Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013. / In 1994, the South African government introduced low-cost housing construction through Reconstruction and Development Programme. The programme was intended to improve the quality of lives of the country's citizens. Many communities across the country benefited from the programme. However, concerns regarding the quality of low-cost housing produced through this programme have been raised. The programme has produced low-cost housing with many structural defects such as gaping wall cracks, roof leaks, unstable roof, water penetration and seepage. To protect the beneficiaries of low-cost housing against the inferior workmanship, unsuitable material and inappropriate construction methods, building standards and regulations have been introduced. The low-cost housing inspectors have been given power to enforce and ensure that the building standards and regulations are followed and met by low-cost housing contractors. Regardless of the measures, the programme still produces low-cost housing built with many structural problems. Hence, the researcher has conducted a research to assess the effectiveness and adequateness that inspection process contributes to quality assurance in low-cost housing construction projects in the Metropole. The findings of the research provided an overall low-cost housing inspectors' experience in the construction industry, education, training, knowledge, roles and responsibilities and the perception of the low-cost housing inspectors on the current housing inspection. The primary conclusion of this research suggest that the low-cost housing inspectors lack training in housing inspection, are not aware of their roles and responsibilities and lack knowledge in building standards and regulations. This resulted to failure to enforce and ensure that the contractors comply with building standards and regulations during the low-cost housing construction projects in the Metropole. The primary recommendations are to establish a standard continuous training and education for low-cost housing inspectors. Provide courses and training to improve the level of knowledge of building standards and regulations by low-cost housing inspectors and review the roles and responsibilities of low-cost housing inspectors and establish awareness of them among the affected parties.

Using the University of Durban-Westville as an illustrative case study, the study examines quality assurance policies and their implementation in the South African higher education system. The scope of the study covers a wide-ranging analysis of discourses underpinning quality assurance and a focused analysis of institutional policies. As one of its central aims, the dissertation investigates the tension between quality assurance as it is conventionally understood and quality assurance conceived as continuous organizational improvement based on the principles of total quality management. The study has two fairly distinct dimensions: a literature survey focusing on global trends and practices, and an empirical investigation focusing on the University of Durban-Westville. The literature study looks global systems, trends and practices, and provides a suitable point of departure for a contextual analysis of quality management in the South African higher education system. Relying on a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews as research instruments, the study's empirical component investigates the attitudes and perceptions of academic managers at UDW towards national and institutional quality assurance policies and mechanisms. The study's findings all point to a preference for a decentralised system of quality management with the government playing a peripheral monitoring role rather than a central policing role . This study also demonstrates that the distinction between academic development and quality assurance is a spurious one and should only be made for analytical purposes. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Educational Management)

Using the University of Durban-Westville as an illustrative case study, the study examines quality assurance policies and their implementation in the South African higher education system. The scope of the study covers a wide-ranging analysis of discourses underpinning quality assurance and a focused analysis of institutional policies. As one of its central aims, the dissertation investigates the tension between quality assurance as it is conventionally understood and quality assurance conceived as continuous organizational improvement based on the principles of total quality management. The study has two fairly distinct dimensions: a literature survey focusing on global trends and practices, and an empirical investigation focusing on the University of Durban-Westville. The literature study looks global systems, trends and practices, and provides a suitable point of departure for a contextual analysis of quality management in the South African higher education system. Relying on a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews as research instruments, the study's empirical component investigates the attitudes and perceptions of academic managers at UDW towards national and institutional quality assurance policies and mechanisms. The study's findings all point to a preference for a decentralised system of quality management with the government playing a peripheral monitoring role rather than a central policing role . This study also demonstrates that the distinction between academic development and quality assurance is a spurious one and should only be made for analytical purposes. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Educational Management)

This research explores the role, which the construct, service quality plays in an internal marketing setting. This is achieved by evaluating the perceptions and expectations of the production department with regards to the service quality provided by the maintenance department of a South African motor vehicle manufacturer. This was done using the INTSERVQUAL instrument, which was found to be a reliable instrument for measuring internal service quality within this context. A positivist approach has been adopted in conducting this research. There are two main hypotheses for this study: the first hypothesis is concerned with the relationship between the overall internal service quality and the five dimensions of service quality namely: tangibles, empathy, reliability, responsiveness and reliability. The second hypothesis focuses on the relationship between the front line staff segments of the production department and the five dimensions of internal service quality. The results of this research suggest that the perceptions and expectations of internal service customer segments plays a major role in achieving internal service quality. In addition, the importance of the INTSERVQUAL instrument in measuring internal service quality within the motor vehicle manufacturing environment is confirmed.