The purpose of the study was to construct and test a theoretical model for measuring degrees of organizational effectiveness, efficiency, and integration. The model, the administrative grid, patterned after the quadrant scheme used by Halpin and the managerial grid by Blake and Mouton, provided a system of accommodating the effectiveness and efficiency measures established by Barnard and a visual interpretation of the administrative technique utilized by administrators in integrating the two basic elements of an organization, the goals and the people.In designing the pilot study to test the model, specific attention was given to a) establishing minimal levels of organizational accomplishment; b) the nature of the orthogonal relationship between goals and people; and c) the psychological constructs of the classroom teacher as a means of measuring administrative activity. The review of the literature included psychological theory and leadership theory as applied to the model.A general hypothesis was made at the beginning of the study that administrators in "good" schools provide leadership differently from administrators in "poor" schools, and the perceptions of teachers could distinguish the difference. A panel of 10 professional educators rated 275 Indiana high schools to facilitate separating higher quality or "good" schools from lower quality or "poor" schools. The ratings were screened for consistency, and the mean scores were placed on a continuum from one to six. Schools were selected for inclusion in the project based upon the mean scores of the ratings at extreme ends of the continuum. Administrators from schools clearly categorized as "good" or "poor" were invited to participate. Eleven randomly selected faculty members from each of 20 "good" and 20 "poor" schools completed an adaptation of the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire-Form XII measuring the amount of structure and production emphasis provided by administrators and the tolerance of freedom and uncertainty among teachers as perceived by the teachers.Seven null hypotheses were established to determine whether differences existed between "good" and "poor" schools on 1) Initiating Structure, 2) Production Emphasis, 3) Goals dimension, 4) Tolerance of Uncertainty, 5) Tolerance of Freedom, 6) People dimension, and 7) Integration. Hypotheses 1, 3, 5, and 6 were rejected beyond the .10 level of significance while 2, 4, and 7 were held as tenable at the .10 level. The data were analyzed by using two-way analyses of variance with the second factor (School) nested. The two-way ANOVA provided the capability of testing for the unique effects associated with the quality of the school classification separately from the unique effects associated with sample schools nested within the "good" and "poor" categories respectively.Mean scores were plotted on the administrative grid and determined to be of assistance in providing school administrators graphic interpretations in how the administrative effort is perceived by teachers. The grid also provides the administrator with direction necessary for corrective action.The study was a pilot project to determine if the method of investigation and application of results warrant further study. The results indicated that perceptions of individuals inside the organization as to the "goal" and "people" orientation of the administration, may provide insight in problem situations. Further research is recommended to sharpen the instrumentation with schools, and replicating the study in various types of organizations was recommended.

M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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Organisations worldwide are attempting to identify talent by using various assessment methods to evaluate competencies perceived to be core to the mandate of their organisations. In recent years recruitment and selection of individuals rely on assessment methods deemed to have high validity and reliability. One such assessment method used worldwide to evaluate top management is the assessment centre, commonly referred to as the AC. The main research problem of this study focussed on an evaluation of the extent to which the assessment centre method is effectively used for the selection and development of senior management employees in the public service of Botswana. The main research problem had eight sub-problems which were addressed through the following actions: A comprehensive literature study was conducted to define and establish the purpose of assessment centres. Moreover, the study aimed to establish the international best practice for the administration of the assessment centre as a tool for selection and talent development. Subsequent to the literature study an interview schedule and survey questionnaire were developed based on the literature. The interview schedule was used to obtain information from consultants who provide assessment centre services to the public service. The objective of the questionnaire was to obtain information from the recipients of the service and determine the extent to which that information compares with information obtained from the consultants. The questionnaire was distributed to a randomly selected population. The results of the empirical study were statistically analysed and interpreted and revealed that permanent and deputy permanent secretaries are more aware of the reasons for using the assessment centre method than directors and deputy directors. These senior management employees felt that the assessment centre is an effective tool for selection and development but the results from the assessment centre are not optimally used for development. The study revealed that generally the assessment centre process conducted in the Botswana public service is in line with international best practice of assessment centres. However, there are certain areas that need some improvement for the assessment centre to entirely conform to international best practice. These areas include the implementation of an assessment centre policy and the improvement of feedback and vital information provided to participants prior to the centre. The empirical study also revealed that senior management employees hold the view that many senior officers in the public service do not know the importance of the assessment centre method and are not comfortable to participate in such a centre. The assessment centre method has proven to be an effective tool for evaluating competencies. This is due to its use of multiple techniques, assessors, simulations and exercises. Theory has revealed that the assessment centre has higher validity and reliability than other assessment methods. However, due to the high costs of running assessment centres, some organisations take shortcuts and therefore jeopardise its validity.

Bibliography: pages 42-44. / Research designed to add to the body of knowledge facilitating the effective management of the human resource in industry has become critical in South Africa at a time when the country is experiencing a shortage of skilled manpower. Assessment centres have long been in use in South Africa as a means of assessing managerial potential. Notwithstanding reports of their predictive validity the process is costly and research pertaining to how managerial potential could be identified at an early stage by less costly means is thus potentially valuable. One such means is biodata, or biographical information, upon which basis the selection of staff has traditionally occurred, in line with the truism that past behaviour is predictive of future success. This study was thus designed to identify the biographical characteristics which distinguish a high managerial potential group from a low managerial potential group, as assessed by an assessment centre.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: On the basis of a literature review regarding effective leadership, coping with change and the assessment of effective leadership and coping, this study investigated the use of The Wheel, a free-format, projective technique, which lends itself to a qualitative and quantitative analysis. A group of (N=75) managers, within a large South African engineering organisation, were assessed during organisational change. Human Resource practitioners and supervisors evaluated participants' leadership effectiveness by using a six-point Lickert scale. Overall performance scores were calculated based on a gap analysis between perceived performance and required performance. High, Medium and Low performance groups were identified and compared in terms of The Wheel results. On a quantitative level significant differences were obtained with regards to Overall performance scores and the Number of Segments completed by participants. Furthermore, some of The Wheel constructs correlated with individual performance rating items and also appears to reflect the impact of organisational change on participants' Attitudes, Discrimination and Sense of Control towards key words "My Work". On a qualitative level, the contents of The Wheel profiles indicated themes that may be an indication of different approaches and lor problems experienced respectively by High and Low performance groups during organisational change. The Wheel may thus have predictive validity for assessing leadership effectiveness during organisational change, but due to limitations of this explorative study, further research is recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Op grond van 'n literatuurstudie van effektiewe leierskap, hantering van verandering en die meting van effektiewe leierskap en probleemhantering, word die gebruik van The Wheel, 'n projeksietegniek wat kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe interpretasie behels, ondersoek. Vervolgens is 'n groep (N=75) bestuurders, vanuit 'n groot Suid-Afrikaanse ingenieurs organisasie, tydens organisatoriese verandering en herstrukturering geëvalueer. Prestasie beoordelings vir elk van die deelnemers is deur menslike hulpbronpraktisyns en supervisors gedoen op grond van 'n ses-punt Lickert skaal. Algehele prestasietellings is vir elke deelnemer bereken op grond van 'n gapingsanalise tussen waargenome prestasie en vereiste prestasie. Hoë, Medium en Lae prestasiegroepe is geïdentifiseer en vergelyk in terme van die The Wheel resultate. Op 'n kwantitatiewe vlak was daar betekenisvolle verskille tussen verskillende prestasiegroepe en die Getal Segmente ingevul deur deelnemers. Sommige van die The Wheel konstrukte het ook betekenisvolle korrelasies getoon met van die prestasiebeoordelingsitems. Die The Wheel resultate het ook die situasionele impak van organisatoriese verandering en herstrukturerinq gereflekteer in terme van deelnemers se Houdings-, Diskriminasie- en Kontroletellings behaal vir sleutelwoorde "My Werk". Op 'n kwalitatiewe vlak dui die inhoud van die The Wheel profiele daarop dat Hoë en Lae prestasiegroepe onderskeidelik verskillende temas meld tydens die vrye assosiasie oefening. Die The Wheel mag belofte inhou vir die met1ng van effektiewe leierskap, maar as gevolg van beperkings in hierdie eksploratiewe-studie. word verdere navorsing aanbeveel.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of managerial experience on the relationships between assertiveness, trait anxiety, and internality, and on each of these constructs individually. Hypotheses were as follows: a) managers would be more assertive, internal, and less trait anxious than business students; b) males would be more assertive than females when students, not managers; and c) assertiveness and internality would relate positively to each other and negatively to trait anxiety. Subjects consisted of 30 managers and 53 business students. The first and third hypotheses were confirmed, although the assertiveness differences were not significant. Reasons for the observed outcome are discussed as well as implications for these constructs' ability to predict management potential.

This research is an analysis of one month of daily occupations of three company Presidents continously observed with a participant-observer methodology. Following Levinson’s (1972) and Kets de Vries1 (1980) studies we are using a clinical approach. Also following Freud (1926a), Geertz (1973) and Kets de Vries (1984a), interpretation is central to the analysis: transference and countertransference reactions are used both to collect and to interpret the data. Using empirically Andrews1 approach (revised 1980) to Business Policy, we classify in in three classes, environmental, organizational and personal the daily occupations of the Presidents. The list of preoccupations cannot easily be classified under the same model: analysis reveals that they rather should be used as a Royal Path to interpret the occupations. The three Presidents manage with a different style: one behaves as a controller, megalomaniac and eclectic, the second as a coordinator, autocratic and performer and the third as a producer, radar and innovator. All are driven by a Magnificient Obsession, autonomy, money or quality that produces a strategic core “in their daily occupations. If strategies remain emergent, strategic management is opportunistic while strategic thinking is deliberate. The three realized observations suggest that the preoccupations generate the occupations: a well articulated strategic thought directly influences the quality of daily strategic actions. / Cette recherche analyse la gestion quotidienne de trois presidents observes continuellement durant un mois chacun, selon la methodologie de lfobservation-participante. Suite aux recherches de Levinson (1972) et de Kets *?.e Vries (1980), l’approche privilegiee est clinique. La demarche est interpretative et se situe dans le courant des travaux de Freud (1926a), Geertz (1973) et Kets de Vries (1984a): les reactions de transfert et de contre-transfert sont utilisees comme outils de cueillette et dfinterpretation. Les actions quotidiennes des presidents sont analysees a l!aide du modele de Politiques Generales propose par Andrews (revise 1980). L’utilisation empirique de ses reflexions nous mene a classer leurs occupations en trois grandes categories: 1fenvironnement, 1’organisation et la personne du president. La liste des preoccupations recueillies se prete difficilement au meme classement: de nature latente, les preoccupations s’averent une Voie Royale dfinterpretation des occupations. [...]

M.A. / Triage is an instrument that is intended to assist in the decision-making process regarding managerial personnel. As such, it purports to measure personality traits that underlie managerial performance. Its information output is applied to assist with managerial selection, managerial development, and team building decisions and exercises. Managerial and other work behaviour is highly influenced by cultural factors, and probably also the accompanying measuring instruments. The current research set out to assess whether Triage is a system that may be fairly applied for individuals from different races and genders. Methodologically the instrument presents huge potential since its computerised technology evaluates managerial traits in an effective and simplified fashion. Although it had been previously researched for a British population, -the minimum requirement for it to be applied fairly across South African groups was that it manifested acceptable levels of validity and reliability for the different South African groups to which the test battery is normally applied. Issues of similarities and differences between different racial and gender groups were hypothesised as part of the research design. In line with theory and previous research results, it was expected that score differences would appear between groups, but that acceptable levels of reliability and construct validity would be indicated for all groups. Cronbach alpha coefficients confinned relatively high reliability for all groups. MANOVA and ANDVA analyses confirmed cross-group differences in test scores. Factor analyses and canonical correlation analysis indicated that three factors have high relevance for all current and previous groups, with the Achiever/ Leader showing very high potential as a measure of managerial competence. Comparability of underlying structure was therefore indicated. The ANDVA and factor analyses did indicate, however, that the Alpha Test of Intelligence and the Levene Activities Preferences Questionnaire do not render cross-cultural equivalence regarding test scores and underlying dimensional structure.

The present study compares the performance of volunteers and nonvolunteers in a 10-hour integrated series of management simulation exercises. It was hypothesized that there would be no performance differences in these two groups. Subjects were business students. Dependent measures were global ratings of management level and potential, as well as a behavioral checklist score. The results partially support the hypothesis. Volunteers performed significantly better on the global measures but not on the behavioral checklist. Differences on global measures were attributed to demand characteristics, whereas the behavioral checklist was not susceptible to this artifact. This finding raises doubts as to the usefulness of global measures and the validity of research based on them. Studies designed to upgrade and validate the behavioral checklist are needed.