D. Lit. et Phil. / The process of change can be complex and the introduction of affirmative action in South Africa against an apartheid backdrop is undoubtedly one such change. In 1998 the Employment Equity Act was passed. The purpose of the Act was to achieve equity in the workplace by promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment in employment through the elimination of unfair discrimination and; implementing affirmative action measures to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups, in order to ensure their equitable representation iIi all occupational categories and levels in the workforce (Government Gazette, 1998). Whilst the concept is not new and has been extensively researched in several countries, it was introduced under unique circumstances in South Africa (Luhabe, 1993). There is therefore, a need for the generation of additional theories that are relevant and applicable to South Africa's unique circumstances -theories that are grounded in, and account for this area in South Africa. As Stamp (1999) put it, a grounded theory that is generated form the ground up". The present study aimed to generate theory from the lived experiences of black affi'rmative action participants in South African organisations. The study intended to look at how affirmative action is experienced by beneficiaries without prior judgement from previous literature on the subject. It aimed not to verify past theories but to understand the situation as it is experienced. Hence, the grounded theory method of analysis was chosen by the researcher. Grounded theory is a qualitative method that generates theory by the systematic collection and analysis of data (Glaser,1992). The grounded theory method of research aims to generate new theory that is grounded in the data of a substantive area. It therefore aims to create theory from the central themes and categories that emerge form the data.

Affirmative action is a sensitive and controversial topic evoking a host of emotional reactions regarding tokenism, window dressing, reverse discrimination, lowering of standards, empowerment, disregard for meritocracy and many others. It has been a discussion area in countless number of seminars, symposia and conferences held within our borders. Masters and Doctoral thesis and dissertations have as well researched the topic to provide clarity, understanding and new insight into the notion of affirmative action; but most researchers examined the views of management on affirmative action neglecting opinions and views of the very beneficiaries of affirmative action programme – blacks, women and the disabled. The primary objective of this research exercise is therefore to analyse beneficiaries’ perceptions of affirmative action in Company XXX – that is how they feel about affirmative action and how their feelings may have an effect on the success or failure of affirmative action. This research is of a qualitative nature and enquires into the historical and present context of affirmative action in Company XXX; lessons learned from other countries; assumptions about affirmative action and beneficiaries perceptions of affirmative action programmes in which they are engaged and their ideas of changes and improvements to the programme. Research method used consists of in-depth interviews with a sample of nine beneficiaries from Company XXX using employment equity criteria. Policy documents and reports on affirmative action in Company XXX were scrutinized. Research findings reveal the following amongst others: <ul> <li> That affirmative action programmes generally fail to provide black managers/beneficiaries with a sense of purpose or belonging in their organization</li> <li> That the programmes fail to address problems of racism and resistance to change in the organization</li> <li> That the aims of affirmative action are rarely made explicit</li> <li> That beneficiaries are not given adequate authority and responsibility</li> <li> That beneficiaries are more confident about their abilities</li> <li> That buildings are not sufficiently accommodative of disabled beneficiaries who are wheelchair bound</li> <li> That the environment does not give adequate support to beneficiaries to help them succeed</li> </ul> Research results indicate that beneficiaries feel that affirmative action is good for the organization and economy if implemented correctly and if the necessary support training is provided to them to help them meet and exceed their employers’ expectations. Although they agree that productivity may sometimes be lowered to an extent on their appointment, they feel that it is not an exception. It is common knowledge that a new appointee cannot be as productive as a person who has been in the same positions and received rigorous training as well for a long time. Given reasonable time and the necessary support, the short-term costs of appointing affirmative action beneficiaries will be far outweighed by the long-term benefits. Copyright 2004, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Boikhutso, RA 2004, Qualitative analysis of the perceptions of affirmative action beneficiaries in South African parastatals, MAdmin dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03162005-143810 / > / Dissertation (MAdmin (Labour Relations))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

This dissertation attempts to delve in to the controversial and complicated world of affirmative action and transformation in South African sport. The history of this country is taken into account as we are still grappling with the legacy of apartheid in sport. Various sports are analysed in detail in tandem with the way these policies are implemented by the government. We look at the progress being made by the various administrators in sport at the provincial and national levels. The research was mainly focused on legislation that has been passed on the above issues and tested against the Constitution. One has to try and determine if affirmative action has a legal basis in the sporting arena and analyse the drawbacks already faced by the implementation of these policies. I have also tried to incorporate the experiences faced in Australia and New Zealand as they have both faced challenges of a similar nature in their sporting environments. It is important to acknowledge that there will never be an overnight solution to the challenges we face in sport. The road we have embarked on is a long and winding one and patience is indeed a key component as we strive to move from our bitter past. This has always been a sensitive issue in South Africa and great lengths have been taken to be as objective and as sensitive as possible in the work. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Procedural Law / unrestricted

It is both a Constitutional imperative and the South African government's policy that the historical imbalances of the past be redressed. As a result thereof, the SANDF as a state entity is expected to comply with these stipulations. The objectives of this study are therefore to examine the nature of the policy of affirmative action in the SAMHS, and the nature of the problems experienced with regards to the implementation of this policy within this organisation during the period 1995 - 2000. On examining the nature of affirmative action policy in the SAMHS, it becomes obvious that this organisation did not have blacks as commissioned officers prior 1994. The number of black officers currently found within the SAMHS appears to have resulted from the integration process. Further analysis reveals that the SAMHS did not utilise the opportunity provided by the Defence Review in 1998 to become representative. Strategic positions were therefore still held by former white SADF members during the period under review. The sunset clause which was accepted during the political negotiations (1990 - 1994) seems to have contributed to the non implementation of this policy because the old guards' positions were secured during the first five years of the new democratic dispensation. / Dissertation (M (Political Policy Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Political Sciences / M (Political Policy Studies) / unrestricted

South Africa is often described as a nation in transition since the societal and political transformation is an ongoing process. The South African employment environment is one area that now boasts a number of laws that are interrelated and aimed at achieving transformation of the workplace, as well as the economic empowerment of those who had previously been victims of racial segregation. The Employment Equity Act No. 55 of 1998 is regarded as central to the appreciation of equality of individuals in the workplace, irrespective of race, gender and/or disability. The management of communication is central to the process of corporate transformation as a result of this Act. (This fact is confirmed by the emphasis in the Act itself on organisations’ duty to inform and consult with stakeholders and several guideline documents.) Since previous research had pointed to broadly defined communication problems, the overarching research question of this study is: “How do South African organisations manage communication about Affirmative Action (within the context of Employment Equity)?” Chaos theory (a postmodern perspective) serves as the theoretical framework from which organisations’ approach to the duty to inform and consult with stakeholders, transformational change management, the management of communication and transformational leadership were investigated. A conceptual framework for the management of communication in this context, which is based on the ideas of the chaos perspective, is also proposed. Empirical evidence regarding the research question was gathered by means of a qualitative, multiple case study investigation. The most senior Communication, Human Resources and Employment Equity practitioners were interviewed in each of the three organisations, while the Employment Equity communication strategy of each organisation was compared to the theoretical framework by Thomas and Robertshaw (1999). The unique corporate philosophy of each organisation influences the manner in which Employment Equity strategies are implemented. The term “Affirmative Action” is not utilised in any of the organisations. Communication has strategic value in the external arena, while internal communication about Employment Equity is not satisfactory in two of the organisations. All types/levels of leaders have communication responsibilities in this context, while one organisation also relies on the philosophy of self-directed leadership. Only one organisation is currently managing communication according to a formalised strategy. Recommendations regarding the management of communication in this transformational context can be summarised with the overarching requirement that transformation should be approached as a “thinking science”. The multitude of paradoxes that were highlighted by the chaos perspective should be considered constantly: herein lies the real challenge for South African organisations. / Dissertation (MPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Communication Management / MPhil / Unrestricted

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This study explores the potential differences in attitudes that Asian American ethnic groups, and men and women within those groups, have toward Affirmative Action policies in the United States. My research question was: How do ethnicity and gender effect Asian American attitudes toward Affirmative Action? Using the Pilot National Asian American Political Survey (PNAAPS), 2000-2001, as well as conducting semi-structured interviews, I found that there are differences in attitudes toward Affirmative Action between Asian ethnic groups. In comparison to Chinese respondents, Vietnamese respondents were consistently more favorable toward Affirmative Action policies than South Asian and Filipino respondents were. Gender was significant in a few regressions, particularly as a control variable — indicating the importance of considering gender when examining Asian American attitudes toward Affirmative Action. In conducting interviews, respondents suggested that Affirmative Action policies be amended to assist people of lower socioeconomic status as well as recent immigrants to the United States. An implication of this study is the importance of disaggregating Asian Americans by ethnic group. The consistent support for Affirmative Action policies by Vietnamese respondents, in comparison to Chinese respondents, supports this need. / Master of Science

America is diverse in its culture of ideas and ways of life. This makes for a complex negotiation of issue positions and justifications when attempting to resolve public issues. It is essential therefore, that organizations not only understand but also cater to and adapt to the variety of cultural expectations and interpretations that may guide their various stakeholder publics when creating messages about controversial issues. One of the most controversial issues our society faces today is affirmative action. The rationales for the different stances people take on this topic vary greatly, revealing both opportunities and barriers to resolve a long-standing, contentious political issue. This thesis describes and analyzes reactions to two 2003 Supreme Court cases that examined the University of Michigan's affirmative action admissions policies: Gratz, et al. v. Bollinger, et al. and Grutter et al v. Bollinger, et al. The cases were the first time the Supreme Court had addressed affirmative action since the 1978 Bakke case. It was also the first time that the Court would debate whether or not diversity is truly a compelling state interest and what constitutes a fair and legal process by which to achieve it. Mediated accounts of the debate were examined in order to offer insight into contemporary interpretations of a recurring issue. By looking at how the media framed the issue, policymakers, politically-involved citizens, public relations practitioners can better understand the political climate in which they work, and thereby allowing them to better craft their communication efforts. Cultural Topoi, developed from Cultural Theory was used as a lens through which to examine the complexity of American political principles in these cases and values in this changing landscape of social expectations and public policy. / Master of Arts

Within the past few years, the question of the constitutionality of affirmative action has undeniably become one of the most widely debated public issues in the United States. Accusations of "reverse discrimination" have become more and more frequent, particularly by white students who believe they have been denied admission to public universities because of their race. Consequently, this question has been addressed in courts of all levels across the nation. However, due to the differing circumstances and legal issues of each case, the courts have not been able to agree on one acceptable standard and have consistently produced conflicting results and contradictory reasoning. On Monday, June 23, 2003, the Supreme Court of the United States released a historical opinion to the public in the case of Grutter v. Bollinger. From the information reviewed, a critique of the decision has been developed and an analytic approach has been taken to understand the effects of such a powerful decision.