Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Management Sciences Specialising in Human Resources Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / This research project was aimed to investigate the impact of extrinsic rewards on employee motivation and organisational effectiveness at ZFC Limited in Zimbabwe. In the globalised environment, it is of important to ensure a motivated workforce because employees are the only asset that appreciates in value over time, thereby directly contributing to organisational outcomes. Employee motivation has been a major problem in manufacturing companies in Zimbabwe, due mainly to poor salaries and pecuniary benefits such as transport allowances and bonuses. The main objectives of the study were to determine employee perceptions of extrinsic rewards, ascertain the relationship between extrinsic rewards and employee motivation and determine the effect of extrinsic rewards on organisational effectiveness. The study adopted a quantitative paradigm, which entailed a structured questionnaire being distributed to respondents. The structured questionnaire comprised Section A and Section B. The sample size was 140, which was derived from a target population of 280 employees through the systematic sampling technique. The researcher used the personal method in distributing and collecting questionnaires to sample respondents and 98 completed questionnaires were returned. This equated to a high response rate of 70%. Furthermore, the data collected was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 24.0 for Windows. Upon completion, the entire dissertation was checked for plagiarism through the TURNITIN program. The study found that salaries, bonuses and transport allowances were amongst the top extrinsic rewards at ZFC Limited in Zimbabwe. Good financial rewards are vital in influencing the behaviour of employees, as well as in enhancing organisational outcomes. The researcher recommended that ZFC Limited should consider reviewing the reward system, offering competitive financial rewards and timeously rewarding employees. The research project concluded with directions for future research on the role of extrinsic rewards on employee behaviour. / M

Inducement prizes-where cash rewards are given to motivate the attainment of targets--have been long used to encourage scientific research, develop technological innovations, or stimulate individuals, groups, and communities to accomplish diverse goals. Lately, prizes have increasingly attracted the attention of policy-makers, among others, due to their potential to induce path-breaking innovations and accomplish related goals. Academic research, however, has barely investigated these prizes in spite of their long history, recent popularity, and notable potential. This research investigates prizes and the means by which they induce innovation. It uses an empirical, multiple case-study methodology, a new model of innovation applied to prizes, and multiple data sources to investigate three cases of recent aerospace technology prizes: a main case study, the Google Lunar X Prize (GLXP) for robotic Moon exploration; and two pilot cases, the Ansari X Prize (AXP) for the first private reusable manned spacecraft and the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge (NGLLC) for flights of reusable rocket-powered vehicles. The investigation unveils the dynamics of prizes and contributes a better understanding of their potential and disadvantages in a context in which more traditional mechanisms are used to induce innovation. This research shows that prizes are a more complex mechanism and their investigation requires analyzing entrant- and context-level factors generally not considered by the literature. Prizes complement and not replace patents and other incentive mechanisms. The incentives offered by prizes attract entrants with diverse characteristics, including unconventional entrants--individuals and organizations generally not involved with the prize technologies. Entrants are generally attracted by the non-monetary benefits of participation and the potential market value of the technologies involved in competitions. Many more volunteers, collaborators, and partners also participate indirectly and support official entries as they also perceive opportunities to accomplish their personal and organizational goals. The monetary reward is important to position the competition in the media and disseminate the idea of the prize. Prizes can induce increasing R&D activities and re-direct industry projects to target diverse technological goals, yet the evolution of prize competitions and quality of the technological outputs is generally difficult to anticipate. The overall organization of prize R&D activities and their outputs depend on entrant-level factors and can only be indirectly influenced by setting specific competition rules. The most remarkable characteristic of prize R&D activities is their interaction with fundraising efforts which, in some circumstances, may constrain the activities of entrants. Prizes can also induce innovation over and above what would have occurred anyway, yet their overall effect depends significantly on the characteristics of the prize entrants and the evolution of the context of the competition. The ability of prizes to induce innovation is larger when there are larger prize incentives, more significant technology gaps implicit in the prize challenge, and open-ended challenge definitions. To successfully induce technological breakthroughs, prizes may require complementary incentives (e.g. commitments to purchase technology) or support (e.g. seed funding.) Prizes are particularly appropriate to, for example, explore new, experimental methods and technologies that imply high-risk R&D; induce technological development to break critical technological barriers; accelerate technological development to achieve higher performance standards; and, accelerate diffusion, adoption, and/or commercialization of technologies. They involve, however, higher programmatic risks than other more traditional mechanisms and their routine use, and/or challenge definitions that overlap, can weaken the incentive power of the mechanism. Successful implementation of competitions requires many parameters to be properly set.

One of the challenges facing education systems worldwide is the motivation of qualified teachers to teach at rural schools. Teaching at rural schools is a challenge as rural areas are characterised by adverse living and working conditions, making qualified teachers prefer living and working at urban schools where conditions are more comfortable. Namibia implemented the financial incentive to motivate qualified teachers to teach at rural schools and improve learner performance. The implementation of the financial incentive in Namibia has received little research attention in establishing its effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the financial incentive on the performance of learners at rural schools, as this performance relates to teacher motivation. To achieve this, a literature study and an empirical investigation were conducted. An interpretivist research paradigm informed the methodology for the study. A mixed-methods research approach, which relied more on a qualitative research design, included a research sample of 28 teachers, five school principals and two education officials. Data were collected through interviews and document analysis. Individual interviews were conducted with education officials and school principals. Focus group interviews were conducted with teachers. Document analysis entailed accessing applicable documents of each research site in the office of the school principal. Textual data were analysed and presented thematically and numeric data were analysed and presented as frequencies and percentages. Key findings established that financial incentive has contributed little to the performance of learners in rural schools. The fact that rural schools are not properly categorised according to environmental challenges results in teachers not receiving realistic financial incentive. Teachers were therefore not motivated by financial incentive, but by other factors relating to being tuned to nature in rural areas, being exposed to lower living costs and enjoying accommodating school leadership and community care. A revisiting of the implementation of the financial incentive is recommended in order to negate shortcomings and enhance the potential of financial incentive to contribute to improved learner performance as steered by motivated teachers. / Educational Studies / Ph. D. (Education)

Orientation: The face of the workforce as we know it, is changing dramatically through globalisation and the retirement of the older generation, and organisations are confronted with the need to change. Company strategies for attraction and retention require adaption, as the ‘one-size-fits-all’ model no longer appears to be appropriate for today’s multigenerational workforce. As employers aim to attract and retain high-value youth employees, it is more important than ever to understand the total rewards expectations that will attract and retain them. Research purpose: To determine what changes and priorities organisations need to consider for their total rewards models to attract and retain qualified youths entering the workforce. Motivation for the study: The need to understand what intrinsic and extrinsic rewards are aligned with the aspirations and values of skilled youths, in an ongoing attempt to attract and retain them. Research methodology: The researcher utilised a sequential mixed-method research approach to evaluate the effectiveness of the reward categories of the WorldatWork (2015) Total Rewards Model and other reward elements identified during the literature review. Data were collected in two phases, using quantitative and qualitative methods. Phase I: The quantitative method entailed a research questionnaire, distributed to defined professional databases, tertiary institutions, private and public listed companies, as well as parastatals. The researcher distributed 450 questionnaires, of which 276 usable questionnaire responses were received — a response rate of 61.3%. Phase II: The qualitative method utilised interviews exploring the results obtained from Phase I; 11 interviews were conducted with qualified youths and human resource (HR) practitioners (HR generalists and recruitment-, remuneration-, and organisation development specialists). Their responses were captured and analysed. ABSTRACT DBL Thesis_Keshia Mohamed-Padayachee Student Number 71364684 Page 4 of 351 In both Phase I and Phase II, data were gathered while ensuring a high ethical standard and adhering to the defined research approaches. The data were analysed using appropriate statistical techniques to determine the relationship between the variables, ensuring reliability, consistency, and generalisability in Phase I, and transferability, credibility, dependability, and confirmability in Phase II, where a combination of deductive (for quantitative research) and inductive (for qualitative research) methods was applied. Main findings/results: It was evident from the results that a different approach was required for attraction and retention of the youth, and that the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach of the past will not be effective in the future. Through the research processes, the researcher found that the reward categories of the WorldatWork (2015) model are currently effective in attracting and retaining young talent, but that more will be required in the future. A new total rewards framework was constructed, reflecting the youth’s priorities, to aid attraction and retention of this generation. Main outcomes: Attraction: Seven reward categories were found to affect the youth’s attraction to organisations. These, in order of importance, are: (1) leadership and environment — supportive management and work environment, (2) benefits — retirement fund, medical aid, and leave, (3) performance incentives — long- and short-term incentives and share options; (4) individual development, (5) a safe/secure working environment — coaching/mentoring, working in different organisations to maximise career growth, CSR, and long-term job security; (6) work‒life and resources — extended employee benefits and tools to execute one’s work; (7) performance recognition — informal recognition and non-financial rewards; and formal recognition — formal recognition and lump-sum and annual bonus payments. Retention: Seven reward categories were found to affect youths’ retention in organisations. These, in order of importance, are: (1) leadership and environment — supportive management and environment; (2) flexible and variable payment options — flexible payment options and Salary/Pay; (3) benefits — retirement fund, medical aid, and leave; (4) value-added benefits and services and individual development — employee wellness, CSR, employee discounts, formal coaching or mentoring, and extended time off; (5) recognition — informal and formal recognition ABSTRACT DBL Thesis_Keshia Mohamed-Padayachee Student Number 71364684 Page 5 of 351 and non-financial rewards; (6) career development — Career/Growth opportunities and learning and development; and (7) incentives — long- and short-term incentives and share options. Research limitations: This research was limited to skilled youths. Research implications, originality, and value: No empirical study exists that authenticates the WorldatWork (2015) Total Rewards Model and Generation Y theory. As employers strive to attract and retain high-value young employees, it is more important than ever to understand the expectations of these employees. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by identifying the reward preferences of the youth by offering a relevant rewards framework for attraction and retention of the youth. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / D.B.L.

This study explored the role of school-based teacher financial incentives on student academic achievement. Despite great efforts made by Zimbabwean government towards improving the education system in terms of infrastructure development and increasing number of schools, prior and after 1980, not much attention had been paid to the role of teachers’ extra-financial incentives on enhancing teacher motivation which leads to student achievement in and outside classroom situation. Extra-financial incentives differ from government to government depending on the revenue base and political will by such governments to support these teacher incentives programmes. In developed countries, respective governments pay different teacher incentives while in developing countries, parents/guardians or School Development Committees (SDCs) shoulder the burden. This study contented that one of the ways to improve student achievement has been payment of school-based teacher incentives to supplement teachers’ low salaries. While the need to adequately compensate teachers had been a worldwide phenomenon, this is in contrast to Zimbabwean experience after 2014, when Government of National Unity (GNU) came to an end. Zimbabwean government banned payment of teacher incentives under unclear reasons which were widely purported to be political. This research adopted a qualitative approach and as such, collection of primary and secondary data were done using multiple data collection techniques. Techniques included interviews with key informants, focus group discussions and open ended questionnaires in selected secondary schools. Results from this study revealed that improving teacher motivation through school-based incentives had been central to improved student achievement. In schools where teacher incentive system was practiced pass-rates increased, with a sudden decline when teacher incentives were banned. Banning or lack of properly designed incentive systems, where teachers were consulted, was seen as negatively affecting student achievement in selected secondary schools of Makoni District. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)