Leadership development is very important in business and often much lip service is given to “growing” leaders in business organisations. Leadership development takes place at the individual, group or organisational level and aims for greater effectiveness of an organisation’s human, social and systems capital. One of the biggest motor manufacturers in the Eastern Cape which employs more than 6 500 workers in the local plant and thousands of allied jobs at suppliers was selected to conduct this study on leadership development. The reason for choosing this company is that, over the years, the company established strong training and development programmes to help employees achieve their full potential and to grow the company. This study assesses the success of leadership development in the selected company as well as the factors that could lead to the improvement of its leadership development programme. The primary objective of the study is therefore to improve leadership development in the selected company by investigating the influence of selected factors on leadership development in that company. The sample was drawn from the employees of the company who were enrolled for leadership development at the company’s training institute as at October 2010. They were 55 engineers, 15 supervisors, 20 buyers and 12 managers. A census of these employees was conducted, in other words, 102 questionnaires were distributed to them. Only forty (40) respondents (response rate = 39.2%) however participated in the final study. The empirical results showed that three variables were key ingredients for achieving and increasing leadership development success: organisational culture, participative leadership and senior-management support. Implementing the recommendations that emanated from these results will go a long way in securing success in the company’s leadership development programme.

Recent authors identified a lack in leadership competencies to deal with organisation change within the South African organisation context as a burning issue (Tizard, 2001; Kriek, 2002; Fontyn, 2001; Msomi, 2001 and Rossow and Bews, 2002). This has resulted in a lack of employee initiative, adjustment, empowerment and a high turnover rate. With this research the author examined the influence of role utilisation, according to leaders’ competence, on the outcome of organisation change. The aim of this research was to contribute towards finding solutions for the perceived lack in leadership competence in managing change. The design used was quasi-experimental ex post facto: post-test/observation only. Three organisations in the manufacturing industry were selected because they were busy with the implementation of major organisation change initiatives. Two phases were identified for this research. Phase I investigated the utilisation of leaders in specific leadership change roles and Phase II investigated the influence of leaders’ change role competence on change outcome. Hypotheses were formulated for each phase. Phase I Leaders’ utilisation in change roles was investigated. This entailed the extent to which they were utilised in roles for which they received their highest average competence ratings. A literature study was done on leadership competencies. From the literature study, four leadership change roles (Initiator, Shaper, Monitor, and Assessor) were identified. A questionnaire measuring the level of competence for each role was designed. The respondent organisations’ management teams were asked to identify the leaders they utilised and for which roles they were utilised. These leaders were rated by means of a 360-degree assessment. The respective leaders were assessed by themselves, their managers, a peer and a subordinate. Competence was determined by means of the average ratings received on all four competence clusters . The results obtained from Phase I were expressed in terms of role congruence. Role congruence referred to situations where leaders were utilised in roles for which they received their highest average competence ratings. The hypotheses for Phase I were: H0: There is no statistical difference between the average competence scores leaders received on the different roles. H1: The average competence scores for the roles leaders were utilised in, are higher than for those they were not utilised in. Phase II Phase II investigated the influence of the congruence results on change outcome. A questionnaire measuring the “soft” dimensions of organisation change was developed. Random samples of all the literate employees in the respondent organisations were used to complete this questionnaire (Change Outcome Questionnaire). The hypotheses for Phase II were: H0: There is no statistical difference in terms of change outcome for roles where congruence was obtained and roles for which congruence was not obtained. H1: For roles where congruence was obtained, there will be higher levels of success (change outcome). Both questionnaires (Leadership Role Competence Questionnaire & Change Outcome Questionnaire) were validated in terms of content validity. A Cronbach alpha was determined for both questionnaires. Only the Leadership Role Competence Questionnaire was initially found to be reliable. To resolve the reliability dilemma on the Change Outcome Questionnaire, the constructs and their items were factor analysed to determine the underlying validity of constructs, resulting in construct validity for this questionnaire. A Cronbach alpha was again administered to this questionnaire (after the factor analysis) and it was found to be reliable. Phase I Results: Role Congruence The extent to which leaders were utilised in roles for which they achieved their highest average ratings (expressed in terms of role congruence) was determined through the application of a correspondence analysis. The results for Phase I were: • Two roles (Initiator and Assessor) achieved potential congruence. • The other two roles (Shaper and Monitor) did not achieve congruence. • A relationship between both the Shaper and Monitor roles was identified. The competencies for these two roles were linked to the items that measured Resistance to Change. • For Phase I the null hypothesis was rejected. There was a difference between the average competence scores leaders received on the different roles. Phase II Results: The Influence of Role Congruence on Change Outcome The change outcome results were determined through the Change Outcome Questionnaire. The results for Phase II were: • The factor analysis done on the Change Outcome Questionnaire (discussed on p. iii) resulted in the extraction of three factors. One factor represented only one item and was therefore excluded resulting in the analysis of only two factors (Change Buy-In and Support & Resistance to Change); • The results obtained from the Change Outcome Questionnaire indicated a successful outcome for the Change Buy-In and Support factor and an unsuccessful outcome for the Resistance to Change factor; • The similarity of the results for the three organisations obtained for Phase I (correspondence analysis on congruence between role utilisation and role competence) and for Phase II (ANOVA on Change Outcome results) allowed for the comparison of their results. No significant statistical differences existed. Statistical evidence was therefore not conclusive to either reject or accept the null hypothesis for Phase II (there is no difference between roles with high congruence and roles with low congruence on change outcome); and • Although the null hypothesis for Phase II could neither be accepted nor rejected, the indications are that role congruence appears to have had a positive influence on change outcome and that a lack of congruence appears to have had a negative influence on change outcome. From the results of this study it was concluded that the research goals had been satisfactorily addressed. / Dr. Louis Carstens

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: World Class Manufacturing (WCM) was first introduced into Nampak in 1990, and since then, there have been three attempts by the organisation to re-implement WCM in the organisation. In the last 23 years, 1990-2013, no formal assessment has been done with regard to evaluating whether the introduction of WCM was effective or not in the organisation, according to the goals and objectives set when the projects were initially implemented. The aim of this research report was to evaluate whether the implementation of WCM was effective in the Nampak Plastic Rigids (PRs) clusters and the study focused on only three operations namely; Nampak Tubes, Closures and Megapak. Secondly, the research aimed to establish what elements were required to successfully implement and sustain WCM in an organisation. Through the research it was established that in order to implement and sustain WCM successfully the following elements are required; strategy alignment, strategy implementation or execution, benchmarking, employee involvement, change management and the correct selection of continuous improvement tools and tactics. The three operations selected in the study were then evaluated against these elements through a survey, in order to gauge their alignment against each element. The research found that none of the three operations met the ideal state of 85 per cent in aligning themselves to the six elements. Nampak Tubes was the only operation that came close to the required ideal level of 85 per cent, as the operation had re-implemented WCM in 2011 and as a result, the operations performance in terms of the selected KPIs was better than that of the other two. However, on average none of the three operations reached the 85 per cent ideal range. This was an indication that the PRs were not aligned to the required six elements in their attempt to implement WCM, and despite the three previous attempts, success had not been achieved. The elements could prove complex as regards their comprehension and implementation as guided by the literature review and research, thus leadership should take careful note of the relationship between all of them. The organisational leadership is responsible for ensuring that the WCM strategy is driven centrally and adopted by all the stakeholders in the organisation, as all the elements require a leadership intervention. World Class Manufacturing is more than a concept or a project; it is a philosophy which should be treated as a way of life, if organisations are to be successful in being competitive.

published_or_final_version / Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

No description available.

Thesis (M.C.M.) -- Lincoln University, 2007. / Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Customers procure solutions and services to streamline and improve their business functions. For services to be viable to a customer, it is required that the service provide more value to their business than the actual cost of procuring the service. This report aims to understand what the value is that the customers place in the services they require. From this understanding, a framework is produced that drives value in delivering site-based support services. The framework is built on four objectives that will deliver value to the customer. The objectives of a service are as follows: to be customer focused, to have effective resource management, to be proactive in nature and to be sustainable over the life of the service. The framework also defines a set of processes that conforms to, and drives the stated objectives. Although there are many such frameworks in existence, their focus is general in nature. This report will focus specifically on the delivery of site-based support services for automation solutions in a manufacturing industry. Site-based support services are expensive in nature because the solution provider provides dedicated and knowledge specific resources to customers. For this reason, the value expected by a customer is much higher than other forms of support services. This problem is investigated and a framework is produced through research of established Service Management frameworks. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kliente bekom oplossings en dienste om hul besigheidsfunksies te stroomlyn en te verbeter. Vir dienste om aantreklik vir 'n klient te wees, word dit vereis dat die voorsiende diens meer waarde tot hul besigheid toevoeg as wat die koste van die diens is. Hierdie verslag mik om te verstaan wat die waarde is wat kliente heg aan die dienste wat hulle vereis. 'n Raamwerk word gebou wat waarde toevoeg in op-perseel gelewerde dienste. Die raamwerk is gegrond op vier doelwitte wat vir kliente waarde lewer. Die doelwitte van 'n diens is om gefokus op die klient te wees, om hulpbronne effektief te kan hanteer, om proaktief van natuur te wees en om ondersteunbaar oor die lewe van die dienste wees. Die raamwerk beskryf 'n stel prosesse wat by diens doelwitte pas en die doelwitte dryf. Alhoewel daar baie ooreenstemmende raamwerke in bestaan is, is die fokus van die bestaande raamwerke algemeen van natuur. Hierdie verslag ondersoek spesifiek die lewering van op-perseel diens ondersteuning vir geoutomatiseerde oplossings in 'n vervaardigings nywerheid. Op-perseel gelewerde ondersteuningsdienste is duur van natuur omdat die diensverskaffer kliente voorsien van toegewyde, kennisryke hulpbronne. Om hierdie rede, vereis die klient meer waarde van op-perseel gelewerde dienste, as van ander diens forums. Deur navorsing van bekende diens besturings raamwerke is 'n nuwe raamwerk gebou wat fokus op die lewering van op-perseel dienste.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to develop an effective people management strategy that will enable manufacturing-based organisations to transform into demand-driven leaders. An effective people management strategy enables transforming organisations to position intellectual capital at the heart of organisational strategy in order to create a competitive advantage and long-term sustain ability. This study provides a step-by-step design blueprint for developing a generic people management strategy, while illustrating the contextual application thereof within the transformational journey of an organisation called Tiger Food Brands. This step-by-step approach involves an examination of the case for change within organisations in order to develop a people strategy that drives the desired future state of the organisation around key people factors. A well-designed people strategy then creates the strategic framework for repositioning the role of the Human Resources (HR) function, as well as for developing a comprehensive HR workplan that maps the appropriate HR outputs, drivers, measures and structures required to deliver the people strategy. The design of the people management strategy culminates in the development of HR interventions to support the strategic HR workplan of Tiger Food Brands. The design of an effective people management strategy is a holistic, integrated and sequential process that establishes the strategic role of people in an organisation while enabling the HR function to deliver as a strategic business partner. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie projek poog om 'n effektiewe menslike hulpbronne strategie te ontwikkel wat vervaardigings gebasseerde organisasies in staat stelom hulself te herposisioneer as mark gedrewe leiers. Die daarstel van 'n effektiewe menslike hulpbronne strategie posisioneer intelektuele kapitaal midde die organisasie strategie en skep sodoende 'n kompeterende voordeel wat langtermyn volhoubaarheid bevorder. Die studie projek verskaf 'n metodologie vir die ontwikkelling van 'n generiese menslike hulpbronne strategie. Die praktiese toepassing daarvan word geillustreer binne die grootskaalse veranderingsproses wat plaasvind in Tiger Food Brands. Die metodologie ondersoek die rede vir verandering binne organisasies en poog om die kritiese menslike hulpbron faktore te identifiseer wat die organisasie in staat sal te stelom sy toekomstige veranderde staat te bereik. Die menslike hulpbronne strategie skep die strategiese raamwerk om die rol van die menslike hulpbron funksie te herposisioneer. Dit stel die menslike hulpbronne funksie in staat om 'n omvattende werkplan op te stel wat die relevante prestasie uitsette, metings en strukture identifiseer wat benodig word om die gekose strategie uit te voer. Verder word die relevante intervensies geidentifiseer en ontwikkel om die Tiger Food Brands strategiese menslike hulbronne werkplan tot uitvoer te bring. Die ontwikkeling van 'n effektiewe menslike hulpbronne strategie is 'n holistiese en geintegeerde proses wat die strategiese rol van menslike kapitaal in die organisasie beklemtoon. Dit stel die menslike hulpbronne funksie in staat om sy rol as strategiese besigheidsvernoot te vervul.

South African businesses are facing unforeseen opportunities and threats following the country’s remarkable political transformation that culminated in its first non-racial, democratic elections in April 1994 (Krüger, 1997: 138). The objective of this paper was to understand what core competences a South African motor vehicle assembler requires to survive this era of declining protectionism and increasing competition. It is argued in this paper that organisations that want to compete with the best in the world market needs to adopt lean manufacturing principles. This paper is concerned with the core competences of an organisation and how an organisation identifies and utilises these in order to become a lean enterprise. The qualitative research method was identified as the most appropriate for the study. Two methods of data collection were used i.e. interviews with senior and middle management and a detailed literary study on the subject. The senior management interviews were aimed at identifying what they perceived to be the core competences a motor vehicle assembler requires in order to be a world-class lean manufacturing enterprise. The literary study was the base for the understanding of core competence and lean manufacturing. Finally, a second round of interviews with middle management was conducted to obtain clarity on the perceived role of middle management in the selected organisation’s quest to be a lean manufacturing concern. This paper concludes that if an organisation wants to survive it needs to identify and assess its core competences. These competences need to be developed or discarded in the organisation’s aims to be a lean manufacturing enterprise by eliminating all forms of non-value added activity. The programmes or projects that the selected organisation embarked on were primarily driven from the top down, placing middle management in the centre with the resistance coming from the lower levels in the organisation. Middle management should be given the necessary tools to overcome the resistance and assist the company to make smooth transitions.