The main aim of this study was to develop a diversity management content model based on the organisational team sport intervention and to compile a process model to implement organisational team sport in an organisation in nine financial organisations in Gauteng, South Africa. The diversity constraints relevant in this study were age, gender, race, religious beliefs, physical abilities, ethnicity, generation gaps, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical abilities, education, income, political beliefs and income. The study was conducted among 63 sport participants and nine sport coordinators employed at nine financial organisations in Gauteng, South Africa. The data were collected by means of focus group interviews with sport participants and individual interviews with sport coordinators. The results indicate that organisational team sport interventions as a diversity management initiative do have benefits for the employees (i.e. the employees learn more about and from one another, communicate openly, become friends, trust and respect one another, are able to work together in a team, have equal opportunities and there is less stereotyping/discrimination) and for the organisation (i.e. productivity, the company is able to achieve its goals, employees are more cohesive and able to work together, there is creativity, new ideas are generated and client service improves). The findings of this study contribute valuable new knowledge to the literature on the diversity management content model based on organisational team sport interventions because no studies have been conducted on an organisational team sport intervention model that can be utilised as a diversity model in organisations. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / D. Com.

The main aim of this study was to develop a diversity management content model based on the organisational team sport intervention and to compile a process model to implement organisational team sport in an organisation in nine financial organisations in Gauteng, South Africa. The diversity constraints relevant in this study were age, gender, race, religious beliefs, physical abilities, ethnicity, generation gaps, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical abilities, education, income, political beliefs and income. The study was conducted among 63 sport participants and nine sport coordinators employed at nine financial organisations in Gauteng, South Africa. The data were collected by means of focus group interviews with sport participants and individual interviews with sport coordinators. The results indicate that organisational team sport interventions as a diversity management initiative do have benefits for the employees (i.e. the employees learn more about and from one another, communicate openly, become friends, trust and respect one another, are able to work together in a team, have equal opportunities and there is less stereotyping/discrimination) and for the organisation (i.e. productivity, the company is able to achieve its goals, employees are more cohesive and able to work together, there is creativity, new ideas are generated and client service improves). The findings of this study contribute valuable new knowledge to the literature on the diversity management content model based on organisational team sport interventions because no studies have been conducted on an organisational team sport intervention model that can be utilised as a diversity model in organisations. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com.

Organizations have had difficulty managing the performance of their knowledge work teams. Many of these troubles have been linked to antiquated or inadequate performance management systems along with a scarcity of empirical research on this important human resource initiative. These problems are magnified when managing the performance of research and development teams because greater ambiguity and uncertainty exists in these environments, while projects are unique and continually evolving. In addition, performance management in R&D has only recently been accepted as important while individuals in these settings are often resistant to teams. This study represented the first step in the process of understanding relationships between performance management practices and perceptions of performance in R&D work teams. Participants were 132 R&D team leaders representing 20 organizations that agreed to complete a survey via the Internet. The survey instrument was designed to examine the relationships between performance measurement, feedback, and reward processes utilized by teams in relation to measures of customer satisfaction, psychological and team effectiveness, and resource utilization and development. The most important level of performance measurement occurred at the business unit level followed next by the individual level while team level measurement was unrelated to team performance. A simple measurement system with three to seven performance measures focused on objective results, outcomes, and customer satisfaction appeared ideal. Team participation in the performance management process, most notably the process of setting performance measures, goals, and objectives was also important. The use of multiple raters, frequent performance appraisals, and frequent feedback were identified as meaningful. Specific types of rewards were unrelated to performance although some evidence suggested that business unit rewards were superior to team and individual rewards. It was speculated that R&D teams function more like working groups rather than real teams. The focus in R&D seems to be on business unit projects, products, or designs where the aggregate of individual and team contributions determine larger project outcomes.

This dissertation presents an analytical framework based on the processes of social identification and self-categorization as mechanisms through which team-focused leadership and group affective tone separately and jointly contribute to team outcomes at both the team and team member levels A review of relevant literature supported the development of the research hypotheses The hypotheses were tested using multilevel structural equation modeling and single level path analysis to tease out significant effects of team leadership and affective processes in teams The results of single level path analyses demonstrated that leaders and team members contribute to the affective tone of a team through the sharing of emotions and processes of emotional contagion and norms of emotional expression via identification and self-categorization processes Both individual leaders (vertical team-focused leadership) and team members sharing in leadership processes (shared team-focused leadership) were found to distinctly contribute to group affective tone and the important team outcomes of team performance, creativity, trust, team member engagement, team member identification, and team member citizenship behaviors The results further demonstrated that the affective tone of a team (group affective tone) has direct effects on team member outcomes, and mediates direct effects on outcomes of team-focused leadership Group affective tone was found to mediate the effects of both vertical and shared team-focused leadership on team member engagement, identification, citizenship behaviors, and team trust The results are relevant to both researchers interested in studying leadership and affective processes in teams and to management practitioners interested in understanding contributions to team effectiveness The consideration of both team-focused leadership and the affective tone of a team matter in team effectiveness The emotional climate of a team appears to be important to team member outcomes more so than team-level outcomes Therefore, what managers consider to be important indicators of team effectiveness (either team-level or team member-level) determine the actions of a manager to monitor and strengthen the positive affective tone of a team Limitations are discussed and future research directions are provided to extend the observations of this study / Includes bibliography / Dissertation (PhD)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016 / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-02-19T12:32:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Renato Luis Valente de Boer_.pdf: 1664872 bytes, checksum: aa7b8bde00fe02ba359b9222a2147fda (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-19T12:32:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Renato Luis Valente de Boer_.pdf: 1664872 bytes, checksum: aa7b8bde00fe02ba359b9222a2147fda (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-01 / Nenhuma / Este trabalho tem como tema a análise da incorporação dos efeitos variabilidade dos processos sobre o indicador IROG (Índice de Rendimento Operacional Global) e os seus desdobramentos na GPT (Gestão do Posto do Trabalho). Como objetivo principal buscou-se a proposição de um modelo para avaliação do impacto da variabilidade sobre o IROG e a GPT. O modelo proposto foi testado em duas empresas do segmento metal-mecânico, a partir do estudo de quatro postos de trabalho. Parte-se, inicialmente de uma revisão bibliográfica dos conceitos da GPT e da evolução do uso do indicador IROG na avaliação da eficiência dos equipamentos vinculada à TPM (Total Productive Maintenance); considera-se ainda, as perdas por gestão tais como: falta de programação, falta de operador, reuniões, etc. Também fizeram parte da revisão bibliográfica os conceitos relacionados à variabilidade dos processos e formas para o seu monitoramento. Com base nos estudos de caso desenvolvidos em quatro equipamentos, comprovou-se que a aplicação do modelo proposto proporcionou melhorias nos resultados do IROG. Como exemplos destes resultados citam-se: o aumento do IROG no mês dezembro de 49% para 62% no caso 1 e de 71% para 77% no caso 3. Outro resultado percebido está relacionado ao uso do modelo como ferramenta de gestão, o que proporcionou aos envolvidos na GPT, um melhor entendimento da variabilidade, a correta identificação das causas comuns e especiais de variação e, conseqüentemente, a tomada de ações apropriadas nos postos de trabalho. / This work has covered the analysis of the incorporation of the effects related to process variability on the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) Index and its consequences on WM (Workplace Management). The main objective was to propose a model for assessing the impact of variability on OEE and WM. The proposed model was tested in two metal-mechanic companies, by studying four work stations. It originally started with a review of the concepts of WM and the evolution of the use of OEE in evaluating the efficiency of equipment tied to the TPM (Total Productive Maintenance); it has been considered as well management wastes such as lack of production planning, lack of operator, meetings, etc. A review of the concepts related to the variability of processes and ways to monitor it were also taken into consideration. Based on case studies developed in four equipments, it was shown that the implementation of the proposed model provided improvements in the results of OEE. For instance: the OEE increased in last December from 49% to 62% in case 1 and from 71% to 77% in case 3. Another result is related to the perceived use of the model as a management tool, which provided for those involved in the WM a better understanding of variability, the correct identification of common and special causes of variation and, consequently, the implementation of appropriate action on the work stations.

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.

Thesis (MComm) -- Stellenbosch University, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The plethora of differences that characterise the South Africa population has become a definite concern for organisational management and is of significant importance to the industrial world itself. The need to critically assess people’s perception and attitude towards diversity within the organisation, and ultimately serving to inform management seeking to build an ethically diverse, healthy and productive workforce, served as a prime motivation for this study. The objective was to demonstrate that humans are complex beings and that attempts to minimise the complexity by simply containing that complexity within the bounds of a unidimensional solution are guaranteed to fail. It is for this reason that diversity management within an organisation requires the need to manage an infinite and changing variety of social variables which to varying degrees, impacts on social interaction and people’s attitude towards diversity. Having completed a literature study concerning the possible antecedents of attitude towards diversity, and taking into account various suggested future directions for diversity research, it was decided that the present study would focus on three specific variables: attitude towards diversity, emotional intelligence and diversity complexity. The primary goal was to design and conduct a scientific investigation into the relationships between the latent variables; in hope of ultimately informing management seeking to build an ethically diverse, healthy and productive workforce who value the individuality of others. Available literature was studied in order to understand and comprehend whether any relationships could be theoretically drawn between the constructs. Several hypotheses were proposed and a conceptual model, explaining the relationships between these constructs, was developed. Thereafter, both the postulated relationships and the conceptual model were empirically tested using various statistical methods. Existing measuring instruments were utilised in this study, and included the Cultural Diversity Belief Scale (Rentsch, Turban, Hissong, Jenkins & Marrs, 1995), the Genos Emotional Intelligence Inventory (Palmer, Stough & Gignac, 2008), and the Reaction- To-Diversity-Inventory (De Meuse & Hostager, 2001). The sample consisted of 237 selected individuals from various South African organisations. The content and structure of the constructs that were measured by the instruments were investigated by means of confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. The results indicated that in all cases, the refined measurement models achieved good fit. Subsequently, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to determine the extent to which the conceptual model fitted the data obtained from the sample and to test the relationships between the constructs when taking the complete conceptual model into account. Overall, it was found that good model fit was indicated for the structural model. Regression analyses also found some support for the stated hypotheses. Eight of the ten stated hypotheses in this study were corroborated. Although several significant links were established between the latent variables, a notable unique result of this research presented itself in the significant positive relationships uncovered between the exogenous latent variable, emotional intelligence, and the endogenous latent variables of valuing individual differences and positive perceptual depth. These significant positive relationships provide empirical evidence of the significant relationships between emotions, attitudes and perceptions. Moreover, the analysis of the modification indices for the structural model, suggested that the addition of one path to the existing structural model would probably improve the fit of the model. Recommendations are made in terms of possible avenues for future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uiteenlopende verskille, wat 'n kenmerk van die Suid-Afrika bevolking geword het, is 'n definitiewe uitdaging vir organisatoriese bestuur en is ook van groot belang vir die sakewêreld. Die behoefte om mense se persepsies en houdings teenoor die diversiteit binne die organisasie krities te evalueer, wat uiteindelik ook dien om bestuur, wat op soek is na die bou van 'n etiese, gesonde en produktiewe arbeidsmag, te help, het as die primêre motivering vir hierdie studie gedien. Die doel was om aan te toon dat die mens ‘n komplekse wese is en dat pogings om dit gering te skat deur kompleksiteit net binne die grense van 'n een-dimensionele oplossing te ontleed, gewaarborg is om te misluk. Dit is om hierdie rede dat diversiteitsbestuur binne 'n organisasie die bestuur van ‘n oneindige en veranderende verskeidenheid van sosiale veranderlikes noodsaak, wat, sosiale interaksie en mense se houdings teenoor diversiteit verskillend kan beinvloed. Na die voltooiing van 'n literatuurstudie oor die moontlike determinante antecedenten van die houding teenoor diversiteit, en met inagneming van die toekomstige rigtings vir diversiteitsnavorsing, is daar besluit dat die huidige studie op drie spesifieke veranderlikes sal fokus: houding teenoor diversiteit, emosionele intelligensie en diversiteitskompleksiteit. Die primêre doel was om ‘n wetenskaplike ondersoek te ontwerp en uit te voer rakende die verwantskappe tussen die latente veranderlikes; in die hoop om bestuur te help om ‘n gesonde en produktiewe arbeidsmag te bou wat ook die individualiteit van ander waardeer. Beskikbare literatuur is bestudeer ten einde te verstaan of enige verbande tussen die teoretiese konstrukte gevind kan word. Verskeie hipoteses is geformuleer en 'n konseptuele model, waarin die verband tussen hierdie konstrukte verduidelik word, is ontwikkel. Daarna, is die gepostuleerde verwantskappe en die konseptuele model empiries met behulp van verskeie statistiese metodes getoets. Bestaande meetinstrumente is in hierdie studie gebruik en sluit in die ‘Cultural Diversity Belief Scale,’ (Rentsch, Tulband, Hissong, Jenkins & Marrs, 1995), die ‘Genos Emotional Intelligence Inventory,’ (Palmer, Stough & Gignac, 2008), en die ‘Reaction-To-Diversity-Inventory,’ (De Meuse & Hostager, 2001). Die steekproef het bestaan uit 237 gekose individue uit verskillende Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies. Die inhoud en die struktuur van die konstrukte wat deur die instrumente gemeet is, is deur middel van bevestigende en verkennende faktorontledings ondersoek. Die resultate dui daarop dat in al die gevalle, die verfynde metingsmodelle goeie passings getoon het. Daarna is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) gebruik om te bepaal tot watter mate die konseptuele model die data pas, en om die verwantskappe tussen die konstrukte te toets wanneer die volledige konseptuele model in ag geneem is. Algeheel is daar goeie passing vir die strukturele model gevind. Regressie-analises het ook ‘n mate van bevestiging vir die gestelde hipoteses gevind. Agt van die tien hipoteses is was in hierdie studie bevestig. Alhoewel verskeie belangrike verwantskappe tussen die latente veranderlikes gevind is, is daar 'n unieke resultaat gevind met betrekking tot die positiewe verband tussen die eksogene latente veranderlike, emosionele intelligensie, en die endogene latente veranderlikes van waardering van individuele verskille en positiewe perseptuele diepte. Hierdie positiewe verwantskappe verskaf empiriese bewyse vir die beduidende verband tussen emosies, houdings en persepsies. Verder, het die analise van die modifikasie indekse vir die strukturele model aangedui dat die byvoeging van ‘n addisionele roete waarskynlik die bestaande strukturele model se passing kan verbeter. Aanbevelings word ten slotte gemaak in terme van moontlike rigtings vir toekomstige navorsing.

M.A. / Changes in South Africa's political, socio-political and economical environments are putting pressure on local organisations to move towards a non-racial, democratic and fully representative internal organisation environment. In an attempt to accelerate the process, companies are embarking on programmes such as affirmative action and black empowerment for the employment and development of previously disadvantaged groups in order to assimilate them into the organisational culture. At present, however, the results of these efforts still leave a lot to be desired and the management of diversity in South Africa is viewed with interest as well as scepticism. The link between the success of diversity management and a supportive organisational culture has been made in the literature on the subject, but not explored extensively in terms of the elements contributing to the culture, especially language and the processes involved in sharing meaning. It has been proven that a well-planned strategic approach to diversity management should have communication as its pivotal point, making language and meaning the next logical field of study. The literature overview thus systematically explored the ways in which the process of sharing meaning can perpetuate the status quo or act as a change agent in the process of transforming an organisational culture to be receptive and supportive of diversity.

Educational Management / South Africa is faced with educational transformation that is embedded in the current education policy. For this transformation to succeed, teachers, principals and those in the higher hierarchy in the Department of Education, will have to work together towards attaining the goals of Education. Teams are powerful learning entities than individuals seeking to learn on their own. Teams provide an environment which learning can be articulated, tested refined and examined against the needs of the organisation and within the context of the learning of others. To be effective, team based learning activity needs to be based upon the needs of the team, the needs of the individuals within the team and the needs of the organisation. By articulating these three sets of needs within the team, real progress and development will take place within an organisation. The principal should provide the staff with a forum where there is an interchange of information and the strengthening of relationships and the improvement of the school climate. Specific roles that relate to a specific task need to be clarified as well as those that relate to the team. Principals should realise that the role they play in a school is significant. Despite this significant role, they can never be solely responsible for the management of the school. To achieve excellence collective effort is needed. Involvement of team members in decision making will help in achieving the organisation's mission as well as the goals. This will result in the taking up of the school's ownership by all team members. Accountability will therefore be owned by all team members not only the principal. Team building can lead an organisation to success because it involves communication, effective coordination and division of labour. This will result in effective school management.

This study is within the field of Industrial and Organisational Psychology. It focuses on the relationship between diversity management and organisational climate dimensions. The literature review indicates that most of the research conducted on these two concepts, diversity management and organisational climate investigated the concept diversity, not diversity management (Cox, 1993; Hicks-Clarke & Hies, 2003). This study specifically explores diversity management in a retail organisation. The empirical component of the study includes confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis and a correlational study investigating the relationship between diversity management and organisational climate. It was found that there is a positive and strong relationship between diversity management and organisational climate. Diversity management seems to correlate highly with the following climate dimensions: policies and procedures, discrimination, gender issues, equality in conditions of employment and employment equity. The results indicate that younger employees have more positive views regarding diversity management, and middle aged employees have less positive views regarding diversity management. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Admin (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)