Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2004 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: To the world community at large globalisation has been a gradual process, whereas
its impact in South Africa was more intensive and concentrated over a shorter period
of time - in particular since South Africa's return to the international community in the
early to middle 1990s, its economy, inter alia, has had to adjust to this phenomenon.
It is within this environment that all enterprises constituting the South African
economy also had to adapt and adjust to a new world environment.
From the middle 1980s a new discourse in the literature on the effect of a "new" style
of leadership (based on continuous learning, renewal, innovation and
entrepreneurship) was reported on in which these leaders brought about significant
change in organisations. These leaders recognise the need for change in their
organisations. They create a new vision. They bring about change in their
organisations to meet the challenges from the changing environment and have been
accordingly recognised as transformational leaders.
This leadership style has been extensively reported on in large organisations, in both
the private and the public sectors. For example, literature and research abound on
the impact of transformational leaders in large business enterprises (e.g. Lee
lacocca of Chrysler, Jack Welch of General Electric) and government institutions,
such as education, the military and health (e.g. Nelson Mandela of South Africa,
Mahatma Ghandi of India). A review of the literature on the impact of transformational leadership in large
organisations, without fail, reports significant manifestations of success in those
organisations' growth, cohesion and development into' more successful and
competitive units.
Concomitantly, it is generally acknowledged by the World Bank, the International
Monetary Fund, the European Union, the Asian Development Bank and other
organisations of similar position, that small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
shape the very foundation of the majority of successful economies.
The impact of transformational leadership in small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) has not been measured and reported on in an empirical appraisal and
surprisingly little has been forthcoming on the role and impact of transformational
leadership in SMEs globally. However, from an entrepreneurial perspective, much
has been researched and written on the qualities that support risk-taking, innovation
and competition in SMEs.
It is within this context that it was decided to investigate the concept of
transformational leadership in entrepreneurs, i.e. that group of people who are
generally referred to as the drivers of the economy.
This dissertation reviews the literature on leadership practices and styles in
organisations as a basis to specifically identify the co-producers of leadership in
entrepreneurs in SMEs. It is within this context that an empirical study on aspects of
transformational leadership in SMEs in a South African context was conducted. This empirical survey verifies the relationship between characteristics of these
entrepreneurs and characteristics typically associated with transformational leaders,
as manifested in large organisations.
Therefore, given the above empirical evidence, the model developed for this study
defines the qualities of a transformational leader which will enable those
leaders/entrepreneurs (in SMEs with growth potential) to take their organisations from
average performance levels to levels comparable to world-class leadership and
competitiveness. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vir die wêreldgemeenskap in sy geheel was globalisering 'n geleidelike proses,
terwyl die impak daarvan op Suid-Afrika meer intensief en gekonsentreerd oor 'n
korter tydperk plaasgevind het - meer spesifiek sedert Suid-Afrika se terugkeer
gedurende die vroeë tot middel 1990s tot die internasionale gemeenskap
waartydens die ekonomie, onder andere, tot hierdie verskynsel moes aanpas. Dit is
binne hierdie omgewing waarbinne alle ondernemings wat die basis van die
ekonomie vorm, tot die nuwe wêreldomgewing moes aanpas.
Vanaf die middel 1980s is daar redevoering in die literatuur oor die invloed van 'n
"nuwe" leierskapstyl (met die uitgangspunte van verandering, innovering en
entrepreneurskap) waarvolgens hierdie leiers aansienlike verandering in hul
organisasies teweegbring. Hierdie leiers begryp die noodsaaklikheid van verandering
en skep sodoende 'n nuwe visie binne hulorganisasies. Hulle bring verandering
binne hierdie organisasies teweeg en aanvaar die uitdagings vanuit die omgewing -
hierdie leiers word as transformasieleiers uitgeken.
Vanuit die oogpunt van beide groot, privaat- en openbare organisasies, word hierdie
leierskapstyl omvattend vermeld; byvoorbeeld, in navorsing en literatuur is
voldoende verwysings oor die invloed van transformasieleierskap in groot
ondernemings (bv. Lee lacocca van Chrysler, Jack Welch van General Electric) en in
staatorganisasies, soos in opvoeding, die militêre asook gesondheid (bv. Nelson
Mandela van Suid-Afrika, Mahatma Ghandi van Indië). 'n Literatuuroorsig oor die invloed van transformasieleierskap op groot organisasies
dui sonder uitsondering op 'n beduidende invloed van sukses in die groei van hierdie
ondernemings aan, asook beter spanwerk en die ontplooiing van meer suksesvolle
en mededingengde eenhede binne hierdie organisasies.
Insgelyks, word dit algemeen deur die Wêreldbank, die Internasionale Monetêre
Fonds, die Europese Gemeenskap, die Asiese Ontwikkelingsbank en ander
soortgelyke organisasies aanvaar dat klein tot middelgroot-ondernemings (KMOs)
die onderbou van die meerderheid van susksesvolle ekonomië vorm.
Vanuit 'n entrepreneuriese perspektief is 'n aansienlike hoeveelheid navorsing en
publikasies reeds oor die faktore gedoen wat entrepreneurskap in KMOs
ondersteun, naamlik risikoneming, innovering en mededining. Dog, vanuit 'n
empiriese benadering, is daar nog nie navorsing oor die invloed van
transformasieleierskap in KMOs gelewer nie.
Dit is binne hierdie konteks dat die besluit geneem is om die konsep van
transformasieleierskap in entrepreneurs te ondersoek, m.a.w. daardie groep mense
waarna oor die algemeen as die dryfkrag van die ekonomie verwys word.
As vertrekpunt ondersoek hierdie verhandeling die literatuur met betrekking tot
leierskapgebruike en -style in organisasies, om sodoende meer spesifiek die
medeprodusente van leierskap in entrepreneurs in KMOs te bepaal. Vanaf hierdie
vertrekpunt word die empiriese ondersoek geloods en voltooi om die
teenwoordigheid van transformasieleierskap in KMOs in Suid-Afrika te bepaal. Die empiriese navorsing bevestig die verwantskap tussen die eienskappe van
hierdie entrepreneurs en die eienskappe wat tipies aan transformasieleiers in groot
organisasies toegeskryf word.
Gegewe die bogenoemde empiriese bevindinge omskryf die model (wat gevolglik vir
hierdie studie ontwikkel is) die eienskappe van transformasieleiers wat vir
leiers/entrepreneurs (in KMOs met groeimoontlikhede) van nut sal wees om
sodoende hulondernemings tot prestasievlakke te neem wat met wêreldleierskap en
mededingingheid vergelyk kan word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49840 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Visser, Dirk Jacobus |
| Contributors | De Coning, T. J., v. d. Smit, E., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences . Graduate School of Business. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 325 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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