SPAR Eastern Cape is a special organisation. It is an extraordinary place to work and have fun at. The organisation celebrated its twentieth “birthday” in 2013. Operating in a very difficult sector, this business has done extremely well in establishing itself as one of the leading businesses in the Eastern Cape. The success of this incredible business is driven by employees from all levels. With an extreme conviction in the apothegm that “none of us is as smart as all of us”, the organisation is built around high performance teams through a unique culture called: Amafela Ndawonye (referred to as Amafela hereafter). “Amafela” has been in operation at SPAR Eastern Cape since the organisation’s inauguration in 1993. Organisational cultures are dynamic. Organisational cultures shift, incrementally and constantly, in response to external and internal changes. Trying to assess an organisational culture is therefore complicated by the reality that one is trying to hit a moving target. However, a possibility exists that culture enhancement can be managed as a continuous process rather than big shifts (often in response to a crisis). A stable destination with regards to organisational culture should never be reached. The culture of an organisation should always be learning and developing. This prompted the researcher to ask the question, as an organisation responds to internal and external changes; can it lose its relevancy in the process? The primary objective of this research is to determine whether the commitment to the culture of “Amafela” and relevancy thereof at SPAR Eastern Cape is declining. The first step in achieving this objective was an in-depth theoretical study. The second step, and in order to achieve this objective, was an empirical survey conducted to canvas the opinions of (N= 149) respondents at SPAR Eastern Cape. The main findings of this research conducted at SPAR Eastern Cape can be summarised as follows: The organisational culture was assessed according to how respondents interpret the organisation’s existing organisational culture, and thus underlining areas in need of enhancement. In general the outcome of the survey exhibited that a large number of employees at SPAR Eastern Cape denoted that the culture of “Amafela” is still strong and is still relevant in the organisation. In this research, good to excellent levels of consistency for all eleven factors of “Amafela” were achieved. The items are therefore parallel in the test. Organisational leaders will influence the function of the people within the organisation. Moreover, leadership will set the present and future course of the company. This research articulates a correlation between leadership and “Amafela” factors. The eleven dimensions of the “Amafela” factors ranked according from favourable to less favourable. Customer focus emerged as the factor which most respondents agreed and strongly agreed with. It can be concluded then, that the culture of “Amafela Ndawonye” at SPAR Eastern Cape has the full support of the employees and is still relevant in the organization.

According to Nel, van Dyk, Haasbroek, Schultz, Sono and Werner (2004:19), organizational culture is simply the manner in which things are done in an organization. It is also known as the personality of the organization. Irrespective of what is called, the culture of the organization develops overtime, and employees are often not even aware of its existence. Organizational culture is, however, of particular importance to management because it helps them understand how employees feel about their work. Culture involves general assumptions about the manner in which work should be done, appropriate goals for the organization as a whole and for departments within the organization, and personal goals for employees. It is particularly the latter that makes the nature of the psychological contract of special importance in the pursuit of organizational success. It is represented by formal goals, structures, policy and communication. Shaw (1997:15) agrees with Nel et al (2004) that organizational culture composes of the shared values which are important concerns and goals shared by people in the organization that tend to influence the behaviour of the employees. These values persist overtime even with changes in group membership. In the light of the above literature, I’m conducting a research for a masters’ degree in Industrial Psychology at the University of Fort Hare, the topic being “The impact of organizational culture on employees’ behaviour within tertiary institutions in the Eastern Cape Region”. This study seeks to investigate: 1) Determine the extent of influence of organizational culture on employees’ behaviour. 2) Identify how management enforces such a culture into the workplace. 3) Determine the significance of creating organizational culture and its implementation. This questionnaire was designed, in this regard, by the researcher to assess the above mentioned objectives. This questionnaire was distributed to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and the University of Fort Hare.

Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Bedryfsielkunde)

In this quantitative study, undertaken in a South African information and communications technology (ICT) company, dimensions of organisational culture (measured by the South African Culture Instrument) were correlated with the dimensions of work engagement (measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Survey), to determine whether employees’ perceptions of organisational culture are related to their levels of work engagement. Structural equation modelling confirmed the factorial model of both measuring instruments, with most fit indices indicating the data to be a good or acceptable fit to the hypothesised model. Correlational analyses revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between each of the dimensions of organisational culture and work engagement respectively. Regression analyses showed that leadership, management processes, and goals and objectives make the strongest statistically unique contribution in predicting the dimensions of work engagement. Since work engagement has been shown to relate to several positive work outcomes, it makes sense for organisations to increase levels of work engagement by improving their organisational culture. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / MCom (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Business leaders of today agree that people are the greatest asset of their enterprises, but they struggle to live up to the requirements the knowledge specialists of today dictate. This study investigates the method of storytelling as a leadership tool to engage people in businesses and to contribute to such businesses in becoming an Employer of Choice. In the present day knowledge era the way we communicate has changed completely and knowledge has become the single most important factor within businesses. The latter, in conjunction with the technology boom, has led to an extremely fast paced business environment worldwide, leaving the knowledge experts feeling somehow alienated. Business leaders need to understand this phenomenon and incorporate a culture of care within the business. It is easy to overlook the least troublesome, uncomplicated and inexpensive ways of communications, such as storytelling, to add value in creating a business environment of such a nature. South African businesses should tap into the wisdom of the Ubuntu culture that has its roots deep in storytelling as a method of knowledge sharing and to foster development. The objective of this research document is to illustrate the relationship between storytelling and engaging employees and retaining talent by means of which management could gain a better overview of how their implementation of a storytelling culture in the business could affect their customer retention in the relevant business. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Eietydse sakeleiers stem saam dat mense die grootste bate in hul ondernemings is, maar hulle vind dit moeilik om aan die vereistes te voldoen wat die kennisspesialiste deesdae voorskryf. Hierdie studie stel ondersoek in na die metode van storievertel as 'n bestuurswerktuig om mense binne ondernemings te betrek en om by te dra dat sulke ondernemings 'n voorkeurwerkverskaffer kan word. In die hedendaagse kennis-era het die manier waarop ons kommunikeer, heeltemal verander en het kennis die enkel belangrikste faktor in ondernemings geword. Gepaardgaande met die ontploffing in tegnologie, het ondernemings tot 'n uiters vinnige pas in die wêreldwye sake-omgewing gelei, wat die kennisspesialiste ietwat vervreemd gelaat het. Sakeleiers behoort hierdie verskynsel te verstaan en 'n omgee kultuur in hul ondernemings in te voer. Dit is maklik om die mees probleemvrye, ongekompliseerde en goedkoopste kommunikasie maniere mis te kyk, soos die vertel van stories, om waarde toe te voeg tot die skepping van 'n sake-omgewing van so 'n aard. Suid-Afrikaanse ondernemings behoort die wysheid in die Ubuntu-kultuur te ontgin met sy wortels diep in storievertel as 'n manier om kennis te deel en om te ontwikkel. Die doel van hierdie opdrag is om die verhouding tussen storievertel en die betrokkenheid van werknemers toe te lig en om hul talent te behou waardeur die bestuur 'n beter oorsig kan verkry van hoe die implementering van 'n strorievertel kultuur in die onderneming die behoud van kliënte in die betrokke onderneming kan beïnvloed.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It has been suggested that without the ability to innovate, an organisation will not be able to survive the demands of an ever-changing operating environment. This raises the question: How can organisations ensure that they are able to innovate? Organisational culture has been identified as a critical variable in answering this question. The culture of the organisation determines to a large extent the degree of innovation in that organisation. Business leaders have made attempts to nurture a culture of creativity and innovation in their organisations through the recruitment of dynamic individuals with innovative traits. However, most of their attempts seemed insufficient in achieving their goals. The primary purpose of this research is to develop a framework for organisational culture that characterises an innovative organisation in small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). The secondary objective is to identify the enablers and inhibitors of innovation. Research method: The research approach starts with a review of existing literature. This is followed by the development of the theory and empirical research. Data collection was also carried out in the form of semi-structured interviews with senior and middle management in innovative SMMEs. Main findings: The analysis of the findings indicates that an organisation cannot focus on any single aspect of organisational culture. Innovation is a system in the organisation that is strongly guided by the culture of the organisation. Recommendations: Future research on this subject will benefit from the selection of a larger sample of data. Given the dynamic nature of innovation and organisational culture, it is recommended to repeat this research over time in order to explore whether the same dimensions in determining innovative organisational culture still apply. The current research can also be followed up by a study on the sources of innovation in an organisation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: Sonder die vermoë om te kan innoveer, sal ’n organisasie nie kan oorleef in ’n bedryfsomgewing wat voortdurend verander nie. Dit laat die vraag ontstaan: Hoe kan organisasies seker maak hulle die vermoë het om te innoveer? Organisasiekultuur is geïdentifiseer as ’n kritiese veranderlike in die beantwoording van hierdie vraag. Die kultuur van ’n organisasie bepaal grootliks die mate van innovering in daardie organisasie. Sakeleiers probeer om ’n kultuur van kreatiwiteit en innovering in hul organisasies te koester deur dinamiese individue met innoverende karaktereienskappe te werf. Dit blyk egter dat die meeste van hul pogings nie daarin kan slaag om hul doelwitte te bereik nie. Die primêre doel van hierdie navorsing is om ’n raamwerk vir organisatoriese kultuur te ontwikkel wat ’n innoverende organisasie in klein, medium-grootte en mikro ondernemings (KMMO’s) kenmerk. Die sekondêre doelwit is om die moontlikmakers en inhibeerders van innovering te identifiseer. Navorsingsmetode: Die navorsingsbenadering begin met ’n oorsig van bestaande literatuur. Dit word gevolg deur die ontwikkeling van die teorie en empiriese navorsing. Data-insameling is uitgevoer in die vorm van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met senior en middelvlakbestuurders van innoverende KMMO’s. Vernaamste bevindinge: Die ontleding van die bevindinge dui daarop dat ’n organisasie nie op een enkele aspek van organisasiekultuur kan fokus nie. Innovering is ’n stelsel in die organisasie wat baie sterk deur die kultuur van die organisasie beïnvloed word. Aanbevelings: Toekomstige navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp sal baat vind by die seleksie van ’n groter steekproef van data. Gegewe die dinamiese aard van innovering en organisatoriese kultuur, word daar aanbeveel dat hierdie navorsing mettertyd herhaal word om uit te vind of dieselfde dimensies vir die bepaling van innoverende organisatoriese kultuur steeds van toepassing is. Die huidige navorsing kan ook opgevolg word deur ’n studie oor die bronne van innovering in ’n organisasie.

This research report explores the actions taken by mining companies, with specific focus on Kumba Iron Ore, to overcome the challenges in creating an organisational culture that accommodates women in core positions in the mines. Although more and more women are employed by mining companies worldwide, progress is hampered by the barriers in this historically male-dominated environment, which need to be overcome. South African legislation requires mining companies to meet women-in-mining targets as set out by the mining charter, forcing the mining industry to revisit opportunities for female employees. It necessitates innovative ideas to overcome challenges and to implement strategies to make women in mining work. The research investigates specifically how the mining environment is managing the transformation to overcome the historic views, physical challenges and emotional challenges of women. It discloses the willingness and commitment of mining companies to accommodate women in the workplace to eliminate discrimination and to benefit from the employment of diverse gender groups. Implemented coping strategies lead to changes in working conditions, dealing with and preventing sexual harassment, addressing physical and emotional barriers of women and other challenges to make women in mining work. However, initiatives taken do not necessarily produce the required results due to a lack of follow-up. This report reveals efforts by Kumba Iron Ore to promote mining as an employment of choice and to make mining more attractive to women. It includes the way in which efforts in attracting qualified women supports closing the gap between vacant positions and employment of women in this predominantly male environment. The research report discloses that more efforts are required to make women in mining a reality and that it requires commitment throughout the organisation with the involvement of all stakeholders to overcome these challenges. It reveals the improvement of safety in the mining environment through a specific focus (though a lack of drive still exists), ownership and stakeholder involvement to make women in mining work. A total of 22 men and women in the Kumba Iron Ore broader management team (middle and senior managers from the Mining, Plant, Safety, Human Resources and Supply Chain departments) situated at the production sites in the Northern Cape (Sishen and Kolomela), Limpopo (Thabazimbi) and the head office in Pretoria were interviewed to gather data from their direct experiences on overcoming the challenges of the organisational culture to make the mining environment more attractive and accessible for women. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the information. The data was analysed using a qualitative method and this research report theory emerges from the data obtained from the questionnaires. Proposed future research topics were made.

The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes of middle managers towards cultural diversity and cultural diversity management. A qualitative method of research was chosen to carry out the study. Twenty middle managers from four different companies in the Greater Durban Area were interviewed. One of the main findings of the study was that managers displayed positive attitudes towards cultural diversity and cultural diversity management. However, it was also found that whilst the attitudes displayed towards people of different cultures and races remained positive, little was done in terms of managing the differences that these people brought to the organisation. It was also found that organisations were agreeable to complying with legislative frameworks such as affirmative action and equal employment opportunities to manage diversity. Furthermore, it was established that factors such as understanding, tolerance and acceptance were perceived to be vital "ingredients" to helping diverse people feel accepted and wanted in the company. This was due to their role in increasing productivity levels and decreasing turnover. However, it was uncovered in the literature review, that complying with legislation alone was not enough to manage cultural diversity. If organisations want to unleash the true benefits of diversity management, they wi ll need to recognise people with these differences and simultaneously accept and manage these differences. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

Thesis (M Consumer Science)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Clothing is an important phenomenon within corporate and organisational culture and forms an integral part of the total corporate identity. It fulfills a symbolic purpose and serves as a reference. It is a way in which companies can change or modernise their image as it is conveyed to clients. Little research has been done on uniform types of clothing, even though it has been an important phenomenon in the subject area of Clothing for ages. South African companies offers unique opportunities for research within a multi-cultural environment and Consumer Science's distinctive multi-disciplinary approach makes it an ideal starting point for this type of study. Three environments are concerned with the phenomenon of corporate clothing, namely the employers and employees of organisations or companies, academia of educational establishments and the manufacturers of corporate clothing. The study concerned tried to investigate the phenomenon of corporate clothing within the South African corporate environment. This was firstly done by studying the available clothing literature and describing aspects which have direct or indirect relations to corporate clothing. Information and advice was obtained from experts to gain insight into the South African circumstances with relation to corporate clothing. Secondly, employees who wear corporate clothing were questioned as to their opinions on specific aspects with regards to corporate clothing. This was done by means of a questionnaire which was developed to determine if employees of selected South African companies see corporate clothing as representative of company image, culture and policy. The extent to which extent employees are involved in decision-making processes with regards to corporate clothing was also determined. Employees' opinions with regards to consumer requirements and the extent of satisfaction with corporate clothing was determined. The extent to which age and position within the company playa role in employees' opinions of corporate clothing were investigated according to the information obtained through the questionnaire. The above mentioned information was structured to give possible guidelines to companies with in the implimentation and development of corporate clothing within the existing organisational culture. This study did not focus on manufacturers of corporate clothing, but it is assumed that they can benefit from the findings of the study. The study will contribute to the building of theory in the subject area of Clothing and consequently also contribute to the academical field. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Korporatiewe kleredrag is 'n belangrike fenomeen binne die korporatiewe en organisatoriese kultuur en vorm 'n integrale deel van algehele korporatiewe identiteit. Dit vervul 'n simboliese rol en dien as 'n verwysingsmaatstaf. Dit is 'n manier waarop maatskappye hul beeld aan kliënte kan verander of moderniseer. Alhoewel uniforme drag reeds vir eeue 'n belangrike fenomeen in kleredrag is, is daar steeds min aandag in navorsing aan hierdie onderwerp geskenk. Suid- Afrikaanse maatskappye bied unieke geleenthede vir navorsing binne 'n multi-kulturele omgewing en Verbruikerswetenskap se eiesoortige multi-dissiplinêre benadering maak dit by uitstek geskik as vertrekpunt vir hierdie tipe studie. Drie omgewings het belang by die fenomeen van korporatiewe drag, naamlik die werkgewers en - nemers van organisasies of maatskappye, akademici van opvoedkundige instellings en die vervaardigers van korporatiewe drag. Die betrokke studie het gepoog om op 'n verkennende wyse ondersoek in te stel na die fenomeen van korporatiewe drag binne die Suid-Afrikaanse korporatiewe omgewing. Dit is gedoen deur eerstens beskikbare kledingliteratuur te bestudeer en sodoende aspekte te beskryf wat direk en indirek betrekking het op korporatiewe drag. Inligting en advies is vanaf kundiges ingewin om insig in dié verband in die Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede te verkry. Tweedens is werknemers wat korporatiewe drag dra, se menings oor spesifieke aspekte met betrekking tot korporatiewe drag vasgestel. Vir hierdie doel is 'n vraelys ontwikkel om vas te stel of die werknemers van geselekteerde Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye korporatiewe drag sien as verteenwoordigend van maatskappybeeld, -kultuur en -beleid. Daar is ook vasgestel in watter mate werknemers betrek word in besluitneming oor korporatiewe drag. Werknemers se menings oor verbruikersvereistes, die mate van tevredenheid met die korporatiewe drag is bepaal. Die mate waartoe ouderdom en posvlak 'n rol speel in werknemers se menings van korporatiewe drag is ook vasgestel met behulp van die inligting verkry uit die vraelyste. Bostaande inligting is gestruktureer om moontlike riglyne aan maatskappye te bied met betrekking tot die invoer of ontwikkeling van korporatiewe drag binne die bestaande organisatoriese kultuur. Daar is nie in hierdie studie gefokus op vervaardigers van korporatiewe drag nie, maar dit word aanvaar dat die groep wel sal kan baat vind by die bevindings. Die studie sal 'n bydrae lewer tot die opbou van teorie in die vakgebied van Kleding en gevolglik ook 'n bydrae tot die akademie lewer.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organisational culture has become a popular topic since more and more companies have joined the competition of world economy in the information era. It has also become an important method to support a company’s strategy. Products such as “hardware” no longer provide the main focus when companies strive to gain their markets. It has become accepted that culture, which plays a role as part of the company’s “software”, functions equally well as, and sometimes even more efficiently than products. The aim of this research study was to apply the theory to practice by answering the question: In the real organisation’s operation, which cultural attributes embody the value layer of organisational culture? This research study focuses primarily on Schein’s model of organisational culture. This model is applied to the case studies of Naspers’ culture and of Tencent’s culture. The result of the application of Schein’s model to these two companies leads to a comparison of their organisational culture. In the end, my own analysis is discussed based on the comparison. From this part, innovation, risk taking, attention to detail, outcome orientation, people orientation, team orientation, customer orientation, aggressiveness, stability and easy-goingness are shown to be the cultural attributes that embody values in a real organisation’s operation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Organisasiekultuur het ‘n populêre onderwerp geword sedert al meer maatskappye deel geword het van die mededinging van die wêreldekonomie in die inligtingstydvak. Dit het ook ‘n belangrike metode geword om ‘n maatskappy se strategie te ondersteun. Produkte soos “hardeware” verskaf nie meer die hooffokus wanneer maatskappye daarna streef om hulle markte te bekom nie. Dit word nou aanvaar dat kultuur, wat ‘n rol speel as deel van die maatskappy se “sagteware”, ewe goed as produkte funksioneer, en soms selfs meer doeltreffend. Die mikpunt van hierdie navorsingstudie was om teorie op die praktyk toe te pas deur die volgende vraag te beantwoord: Watter kulturele attribute beliggaam die waardelaag van organisasiekultuur in die werking van die ware organisasie? Hierdie navorsingstudie fokus primêr op Schein se model van organisasiekultuur. Hierdie model word toegepas op gevallestudies van die kultuur van Naspers en Tencent. Die resultaat van die toepassing van Schein se model op hierdie twee maatskappye lei tot ‘n vergelyking van hulle organisasiekultuur. Ten slotte word my eie analise bespreek, gebaseer op die vergelyking. In hierdie deel word aangetoon dat innovasie, die neem van risiko’s, aandag aan detail, resultaat-georiënteerdheid, mens-georiënteerdheid, span-oriëntasie, kliënt-oriëntasie, aggressiwiteit, stabiliteit en onbesorgdheid die kulturele attribute is wat die waardes in ‘n ware organisasie se werking beliggaam.