Whilst, the reality of changing organizations is accepted, understanding about the rhetoric of change in organizations is still evolving. This thesis provides new insights into the rhetoric of change in organizations through addressing the following research aims. i. To establish a theoretical framework for classifying change. ii. To identify and analyse the actual rhetoric of change of senior management in the UK clearing banks. iii.To compare the actual rhetoric of change identified in the UK clearing banks against the theoretical framework for classifying change. iv. To develop an Actual Rhetoric of Change Framework. The Annual Reports and Internal Newspapers of Barclays, Lloyds, Midland and National Westminster Bank over the five years 1990 to 1994 were analysed using discourse analysis. This naturally occurring data contained the actual rhetoric of change. In terms of banking change, this thesis makes an original contribution to knowledge by identifying and analysing the actual rhetoric of change in banking. The thesis makes original contributions to knowledge about the rhetoric of changing organizations in two ways. Firstly the development of the literature based Change Classifications Framework. Secondly, through comparing the literature and the data, an Actual Rhetoric of Change Framework was developed. The Actual Rhetoric of Change Framework predicts that change will be depicted in organizations as being challenging, constant, coherent, contextualised and chronological.

The most important component of change management is the employee's endorsement or "buy in" of the new process. Many managers underestimate this aspect (Wilbur, 1999:12). Developing new processes and systems are relatively easy compared to "changing behaviour and managing people's emotional responses ... " (Wilbur,1999:13) As common as change is in today's organizations, employees still do not like it, and display amazing resistance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the causes of resistance to change that affects males and females in junior and management level in an organization. It is hoped that the results obtained from the study will provide a greater understanding of the causes of resistance that affects employees' in an organization. Furthermore, to understand if causes of resistance affect the genders, i.e. if certain causes of resistance affects females more than males. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

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This research is concerned with the problems faced by managers within manufacturing when they are expected to successfully implement a major change within their organisation. It uses, as the vehicle for the research, the Theory of Constraints Thinking Process (TOC/TP) first developed by Dr Goldratt between 1986 and 1994. The TOC is used by managers to determine what requires to be changed within their organisation and then to develop both the solution and the implementation strategy. The research has used the access obtained by the researcher to examine the approaches adopted by manufacturing managers in implementing improvement projects, which involve significant change. The primary focus of the research was to confirm the existence of a significant barrier to change and to determine whether this was a function of the individual. Once the obstacle had been identified in specific situations, the second step was to consider whether the obstacle could be described in a generic form with application to a much wider range of change environments. The final stage was to replicate the exploratory stage in other companies in other countries through the involvement of colleagues of the researcher and then consider what might be included in any change project, which would overcome the obstacle so defined. The primary method of data collection was through the application of action research and the development of the data in the form of case studies. The number and types of companies that took part in the study and the range of countries was intended to ensure a reasonable spread of data. The results suggest that one of the key obstacles to change is that outlined in the research problem and that the TOC/TP, through the use of the cloud technique, can describe this obstacle and give direction to the way of successfully dealing with it.

Even a brief Internet search reveals the huge variety of ways in which the terms transformation, diversity, employment equity and affirmative action are used, as well as the vast range of interventions offered. For example, the term diversity can be used in its most narrow sense focusing on one identifier such as race, or broadening along a continuum towards including all identifiers such as skills, ideology or even personality. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

This study was an evaluation of the change management strategy implemented at the Foschini Retail Organization. An explanatory study was conducted by drawing up a case study and thereafter comparing the initiatives taken in the case study to an ideal change process model. In order to conduct a more focused design only four factors updating on the change management process were considered. These factors were :The nature of organizational change and the philosophy behind the Foschini Retail Academy; The need to develop a change approach which is suitable for the organizational specific context; The managerial and personal status designed by a successful change agent; The difference between the design of recipe - driven or formulaic approaches to change implementation and more context - specific approaches. Information for the case study was mainly obtained from interviews and focus groups. The problem matching technique was performed the case study, where strategy implementation was compared to those recommended in literature. It was found that there was effective change planning and communication. The change management process was tailored to suit the organization's specific context. The change agent had to have strong managerial and leadership status. The senior management team at Foschini had identified specific outputs that they expected after the role out of the academy and thereby careful emphasis and plan went into the context - specific approaches to the change process. The management team at Foschini had taken all aspects into account when designing the change strategy as recommended, by information gathered from literature and certain areas in communication and planning that needed to be implemented. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Kumba Resources Ltd [Kumba], one of the largest South African-based mining companies listed on the JSE Securities Exchange, is a focused metals and mining company with a diverse commodity portfolio consisting of iron ore, heavy minerals, coal, base metals and industrial minerals. At the unbundling of Iscor Ltd [Iscor], all the mining assets were housed under the new mining company, Kumba Resources. The study therefore is an effort at evaluating the unbundling decision as well as options for the Kumba going forward. The literature reviewed covers restructuring and cases on restructuring in South Africa and internationally. It outlines various methods at arriving at the competitive strength and strategic fit of company business units in a diversified environment as well as evaluating the contribution of each business unit to the profitability of the company. All the tests applied to Kumba attest to the unbundling decision having been a good decision to take. However there are assets that have been identified that do not provide the right strategic fit in Kumba or too small and therefore destroying value like the information technology company, AST and Base Metals and Industrial Minerals Divisions. Analysis of Kumba going forward shows that the key drivers to its growth strategy will be a focus on those commodities and investments that offer above average growth and returns while spreading the risk associated with cyclicality and volatility that characterises the supply and demand of minerals and metals in the world's major markets. Whilst the attraction of being a single commodity player because of the performance of iron ore in relation to other commodities in Kumba's portfolio, experience shows that iron ore has in the past suffered same cyclical swings particularly when the steel prices are low. Lastly minerals and metals are a depleting resource and it is therefore advisable for the company to maintain a robust project pipeline in commodities where the company will achieve above average returns including considerations at mergers and acquisitions, critically investigate and divest in those commodities that do not provide the expected returns. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

I've worked in the electrical industry throughout my career, from accounts to the stores, serving as an artisan to sales and finally management, having experienced the dramatic changes industry has undergone in the past few years. The topic has inspired me to investigate the future changes as South African companies are striving for international competitive trading and recognition, couple with an volatile economy. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Sammanfattning: 20 – 50 % af patienter indlagt på sygehuse er underernæret eller i risiko for underernæring. 40 % af alle indlagte patienter får ikke dækket det daglige behov for energi og protein og der er evidens for, at sundhedsprofessionelles viden om ernæring til småtspisende patienter er begrænset. 2oo2 blev der udviklet et ernæringsscreeningsredskab, der kan vurderer ernæringstilstanden hos alle patienter indlagt på Sygehus Sønderjylland. Det er således muligt at vurdere patientens ernæringstilstanden og iværksætte en forebyggende ernæringsindsats. Dette vil forårsage en bedring i patientens levevilkår og konsekvenser af underernæring mindskes. Studiets teoretiske kontekst indeholder elementer fra et sundhedsfremmende perspektiv, kvalitets- og implementeringsprocesser og postmodernisme. Formål: Udvikling og afprøvning af et redskab, der kan vurdere kvaliteten af den sundhedsprofessionelle ernæringsindsats til de småtspisende patienter. Metode: Der er gennemført en kvantitativ spørgeskemaundersøgelse, survey. Resultat: Det ses ikke, at sundhedsprofessionelle under implementeringsprocessen har fået øget faglig viden på ernæringsområdet til de småtspisende patienter. Der er sket en mindre vidensudvikling i forhold til ernæringsscreeningsredskabet. Fortsat er der usikkerhed i de sundhedsfaglige arbejdsrutiner på ernæringsområdet og det tværfaglige og tværsektorielle samarbejde er nærmest usynligt. Der ses ikke effekt af ernæringsindsatsen til patienten i denne undersøgelse. Konklusion: En implementeringsproces af et ernæringsscreeningsredskab tager mere end et år og det er nødvendigt at fortsætte kvalitets- og forbedringsarbejde på ernæringsområdet.Kvalitetsudviklingsarbejde synliggør et sundhedsfagligt indsatsområde. Ønskes derimod at skabe en forankring af den sundhedsfaglige indsats er udfordringen at anvende redskaber fra systemtænkning og forbedringsarbejde. Når sundhedsprofessionelle får mulighed for at udvikle ejerskab og ansvar for implementeringsprocessen, får kvalitetsarbejdet større effekt og bliver attraktivt. Nøglebegreber i fremtidige implementeringsprocesser er kvalitetsudvikling og forandrings arbejde, såvel som fokus på værdibaseret faglig ledelse og igangsættelse af læreprocesser / Abstract: 20 – 50 % of patients are in nutritional risk on admission to hospital. 40 % of the patients do not receive an adequate amount of energy and protein to cover the daily need for nutrition and health professionals knowledge about nutritional needs to underweight patients are limited. In 2002 a nutritional screening tool, which can be used to estimate the nutritional status in all patients admitted to Sygehus Sønderjylland was developed. It is now possible to estimate nutritional status at an early stage and start nutritional treatment with the purpose to avoid under nutrition. This leads to improved life skills for the patient and consequences of under nutrition are limited. The theoretical context of this study contains elements from a health promotion perspective, system thinking, quality- and implementation processes and postmodernism. Purpose: Developing and testing of a tool that can determine the quality of nutritional treatment and care given by health professionals to undernourished patients. Method: A quantitative questionnaire, survey, has been carried out.Result: The result of the survey does not provethat health professionals under the implementation process have increased their knowledge about the undernourished patients. In relation to the nutritional screening tool only minimum of improvement in knowledge has been detected as a result of increased documentation. Still the working routines in the nutritional area among health professionals are unclear and the cross-sectional and interdisciplinary co-operation is invisible. The result of this survey does not show any improvement related to the nutritional effect of the undernourished patient. Conclusion: An implementation process of a nutritional screening tool takes more than one year and it is necessary to continue the quality and improvements in the nutritional area. Quality and managing change will high light a health promoting area. If change in working routines and values among health professionals is wanted, the challenge is to use tools from system thinking and improvement strategies. When health professionals get the opportunity to create ownership and responsibility for an implementation process in a health promoting area, the effect of quality management will become larger and more attractive. Keywords in future implementation processes are quality and managing change as well as focus on value-based management and to start learning processes / <p>ISBN 978-91-85721-03-0</p>

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