Empowerment is the degree of flexibility and freedom provided to individuals to make decisions in relation to their work. Individuals tend to respond more creatively when given additional responsibilities and are encouraged to contribute to and attain satisfaction from their work and its environment. Women in South Africa have unfortunately found it difficult to take advantage of this flexibility and freedom due to the countries past policies and laws. They have to face various barriers that restrict them from advancing in their careers and in the workplace, particularly at senior management levels. One of these barriers is to balance work and family life. The government has legislated policies and procedures for the empowerment of women in the workplace. Companies are required to use these policies and procedures to promote women to senior levels of management. The aim of the study is to determine whether women in South Africa are being empowered in the workplace and the impact of organisational practices on their progression. This study used a quantitative research design and data was collected using an electronic questionnaire in the Greater Durban Area using a non-probability sample. There were 129 respondents who responded to the electronic questionnaire of which only 121 were valid responses. The study showed that women were not accepted in a managerial role yet respondents preferred female managers due to their influence in the workplace. Barriers which affected women in acquiring higher positions in their companies were identified. The findings indicate that organisations which have policies and procedures in place invest in developing female leaders and managers. Based on the research findings it is recommended that organisations need to be more supportive of women with families. In this way they could retain the best. In addition, organisations need to ensure that for empowerment of women to materialise; power sharing, skills development and positive relationships should be a part of their organisations’ empowerment strategy. Government may need to change certain policies and procedures to encourage the promotion of women in the workplace. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of Mzansi account initiative on the performance of the Amalgamated Banks of South Africa (ABSA). Mzansi account is a national entry level bank account that was launched in October 2004. The Mzansi bank account was established to cater for the previously disadvantaged people, living in remote and rural areas of South Africa. The Mzansi account is a product of the voluntary commitment by the Financial Services Sector as a response to the Government effort to address inequalities of the past. Historically, banks among other service providers did not actively offer banking services to poor people, especially those who lived in the rural and remote areas. This study examined how ABSA, in particular, reacted to Mzansi account conceptualization. The study also looked at the financial and non-financial impact of the implementation of the Financial Services Charter Initiative since 2004 until 2008. While the study focused on the charter since its conceptualisation, it also tracked the performance of ABSA a year before the charter which is the year 2003. Lastly, the study intended to evaluate the performance of ABSA, its macro and micro environment and the present day business environment within the FSC initiative scenario. The data collection for the study was acquired through literature review, observational study and case study research methodology. Findings of this study show that Mzansi initiative was found to have been a worthwhile initiative that has reached millions of low income people, who now have access to banking facilities and a formal banking instrument. However, the Mzansi initiative has not added a markedly value to the performance of ABSA bank. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

At present we are living in a global market economy. As a result, international business and cooperation between two or more counties is a growing phenomenon. Global business managers and leaders are challenged to broaden their minds to create new methods of leading and managing what has become an increasingly diverse and cross-cultural workforce. This workforce will bring with it both advantages and disadvantages to global organisations. In general, the global leaders and managers will face the challenge of how to cope with workers from diverse cultures, whilst at the same time respecting the needs of workers from their own culture. There is also the problem of dealing not only with the workforce, but also with partners, competitors and customers from diverse cultural backgrounds. In global organisations the biggest challenge is how to effectively organize, lead, manage and monitor diversity in a cross-cultural workforce. More and more leaders and top managers are becoming aware of the importance of learning about various cultures, different languages, cross-cultural communication and negotiation skills in a global context. The global business environment influences the development of Chinese businesses; more and more Chinese companies are exploring foreign markets, and in recent years many Chinese investment organisations have invested in and are thriving in the South African market. Most of these are operating in the clothing or textile companies. Starting up a business in a foreign country is a difficult task for any manager or leader. They face many barriers including having to cope with different languages and with differences in culture, politics and social environments. This is especially true of the situation in South Africa, as South Africa is a richly multi-cultural country with many cultures and subcultures that observe different religions, that use different languages and that display different habits. This study will investigate how Chinese managers and leaders can be led to a better understanding of these differences so that they can formulate new organisational cultures that maximize their companies’ success in a global environment. In these case studies the sample selected will be the Chinese clothing and textile industries in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Although the leaders and managers of Chinese investment organisations in KZN have attempted to increase their awareness of the local management culture and have tried to learn more about local political, social and economic structures, they still have not placed sufficient emphasis on language training and cross-cultural knowledge acquisition. Despite the fact that they already have basic language, communication and negotiation skills with which to deal in some measure with a cross-cultural workforce, this study shows that Chinese managers and leaders have to further improve their understanding and their communication skills. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

The implementation of Employment Equity involves the Government’s Labour Department, employers, employees, trade unions, shareholders and customers. The Labour Department insists that a designated employer must prepare and implement an Employment Equity Plan which will achieve reasonable progress towards Employment Equity in that employer’s workforce. The focus of this study was to establish the impact of the implementation of Employment Equity and Affirmative Action in the workplace. This study focused on employees’ perceptions and attitudes towards the implementation of Employment Equity and Affirmative Action. The main variables addressed by this study included staff turnover, training & development, impact of Employment Equity Forums, staff morale and attitudes towards the call to end Affirmative Action. The objectives of this study were to establish the impact of Employment Equity on the following key business variables: promotions and career paths, employee retention, employee turnover, employee morale and employee working relationships. The study followed a quantitative approach with a web-based questionnaire which was constructed using an online questionnaire which was distributed to the respondents electronically. A non-probability sampling method was utilized to achieve set objectives. According to the findings, most employees have not benefited from the implementation of Employment Equity and Affirmative Action. This results to different views between previously disadvantaged groups, especially Africans and White males. The results showed that Whites are calling for an end to the implementation of Affirmative Action policies while Africans feel that Affirmative Action should carry on for a little longer. The implementation of Employment Equity and Affirmative Action negatively affects Whites’ morale at work and results to poor working relationships amongst different race groups. It is also observed from the findings that Employment Equity and Affirmative Action is not directly linked to job hopping, contrary to the general perception. It is witnessed from the study that those who have benefitted from Employment Equity and Affirmative Action were very supportive of it. In order to improve the effectiveness of Employment Equity organisations need to: provide training and development for appointees, develop career paths for individuals, and introduce Equity forums where employees can discuss challenges faced by Affirmative Action appointees. However, the principle of fairness has to be a part of all Equity practices. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

Total Quality Management, (TQM), is an internationally recognized system of improving quality in industry. Globally, academic institutions have also adopted the principles of TQM systems to enhance the quality of their operations. The main aim of this study was to determine whether a TQM system can be implemented at faculty level in a University and what resources would make it sustainable. Research data was obtained by surveying staff and students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, (UKZN). A probability sample of 330, from a population size of 2500, was drawn from the Faculty of Engineering at UKZN. Qualitative and quantitative data from questionnaires and phenomenological interviews was collected for analysis to meet the studies objectives. A salient feature of the study was that all candidates surveyed believed that a TQM system was needed for the Faculty of Engineering at UKZN. The study also showed that staff and students believed that a TQM system would lead to improved quality, standards, operational efficiency, image and reputation for the Faculty of Engineering. The overall results revealed that a University faculty‟s operations would benefit from improved quality. A TQM system would be the most appropriate method of achieving improved quality across the board. The study led to the development of a TQM system framework and model that would benefit operations in a University faculty. The study can assist other University faculties that want to improve their operations, across the board, by using a TQM system. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

No abstract available. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

Meeting deadlines is an important aspect of every employee’s role within an organization because the ability to meet deadlines is one of the key performance areas that employees are measured against during their performance reviews. This study will focus on those factors that contribute to employees meeting or missing their business deadlines. The factors discussed in this study are employee loyalty, job satisfaction, employee satisfaction and confidence. South Africa is a controlled-time culture, and adherence to schedules is important and expected. In South Africa, missing a deadline is a sign of inefficiency and poor management and can have an impact on people’s confidence. Successful management will depend on the ability of individuals in the team, being able to meet deadlines. In this study, the target population consisted of fifty employees, in various positions, based in the city of Durban. The questionnaires were distributed via email and some were self-administered. The quantitative method was used to gather and analyse the data. The findings of this study reveal that employee satisfaction, job satisfaction, employee loyalty and confidence all contribute towards employees meeting business deadlines. Robbins (2009) states that numerous studies have shown that satisfied employees are highly motivated, have high morale at work and work more effectively and efficiently. These employees are also more committed to continuous improvement and to quality. The recommendation will be that managers or employers must schedule dates by which specific tasks or projects must be completed and they should keep to the schedule to avoid procrastination. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

The South African Motor industry is evolving through challenging times, placing tremendous pressure on Toyota SA Motors (TSAM) to remain efficient. The organisation has identified human capital as one of its most valuable resources contributing to the achievement of this goal. It is therefore imperative that the organisation retain staff members through focusing on the influences of job satisfaction, an impoliant aspect affecting staffretention at TSAM. The objective of the study was to examine the factors influencing job satisfaction at TSAM with the aim of detennining if new age job benefits influence job satisfaction, the impact of new age benefits on the business, if job satisfaction would result in staff retention and to provide recommendations to TSAM on how to stimulate job satisfaction levels in order to increase staff retention. This was to be achieved through the brcakdown and analysis of the relevant components of job satisfaction, along with theory comparison and the aid of quantitative research. The objective was achieved by sampling 235 employees of TSAM. A response rate of 66% was achieved using an online questionnaire to collect data. The data analysis process was completed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Overall, new age benefits were found to have a positive influence on job satisfaction with the highest preferences being flexitime, flexible workspace, a free canteen and a gym facility. The other new age benefits proved to be less popular amongst respondents. A large percentage of respondents believed that TSAM should revise the benefits offered and that the company has the capacity to do so. It was found that the majority of respondents would accept a job offer elsewhere if benefits were good and remuneration was less then expected. Employees believed that new age benefits would have a positive impact on the business as job satisfaction results in staff retention within Toyota SA Motors and that staff turnover is a criteria to judge the company by. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

Finding ways to deal with complex situations has been a long issue of interest by researchers and scholars alike. Researchers and scholars have provided the strategy community with an insightful understanding of the phenomenon of complexity. The traditional understanding of complexity in strategic management, mainly coming from the design school of strategy, has given way to modern complexity perspectives. These perspectives are from Chaos Theory, Dissipative Structures and Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS). Complexity sciences seek to look at the challenges associated with knowing and understanding the unknowable by focusing on the interactions in complex systems. The properties of complex systems in turn provide lessons that can be transferred to the field of strategic management in a form of approaches to deal with complexity. The CAS metaphor will be used as a model to contrast the approaches in current use by the organisation of study in strategic management. Insights from studies on complex systems points to a need for constant exploratory studies in organisations to determine how well organisations are responding to complexity. The aim of this study is to explore approaches that inform thinking and management practices in strategic management by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (department) in view of complexity - increasing difficulties to understand the world. Firstly, results of the study are intended to contribute to understanding how insights arising from the study of complex systems, in the world, are being used to rethink and design government departments – public sector organisations - systems and strategic approaches, so that they are more flexible, adaptable and able to respond efficiently and effectively to changes in larger environment. Secondly, where the study finds that the current complexity approaches of the department are not informed by the latest thinking on complexity, recommendations are made on ways the department can improve its approaches. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

South African companies are being exposed more than ever to the effects of the world economy, technological advancement, and tough international competition. Organisations are confronted with ever increasing, turbulence and change in their environment and the telecommunications market in particular has had to face large changes and challenges during the past ten years, and will continue to do so. This industry is changing shape with the continuous emergence of new technologies and the rapidly declining market for voice service is due to people increasingly using wireless telephones. / Thesis (M.B.A.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.