Performance management at all levels of employees within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) is a key challenge, currently only applicable to senior managers. The employer was proactive in introducing the Ekurhuleni Excellence Awards to the gap that is created by the legislation, but the effort seems not to be working as employees do not understand the criteria that are used for nominations. The empirical study entailed 54 respondents who completed the questionnaire, in five different departments which are Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal and Administration. In this study, the Performance Management System (PMS) of the EMM was analysed, and the biggest challenge being faced by the EMM is the inability of the EMM to address staff retention (at 57%) and succession when employees leave the EMM (at 62%). The two challenges identified by the study are most crucial for the success of the PMS. The PMS of municipalities is legislated by different Acts, and in order to address service delivery challenges, the Acts need to be reviewed to include all levels of employees. National and Provincial Government have implemented the PMS so that municipalities, as another sphere of Government, will improve service delivery as well as employee motivation. The EMM senior managers, together with the Human Resources department, should craft a strategy or action for the future in order to successfully cascade the PMS to other levels of employees. The EMM Performance Management Policy that is currently operational is in line with the Municipal Regulation no. R805, so the Policy complies fully with the legislation. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

Performance management at all levels of employees within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) is a key challenge, currently only applicable to senior managers. The employer was proactive in introducing the Ekurhuleni Excellence Awards to the gap that is created by the legislation, but the effort seems not to be working as employees do not understand the criteria that are used for nominations. The empirical study entailed 54 respondents who completed the questionnaire, in five different departments which are Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal and Administration. In this study, the Performance Management System (PMS) of the EMM was analysed, and the biggest challenge being faced by the EMM is the inability of the EMM to address staff retention (at 57%) and succession when employees leave the EMM (at 62%). The two challenges identified by the study are most crucial for the success of the PMS. The PMS of municipalities is legislated by different Acts, and in order to address service delivery challenges, the Acts need to be reviewed to include all levels of employees. National and Provincial Government have implemented the PMS so that municipalities, as another sphere of Government, will improve service delivery as well as employee motivation. The EMM senior managers, together with the Human Resources department, should craft a strategy or action for the future in order to successfully cascade the PMS to other levels of employees. The EMM Performance Management Policy that is currently operational is in line with the Municipal Regulation no. R805, so the Policy complies fully with the legislation. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

This study from Tanzania contributes to the understanding of the management discourses circulating amongst senior managers in Western owned companies in Tanzania. It identifies two dominant discourses, a Western derived Contractual discourse and the local derived Kinship discourse. The division of their use is not by ethnic origin of senior managers but are drawn on in various ways by all managers. This research focuses on senior experienced managers from three different nationalities who were asked to tell stories from their experiences in management life. Their stories contain their perceptions of various populations and show their evaluations of those populations. Analysis shows how people draw on discourses circulating within their societies, reveals these actual underlying discourses, and explores the languages used in communication. Two sets of communication languages emerged from this analysis, the Western contractual and the local kinship discourse. Western contractual thinking rests upon efficiency and profit-making. This stands in contrast to the kinship thinking which is rooted in communal and humanistic values. These contrasting discourses contribute to misunderstanding, but there is common ground between them. If this commensurable dimension is internalised, a local Tanzanian management discourse may appear that would represent a new management discourse. An organisational framework that may support this discourse’s emergency and circulation is suggested.

This study from Tanzania contributes to the understanding of the management discourses circulating amongst senior managers in Western owned companies in Tanzania. It identifies two dominant discourses, a Western derived Contractual discourse and the local derived Kinship discourse. The division of their use is not by ethnic origin of senior managers but are drawn on in various ways by all managers. This research focuses on senior experienced managers from three different nationalities who were asked to tell stories from their experiences in management life. Their stories contain their perceptions of various populations and show their evaluations of those populations. Analysis shows how people draw on discourses circulating within their societies, reveals these actual underlying discourses, and explores the languages used in communication. Two sets of communication languages emerged from this analysis, the Western contractual and the local kinship discourse. Western contractual thinking rests upon efficiency and profit-making. This stands in contrast to the kinship thinking which is rooted in communal and humanistic values. These contrasting discourses contribute to misunderstanding, but there is common ground between them. If this commensurable dimension is internalised, a local Tanzanian management discourse may appear that would represent a new management discourse. An organisational framework that may support this discourse’s emergency and circulation is suggested.

Yes / This paper develops a performative theory of resistance. It uses Judith Butler’s and Karen Barad’s theories of performativity to explore how resistance (to organisational strategies and policies) and resistants (those who resist such strategies and policies) co-emerge, within and through complex intra-actions of entangled discourses, materialities, affect and space/time. The paper uses empirical materials from a case study of the implementation of a talent management strategy. We analyse interviews with the senior managers charged with implementing the strategy, the influence of material, non-sentient actors, and the experiences of the researchers when carrying out the interviews. This leads to a theory that resistance and resistants emerge in moment-to-moment co-constitutive moves that may be invoked when identity or self is put in jeopardy. Resistance, we suggest, is the power (residing with resistants) to say ‘no’ to organizational requirements that would otherwise threaten to render the self abject.

There are many important factors that influence and even determine the work of middle and senior managers in the public and private sectors, NGOs, and international organizations such as the UN. Yet, despite this overall agreement, the study of 'managerial effectiveness' has remained relatively neglected and unexplored particularly within the developing world. The present research explores the dimensions of the managerial effectiveness of middle and senior managers who work in the Education Programme of the UN Agency in Lebanon. These managers are dedicated to refugees and their children at primary and high schools, and vocational centers. In doing so this study has adopted the framework, 'parameters of managerial effectiveness', developed by Analoui (1999) to explore and identify the factors and causal influences which form the basis for the effectiveness of these managers to develop policies and strategies for their increased effectiveness. The literature in the areas of development of management, management training and development, and recent works on managerial effectiveness confirm the importance of the parameters and interrelationship between them and the unique contextual factors, namely the personal, organizational and external factors. The Education Programme of the UNRWA in Lebanon provides a suitable case, and the middle and senior managers constitute the units of analysis. The entire cadre of senior and middle management (N= 132) were included in this first time study. The methodology adopted for collecting and generating relevant and adequate data was a combination of survey questionnaire, interviews and the use of secondary data available. The adoption of 'triangulation' as a strategy yielded adequate and relevant data which was analyzed using statistical methods. The quantitative analysis was supported by qualitative data based on senior and middle managers' own perception of their effectiveness. The results, by and large, support Anloui's (1999; 2007) theory and led to the first time discovery of the eight parameters of the managerial effectiveness in UNRWA, Lebanon. The results revealed a myriad of factors and influences concerning the middle and senior managers' perception, managerial skills and competencies, organizations criteria for effectiveness, opportunities, demands and constraints involved, as well as the inter-organizational relationship and the dominant managerial philosophy of effectiveness. The study contributes to the literature on managerial effectiveness by contextualizing the model adopted thus contributing to this neglected field of managerial studies. It also provides the basis for the formulation of policies and strategies to improved and increase managerial effectiveness in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine, and the developing world as the whole where UN is actively operating to support refugees. Like any empirical investigation the study suffers from limitations which need to be considered in the future research in this field.

There is limited engagement with research based evidence among senior managers within the NHS, and a failure to consistently integrate research findings into the decision making process. While much is known about the decision making and information behaviour of clinical staff and policy makers, there is little knowledge of this for senior non-clinical managers within the NHS. There is also a lack of clarity on how best to facilitate and integrate research evidence into the decision making process and a lack of research regarding the context of non-clinical healthcare managers working in the NHS. This study addresses these shortcomings through in-depth analysis in a case study approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interview, questionnaire and observed scenario work. This data was analysed to increase knowledge and understanding of the current information behaviour and decision making practices of non-medical senior management staff working within the NHS in England. Several key barriers to research utilisation were identified in the analysis of the data. These barriers included insufficient information literacy skills in the cohort, shortcomings with the published research papers, a culture which was focused on achieving politically set targets, and a lack of defined processes to decision making. To address these barriers an embedded librarian and a SharePoint based knowledge management system were implemented and evaluated. Evaluation of these interventions concluded that an embedded librarian was effective in increasing and supporting evidence informed decision making. This provides a practical example of an effective service development which should be considered for implementation across the NHS and wider healthcare community. The study also recommends that, to increase use of their output, researchers need to include more explicit information on the implementation and financial elements of their findings rather than a narrow focus on the intervention outcome. In addition, findings showed the target driven culture of the NHS create an environment that stifles evidence informed decision making. To address this barrier the study recommends that the NHS adopts methods of quality assurance and metrics which place an emphasis on measures of process. This study contributes to theory by exploring the information behaviour of a specific group which have been overlooked in previous research, and contributes new understanding of mechanisms for knowledge translation and interactions between the research based evidence and decision making processes in the context of NHS non-clinical management.

The aim of the thesis is to contribute to the CCT research field on social identity, by placing a focus on power from a customer perspective and studying how power can be accentuated within social identity. Theory from CCT with a focus on social identity has been used in combination with extensive literature on power and authority from a sociological perspective and literature from Fashion-Studies focusing on power-dressing, conspicuous consumption and luxury. The research question is: How is power-dressing and consumption of high-end luxury fashion brands used by female executives/senior managers in an attempt to accentuate power as a part of their social identity? In-depth semi-structured interviews where used as the main data collection method interviewing five female senior managers/female executives working in Stockholm; using the fashion consumption of female senior managers as its empirical sample. The main conclusion on this thesis is the creation of the concept of power-coded-dressing.This thesis implications are that it develops the CCT field slightly by adding a consumer-power perspective into the theoretical discourse. Its practical and social implications help women accentuate their power through, power-coded-dressing.

Chief executives (CEOs) and other senior managers do not seem to be satisfied with the performance of their corporate communication managers/practitioners. Perceptions are that practitioners fail to assume broad decision making roles in organisations. They seem to be unable to see the big picture or understand the key issues in their industry -- their thinking is tactical, rather than strategic. Practitioners are focused on their own activities and media, on the achievement of communication goals and objectives -- without necessarily linking them to business goals. There appears to be a lack of understanding between top management and the corporate communication function on the latter's role in the strategic management process. This situation might be the result of a lack of strategic management and strategic communication knowledge and skills amongst corporate communication managers, possibly caused by insufficient training in these areas (Groenewald 1998a). The research objectives addressed by this study are the following: Firstly, to conceptualise a strategic role for the corporate communication practitioner at the top management level of the organisation (the role of the PR strategist). This is done by investigating the strategic management literature to determine whether a need exists at the top management level to play a strategic role. The behavioural activities of such a role were identified both from the public relations and the strategic management literature. Secondly, to conceptualise corporate communication strategy as an activity of a corporate communication practitioner in the role of the PR manager, a strategic role at the functional or meso level of the organisation. Furthermore, to differentiate a corporate communication strategy from a communication plan. Thirdly, to hypothesise a model for developing corporate communication strategyand thereafter to implement, evaluate and improve the model by assessing and comparing the corporate communication strategy projects of third year corporate communication students at the University of Pretoria, as partners in the action research process. The research approach selected is qualitative research -- an exploratory design is employed in achieving the first three objectives by means of a literature investigation. A confirmatory design is used for the implementation, evaluation and improvement of the model through the methodology of action research. In implementing, evaluating and revising the hypothesised model, this study moves away from the traditional teacher-centred approach in the classroom to a situation where students are involved in a research inquiry to build theory. At the same time, the participant community (non-profit organisations in this case) is exposed to strategic communication knowledge. They are involved in a process whereby they become active participants (together with the students and the lecturer/researcher) in developing corporate communication strategy for their organisations. The results are twofold: firstly, staff members of the non-profit organisation (as well as the students) acquire strategic communication skills; and secondly, the researcher investigates a new area of interest, builds theory, and facilitates a learning process for students whereby they obtain experience and knowledge that is applicable to practice. In conceptualising both a new role for the corporate communication practitioner at the top management level (the role of the PR strategist), and proposing corporate communication strategy as the link between the communication plan and the corporate strategy, an attempt is made to provide possible solutions to important problems in practice. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2000. / gm2013 / Communication Management / Unrestricted

Considered to be one of the most influential paradigms in manufacturing, Lean has developed and expanded beyond the shop floor and manufacturing environment of the auto industry. Lean is considered to be applicable throughout organizations and other industries besides manufacturing. Interest in both research and implementation of the Lean concept, heavily influenced by Toyota Motor Company, is said to continue to increase despite the fact that the concept is said to be both ambiguous and difficult to implement. Two main traditions of Lean are said to exist: “toolboxLean” and “Lean thinking.” The particular translation of the concept that is accepted will influence management’s approach in implementing a Lean way of working. The Toyota Motor Company, where Lean originates, is described as a learning organization. Therefore, a management approach and leader behavior supporting organizational learning would be required to successfully implement an enterprise system inspired by both the Toyota Production System and Lean. This thesis approaches the Lean concept through an organizational learning perspective, thereby highlighting the importance of knowledge of organizational learning in a Lean development effort. Difficulties regarding Lean implementations have been shown to often occur due to the overlooked but crucial differences in approach in management. There is, however a stated gap in the literature on Lean production regarding management. The purpose of this thesis is to explore senior management’s ability to implement and sustain a Lean-based enterprise system. Three studies are included in the thesis. The first study focuses on how the view on Lean among managers implementing Lean affects its implementation. The study was performed as a case study and conducted at a larger, international manufacturing company. The study covered management levels from shop floor manager to the president of the company. Findings show that all management levels had a similar view of Lean and that this influenced the implementation. The first study further showed that the view on Lean may develop and change during an implementation, revealing unforeseen managerial and organizational challenges and obstacles.The second study focused on how management of Lean is described in the existing literature. The results revealed a dualistic complementarity between leadership and management, which can be seen as reflected in the two foundational Toyota principles of continuous improvement and respect for people. This duality can also be found in descriptions of prerequisites for organizational learning where the ability to combine transactional and transformational leadership is considered a success factor. The third study focused on implications for senior management and aimed to research senior managers’ ability to support a Lean implementation process. The study is based on interviews with eight senior managers. The study revealed four main managerial obstacles to Lean implementation. Lack of initial competence evaluation and ensuing competence development for senior management was found to be a central obstacle to Lean implementation. Main conclusions in the thesis are that initial understanding of the aims of a Lean implementation, and the ensuing implications for the organization is central in order to be able to support the development. Additionally, initial senior management competence development is indicated to be vital in order to ensure the ability to understand the organizational and managerial implications brought on by a Lean implementation. Leading with action is indicated as providing an opportunity for senior management competence development. / <p>QC 20141218</p>