The challenge of satisfying the demand for basic services in the current dispensation has intensified. It is anticipated that once this initial challenge has been overcome, the tide will turn and secondary services such as transfer of ownership of forestry plantations will become the new challenge. The quest for efficient and effective service delivery is paramount, regardless of whether services delivered are basic or not. This research investigation puts performance management (which focuses on individual and organisational performance), as a necessity for service delivery. The focus was on service delivery within the Chief Directorate: Forestry in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. The findings demonstrated that the presence of performance management and other supporting systems does not guarantee automatic improvement in service delivery. The distinction is how effective an organisation can apply performance management in conjunction with a complete set of functional policies, systems and instruments to improve its impact on service delivery. / Public Administation / M.Tech. (Public Management)

This study explored factors that influence attitudes towards performance management among staff in the Core Network Field Operation (CNFO) of Telkom Eastern Cape. Performance management concerns achieving organisational goals efficiently and effectively. An observation by a manger that the staff were not performing optimally and were displaying a negative attitude towards performance management, necessitated an objective investigation into the reasons for such attitudes and also to be derivative of a corrective solution. This qualitative study was done in the form of a descriptive open ended survey involving geographically dispersed employees. Factual evidence gathered from the result of the study supports the literature that people have different views of performance management. A direct consequence of the different views could be in the inconsistent application of performance management. Solutions and possible corrective actions to improve employee participation and perception as sought by this study are contained in detail in the report / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to develop a theoretical and practical framework which can be utilised as a guideline for performance appraisal of occupational social workers employed by local authorities within the Cape Metropole. The study was preceded by a comprehensive literature study whereby the term performance appraisal was explained, the necessity and purpose of performance evaluation, were identified. Furthermore, the characteristics of performance appraisal in social work have been described. These characteristics serve as a basis for this study. An empirical study was then undertaken, which entailed an exploratory study to achieve the aim of this study. The social workers, who are employed by the local authorities within the Cape Metropole, were included in the study. The study was conducted by means of a group administrative questionnaire. Occupational social work is regarded as a relatively new area of specialisation in social work and very little has been written about it. Therefore a brief overview of occupational social work is provided, with specific reference to the U.S.A., Europe and South Africa. Furthermore emphasis is placed on the structural and functional characteristics of an organisation that influences occupational social work. The nature and scope of the social worker's service rendering, as well as the knowledge and skills that is required to render effective services, is discussed. The evaluation of work performance of social workers, the frequency thereof and the persons involved therein, were investigated to determine the nature and scope of the performance appraisal systems that are implemented. Performance appraisal requires the participation of both the supervisor and the social worker. The nature of communication during performance evaluation was identified and the manner in which communication should take place were also obtained. Social workers' opinions in terms of the manner in which they should be allowed to participate during supervision and performance appraisal were also obtained. Social workers' opinions of the valuable aspects of performance appraisal were explored to determine the value of performance evaluation for them. Hence it could be deduced that they experience performance appraisal as valuable and that they have insight into the fact that performance appraisal could contribute to their professional development. The social workers' opinions in terms of the type of principles that should be implemented during performance appraisal were also explored and the outcome of the study showed that the same principles as identified in the literature, are also viewed as important to them. The respondents' opinions in terms of the importance of guidelines for performance evaluation and that it should be conducted in terms of a specific process has been explored, and the results of the study showed that the respondents were positive about the use of guidelines for performance appraisal, which should amongst others include the utilisation of an educational model, evaluation and program. In conclusion, the responses from the occupational social workers of local authorities in the Cape Metropole are discussed and compared with relevant literature. This serves as basis for the recommendations that are made and can be utilised to establish guidelines for performance appraisal for social workers at local authorities within the Cape Metropole. The most important recommendation is that management of local government should utilise the results of this study to establish guidelines for performance appraisal for their occupational social workers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n teoretiese en praktiese raamwerk daar te stel wat as riglyn benut kan word vir prestasiebeoordeling van bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers by plaaslike owerhede binne die Kaapse Metropool. 'n Omvattende literatuurstudie is ten aanvang van die studie gedoen en hiertydens is die noodsaaklikheid en doel van prestasiebeoordeling in maatskaplike werk geïdentifiseer. Verder is die eienskappe wat prestasiebeoordeling in maatskaplike werk kenmerk, beskryf. Hierdie kenmerke dien as onderbou vir die studie. Na die literatuurstudie is 'n empiriese studie onderneem wat behels het dat 'n verkennende studie gedoen is. Die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers in diens van die plaaslike owerhede binne die Kaapse Metropool is by die ondersoek betrek. Groepgeadministreerde vraelyste is as ondersoekmetode gebruik. Bedryfs-maatskaplike werk word beskou as 'n relatief jong spesialiteitsveld van maatskaplike werk en daar is nog min daaroor geskryf. Daarom word 'n beknopte historiese oorsig van bedryfs-maatskaplike werk gegee met spesifieke verwysing na die VSA, Europa en Suid-Afrika. Verder is daar klem gelê op die strukturele en funksionele eienskappe van organisasies wat bedryfs-maatskaplike werk beïnvloed. Die aard van die dienslewering van die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers, sowel as die kennis en vaardighede waaroor hulle behoort te beskik, word ook bespreek. Die evaluering van die maatskaplike werkers se werkverrigting, die frekwensie daarvan en die persone daarby betrokke is ondersoek om die aard en omvang van die implementering van 'n stelsel van prestasiebeoordeling te bepaal. Prestasiebeoordeling vereis dat die supervisor en die maatskaplike werker aan prestasiebeoordeling moet deelneem. Die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers se menings ten opsigte van die redes waarom werkverrigting nie geëvalueer word nie, is ook vasgestel. Die aard van kommunikasie wat tydens die implementering van prestasiebeoordeling gebruik word, is derhalwe geïdentifiseer, en die wyse waarop kommunikasie behoort uitgevoer te word is ondersoek. Die wyse waarop die maatskaplike werkers geleentheid tot deelname aan supervisie en prestasiebeoordeling behoort te verkry, is ook bepaal. Die waarde wat prestasiebeoordeling vir die maatskaplike werker inhou, is ondersoek deur die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers se menings oor die aspekte wat tydens prestasiebeoordeling vir hulle waarde inhou, vas te stel. Hieruit kan afgelei word dat die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers prestasiebeoordeling as waardevol beskou en insig openbaar in die feit dat prestasiebeoordeling tot verbeterde werkverrigting en tot hulle professionele ontwikkeling kan bydra. Die respondente se opinie oor die soort beginsels in prestasiebeoordeling is ondersoek en die resultate van die studie was dat dieselfde beginsels as wat in die literatuur geïdentifiseer word, ook deur hulle as belangrik beskou is. Die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers se menings ten opsigte van die noodsaaklikheid van riglyne vir prestasiebeoordeling en dat dit volgens 'n proses behoort te geskied, is ook vasgestel. Daar is bevind dat die maatskaplike werkers positief ingestel is ten opsigte van die gebruik van 'n stelsel wat die benutting van 'n onderrigmodel, -evaluering en -program insluit en wat sal geskied volgens bepaalde riglyne vir prestasiebeoordeling. Ten slotte word die response van die bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers van die plaaslike owerhede binne die Kaapse Metropool bespreek en vergelyk met relevante literatuur. Dit dien as basis vir die aanbevelings wat gemaak word. Hierdie aanbevelings kan benut word om riglyne daar te stel vir prestasiebeoordeling van bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers by plaaslike owerhede binne die Kaapse Metropool. Die vernaamste aanbeveling is dat die Plaaslike Owerheid die resultate van die studie moet benut om riglyne vir prestasiebeoordeling van bedryfs-maatskaplike werkers saam te stel.

The challenge of satisfying the demand for basic services in the current dispensation has intensified. It is anticipated that once this initial challenge has been overcome, the tide will turn and secondary services such as transfer of ownership of forestry plantations will become the new challenge. The quest for efficient and effective service delivery is paramount, regardless of whether services delivered are basic or not. This research investigation puts performance management (which focuses on individual and organisational performance), as a necessity for service delivery. The focus was on service delivery within the Chief Directorate: Forestry in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. The findings demonstrated that the presence of performance management and other supporting systems does not guarantee automatic improvement in service delivery. The distinction is how effective an organisation can apply performance management in conjunction with a complete set of functional policies, systems and instruments to improve its impact on service delivery. / Public Administation / M.Tech. (Public Management)

This dissertation investigates the relationship between work performance and the sense of coherence, using the salutogenesis approach and the influence of employees' biographical variables on work performance. The sense of coherence construct is discussed and conceptualised in terms of its comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. Similarly, work performance is discussed and conceptualised in terms of its dimensions and dynamics. The integration of the literature study characteristics such as the cognitive, affective, conative and interpersonal characteristics were discussed. The research was conducted among 80 employees at a banking institution. The quality of life questionnaire and performance appraisal ratings were used. The relationship between biographical variables such as age, marital status, gender, qualifications, tenure, functional department and work performance were investigated. The results confirmed the empirical investigation that there was not a significant relationship between work performance and SOC. However, a significant relationship was found between job category and work performance, and between age and work performance. Finally, recommendations made for future research included using a bigger sample size in order to improve the generalisation of the findings to other organisational environments, and to further determine the relationship between other aspects of work performance (not just the KPAs) such as the human attributes of work performance and SOC. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This qualitative study set out to investigate the extent to which the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) has been implemented for service delivery by South African Metropolitan Municipalities. The Ekurhuleni Municipality, City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and City of Tshwane (CoT), which together form the Gauteng Metropolitan Municipalities (GMMs), were used as multiple cases for this study. A good performance management system should cover activities relevant to the adoption of a performance measurement tool such as the BSC, which was developed by Kaplan and Norton in 1992. These two authors published a framework integrating different components of performance management and measurement system, namely strategy, vision, mission, objectives, measures, targets and strategic initiatives. In short, the BSC framework is the key for its successful implementation, which is evaluated according to the achievement of targets. The problem addressed in the study was the lack of a proper performance management system, as well as the poor design and inappropriate manner of implementing the BSC by the GMMs. The objectives of the study were to examine principal elements such as performance management activities, performance measurement framework, design and implementation of the BSC following the original framework developed by Kaplan and Norton (1992), as well as its impact on the outcomes of service delivery performance. Objectives, measures, targets and initiatives were the core elements for evaluating the municipalities’ performance management, as well as their implementation of the BSC. Moreover, the attainment of targets was the key for examining performance outcomes or the impact of the BSC on service delivery performance. In order to reach the above-mentioned objectives, a literature and document review, including municipalities’ policies and annual reports, were conducted for collecting relevant data. This review involved content analysis, and data were presented in the form of tables and charts. Finally, credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability were used to measure the validity and reliability of the findings. The results showed that the performance management (PM) activities of the GMMs were not adequate for implementing the BSC. Naturally, the selection of measures and targets was catered for through the policy of the Ekurhuleni Municipality, as well as the City of Johannesburg (CoJ). However, the setting of objectives, selection of measures, and setting of targets were all part of the performance management framework of the City of Tshwane (CoT). The BSC was intended to be used as a performance measurement framework for the Metropolitan Municipalities of Johannesburg and Tshwane. Nevertheless, the instrument was poorly implemented by these municipalities. Although the BSC was not adopted by the Ekurhuleni Municipality, the principal activities integrated into the BSC framework were implemented for its service delivery. In addition, during the 2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 financial years, the achievement status of targets was not determined for the Ekurhuleni Municipality. This was also the case for the CoT during 2011-2012. However, the full-achievement, non- achievement, partial-achievement and over-achievement of targets were well defined for the City of Johannesburg during all three financial years under study. In the same way, such finding was indicated only for the two last financial years for the City of Tshwane. The findings of the study indicated that the implementation of the BSC within the Metropolitan Municipalities of Johannesburg and Tshwane did not comply with its original framework. This is due to the lack of an adequate performance management system, which in turn affects performance measurement. Before adopting a performance measurement framework, there should be an appropriate performance measurement system in place to ensure its success. Consequently, future research should focus more on the investigation of standard requirements for measuring performance, especially in the public sector. / Management Accounting / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

Text in Afrikaans / Performance management and performance appraisal plays a crucial role in developing human resources. In the social work profession the social work supervisor is the person responsible to appraise the performance of the social worker because of the excellent position to observe the job performance directly and consistently. The purpose of this study is to investigate how social work supervisors perform their supervisory functions and apply performance appraisal. The researcher used qualitative research for an exploratory and descriptive study. In-depth interviews were use as data collection method. The sample group was social work supervisors in the employment of the Western Cape Department of Social Development. Performance appraisal can be use to encourage professional growth and development of social workers. Performance appraisal is a supervisory duty and thus a component of administrative, educational and supportive supervision. It seems however that supervisors experience problems with performing supervision and to apply performance appraisal. / Thesis (M.A. (Maatskaplike Werk))

One of the fundamental objectives of the criminal justice system in any country is to punish, rehabilitate, deter, incapacitate and reintegrate offenders into communities. The main motive of punishment therefore is to transform criminals into responsible and law-abiding citizens. Parole is acknowledged as an internationally accepted mechanism that allows for the conditional release of offenders from correctional centres into the community and forms one of the most important components of the criminal justice system value chain. The release of the offenders on parole therefore, does not negate the objectives of punishment but entrenches them through setting conditions by which all parolees must abide by. In other words, all offenders released on parole are supervised at all times by parole officials within their communities to ensure that they comply with their conditions. It is for this function- to grant parole to offenders, that the parole boards have been established in different countries. The Department of Correctional Services in South Africa has adopted the independent model of parole which provides for the parole boards that are headed by independent members from the public appointed by the Minister of Correctional Services. Parole is administered by the parole boards and has, as one of its main functions the release of offenders based on their eligibility. The absence of the performance management system for the parole board makes parole board decision making less transparent and government accountability difficult to establish. Performance management systems have been used to strengthen good governance. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the design of a model of performance management of the parole boards in the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa. / Penology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Penology)

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Prestasiebeoordeling is van kritiese belang vir die effektiewe bestuur van 'n welsynsorganisasie. Prestasiebeoordeling van maatskaplike werkers word dikwels afgeskeep, foutiewelik uitgevoer en met groot negatiwiteit bejeen. Hierdie verkennend-beskrywende studie het ten doel om wetenskaplik gefundeerde riglyne daar te stel vir die implementering van prestasiebeoordeling ten opsigte van maatskaplike werkers. Die doel is nie om volledige riglyne vir elke aspek van prestasiebeoordeling daar te stel nie, maar om probleme en leemtes vir toekomstige navorsing te identifiseer. Agt en dertig maatskaplike werkers en vier maatskaplikewerkbestuurders se belewenisse van prestasiebeoordeling is deur middel van vraelyste getoets en beskryf. Dit het geblyk dat prestasiebeoordeling van maatskaplike werkers ontwikkelingsgerig is en dat die maatskaplike werkers en maatskaplikewerkbestuurders baat vind by prestasiebeoordeling. Die maatskaplike werkers is van mening dat prestasiebeoordeling aangewend behoort te word vir die identifisering van leemtes en ontwikkelingsareas in die professionele toerusting van maatskaplike werkers. Aanbevelings ten opsigte van aspekte wat vir verdere navorsing oorweeg kan word, is gemaak. / Performance appraisal is critical to the effective management of a welfare organisation. Performance appraisal of social workers are often neglected, implemented incorrectly or regarded within a negative light. This exploratory/ descriptive study aims to set scientifically grounded guidelines for the implementation of performance appraisal with regard to social workers. The aim is not to provide comprehensive guidelines regarding every aspect of perforance appraisal, but to identify gaps and problems which may be studied in future research. Through questionnaires the perceptions of performance appraisal by 38 social workers and four social work managers were tested and described. It seemed that performance appraisal of social workers is geared towards development, and that social workers and social work managers do benefit from performance appraisal. Social workers were of the opinion that performance appraisal should be employed to identify gaps and development areas in equipping social workers professionally. Recommendations are made regarding aspects for further research / Social Work / M. Diac. (Maatskaplike Werk-rigting)

The purpose of the research was to determine whether measures of ability, personality and behaviour would significantly predict job performance of customer service agents in a South African commercial airline company. The Verbal Interpretation Test (VCC1), Numerical Reasoning Test (NP6.1), Basic Checking Test (CP7.1C), Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ32) and a competency based interview were completed by job applicants. Customer Contact Competency (CCC) scores and a Person Job Match (PJM) score were derived from the OPQ32 and ability measures to ensure job relevance during selection assessment. Job performance statistics in the form of training scores and supervisor ratings (from performance appraisals and criterion questionnaires) were obtained for the sample as criterion data. Correlations revealed statistically significant small to moderate correlations between the predictors and the criterion data / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M.Com (Industrial & Organisational Psychology)