The aim of this study was to explore human resources (HR) practitioners’ experiences of engagement interventions within a financial institution. A qualitative research approach was followed which was informed by the hermeneutic phenomenological paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were used. The findings indicated that HR practitioners play a critical role in enhancing engagement in organisations through the implementation of effective engagement interventions. The HR practitioners often thought of themselves as the ‘heart’, ‘the core’, ‘facilitator’, ‘business partner’ or ‘middle man’ when implementing engagement interventions. The majority of the HR practitioners did understand engagement, their role in the implementation of engagement interventions and the tools used to assess engagement. However, the findings did indicate that some of the HR practitioners within this study had limited knowledge of engagement, engagement interventions and the tools used to implement engagement. The findings also indicated that the implementation of an engagement intervention should be a collaborative process between employer and employee, with the support of top management to ensure the success of the engagement intervention. Engagement interventions were considered to be predominantly positive and successful by most of the participants. However, it was noted by participants that if there is no follow-through on the implementation of the engagement interventions it can become negative. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Dissertation submitted in the partial fulfillment for the requirements of the Degree of Master of Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / Notwithstanding the unsurpassed planning efforts, municipalities nationally seem to be losing their battle in pursuit of sustainable development. South African municipalities find themselves confronted with a harsh reality and that is that after 12 years of legislated Integrated Development Planning (IDP), poverty remains widespread and persists alongside affluence, while inequalities are increasing. The mechanism of service delivery in municipalities is hampered by bureaucratic settings within Local Government and the ambiguity attached to some of the projects. The service and infrastructural developments targeted for the poor, and the involvement of communities in the affairs of the Local Government might be seen as a partial panacea for poverty alleviation in South Africa, however the capacity of Local Governments to effectively carry out this developmental challenge assigned to them might be a new twist in the developmental challenge facing Local Governments in South Africa. The commonly-employed approach to local development to the challenges of co-ordinating and integrating efforts has revealed clear evidence of the usefulness of sustainable local development which helps to promote effective planning methods based on a multi-sectorial approach to poverty reduction and community development for an integrated local development planning process. The literature review contained in this research indicates that in South Africa the implementation of the IDP at Local Government level impacts upon by the Performance Management System (PMS). This research which has been grounded within the positivist paradigm, evaluates the IDP as a performance management system at Ugu District Municipality. Interviews were conducted amongst employees of the Ugu District Municipality and the community served by the municipality to evaluate the extent to which the IDP is used as a tool to deliver sustainable development.

In 2003, Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) introduced policies on performance management in an endeavour to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools. With these policies, schools are supposed to be constantly audited, monitored, and supported by district officials. Within district offices, there are unit supervisors who are responsible to manage PMDS to inculcate a performance culture. This performance culture is subsequently cascaded down to schools to yield quality matric results and yet this remains to be seen. Furthermore, the study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of supervisors and officials on the PMDS management within districts. With an interpretive paradigm, the researcher was able to analyse data from interviews and questionnaires. The study revealed that PMDS is generally acknowledged and positively perceived albeit with significant challenges to its implementation in the GDE districts. / Educational Leadership and Management / M.Ed. (Education Management )

Since the late eighties, BPR has established itself as one of the attractive radical change management option for coping and adapting to the new competitive market environment and become popular both in the public and private organisations throughout the world . Cognizant of this fact, all Ethiopian public (government owned) institutions including the public financial institutions have embarked on large-scale change projects since 2004 in which Business process re-engineering(BPR) is a central element . This research examined whether implementation of Business Process Reengineering (BPR) projects have improved operational performance of the selected case public commercial banks in Ethiopia by collecting and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative comprehensive data set, using mixed research approach through questionnaires, interviews, observations and review of secondary sources of information. The operational performance measures utilized in this study are cost reduction, speed of service delivery, service quality, customer satisfaction as well as innovation. A total of 837 (84% response rate) questionnaires were returned from respondents of the selected branches and head offices. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight senior managers of the respective banks, who were also members of their respective banks reform team and were involved in the design and implementation of BPR. The third method that was used to collect qualitative data was personal observation of the selected bank branches in order to measure the speed of service delivery and convenience of the waiting places. The researcher measured the service delivery time of selected busy bank branches for five consecutive days, for half an hour spent in each branch. This study found that the introduction of BPR in the case banks was met with mixed reactions from employees and some managers. The main achievements of BPR were: service delivery time reduced dramatically as a result of the new process redesign and introduction of information and communication technology services(introduction of e-banking); introducing a single customer contact point through employee empowerment to make all the necessary decisions at that point of contact which resulted in improving the satisfaction of employees and customers. The challenge was that resistance from employees and some managers (labelled the initiative as “Blood pressure raiser” due to their assumptions it will result in employee lay off or the change brings increased workloads for some remaining employees without compatible rewards following the new process redesign. The study also revealed that telecom infrastructure and power interruption considered as main problem areas in providing banking services efficiently and effectively through branch net workings. The researcher recommends that for a better BPR design and implementation as well as sustainability of improvement gains in the banking sector, a forum should be established to discuss and share good practices and technology in the banking sector ; establish strong change management offices to continuously assist and monitor results; and continuously involve and communicate key stakeholders in the design and implementation of change initiatives. / Business Management / D.B.L.

台灣在邁向工業化時期的產業成就，一直被譽為經濟奇蹟；其中，許多製造業者扮演了舉足輕重的角色。然而，隨著近年來的金融風暴以及長期的經濟不景氣，我國製造業面臨的市場環境日趨艱難；當人力成本、土地廠房支出日益高漲時，企業原先的生產銷售網絡遭到破壞，迫使著許多企業面臨到轉型的問題， 另一方面，隨著日本、韓國以及中國大陸等鄰近國家，藉由強勢的品牌或是低廉的成本，逐漸侵蝕台灣過去作為全球製造業中心的龐大市場，使得全球投資者的重心因此而轉移。此一情況，更讓長期仰賴資通訊與消費性電子產品的製造代工作為經濟命脈的台灣，受到前所未有的衝擊。 對於傳統製造業者來說，如何在這樣艱難的環境中，繼續維持長期的獲利能力，是相當嚴峻的考驗。因此，為了改善經營效率進而提升獲利能力，業者勢必得從企業內部進行組織重整與轉型，藉以創造企業未來永續發展的機會。 因此，本研究經由觀察個案公司推動企業轉型的實務經驗為出發點，提出建立『當責式管理』制度以及企業『執行力』的強化，作為台灣當前製造業轉型成長的重要元素。本研究內容將聚焦在以下三個問題，並以個案研究的方式，分析與歸納台灣製造業者在面臨企業轉型過程中的成功關鍵： 1.個案公司的轉型策略為何？ 2.如何落實當責管理的觀念於組織各層級之中？ 3.提昇企業執行力的關鍵為何？ / It was an economic miracle for Taiwan when it became an industrialized country. At that time, manufacturing industry played a very important role in the economic growth of Taiwan. However, financial crisis and depression at recent years make industrial much more hard. When cost of employment and factory keep rising, original networks of production and sale have been destroyed, and many enterprise facing the challenge of transformation. On the other hand, Japan, Korea and China start using their brand or lower cost to erode former market of Taiwan, and global investments also keep moving to these countries. As the main producers of ICT products and consumer electronics in the world, Taiwanese manufacturing enterprises face the serious strike. For traditional manufacturing enterprises, it's really severe to hold on the profitability in the pass. In order to improve the operation and profitability, Taiwanese manufacturing enterprises have no choice but to carry out enterprise transformation and corporation reorganization. Because of these situations, this paper will start from experience of enterprise transformation in case company. It will focus on how to build a management regime of “accountability”, and strengthening of enterprise’s “execution”. These two points above-mentioned are the essential factor for successful transformation of manufacturing enterprises in case company. Therefore, this paper will try to induce and verify the key factor of successful transformation for manufacturing enterprises through answering the three questions below: 1. What is the favorable strategy of enterprise transformation for case companies? 2. How to practice management regime of accountability in all levels of organization? 3. What are the key factors for enterprises to strengthen its execution?

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Performance management is an activity of the greatest of importance in any organization, whether that organisation functions within the public or private sector. The importance of performance management has however grown greatly within the public sector due to a renewed focus on efficiency, effectiveness and economy of actions. Within an environment increasingly characterised by a scarcity of resources, the application of performance management has therefore become an essential component. This applied research study hence examines the role of performance management within the public sector. The importance of this essay is due to the fact that very limited research has been done in this field in So~th Africa concerning the modification and application of performance management, which was primarily a private sector initiative, on the more complex public sector. By making use of historical and descriptive research methods, the researcher furthermore analyses the usage of performance management within a particular educational facility. This research study therefore focuses on the formulation and implementation of a performance management instrument for the measurement of the performance of administrative and support personnel employed by the specific educational facility, with the objective to solve existing performance problems within the organisation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Prestasiebestuur is 'n aktiwiteit wat van allergrootste belang is in enige organisasie, hetsy die organisasie in die private sektor of die openbare sektor funksioneer. Die belangrike rol van prestasiebestuur binne die openbare sektor het egter aansienlik gegroei met die openbare sektor se hernude fokus op effektiwiteit, doeltreffendheid en ekonomie van aktiwiteite. Binne 'n omgewing wat toenemend gekenmerk word deur 'n skaarsheid van hulpbronne, word die toepassing van prestasiebestuur gevolglik 'n ononbeerlike komponent. Vervolgens bestudeer hierdie toegepaste meestersvlak navorsingstuk die rol van prestasiebestuur binne die openbare sektor. Die uiterste belangrikheid van hierdie navorsingstuk spruit uit die beperkte hoeveelheid navorsing wat daar binne hierdie veld gedoen is rakende die aanpassing en toepassing van prestasiebestuur, wat aanvanklik slegs binne die privaat sektor gebruik is, op die meer komplekse openbare sektor. Verder ondersoek die navorser deur middel van historiese en beskrywende navorsingsmetodes ook die gebruik van prestasiebestuur binne 'n spesifieke onderwysinstelling. Die werkstuk fokus gevolglik op die formulering en implementering van 'n prestasie metingsinstrument vir die meting van die prestasie van administratiewe en ondersteuningspersoneel verbonde aan die spesifieke onderwysinstelling, met die oog daarop om bestaande prestasie probleme binne die organisasie op te los.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Performance management entails processes and systems that ensure that organisational activities are geared to promote the achievement of organisational goals. Management of performance is one of the crucial functions to be fulfilled by leaders and managers in an organisation. Management and leaders in an organisation serve as the compass that lead and direct these entities; they should be empowered to optimally fulfil the expected roles and functions. The study resulted from an observation made during internal audit engagements and concerns raised by South African Military Health Services (SAMHS) commanders during these engagements. An initial informal survey of performance management conducted by the researcher during the internal audit engagements confirmed a need for a formal scientific study, hence this formal study. The study was conducted amongst commanders in the SAMHS with their prior voluntary consent to participate in the study. The study participants comprised SAMHS commanders from different levels of this organisation, ranging from directors of professional departments, general officers commanding from different military health formations to officers commanding military units from various provinces. Literature relevant to the studied topic was researched, which ranged from books, legislation and internet articles, as well as internal prescripts of the Department of Defence. A questionnaire was designed and constructed to collect the study information. Central concepts of the study were identified and included in the questionnaire. The study questionnaire was administered to the commanders within the SAMHS, who responded with enthusiasm and diligence. The findings of the study confirmed to a great extent that a performance management training need exists amongst SAMHS commanders. It was also found that SAMHS commanders are willing to undergo performance management training to enhance their functioning. The empirical findings of the study were tabled and analysed on completion of the scientific study and conclusions were drawn from the findings. Based on the findings of the empirical study, conclusions were drawn and recommendations are made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Prestasiebestuur behels prosesse en stelsels wat verseker dat die organisasie se aktiwiteite op die bereiking van die organisasie se doelwitte gerig is. Bestuur van prestasie is een van die belangrikste funksies wat deur die leiers en bestuurders in 'n organisasie vervul moet word. Die bestuur en leiers in 'n organisasie is die kompas wat leiding en rigting gee vir hierdie entiteite en moet bemagtig word om verwagte rolle en funksies optimaal te vervul. Die studie was die gevolg van 'n waarneming wat gemaak is tydens interne oudit betrokkenheid en bekommernisse wat deur bevelvoerders in die Suid-Afrikaanse Militêre Gesondheidsdiens (SAMGD) aan die lig gebring is. 'n Aanvanklike informele prestasiebestuur-opname wat deur die navorser tydens die interne oudit onderneem is, het die behoefte aan 'n formele wetenskaplike studie bevestig en tot hierdie studie gelei. Die studie is onder die bevelvoerders binne die SAMGD met hulle voorafgaande vrywillige toestemming tot deelname aan die studie onderneem. Die deelnemers aan die studie het SAMGD-bevelvoerders op verskillende vlakke van hierdie organisasie ingesluit. Hulle het vanaf direkteure in professionele departemente, bevelvoerende generaals van verskillende militêre gesondsheidformasies tot bevelvoerders vanuit verskeie provinsies gewissel. Relevante literatuur met betrekking tot die onderwerp is nagevors. Dit het boeke, wetgewing, artikels op die internet en interne voorskrifte van die Departement van Verdediging behels. 'n Vraelys is ontwerp en saamgestel om die nodige inligting vir die studie in te samel. Sentrale konsepte van die studie is geïdentifiseer en by die vraelys ingesluit. Hierdie vraelys is aan die bevelvoerders binne die SAMGD, wat met entoesiasme en ywer gereageer het, voorgelê. Die bevindinge van die studie het tot 'n groot mate bevestig dat daar 'n behoefte aan opleiding in prestasiebestuur onder bevelvoerders binne die SAMGD bestaan. Daar is ook tydens die studie bevind dat bevelvoerders binne die SAMGD bereid is om prestasiebestuurs opleiding te ondergaan om hul funksionering te verbeter. Die empiriese bevindings van die studie is na die wetenskaplike studie getabelleer en geanaliseer en gevolgtrekkings is daarvolgens gemaak. Aanbevelings word op grond van hierdie bevindings van die empiriese studie gemaak.

Thesis (MPhil) -- Stellenbosch University, 2011. / The aim of this research study was to explore the experience of managers, and specifically engineers at a steel manufacturing company, of a brain-based coaching model. Coaching’s origins can be traced back to a variety of fields including psychology, change management, training and adult learning. Many people argue that coaching is ‘heart based’ as opposed to being more analytical and scientific. This caused some confusion with the researcher. However, during his studies towards a Master’s degree in Philosophy (MPhil) in Management Coaching, he was introduced to neuroscience and the role it has played in the emergence of a new field called brainbased coaching. The fact that one could scientifically explain why the brain needs coaching and that coaching can help the brain improve its functioning, appealed so much to the researcher that he wanted to expand his knowledge of the subject. Selecting a sample group that was made up only of engineers who had participated in a training programme with the focus on brain-based coaching, provided the perfect platform from where to study the phenomenon and to discover how the engineers, who are academically trained, are analytical and who, by their very nature, prefer scientific evidence-based research, perceive a brain-based coaching model. It was also important to try and establish what they believed the benefits and possible applications are of the model and whether they think it can be used to improve performance and lift motivation and engagement. The results were positive, but it revealed more; it explained how the experience created awareness and led to a change in behaviour and thinking – not just at work, but also in their personal lives. These findings provide more knowledge about the potential that a brain-based approach has for managers and leaders as a development tool. It also gives some comfort that we do not have to continue doing and thinking about things the way we have always done; we have a choice and this approach gives us an insight into how to exercise that choice.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Today’s competitive and dynamic business world, solicits ever higher levels of performance and productivity. At the core of this drive to higher performance is the enhancement and managing of employees’ performance through a Performance Management system. Performance Management however, is a very complex, multi-dimensional and integrated system with a number of interacting critical prerequisites. Even in ideal circumstances, these fundamental elements would, in all likelihood, not all be satisfied during the initial phases of implementing a Performance Management system. The concern existed, on the basis of the abovementioned probabilities, that the Performance Management system of the Children and Families Division (CAF) of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) of Tasmania, Australia, was not enjoying optimal operational effectiveness. The aim of this study was to identify those factors in the system that are underdeveloped, possibly unsuccessfully implemented or in need of attention as they impact negatively on the effective running of the CAF’s Performance Management system. A suitable tool for this diagnostic purpose already exists in the form of the Performance Management Audit Questionnaire (PMAQ), developed by Spangenberg and Theron (1997). Through administering and analysing the PMAQ results, the CAF could obtain a clear indication of the system’s current effectiveness and would be able to identify where the problem areas are in order to refine the system for greater operational effectiveness. The results successfully identified the underdeveloped or absent areas of the organisation’s current Performance Management system. The results further found a clear difference between managerial and non-managerial perceptions of the effectiveness of the Performance Management system. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of proposed remedial actions that could be implemented to address the problem areas. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ‘n Konstante strewe na steeds hoër vlakke van prestasie en produktiwiteit is aan die orde van die dag in die huidige hoogs kompeterende en dinamiese besigheidswêreld. Die verbetering en bestuur van werknemers se prestasie deur middel van ‘n Prestasiebestuurstelsel, blyk ‘n sleutel te bied tot hierdie strewe na hoër prestasie. Prestasiebestuur is egter ‘n hoogs komplekse, multidimensionele en geintegreerde stelsel met ‘n aantal interverwante kritieke vereistes. Selfs onder ideale omstandighede, sou dit onwaarskynlik wees dat al hierdie fundamentele elemente aangespreek sou kon word gedurende die anvanklike fases van die implementering van ‘n Prestasiebestuurstelsel. In die lig van die bogenoemde waarskynlikhede, het daar spesifiek twyfel geheers oor die mate waartoe die Prestasiebestuurselsel van die ‘Children and Families’ (CAF) afdeling van die ‘Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in Tasmanië, Australie, optimale operasionele effektiwiteit weerspieël. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die faktore binne die stelsel te identifiseer wat onderskeidelik onderontwikkeld, onsuksesvol geimplementeer, of aandag benodig het ten einde hulle negatiewe impak op die effektiewe bedryf van die CAF se Prestasiebestuurstelsel aan te spreek. ‘n Geskikte hulpmiddel vir so ‘n diagnostiese doelwit het reeds bestaan in die vorm van die Performance Management Audit Questionnaire (PMAQ) wat deur Spangenberg en Theron (1997) ontwikkel is. Deur middel van die administrasie van die PMAQ en die analise van die resultate, sou die CAF ‘n duidelike aanduiding kon verkry van die stelsel se effektiwiteit en sou hulle die probleemareas kon identifiseer ten einde die stelsel tot groter operasionele effektiwiteit te verfyn. Die resultate het die leemtes en onder-ontwikkelde areas binne die organisasie se huidige Presasiebestuurselsel suksesvol geidentifiseer. Die resultate het verder gedui op ‘n duidelike verskil tussen die persepsies van bestuurders en nie-bestuurders oor die effektiwiteit van die Prestasiebestuurstelsel. Die implikasies van hierdie bevindings word ten slotte bespreek in terme van die voorgestelde remediëringsaksies wat geimplementeer sou kon word om die probleemareas aan te spreek.

Bakgrund och forskningsfråga: Målstyrning är ett viktigt hjälpmedel för företag i deras strävan efter att följa sina strategier. Målstyrning kan ske genom användning av formella eller informella styrmedel, och ska anpassas efter varje enskilt företag. Traditionella affärsverksamheter har ofta som fokus att generera vinst och använder sig främst av formella styrmedel. Kreativa näringar har istället sitt fokus på kreativiteten, och använder sig främst av informella styrmedel. Kreativa företag har inte samma möjlighet att konkurrera på marknaden som traditionella affärsverksamheter, men den ekonomiska aspekten är fortfarande viktig då det är ett krav för deras fortlevnad. Flertalet kreativa näringar väljer att diversifiera sin verksamhet inom relaterade områden för att skapa en mer stabil ekonomi. Detta medför dock en utmaning i att behålla kreativiteten inom ett område, trots en diversifierad verksamhetsstruktur. Studiens övergripande forskningsfråga är: Hur håller kreativa företag, inom konstsektorn, med relaterat diversifierad verksamhetsstruktur samman hela organisationen genom målstyrning? Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva hur kreativa företag med flertalet olika verksamhetsgrenar utformat sin målstyrning med hjälp av olika formella och informella styrmedel. Ytterligare ett syfte är att analysera vilka fördelar och nackdelar de olika styrmedlen skapar för företagen gällande deras målstyrning. Metod: Denna studie utgör en fallstudie av två kreativa näringar. Undersökningen utgår från en abduktiv forskningsansats med en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi. Den teoretiska referensramen är främst baserad på insamlat material från litteratur och vetenskapliga artiklar. Det empiriska materialet utgörs främst av ingående personliga intervjuer, samt viss information från hemsidor tillhörande de organisationer som deltar i denna studie. Slutsats: Kreativa näringar med relaterat diversifierad verksamhetsstruktur använder formella styrmedel för att styra de ekonomiska aspekterna och informella styrmedel för att styra kreativiteten och de anställdas beteenden. Denna målstyrning gör att de kan uppfylla både deras ekonomiska och konstnärliga mål och hålla samman sin relaterat diversifierade verksamhetstruktur. / Background and research question: Performance management is an important tool for businesses in their efforts to pursue their strategies. Performance management can be achieved through the use of formal or informal control instruments, and should be tailored to each individual company. Traditional businesses often have the focus to generate profit and primarily use formal control instruments. Creative industries have instead its focus on creativity, and primarily use informal control instruments. Creative companies do not have the same opportunity to compete in the market as traditional businesses, but the financial aspect is still important as it is a requirement for their survival. Most creative industries choose to diversify their business in related areas to create a more stable economy. However, this means a challenge to retain the creativity in one area, despite a diversified business structure. The study's overall research question is: How do creative businesses, in the arts sector, with a related diversified business structure hold together the entire organization through performance management? Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe how creative companies with several different branches of business activity have designed its performance management using different formal and informal control instruments. Another purpose is to analyze the advantages and disadvantages that the different control instruments create for companies concerning their performance management. Method: This study is a case study of two creative industries. The survey is based on an abductive research approach with a qualitative research strategy. The theoretical framework is mainly based on material collected from literature and scientific articles. The empirical material consists mainly of detailed personal interviews, as well as certain information from websites belonging to organizations involved in this study. Conclusion: Creative industries with a related diversified business structure are using formal control instruments to steer the financial aspects and informal control instruments to steer creativity and employee behavior. This performance management enables them to meet both their financial and artistic goals and hold together its related diversified business structure.