M.A. ( Information studies) / Information and knowledge are the new wealth of our time. Knowledge is a resource that is valuable to an organisation's ability to innovate and compete. As every business has to operate in an increasingly competitive and dynamic environment, business managers should base all decisions on their competitive standing in the world economy and the competitiveness of their knowledge competencies. The ability of a company to mobilise and exploit its intangible and invisible assets has become far more important than investing and managing physical, tangible assets ...

A South African university has obligations to societal stakeholders. One dimension of these obligations is research productivity. The extent to which these societal obligations can be met is a function of how innovative research outputs are, and of the extent to which constraints to research output, or productivity, are known, and can be managed. An extensive body of literature, including the Global Leadership and Organisational Behaviour Effectiveness (GLOBE) studies, have demonstrated the influence of organisational cultural values on organisational outcomes. Hofstede’s cultural values research studies have also demonstrated the influence of societal cultural values on societal outcomes. However, despite this body of literature, there is a lack of knowledge of the influence of organisational culture on the research productivity of academic fields. This research attempts to address this lack of knowledge through a qualitative and a quantitative study of the relationships between organisational culture and research productivity. This analysis is undertaken at the level of the academic field, which is proxied in this study as the level of the academic school. A corresponding analysis is also undertaken at the individual level. The relationship between individual values and research productivity is also investigated, to provide a holistic perspective of the relationships between both organisational cultural, as well as individual values, and research productivity, differentiated by level of analysis. On the basis of the qualitative analysis, a model of context-specific individual-level factors is also derived, which are predicted to influence research productivity. A qualitative study of research-productive academics from the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Cape Town, the University of Johannesburg, the University of South Africa and the University of KwaZulu-Natal was used to develop theory for testing quantitatively. The quantitative study, which sampled the University of the Witwatersrand, was used to test the theory and the propositions that were developed in the qualitative portion of the study. In the quantitative study, at the level of the academic school, relationships between organisational cultural values and research productivity predicted by GLOBE organisational cultural values theory were tested quantitatively. At the individual level, relationships between individual motivational values theory and research productivity that were predicted by Schwartz’s values theory were also tested quantitatively. The model of factors that were predicted by the qualitative analysis to contribute to research productivity was also tested quantitatively. The iii qualitative and quantitative results of the study are taken to support Kuhn’s argument; that academic research outputs are not necessarily innovative, and do not necessarily represent innovative knowledge creation in this context. Findings also indicate that particular values configurations may constrain research productivity. Specifically, configurations of values associated with lower levels of innovativeness might constrain specific non-peer reviewed forms of research productivity. The results reveal a context dominated by a conflict between two societal needs, one associated with increasing enrolments of students that are not necessarily matched by infrastructure increases, or a process of massification, and the other associated with the need for more research productivity. The conflict between these two needs was found to correspond with differences between individuals that relate to the extent to which they derive their primary job satisfaction from research versus teaching. Teacher-satisfied individuals were found to be signficantly less research productive. On the basis of the research findings, recommendations are made to improve research productivity in this context. On the basis of these and other findings discussed in the main text of the thesis, recommendations for practice and for futher research are made. It is concluded that specific value configurations appear to constrain research productivity in this context and that individuals and the academic institutions for which they work need to take the potential effect of such value configurations into account in their management of research productivity.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering / The purpose of the study was to investigate ways of providing corporate real estate management services in the South African context. The data collection process started with a pilot study using a questionnaire. A qualitative approach was used with semi-structured interviews of six Corporate Real Estate managers from companies of various industries in Johannesburg in March 2014. The larger organizations prefer to have a formalized Corporate Real Estate unit that is situated at headquarters and have no links with core business. These companies refer to their corporate real estate units as facilities management, property management and workplace management, the actual term “corporate real estate” is not used in South Africa. The companies that have the formalized Corporate Real Estate units own their Corporate Real Estate or are triple net leasing their Corporate Real Estate. Respondent companies prefer to manage strategic aspects in-house and outsource the operational activities, because real estate is not their core business. Some of the respondents did not experience challenges with either outsourcing or in-house management. Respondents that experienced challenges with outsourcing had problems with performance issues, lack of knowledge and experience by service providers, the quality of the service and the lack of performance measurement tools. The challenges experienced with managing in-house included performance issues, lack of accountability from internal staff, lack of flexibility, and lack of skill and experience on the part of internal staff. South African practice may appear to match international best practice; however, more studies might be needed to validate the results. Key words: South Africa, corporate real estate management, outsourcing, in-house management

M.Tech. Business Administration. Business School. / In 1994 with the new democratic Government, South Africa initiated a plethora of changes and transformation in business. South Africa’s management, which was mostly made up of White managers, was joined by a Black, African group of managers. Businesses saw vast differences in the management styles of the White/Westernised leaders in comparison to that of the Black/Africanised leaders. Leaders have the ability to shape South African organisations with regards to how businesses/organisations are managed and the style of leadership adopted, which in turn influences the organisations’ culture. South African organisations not only had White and Black managers to contend with, but the workforce also consisted of very diverse work groups made up of distinguishing factors such as race, gender, age and ethnicity. Furthermore, managers had to change from pre-apartheid management styles to post-apartheid leadership styles, to facilitate the management of a changing political, social and economic environment. The task of management for leaders became extremely complex. The study as a result, focuses on the very Western leadership of White managers, in comparison to the Africanised leadership of Black, African managers.

This study will attempt to determine whether and how change management impacts upon employees' perceptions of organisational climate. This is particularly relevant in the South African environment where, due to many years of isolation, organisations have changed little if at all, and now find themselves faced with constant change in order to compete in the global marketplace. "Change begets change. When people in an organisation have seen changes occur, without harmful effects to the organisation or to them or their co-workers, they are likely to accept further changes quite readily. Conversely, unfavourable experience with change encourages resistance. Executives can study their organisational climate and quietly take steps to make it more favourable to new ideas and new methods". (Johns:(l963:29) At the outset, in order to avoid confusion, it must be mentioned that there are two main aspects to change management in an organisation, namely, the management of change from a managers perspe~tive, which focuses on how to effectively manage change, using for example Lewin's model, and the management of change from the employees' perspective, which focuses on how employees are coping with change. These have a direct bearing on each other. 1.2 Importance of the Research A person's perception is their reality. This study will highlight the relationship between the employees' perception of organisational climate and change management. This will allow management to attempt to create the most conducive climate necessary to facilitate change. 1.3 Objectives and Aims of the Study 1. To establish whether a relationship exists between employees' perceptions of organisational climate and change management. 2. To ascertain how employees' perceptions of change management impacts on organisational climate. 1.4. Theoretical Model Indenendent Variable CHANGE MANAGEMENT ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE Man's behaviour in organisations is not the product of cognitive rationality or of a logical and mechanistic mode of processing information. In addition to the structural properties which managers design as a mechanism for guiding behaviour, management has also to consider the psychologicalsociological climate that is equally powerful in affecting individual and group behaviour. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Thesis (MA) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The underlying problem that prompted this study was to determine whether a relationship existed between organisational culture and organisational performance within a South African organisation. The research problem, furthermore, not only focused on establishing a relationship between aspects of organisational culture and performance, but also on whether variations in the perception of organisational culture are related to organisational performance, i.e. whether the degree to which the organisational culture is widespread or shared among members of the organisation, is related to organisational performance. To answer this question, six hypotheses were formulated with the intention of subjecting them to statistical analysis. The Competence Process of Jay Hall (1996) was used to provide a theoretical framework in terms of which the relationship between the constituent dimensions of organisational culture and organisational performance may be explained. Based on the competence theory it is hypothesised that the dimensions of organisational culture or competence - collaboration, commitment, creativity and the supporting conditions thereof, are directly proportional to the potential for performance. The 40-item Organisational Competence Index (OCI), which forms part of the Organisation Culture Analysis (OCA), is designed to assess the conditions for competence within an organisation. The sampling process finally produced a sample of 988 respondents that completed the organisational culture questionnaires (OCls). The organisation was divided into 60 areas or business units that were stratified throughout the organisation. A stratified sampling technique was therefore used, and the above mentioned geographical subdivisions were used as strata. Because of the all-pervasive nature of accounting as the language of business, financially based indicators are universally adopted to measure organisational performance. Taking the various arguments and proposed measures into consideration, it was decided to use the following three objective performance criteria: 1) financial profits; 2) stock losses; and 3) labour turnover - (indicative of the voluntary survival rate). Commercial organisations ultimately have one important "bottom line", to create wealth for all associated with the organisation and therefore to be financially successful. Thus, the indicators of organisational performance that were used are all directly relevant and based on the so-called financial "bottom line" of the organisation. To determine the relationship between the average organisational culture scores and the performance indicators, the product moment correlation coefficients were computed between each area's average organisational culture dimension scores and the three indicators of performance. Commuting the coefficient of variation arrived at the variation in average culture dimension scores per area. To establish the relationship between the variation in average culture dimension scores and the performance indicators, the correlation coefficients were computed between the coefficient of variation and the performance measures. All of these relationships were found to be significant, at least at the 0.05 level. The findings and conclusions arrived at, may be summarised as follows: The first conclusion that can be drawn is that the business units in which the members experience collaboration and the supporting conditions thereof to a greater degree are likely to be more profitable, to experience fewer stock losses and lower labour turnover, compared to those business units where members experience the collaboration dimension to a lesser degree. The second conclusion that can be drawn is that the business units in which the members experience commitment and the supporting conditions thereof to a greater degree are likely to be more profitable, to experience fewer stock losses and lower labour turnover compared to those business units where members experience the commitment dimension to a lesser degree. The third conclusion that can be drawn is that the business units in which the members experience creativity and the supporting conditions thereof to a greater degree are likely to be more profitable, to experience fewer stock losses and lower labour turnover compared to those business units where members experience the creativity dimension to a lesser degree. The fourth conclusion that can be drawn is that the business units in which the members experience the dimensions of competence and the supporting conditions thereof to a lesser degree of variance are likely to be more profitable, to experience fewer stock losses and lower labour turnover compared to those business units where members experience the culture dimensions to a greater degree of variance. In more practical terms, it would seem that the dimensions of competence might well explain why some business units (possibly organisations) are more successful than others. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderliggende vraag wat tot hierdie studie gelei het, was om te bepaal of daar 'n verband bestaan tussen die organisatoriese kultuur en die organisasie prestasie van 'n Suid Afrikaanse maatskappy. Die navorsingsprobleem het verder nie net gefokus op die vestiging van 'n verband tussen aspekte van organisasie kultuur en prestasie nie, maar ook probeer om te bepaal of die variansie in die persepsie van organisasie kultuur ook verwant is aan prestasie. Om hierdie vrae te beantwoord is ses hipoteses geformuleer met die intensie om hulle statisties te toets. Die Bevoegdheidsproses van Hall (1996) is gebruik as die teoretiese raamwerk wat die verband tussen die samestellende dele van organisasie kultuur en organisasie prestasie verduidelik. Hierdie teorie veronderstel dat die dimensies van organisasie bevoegdheid - samewerking, toevertrouing, kreatiwiteit en die onderskeie ondersteunende kondisies van elk, direk proporsioneel is aan die potensiaal vir prestasie. Die 40-item Organisasie Bevoegdheidsindeks (OCI), wat deel vorm van die Organisasie Kultuur Analise (OCA), is ontwerp om die kondisies VIr bevoegdheid in die organisasie te meet. Die steekproef het bestaan uit 988 respondente wat die organisasie kultuur vraelyste (OCI) voltooi het. Die organisasie is verdeel in 60 areas of besigheidseenhede wat regdeur die organisasie gestratifiseer is. 'n Gestratifiseerde steekproef trekkingstegniek is dus gebruik. Finansieel gebaseerde indikatore word universeel gebruik om orgamsasie prestasie te meet. In die keuse van prestasie indikatore, is verskeie argumente en voorgestelde indikatore in ag geneem, en is daar besluit om die volgende objektiewe kriteria te gebruik: 1) finansiële winste, 2) voorraad verlieste en 3) arbeidsomset. Kommersiële organisasies het uiteindelik een hoof doel, om rykdom te skep vir sy aandeelhouers en dus om finansieel suksesvol te wees. Die indikatore van prestasie is dus so gekies dat hulle relevant is en op hierdie doelwit gebaseer is. Om die verband te bepaal tussen die organisasie kultuur-tellings en die prestasie indikatore, is die produk moment korrelasie koëffisiënt bereken tussen die gemiddelde organisatoriese kultuur-tellings vir elke area en die area se tellings op die drie prestasie indikatore. Die variansie in die gemiddelde kultuurmeting per area was bereken deur middel van die koëffisiënt van variansie. Die korrelasie koëffisiënt is bereken tussen hierdie meting, en die prestasiemeting vir elke area. Al hierdie verhoudings was ten minste op die 0.05 vlak betekenisvol. Die bevindinge en gevolgtrekkings van hierdie studie sluit die volgende in: Die eerste gevolgtrekking wat gemaak is, was dat die besigheidseenhede waar die werknemers die samewerkingsdimensie, en die ondersteunende kondisies daarvan, tot 'n groter mate ervaar het, meer wins gemaak het, laer vooraadverliese gely het en 'n laer arbeidsomset gehad het in vergelyking met die besigheidseenhede wat die samewerkingsdimesie tot 'n mindere mate ervaar het. Die tweede gevolgtrekking wat gemaak is, was dat die besigheidseenhede waar die werknemers toevertrouing, en die ondersteunende kondisies daarvan tot 'n groter mate ervaar het, meer wins gemaak het, laer vooraad verlieste gely het en 'n laer arbeidsomset gehad het in vergelyking met die besigheidseenhede wat die toevertrouingsdimensie tot 'n mindere mate ervaar het. Die derde gevolgtrekking wat gemaak is, is dat die besigheidseenhede waar die werknemers die kreatiwiteitsdimensie, en die ondersteunende kondisies daarvan, tot 'n groter mate ervaar het, het meer wins gemaak, laer vooraad verlieste gelyen 'n laer arbeidsomset gehad in vergelyking met die besigheidseenhede wat die kreatiwiteitsdimensie tot 'n mindere mate ervaar het. Die vierde gevolgtrekking wat gemaak is, was dat die besigheidseenhede waarby 'n kleiner mate van variansie in die kultuurmetings gevind is, het daardie besigheidseenhede meer profyt gemaak, laer vooraadverliese gelyen 'n laer arbeidsomset gehad in vergelyking met die besigheidseenhede waar daar 'n groter mate van variansie in die kultuurrnetings was. In meer praktiese terme wil dit voorkom of die dimensies van bevoegdheid tot 'n mate kan verduidelik hoekom sekere besigheidseenhede (moontlik organisasies) meer suksesvol is as ander.

Happiness, or the concept of well-being can be traced back to the era of Aristotle (384 to 322 BC), Epicuruss (341 to 270 BC), John Locke (1632 to 1704) and more recently Ed Diener (DOB 1946), who played an integral part in the well-being revolution. People have very different ways in seeking happiness, whether it is closely associated to their personal life, the work environment or in society, they are constantly striving towards a goal of experiencing happiness at its purist form. Bursts of absolute joy and the purist form of immediate gratification cannot provide a path to finding happiness and well-being. The process is intricate and requires a variety of variables integrated into a combination of events and lifestyle experiences to culminate into an existence which produces a feeling of inner peace and fulfillment. Current research suggests that this is not an attainable state of existence, but human nature drives every individual to seek out a path to finding true happiness. The advent of the modern day economic crisis has changed the global environment to the extent where society is attempting to find a new norm to operate in. As a consequence, individuals are presented with new challenges which have forced them to re-evaluate their path to finding a balance in their lives. These changes have added new challenges to deal with and adapt to as new forces in the global environment start to shape a new tomorrow. People spend a large portion of their existence working to earn an income and to provide a means of supporting themselves and their dependents. The challenges they face are enhanced by the strains of working in stressful and pressurised working environments as their employers are also adapting to the changing global environment. Economic pressure is passed on to employees, as they are pushed to achieve the financial results demanded by shareholders. The last ten years has seen a wealth of research being conducted in the space of well-being and how it relates to business has gained popularity. The study of epidemiology refers to the study of components of human behaviour, which have a negative impact on individual functioning, like stress and anxiety disorders. Well-being in the workplace can counter these ailments and create a working environment absent of these negative afflictions which damage the productivity of a workforce. Employers who understand the positive aspects associated with well-being are in a position to effectively deploy their employees to produce improved financial results. The starting point for many organisations is to determine the current level of happiness in their businesses and to establish what variables are responsible for the current state of well-being. The main objective of the empirical study was to determine the level of happiness at a financial institution. The target population (354 potential respondents) is the regional office the financial institution based in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Potential respondents received electronic requests by email, requesting their participation in the study. A total of 164 completed questionnaires were returned (46.33%) and analysed. Literature was reviewed to develop a conceptual model. Seven variables were identified as having an influence on employee happiness and have the potential to change employee well-being levels to aid organisations in their quest to adapt to the prevailing economic conditions and stress people have to deal with on a daily basis. The results from the study show that Work-life, Safety and Security, Growth and Development, Health, Recognition and Reward, Autonomy and Social Connectedness are all closely associate with employee well-being. Safety and security, Autonomy and Recognition and Reward have direct positive associations with the concept of well-being and have a significant relationship and potential to enhance well-being. The end result is that with the correct interventions by an employer, well-being can be measured and applied in the working environment. The correct combination of variables can have a positive impact in the work environment. A happy workforce can be an advantage to an organisation, their interventions can add great value to employees by increasing their commitment to the organisation and ultimately the business can benefit from their Interventions by seeing their efforts being realised in their financial results.

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.

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)

This research is a primary exploration of the relationship amongst culture, ethnicity and practises of leadership development in South African organisations. The need and significance of this research stems from the fact that in a diverse South African workforce a poor leadership style may have undesirable consequences for an organisation. Amongst these consequences could be a loss of market share and competitive advantage. In order to determine the approach South African organisations are taking towards leadership development, the researcher first sought the opinions of potential future leaders (ie. First Year MBA and MBL students) by means of a questionnaire survey and then interviewed a number of persons responsible for the leadership development programmes in a number of organisations regarding their leadership development initiatives. The primary contribution this study makes to the body of knowledge is that the relationship amongst culture, ethnicity and practises of leadership development in South African organisations has not been explored previously in any depth. This study has delved into these relationships. The conclusion of this study is that culture and ethnicity do not play a major role or have a major influence on the approach organisations take to leadership development, nor to the selection of candidates, or in the formulation of leadership development programme content. / Business Management / DBL