Due to the developmental approach and other macro-environmental factors in South Africa, welfare organisations are faced with specific challenges and the managers of these organisations are required to meet them. These challenges include aspects like the development and adjustment of the organisation’s policies and strategies, delivering a quality service by following a preventative approach, the integration of the service with other providers forming part of the service delivery process, the sourcing of funding, information management, identification of best practices and eventually ensuring the accountability of the organisation. The total functioning of welfare organisations is therefore influenced by these changes. Managers must not only be able to manage these changes, but also ensure that a quality service is delivered that satisfies all role players. A total quality management framework enables the management of welfare organisations to render a quality service. Total quality management is a holistic management framework including all the elements that determine the functioning of an organisation. The aim of the management approach is to create a culture of improving processes, people, systems, team work and service delivery to satisfy both clients and employees. Although welfare organisations are not profit driven and often function with limited resources, total quality management is recommended in order to ensure that limited resources are optimised, funding is acquired and a quality service is rendered to the needy. The management framework enables managers to eliminate inefficiencies, involve people in decision-making, and encourage individuals and companies to provide funding and to achieve the desired results. Total quality management is based on important principles, but this sometimes fails because these principles are not defined and measured. The excellence model is used as a self-assessment framework for determining to which degree total quality management principles are applied in an organisation and to which extent certain results are achieved. The framework offers best practices in terms of each of the quality principles. This study comprises both a quantitative and a qualitative investigation to determine to what degree these principles are applied in organisations as a regular management tool. Despite the fact that the excellence framework is not formally utilised by welfare organisations, the principles of excellence are indeed applied to a medium to high degree. This study reveals areas receiving limited attention, for example the management of finances, resources, processes and results. The organisations displayed a limited ability to implement excellence due to insufficient resources. A qualitative study was done in order to propose a framework unique to welfare organisations and to enhance the existing excellence framework. Practice guidelines for welfare organisations with regard to the various elements of excellence were investigated. The study resulted in an adapted excellence framework complete with practice guidelines and a self-assessment framework that is to be proposed to welfare organisations. With this framework the study provides the opportunity to give recognition to welfare organisations and individuals who offer excellent service. In addition, it allows organisations still striving for excellence, to continuously improve their service delivery and to satisfy all role players. In organisations striving for service excellence, this aim, based on quality-mindedness, will become part of their service delivery and encourage their clients to live a quality life. / Dr. Emmerentie Oliphant
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:10405 |
| Date | 08 July 2008 |
| Creators | Joubert, Ilizanne |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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