Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / This study represents an evaluation of the outcome of implementing the 20 Keys programme in organisations in Japan, Europe and South Africa. The 20 Keys Programme claims to be an Organisational Development (OD) Programme and the study firstly explores the underlying characteristics of an OD programme. Specific attention is given concerning the underlying values, the features and interventions of OD. Because Learning and Knowledge Management form such a critical role in OD the characteristics and features of a "Learning Organisation" and Knowledge Management are covered. The 20 Keys programme has been developed to deliver on the strategy of an organisation. The characteristics and aims of The Programme are thus presented as well as a critical evaluation of whether The Programme's features and characteristics corresponds with that of OD and whether it has features that indicate that it is develop as such to deliver on the strategy. It is concluded that The Programme's features and characteristics do support that of an OD programme. The 20 Keys Programme is a tool to deliver on the strategy of an organisation as is supported by reports from organisations that implemented The Programme in Japan, Europe and South Africa. The organisations did show some significant results in terms of productivity improvements, reducing defects and reducing work-in-process in line with improvements with their benchmark score.

Sustainability in the business context seeks to create long-term value by seizing the opportunities and overcoming the challenges of simultaneously addressing the organization’s economic, environmental and social responsibilities. Several sustainability models and frameworks have been put forward over the past three decades, aiming at helping organizations embed sustainability at the core of their businesses. Their relevancy and applicability are significant, particularly for the manufacturing sector and the overall value chain, even though service organizations are equally important stakeholders in this process. The raising interest to promote sustainability-focused practices, processes and policies in organizations in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region, particularly across the service sector, have contributed to define the goal of this research, namely: to establish the main drivers and challenges faced by local service organizations to embed sustainability at the core of their business strategy and practice, in order to develop an innovative multi-dimensional sustainability framework specifically adapted to the service sector in the GCC countries’ socio-cultural and economic environment. For this purpose, a research path was followed which included: comparative critical analysis of the leading organizational sustainability frameworks and maturity models; an empirical evaluation of their relevancy in the particular context of GCC countries; and primary research to confirm the perceived applied research gap and to evaluate the feasibility and relevancy of putting forward a sector specific framework. The outcome of this research is an innovative multi-dimensional sustainability framework for service sector organizations in the GCC region, which will provide stronger guidance on how to select and implement the most relevant sustainability aspects within the local service sector businesses, thus allowing them to develop better sustainability-focused policies and practices in the workplace. This framework will also contribute to academic community by opening new views on how sustainability is perceived and what adjustments are needed for it to work in the service sector in the context of GCC countries. This framework can later on be extended to other countries of the MENA region, where existing sustainability models and frameworks would not be fit for purpose. The framework hereby proposed was validated by combining the quantitative research and qualitative data collection and analysis using a combined positivist and interpretive case study strategy based on carefully selected cases across the service sector in the GCC countries. The measurable success of this framework will be the time it will take to reach a significant number of service sector organizations in the GCC countries that achieve the ideal balance between their social, economic and environmental dimensions with few constraints, thus becoming potential leaders of change for a more sustainable and inclusive successful future.

By triangulation of three longitudinal case studies with change leader practitioner survey, this research identified the following seven generative Employee Relationship Planning (ERPII) management strategies: 1. People Strategy 2. Capital Strategy 3. Information Strategy 4. Experience Strategy 5. Opportunity Strategy 6. Crisis Strategy 7. Result/Reward Strategy ERPII management strategies may facilitate development of organisational cultures where management enables employees to become aware of relevant capital, information, experience, opportunity and crisis situations to attain the result/reward of their collaboration and participation in business process reengineering activities for continuous improvements. These ERPI management strategies may facilitate practical application of current approaches in positive leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Spiritual Intelligence, Appreciative Inquiry and Kaizen.

Modern enterprises are constantly under change in the effort to enhance their internal operations and become more competitive in the market. A change process is always a challenge, and its success needs to consider multi-angled approaches, as it affects all involved stakeholders. The way changes are tack- led is fundamental to the success and survivability of an enterprise. Change is interwoven with risks, and therefore it has to be effectively managed in order to be successful. This work presents an effort to identify the key factors that should be con- sidered in order to lead to effective change management in modern enter- prises, and quantify their relationship to it. The theoretical investigation re- veals that key factors often considered, both in theory and in practical change management strategies, include Employee, Leadership, Training & Develop- ment, Reward & Recognition, Culture, Politics, Information Systems. Driven by these findings, a model is proposed that depicts their correlation towards effective change management. Subsequently, a survey is conducted, and sta- tistical analysis is performed to the empirical data collected, in order to eval- uate the proposed model and its hypotheses. The empirical results indicate that all selected key factors, contribute towards achieving effective change management as hypothesized. The results of this work, may benefit enterprise managers planning, exe- cuting and assessing change processes, as proper considerations of the factors discussed throughout this work may increase the chances of the change pro- cess success, resulting in a better performing and competitive enterprise.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study project investigates the implementation of a Management Information System (MIS) in Telkom S.A. Ltd. With any implementation process, the affected company and its employees go through a change process. This report discusses knowledge management theory and the transfer of best practices theory, and how the implementation of these principles can improve the acceptance and use of the new software system. Following is a description and explanation of the structure and content of the report. Chapter 1 defines the research problem in detail. It also defines and briefly discusses the terms Management Information System, knowledge management and change management. Chapter 2, the literature review, consists of five sections. The five sections discuss; knowledge management concepts, knowledge management models, the comparison between models, knowledge management technology and the implementation of knowledge management. Section one, knowledge management concepts, discusses the basic theory on knowledge and learning. It looks at the basic differences between Western and Eastern philosophy and theories about learning. Concepts such as tacit knowledge, explicit knowledge and intellectual capital are introduced. A brief explanation of the start of knowledge management is offered. The four models that are discussed in section two are; The Knowledge Spiral, Best Practices Transfer, The Four Elements of Knowledge Management and The Tactical and Strategic Activities in Knowledge Management. The models discuss methods of identifying and capturing knowledge, ways in which innovation takes place in an organisation as well as identifying where a company is heading and finding ways to invest in intellectual capital to prepare for the future needs of the company. Section three compares all of the models discussed in section two. A comparison is made between the different approaches and the main focus of each model is highlighted. Technology, information management and knowledge management cannot be separated. Section four discusses the importance of technology in knowledge management, the technology backbone and applications of knowledge management. The reality of the implementation of knowledge management is discussed in section 5. The effect of knowledge management on the organisation as a whole, change management and knowledge management enablers are the topics discussed. Chapter three discusses the implementation environment, that is the business units affected by the implementation. It also gives an explanation of the design and workings of the MIS that was implemented. It is possible to read the study without reading chapter three and without background on the implementation environment and the product. The implementation of the MIS was reviewed one month and again two months after implementation. Chapter four discusses the review procedure and the main findings of the reviews. Chapter five ends the report with an evaluation on the implementation of the MIS and knowledge management practices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studieprojek ondersoek die implementering van 'n Bestuurs Informasiestelsel in Telkom S.A. Bpk. Gedurende die implementeringsproses van enige nuwe stelsel, gaan die personeel, asook die maatskappy deur 'n veranderingsproses. Hierdie verslag bespreek kennisbestuur teorie, oordrag van beste praktyke teorie, en hoe die implementering van hierdie beginsels , die aanvaarding en gebruik van die nuwe sagtewaresisteem kan bevorder. Vervolgens 'n beskrywing van die struktuur en die inhoud van die verslag. Hoofstuk 1 definieer die probleemstelling in meer besonderhede. Die terme, Bestuurs Informasiestelsel, kennisbestuur en die bestuur van verandering word gedefineer en kortiks bespreek. Hoofstuk 2 bevat die literatuurstudie en bestaan uit 5 seksies. Die 5 seksies bespreek; kennisbestuur konsepte, kennisbestuur modelle, 'n vergelyking tussend die modelle, kennisbestuur-tegnologie asook die implementering van kennisbestuur. Die eerste seksie wat handel oor kennisbestuur konsepte, bespreek die basies begrippe van kennis en die leerporses. Die seksie kyk onder andere na die verskillende sienswyses tussen die Westerse en Oosterse filisofie oor kennis en die leerproses. Die konsepte, interne/eie-kennis, ekplisiete/eksterne kennis en intellektuelekapitaal word bespreek. Die seksie eindig met 'n kort weergawe van die ontstaan van kennisbestuur. Die vier kennisbestuurmodelle wat in die tweede seksie bespreek word is; "The Knowledge Spiral", "Best Practices Transfer", "The Four Elements of Knowledge Management" en "The Tactical and Strategic Activities in Knowledge Management". Verskillende metodes hoe om kennis vas te vang, maniere hoe innovasie plaasvind in maatskappy verband, asook vroegtydige identifisering van die maatskappy se toekomstige intellektuelekapitaalbehoeftes word deur die verskillende modelle voorgestel. Die modelle wat in seksie twee bespreek is, word vergelyk in die derde seksie. Die modelle word bespreek op grond van die verskille tussen die modelle, asook die hooffokus van elke model. Informasiebestuur, kennisbestuur en tegnologie kan nie van mekaar geskei word nie. Die vierde seksie bespreek die belangrikheid van tegnolgie in kennisbestuur, asook die toepassings as boublokke op die tegnologiebasis in kennisbestuur. Die realiteit wanneer kennisbestuur geimplementeer word, word bespreek in seksie 5. Daar word gekyk na die effek wat die implementering van kennisbestuur op die organisasie het. Faktore wat die implementering van kennisbestuur en verandering vergemaklik, word bespreek. Hoofstuk 3 verskaf inliging oor die omgewing waar die sagteware geimplementeer is. Agtergrond word verskaf oor die besigheidseenheid, asook die verskillende Iynseksies. Die Bestuursinligtingsprogram wat geimplementeer is, word in meer detail bespreek. Dit is moontlik om die studieprojek te lees sonder die agtergrond wat in hoofstuk 3 bespreek word. 'n Evaluasie is gehou 1 maand en weer 2 maande na die implementering van die sagteware. Die evalusieprosedure, asook die belangrikste gevolgtrekkings word bespreek in hoofstuk 4. Die verslag einding met 'n bespreking van die implementering van die sagteware asook kennisbestuur praktyke in hoofstuk 5.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / Organisations find themselves in a challenging and changing environment. The focus of the study is to use the Marden diagnostic model of change management as a guide to transform organisations in order to meet competitive challenges of changing market conditions. The first half of the study underlines the need for organisations to stay in a mode of constant change. It explains the systems approach to organisational change that is prescribed by the Marden diagnostic model of change. The change process is initiated by focusing the organisation on a new strategy that will be the route map towards future prosperity. Various diagnostic tools are explored to discover the current position of the organisation. Intervention strategies are recommended to mobilize the organisation to move closer to the strategic vision. The latter half of the study deals with skills to manage the change process. These skills include consultation, leadership, teamwork, managing conflict, communication and negotiation. The study concludes with a practical framework that can be used by management to measure the success of the change process, and maintain momentum throughout the organisation.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explored the present and future challenges faced by a group of South African managers. These challenges were identified and/or explored in the form of burning issues. The motivation for the study was the perception that often the ordinary South African manager is quick to import change interventions without really finding out what the real issuesare. In the processsuch interventions fail becausethey are in tandem with the real problem(s). A literature study was undertaken to explore and identify possible reasons that cause managers to adopt a quick-fix approach. An in-depth analysiswas made of the challenges facing South African organisations and the importance thereof, as well as of the need to channel limited resourcesto what really matters. Data for empirical study was collected by means of questionnaires completed by Management Development Programme Students of the University of Stellenbosch Business School as part of an assignment for change management. Research findings indicated five critical challenges/ the burning issues that should be given the necessary focus. Each of the five critical findings was discussed in depth and recommendationswere made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die huidige en toekomstige uitdagings waarvoor 'n groep Suid-Afrikaanse bestuurders staan. Hierdie uitdagings is as brandende vraagstukke geïdentifiseer en/of ondersoek. Die motivering vir die studie was die persepsie dat Suid-Afrikaanse bestuurders oor die algemeen vinnig veranderingsintervensies implementeer sonder om vas te stel wat die werklike probleme is. Gevolglik misluk sulke intervensies omdat dit saam met hierdie probleme bestaan. 'n Literatuurstudie is gedoen om die moontlike redes waarom bestuurders die benadering van kitsoplossings volg, te identifiseer en te ondersoek. 'n Deurtastende ontleding is gedoen van die uitdagings waarvoor Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies staan, die belangrikheid daarvan, en die nodigheid om beperkte hulpbronne te kanaliseer na dit wat werklik saak maak. Data vir die empiriese studie is versamel deur middel van vraelyste wat as deel van 'n werkstuk oor bestuursverandering ingevul is deur studente op die Bestuursontwikkelingsprogram van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch BestuurskooI. Navorsingsbevindinge het vyf kritieke uitdagings/brandende vraagstukke geïdentifiseer waarop gefokus moet word. Elk van hierdie vraagstukke word uitvoerig bespreek en aanbevelings word gedoen.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: For the past two decades or so we have been witnessing the dawn of the information age. The technological revolution that typifies this era is proceeding at a rate unparalleled by the advances of previous eras. This technological advancement has spawned what is called the New Economy, where the currency is information and the watchword is speed. The New Economy is global, knowledge-driven, and highly competitive. It has forever changed the competitive landscapes of many industries, combined others into new industries, and has even created entirely new industries. The New Economy poses many new challenges for organisations that strive for excellence. Amongst other things, globalisation and rapid advances in technology are constantly raising performance level benchmarks on all fronts. This means that organisations striving for excellence have to be stable yet agile, lean, responsive, innovative, efficient, customer-focused, and profitable. In addition, the pressure on organisations to democratise the workplace brings its own challenges. One such approach for organising for excellence is the Beehive model where minimum levels of performance have to be attained in each of seven interdependent areas: strategy, structures, people capacity, business disciplines, stakeholder commitment, pay and incentives, and change leadership. Taken out of context, these practices will not produce the desired improvements in performance. They need to be treated as a system where the practices fit with and support each other. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vir ongeveer die afgelope twee dekades ervaar ons die aanbreek van die informasie tydperk. Die tegnologiese revolusie, wat 'n kenmerk is van hierdie era, gaan voort met 'n tempo ongeewenaard met die vooruitgang van vorige eras. Hierdie tegnologiese vooruitgang het voortgebring wat die Nuwe Ekonomie genoem word, waar die geldeenheid informasie en die wagwoord spoed is. Die Nuwe Ekonomie is wereldwyd, kennis aangedrewe, en hoogs kompeterend. Dit het die kompeterende landskappe van baie industriee vir ewig verander, ander in nuwe industriee kombineer en selfs geheel en al nuwe industriee geskep. Die Nuwe Ekonomie lewer vele nuwe uitdagings op vir organisasies wat na uitmuntenheid streef. Om maar een te noem veroorsaak globalisasie en vinnige vooruitgang in tegnologie 'n konstante styging in prestasie vlak hoogtemerke reg deur die industrie. Dit beteken dat organisasies wat na uitmuntenheid streef stabiel, tog ook behendig, reagerend, vernuwend, effektief, klient gefokus en winsgewend moet wees. Daarmee saam bring die druk op organisasies om by die werkplek te demokratiseer sy eie uitdagings. Een so benadering vir organisering vir uitmuntendheid is die Beehive model waar minimum vlakke van prestasie in elke sewe interafhanklike areas behaal moet word: strategie, strukture, menslike kapasiteit, besigheids dissipline, insethouer toegewydheid, betaling en prestasielone, en oorgangsleiding. Uit konteks sal hierdie praktyke nie die gewensde verbeterings in prestasie behaal nie. Dit moet as 'n sisteem behandel word waar die praktyke mekaar pas en ondersteun.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Facilitation is considered one of the core leadership skills needed for young managers today. In order to master the principles of facilitation, it is necessary for potential facilitators to have a thorough understanding of the four main elements of facilitation namely, The Task at hand, the personal characteristics, skills and techniques required of facilitators, the group dynamics that come into play in the facilitation process and the facilitation process itself. In the continuously changing environment of business, it is important that managers lead their organisations and teams through change with a facilitation management style. In order to cope with change, it is necessary to understand what change is and how it will affect the organisation and the people working for the organisation. This study intends to give young, talented managers the skills to be effective facilitators in their organisations. It is intended to give talented managers a working document to help them manage in a constantly changing environment where much is expected of them regarding management styles and social interaction. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Fasilitering word beskou as een van die kern leierskapsvaardighede wat van vandag se jong bestuurders verwag word. Ten einde die beginsels van fasilitering baas te raak, is dit belangrik dat voornemende fasiliteerders 'n deeglike begrip moet hê van die vier basiese beginsels van fasilitering naamlik, Die Taak wat afgehandel moet word, die eienskappe waaroor fasiliteerders moet beskik, die groepsdinamika betrokke in fasilitering en die proses van fasilitering self. In die voortdurend veranderende besigheidsomgewing is dit belangrik dat bestuurders hul organisasies en spanne lei aan die hand van 'n fasiliterende bestuurstyl. Ten einde verandering te kan hanteer, is dit nodig om te verstaan wat verandering behels en hoe dit die organisasie en die mense wat vir die organisasie werk beïnvloed. Dit is die doelwit van hierdie studie om jong, talentvolle fasiliteerders die vaardigheid te gee om effektiewe fasiliteerders in hul organisasies te wees. Dit is die bedoeling om talentvolle bestuurders 'n werksdokument te gee om hulle te help om te bestuur in 'n konstante veranderende omgewing waar baie van hulle verwag word rakende bestuurstyle en die interaksie met mense.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Beehive Model (Figure 1.1) of organisational renewal is a theoretical model and analytical tool, in a honeycomb formation as developed by Nel (2001), which is used to obtain a 'snapshot' of organisational compliance with the application of either best or poor practices associated with seven individual workplace practices within the contemporary economic climate. Each of the seven workplace practices has eight pairs of indicators, in a questionnaire format (Appendix A), used to obtain the 'snapshot' of how an evaluated organisation/department/business unit performs regarding the application of either poor or best practices. The workplace practices, namely Strategy, Change Leadership, Stakeholder Commitment, Pay and Incentives, Talent Creation, Business Disciplines, and Structures, are suggested to be strongly related to and critical for entrenching change and high performance in organisations if best practices are applied correctly as driven by strategy. It is suggested that the application of poor practices within the organisational environment is likely to result in inertia and poor performance. The study project endeavour to determine the rationale behind the Beehive Model of organisational renewal for the entrenchment of change and high performance in organisational culture, as justified by recent academic literature, using a literature review as research design. The correlation of entrenched change and high performance with the application of best practices, and entrenched organisational inertia and poor performance with the application of poor practices, is in both cases assumed to be positive and no attempt is made to empirically test the correlations within this study project. The Beehive Model and the literature reveal a synthesised environment that culturally and structurally integrates workplace practices and questionnaire indicators, reinforcing and causing high performance, and endeavouring to create and explain the following scenario: All employees are enabled and empowered to achieve their maximum capability and potential through formal and informal workplace practices and processes that are integrated throughout the organisation and structured in such a way that makes them clear and simple to understand and easy to use, channels information flow purposefully, encourages and forces active information flow, and delivers relevant and useful information within specific contexts as underpinned by competent employees that are actively involved in the design, implementation, usage and ongoing adjustment of the workplace practices. This encourages contextual business understanding, and commitment to and participation in performance enhancing problem solving through effort that is aligned with strategy. The findings suggest that the Beehive Model's structure and purpose and the associated questionnaire indicators are soundly supported by recent academic theory as well as the limited available empirical research on related topics. It is therefore possible to conclude with a reasonably high level of confidence, as viewed against the backdrop of trends in the literature, that high compliance with the correct and holistic application of best practice, as associated with the seven workplace practices' indicators, is likely to result in the entrenchment of change and high performance within an organisation's culture. The literature reviewed also strongly suggests the industry independence of the effective application of the Beehive Model's questionnaire indicators. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die 'Beehive'-model (Figure 1.1) van organisatoriese vernuwing is 'n teoretiese model en analitiese werktuig, in 'n heuningkoekformaat soos ontwerp deur Nel (2001), wat gebruik word om 'n 'kiekie' te verkry van organisatoriese nakoming ten opsigte van die toepassing van goeie of slegte praktyke binne die kontemporêre ekonomiese klimaat. Elkeen van die sewe werkplekpraktyke het agt pare aanwysers, in 'n vraelysformaat (Aanhangsel A), wat gebruik word om die 'kiekie' te verkry van hoe die geëvalueerde organisasie/afdeling/besigheidseenheid presteer ten opsigte van die toepassing van óf slegte óf goeie praktyke. Daar word te kenne gegee dat die werkplekpraktyke, naamlik Strategie, Veranderingsleierskap, Verbintenis van belanghebbendes, Vergoeding en Aansporing, Talentskepping, Besigheidsdissiplines en Strukture, sterk in verband staan met en kritiek is vir die vaslegging van verandering en hoë prestasie binne organisasies indien goeie praktyke korrek toegepas word soos gedryf deur strategie. Daar word te kenne gegee dat die toepassing van slegte praktyke binne die organisasie-omgewing waarskynlik traagheid en swak prestasie tot gevolg sal hê. Die studieprojek poog om die rasionaal van die 'Beehive'-model van organisasievernuwing vir die vaslegging van verandering en hoë prestasie in die organisasiekultuur te bepaal soos geregverdig deur onlangse akademiese literatuur deur die gebruikmaking van 'n literatuuroorsig as navorsingsontwerp. Daar word aangeneem dat die korrelasie van vasgelegde verandering en hoë prestasie met die toepassing van goeie praktyke, en vasgelegde organisasietraagheid en swak prestasie met die toepassing van swak praktyke in beide gevalle positief is en geen poging word aangewend om die korrelasies empiries te toets as deel van hierdie studieprojek nie. Die 'Beehive'-model en literatuuroorsig toon 'n saamgevoegde omgewing wat kultureel en struktureel die werkplekpraktyke en vraelysaanwysers integreer en daardeur hoë prestasie versterk en veroorsaak, en wat poog om die volgende scenario te skep en te verduidelik: Alle werknemers word in staat gestel (bekwaam) en bemagtig om hul volle vermoë en potensiaal te bereik deur formele en informele werkplekpraktyke en prosesse wat regdeur die organisasie geïntegreer is en wat duidelik en eenvoudig gestruktureer is om dit maklik te maak om te verstaan en te gebruik, informasievloei doelgerig te kanaliseer, aktiewe inligtingsvloei aan te moedig en te forseer, en wat toepaslike en nuttige inligting binne bepaalde verband lewer soos ondersteun deur bekwame werknemers wat aktief betrokke is by die ontwerp, implementering, gebruik en deurlopende aanpassing van die werkplekpraktyke. Dit moedig die kontekstuele begrip van die besigheid, asook verbintenis tot en deelname aan prestasieverhogende probleemoplossing aan deur inspanning wat strategiegerig is. Die bevindings dui daarop dat die 'Beehive'-model se struktuur en doel en die gepaardgaande vraelysaanwysers sterk ondersteun word deur onlangse akademiese teorie asook beperkte beskikbare empiriese navorsing ten opsigte van verwante onderwerpe. Daarom is dit moontlik om met 'n redelike hoë mate van vertroue tot die gevolgtrekking te kom, soos gesien teen die agtergrond van tendense in die literatuur, dat 'n hoë mate van nakoming van die korrekte en holistiese toepassing van goeie praktyke, soos geassosieer met die sewe werkplekpraktykaanwysers, waarskynlik sal lei tot die vaslegging van verandering en hoë prestasie in die kultuur van 'n organisasie. Die literatuuroorsig dui ook redelik sterk op die begryfsonafhanklikheid van die doeltreffende toepassing van die "Beehive'- modelvraelysaanwysers.