The procurement function accounts for the largest total amount of organisational expenditure. This fact notwithstanding, the function is still referred to as non-strategic and is often subordinate to finance in the public or service sectors, and is therefore considered as a non-value-adding task in some organisations. Despite the fact that renowned scholars have revealed that organisations may eliminate waste, realise more prospects and cut costs if they implement procurement best practices. It is reported that few organisations have adopted procurement best practices, especially in the public sector. In South Africa, public universities face numerous procurement challenges, such as procurement irregularities and wasteful expenditure of resources and money. Corruption and maladministration in the procurement system have been noticed, which involves among others, the payment of suppliers, owned or co-owned by university employees who have failed to declare their interest when providing services to the university. This study determines whether South African comprehensive universities conduct procurement according to the best practices. In order to investigate the problem, an exploratory study was carried out in two phases. The first phase comprised the literature study, while the second phase entailed an empirical study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using open-ended questions. The findings of the study revealed that that some participating South African comprehensive universities do not conduct their procurement according to procurement best practices and consequently do not contribute sufficiently to the university’s overall objectives for competitive advantage and sustainability. While others displayed elementary initiatives in the adoption of procurement best practices, some universities had developed turnaround strategies for implementing procurement best practices. The slow progression can be attributed to the rigid, cumbersome and unclear public procurement policies that govern procurement in South Africa. So, comprehensive universities face diverse challenges in the adoption of procurement best practices. A framework for implementing procurement best practices in South African Comprehensive universities was developed. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / A literature study focusing on teaching and learning in higher education in South Africa was conducted. Theories relevant to adult learning were also examined. These included behaviourist, cognitive, humanistic and social learning theories which were found to be relevant for the adult learner. The learning styles, which form the foundation for this study, were explored. Nine learning style theories and instruments were examined for possible adaptation in the South African higher education context. These were: Kolb Learning Style Index, Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Index, Honey and Mumford Learning Style Questionnaire, Felder and Silverman Index of Learning Style, Gregorc Style Delineator, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Grasha Reichmann Student Learning Styles Scales, Vermunt Inventory of Learning Styles, and the Centre for Innovative Teaching Experiences. From the nine learning style instruments, the Centre for Innovative Teaching Experiences instrument was selected for adaptation for the South African higher education sector. / South Africa

Statistics on the gender profile of academics in South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) reveal women academics are still concerted at the junior levels of the hierarchy with a small number of women at professorship. By the time of this report, in South Africa there were 4034 associate professors and professors. Of this 4034, 2174 (54%) were full professors. Of this 2174, only 534 (25%) were female professors. The fundamental aim of this research was to tell the story behind these statistics by exploring, describing and giving explanation to the subjective experiences of women academics. The objectives of the research were broken down into: (1) to examine studies that explain discourses for women in academia, identify success and inhibiting factors to career development of women academics, identify gaps in knowledge and explain how this research seeks to address the gaps identified, (2) to investigate models and theories of career development, particularly in so far as they affect women, (3) to explore, describe and explain the career development trajectories of senior women academics in HEIs in SA, and (4) to develop a substantive career development theory that explains career trajectories of women in academia. Utilizing data from 13 in-depth interviews with women professors and associate professors in a diversity of higher educational institutions in South Africa and different fields of study, this research situates the senior women academics’ experiences within the social constructivist context. I posed the question: “Tell me how your career journey as an academic started, up to the level where you are now”. The questioning revolved around family background; social context; educational history; career development trajectory; professional experiences; and work-family integration. All interviews were audiotaped and then transcribed. The analysis and interpretation of data was informed by the theoretical underpinnings of the study, which is located within feminism and social constructivism. The mean age of the participants was 53 years; years in service, 10 years and more. The findings revealed four themes associated with the career success of women academics: enabling and constraining factors; intrapsychic factors, behavioural patterns and differentiated career development trajectories. All these factors are inextricably linked and mutually affect the career success of women academics. The study ended up with a career development theory that came up with five phases and explained preoccupations at each phase. The phases are career exploration, career establishment, career maintenance, work life adjustment and disengagement. These phases are neither age related, nor cyclical at all times, but they are related to the stage in career development, and the needs of women academics / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This study explores the various processes that constructed and transformed the undergraduate curriculum in a Faculty of Education at a South African university. It attempts to delve beneath the representation of post-apartheid curriculum change as a linear process. The thesis argues that scholars should attempt to unravel how the curriculum performs the task of social transformation at the site of the university by empirically investigating how the relationship between structure and action links with the ideals of post-apartheid higher education policy. Theoretically, this study posits that the deficit in the local literature on the use of the structure/agency relationship as a heuristic device for examining institutional change should be addressed with the relational sociology of Pierre Bourdieu. / Sociology / D. Phil. (Sociology)

This study explores the various processes that constructed and transformed the undergraduate curriculum in a Faculty of Education at a South African university. It attempts to delve beneath the representation of post-apartheid curriculum change as a linear process. The thesis argues that scholars should attempt to unravel how the curriculum performs the task of social transformation at the site of the university by empirically investigating how the relationship between structure and action links with the ideals of post-apartheid higher education policy. Theoretically, this study posits that the deficit in the local literature on the use of the structure/agency relationship as a heuristic device for examining institutional change should be addressed with the relational sociology of Pierre Bourdieu. / Sociology / D. Phil. (Sociology)

Text in English with keywords and abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / Over the past few years, the world in general has been influenced by several rapid changes and disruptions including climate change, globalisation, economic developments, the fourth industrial revolution, technological advancements, social changes, political changes and most recently the Covid-19 pandemic. The above changes have also influenced South Africa Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in South Africa. In particular, over the past two to three years, South African HEIs have been increasingly faced with the drive for transformation in higher education (including the decolonisation of the curriculum), reduced government subsidies, increased competition, rising costs, increased enrolments, declining resources the announcement of free higher education, increased politicisation of higher education and the increased need to use information technology in teaching and research. As a result, the aforementioned rapid changes and disruption require that leaders in South African HEIs possess the capabilities that will enable them to successfully lead their organisations during such times. While leadership has been researched within South African HEIs none was found that focussed on identifying and describing the capabilities needed to lead successfully in South African HEIs during rapid change and disruption. The aim of this research was to determine a leadership capabilities model required to lead successfully during rapid change and disruption within South African HEIs. This research successfully identified and described the capabilities and competencies needed to lead South African HEIs successfully during rapid change and disruption in general as well as for each leadership level. Finally, this research formulated a theory and model that explains the relationship between rapid change and disruption, the possession and application of the capabilities required to lead successfully in South African HEIs during rapid change and disruption and actually dealing successfully with the rapid change and disruption. / Oor die afgelope paar jare was die wêreld deur verskillende vinnige veranderinge en ontwrigtings beïnvloed insluitended limaatverandering, globaliseering, ekonomiese ontwikkelinge asook die vierde industriële rewolusie, tegnolosiese vooruitgange, sosiale veranderinge, politiese veranderinge, en mees onlangs, die Covid-19 pandemie. Die bogenoemde veranderinge het ook die Suid-Afrikaanse Hoër Onderwys beïnvloed. In die besonder, oor die afgelope twee tot drie jaar, is Suid-Afrikaanse Hoër Onderwys Instansies toenemend gekonfronteer deur ‘n strewe na transformasie (insluitended dekolonisering van die kirrikulum), vermindende staatsubsidies, toenemende kompetisie, toenemende kostes, toenemende inskrywings, vermindende hulpbronne, die aankondiging van gratis hoër onderwys, toenemende politisering van hoër onderwys en die toenemende behoefte om inligtingstegnologie te gebruik in onderwys en navorsing. As ‘n gevolg van bogenoemde vinnige veranderinge en ontwrigtings, word dit van leiers in die Suid-Afrikaanse Hoër Onderwys vereis om vermöens te besit wat hulle in staat stel om hulle organisasies suksesvol te kan lei gedurende sulke tye. Alhoewel navorsing oor leierskap binne Suid-Afrikaanse Hoër Onderwys Instansies voorheen gedoen is, kon geen navorsing gevind word wat alleenlik fokus op die identifisering en beskrywing van die eienskappe wat nodig is om Suid-Afrikaanse Hoër Onderwys Instansies suksesvol te kan lei gedurende tye van vinnige veranderinge en ontwrigting. Die mikpunt van hierdie navorsing was om vas te stel watter leierskap eienskappe nodig is om Suid-Afrikaanse Hoër Onderwys Instansies suksesvol te kan lei, gedurende tye van vinnige veranderinge en ontwrigtings. Hierdie navorsing het daarin geslaag om die eienskappe en vaardighede wat leiers benodig om Suid-Afrikaanse Hoër Onderwys Instansies suksesvol te lei gedurende tye van vinnige veranderinge en ontwrigtings te bepaal, asook wat vir elke leierskapvlak benodig word. Hierdie navorsing het ook ‘n teorie en model geformuleer wat die verhouding tussen vinnige veranderinge en ontwrigtings, die besit en toepassing van die eienskappe om Suid Afrikaanse Hoër Onderwys Instansies suksesvol te kan lei gedurende tye van vinnige veranderinge en ontwrigtings en uiteindelik suksevolle leierskap gedurende vinnige veranderinge en ontwrigtings, te beskryf. / Eminyakeni embalwa edlule umhlaba jikelele ubhekane nezinguquko nokuphazamiseka okuningi okuhlanganisa ukuquka kwesimo sezulu, ukuxhumana kwamazwe omhlaba, ukuthuthuka kwezomnotho, uguquko kwezezimboni kwesine (fourth industrial revolution), ukuthuthuka kwezobuchwepheshe, izinguquko kwezenhlalo, izinguquko kwezombusazwe nokwakamuva nje, ubhubhane i-Covid-19. Lezi zinguquko ezingenhla zibe nomthelela naseziKhungweni zeMfundo ePhakeme zaseNingizimu Afrika (HEIs). Ikakhulukazi, eminyakeni emibili kuya kwemithathu edlule, iziKhungo zeMfundo ePhakeme zaseNingizimu Afrika zibhekana ngokwengezekile nomkhankaso wezoguquko kwezemfundo ephakeme (okuhlanganisa nokuhlelwa kabusha kwezinhlelozifundo), ukuncipha kwemalisibonelelo kahulumeni, ukukhula kokuqhudelana, ukukhula kwezindleko, ukukhula kwesibalo sababhalisile, ukuncipha kwezinsiza, ukumenyezelwa kwemfundo ephakeme yamahhala, ukudlondlobala kwezombusazwe ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme nokukhula kokusetshenziswa kobuchwepheshe kwezokufundisa nocwaningo. Okungumphumela walokhu, ukudingeka kwabaholi bezikhungo zemfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika abanamakhono azobalekelela ekuholeni ngempumelelo izinhlangano zabo kulezi zikhathi. Yize noma ubuholi bucwaningiwe ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika akukho okutholakele obekugxile ekuhlonzeni nasekuchazeni ngokuyizidingo zokuhola ngempumelelo lezi zikhungo ngalesi sikhathi sezinguquko nokuphazamiseka okwenzeka ngesivinini. Lolu cwaningo luhlonze futhi lwachaza ngamakhono namava adingekayo ukuze kuholwe ngempumelelo iziKhungo ZeMfundo ePhakeme zaseNingizimu Afrika ngesikhathi sezinguquko nokuphazamiseka okwenzeka ngesivinini kanye nokuyizidingo zezinga ngalinye lobuholi. Okokugcina, lolu cwaningo lwakhe injulalwazi nohlaka oluchaza ngobudlelwano phakathi kwezinguquko nokuphazamiseka okwenzeka ngesivinini, ukuba namava adingekayo nokuwasebenzisa ngempumelelo ekuholeni iziKhungo zeMfundo ePhakeme zaseNingizimu Afrika ngesikhathi salezi zinguquko nokuphazamiseka kanye nokubhekana nakho ngempumelelo. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Phil. (Consulting Psychology)