published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

published_or_final_version / abstract / China Development Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Business / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The extent and quality of strategic planning by institutional pharmacy directors was assessed. Also examined was how the extent and quality of strategic planning, institutional characteristics, pharmacy characteristics, and pharmacy director characteristics might be associated with the pharmacy's overall level of performance in selected areas. The majority of institutional pharmacy directors reported utilizing strategic planning for their departments. The global quality of strategic planning reported by pharmacy directors was average. However, directors conducting strategic planning reported a high level of strategic planning. The directors' rated time available, knowledge, and importance of strategic planning were found to be significantly associated with pharmacy directors' rated quality of strategic planning. Additionally, pharmacy directors' rated quality of strategic planning was found to be significantly associated with pharmacy performance for clinical, distributive, and administrative services.

M.Com. (Economics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Land areas being used unsustainably are depleted and/or degraded. To prevent this from happening and/or to reverse the effects, we need to restore these environments. However, not all restoration practices are equal, and some do not adhere to rigorous standards of sustainability. In this study, restoration guidelines and opinions from field experts were analysed from an SSD perspective. The focus of this thesis was limestone quarries in northern Europe due to quarries’ impacts to the socio-ecological system and the sensitivity of northern ecosystems. The results were divided into two sub-sections: FSSD comparison to guidelines, which included an SP analysis to principles in guidelines, and interviews. The conclusion was that the SSD approach could enhance these quarry restoration guidelines by incorporating the recommendations formulated from the results and discussion. One recommendation was having the eight SPs as overarching boundaries for success. Incorporating these recommendations would fill the sustainability gaps, aiding in the practitioner's ability to be strategic and have long-term success within sustainable limits.

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether marketing leaders have different skills and leadership qualities in comparison to know leadership theory. In addition, the researcher will aim to establish clear cut ways of identifying the leadership skills and qualities that are unique to marketing managers. There seems to be a lack of literature on this subject, however, the researcher will aim to establish value added relevance that will justify the purpose of and reasons behind this study. The research will take the form of a qualitative study, specifically because no prior focussed research in this regard has been done. For the purposes of this paper a case study approach will be followed, as it will assist the Researcher in learning and understanding more about what leadership qualities marketing leaders have. Data will be collected by means of in-depth interviews with marketing leaders, observations in the researcher's own business environment as well as job advertisements in newspapers and other sources stating what is expected of candidates and what type of candidates are required for the position. The respondents interviewed for the purposes of this study were from a diverse range of industries. An enlightening aspect was that most of their answers were more or less the same. This leads the Researcher to believe that these individuals have years of experience in leadership positions. This is reflected by the fact that the respondents have a good idea of what is required to be a good leader and that they apply it in their working environment. There are a set of basic leadership qualities that are the same for all the leaders/managers in an organisation. There are differences between various managers in an organisation and the leadership styles they apply and the function often determine the leadership qualities that are important. Each leader has different qualities and their personality also plays a great role in the leadership style they apply. What distinguishes marketing leaders is the fact that they should be more outward focussed, more creative and visionary than their counterparts. This requires from them to be sensory about their environment. They need to embrace change and be able to work with a diverse range of people. Marketing managers often have to deal with external media and unhappy clients, other managers are fairly isolated from this. Marketing managers have to brainstorm and come up with new ideas almost on a daily basis. They have to handle communication both internal and external to the organisation and have to work with all the departments on a daily basis. Surprisingly the best manager to lead an organisation would be a Marketing Manager. They are supposed to take the organisation forward. The way the industry and business in general is structured, almost paves the way for the Marketing function to start taking the lead in organisations. Focussed research is required to shed more light on this issue. It will lead to the generation of profiles for all managers in an organisation, specifically for marketing managers. This will assist organisations in the recruitment and selection of the ideal candidates. Organisations and the external business environment need to change their perception of the marketing function. Marketing is much more than promotions, events and "bells and whistles". It is a profit driven function, which has a big impact on the profitability and survival of an organisation. Therefore organisations should focus on the development of the skills and leadership qualities of their marketing managers. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / M.B.L.

M. Comm. / The aim of this study is to present a practical solution to companies for creating a mechanism whereby the conversion of organisational goals to concrete action items becomes reality. "Over the years we have seen many senior executives that believe that they have a well-developed well-understood and articulated vision that most employees buy into, but without understanding or providing an adequate mechanism with which to actually accomplish the goals" (Best, 1998: 5-9). The references made to the concepts of quality and productivity will refer to the following two definitions respectively: Quality of Organisation "As is the case so often in South Africa, it is quite possible to produce a quality product with a very ineffective and inefficient business process: the penalty that customers pay is getting a quality product which is totally overpriced in order to subsidise the inefficiencies of the business process" (Scholtz, 1998: 33-39). Productivity "The orientation of any new measures will be less concerned with the volume of output (such as the number of orders processed) and more concerned with the value-adding content of work (whether orders are processed correctly the first time and without delay)" (Hope and Hope, 1997: 191-192). Tom Peters supports the view taken on these two definitions in his book Thriving on Chaos (1987:23). Tom Peters is of the opinion that adding value will result from superior quality of products and in exceptional service and responsiveness to customers. Through experience gained in the banking, education, retail and chemical sectors, the problem of dealing with inefficient processes and not having a single accurate, timely and comprehensive source of reference information for decision-making, has been encountered on numerous occasions.

Information and communication technology is rapidly transforming the world of business. It in particular has played a significant role in globalisation, the ramifications of which South Africa can ill afford to ignore. A key facet of emerging innovative technologies and globalisation is the environmental uncertainty, complexity and turbulence it has engendered. Traditional strategic management paradigms and practice are largely founded on the assumption of environmental predictability, a reality that is rapidly being eroded. This thesis attempts to determine to what degree strategic management theory still correlates with contemporary strategic management practice. Various levels of environmental uncertainty are defined in order to gain clarity as to strategic management processes that are best suited for dealing therewith. Three key determinants are identified as having a significant impact on the strategic realignment of business institutions within a global business environment, namely information and communication technology, business systems, and change management. A central tenet that emerges from the study is the need for a framework to integrate the first two mentioned determinants at strategic and operational levels, while taking due cognisance of the human resources implications involved. Human emotions, feelings, relationships, fears, values, beliefs and aspirations collectively assume relevance as dimensions that can either inhibit or facilitate the strategic realignment process. These dimensions are analysed with reference to the concepts “emotional intelligence” and “organisational culture” in order to gain a greater understanding of the role they play in strategy formulation and implementation. Leadership is also identified as being business critical in managing strategic realignment. The findings of this study serve as a source of reference for researchers and practitioners who are attempting to formulate and implement strategy within contexts that are best described as being uncertain, complex and subject to discontinuous change. / Prof. N. Lessing