Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1959. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 230-235).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-106). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Duquesne University, 2009. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. 194-209) and index.

It has been twenty years since F W De Klerk unbanned the African National Congress. This momentous occasion changed overnight the business landscape in South Africa and the way business were done for many decades. Before and after this crucial moment in South African history, leaders played a significant role in bringing change about as well as managing it. Whether hierarchical or non-hierarchical, leadership manifests itself through all spheres of civilisation. Within any collective, formal as well as informal leadership are always at work and within the environment there always seems to be an individual that appears to hold equal or more influence and sway over the collective. This research investigates the characteristics and role of this individual, the informal leader. In addition, against the melting pot of the diversity of culture, social structures, economics, and demographics in South Africa, the influence of culture on how leadership is being perceived and experienced is also researched. The research is grounded in a post-positivists approach and conducted within a constructivist-interpretative paradigm. A qualitative approach is followed with personal interviews as the method to collect the data from respondents. The interview protocol consists of a combination of questions containing questions of both a quantitative and qualitative nature. Questions of a qualitative nature were open-ended and of an in-depth nature. The research is two pronged. The focus of the research is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the South African Motor Industry and for the primary goal of the research data was collected from employees within work groups of the OEM. The primary research goal investigates the role and characteristics of informal leaders in work groups as seen and experienced by their fellow employees and if there is any congruence with that of the role and characteristics of formal leaders. The study found no fundamental differences between the characteristics and role of formal and informal leaders. The characteristics and role of leaders between different cultures also appear to be the same. For the secondary research goal – determining whether the role and characteristics of informal leaders in work groups could be underpinned in the principles of Ubuntu and if consideration should be given to any cultural differences between leaders and followers by organisational hierarchies – the literature was reviewed in order to reach a conclusion with regards this goal. The literature indicates that culture does affect leadership, especially on how the leadership is executed and experienced in a multicultural society and if ignored, will have a detrimental effect on effective leadership. In order to strive towards achieving maximum productivity, it is imperative that management in South African organisations be aware of the changed dynamic within their organisations as well as on the global stage. The research therefore ends with the practical implications of informal leaders for organisations in South Africa. It is recommended that the importance and contribution of informal leaders within work groups in a multi-culture organisation needs not only to be considered as an element of group leadership, but should be accommodated by the organisation. It is also recommended that organisations recognise the cultural differences between leaders and followers in organisations and the possible consequences if ignored. If the competitive pressures and requirements of globalisation are ignored against the background of Afrocentric expectations and motivational imperatives of the South African workforce, it will result in an ineffective workforce, which will in due course render these organisations uncompetitive and non-sustainable locally and globally.

M.A. (Industrial Relations) / The objective of this study is to examine the way in which the traditional role of the supervisor in South African industry is changing in the context of the social, political and economic transformation of the country. Because the author is on an overseas posting for the duration of the study period, it is not possible to conduct empirical research of any depth. Therefore, the dissertation is mainly a literature study based on the historical and present development of labour relations and the changing role of the supervisor. Where possible, the literature study is supplemented by unstructured interviews with training, personnel and industrial relations managers, supervisors and trade union representatives and workers in Scotland, Kenya and South Africa. It will be found that the changes to the position and role of the first line supervisors in the USA, UK, and Germany are more extensive than in South Africa. However, there is clear evidence that the management of South African firms are realising the advantages of long term strategies of empowering their employees, sharing information, and of good training and development programmes. within this context the study will establish that the role and position of the South African supervisor is indeed changing. It will also be pointed out that a significant problem facing firms in the "new" south Africa is a shortage of managers who are not only trained within their own sphere of work, but who are capable of recognising the role they and their subordinates play in the labour relations climate of their firm. The supervisor, at the interface between management, workers and shop stewards, is a key actor responsible for shaping and maintaining the firm's labour and human relations...

Few naturalistic studies exist that take an in-depth look at the lifeworlds of consultants and supervisors. This single case study describes and interprets the practical knowledge of an exemplary Fine Arts Supervisor. In this study, the investigator acted as a participant-observer while "shadowing" Ruth Britten (a pseudonym) over a four month period. Data were derived through field research techniques, and were subjected to data analysis and interpretation. Drawing upon a body of literature dealing with the nature of practical knowledge, this study concludes that a supervisor's practical knowledge is different from a teacher's practical knowledge in two important ways. First, curriculum implementation replaces curriculum development in the five commonplaces found in teacher practical knowledge: self, instruction, curriculum development, subject matter, and milieu. Second, the political knowledge context forms a major addition to the five orientations defined by Elbaz regarding teacher practical knowledge: theoretical, social, personal, situational, experiential. A third conclusion underlies the above: Elbaz's conceptual framework for a teacher's practical knowledge proved to be a useful starting point in determining a supervisor's practical knowledge. Practical knowledge is constructed upon rules of practice, practical principles, and images. In this study, these forms revealed the dialectical nature of much of Ruth's practical knowledge. Two constructs or landscapes of imagery became apparent, one being the empowerment and power of teachers, and the other, bureaucratic power and control and educational stability. Analysis of Ruth's style as a supervisor examined further dialectical relationships, as she continuously resolved contraries while implementing fine arts curricula. The findings suggest that among other requirements, supervisors need to develop a unique form of practical knowledge geared to the political context of curriculum implementation. Therefore, School Boards should consider tenure contracts for supervisors rather than limited term contracts, and should promote special training for supervisors in curriculum change strategies rather than assume that master teacher practical knowledge is sufficient. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Due to the emotional draining and potentially stressful nature of social work practice, the availability of social work supervision becomes desirable and necessary. Supervision has to be implemented continuously in order to render an effective and sufficient service to clients, families and communities. Social work supervisors have very important and necessary roles to play in the professional development of social workers and the effective functioning of the social services organisations in which they are employed. Additional to the responsibility pertaining to the social workers, supervisors are middle managers and thus have specific management responsibilities as well. The result is that the supervisor has to implement both supervision and management functions. Supervisors function under stress that is enforced by expectations from social workers and senior management. Social workers do have formal channels of feedback and support in the supervisors that provide opportunities for commendation. Supervisors have no such formally assigned sources of feedback or support. There is little recognition for their accomplishments and little or no support when they encounter problems. The problem is that the lack or absence of support and support systems for social work supervisors has a negative influence on their supervisory and managerial services to social workers. The supervisory and managerial expectations were identified as prove of the demands placed on supervisors as well as the work-related stress that they are subjected to. A few management strategies have been identified as possible support systems for supervisors in the management of supervisees. Support systems that were identified and discussed are employee benefits, employee incentives, job description, knowledge of the budget and financial controls, employee assistance program, supervisors’ peer support group, career planning, organizational culture, organizational climate and the immediate superior. The empirical research was done through the quantitative research technique and a mailed questionnaire as data gathering method. The social work supervisors of the Department of Welfare were the research population and the participating provinces were Mpumalanga, Free State and Eastern Cape. The data received through the questionnaires supported the indication that supervisors do not receive support in the execution of their responsibilities. It was confirmed that the identified support systems, if utilised and applied effectively, could provide supervisors with support. The empirical research and the literature study have confirmed the following research statements: 1. Insufficient support systems are available to supervisors in the social work profession. 2. The available support systems for social work supervisors are inadequately administered and utilised . 3. Due to the inadequate utilisation of support systems, supervisors experience lack of support resulting in neglected supervisory and managerial practice. Relevant data from the questionnaires and the literature study formed the basis for the development of guidelines for application of the support systems. It is recommended that these guidelines be implemented for the support systems to be effectively utilised and applied. / Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Research on school districts has repeatedly found that focusing on student learning and instructional leadership is a key component to effectiveness (Murphy & Hallinger, 1988; Leithwood, 2010; Anderson & Young, 2018). Districts are currently undergoing a redefinition of roles in order to specifically support principals as instructional leaders in their schools. This qualitative case study describes how one district began to develop a system for supporting principals through incorporating leadership coaching. This study shares the perspectives of principal supervisors and other district specialists as they built their own capacities to be effective coaches. The complexity of simultaneously developing skills in both the principal supervisors learning to coach and the principals being coached is contextualized in this study. I find that the self-direction of coaches learning to coach was significant in principal supervisors and district specialists learning to understand the key principles of coaching. As individuals and as a collective of district leaders, it is the element of choice that creates a meaningful beginning to implementing leadership coaching for principals and has set forth a clear vision for the future of supporting principals in their instructional leadership goals.

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