There is now widespread acceptance in the organisations that human resources are an important source of competitive advantage, or an important component of the value chain. In the public service sector, the delivery of services to the populace depends on the competence, motivation and discipline of the employees. All of this points to the importance of properly dealing with HR issues in organisations. This empirical study gathered the views of Ward Managers of the Kwa-Zulu Natal Department of Education. 40% of Ward Managers participated in this survey, and the responses were analysed utilising the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results indicate that the majority of respondents perceived the department’s disciplinary process to be unfair both substantively and procedurally. The majority of respondents felt that there were inconsistencies in the decisions to discipline employees; that the sanctions were inconsistent and that the disciplinary hearings took too long to finalise. Finally, this study recommended further research on the subject, especially utilising different methodologies such as in depth case studies and unstructured interviews in order to gain insights into the reasons why Ward Managers hold the views that they hold or to refine some of the concepts in order to understand what exactly they understand by concepts such as ‘unfairness’. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of adult entrepreneurial education in building the South African economy. A literature review was done to define small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME’s) and their contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of South Africa. Factors hindering SMME’s are also considered. The theory of entrepreneurship is then discussed in order to understand the general principles that govern entrepreneurship. The aim of this study was to establish whether adequate entrepreneurial education takes place at schools and the extent that adult entrepreneurial plays a role in forming SMME’s. The alignment of entrepreneurs with their primary business experience was investigated to establish the extent of training that took place. The average incubation period during the adult entrepreneurial training phase was investigated relative to the economy in terms of unemployment and the absorption rate of the economy. Perceptions of entrepreneurs were established with regards to their education and its perceived success. A non-probability sampling technique was used with purposive sampling as the sub technique. A total of 75 entrepreneurs were successfully interviewed for this project. The study established that entrepreneurial education at schools is minimal. It was discovered that post school entrepreneurial education is an important factor in setting up SMME’s and most entrepreneurs stayed in the same industries that they received their primary training from. Most entrepreneurs obtained some formal post school education and perceived this to be an important factor in their success. It is recommended that entrepreneurship education be taught at all schools (both primary and secondary) to provide a better foundation for school leaving entrepreneurs. It is also recommended that a study be done to find ways to reduce the incubation period that is needed post school in order to gain the necessary confidence levels to start businesses. This study should include ways of identifying prospective entrepreneurs early in their careers and nurturing them. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

This study was an exploration of the product life cycle theory as a strategic decision-making tool in an auto-catalyst manufacturing plant. During the literature review stage of this study, many gaps in the product life cycle theory were identified. The product life cycle theory has come under criticism from numerous academic authors. It was also found that there was a definite lack of empirical studies carried out on South African companies and products. The main focus of this study was to investigate use and practical applicability of the product life in strategic decision making in a South African organisation, which is a subsidiary of a multinational corporation. A major limitation to this study was that the decision makers at Johnson Matthey South Africa showed a lack of understanding of strategy, and their role in strategic decision making. From the data collected, using a questionnaire survey methodology, the major findings were that the product life cycle theory has application potential as a strategic decision making tool in future, The decision makers at Johnson Matthey have a good knowledge of their products and where they were on the product life cycle. Further empirical research, into the applicability of the product life cycle theory is needed, on South African organisations. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2006.

The glass ceiling has been defined as a subtle, intangible yet impenetrable barrier that hinders the accession of women to senior management positions. Its manifestations are unique to every country and organisation. The theoretical framework of the glass ceiling has pointed to person and situation centred theories, social role, interaction and human capital theory to try and provide explanations to the origin of the glass ceiling. The main aim of the study was to determine whether the existence of the glass ceiling was a myth or reality. Purposive and snowball sampling were the sampling methods used in this study. The questionnaire that was administered using the web based Question pro elicited a total of 117 responses from 290 questionnaires that were circulated to respondents, resulting in a 40% response rate. Due to the sampling method that was used, results obtained could not be generalised to the entire population of female managers in the Durban Metropolitan Area. Salient findings that emerged from this study were that 54% of respondents were aged between 35-44 years and were married (69%). In addition, the majority of respondents were White (41%), were employed in the Private Sector (62%) and held middle management positions (47%). Critical to this study, respondents felt that the glass ceiling was still firmly in place as female representation at senior management was minimal (86%). Some of the barriers to the upward career mobility of respondents were reluctance to relocate (48%), need to overachieve (52%) and consistently exceeding performance (64%). In addition, critical career mobility success factors were that respondents needed to be leaders geared towards high achievement (94%), be competitive and ambitious (90%), be confident and exhibit emotional suitability to hold senior management positions (84%), have a track record (77%), receive organisational support to balance their multiple roles (59%) and have a willingness to relocate (41%). For the ceiling to crack, it is essential for organisations‟ on one hand to commit to creating environments supportive of the roles of women (flexi time, work from home days, mentor staff) and women on the other hand need to have the desire to persevere and have faith in their abilities, cultivate their own leadership style, network and further their own education. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

The evolution of the internet from Web1.0 to Web2.0 ushered in social sharing, and led to the advent of hundreds of social networking tools being used by millions of individuals online. This is the technology on which social networking sites like YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook are based, and is one of the fastest growing segments of the web. These platforms enable both businesses and individuals to connect with each other with the most popular platform being, Facebook; but is this an effective platform to create brand equity? The focus of this study was to examine the behaviour of South African Facebook users, in order to better understand their interactions with brands and companies on this platform. At the time of this study the only research available was the TNS Digital Life Study which was expensive. No other freely available research regarding how South African Facebook users engaged on this platform was available; this presented a gap in the market which heightened the need for the study. Flowing from the aim, thestudy objectives and research instrument was constructed. The sample comprised 532 respondents of which 408 were valid responses; all respondents were South African Facebook users. An electronic questionnaire was created and hosted online at QuestionPro.com and data analysis was completed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The preferred sampling technique utilised was non-probability convenience sampling. The study researched, amongst other objectives, Facebook user interaction across traditional media platforms. It also investigated television advertisement viewing behaviour the findings of which revealed that only 7 percent of respondents ‘Always’ watched television advertisements. The objectives of the study were all met and investigated South African users in terms of their frequency of Facebook access, the duration of time spent on this platform, the technology used to access Facebook, whether users would ‘Like’ a brand and the extent of engagement with brands. Based on the findings it is recommended that Facebook is an effective platform for brands and individuals to interact, and this interaction has an impact on the return on investment for business, and this platform would not replace but enhance traditional marketing tools. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

This study explores the reasons behind why EasyPay, a financial services Information Technology company, has not been able to balance the need to innovate its service offering with the pressure to stabilise its service and maintain revenue growth. Despite its good financial performance, service delivery issues had hampered the company for a long period of time. Poor customer service continued to restrict growth and put the company's long-term survival at risk. The researcher believes that the understanding this research has provided will put management in a position to formulate a more effective strategy to take the company from its current reality to its future vision. There was an overwhelming amount of information available in the form of events, patterns, issues and opinions. This information had to be organised and understood. The theory was built from the ground up and derived directly from the evidence collected. The research was iterative in nature and, as such, yielded questions along the way, and this guided the review of the literature. There was first a need to develop a systemic appreciation of the dynamics of the situation before deciding on what strategic management plan to suggest that would balance the pressures on the business and satisfy customer needs. This study therefore focused on developing an appreciation of the situation. Systems thinking theory was used in developing this appreciation, as it provided a language for describing and understanding the forces and interrelationships that shaped the behaviour of the system in EasyPay. When the system had been grasped the researcher went back and revisited the events and patterns, and used the derived systemic model to explain more clearly what happened in the company. The researcher discusses the mental models that he became aware of, in the course of the study, that were in part responsible for the existence of the system in EasyPay. Finally the researcher suggests some recommended actions and highlights areas that he believes require attention. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

This research focuses on KwaZulu-Natal case studies of land reform projects that serve as contributors to local economic development (LED). Key stakeholders and role players on LED matters within the KwaZulu-Natal province serve as respondents. The study seeks to answer critical questions regarding the success and viability of land reform projects. “Rural development is one of the the signature projects that swept the African National Congress (ANC) to power. It is supposed to distinguish the new administration from all that has gone before by having a dedicated ministry specifically to look after the forgotten countryside”, (Mabanga 2010, p. 36). For communities operating registered companies, some of the major challenges, amongst others, include a lack of farm management skills, business skills, financial skills and governance skills (including corporate governance). Leadership challenges are experienced between community members that ultimately may lead to the collapse of projects. There are also concerns regarding state support for post settlement. This affects the operation and capitalization of the projects and is required to kick-start projects after land transfers. Other challenges include skills shortage amongst managers and post settlement support for specific industries to ease transfer of skills to beneficiaries. The majority of the post-settlement support from the National Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has no, or limited, skills in specific industries like forestry, sugarcane, crop farming and animal farming. Consequently there is a shortage of proper advice to the community managers from inception and the incumbent official then still has to learn the industry operating systems. Ultimately all the parties rely heavily on consultants to provide assistance to newly emerging farmers or business entrepreneurs within the communities. The transfer of developmental grants is a major headache currently facing the majority of land beneficiaries. The department of rural development still owes communities post-settlement grants or development grants back-dated to the 2008/09 financial period. The objective of this study was to arrive at some guidelines and recommendations that will contribute to the success of land reform projects and thereby contribute to LED within KwaZulu-Natal province. / Thesis (M.Com)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

The manufacturing industry of eThekwini municipality has been the most important aspect of economic development and job creation. This sector currently contributes 22% of gross domestic product to the local economy, with finance and transport being the other major sectors. The growth in manufacturing has averaged about 1% per annum over the past 10 years which has contributed to jobless growth of eThekwini. Whilst policy makers have realized the importance of the manufacturing industry, the important sub-sectors within the manufacturing industry are proving to be uncompetitive in a more open economy as they are faced with numerous growth challenges. The rationale of this study was to investigate the factors that affect the growth of manufacturing businesses that operates within the eThekwini municipality. Despite the contributions of the manufacturing businesses to the local economy, this sector has never been given due attention as past studies of business performance had been biased towards larger businesses. For the purposes of this study, the questionnaire used was aimed at respondents who own manufacturing businesses within the area. Questions were distributed electronically via QuestionPro to 100 respondents and 76 respondents accessed the questionnaire with 44 respondents who completed the survey which gave the completion rate of 44%. The results from the respondents indicated that access to finance or credit, business skills, technology and globalisation were the factors that negatively affects the growth of the manufacturing businesses. The results also indicate that the unpredictable business environment, the regulatory environment and other economic factors such as inflation also affect the growth of the manufacturing businesses. The quantitative results supported by the literature review confirm that these factors affect development and growth of businesses especially small manufacturing businesses. Recommendations is also made on the actions to be undertaken to address factors affecting manufacturing businesses. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

The MBA programme is a management education qualification that is ideal for people wishing to develop or enhance their skills and knowledge across the entire spectrum of modern management. The MBA which originated in 1908, has been the key qualification for aspirant senior managers. The MBA has for decades been recognised by academia and industry as the same of excellence of a professional manager. However, in the recent past the MBA has come under scrutiny and has been criticised for its massification and churning out managers rather than future leaders. The MBA has also been criticised for becoming too academic and less pragmatic. The primary purpose of this study was to report on the relevance of the South African Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programmes in South Africa with regards to current South African Business requirements. This exploratory study sought to address in particular what the current landscape of the MBA curriculum looked like, and to gauge the relevance of the MBA programmes of South African business schools, based on MBA alumni perceptions. An online questionnaire was designed to examine various aspects of the MBA curriculum as well as the MBA alumni perceptions of the importance of the curriculum. A non-probability purposive sample of 90 MBA alumni was obtained from various South African business schools. The salient findings of this study showed that there was a gap between alumni perceptions of important subjects and those that the business schools gave relevance to. The study found that a general MBA programme with a large research component was needed. However, this programme should give less attention to the traditional functional management subjects and should move from a narrowly focussed MBA to one that reflects a much broader context, and to continually review the curriculum. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

No abstract available. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.