This thesis examines approaches to international human resource management by Taiwanese MNCs located in the UK. A range of international human resource management models are discussed, from the universalist paradigm originating in the US to more contextual models, particularly those emphasising the impact of culture. The key elements of Chinese culture and their application to management are reviewed Interview and questionnaire data is drawn from 32 Taiwanese companies operating in the UK in the manufacturing and financial services sectors, and is analysed using SPSS and NVivo packages. Key findings include that the cultural origin of Taiwanese managers remains crucial in the way they manage UK subsidiaries. The small size of the Taiwanese companies also influences their internationalisation and international human resource strategy. In addition, there is a sectoral difference in the different HR practices being adopted. Japanese MNCs have been the only non-western MNCs to have been studied in depth. Although the Japanese and Chinese have been said to share a similar culture, they are shown in this thesis to adopt different techniques to achieve their HRM goals. It is concluded that many goals similar to those of western models of HRM can be found in Taiwanese MNCs, but achieved through different HR practices, for example, group reward rather than individual reward for commitment. It is suggested that conventional HRM frameworks fail to readily explain companies of non-western origin and the thesis tries to develop an IHRM model suitable for Chinese MNCs. Following strong economic development in China, research on Taiwanese MNCs can contribute to future perspectives on Chinese internationalisation and management transfer.

Since the publication of the White Paper on energy Policy of 1998, South Africa has taken off on a new trajectory of sustainability. The South African government have identified that the renewable energy sector will play a critical role in advancing and improving the energy sector. They envisage that the sector will contribute to the development of a green economy and the creation of meaningful employment for all South Africans. With the renewable energy sector of South Africa being dependent on skills, many of which are pertinent for the success of the sector, sufficient skilled workers are required to provide a service to the growing sector. Upon engaging with individuals employed in the sector and embarking on the research it became apparent that there was a lack of a talent management framework for the sector. Talent management represents a means for companies to develop and sustain talent pipelines thereby creating a competitive advantage. Globally executives across the employment spectrum admit that they have challenges in building a strong talent pipeline. The South African Renewable Energy Sector (SARES) is not exempt from this reality, where it has been well documented that South Africa is struggling with a skills shortage. This makes it difficult to grow and develop a fledgling sector. The purpose of this treatise was to evaluate the need for a talent management framework for the South African Renewable Energy Sector. To evaluate this, a literature review was performed on concepts relating to the development of a talent management framework specifically for the sector. These concepts or independent variables were, engineering skills, competence, knowledge worker, policies supporting RE development as well as training and development. The talent management framework relied on ring fencing the study around the knowledge worker, by correlating the definition of an engineer to that of a knowledge worker. The results show that despite the proclamation made by the South African government that South Africa is geared to supply the skills required for SARES. The research found a need for educational institutes to produce more knowledge workers. The results of this research study showed that despite the low positive correlation between the five independent variables, being, engineering skills, competence, knowledge worker, policies supporting RE development they would still provide those responsible for recruitment and talent management with a platform to be able to develop a working talent management strategy. There is a need for the development of a suitable talent management framework, which would allow the sector to manage elements of talent management such as recruitment and retention of knowledge workers. The proposed talent management framework can be used to assist in consolidating the present recruitment practises as well as being used to develop a talent management strategy for the sector.

D.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Phil. (Labour Law and Employment Relations) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The full text of this thesis/dissertation is not available online. Pending permission from the author/supervisor access may be provided on <a href="mailto:upetd@up.ac.za">request.</a> Read the abstract in the section 00front of this document. / Thesis (PhD (Education Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

This study examined the relationship of managers' relational messages with employees' communication satisfaction, as well as compliance-gaining requests and participants gender in superior-subordinate communication.

The study on "Evaluation of personnel management capabilities of the Federal Police of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa” had the following research questions: How is the Federal Police in Ethiopia Structured? What are the international standards for personnel management capabilities? What is the current personnel management capability in the Federal Police? How should shortcomings in personnel management capabilities of the Federal Police be addressed? In the study, an empirical research design and qualitative research approach were adopted. The data collection methods were: literature, documents and interviews. The data was analyzed by four-step Data Analysis Spiral TechniquesThe primary Findings are: International standards for personnel management capabilities should be set and certified by authorized bodies. The personnel management capability of the Federal Police of Ethiopia was characterized by incompetence. The Main Recommendations are: Further research should be conducted on the personnel management capability of the Federal police of Ethiopia. An authorized body should set standards and certify personnel managers' capabilities of the Federal Police of Ethiopia. / Police Practice / M. Tech. (Human Resource Management of Policing)

To cope with constant changes in the economic environment, organizations continuously strive to implement appropriate business models that will contribute to increased productivity, reduced costs and a competitive advantage. Organisations need however to choose among different business models and select the option that offer the greatest potential to improve their service delivery, reducing costs and enable them to focus on their core business. This study conceptualized the shared services business model, by focusing on key factors, such as the rationale for implementing a shared services unit over other business models, establishing the processes followed by the banking industry with the implementation of a human capital shared services model, identifying the advantages versus disadvantages of the implementation of the model and to provide recommendations for the development and implementation of shared services models within specific organisational context. The researcher conducted mixed method research to address the research problem which incorporated both qualitative and quantitative research. In the study research was conducted in three phases. During the first phase exploratory research was conducted, consisting of desk study research and industry reports as well as surveys, periodicals and academic publications.During the second phase qualitative research was conducted, through semi-structured interviews. Findings from this research phase were used during the third phase, which was a quantitative study, whereby information gathered from the interviews informed the design of questionnaires. It is evident from the results that there were many similarities between the analyses of the interviews and questionnaires in relation to the literature review. Many commonalities amongst the three banks were identified during the implementation process and in many instances corroborated statements by key authors during the literature review. Both the interviews and analysis of the questionnaires confirmed cost savings, improved customer services and standardization as benefits of a shared services model. It was concluded that the implementation of a human capital shared services model within the banking sector in South Africa contribute positively to each of the banks used in the sample, both from a cost perspective as improvement of efficiencies. It was further concluded that the processes, systems and people involved in the implementation process are critical to successful implementation. Based on the information gathered the researcher recommends that a project team be appointed from inception to finalization of the implementation of a shared services model, which will be required to deal with the planning phase, feasibility study and the full implementation plan relating to the implementation of the model. In practice, this study will provide shared services managers with insights with regards to the implementation process to be followed for implementing a human capital shared services model. It can also provide valuable insight to management with regard to important or key factors to consider, ensuring the effective implementation of the model. Findings of this study may also be extended to other organizations in South Africa, considering the implementation of the shared services model. / Graduate School for Business Leadership / Thesis (M.B.A.)

This research empirically investigates Locke's (1997) model of work motivation by means of quantitative research. The OCQ consisting of three tiered questionnaires was constructed based on Locke's model. OCQ-Tierl deals with core components of Locke's model. OCQ-Tier2 determines which factors caused the incidence of dissatisfaction in OCQ-Tierl. OCQ-Tier3 enables the identification of corrective actions. The OCQ was administered to financial services employees. The results were analysed and Locke's model was tested by means of structural equation modelling using the AMOS graphics programme. The results indicated that the model, suggesting causal links between components within OCQ-Tierl, could not be confirmed. A better fit was found at OCQ-Tier2 and OCQ-Tier3. In testing the causal links across the three tiers per component, the models did not fit the data for "personal actualisation" and "goal achievement". Moderate confirmation of the models was found in the case of "goal setting" and "goal behaviour" across the three tiers after some adaptations were made to the models on the basis of "modification indices", suggested by AMOS. A reasonably good fit was found for the models across the three tiers for "quality of work life". The level of correlation between factors was high because of this, and in some cases some of the factors were merged. Modification indices in the statistical output suggested that improvement was possible if covariance between error terms in the model was allowed. This suggested possible systematic sources of covariance between items not accounted for by the factors in the models. As confirmed by the Cronbach Alpha coefficients within tiers and across tiers, the general level of internal consistency was very high. Possibly response set and response style were the cause of this. This made the testing of models difficult in the present study. So too was it difficult to draw a conclusion about the internal consistency reliability of the measurement of each component across the three tiers, because the high Cronbach coefficients may to some extent be due to the indiscriminate high correlations between items / D.Litt. et Phil. (Industrial Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / 'n Sentrale tema van strategiese bestuur is dat ondememings voortdurend moet pas by hulle snelveranderende eksteme omgewings. Die eksteme omgewing van SuidAfrikaanse ondememings ondergaan tans verreikende veranderings. Die sukses van hierdie ondememings word nie alleen bemvloed deur die kompeterendheid van 'n toenemend gemtemasionaliseerde markomgewing nie, maar veral ook deur die eise wat gestel word deur die nuwe politieke bestel in Suid-Afrika. Die Regering van Nasionale Eenheid is verbind tot die daarstelling van 'n mensgesentreerde gemeenskap. Nuwe arbeidswetgewing wat vakbonde bemagtig word in 1996 van krag en belangrike bestuursuitdagings wat verband hou met die "menslik:e dimensie" van ondernemingsbestuur spruit voort uit hierdie veranderende omgewing. Ten einde Suid-Afrikaanse ondememings onder hierdie omstandighede strategies te bestuur, moet strategiese bestuursbesluite geneem word oor die diensverhouding. Dit impliseer die behoefte aan 'n strategiese be adering tot menslik:ehulpbron- en arbeidsverhoudingebestuur binne ondememingsverband. In hierdie ondersoek word aspekte van algemene en strategiese bestuur toegepas op die "menslik:e dimensie" van ondememingsbestuur. Die fokus is op langtermynbesluite en -aksies insake beplanning, organisering, leiding en beheeruitoefening ten opsigte van aspekte wat verband hou met die diensverhouding. Die noodsaaklik:heid van vertikale en horisontale integrasie by die bestuur van die diensverhouding word beklemtoon. Laasgenoemde dui op die noodsaaklik:heid om die individuele en kollektiewe dimensies van diensverhoudingebestuur, oftewel menslik:ehulpbronen arbeidsverhoudingebestuur, te integreer. Vertikale integrasie verwys na menslik: ehulpbron- en arbeidsverhoudingebestuur wat 'n integrale deel van algemene bestuur behoort te wees. Die resultate van 'n tweeledige empiriese ondersoek word gemtegreer met 'n literatuurstudie om 'n bestuurswetenskaplik:e raamwerk daar te stel wat die proses van strategiese diensverhoudingebestuur konseptualiseer. 'n Matriks word ook ontwerp wat bestuursbesluitneming oor die inhoud van diensverhoudingestrategie kan fasiliteer. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings word ook gemaak oor die praktyk van strategiese diensverhoudingebestuur by Telkom SA Bpk en by groot Suid-Afrikaanse mynbouen vervaardigingsondememings, sowel as oor navorsing en ond~rrig ten opsigte van hierdie onderwerp van Sakebestuur ( oftewel Bedryfsekonomie, Ondernemingsbestuur of Bestuurswese ). / A central theme of strategic management is that organisations should constantly match or fit their fast-changing external environments. The external environment of South African organisations is currently undergoing far-reaching changes. The success of these organisations is not only influenced by the competitiveness of an increasingly internationalised market environment, but especially by the demands resulting from the new political dispensation in the country. The Government of National Unity is committed to establish a people-centred society. New labour legislation which empowers trade unions will be in force in 1996. Important challenges regarding the "human dimension" of management stem from this changing environment. In order to manage South African organisations strategically under these circumstances it is necessary to make strategic management decisions regarding the employment relationship. This implies the need for a strategic approach to human resource and labour relations management within organisational context. In this investigation aspects of general and strategic management are applied to the "human dimension" of management. The focus is on long-term decisions and actions regarding the planning, organising, leading and control of aspects relating to the employment relationship. The importance of vertical and horizontal integration in the management of the employment relationship is emphasised. The latter refers to the necessity of integrating the individual and collective dimensions of employment relations management, in other words the integration of human resource and labour relations management. Vertical integration relates to human resource and labour relations management which ought to be an integral part of general management. The results of a dual empirical investigation are integrated with a literature survey to devise a managerial framework that conceptualises the process of strategic employment relations management. A matrix is also devised that can facilitate management decision making regarding the content of employment relations strategy. Conclusions and recommendations are also made regarding strategic employment relations management practice at Telkom SA Ltd and large South African mining and manufacturing organisations, as well as regarding research and tuition mrespect of this topic of Business Management (or Business Economics). / Economic & Management Sciences / D.Com.