Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Education (Management), Durban Institute of Technology, 2004. / The role of the principal is critical in ensuring that schools run efficiently and effectively. It is for this reason that an incumbent for the post of principal obtains the necessary experience in all aspects of management to fulfill this role. Prior to 1994, applicants were promoted strictly according to hierarchical ranking, that is, a Level One educator was promoted first to head of department, then to deputy principal and thereafter to the position of a principal. This ensured that by the time educators became principals they had acquired, through experience, the necessary management skills to run their schools. / M

As marcas estão presentes no cotidiano dos consumidores e das organizações. Para os indivíduos, as marcas são carregadas de simbolismos, representações e complexos signos de posicionamento social enquanto, para as empresas, as marcas se tornam um ativo extremamente valioso, capaz de diferenciar as suas ofertas em um mercado comoditizado e influenciar o comportamento do consumidor. Neste cenário, o cuidado com a marca na percepção dos consumidores surge quase como condição para uma eficaz gestão estratégica de marketing nas empresas e, também, terreno fértil para pesquisas acadêmicas. Entre os cuidados que a empresa deve ter com as marcas sobre as percepções do consumidor, as estratégias promocionais baseadas na redução de preços merecem atenção. O presente estudo verifica o impacto que a promoção de preços (descontos e ofertas) exerce sobre o Consumer-based Brand Equity (CBBE). Por meio de uma pesquisa experimental do tipo between-subject, uma amostra de 300 estudantes universitários divididos igualmente em seis unidades de teste, foi estimulada através de anúncios impressos, a avaliar o CBBE de duas marcas de tênis (Diadora e Nike) que apresentavam três diferentes níveis de desconto (nenhum, baixo e alto) sobre um preço de referência - em um design fatorial 2x3 - a fim de avaliar se a presença e a intensidade das promoções de preços, presentes no anúncio, influenciariam as percepções dos respondentes sobre as marcas. A pesquisa também avaliou simultaneamente o comportamento de duas metodologias de mensuração distintas: (1) a metodologia de Yoo e Donthu (2001) que mensura elementos cognitivos e comportamentais e (2) a metodologia de Vázquez, Río e Iglésias (2002) que mensura o Consumer-based Brand Equity com base em duas dimensões de utilidade da marca: valor funcional e valor simbólico. Entre os principais achados desta pesquisa, pode-se destacar que - ao contrário do suporte teórico - neste experimento, a promoção de preços quando aplicada em anúncios impressos, não gerou impacto estatiscamente significativo sobre a média geral do Consumer-based Brand Equity e tão pouco sobre suas dimensões separadamente. A principal contribuição gerencial desta pesquisa consiste na indicação de evidências de que as promoções de preços, enquanto estratégias de curto prazo, podem continuar sendo uma das mais utilizadas estratégias de promoção de vendas sem prejuízo ao valor da marca na percepção do consumidor. Sob o ponto de vista acadêmico, este trabalho contribui principalmente na validação da escala de Yoo e Donthu (2001) no contexto brasileiro e em pesquisas experimentais. Da mesma forma, esta pesquisa ajuda a validar a ainda pouco utilizada escala de Vázquez, Río e Iglésias (2002) indicando que esta escala de mensuração precisa de outros estudos mais robustos até adquirir a solidez necessária à sua ampla utilização. Também como uma das implicações acadêmicas desta pesquisa, destacam-se os indicativos que, em um contexto de pesquisa experimental, os achados de alguns autores como Yoo, Donthu e Lee (2000), Villarejo-Ramos e Sanchez-Franco (2005) e Buil, Chernatony e Martínez (2008, 2011) que identificaram a influência das promoções de preços sobre certas dimensões do Consumer-based Brand Equity merecem ser revistos. / Brands are present in consumers life and organizations. For individuals, brands are loaded with symbolism, representations and complex social positioning signs. As for businesses, brands become an extremely valuable asset, able to differentiate their offerings in a commoditized market and influence consumer behavior. In this scenario, the care with the brand in consumers' perception emerges almost as a condition for effective strategic marketing management in firms and also fertile ground for academic research. Among the care the company should have with brands on consumer perceptions, promotional strategies based on reducing prices deserve attention. This study evaluates the impact of price promotions (discounts and offers) exerts on the Consumer-based Brand Equity (CBBE). Through an experimental study of the between-subject type, a sample of 300 college students divided equally into six test units was stimulated through print ads, to evaluate the CBBE of two sneaker brands (Nike and Diadora) which had three different discount levels (none, low and high) on a reference price - in a 2x3 factorial design - in order to assess if the presence and intensity of price promotions, present on the announcement, influence the perceptions of respondents about brands. The survey also assessed simultaneously the behavior of two different measurement methodologies: (1) the methodology of Yoo and Donthu (2001), which measures cognitive and behavioral elements and (2) the methodology of Vázquez, Rio and Iglesias (2002) which measures the Consumer-based Brand Equity based on two dimensions of use of the mark: functional value and symbolic value. Among the key findings of this research, it can be noted that - unlike the theoretical support - in this experiment, the promotion price when applied in print ads did not generate statistically significant impact on the overall average of the Consumer-based Brand Equity and neither on its dimensions separately. The main managerial contribution of this research is the indication of evidence that price promotions, when used as shortterm strategies, may still be one of the most used strategies to promote sales without prejudice to the value of the brand in consumer's perception. From the academic point of view, this work contributes mainly in the scale validation of Yoo and Donthu (2001) in the Brazilian context and experimental research. Likewise, this research helps validate the still underused scale of Vázquez, Rio and Iglesias (2002) indicating that this scale of measurement needs other more robust studies to acquire the necessary strength to its extensive use. Also as one of the academic implications of this research highlight the indicative that in the context of experimental research, the findings of authors like Yoo, Donthu and Lee (2000), Villarejo-Ramos and Sanchez- Franco (2005) and Buil, Chernatony and Martínez (2008, 2011) who identified the influence of price promotions on certain dimensions of Consumer-based Brand Equity deserve to be reviewed.

O objetivo deste estudo é verificar se os consumidores são suscetíveis aos efeitos do framing de promoções de preço, ou seja, se descontos equivalentes mostrados em porcentagem ou em reais têm atratividades díspares entre os consumidores, em diferentes tipos de produto. O framing é um conceito discutido por Tversky e Kahneman (1979, 1981, 1986) e Kahneman (2003a) ao demonstrarem que a formulação dos problemas de decisão pode afetar nossos julgamentos cognitivos e, portanto, nossas preferências. Os objetivos específicos deste trabalho são verificar quais tipos de promoções mostram-se mais atrativos para diferentes tipos de produto (alto valor e baixo valor); se variáveis demográficas, como \"renda\" e \"escolaridade\", exercem algum efeito nas preferências pelo tipo de promoção; e, se as promoções têm impactos variados em diferentes marcas. O método utilizado consiste em pesquisa descritiva, de abordagem quantitativa, a partir de um experimento com hipóteses, aplicado em 400 consumidores da cidade de São Paulo durante janeiro e fevereiro de 2013. O questionário utilizado teve como base os trabalhos de Chen et al. (1998) e Gendall et al. (2006). Os resultados apontam que para o produto de baixo valor (biscoito recheado), a forma de promoção é indiferente para o consumidor (na forma \"10% de desconto\" ou \"De R$ 1,71 por R$ 1,54\"); e que para o produto de alto valor (notebook), o desconto em reais parece ser mais atrativo. Estas conclusões estão de acordo com o trabalho de Gendall et al. (Ibid.). Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas nas preferências dos diversos grupos de renda, escolaridade e outras variáveis demográficas analisadas (sexo, idade, estado civil e região da cidade onde mora). / The objective of this study is to verify whether consumers are susceptible to price promotions framing effects - more specifically, if showing the same discount as percentage or in monetary terms for different products alters consumer preferences. Framing is a concept described by Tversky and Kahneman (1979, 1981, 1986) and Kahneman (2003a), who demonstrate that the framing of decision problems can affect our cognitive judgment and therefore our preferences. The specific objectives of this study are: to verify which type of price promotions are more attractive to high price and low price products; to access if demographic variables such as \"income\" and \"educational level\" present any effects on consumer promotion preferences; and to examine if promotions have different impacts on different brands. The method consists in a quantitative descriptive survey, applied with 400 consumers in São Paulo, Brazil, between January and February 2013. The questionnaire was based on Chen et al. (1998) and Gendall et al. (2006) work. Results show that for the low price product (stuffed cookie), the consumer is indifferent to the promotion type (\"10% off\" or \"From R$ 1,71 to R$ 1,54\"); and for the high price product (notebook), discount in monetary terms seems to be more attractive. These conclusions are in line with the findings of Gendall et al (Ibid). No significant difference in preference was found between different income groups, educational level and other demographic variables (gender, age, marital status and neighborhood).

M.Com. (Labour Relations) / This study focuses on the affirmative action debate in South Africa as it manifests firstly in current and possible practices, and secondly expectations of legislation in the future. The reasoning behind the study is that it is imperative to do a study on this, one of the most controversial subjects currently under debate in South Africa, while so many companies are in the process of implementing systems of affirmative action. An overview of affirmative action legislation in other countries of the world were presented. These systems form the core of any debate on the subject of affirmative action in South Africa. The South African debate, as well as present systems and support for affirmative action legislation were investigated. An analysis of the present problems facing the black education system in South Africa and the initiatives to overcome these problems were given. A probable model of affirmative action legislation that the ANC and some other black political parties would most probably support was then given, based on the foregoing study. The conclusions drawn from the results obtained after the study, was that the black political parties and groupings that support the ideals of the ANC support a 60 percent quota-system. Most companies in South Africa have either already implemented an affirmative action or equal opportunities policy, or are in the process of adopting such a policy. In many cases the reasons for adopting such policies seem to be the expectation of future legislation that would force them to adopt radical affirmative action policies. The expectations of the black community, in terms of affirmative action legislation, also seem to be extremely high. This puts much pressure on both companies and black political parties to support and implement affirmative action.

The purpose of this study was to explore how women academics’ view their professional advancement at a higher education institution. From a South African perspective with its limited studies on this topic, revealed that women within higher education institutions felt isolated, alienated, and their ideas unheard. The challenge for South Africa remains the full empowerment of all women in higher education institutions ensuring gender equity, because it is within these walls that the solutions to our major challenges will be formulated. This empowerment must be about us, as women doing it for ourselves. However there are a number of barriers to women’s advancement in the academy, which resulted in women not being able to break through the “glass ceiling” and reach the pinnacle of their careers. Cultural restrictions placed on women often further aggravate these experiences. Undoubtedly, we have made great strides in attaining middle- management positions, but higher education institutions seems like a closed shop for women (Luke 1999) and lead to the description of the feeling of being outsiders in academia. My research essay was grounded within an interpretive paradigm and I employed qualitative methods for inquiry to demonstrate how women academics’ view their professional advancement at a higher education institution. Data for this study were collected via- semi-structured, in-depth interviews with twelve women from a South African higher education institution. I used the constant comparative method of data analysis to search for recurring themes and patterns. / Mrs. N.F. Petersen

This article deals with the South African law relating to promotions. As promotion disputes mostly arise as alleged unfair labour practices, a short discussion on how the concept of an unfair labour practice developed in South Africa is undertaken. In this regard the common law is studied in order to see whether it makes provision for protection of employees subjected to unfair labour practices relating to promotions. Through this study one soon realises that the common law is in fact inadequate to deal with unfair labour practices relating to promotions, and thus an enquiry into various legislative provisions are undertaken. The impact of the all-important Wiehahn Commission of Enquiry, established in 1979, is also briefly discussed. In this article an attempt is made to define the term ‘promotion’. In this regard reference is made to some cases adjudicated upon by the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (the “CCMA”). The cases referred to seem to favour the view that when one is defining the term ‘promotion’, regard must be had to the employment relationship between the employer and the employee, as well as the nature of the employee’s current work in relation to the work applied for, in order to establish whether in fact a promotion has taken place. It is necessary to consider what unfair conduct is defined as in the context of promotions. It seems that managerial prerogative is at the center of the enquiry into unfair conduct of the employer. Further to the analysis of unfair conduct, various principles that govern both procedural and substantive unfairness are considered. These principles are dealt with separately with reference to case law. Lastly the dispute resolution mechanisms are considered and a brief discussion on remedies is undertaken. The remedies are discussed with reference to case law, as well as the provisions of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 as amended by the Labour Relations Amendment Act 12 of 2002. The broad headings of this article are accordingly unfair labour practices, definition of promotions, unfair conduct of the employer, onus of proof and remedies. It is concluded with the proposition that once an employer has set policies and procedures in place in dealing with promotions, then such an employer should stick to those policies and procedures within the context of the law, as well as within the percepts of the vague and nebulous term of ‘fairness’. Should the employer fail to do so, the majority of cases indicate that such an employer will be guilty of an unfair labour practice relating to promotion.

This treatise considers the promotion process in the workplace and focuses on the meaning of promotion and the provisions of the Labour Relations Act, 66 of 19951 (Hereinafter referred to as the LRA) relating to promotion. It also considers unfair labour practices from an employee’s perspective. Chapter 2 of this treatise discusses the processes employers should follow when dealing with promotions. Neither the LRA nor the Constitution provides employees with a right to be promoted. However, the Constitution2 provides that all workers have the right to fair labour practices. The concept of unfair labour practices was introduced in South Africa in 1979 following the recommendations of the Wiehahn Commission. For a long time in South Africa the concept of unfair labour practice was defined in broad terms and included unprotected strikes and lockouts. It was left to the Industrial Court to determine conduct which constituted an unfair labour practice. The promulgation of LRA (which took effect in 1996) provided a clear definition of what constitute unfair labour practice in the workplace. The LRA provided a closed list of practices which constitute an unfair labour practice which provided as follows: “(a) unfair conduct by the employer relating to the promotion, demotion, probation (excluding disputes about dismissals for a reason relating to probation) or training of an employee or relating to the provision of benefits to an employee; (b) unfair suspension of an employee or any other unfair disciplinary action short of dismissal in respect of an employee; (c) a failure or refusal by an employer to reinstate or re-employ a former employee in terms of any agreement; and (d) an occupational detriment, other than dismissal, in contravention of the Protected Disclosures Act, 2000 (Act No. 26 of 2000), on account of the employee having made a protected disclosure defined in that Act.”The LRA brought about significant changes including the exemption of trade unions from committing unfair labour practice to the employers as it was the position under the old Act. There are conflicting views amongst employers and employees as well as labour law experts regarding the determination of the remedies available to applicants when unfairness has been proven in promotion disputes. It is has been observed that many awards has been successfully reviewed by employers, particularly awards that involves protective promotion. Chapter one will be an introduction regarding unfair labour practice, the originality of the concept and the changes and developments the concept has gone through. Chapter two will investigate the meaning of promotion in the workplace. This chapter will focus on the definition of promotion. Elements that constitute promotion will also be addressed. Chapter three considers the provisions of the LRA relating to unfair labour practice: promotion. However, the focus will be narrowed down from the definition of unfair labour practice to the issue of promotion as it is central to the study. Chapter four will examine the manner in which the applicants are differentiated. Furthermore, this chapter will also address the issue of whether the internal applicant should be given preference on the basis that he or she has been working in the organisation but not in the advertised post. Chapter five discusses the importance of substantive and procedural fairness in promotion processes. Chapter six examine the appropriate remedies for aggrieved applicants during the promotion process. A disappointed candidate has a statutory right to approach the relevant bargaining council to seek recourse with regard to the matter. The dispute must be referred to the CCMA within 90 days by the aggrieved applicant.

M.A. (Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This study identifies barriers to promotion for women teachers as they endeavour to attain leadership positions in schools. Like many others in South Africa, women have gained legal rights in the present democratic dispensation. Nevertheless, women teachers are still left out of formal leadership roles in schools. Patterns and practices that relegated and held women to the margins of leadership continue to contradict the democratic ideals enshrined in the Constitution. The study explores the historical accounts which continue to marginalize women teachers from leadership, as well as the life experiences of women teachers, and seeks to discover how these accounts and experiences impact on women teachers who admire and aspire leadership roles in schools. The study is rooted in the critical feminist perspective, which frames layers of socio-political, cultural and ethical issues that did and continue to marginalize women teachers from leadership. The researcher adopted a qualitative approach, especially inductive reasoning or narration to explore settings in schools. The research methodology helped to expose how women teachers navigate the educational, cultural or social arenas, and, most importantly, how society perceives the practice of selecting leaders in schools. However, the endeavour is to create an equitable platform for leadership in schools. The study is based on information on gender imbalances drawn from schools in Soshanguve (Pretoria, South Africa). Interviews, questionnaires and observation were selected as data-collection instruments. Eight women teachers and eight male teachers took part in this study. Subsequently, two women principals and two male principals also volunteered to take part in this study. Participants were intentionally selected. Each participant gave informed consent in writing. Voluntary participation involves the ethical issues of confidentiality, anonymity, and privacy. The researcher observed values such as trust, respect, empathy and dignity of the participants. The data analysis and interpretation revealed the following major themes: <ul> <li>discrimination on the basis of sex</li> <li>stereotypes that believe that men make better managers</li> <li>fear and lack of self-esteem</li> <li>unavailability of structured support for women teachers.</li> / Dissertation (Magister Educationis (Education Management, Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Women representation in management positions is described as a fundamental human right and an important means of fair democratic representation. This study intended to investigate the factors determining women upward mobility and their promotion to management positions. Included as variables were traditional gender roles, access to education and lack of mentoring and role models. The study followed the qualitative approach using snowball sampling and conducting semi structured interviews with ten Controlling Officers from different ministries and department of the Malawi Public Service to find out whether the variables under investigation indeed affect women upward mobility. Empirical evidence shows that traditional gender roles e.g. being mothers affect women upward mobility. Similarly, limited access to education is another factor that limits women access to managerial positions. Lack of mentoring and role models, especially where there are already few women at the top also affects women’s upward mobility. The study recommended that Malawi government should help women get scholarships that provide for their children. Furthermore, the government should provide flexible working hours especially for mothers. Women themselves should meet for a cup of tea where they can empower each other on the most important aspects of their job as chief executives; that is delivering a speech, making presentations and forming networks.