The following study has taken a systems approach to investigate organisational learning within the University of Natal, Durban (UND), The research used the Banner system implementation project as the case study for the investigation. In 1993, the University of Natal made a decision to purchase the Banner Student Information System. The system was implemented over an eighteen-month period resulting in the Banner system going "live" for registration of students in 1995. A decision was taken in 1997/8 to discontinue implementing upgrade packages for the Banner system, indicating a move away from the system within two to three years of implementation. This document begins with a review of current literature with regard to systems thinking, organisational learning and change management. This review serves to underpin the research methodology implemented within the research process. The research methodology, known as learning histories, is explained, and a description of the research process is provided. The core of the research process involved open-ended reflective interviews aimed at incorporating the different perspectives of the majority of stakeholders involved in the system implementation. In addition to this, an analysis was conducted on a selection of Banner-related documents. The scope of the research was limited and would best be described as a pilot study. Those interviewed included members of the university executive committee, Banner office personnel, faculty officers, deans, administrative personnel, management information personnel and the project manager for the implementation. The major findings of the research process were: 1. The decision to purchase the Banner student information system was problematic. 2. The wider system that was created to maintain Banner was complex and generated a large degree of dependency on the Banner office. 3. The Banner office was a powerful gatekeeper of information within the system whose identity was wrapped up in a product and not a function. 4. The training system implemented was flawed and did not equip key users with a global understanding of the functionality of the system. 5. The university was unclear about what information it wanted out of the system and who was to have access to this information. 6. The university used Banner almost entirely as a student administration system and management information was not well developed within the Banner system. The following areas were highlighted as important for the university with regards to organisational learning and the case study: 1. Decision support systems. 2. The role of technology within the university. 3. A systems approach to understanding the context of the university. 4. The learning systems operating within the university. 5. Managing change. The limited scope of the research presents its own problems for drawing any firm conclusions. The research process has rather highlighted new areas for research. These include: 1. The relationship between workplace procedures and new technology. 2. The role of information technology and information systems in decision support and management support. 3. Change management processes within larger project-based implementations. 4. Decision making within higher education institutions. / Thesis (M.Admin.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

This dissertation focuses on the forces that are bringing about changes in the employment relationships in the higher education sector. Labour law regulates the employment relationships. This dissertation also seeks to determine the extent to which the forces that are external to the parties to the employment relationship determine the legal environment within which the parties can exercise their rights and obligations. The important factor that is taken into account in this regard is the constitution of the country which is the supreme law of the land. The fundamental rights that are enshrined in the constitution must be recognised and respected by labour law and consequently by the parties to the employment relationships. The constitution provides that when interpreting any legislation, every court, tribunal or forum must promote the spirit, purpose and objects of the Bill of Rights. This dissertation is confined to the public higher education system. The constitution also stipulates that the power to pass legislation that regulates tertiary education is given to the national government exclusively. It is for that reason that the Higher Education Act has been amended to give the Minister the power to bring about the desired changes. The National Plan for Higher Education that was introduced by the Minister of Education in March 2001 is the basis of the discussion of the issues of equity, restructuring, incorporations and mergers that are currently taking place in the higher education sector in this dissertation. This is a force that is external to the parties and is brought about by policy considerations. The analysis of the issue of equity therefore takes into account the right to equality as buttressed by affirmative provisions of the constitution of the country and the legislation that has been enacted to outlaw discrimination at the workplace and to promote equality of opportunity is considered. The enforceability of the equity provisions of the National Plan for Higher Education are analysed in this context. Labour law also determines the respective rights and obligations of the parties when it comes to restructuring that is taking place in the higher education sector. Labour law acknowledges that the operational requirements of employers may compel them to restructure their operations. This may lead to a loss of jobs. The principles of labour law and labour legislation that regulate these phenomena are analysed. The National Plan for Higher Education seeks to bring about a change in the landscape of the higher education system in this country. It proposes mergers and incorporations of certain institutions of higher education into. other such institutions. Labour law principles and legislation regulate how these phenomena can be effected. Common law recognises an employment relationship between a particular employer and a particular employee and does not provide for the notion of transferring the employment relationship to a new employer. This dissertation analyses the applicable provisions of labour law when this transfer of contract happens in the higher education sector. Our labour law is itself in a state of flux, not only because the relevant labour legislation is new, but also because that "new" labour legislation is in the process of being amended. This aspect has been compounded by the fact that the Labour Appeal Court has given different interpretations to certain provisions of the legislation, leading to further amendment of the legislation. The relevant amendments relate to dismissals based on operational requirements of the employer and the transfer of contracts of employment from the "old" employer to the "new" employer. This dissertation aims to highlight the measures that the role players must take to ensure that the implementation of the directives contained in the National Plan for Higher Education, among others, does not fall foul of our labour law. / Thesis (LL.M.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Education and vocational training in South Africa are currently in the throes of various changes, especially with regard to the college sector. The process commenced after 1994's historic first democratic elections in South Africa. The rationale for these changes presently taking place regarding education and vocational training is the total transformation of this system inherited from the apartheid era. These changes will put South Africa in a position to prepare itself for the challenges of the twenty first century, especially in the context of globalisation. Subsequent to the apartheid era many more opportunities on international markets arose for the country than ever before. In this context of globalisation it is thus indispensable for the country to dispose of a well trained and skilled workforce. In this connection the need for training also becomes closely allied to the macro economic plan, GEAR, of the South African Government. For the purpose of this thesis the first and second phase of the changes in the education and vocational training system in South Africa were investigated. The first phase was the policy formulation that gave rise to the Act on Further Education and Training, Act 98 of 1998. This then provided the impetus behind the process of transformation in further education and training. The second phase is the implementation phase, currently being executed. In addition, the historical roots of the present changes in the relevant education sectors were discussed. Four strategic aims of the above changes in education and vocational training are highlighted: The South African Qualifications Authority is to take charge of quality control and standards in the new South African qualification system. The National Qualification Framework is to establish a structured qualification framework for the new Further Education and Training (FET) system. Learnerships, replacing apprenticeships, are being envisaged for the vocational and inservice training system. New ways of funding the FET system, with special reference to the sector education- and training authorities. Finally a description follows of the implementation of these on the national, provincial, and specifically the college level as FET institutional level. On the basis of research undertaken, various interim findings are elucidated concerning the implementation of the changes in the education and vocational training system. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onderwys en beroepsopleiding in Suid-Afrika ondergaan tans verskeie veranderinge, veral ten opsigte van die kollegesektor. Die proses het in 1994 begin nadat die eerste demokratiese verkiesing in Suid-Afrika plaasgevind het. Die rasionaal vir hierdie veranderinge wat tans in die onderwys en beroepsopleiding plaasvind, is om die stelsel wat uit die Apartheidsera oorgeërf is, in sy geheel te transformeer. Sodoende kan Suid Afrika hom voorberei op die uitdagings van die een-en-twintigste eeu, veral in die konteks van globalisering. Na die einde van die Apartheidsera het veel meer internasionale markte as in die verlede vir Suid-Afrika oopgegaan. Dus is dit noodsaaklik dat die land in die konteks van globalisering oor' n behoorlik geskoolde werksmag behoort te beskik. In hierdie verband sluit die noodsaak vir opleiding ook verder aan by die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se makro-ekonomiese plan, GEAR. Vir die doeleindes van hierdie proefskrif is ondersoek ingestel na die eerste- en tweede fase van veranderings in die onderwys- en beroepsopleidingstelsel in Suid-Afrika. Die eerste fase was die beleidsformulering, wat gelei het tot die Wet op Verdere Onderwys en Opleiding, Wet 98 van 1998. Dit was dan ook die dryfkrag agter die proses van transformasie in verdere onderwys en beroepsopleiding. Die tweede fase is die implementeringsfase wat tans aan die gang is. Daarbenewens is 'n historiese perspektief en die wortels van die huidige veranderinge in onderwys en beroepsopleiding bespreek. Aandag word geskenk aan vier strategiese doelwitte om die bovermelde verandering in onderwys en beroepsopleiding te bewerkstellig. -Die SA Kwalifikasie-owerheid om gehaltebeheer en standaarde in die nuwe Suid- Afrikaanse kwalifikasiestelsel te bewerkstellig; -Die Nasionale Kwalifikasieraamwerk om 'n gestruktureerde kwalifikasieraamwerk in die nuwe Verdere Onderwys en Opleidingstelsel (VOO) daar te stel. -Leerlingskappe, in plaas van vakleerlingskappe, wat vir beroeps- en indiensopleiding beoog word. -Nuwe wyses om die VOO-stelsel te befonds, met spesifieke verwysing na die Sektorale Onderwys- en Opleidingsowerhede. Laastens volg 'n beskrywing van die implementering daarvan op nasionale-, provinsiale- en spesifiek op die kollegesektor as VOO instellingsvlak. Op grond van die navorsing wat onderneem is, word verskeie tussentydse bevindinge rakende die implementering van veranderinge in die onderwys- en beroepsopleidingstelsel onder die loep geneem.

This study is contextualised within the field of post-graduate, continuing teacher education, and the vibrant and demanding policy context that has characterised higher education in post-apartheid South Africa. Situated within a module specifically designed to address what is commonly understood to be the academic literacy development needs of students in the Bachelor of Education Honours programme at the former University of Natal, it aims to unveil the lived experiences of students taking this module. The module, Reading and Writing Academic Texts (RWAT), was developed in direct response to academics’ call that something be done about the ‘problem’ of students’ reading and writing proficiency. As a core, compulsory module, RWAT was informed by Systemic Functional Linguistics and drew on Genre Theory for its conceptual and theoretical framework. It foregrounded the genre of the academic argument as the key academic literacy that was taught. The motivation for this study came from my own increasing concern that the theoretical and conceptual framework we had adopted for the module was emerging as an inherently limiting and formulaic model of literacy, and was resulting in students exiting the module with little or no ‘critical’ perspective on any aspect of literacy as social practice. I was also keen, in a climate of increasing de-personalisation and the massification of education, to reinstate the personal. Thus, I chose to focus on individual lives, and through an exploration of a small group of participants’ ‘lived’ experiences of the RWAT module, ascertain what it is like to acquire an academic literacy. The key research question is, therefore: What is it like to acquire an academic literacy? The secondary research question is: How is this experience influenced by the mode of delivery in which it occurs? For its conceptual and theoretical framing, this study draws on social literacy theory and phenomenology, the latter as both a philosophy and a methodology. However, although the study has drawn significantly on the phenomenological tradition for inspiration and direction, it has not done so uncritically. Thus, the study engages with phenomenology-as-philosophy in great depth before turning to phenomenology-as-methodology, in order to arrive at a point where the methods and procedures applied in it, are justified. The main findings of the study suggest that, despite the RWAT module espousing an ideological model (Street, 1984) of literacy in its learning materials and readings, participants came very much closer to experiencing an autonomous model of literacy (Street, 1984). The data shows that the RWAT module was largely inadequate to the task of inducting participants into the ‘situated practices’ and ‘situated meanings’ of the Discourse of Genre Theory and/or the academy, hence the many ‘lived’ difficulties participants experienced. The data also highlights the ease with which an autonomous model of literacy can come to govern practice and student experience even when curriculum intention is underpinned by an ideological position on literacy as social practice. Finally, the study suggests that the research community in South Africa, characterised as it is by such diversity, would be enriched by more studies derived from phenomenology, and a continuing engagement with phenomenology-as-a-movement in order to both challenge and expand its existing framework.

Communication is a central feature of human life. The ability to talk is the very feature that distinguishes us from our primate ancestors. Knowing how to use language effectively gives the bearers of this knowledge power over their environment and an upper hand in their dealings with others. Thus, understanding the importance of communication in management is an essential tool for managers who wish to build and develop their organisations and their staff within these organisations. This thesis takes a case study view of manager-staff communication at a South African university. In this study managers and staff members contribute their feelings on current communication practices at this organisation through an online questionnaire and in-depth interviews. In an interpretive paradigm this thesis answers three central questions: 1) what role do managers and staff think communication plays in their working relationships, 2) what do they perceive to be effective and ineffective communication strategies and 3) What strategies can they suggest to enhance effective communication? Through in-depth qualitative research and numerical data analysis this thesis discovers central themes that pertain to the effective flow of communication in this organisation. These themes include: motivation and praise, the role of listening, building relationships, respect, acknowledging others’ languages and cultures, building teams, communicating frequently and using email and technology effectively, as well as keeping notes of meetings and discussions. Challenges to effective communication include not having enough time, suffering from stress, and the challenges of physical space and distance. By paying attention to basic human principles, such as the fact that acknowledging people for a job well done encourages them to perform well in future, this thesis relates the general concepts of communication and management theory to the specific realities and individual, personal experiences of manager-staff communication. In this way it sheds a beam of light on management communication practices and points the way towards an ideal where managers and staff members use communication as a tool of empowerment and understanding.

Higher education landscape in South Africa could not escape the transformation which was necessary to ensure that South Africans receive quality higher education without any unfair discriminatory criterion. The 36 higher education institutions had to be merged and reduced to 21 and form a single coordinated higher education for the country. Tshwane University of Technology as a university with a multi-site institution has also resulted from this transformation agenda of the government. This merger is constituted by former Technikons Pretoria, Northern Gauteng and North-West. As a multi-site institution, managing other learning sites which used to be independent with their respective senior management structures became more challenging. An Interim Vice-Chancellor during the merger period appointed campus directors as an attempt to address challenges faced and discontent among staff and student. This study endeavours to describe and determine the roles of these Campus Directors in the institutional decision-making process of the University. / Public Administration and Management / M. Tech. (Public Management)

Met die implementering van die Wet op Tegniese Kolleges, 1981 (Wet 104 van 1981) het 'n nuwe tydvak vir hierdie inrigtings begin. Indien die kort tydperk waarin tegniese kolleges in hulle huidige vorm bestaan in ag geneem word, kan aanvaar word dat daar nog verskeie probleme op hierdie terrein le. In hierdie werk is daar gepoog om enkele relevante probleme aan te spreek. Met die toekomstige rol van tegniese kolleges in die RSA in gedagte is veral drie belangrike knelpunte ondersoek, naamlik: * die werkterrein van tegniese kolleges; * bestuurstrukture vir tegniese kolleges binne dieAfrikaanse onderwysstelsel; en * die outonomie van kollegerade. Ten einde hierdie probleme te kon deurskou, is die huidige posisie van naskoolse beroepsonderwys aan tegniese kolleges, en die bestuurstrukture van hierdie kolleges binne die Suid­ Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel, nagegaan. Uit die literatuurondersoek, wat ook die situasie van soortgelyke onderwysinrigtings in 'n paar oorsese lande insluit, het dit geblyk dat sekere aanpassings aan die bestaande stelsel gemaak sal moet word ten einde tegniese kolleges in staat te stel om hulle toekomstige rol in die RSA te kan vervul. Om die menings van kundiges op die gebied van tegniese kolleges en naskoolse beroepsonderwys oor genoemde knelpunte te bekom, is 'n kwalitatiewe studie uitgevoer. Tydens ongestruktureerde onderhoude met tien informante is beskrywende data ingewin. Om 'n meer volledige siening oor die aspekte te verkry is resente uitsprake in toesprake, referate en skrywes bygewerk. Nadat alle data geanaliseer en bespreek is, is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die wyse waarop tegniese kolleges huidiglik funksioneer aangepas sal moet word sodat hierdie inrigtings hulle toekomstige rol in die RSA sal kan vervul. Die vernaamste aanpas­sings wat aanbeveel word is: * die werkterrein van tegniese kolleges moet so wees dat hulle onderrigprogramme inpas by die van technikons; * die ideale bestuurstruktuur sal wees as alle tegniese kolleges onder 'n sentrale onderwysdepartement ressorteer; * die outonomie van kollegerade moet uitgebrei word; maar * ten einde dit te kan doen sal kolleges gerasionaliseer moet word. / The implementation of the Technical Colleges Act, 1981 (Act 104 of 1981) introduced a new era for these institutions. If the short period of time in which technical colleges have been in existence in their present form is considered, it can be accepted that many problems still exist in this field. The researcher has endeavoured to address certain relevant problems. With the future role of technical colleges in the RSA in mind, three important aspects came under close scrutiny, namely: * the fields of study of technical colleges; * management structures for technical colleges in the South African education system; and * the autonomy of college councils. In order to deal with these matters, the present position of post-school vocational education at technical colleges and the management structures of these colleges in the South African education system were examined. The study of literature, which included the study of educational systems of similar institutions in several overseas countries, revealed that certain adjustments would have to be made to the existing system in order to enable technical colleges to fulfil their future role in the RSA. A qualitative study was conducted in order to acquire the opinions of knowledgeable persons in the field of technical colleges and post-school vocational education on the above-mentioned aspects. During unstructured interviews with ten informants descriptive data was elicited. In order to obtain a more comprehensive view of these aspects, recent statements in speeches, papers and articles were also taken into consideration. After all the data was analysed and discussed, the conclusion was reached that the way in which technical colleges are functioning at present will have to be modified to enable these institutions to fulfil their future role in the RSA. The most important modifications which are recommended are: * the fields of study of technical colleges should be such that their instructional programmes fit in with those of the technikons; * the ideal management structure would be for all technical colleges to fall under a central education department; * the autonomy of college councils should be extended; but * in order for this to take place, colleges will have rationalised. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)

The success of a course offered by a university and the effectiveness of the instructors have commonly been measured by means of student evaluations. The feedback generated is typically used to identify instructors who need additional training, courses that need to be restructured or the need for financial rewards for those who excel. The principal objective of educating students is, knowledge, training and skills they can use and apply after graduating, regardless of the field of study. The perception of the Alumni about the extent of learning and the usefulness of the knowledge is a key measure for universities to assess their success. A service guarantee is defined as a formal promise made to customers about the service they will receive or it is a written promise made by the company through advertising or company literature that it will provide compensation if promises are broken. In order to ensure customer satisfaction in a service offering, the quality of service performance needs to be guaranteed. Many service industries promise a level of service performance, with or without conditions attached. Customer value is a complex concept as it is often interpreted with various meanings depending on the point of view adopted. A definition of customer value is the perceived value that the customer gains when purchasing a product or receiving a service. However, customer value can be used in a variety of contexts. The purpose of this research study is to measure the perception and satisfaction of Alumni of the Department of Computing Sciences and identify areas for improvement by performing a systematic analysis of the determinants of satisfaction. This research is an exploratory, quantitative study consisting of literature- and case-study components used to test proposed hypotheses. The literature study was performed on secondary sources to establish the key concepts related to the topics of Service Guarantee and Marketing, Stakeholder Theory, Customer-perceived Value and Alumni Perceptions. The empirical study consisted of surveys (questionnaires) completed by Alumni of the Department of Computing Sciences. The questionnaire used in this research consisted of questions regarding demographic data and questions regarding perceived perception of the Department of Computing Sciences and influencing factors. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data into a more compact form which could simplify the identification of patterns in the data. Inferential statistics were used to verify if conclusions made from the sample data could be inferred onto a larger population. Recommended university and teaching practices based on the statistical analysis of the survey results were identified. A model identified the following factors as having an influence on Alumni Satisfaction with the NMMU Department of Computing Sciences: Customer Satisfaction, Course Contents, Modern Technologies, Academic Staff, Admin. Staff, Departments, University Atmosphere and Perceived Value. The importance of each factor was identified to understand how to improve the Alumni perception. According to the inferential ranking of Alumni Satisfaction that ranks the factors on the average mean values, a factor that should be improved upon is the Alumni Network. Recommended improvements were suggested for the Department of Computing Sciences based on the statistical analysis of the survey results. Two sub-groups were defined by different levels of education and they were found to have different perceptions of the factors that were measured. It was shown that there are small and medium significant differences in only two of the factors of the proposed Alumni satisfaction model, distinguising through different levels of education. The Alumni Satisfaction model developed in this study specified the factors that influence Alumni Satisfaction with the Deptarment of Computing Sciences and the effect that each of these factors has on that satisfaction.

Master of Technology: Information Technology in the Faculty of Informatics and Design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / Higher education institutions are considered mission central due to the amount of information processing. Consequently the demand for information provision had dramatically increased in modern times. Universities and other large organisations are immensely challenged to produce accurate information hence it is information centric environments with lots of dependencies. This particular study followed a qualitative approach which includes interviews to collect the data which will assist the researcher to understand the problems of information retrieving from the IS and the strategic role of the CIO in higher education. Thematic networks were used to analyse the data and a list of themes were identified.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Education (Management) at Technikon Natal / This study focused on the exercise of male power in middle management in technikons in KwaZulu-Natal, with particular reference to verbal communication. The glass ceiling, blocking promotions to senior positions, is a reality for women in technikons and the researcher explored the ways in which exploitation and marginalisation occur when sexism and power is wielded by males through verbal communication. / M