Magister Artium - MA / Staff members of a district hospital experience various challenges in managing psychotic patients in the emergency department. Psychosis can result from the use of illicit drugs. Persons presenting in a psychotic state due to use of illicit substances are common at emergency departments of district hospitals. In terms of the South African legislation, mental health services are accessible at general district hospitals with the 72-hour observation period being mandatory. Emergency departments are the first area where behaviourally disturbed and psychotic persons are assessed and managed in terms of the Mental Health Care Act of South Africa (Act No. 17 of 2002). Emergency staff members render a 24-hour service to all public users requiring emergency services, and should have the skills, training and resources necessary to manage any public user presenting for emergency services. A large proportion of the patients presenting with psychosis at the hospital where the study was done, were reported as using illicit substances. This study sought to discover and understand: What are the challenges experienced by staff members in managing substance-induced psychotic patients in the emergency department of a district hospital? In an attempt to answer the research question, the aim of this study was to explore and describe the challenges experienced by emergency department staff members in managing substance-induced psychotic patients in a district hospital in the Western Cape. An explorative and descriptive research design was used, grounded in the qualitative research approach. Ten staff members managing or assisting with managing substance-induced psychotic patients in the emergency department were purposefully sampled. This sample comprised doctors, nurses, and other support staff members, such as security guards, porters and general workers. An interview schedule guided the face-toface semi-structured interviews as the method of data collection. The digitally recorded data from these interviews were transcribed verbatim, and analysed into six themes as well as sub-themes. Data were analysed according to Tesch, as cited in Creswell (2009). Measures to ensure trustworthiness were adhered to, such as neutrality, consistency, truth value, and applicability. Ethical considerations were closely followed, such as obtaining permission from the Senate Higher Degrees of the University of the Western Cape and the Provincial Health Ethics Committee, participants’ gave voluntary written consent to partake in the study, aware of the right to withdraw at any time, and of their anonymity and confidentiality being maintained through the use of pseudo names. The findings of the study were that the emergency department was inappropriate for the managing of acutely psychotic or behaviourally disturbed patients such as these, particularly if these staff members were not adequately trained, and where there were staff shortages. Though there was recognition of these patients’ rights to obtain medical care, fear and resentment accompanied by stress on the part of staff presented throughout the themes. The study yielded recommendations such as the need for training and debriefing of staff members and support by hospital management, as well as services such as groupwork and supportive services to patients and family. Recommendations were also made for a review of staffing, infrastructure, facilities and legislation. These recommendations are considered important to assist in the planning, and implementation of healthcare services to mental healthcare users, with specific reference to substance-induced psychotic patients.

This thesis investigates changes in knowledge required to complete tasks within business processes that have implemented planned/radical change. The research is based on the synthesis of three scholarly domains: change management, knowledge management, and business processes. Organisations implement planned/radical change for various reasons: due to perturbations in the external environment, to achieve strategic goals, or to improve profitability. Radical changes affect business processes and the people carrying out tasks within those processes. Yet, many radical process change initiatives founder. The conceptual argument underpinning this thesis is that planned/radical change initiatives are rarely fully implemented because knowledge does not fully evolve from pre-change to post-change knowledge. People can hold onto knowledge they have, or are unable to grasp new knowledge required, or attempt to apply knowledge that is redundant. This thesis posits that knowledge which does not evolve is a barrier to change. Consequently, this study contributes by providing a deeper understanding of knowledge evolution in the context of processes that have undergone planned/radical change, and specifically the evolution of declarative, procedural and heuristic knowledge necessary to complete new or redesigned tasks within business processes, which form the bedrock to enhancing the implementation of planned/radical change. Drawing on the literature related to change, knowledge, process and dynamic capabilities, a conceptual model is developed to explain evolutionary stages from pre-change to post-change declarative, procedural and heuristic knowledge within business processes. The model is based upon empirical data, collected qualitatively from two higher educational institutes based in Kuwait. This thesis also investigates redundant knowledge: knowledge that is no longer of use in post-change processes. In addition, the factors affecting knowledge evolution that exist during the period of implementing planned/radical change in a business process are identified and defined. Understanding these factors enhances the progression of staff members through the evolution stages. The model suggests that greater recognition of the pace at which knowledge evolves is important for implementing planned/radical change. The implications for practice are highlighted. This study has a number of limitations and suggestions for future research, which are set out in more detail in the concluding chapter.

Excerpt:The purpose of this research study was to explore the topic of organizational communication in higher education and examine staff members’ perceptions about their level of communication and job satisfaction in their workplaces.

The Virginia Department of Corrections mandates that all offenders without a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) are required to be enrolled in GED programs offered in the prison system. However, these programs have shown varying rates of success. Supported by the constructivist theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify how correctional education staff members perceived the effectiveness of the GED programs. Data from surveys and interviews with 9 educational correctional staff members were collected and analyzed for themes. Findings indicated that (a) participants use computer software for effective instruction, (b) offenders who were enrolled in correctional education programs successfully reenter society after being released from incarceration, and (c) offenders' self-efficacy is related to GED instruction. Findings may be used to improve GED programs to support offenders in obtaining a GED and training to promote social justice by returning to their communities more prepared to obtain jobs and contribute to the global economy.

The study aims to determine the relationship between the talent mindset (TM) and organisational commitment (OC) of academic heads of departments. There is a vast problem in the higher education sector with regards to retaining academic staff members. In order for higher education institutions to attract and more specifically retain academic talent, one needs to implement a sound talent management model. Before such a model can be implemented with success, the organisation first needs to have a positive talent mindset. The relationship between talent mindset and organisational commitment may provide a means to develop appropriate interventions or strategies in order to enhance the talent mindset by focusing on improving the organisational commitment and vice versa. Two instruments, namely the Talent Mindset Index (TMI) and Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ), were administered to a sample of 116 heads of departments at a leading university in South Africa, 53 completed questionnaires were obtained. The responses were analysed using correlation analysis and quantitative techniques. Results confirm that the presence of OC is associated with a positive TM. Therefore, the study provides evidence that there is a correlation between OC and the TM of academic heads of departments. Thus, if management utilises existing techniques to increase OC, this should lead to the enhancement of the heads of departments’ TM. The enhanced TM would equip them to implement a talent management model to attract and retain academic staff. / Dissertation MCom University of Pretoria, 2014 / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

The purpose of this research study was to explore the topic of organizational communication in higher education and examine staff members’ perceptions about their level of communication and job satisfaction in their workplaces. This study was also designed to test the relationship between communication satisfaction and job satisfaction by analyzing the significance of different dimensions of Communication Satisfaction with the view that satisfaction is multifaceted. A total of 463 non-faculty staff members from different units of a single higher education institution participated in this study. This study included non-teaching staff, including student workers and both full-time and part-time staff members. A modified version of Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) developed by Downs and Hazen was used to collect data. The study used a Likert-type scale with a 7-point scale and had eight dimensions (personal feedback, relationship to supervisors, horizontal and informal communication, organizational integration, organizational perspective, communication climate, media quality, and job satisfaction). The statistical analyses of the data from eight research questions revealed some significant relationships and differences. The results found that staff members perceived their level of satisfaction with communication satisfaction dimensions personal feedback, relationship to supervisors, horizontal and informal communication, organizational integration, and media quality from somewhat satisfied to satisfied, and communication satisfaction dimensions organizational perspective and communication climate as somewhat satisfied. The results found significant differences among different dimensions of CSQ, indicating that communication satisfaction is multi-faceted. The staff members perceived their level of job satisfaction to be among somewhat satisfied to satisfied range. The results indicated that gender and number of years in service do not seem to make a significant difference among staff members’ level of satisfaction, but level of education and job classification does. There were strong positive relations found among all dimensions of CSQ. A strong positive relationship and statistically significant correlation was found between overall communication satisfaction and job satisfaction scores, indicating that when staff members feel satisfied with communication in their workplace, they also tend to feel satisfied with their job in their workplace.

Coronakrisen har varit och är fortfarande i skrivande stund en stor samhällsbörda för många olika typer av organisationer och har varit särskilt påfrestande för gymnasieskolor. Samtidigt har det lett till en god möjlighet att utforska organisationers krishantering. Denna studie är baserad på tidigare forskning om resiliens för att vidareutveckla begreppets förståelse och praktiska innebörd genom att undersöka hur anställdas uppfattningar av organisatorisk resiliens påverkas av demografisk bakgrund och hemarbetsförutsättningar. Studien genomfördes genom en sambandsanalys av enkätfrågor baserade på Mallaks (1998a) principer av resiliens och frågor om demografisk bakgrund samt hemarbetsförutsättningar som riktades åt anställda på gymnasieskolor i Skåne.  Studien identifierade indikationer på ett starkt samband mellan vissa av Mallaks (1998a) principer (framför allt de principer som berör de anställdas egna arbeten) och anställdas uppfattningar av dess hemarbetsförutsättningar. Det identifierades även ett samband med viss demografisk bakgrundsinformation och vissa av principerna, men sambandet var svagare. Detta tyder på att det finns behov att forska vidare på anställdas behov i hemarbete samt för organisationer att tillgodose dessa behov samt undersöka hur anställdas uppfattningar påverkar organisationers resiliens. / The corona crisis has been and still is at the time of writing a major societal burden for many different types of organizations and has been particularly stressful for upper secondary schools. At the same time, it has led to a good opportunity to explore organizations' crisis management. This study is based on previous research on resilience to further develop the understanding of the concept and its practical meaning by examining how employees' perceptions of organizational resilience are affected by their demographic background and working from home conditions. The study was conducted through a correlation analysis of survey questions based on Mallak's (1998a) principles of resilience and questions about demographic background as well as the conditions for working from home aimed at employees at upper secondary schools in Skåne. The study identified indications of a strong connection between some of Mallak's (1998a) principles (especially principles that concern the employees' own work) and employees' perceptions of their conditions while working from home. The study also identified some connection with demographic background information and some of the principles, but this connection was weaker. This indicates that there is a need to further research the needs of employees while working from home as well as for organizations to meet those needs and to examine how employees' perceptions affect the organizations resilience.

Change is invariable and continuous, and has become inevitable in almost every sphere of business. The FNB Namibia operates in a highly vibrant competitive environment that is influenced by external and internal change drivers, and has not been resistant to any forces of change. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between corporate culture and organisational change of FNB Namibia. In this study corporate culture is the independent variable while organisational change is the dependent variable under the investigation. The data were collected through the questionnaires distributed to the staff members of the bank. A total of 50 questionnaires were administered, 33 of the questionnaires were correctly completed and returned. The findings showed that there is a relationship between corporate culture and organisational change. The findings also showed that the dominant existing organisational culture at the bank is hierarchy culture. Even though hierarchy culture is found to be the dominant organisational culture of the bank, the findings however, further revealed that the bank has adopted all four types of organisational culture. The study also found that different types of organisational culture have different levels of perceptions towards organisational change. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

This study is mainly designed to investigate the issue of acceptance and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and examine factors that influence and predict acceptance and use of ICTs among Staff Members (SMs) of Khartoum State Universities (KSUs) (Sudan). To achieve these objectives the study was structured in seven chapters that represent the chronological development of the study. The review of the literature allows for the development of a study conceptual framework, instruments, and methodology of the study. A mixed methodology, mainly quantitative questionnaire of a deductive nature and qualitative methods, was employed. Of 787 questionnaires randomly distributed 527 (a response rate 67 %,) was received and analysed. The analysis was performed using SPSS, Smart Partial Least Squire (Smart-PLS), and qualitative analysis. Thus, descriptive, explanatory, and content analyses were presented and discussed. The results of the analysis of the situations and variations provide important information on SMs’ skills, experience, purposes and duration of ICT use. The result revealed that, ICTs were widely used by most SMs. However, relatively low numbers of SMs used ICTs in teaching. Perceived usefulness (PU) and SMs’ intrinsic motivation were the main reasons that motivated SMs to use ICTs. Amongst different purposes of using ICTs, SMs use it principally for teaching and academic purposes. Among many suggested constrains, specific infrastructure, organization, and individual level were strongly agreed on as the main problem that hinder SMs’ ICT use. The statistical analysis revealed that the use of ICTs for teaching and the duration of this use vary significantly with variations in SMs’ demographic and personal characteristics. In order to examine factors influencing SMs’ acceptance and use of ICTs, a conceptual framework and relevant instruments of data collections, which was based on technology acceptance model (TAM) supported by other models, were developed. The analysis of Structural equation modelling (SEM) via smart-PLS confirmed the reliability and validity of the measurements and the structural models. The results of the analysis of the structural models indicate that nine out of thirteen claimed hypotheses were proved and supported. The findings proved applicability and the validity of TAM in predicting SMs’ acceptance and use of ICTs in the study context. SMs’ acceptance of ICTs was found to. / Die vorliegende Arbeit beleuchtet die Fragen der Akzeptanz und Nutzung von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (IKT). Sie untersucht am Beispiel des Lehrpersonals von staatlichen sowie privaten Universitäten im Bundesland Khartum (Sudan), welche Faktoren und Einflüsse eine Vorhersage von IKT-Akzeptanz und Nutzung ermöglichen. Die Darstellung gliedert sich in sieben Kapiteln, die die chronologische Entwicklung der Studie repräsentieren. Ein vorausgehendes umfangreiches Literaturstudium ist die Grundlage für den konzeptionellen Rahmen und die Methodik der vorgelegten Arbeit. Die Ergebnisse der Arbeit beruhen auf einer Mischung von quantitativen (Fragebogen) und qualitativen (Interviews und eigene Beobachtung) Untersuchungsmethoden. Die Hauptuntersuchungsmethode war ein bereits vorhandener Fragebogen, dessen inhaltliche Gliederung ergänzt, präzisiert und weiter entwickelt wurde für die Anwendungsgebiete im Sudan. Die Grundlage war die Befragung von 787zufällig ausgewählten Lehrkräften aus sieben privaten sowie sieben staatlichen Universitäten. Von den 787 ausgegebenen Fragebögen konnten 527 (67%) ausgewertet werden. Diese Auswertung erfolgte mittels SPSS, Smart PLS. Dazu wurde zusätzlich eine qualitative analyse genutzt. So wurden deskriptive, explorative und enthaltene Analysen vorgestellt und diskutiert. Die Ergebnisse der Analyse der Situationen und Variationen liefern wichtige Informationen über SMs 'Fähigkeiten, Erfahrung und Dauer der IKT-Nutzung. Dabei konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass eine IKT-Nutzung unter den Befragten Lehrkräften zwar generell weit verbreitet ist, in Lehrkontexten jedoch erkennbar seltener Anwendung findet. Für eine IKT-Nutzung wesentliche Gründe stellen die intrinsische Motivation eine Person sowie soziale, kulturelle und organisatorische Normen dar. Als Hemmnisse eine IKT-Nutzung werden nicht nur organisatorische und administrative Mängel und Schwächen, sondern auch individuelle Einflüsse bennant. Die Nutzung von IKT für die Lehre und die Dauer ihrer Verwendung konnte dargestellt werden als einige erheblich variierte demographische und persönliche Eigenschaften Zur Untersuchung von Einflussfaktoren auf die Lehrpersonal Akzeptanz und die Nutzung von IKT wurden ein konzeptioneller Rahmen und relevante Instrumente der Datensammlungen auf der Basis des Technologieakzeptanz Modells (TAM), unterstützt von anderen Modellen, entwickelt. Die Analyse von Strukturgleichungsmodellen (SEM) via Smart-PLS bestätigen die Zuverlässigkeit und Gültigkeit der Messmodelle. Die Ergebnisse der Analyse der Strukturmodelle zeigen, dass neun von dreizehn Hypothesen geprüft und bestätigt wurden. Im Rahmen der Studie bewiesen die Ergebnisse die Anwendbarkeit und Gültigkeit der TAM in der Vorhersage SMs Akzeptanz und Nutzung von IKT. Es wurde festgestellt, dass die Lehrpersonal Akzeptanz von IKT vor allem von PU und Benutzerfreundlichkeit (PEU) beeinflusst und bestimmt werden. Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Situationsfaktoren (SFs) dominanten Einfluss auf die Nutzung von IKT SMs haben Dagegen wurden Einschränkungen (COs) gefunden, um negative nicht signifikante Wirkungen zu haben. Die Erleichterungs-Faktoren (FF) haben jedoch positive dominant signifikante Wirkungen. Bei der Nutzung und Akzeptanz von IKT wurde außerdem festgestellt, dass sie direkt und indirekt von sozialen Faktoren (SIP) und kulturellen Faktoren (CUFs) beeinflusst werden. Die Tests mit Hilfe der Multigruppenanalyse(MGA) zeigen, dass die Kultur mäßigende Wirkung auf SMs IKT Akzeptanz und Nutzung hat. Die Ergebnisse wurden weiter unterstützt und ergänzt durch Informationen aus eingehenden Interviews und Beobachtungen. Bei der abschließenden Diskussion wurde festgestellt, dass einige Ergebnisse in der einschlägigen Literatur nicht unterstützt werden. Die Diskussion schlussfolgert zu den entwickelten Modellen von IKT, dass sie die positiven signifikanten (direkten und mäßigenden) Beziehungen von reflektierenden Faktoren enthalten, die die IKT Nutzung und Akzeptanz durch das Lehrpersonal in KSUs beeinflussen. Die Studie impliziert: Beiträge zu Wissen, Theorie und Praxis wurden weiter diskutiert, gefolgt von Schlussfolgerungen und Empfehlungen.

Change is invariable and continuous, and has become inevitable in almost every sphere of business. The FNB Namibia operates in a highly vibrant competitive environment that is influenced by external and internal change drivers, and has not been resistant to any forces of change. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between corporate culture and organisational change of FNB Namibia. In this study corporate culture is the independent variable while organisational change is the dependent variable under the investigation. The data were collected through the questionnaires distributed to the staff members of the bank. A total of 50 questionnaires were administered, 33 of the questionnaires were correctly completed and returned. The findings showed that there is a relationship between corporate culture and organisational change. The findings also showed that the dominant existing organisational culture at the bank is hierarchy culture. Even though hierarchy culture is found to be the dominant organisational culture of the bank, the findings however, further revealed that the bank has adopted all four types of organisational culture. The study also found that different types of organisational culture have different levels of perceptions towards organisational change. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)