This research explored the experiences and perceptions of the performance appraisal systems in place and its value to social workers within the Department: Social Services and Poverty Alleviation: Provincial Government of the Western Cape.

<p>Perceptions of performance management in the South African Public Sector was characterised by high levels of unfairness owing to a bias in favour of those individuals that can write essays well. The essays would provide the evaluation team with an indication of the achievement of the individual as its relates to job performance, knowledge, insight, interpersonal relations and leadership qualities. Although the Performance Management system has changed from what was called the Performance Appraisal System to the Personnel Performance Management System that involves both supervisor and employee inputs, fairness perceptions remain unchanged. This study aimed to ascertain perceptions of fairness toward performance appraisals amongst public service raters and ratees on Level 1 to 12 who are subject to use the Personnel Performance Management System in the office of a public service organisation: National Department of Land Affairs Chief Directorate : Surveys and Mapping.</p>

Thesis (M.M. (Public Policy))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Public and Development Management, 2013. / The Auditor General identified some gaps in the quality of performance information that was reported by the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development (GDHSD) to the public. The information was inaccurate and unreliable (Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development, 2009; 2010; 2011). The National Government passed the Policy Framework on Government-Wide Monitoring and Evaluation System in 2007. Some of the objectives of which were to improve the quality of performance information and service delivery in government. This development required government departments to develop and implement strong and effective M&E systems. The GDHSD formally implemented its M&E system in 2007; one of the objectives of which was to generate good quality performance information. The GDHSD’s M&E system has failed to achieve this objective. The study investigated some aspects of the GDHSD’s M&E system with regard to its poor quality performance information. The study found that some of the problems in the GDHSD’s M&E system, which the study highlighted, were the lack of adequate and appropriate capacity and skills for monitoring and evaluation; the absence of proper structures, processes and systems for monitoring and evaluation; the absence of quality assurance mechanisms for performance data; the selective application of data management rules and regulations; and a low morale amongst some staff members of the GDHSD. One of the notable findings was that there is manipulation of some performance information for political reasons. The study made some recommendations on how to strengthen the GDHSD’s M&E system based on the identified gaps. Some recommendations are that the GDHSD needs to capacitate its M&E directorate; develop proper monitoring, evaluation, reporting and data management processes and systems; address the problem of manipulation of performance information for political reasons; and promote a culture of good work ethics within the staff members of the GDHSD. The implementation of these recommendations may assist to strengthen the GDHSD’s M&E system, thus also helping it to improve the quality of its performance information and service delivery.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration in Project Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / Leadership is arguably the most studied discipline and yet is equally the least understood subject since it involves unpredictable human beings. In the same vein, as managers and leaders operate, they operate within the context of followers who have their own expectations from leadership. Consequently, many leadership theories have been developed and at best they are largely a variety of the other with extremities in other aspects. Because there are other people apart from the leader, it means consideration should be made of the characteristics of the followership. There is therefore a need for congruency between the leadership and the followership if the leader is to be influential. Interpersonal skills are critical for this type of leadership, and some research findings indicated that extroverts who are people centered are likely to be more effective. In the process, the leader needs to build relationships as evidenced by the way the leader will encourage, appreciate, forgive, understand others, and be prepared to listen to peers and followers. This papers posits that people oriented leaders develop closeness to the followers and are empathetic, whilst they try to get their work done. The preliminary findings established that a people focused leader will have more influence on the followership, and is most likely to be empathetic to his subordinates.

Researchers have proposed several theoretical explanations of how employee creativity is fostered and developed in organizations. The early literature attributed creativity to personal factors, such as personality and cognitive ability. Researchers also examined the role of environmental factors, such as role models, support and feedback in creativity. More recent research suggests that when individuals lack creativity-relevant skills, there are certain contextual factors that can provide support for the development of the necessary skills. However, there is a dearth of empirical research investigating these relationships. This dissertation summarizes extant research and advances the field by empirically testing the individual and collective roles of personal and contextual factors in employee creativity. / by Jennifer M. (Bowers) Collins. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2008. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Thesis. 1978. Ph.D. cn--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. / Vita. / Bibliography: p. 208-212. / Ph.D.cn

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / Thank you to the Most High God for giving me strength, courage, wisdom and understanding to pursue my dream. Compiling this mini-dissertation would not have become a success if it was not for the support I received from my family and close friends. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the following persons who contributed immensely to the undertaking of this study from its beginning to its completion:  My Supervisor, Dr. K.S. Milondzo and my Co-Supervisor, Professor. M.X Lethoko for their constructive criticism, patience, expert advice and motivation and for being the sound board of my ideas throughout the process. For the professionalism that they portrayed throughout our interaction.  To Professor C.S. Mkhabela for his academic advice, moral support and fruitful discussions we had in our engagement.  My parents Pauline and Ben Nyoni, for their undivided support, patience, and acceptance.  My son, Tshepo Litswele for his unwavering love and support  My brothers and sisters, for their support, tolerance and acceptance at times I may have inconvenienced them.  To the participants for willingness to participate in the study.  To my employer Department of Education for allowing me to pursue my studies.  To the Department of Public works, Roads and Transport for granting me permission to conduct my research within their department.  To Ms MM Ngobeni for her professional editing. iv ABSTRACT Recent changes in the public sector which also included the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport have placed new pressure on managers to change their ways of managing Performance Management and Development Systems in its implementation. The above challenge necessitated the researcher to investigate the effective implementation of Performance Management System in the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport in Ehlanzeni District Municipality. The study is concerned with the development of effective implementation of Performance Management System on employees and production in the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport. This study used the context of the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport as its spring board in engaging the subject of performance management system. With all changes that are involved towards the implementation of performance management system, there is a need to review the way performance management system should be implemented, hence this study. In this study, a mixed research design approach was used in the investigation of the effective implementation of performance management system in the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data from the target population. The main findings of the study, confirmed that there are challenges associated with the implementation of performance management system in the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport. Apart from these challenges, the study also revealed the factors that contribute towards the implementation of performance management system in the area of the study. Furthermore, the study also led to the suggestions and recommendations that may assist Ehlanzeni District Municipality to accelerate effective implementation of performance management system in the department.

As the workforce ages, enabling individuals to work effectively across the lifespan is critical for individuals, organizations, and societies. Put simply, societies and organizations are beginning to face a "new normal" in which people must continue working later in life. Investigations of work ability (WA), an individual's ability to meet the demands of their job, is a line of research that facilitates our understanding of the factors related to working successfully across the lifespan. Although research has established that WA is influenced by a range of organizational and personal factors and linked WA to retirement and disability, a number of gaps and underlying conceptual issues have limited the value of the WA research to the organizational sciences. Through a series of three studies -- a meta-analysis (Study 1a) with k = 247 studies and N = 312,987 individuals, a supplemental online data collection (Study 1b), a nurse sample (Study 2), and a healthcare sample (Study 3) -- this dissertation draws on the JD-R model to move the WA literature forward and advance WA theory within the organizational science literature. Study 1 provides a quantitative synthesis of the WA literature, establishes its nomological network, and provides a straightforward conceptual definition of WA. This synthesis provides a roadmap for researchers and practitioners by highlighting leverage points to promote WA across the lifespan. Second, these studies answer lingering questions regarding the concept of WA. In doing so, these studies provide a clear conceptual distinction between WA as measured by the Work Ability Index (WAI), which includes health-based questions, and measures of perceived WA (PWA), which are perceptions of WA as rated by individual. PWA measures performed similarly to the WAI in the vast majority of analyses, lending substantial support to the use of relatively simple PWA measures. Third, Study 1 and Study 2 provide evidence that PWA explains unique variance in organizational (e.g., engagement, burnout) and personal (e.g., disability intentions, health) correlates above and beyond the established constructs of perceived fit, general self-efficacy, and job self-efficacy. Fourth, Study 2 identified age discrimination as an important yet understudied antecedent of WA and showed that PWA can serve as a mediator between age discrimination and negative outcomes (e.g., lower life satisfaction and task performance). Finally, Study 3 showed that PWA is related to supervisor ratings of task and creative performance. Taken together, these three studies situate WA within the organizational literature and provide substantial evidence of the value of WA for meeting the challenges of an aging and age-diverse workforce.

Thesis (M.A. (Human Resource Management))-- University of Limpopo, 2009. / While the current trend among a number of organisations is to integrate performance appraisal with performance management systems or even ‘replace’ it with performance management systems, it is still extremely highly utilized process. The probable reason for this is that the major use of performance appraisal is as a management tool whereby the quality of personnel decisions can be enhanced when an effective system is in place. Ideally the use of a formal process, focused on objective, job orientated criteria, will empower management to make meaningful decisions which will not only be to the benefit of individual workers but will contribute to the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the organisation. Some other objectives apart from fact that it is used as management tool are to determine the administrative and development as well as that of the organization. There are therefore, two fundamental parties involved in appraisal, being the appraisee and the appraiser and it is inevitable that the approach to, or the perception of the subject should be different in some, or many ways. Aspects such as ethics, fairness, motivation, accuracy, validity, rating errors, effectiveness and feedback, should therefore be examined in more detail in order to determine where specific problem areas may lie between males and females. Serious perceptual differences concerning the process will surely create obstacles and eventually lead to an inefficient system. The aim of the study was to determine the extent to which differing perception play a role in the acceptance or rejection of the system with regard to males and females in terms of the aspects mentioned above. The diagnostic instrument used in this study was adapted from those of Mount (1983) (named the Leadership Analysis Questionnaire) and Le Roux (1989) to IV include aspects which are more in line with features of the performance appraisal system unique to the participating organisation. The results indicated statistically significant differences in perception between males and females in terms of fairness, motivation, and feedback. It is recommended that future research should be directed at the underlying reasons for perceptual differences between supervisors and subordinates, regarding the factors mention above, with the aim of improving communication and relationships.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / The overall aim of the study was to investigate the factors contributing to RAL’s performance on roads infrastructure delivery in Limpopo Province for the first ten years since its inception. The study also sought to assess RAL’s steadiness, looking at its current practices and processes versus key external and internal developmental challenges facing the construction industry, in particular the civil engineering profession. Descriptive explorative research design using an instrumental case study was used in this research project to achieve the aim of the study. The population comprised all the people and companies involved with the RAL projects in Limpopo Province, including RAL staff, CIBD active registered Civil Engineering Contracting and consulting firms. Unstructured telephonic interviews and a structured questionnaire assisted the researcher to understand factors contributing to RAL’s performance in roads. The study revealed several strengths and weaknesses contributing to RAL’s performance, which concerned the agency‘s nature and composition, level of implementation of its strategies, policies and plans. A clear and implementable quality assurance system must be developed to mitigate all risks associated with project management processes and procedures. Strategies should also be identified on how the agency’s performance will progress despite the economic instability and political interferences. Proper strategic planning has thus far proved to be prudent in identifying risks and ways to mitigate them. According to the study RAL, an organisation of its own type specialising in roads infrastructure, its nature and size, its vast experience and knowledge of construction and project organisation and Project managers’ experience, competence and commitment to finishing the project with time ,cost and budget, have emerged as key ingredients assisting it in becoming an organisation with its proven record. The study also demonstrated RAL’s strength in terms of its communication, control and dedication in managing projects. However too many tenders are issued within a short space of time which makes contractors unable to adequately respond to them. RAL has demonstrated that it is negatively affected by an unstable economic environment. As a result construction materials are always aligned to inflation. To that end RAL should constantly monitor market conditions to synchronize its activities to 5 rightfully position themselves as these are external factors that are unavoidable, but require a hands-on approach