Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 154-155).

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-155). Also available in print.

Thesis (D.Psych.Ed.) - University of Queensland, 2005. / Includes bibliography.

This research sampled a group of 261 nurse managers to test the relationships among organizational structural variables and the utilization of nursing practice innovations. Subjects completed instruments that measured organizational complexity, centralization, formalization and the utilization of nursing practice innovations. Pearson correlations revealed a significant positive relationship between utilization of nursing practice innovations and individual perception of autonomy in decision-making. Within organizational centralization the decision-making components of organizational centralization entered into a multiple regression equation which explained 27% of the variance in utilization of nursing practice innovations, with total decision-making contributing the greatest amount of variance. Organizational complexity variables entered into a multiple regression equation which explained 2% of the variance in utilization of nursing practice innovations with the certification variable explaining the majority of the variance. Five variables related to organizational centralization and complexity together explained 28% of the variance in utilization of nursing practice innovations with the total decision-making variable explaining the majority of the variance.

published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Master / Master of Science in Construction Project Management

M.A. / The goal of this study was to measure levels of workplace stress, on two occasions, in an organisation undergoing change that included a merger, downsizing exercise, and restructure. This study was regarded as important as although it is well documented that transformational change leads to increased levels of employee stress, it is imperative to identify whether coping strategies implemented by the organisation are sufficient in addressing employee distress. The identification of the most salient sources of stress for employees in a specific change setting is also important since the organisation can then address these sources specifically rather than to apply a generalised coping strategy. Two non-random samples were taken from the employees of an organisation undergoing transformational change. The first sample consisted of 336 respondents and the second sample consisted of 102 respondents. Existing literature indicates that organisational change leads to increased levels of employee workplace stress as a result of the employees inability to cope with change. It is recommended by the literature that a number of coping strategies for change be implemented by the organisation during change initiatives. The Sources of Work Stress Inventory was used to measure work related stress. This inventory consists of two sections, a General Work Stress scale which measures general levels of occupational stress, and Nine Sources of Stress scales which highlight possible sources or triggers of stress. The study provided empirical support for the theorised notion that organisational change initiatives lead to increased levels of stress among employees. Further, the results supported theoretical and research findings which propose that job security, career advancement, and work overload are all salient sources of stress in organisational change settings that involve merger, restructure and downsizing activities. The results of this study demonstrated that the implementation of a number of contemporary change management strategies did not fully assist in improving the coping ability of employees in this specific change setting. As a result it was recommended that future change management strategies or more specifically coping strategies, should include a more humanistic and psychologically supportive approach as demonstrated in a number of recent research findings.

D.Phil. / The aim of this study was to develop a clearly defined theoretical concept for organisational change to facilitate effective change leadership within state-owned entities. A modernist qualitative methodology, with casing as research design and grounded theory as research strategy, was employed to develop the concept. Six employees of a state-owned entity were selected as research participants by means of purposive sampling. Their experience of change was explored with a view to developing the construct. Various data-collection methods were used, the principal ones being semi-structured interviews and participant observation. These yielded rich, descriptive data that was systematically analysed by utilising grounded theory methodology. On conclusion of the data analysis, the literature on the most current change constructs (theories and models) of organisational change was reviewed. The results of this review informed the member-checking phase, which was aimed at substantiating the newly developed construct. Although certain shortcomings emerged, the main aim of the study was achieved. The guidelines provided in the literature were followed to ensure a quality and trustworthy study. Thus the study should not only contribute to practical change management guidelines for the state-owned entities, but also deepen theoretical knowledge of organisational social change. Furthermore, the in-depth description of the application of grounded theory and my personal experience thereof should contribute to the application of this construct in other organisational settings. Recommendations for further studies conclude the dissertation.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration in Project Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / The purpose of the study reported in this dissertation was to establish if there is a relationship between project managers’ attributes and their organisations’ project management maturity. To achieve this, the study evaluated the existence of relationships between the project managers’ power, project managers’ technical expertise, and project managers’ project management experience and their organisations’ project management maturity. The study was based on a survey of self-identified project managers in South Africa. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire of 306 respondents from 1500 invitations to members of a project management association. The collected data was edited and descriptively and inferentially analysed using a commercial statistics package. From the descriptive analysis, the study found that South African organisations are responsive to changes in project resources, are benchmarking the capability, are becoming aware of the importance of project management as a strategic enabler and are embracing a project culture within their operations. From the inferential analysis, the study found that project managers’ power and project managers’ technical expertise have a weak have a weak positive correlation with organizational project management maturity The study contributes to knowledge on project management maturity by showing that project managers, particularly the power that they have and their technical expertise, cannot be ignored in initiatives that organisations embark on to improve their project management maturity.

While many studies have been carried out on organizational culture, leadership, conflict and change, mostly from an instrumentalist perspective, studies have left unanswered the question of how they are related. This thesis employs narrative theory and especially that of Ricoeur together with the social theory of Bourdieu. By considering organization culture (and its sub cultures) as being configured by multiple narratives; leaders as enacting or developing narratives; conflict as the attempt by one or more persons to impose their narratives on others as the correct interpretation of a given situation; and change as the adoption of new narratives it has been possible to impart new understandings to these concepts. Extensions are offered of the narrative theory of Ricoeur and the social theory of Bourdieu (which has strong implications for culture and the operation of power). They are then combined and applied to a narrative presentation of empirical data. This new or extended theory has powerful explanatory value with regard to the relationship between the chosen organisational aspects. Emphasis is given to the dynamic interplay which prevails between the individual (habitus) and the organisation (field).

The importance of the role of the midwife in providing safe, quality care for women has until recently, been underrated in Victoria, Australia. Acknowledgement of the need for midwife-led models of care in state maternity service policies provided opportunities for midwives to become recognised within the healthcare system and the wider community. This professional doctorate aims to examine the ways in which the role of the midwife and her practice has been impacted on by organisational renovations of midwifery care. It identifies the complexity of the factors that affect the midwife’s ability or choice to work in midwife-led models of care. Furthermore this doctorate highlights the need for ongoing debate into midwifery in Australia. Concepts related to midwifery practice are examined as they form the foundations for the research and policy components of the portfolio. This includes an exploration of midwifery philosophy, the antecedents to autonomous practice and the experience midwives have of midwife-led care. An examination of the concepts of continuity of care and woman-centred care provides a platform upon which to review models of midwifery care. This review highlights the development of an ongoing relationship as a source of satisfaction for midwives and women. The second part of the doctorate reviews policies that guide the provision of maternity services in Victoria. Analysis of these policies using Kingdon’s multiple streams framework identifies the problems, the political actors and the policy developed, establishing the context for organisational change in maternity care. The antecedents for successful integration of organisational change are explored through a review of change theory and leadership. A case study approach utilised for the research component of the doctorate provides insights into organisational change that occurred at two maternity sites in Victoria. The findings of the study suggest there was a dichotomy between those midwives desiring autonomous practice and wanting to work in midwife-led care and those wishing to remain in one specialised area. Recommendations stemming from these findings include the need for sufficient education and support during change, a review of terminology used to describe midwifery models of care and research into the use of integrated maternity units. Complexity science is examined in order to bring the different strands of the doctorate together, providing an explanation for the different outcomes that occur despite the implementation of similar models. The connective leadership model was suggested as the means to provide leadership that is inclusive of providing direction, mentoring new leaders and providing support and opportunities for midwives to become empowered to practice autonomously. Attention to the complexity of organisational change is vital to ensure the future of midwifery.