M.Com. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (MTech (Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2006. / This study investigated whether the different home languages of employees of a large financial institution in the Western Cape had an influence of their perception of organisational structure and processes. The author conducted a series of interviews with management-level employees who speak Afrikaans, English and Xhosa as home languages in an attempt to ascertain the extent of the influence of individual cultures on perceptions and actions in corporate society. Specific attention was given to how these individuals perceived meetings, decision-making processes and conflict. These interviews were transcribed verbatim and studied by means of narrative analysis using a specialised software package to provide a better insight into the roles language and culture play within the South African organisation. Based on the narratives provided by the respondents in this study, the author concluded that individual culture does play a significant role in the perceptions of organisational structures such as conflict management,interaction during meetings, decision-making and acceptance of authority.

Based on the increasing importance that information and communication technologies (ICT) plays in most global economies, the high demand for ICT employees and the influence of organisational culture on the success of ICT businesses, the purpose of this study was to provide ICT managers with ways to retain and keep their employees satisfied and happy in their jobs. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to identify and empirically test the influence of various factors of organisational culture on Happiness and Job satisfaction of employees in the ICT industry in South Africa. After completing a comprehensive literature review, it appeared that limited research had been conducted on the happiness of employees in the ICT industry. Numerous factors were identified as influencing happiness; however, due to the difficulty to assess some of these factors, this study only focused on the influence of organisational culture on the happiness and in return the job satisfaction of employees. All the factors influencing organisational culture were reviewed in the literature and 13 independent variables were identified and hypothesised to influence the mediating variable Happiness and the dependent variable Job satisfaction. All the variables in this study were clearly conceptualised and operationalised. Valid and reliable items sourced from various measuring instruments used in previous studies, were used to operationalise theses variables. Furthermore, numerous items were self-generated from secondary sources. A convenience sampling method was used to identify the respondents and a structured questionnaire was completed online by respondents. The data collected from 187 usable questionnaires was subjected to various statistical analyses using the software program Statistica. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to assess the validity of the dependent variable Job satisfaction and the mediating variable Happiness of this study, whereas an Exploratory Factor Analysis was used to assess the validity of the independent variables. To confirm the reliability of all the variables investigated, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated. Due to the large number of variables and the small number of respondents, conducting a factor analysis on the independent variables was not possible. This problem was solved by the use of the item parcelling method. After the item parcelling was conducted and the factor analysis conducted, only seven out of the 13 factors loaded together as expected. All the parcels measuring these factors did not load together as expected and where necessary these factors were renamed and operationalised again. The sample data was summarised using descriptive statistics. The majority of respondents reported that they were satisfied with their jobs and almost half of the respondents reported being happy with their lives. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to establish the degree of relationship between the factors investigated in this study. After the Multiple Regression Analysis was conducted, it was found that three independent variables influence the Happiness of employees in the ICT industry, namely, Customer focus, Strategic direction and intent and Family orientation and atmosphere. Happiness was also found to have a positive influence on the Job satisfaction of ICT employees. The influence of various selected demographic variables on the dependent, mediating and independent variables was investigated by means of an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The statistical significance between the differences in means scores was measured using the Bonferroni Post-hoc test. The Population group of the respondents, the Years of service and their Age group were found to significantly influence some of the independent variables and mediating variables investigated in this study. No relationship was found between any demographic variables and the dependent variable Job satisfaction. Limited studies on the influence of organisational culture on the happiness of nemployees and more particularly those in the ICT industry were found in the literature. This study has made a contribution to the field of happiness research by understanding the factors influencing the happiness and job satisfaction of employees in the ICT industry. As a result, the study presents recommendations and suggestions to assist ICT businesses to improve their organisational culture and at the same time enhance the happiness and job satisfaction of their employees.

Today information can be seen as a basic commodity that is crucial to the continuous well-being of modern organizations. Many modern organizations will be unable to do business without access to their information resources. It is therefor of vital importance for organizations to ensure that their infor- mation resources are adequately protected against both internal and external threats. This protection of information resources is known as information security and is, to a large extent, dependent on the behavior of humans in the organization. Humans, at various levels in the organization, play vital roles in the pro- cesses that secure organizational information resources. Many of the prob- lems experienced in information security can be directly contributed to the humans involved in the process. Employees, either intentionally or through negligence, often due to a lack of knowledge, can be seen as the greatest threat to information security. Addressing this human factor in information security is the primary focus of this thesis. The majority of current approaches to dealing with the human factors in information security acknowledge the need to foster an information security culture in the organization. However, very few current approaches attempt to adjust the "generic" model(s) used to define organizational culture to be specific to the needs of information security. This thesis firstly proposes, and argues, such an adapted conceptual model which aims to improve the understanding of what an information security culture is. The thesis secondly focuses on the underlying role that information security educational programs play in the fostering of an organizational information security culture. It is argued that many current information security edu- cational programs are not based on sound pedagogical theory. The use of learning taxonomies during the design of information security educational programs is proposed as a possible way to improve the pedagogical rigor of such programs. The thesis also argues in favor of the use of blended and/or e-learning approaches for the delivery of information security educational content. Finally, this thesis provides a detailed overview demonstrating how the various elements contributed by the thesis integrates into existing trans- formative change management processes for the fostering of an organizational information security culture.

The study set out to explore the influences of change on organisational culture in a private healthcare organisation of South Africa. The research was conducted at Life Healthcare, the largest private hospital group in South Africa. A survey questionnaire was constructed and used as a means of collecting data for the purpose of this study. The data was collected from a sample of 189 respondent managers using stratified probability sampling technique. Data analysis was conducted by applying descriptive and inferential statistical methods.

Afrikaans text / Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om die stressors by oorblywende personeel na 'n a.fleggingsproses in die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag(SALM), te meet en te beskryf Vanuit die literatuuroorsig word die stressors in aflegging; die bedryfsimpak van stressors na 'n afleggingsproses op organisasiegedrag en die konsepte stres, werkstres en organisasie­ stres bespreek. Die empiriese navorsing word vanuit 'n funksionalistiese paradigma aangebied, waarteen die behaviorisme en sistemiese skole die onderbou vorm. Die navorsingsontwerp is 'n beskrywende studie en maak gebruik van 'n gestratifiseerde proporsionele ewekansige steekproe£ Die ervaring van werk- en lewensomstandighede­ vraelys is vir die meet van stressors in die organisasie gebruik. Die resultate vertoon organisasiefunksionering, loopbaanaangeleenthede en vergoedings­ aspekte as die vemaamste stressors by oorblywende personeel van die SALM. Toekomstige navorsing kan temas soos die sielkundige kontrak, werksonsekerheid en organisasieverbondenheid insluit. Relevante sleutelwoorde is stressors in aflegging, oorlewendes sindroom, organisasie­ klimaat, organisasie·agteruitgang en chroniese stres. / The aim of the survey is to identify and measure the stressors of survivors after a layoff process in the South African Air Force (SAAF). The literature highlights stressors in layoffs; the industrial impact of stressors after a layoff process on organisational behavior and the concepts stress, workstress and organisational stress. The empirical research is presented from a functionalistic paradigm with behaviorism and systems theory as foundation. The research design is a descriptive study and make use of a stratified proportional sample. The experience of work- and life circumstances questionnaire was used in the measurement of stressors. The results show organisational functioning, career aspects and remuneration as the main stressors of survivors. Themes that can be incorporated in future research are the psychological contract, job insecurity and organisational commitment. Relevant keywords in the research are stressors in layoffs, survivor syndrome, organisational climate, organisational decline and chronic stress. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCom (Bedryfsielkunde)

Comprehensive research has been done on organisational behaviour, entrepreneurial spirit, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship and corporate entrepreneurship. Literature is however less clear on which organisational behaviour components influence corporate entrepreneurship. This creates a problem for managers and business leaders when they want to influence the entrepreneurial spirit within an organisation. This study summaries the literature on organisational behaviour variables and corporate entrepreneurship, as well as the limited findings linking the two concepts. The empirical study focuses four areas: testing validity and reliability of the measurements used in the study; the correlation between organisational behaviour components and corporate entrepreneurship; the ability of organisational behaviour components to predict corporate entrepreneurship; and finally testing if the grouping of organisational behaviour variables is justified. This cross sectional study was done in 12 non-listed and 5 listed companies in South Africa. Randomly selected employees completed 862 questionnaires. They represented all the local ethnic groups, both genders, and were from all organisational levels. The results of the empirical study indicated that the measurements used in the study were all acceptable being reliable and valid. The correlation between the selected organisational behaviour components and corporate entrepreneurship were all strong and significant, with goal setting the strongest, followed by performance management, then transformational leadership, and communication. The correlation with shared decision making, organisational culture, and power were less strong but still significant. The organisational behaviour components together declare a 46.5% variance in corporate entrepreneurship with organisational culture and goal setting contributing significantly and uniquely. Grouping the organisational behaviour variables in individual level, group level and organisational level, as suggested by many authors, did not provide a satisfactory solution. Suggestions to managers on where to focus when they want to foster corporate entrepreneurship were made. The limitations as well as suggestions for future research were discussed in the final instance. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / D.B.L.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research assesses the current organisational culture as well as the future preferred organisational culture of a business unit in a large information and communications technology company. In this study the researcher also assesses the management skills and competencies in comparison with the preferred future culture of the organisation. The research is based on the competing values framework of assessing organisational culture. The data was collected using the two instruments, namely the organisational culture assessment instrument and the management skills assessment instrument. These tools are questionnaires, which enabled the researcher to undertake a survey in a business unit. A sample of eight leaders and 72 associates was used to complete the questionnaires. The organisational culture assessment instrument was used to assess and profile the current culture of the organisation as well as the future preferred culture of the organisation. The management skills assessment instrument was used to evaluate the skills and competencies of the leaders in the business unit and the data was statistically analysed to compare the current skills of the leaders to that of the preferred future culture. The research revealed that the skills and competencies of the business unit strongly match the current culture of the organisation, and not the preferred culture. Through these findings, the research established which skills and competencies need to be developed in order to achieve the preferred culture. The research is significant in that it also proved the validity of the theory of competing values and this will contribute to the scholars in the culture and change management studies.

M. Tech. Business Administration / The aim of this research focuses on the relationship between organisational culture and quality programmes at an engineering consultancy firm, Parsons Brinckerhoff Africa. The company started its South African operations in 1984. It is a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) subsidiary of the international Parsons Brinckerhoff group of companies. It provides consulting, engineering, project management and advisory services in the power industry and other infrastructure sectors.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Corporate cu~ure is the foundation of businesses today and in every way underties the way business is done. The discovery and subsequent mining of gold during the last century have shaped the gold-mining corporate cu~re; it gave birth to racial segregation and laid the foundation of the system in which the industry finds itse~ today. The purpose of this study is to uncover the deeper patterns of corporate cu~ure that drive visible behaviour and attitudes. Once the root metaphor or main undertying assumptions of the gold-mining corporate cutture have been determined, a process of multilevel, frame-breaking, radical transformation can be initiated. A 'paradigm interplay' approach, which describes cu~re as an explicit variable and an implicit root metaphor, was adopted. Within this frameworK the study aims to explore concepts and meanings of corporate cu~re in a hermeneutic fashion by uncovering the human, expressive, symbolic texture of life in a gold mine. The frameworK provided a way of thinking about organisations, not to present 1001s' or 'methods' for managing or transforming culture, but to think culturally and holistically about the process of transformation. An in-depth investigation into Schein's 'three levels of cu~re' model was necessary in order to derive at the core transformational aspect of the gold-mining corporate culture. An analysis of Schein's model indicated that behavioural characteristics are shaped and determined by undertying values, beliefs and attitudes, which are shared among members of the organisation. If not espoused, these in turn rest upon sets of undertying assumptions that are the innermost core of corporate cu~re. One such a se~ the nature of human relationships, had been identified as the main undertying theme behind the vested interests as well as ingrained paradigms that exist on both sides of a racially divided workforce. The historical background of the industry and cultural perceptions created a shared assumption set that shaped these deep-rooted, embedded mindsets, affecting human relationships significantly. The study made it clear that any transformation attempt could be possible only when one goes deeper than the stated values and norms to understand the undertying assumptions and the true nature of human relationships that drive the visible behaviour and attttudes. The central dimension of this study, the nature of human relationships, referred to the opposing concepts of individualism versus communalism. These opposing paradigms are manifested in the two main management approaches or corporate cultures that exist in South Africa. Many suggested that the acknowledgement and utilisation of the Afrocentric value system, Ubuntu, alongside a Westem individualistic corporate culture are imperative to improve relationships in general and promote humanism. This study proposed that the humane spirit of Ubuntu, a spirit of trus~ caring and respect for human dignity, should be 'married' with the Westem approach to management instead of Ubuntu being adopted as a single framework that may be perceived negatively by the current business community. Thinking culturally', the purpose phrase of this study, succeeded therefore in abandoning the eitheror kind of thinking in favour of a more holistic 'both-and' way of doing. A desired culture of trust, honesty, openness, integrity and non-<liscrimination are sought after - a morally and ethically acceptable corporate culture where empowered employees are inspired rather than driven. Transformation is about the intellectual, social, spiritual and, most important, the emotional resources of the organisation. The 'senses of awareness' that are fundamental to the spirit of Ubuntu, originate from an understanding of our own emotions and secondly the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence is emerging as a major contributor to self-regu lation and is a crucial ingredient of the transformation process of the gold-mining corporate cu~ure . The study recommends the process of transformation can be initiated by creating a focal even~ a moment of concem about the current predicament in which the organisation or, more importa~ the individual finds itse~lhimse~. An act of confrontation may provide a moment of insight that will lead to a reinterpretation of historical and current events. In the process of insight or reflection an increase in seW-knowledge is gained that leads to a new beginning. This study calls for a willingness to change, a motivation to "switch cognitive gears' from an automatic haM of mind to active, conscious reflection of what is right and what is wrong. ~ also calls upon the individual to make the gold mines and South Africa a better place in which to work and live. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die organisasiekultuur van 'n maatskappy is nie alleen die "gom" wat die besigheidsinstelling en sy onderafdelings bind nie, maar in 'n hoe mate ook die onderliggende rede waarom die besigheidsinstelling bestaan. Die punt sal aan die hand van die goudmynbedryf geillustreer word. Die ontdekking en gepaardgaande ekstraksie van goud gedurende die laaste eeu het die organisasiekultuur van die mynwese gevorm. Dit het help beslag gee aan rasse segregasie en het die grondslag gelê vir die sisteem waarin die industrie homself bevind. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die dieper aspekte van organisasiekultuur bloot te Iê - aspekte wat optrede en die sigbare gesindheid aandryf. Die grondliggende paradigma, kern metafore en aannames van die goudmyn industrie sal daarom eers bepaal moet word voordat 'n radikale transformasieproses geinisieer kan word. 'n Benadering van "paradigma wisselwerking" ("tussenspel") is gevolg waarvolgens kultuur beskryf word as 'n eksplisiete verandelike en 'n implisiete kern metafoor. Binne hierdie raamwerk word konsepte en betekenisse van organisasiekultuur binne 'n hermeneutiese metodiek ondersoek. Die doel daarvan is om die menslike, ekspressiewe en simboliese tekstuur van lewenswyse binne die goudmynbedryf te interpreteer. Die raamwerk verskaf 'n denkwyse oor organisasies wat nie daarop gerig is om spesifieke metodes of stappe daar te stel vir die bestuur of transformasie van organisasiekultuur nie. Die doelwit is om kultureel en holisties te dink oor die proses van transformasie. 'n Indiepte ondersoek van Schein se 'drie vlakke' van kultuur was noodsaaklik om die kern transformasie aspek van die Suid Afrikaanse goudmyn kultuur te ontrafel. Daar is bevind dat gedragseienskappe gevorm en bepaal word deur die gesamentlike onderliggende waardes, oortuigings en gesindhede van lede van 'n organisasie. Hierdie eienskappe skakel in by 'n reeks onderliggende aannames wat die binneste kern van organisasiekultuur uitmaak. Die aard van menslike verhoudings, 'n onderliggende aanname, is ge"identifiseer as die hoofonderliggende tema agter die bestaande belange sowel as die ingewortelde paradigmas wat bestaan aan beide kante van die rasverdeelde werksmag. Die historiese agtergrond van die industrie en die kulturele persepsies het 'n gedeelde reeks aannames daargestel wat diep-gewortelde denkpatrone en denkgietsels gevorm het en wat menslike verhoudings aansienlik beinvloed. Die studie maak duidelik dat enige transformasiepoging alleenlik moontliik is indien daar dieper as die bepaalde waardes en norme gedelf word om die onderliggende aannames en denkwyses asook die aard van menslike verhoudings te bepaal wat die sigbare optrede en gesindheid van mense dryf. Die sentraie dimensie van die studie, naamlik die aard van menslike verhoudings, berus op die opponerende konsepte van individualisme en kommunalisme. Hierdie twee konsepte, en die paradigmas wat hulle aandui, word gemanifesteer in die twee hoof bestuursraamwerke van organisasiekultuur wat in Suid Afrika bestaan. Baie navorsers suggereer dat die erkenning en gebruikmaking van die Afrosentriese waardesisteem, Ubuntu, naas 'n westerse individualistiese organisasiekultuur, noodsaaklik is om 'n outentieke humanisme, en verhoudinge in die algemeen te bevorder. Die studie stel voor dat die humane (mens-georianteerde) gees van Ubuntu, 'n gees van vertroue, omgee en respek vir menswaardigheid, saamgesnoer word met die westerse benadering tot bestuur, in plaas daarvan om Ubuntu as 'n enkele raamwerk aan te neern wat dalk negatief waargeneem kan word deur die moderne sakesektor. Die kulturele denkwyse wat gegenereer is in hierdie studie het dus geslaag daarin om die 'of-die-eenof- die-ander' denkwyse te vervang met 'n meer holistiese 'en-en' manier van dink en doen. 'n Kultuur van vertroue, opregtheid, integriteit en geen diskriminasie is noodsaaklik, ofte wel 'n morele en eties aanvaarbare organisasiekultuur waar bemagtigde werkers geinspireer word eerder as gedryf word. Transformasie is gemoeid met die intellektuele, sosiale, spirituele en van groot belang, die emosionele hulpbronne van 'n organisasie. Die aksent op selfbewussyn, wat fundamenteel is vir die gees van Ubuntu, word gegenereer deur 'n verstaan van ons eie emosies, en tweedens die verstaan van die emosies van ander. Emosionele intelligensie het onlangs te voerskyn gekom as 'n belangrike bydraer tot self-regulasie. Dit is 'n beslissende bestanddeel in die transformasieproses van die organisasiekultuur van die goudmynbedryf. Die studie stel voor dat die transformasieproses geinisieer kan word deur 'n spesifieke gebeurtenis wat die fokus word, 'n oomblik van besorgdheid rakende die huidige predikament waarin die industrie of meer belangrik, die individu homself/haarself bevind. Konfrontasie is selfs nodig vir 'n ontwikkeling van 'n oomblik van insig wat aanleiding kan gee tot 'n reinterpretasie van historiese en huidige gebeure. Tydens die proses van insig of nabetragting word 'n toename in selfkennis opgedoen wat lei tot 'n nuwe begin. Die studie vestig die aandag op 'n noodsaaklikheid van 'n verandering van gesindheid en aanvaarding van die eis tot verandering. Dit sluit in 'n verbintenis om kognitiewe 'ratte' te verander vanaf 'n outomatiese sienswyse na 'n aktiewe, bewuste refleksie van wat is reg en wat is verkeerd. Dan kan die goudmyne en Suid Afrika in geheel 'n beter plek gemaak word om in te leef en te werk.