M.Com. / "Once in a generation, perhaps, something happens that profoundly changes the world and how we look at it. Business is no different. From time to time, someone develops a new way of operation that spreads from industry to industry. Those who adopt and adapt, prosper: those who do not, disappear. Well-known examples of such processes include the adoption of the factory system in the 18th century and the assembly line in the 20th century. Without quest ion, Total Quality Management (TQM) is an innovation on this scale" (Gilks, 1990:17-20}. Since the time of the Industrial Revolution in the late eighteenth century, countries within the Western world have regarded themselves as being the experts in most fields of Industry and specific~lly mass production. Although it was thought at first that increasing mechanization would lessen industry's dependence on human labour, this was often not the case with labour productivity being found to be crucial to the overall productivity of manufacturing concerns. Increasingly ingly there was a search for answers on how to optimally utilize the Human Resource with the aim of achieving higher productivity (Sperotto, 1991 :27-33). Enderle (1992:13) writes that with more and more research being undertaken and published about this field, a new management science was established: Organizational behaviour and structuring, as well as job design. Its main objective was to find out more about human psychological needs and aspirations and how this information would be put to use in the wordplay. This particular school of thought is known as the "scientific management" or 'socio-technical" approach.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The primary aim of the study was to ascertain whether an intervention relating to leadership and linked to the life and teachings of Viktor Frankl, eminent logo- therapist, would affect the way aspiring leaders construct leadership in terms of meaning. The research participants comprised 20 students registered for a Master’s degree in Business Management (M.Com. Business Management) at a metropolitan university in Johannesburg. The majority of the participants were male (80%) and between the ages of 31- 40 (70%), working in a wide range of industries. A qualitative approach was followed. The data was collected in three steps by means of (1) a questionnaire investigating leadership role-orientations, (2) a leadership development intervention, consisting of a presentation on the life, teachings and work of Viktor Frankl, and an appreciative inquiry (AI) on leadership with meaning, followed by (3) the same questionnaire that had been completed pre-intervention. For establishing possible change on an extrinsic (explicit) level the data was analysed using the framework analysis method (Ritchie & Spencer, 1994). For establishing possible change on an intrinsic (implicit) level, a comparative method was followed. The main finding of this study suggests that a meaning-centred leadership development intervention, using the example of the life and teachings of Viktor Frankl, may have an impact on the leadership role-orientation of aspiring leaders, changing from a predominantly career leadership role-orientation to that of a calling leadership role-orientation. The indication, however, is that this effect largely took place on an explicit (extrinsic) level and to a lesser extent on an implicit (intrinsic), internalised level.

The basic concept for this work is that, in a Total Quality environment, all data must be considered to be quality data in order to achieve a truly informed process of continuous quality improvement, throughout the whole range of organisational activity. In order to establish the place of this concept in respect of current theory, a number of quality control, quality assurance and Total Quality techniques and. strategies are examined. In each case, an attempt is made to define the data support necessary to ensure the best possible effectiveness in use. I'n some instances, IT tools are already available; their applicability is investigated and their limitations are established, with a view to future integration. Another issue which must be considered is the location of existing quality data throughout the many systems (both computerised and paper-based) which support the various areas of organisational activity. Of particular importance are the questions of which data is held, and how accessible it is for use in proble~ investigation and improvement planning. The above surveys are drawn together to guide the construction of a set of aims and objectives to be satisfied by an Integrated Quality System (lQS). These were then formalised into a functional requirement for a: generic IQS in line with current Total Quality theory. However, a theoretical system must, of necessity, be customised to suit the needs and working practices of real organisations. Hence, the findings of a study carried out at a manufacturing company by the members of the project team in which the author worked were used to establish user requirements for an IQS. The two sets of requirements, theoretical versus user, were then merged to provide a single, mutually satisfactory, functional requirement. In order to investigate the appropriateness of various aspects of the proposed I QS, elements of the functional requirements were implemented in a laboratory prototype. This prototype served a number of purposes: a) to clarify the perceived desires of the test site users; b) to investigate differences between vanous methods of eliciting software specifications (both functional and related to the mode of use) from users in terms of the final satisfaction achieved and the level of modification required during development; c) to establish some of the interface links which must be provided to merge IT systems currently in use to achieve a truly integrated system for Total Quality support; d) to consider the importance of certain "poor relation" quality related activities in the light of integrated Total Quality. The proposed IQS architecture is then revised in the light of the findings of the prototype and a modified structure is suggested. The recently published results of other researchers are considered and related to the modified IQS specification.

No description available.

The problem of the migration of talent from developed countries is not a new one, andessentially it is understood that the reward systems of the countries involved are at faultin not providing individuals with rewards that they value. In the Sultanate of Oman,such a brain drain is not yet a problem, but over the last few years there has been anincreasing departure of talented people from the Omani Government Sector, as theprivate sector has more to offer. Such a phenomenon is wasteful in respect of thetraining investment which might have been made in these people, but it is alsodamaging to the government sector as a whole since the aim of providing qualityservices to the nation is made more difficult to achieve as employees of high calibreleave. Consequently, this thesis explores the issue of why people resign from the governmentsector to work elsewhere, and in so doing it focuses on the current reward system withinthe sector. Through a comprehensive literature review, it considers both academic andpractitioner perspectives on the issue of reward, concentrating particularly on theconcept of Total Reward which embraces the notion of a mixture of wide-rangingtangible and intangible rewards that are designed with employee involvement to ensuretheir attractiveness, and to ultimately secure loyalty and reduce employee turnover. The study then conducts an empirical exercise in which a large sample of governmentemployees from the full range of ministries where resignations are taking place,participate in a questionnaire survey, seeking to establish their views on the currentreward system and the potential for the introduction of a Total Reward strategy. Additionally, a number of in-depth interviews are held with employees, and focusgroups are also conducted, as a means of securing a third source of empiricalinformation. The data obtained is triangulated to establish a detailed employerperspective, and then considered in the light of the literature. The finding is that the reward system in its current form is not appropriate since it doesnot cater for employees' needs. It is characterised by a lack of rigorous and transparentcriteria on which to assess employees' eligibility for various rewards, and consequently,has allowed favouritism and nepotism to creep into a system that was intended to beoperated on the basis of merit. This is dispiriting for employees who have no faith intheir managers to determine their individual performance, and hence offer rewards on afair basis. It is concluded that a Total Reward strategy is a desirable way forward since this wouldstem the flow of talented people from the government sector, but it is alsoacknowledged that there are critical success factors associated with the implementationof such an initiative and that for these to be in place, a culture change within thegovernment sector would need to occur.

D.Comm. / This thesis deals with the challenges posed to management to ensure that quality services are provided to customers and investigates the approaches management should adopt.

It is the purpose of this study to compare the readiness and achievement of older and younger first grade students. Other purposes of the study involved a comparison of girls and boys in the first grade as to their readiness and achievement.

The research describe the Total Quality System implementation at a pulp and paper manufacturing. The objective was evaluate the productive process management using a Total Quality Management Model, comparing the results before and after Total Quality System implementation, using the quality efficiency index and the downtimes at two process, uncoated and coated paper process. The methodology used 38 months with the results of quality efficiency index and down time to evidence the improvement on organization with the Total Quality System implementation. The methodology previewed a sample analyses, comparing the medium results of the index, before and after the implementation and a population analyses, using the Student test. As result, the organization had improvement increasing the quality efficiency index at both process. The organization had good results reducing the down time of the machines, increasing the production of paper. The organization had better results after the implementation using a new manufacturing management system. / O presente trabalho aborda a implementação do Sistema da Qualidade Total (SQT) em uma empresa do segmento celulose e papel. O objetivo foi avaliar os ganhos obtidos pelo gerenciamento do processo produtivo utilizando-se um modelo de gestão da Qualidade Total, comparando-se os resultados antes e após implementação do SQT, por meio dos indicadores Índice de Eficiência de Acabamento (IEA), tempo de horas paradas e horas quebras em dois processos, fabricação de papel não revestido e revestido. A metodologia aplicada para evidenciar as melhorias obtidas pela organização com a implementação do SQT abordou a coleta de 38 meses do indicador IEA, tempo de horas quebras e horas paradas. Foi realizada uma análise amostral comparando-se a média das amostras antes e após implementação e uma análise populacional das amostras, utilizando-se o teste t de Student, com grau de confiabilidade de 95%. Como resultado, a organização obteve ganhos significativos como aumento do Índice de Eficiência de Acabamento em ambos os processos, permitindo a empresa disponibilizar mais produtos no mercado. A organização obteve êxito na redução de horas paradas e horas quebras nos processos de papel não revestido e revestido, permitindo aumento de produção de papel. Portanto, os indicadores após implementação apresentaram resultados bastante significativos para a organização com a adoção de um novo sistema de gestão da manufatura.

The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), initially designed to effect continuous improvement in the business sector, have been successfully applied in educational settings. Hence, this study was undertaken to explore educator participation in the implementation of a TQM Strategy at selected academically underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area to address shortfalls. A literature review on TQM provided a conceptual framework for the empirical inquiry. Special attention was given to the role of educators in TQM implementation. The empirical study used qualitative research methods to explore the use of TQM in fifteen schools selected by purposive sampling. Observation, document analysis and focus group interviews were used to gather data. The findings indicate that educators regard TQM as an improvement tool; however, they hold negative and positive views about TQM. Finally, recommendations were made to enhance the implementation of TQM in underperforming secondary schools in the Moses Kotane Area.

Les problèmes environnementaux attire depuis longtemps l’attention du milieu académique. Cette thèse porte sur l’évaluation de la performance environnementale et l’allocation des quotas, deux problématiques importantes des problèmes environnementaux. Nous faisons appel à l’analyse d’enveloppement des données (data envelopment analysis (DEA) en anglais) qui est un outil de programmation mathématique connu pour évaluer l’efficacité des groupes de décideurs - DMUs (decision making units). Plus précisément, les modèles à gain total nul (zero sum gains (ZSG) en anglais), les modèles centralisés et à frontière uniforme sont des techniques souvent utilisées pour l’évaluation de la performance environnementale et l’allocation des quotas. En revanche, les modèles ZSG-DEA existants sont non linéaires, ce qui engendre des goulets d’étranglement dans l’application réelle. En outre, l’approche à frontière uniforme proposée par Gomes and Lins (2008) ne s’applique qu’au cas avec une sortie indésirable unique de la technologie de production et sous l’hypothèse de rendements d’échelle variables (variable returns-to-scale (VRS) en anglais). De plus elle ne peut pas prendre en compte l’intérêt global des DMUs, tandis que les modèles centralisés se concentrent uniquement sur l’intérêt global et ignorent les intérêts individuels.Cette thèse présente nos trois contributions principales sur ces deux sujets. Le premier travail (chapitre 3) met l’accent sur l’évaluation de la performance environnementale. Les modèles ZSG-DEA existants sont transformés pour la première fois en modèles linéaires ou linéaires paramétrés grâce à des propriétés analytiques. Ensuite, les modèles linéarisés sont adoptés pour évaluer la performance environnementale de 30 régions chinoises. Le deuxième travail présenté dans le chapitre 4 traite l’allocation des quotas de sorties indésirables en tenant compte des intérêts individuels. Le chapitre 5 traite le même sujet mais prend en compte en même temps les intérêts globaux et les intérêts individuels. Deux modèles ZSG-DEA améliorés sous les hypothèses VRS et CRS (constant returns-to-scale, ou rendements d’échelle constants) sont proposés dans le chapitre 4 pour surmonter l’infaisabilité des modèles existant dans la littérature. Comme la frontière uniforme joue un rôle important dans l’allocation des ressources, en nous basant sur les propriétés analytiques que nous démontrons, nous proposons un algorithme itératif pour calculer le plan d’allocation de quotas lorsque tous les DMUs forment une frontière uniforme. Ensuite, l’algorithme est testé avec une étude empirique sur l’allocation des trois types de déchets industriels parmi 30 régions chinoises. Enfin, le chapitre 5 développe une méthode innovante à deux étapes pour l’attribution de la réduction des émissions de carbone (carbon emission abatement (CEA) en anglais). La méthode proposée est appliquée pour l’attribution de CEAs parmi les pays de l’OCDE. / The environmental problems have drawn academia’s attention for a long time. This thesis focuses on environmental performance evaluation and quota allocation, which are two crucial issues of the environmental problems. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a mathematical programming tool to evaluate the relative efficiencies of decision making units (DMUs). Specifically, the techniques such as zero sum gains (ZSG) DEA models, centralized DEA models and the uniform frontier are used in environmental performance evaluation and quota allocation. Nevertheless, the ZSG-DEA models in the literature are nonlinear ones, which bring up bottlenecks in real application. In addition, the uniform frontier proposed by Gomes and Lins (2008) can only allocate single undesirable output under variable returns-to-scale (VRS) assumption and it pays no attention to the overall interest, while the centralized models merely concentrate on the overall interest and ignore individual ones.This thesis mainly consists of three works about two topics. The first topic (Chapter 3) focuses on environmental performance evaluation. For the first time, the existing ZSG-DEA models are transformed into linear or parametric linear ones through objective substitution and analytical properties. Then the linearized models are adopted to evaluate the environmental efficiencies of 30 administrative regions in China. The second topic focuses on quota allocation of undesirable outputs with consideration of the individual interests (Chapter 4) or the overall and individual interests (Chapter 5). Two improved ZSG-DEA models under VRS and constant returns-to-scale (CRS) assumptions are proposed to overcome the infeasibility of the existing models. As the uniform frontier plays an important role in resource allocation, based on the analyses of models’ properties, an iterative algorithm is devised to calculate the quota allocation plan when all the DMUs form a uniform frontier. Then the algorithm is tested by an empirical study of allocating the quotas of three industrial wastes for 30 administrative regions in China. Finally, Chapter 5 develops a novel two-step method of allocating carbon emissions abatement (CEA). In the empirical example, the proposed method is applied to the CEAs allocation for the countries in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).