Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African Constitution, 1996, requires a development–oriented public administration, cultivating good human resources management and career development practices to maximise human potential. Talent management complies with this constitutional requirement as a practice that ensures that people with the required skills and aptitude are attracted, developed, utilised and retained to increase workplace productivity. The Provincial Government Western Cape (PGWC) has aligned itself with talent management by focusing on the attraction, development and retention of skills to address poverty and unemployment. The Western Cape Provincial Treasury (WCPT), which manages the PGWC finances, has however experienced high employee turnover rates lately with talented employees leaving the organisation for other public service departments or private sector organisations. This thesis assessed WCPT’s approach to talent management by: Obtaining an understanding for why talented employees left or are leaving WCPT; Exploring the concept of talent management in organisations globally; Exploring the legislative context for talent management in the South African public service; and Determining what WCPT’s approach to talent management is by using WCPT as a case study. A qualitative case study research design with unstructured interviews, a survey questionnaire and documentation were used to conduct this study. The case study of WCPT was used to draw inferences between the practice and theory in the literature review to understand why talented employees left and are leaving WCPT and what WCPT’s approach to talent management is. It was found that job dissatisfaction was the broad reason why talented employees left WCPT. Job dissatisfaction includes dissatisfaction about competitive salaries, sufficient training and development, a career planning programme, work-life balance, and so on. A draft talent management strategy has been formulated for WCPT but has not been implemented because the Human Resources department of WCPT has been relocated to the Department of the Premier as a result of the modernisation1 of public service departments in the PGWC. This thesis has made recommendations that the draft talent management strategy be implemented, despite the absence of the Human Resources department, as part of a broader strategy to establish WCPT as an employer of choice. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: The Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet, 1996 vereis ʼn publieke administrasie wat goeie menslike hulpbron bestuurspraktyke bevorder en loopbaanontwikkeling sowel as menslike potensiaal aanhelp. Talentbestuur voldoen aan hierdie vereiste deur te verseker dat mense met vaardighede gewerf, ontwikkel, aangewend en behou word om produktiwiteit te verbeter. Die Wes-Kaapse Provinsiale Regering het homself in lyn gebring met hierdie grondwetlike vereiste deur te fokus op die werwing, ontwikkeling en behoud van vaardighede om armoede en werkloosheid aan te spreek. Die Wes-Kaapse Provinsiale Tesourie (WKPT) het egter, inteendeel, ʼn hoë omset in talentvolle werknemers ondervind, wie die organisasie verlaat het vir posisies in ander openbare sektor departemente sowel as privaatsektor organisasies. Hierdie verhandeling het die WKPT se benadering tot talent bestuur gemeet deur: ʼn Begrip te verkry vir hoekom talentvolle werknemers WKPT verlaat het; om die begrip talentbestuur in organisasies wêreldwyd te verken; om die wetlike konteks van talentbestuur in openbaresektor organisasies in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek; en om vas te stel wat WKPT se benadering tot talentbestuur is deur WKPT as ʼn gevallestudie te gebruik. ʼn Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp was gebruik om die navorsings probleem te ondersoek met ongestruktureerde onderhoude, ʼn meningsopname vraelys en dokumentasie as navorsingsmetodes. Die gevallestudie van WKPT was gebruik om verskille tussen die praktyk en die teorie te verstaan en vas te stel waarom talentvolle werknemers WKPT verlaat het en wat die organisasie se benadering tot talentbestuur is. Daar was gevind dat werknemerontevredenheid die oorhoofse rede was waarom talentvolle werknemers WKPT verlaat het. Werknemerontevredenheid sluit in hierdie geval ontevredenheid oor kompeterende salarisse, genoegsame opleiding en ontwikkeling, ʼn loopbaanontwikkelingsprogram en werk-leefbalans in. WKPT het ʼn konsep talentbestuur strategie ontwerp, maar dit was egter nog nie geimplementeer nie omdat die menslikehulpbronne department van WKPT verskuif was na die Departement van die Premier. Hierdie verhandeling het aanbeveel dat die konsep talentbestuur strategie nog steeds geimplementeer word ten spyte van die feit dat die menslikehulpbron department verskuif was. Die implementering van hierdie strategie sal deel uitmaak van ʼn oorhoofse strategie om WKPT te vestig as ʼn werknemer by keuse.

The purpose of this study was to examine a select set of organizational variables and determine their relationship to nursing assistants' intentions to quit in state-owned veterans' long-term care facilities located across the United States. America's long-term care industry (e.g., nursing homes, assisted living facilities) is a multibillion dollar industry. Because the U.S. government is projecting a 250% increase in the elderly population, staffing these nursing homes and related facilities is a critical concern. A vitally important but often overlooked factor of the long-term care industry is employee turnover. Of the staff in long-term care facilities, the nursing assistant (NA) position is particularly susceptible to turnover. Approximately 80% of NAs who enter the workforce leave within the 1st year and many leave within the first 3 months of employment. Some facilities report that they are unable to accept new residents because of a lack of qualified NAs. While many studies have researched this issue, staff turnover in long-term care facilities remains a serious and widespread problem. This study provides a foundation for future research related to the perceptions of intentions to quit of nursing assistants (NAs) working in state-owned veterans long-term care facilities by providing primary data regarding NAs intentions to quit. Results of this study indicate that NA intentions to quit might be reduced provided that pay and rewards are increased, workplace violence is addressed, and better access to patient care plans is provided. This research is useful to state-owned and operated long-term care facilities by giving them additional insights into nursing assistants' intentions to quit perhaps resulting in lower rates of turnover. It is suggested that future research be performed using populations of individuals from other segments of the long-term care industry, mainly, for-profit institutional care nursing homes, and federally owned veterans long-term care facilities.

Consent for the research study was obtained from the divisional executive of the financial services division being researched and all ethical factors were clarified. All potential participants were engaged in a divisional communication session where participation was advised to be voluntary and anonymity and confidentiality was assured. The results of the study revealed that there was no statically significant relationship between intention to quit and organisational commitment but a statically significant relationship between organisational commitment and age, tenure, marital status and staff with dependants respectively were revealed. Further to that, a statistically significant relationship between intention to quit and age, tenure, marital status was also revealed. Therefore, based on the understanding gained, and the relationship it had with respect to the biographical factors used in the study, it presents organisations with the insight and opportunity to better retain staff. Clear understandings of the limitations of the findings presented are also discussed and additional recommendations for future research are also provided.

Consent for the research study was obtained from the divisional executive of the financial services division being researched and all ethical factors were clarified. All potential participants were engaged in a divisional communication session where participation was advised to be voluntary and anonymity and confidentiality was assured. The results of the study revealed that there was no statically significant relationship between intention to quit and organisational commitment but a statically significant relationship between organisational commitment and age, tenure, marital status and staff with dependants respectively were revealed. Further to that, a statistically significant relationship between intention to quit and age, tenure, marital status was also revealed. Therefore, based on the understanding gained, and the relationship it had with respect to the biographical factors used in the study, it presents organisations with the insight and opportunity to better retain staff. Clear understandings of the limitations of the findings presented are also discussed and additional recommendations for future research are also provided.

South Africa has been brain drained of nurses and doctors and the Eastern Cape as a Province within South Africa is not an exception. Its rural nature has caused many nurses and doctors loose interest of serving in its facilities. This study sought to describe factors that can influence retention especially of nurses in the rural health facilities of the Eastern Cape Province and develop recommendations for nurse managers on how to retain nurses in rural areas. The major inferences drawn from this study is that nurses are dissatisfied with lack of promotional opportunities, lack of professional support, facing drastic responsibilities but with less income, tremendous workloads, emotional demands and unrealistic salary package. The researcher believes that the nurse managers have a crucial role to play in ensuring nurse retention and the recommendations drawn from this study can contribute in improving the work environment. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Magister Commercii - MCom / Consent for the research study was obtained from the divisional executive of the financial services division being researched and all ethical factors were clarified. All potential participants were engaged in a divisional communication session where participation was advised to be voluntary and anonymity and confidentiality was assured. The results of the study revealed that there was no statically significant relationship between intention to quit and organisational commitment but a statically significant relationship between organisational commitment and age, tenure, marital status and staff with dependants respectively were revealed. Further to that, a statistically significant relationship between intention to quit and age, tenure, marital status was also revealed. Therefore, based on the understanding gained, and the relationship it had with respect to the biographical factors used in the study, it presents organisations with the insight and opportunity to better retain staff. Clear understandings of the limitations of the findings presented are also discussed and additional recommendations for future research are also provided. / South Africa

The objectives of this study were to determine whether job embeddedness and organisational commitment significantly predict voluntary turnover, and whether people from different gender, race and age groups differ significantly in their job embeddedness, organisational commitment and voluntary turnover. The Job Embeddedness Scale (JES), Organisational Commitment Scale (OCS) and Voluntary Turnover Scale (VTS) were used as measuring instruments. A stratified random sample of 102 full-time employed higher education academics participated in the study. Multiple regression analyses showed that organisation fit and community links and normative commitment significantly and positively predicted the participants’ intentions to stay at the institution. Significant differences were observed between the job embeddedness and intention to stay of the gender and race groups. The findings of the current study add to the knowledge base on the turnover intentions of academic staff, contributing to the field of career psychology. In conclusion, the study makes recommendations for retention practices and future research. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Text in English / The nursing profession is premised on the moral and ethical maxim: do unto others as you would they do unto you. Advanced beginner nurses progress to become fully fledged professional nurses as a result of the socialisation, support and nurturing by the proficient and expert counterparts. Socialisation engenders a spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood within the nursing profession. However, there is evidence to suggest that nurses ‘eat their young’. In the event that advanced nurses consider themselves as dinner for the expert nurses, they are inclined to leave the profession due to their real or perceived unpalatable experiences of suffering under the tutelage of the expert nurses. Proceeding from the grounded theory paradigm, the purpose of the study is to explore and describe the extent (if any) to which the role of the clinical resource nurse affects staff retention. The study was conducted at two SEHA (Abu Dhabi Health Service Company) facilities in Abu Dhabi. The study followed a qualitative design that is explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature, with some quantitative aspects developed by means of questionnaires. The purposive non-probability sampling technique was employed in the study, with the sample size comprised of 1 Assistant Director of Nursing; 1 Acting Assistant Director of Nursing; 5 Unit Managers; 3 Clinical Nurse Coordinators; 16 Clinical Resource Nurses; 11 Graduate Nurse Interns; and 14 Registered Nurses. Quantitative data will be collected using semi-structured interviews, as well as open-ended surveys. Data was analysed qualitatively. Guba’s model in Polit & Beck (2012:582) was utilised to ensure trustworthiness of the study. Ethical requirements were considered throughout the study. Findings showed that the responsibility of peer mentoring does not rest solely on the shoulders of the CRN (Clinical Resource Nurse) but is a team effort is a team effort between senior leadership unit managers, CNCs (Clinical Nurse Coordinators) and external stakeholders such as HAAD (Health Authority Abu Dhabi), SEHA, NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) and higher education. / Health Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

The objectives of this study were to determine whether job embeddedness and organisational commitment significantly predict voluntary turnover, and whether people from different gender, race and age groups differ significantly in their job embeddedness, organisational commitment and voluntary turnover. The Job Embeddedness Scale (JES), Organisational Commitment Scale (OCS) and Voluntary Turnover Scale (VTS) were used as measuring instruments. A stratified random sample of 102 full-time employed higher education academics participated in the study. Multiple regression analyses showed that organisation fit and community links and normative commitment significantly and positively predicted the participants’ intentions to stay at the institution. Significant differences were observed between the job embeddedness and intention to stay of the gender and race groups. The findings of the current study add to the knowledge base on the turnover intentions of academic staff, contributing to the field of career psychology. In conclusion, the study makes recommendations for retention practices and future research. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)