kan herorganiseer binne 'n konteks van groter aanpasbaarheid. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie en navorsingsanalise ten opsigte van leierskap, leierskapsontwikkeling en die proses van verandering en transformasie het aangedui dat hoeronderwysinstellings in Suid-Afrika nie effektief ontwikkel ten einde lerende organisasies te word nie. Die ondersoek dui daarop dat instellings nie die onderliggende elemente van die begrip "leierskap" verstaan nie. Leierskap en leierskapsontwikkeling maak tans nie deel uit van die huidige institusionele kultuur nie.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for Doctor of Philosophy in Management Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / The aim of this study was the development of an Exploratory Framework of Human Capital linked to Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management for the Durban University of Technology as a case study. The main problem revolved around the lack of an integrated road map for the identification, management and operationalisation of an integrated framework for the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in the UoT Sector, focusing on Human Capital capabilities, Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management, which emphasised the need for this study. The three main objectives of the study were to investigate the importance and contribution of Human Capital at the DUT operating in a highly dynamic Knowledge-based Economy, to formulate strategies for the Institution to meet its Human Capital demands in the competitive Knowledge-based Economy and to develop an Exploratory Framework of Human Capital linked to Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management for the Durban University of Technology. The research design adopted was the quantitative paradigm with a pre-coded structured close ended questionnaire comprising the 5 Point Likert Scale that was used to administer the instrument to the selected sample respondents. The questionnaire comprised of 5 Sections, each under a specific main theme related to the research topic. The target population comprised of 1874 employees at the Durban University of Technology. A computerised tool called the Excel Functionality Program was used to generate the random numbers for the sample selection for each group. The sample of 320 employees was selected using simple random sampling without replacement for both the Administrative and Academic staff members at the DUT. A total of 280 questionnaires were returned by the sample respondents. However, 8 questionnaires were discarded as they were incomplete and the final questionnaire returns equated to n = 272, namely, (118 questionnaires from the Academic Staff grouping and 154 questionnaires from the Administrative Staff). This represented a high response rate of 85% which was largely attributed to the researcher using the personal method of data collection. After the study was completed, the researcher solicited the services of a Senior Librarian to run the TURNITIN Program to test the entire thesis for plagiarism which proved useful. In the main, the analysis of the data involved the use of robust non-parametric tests for the empirical analyses using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 for Windows. A variety of non-parametric tests were also used to test some 71 hypotheses formulated for the various sections and components of the study as well the tenability of the Exploratory Framework (Figure 4.1) developed. Some significant findings emerged from the comprehensive statistical analyses which were also corroborated by national and international studies conducted by various researchers who also showed their concordance or discordance with the current findings and were referenced accordingly. It should be noted that the recommendations cannot be generalised to other UoTs in the HE Sector, as this was an in-house investigation involving the DUT as a case study. The main empirical findings of the study, inter alia, included the following: The value of integrating Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management into strategic planning at the DUT, the importance of developing an operationalised Human Capital Scorecard to address the different functions of the Academic and Administrative groups respectively at the DUT and a strong emphasis and role of Strategic Human Resource Management at the DUT. Thus, the Exploratory Framework developed as a model for the DUT within the UoT Sector concomitant with the outcomes and recommendations of the study may prove beneficial for future goal oriented strategies by top management of DUT. The study concludes with suggestions for further research in this emerging field of endeavour. / D

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Chapter one provides a general introduction to the entire study. It covers the background; rationale; research questions; aims; objectives; and the theoretical grounding of the study. Chapter two provides a review of relevant literature on systems thinking, in particular the role of learning in living systems. This chapter also explores definitions of both learning organization and organizational learning, covering the topics of individual, team and organizational learning, types of organizational learning including single-loop, double-loop and deutero-learning. Enablers of and barriers to organizational learning are examined. Characteristics of a learning organization are discussed. Chapter three reports on a literature review on the applicability of lessons learned systems, as a knowledge sharing tool in the public sector. Attention is given to the advantages and disadvantages and there is a focus on how this can be implemented in the Eastern Cape department of Human settlements. The chapter also reviews available literature on frameworks of organizational learning. In Chapter four analyses are presented of empirical research in the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements to determine whether there are practices in place that support organisational learning, or might encourage the department to become a learning organization. The chapter interprets responses and provides findings. In chapter five a framework that could facilitate organisational learning in the Department is suggested. The chapter highlights academic implications as well as implications of the study for practitioners of organizational learning; and draws conclusions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoofstuk 1 bied ‘n algemene inleiding tot die studie. Dit handel oor die agtergrond, rasionaal, navorsingsvrae, doelstelling en die teoretiese begronding van die navorsing. Hoofstuk 2 bied ‘n oorsig van relevante literatuur oor sisteemdenke, en in besonder van leer in lewende sisteme.Die volgende temas word behandel: lerende organisasie, organisatoriese leer, individuele, span- en organisasie-leer, enkelslag-, dubbelslag- en deuteroleer. Drywers van en beperkinge op organisatoriese leer word bespreek. Hoofstruk 3 behandel literatuur oor ‘lessons learnt systems’ en hoe toepaslik dit in die openbare sektor kan wees. Daar word spesifiek gefokus op die Departement Menslike Vestigings in die Oos-Kaap Provinsie. Hoofsturk 4 bied die analise aan van ‘n ondersoek in bogenoemde departement om te bepaal in watter mate praktyke bestaan wat as organisatoriese leer gereken kan word, of as sodanig uitgebou kan word. Hoofstuk 5 stel ‘n raamwerk voor vir organisatoriese leer in die departement. Gevolgtrekkings vir die praktisyns van organisatoriese leer, sowel as die akademie daarvan, word gemaak.

The study focuses on organisational learning in the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Attention is paid to the meaning of the concept organisational learning, prerequisites for and factors of organisational learning for service excellence, organisational learning as an important phenomenon in a knowledge based organisation such as the DST. To determine the impact of organisational learning on service excellence in the DST, the study adopted a formalised, communicative, experimental and cross-sectional form of research design. The research methodology adopted in the study is that of qualitative research method in order to find substantial evidence. The study also employs a quantitative research method to complement the qualitative method. Both non-probability and probability sampling methods were employed in the study. The sample included 55 respondents from five programmes of the DST across all levels of the organisational structure. The results indicated that the DST leadership does support service excellence, thus highlighting the importance of communication in organisational learning. / Public Administration / M. P. A. (Public Administration)

Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Bedryfsielkunde)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Within a highly regulated industry such as banking, learning takes place not only to better equip staff to deal with problems which may cross their paths, but to enable them to develop and grow into new roles within the bank. In addition to the regulation in the industry, there is also legislation goveming the learning providers within the industry. These learning providers have to abide by multiple rules and regulations set out by the Skills Development Act and the Banking Sector Training Authority, which grants accredited training-provider status to in-house learning departments of the various banks. With all the reports and returns that now have to be submitted to the Department of Labour, and the Skills Development levy that is paid to the South African Revenue Service, businesses are turning their attention to the amount of money actually being spent on training, and are starting to ask pertinent questions about the impact of learning. To answer these questions, the learning strategies that organisations adopt in order to become learning organisations need to be scrutinised and analysed, before moving on to how the measurement of retum on investment in learning can be determined and integrated into the balanced scorecard measurement for learning and growth. In the course of this study, the issues mentioned above will be discussed from a generic, theoretical point of view, before applying them specifically to the case of First National Bank. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In 'n hoogs gereguleerde bedryf soos die bankwese, vind leer nie net plaas om personeel beter toe te rus om probleme te hanteer wat oor hulle pad kan kom nie, maar ook om personeel nuwe rolle binne die bank te laat ontwikkel en aanneem. Bo en behalwe die regulasies van die bedryf, is daar ook wetgewing ingevolge waarvan verskaffers van opleiding binne die bedryf moet optree. Hierdie opleidingsverskaffers moet aan verskeie reels en regulasies valdoen soos neergele deur die Wet op Vaardigheids-ontwikkeling en die sektorale onderwys- en opleidingsowerheid vir die bankwese (BANKS ETA), wat geakkrediteerde opleidingsverskafferstatus aan interne opleidingsdepartemente van die verskillende banke toestaan. Met al die verslae en opgawes wat deesdae aan die Departement van Arbeid verskaf moet word sowel as die vaardigheidsontwikkelingsheffing wat aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Inkomstediens betaal moet word, word ondernemings al hoe meer bewus van die hoeveelheid geld wat hulle aan opleiding bestee, en begin vra hulle al hoe meer tersaaklike vrae oor die impak van opleiding. Om hierdie vrae te beantwoord, moet 'n mens die leerstrategiee wat organisasies aanvaar ten einde leerorganisasies te word, onder die loep neem en ontleed. Hierna kan die aandag verskuif na die wyse waarop die meting van opbrengs op belegging in opleiding bereken en geintegreer kan word by die gebalanseerde-telkaartmeting van leer en groei. In hierdie studie word bogenoemde sake uit 'n generiese, teoretiese hoek bespreek voordat dit meer bepaald op Eerste Nasionale Bank toegepas word.