Article 1
The University of the Free State (UFS) experienced extreme pressure to ânormaliseâ all aspects of the
institution in the aftermath of the Reitz debacle in 2008. This urged me to undertake a journey
juxtaposed with Alice in Wonderland as a UFS staff member experiencing some dissonance about the
changes in leadership. Being involved in marketing and publicity, I realised how my personal
consciousness contributed to the collective consciousness, enabling me to share the unifying identity
of my institutional environment. During this period of turmoil and change, the UFS had to revisit its
identity and, like Alice, my institution and I had to embark on a journey in search of an authentic
identity and to develop a consciousness of what that identity might be.
Characters, sites and experiences served as Metaphor Positioning System (MPS), and not Global
Positioning System (GPS), coordinates that assisted me in my journey towards identity consciousness.
I also used observations, visual culture, literature and auto-ethnographic work to break down
disciplinary boundaries as I unpacked the development of an institutional identity consciousness with
aspects of the narrative genre â characters, time, space, themes, intrigues and the narratorâs
perspective.
This study, therefore, provides insights that might add value to other institutionsâ processes of being
conscious of their identities, and supplies beacons that will illuminate their journeys.
Article2
Geographical settings contribute greatly to the unique identity of the institution. The urban campus is
perceived as superior because of the access to technological, educational and recreational resources.
The opposite is perceived of the rural campus, which often desires to copy the institutional identity of
the urban campus. Directive documents and developmental programmes urge governments, urban
HEIs, HE practitioners, and the global community to change their perception of rural campuses.
However, self-image, self-esteem and individuality are internal processes of strategic self-appreciation
and are applicable to the authentic institutional identity development of rural HE settings, as well as
the conscious and unconscious branding of the HEI, as presented in this psycho-social perspective.
Metaphors from Alice in Wonderland illustrate the pointlessness of an unauthentic identity. By
synergising theories from the disciplines of social and developmental psychology and internal
branding, and applying AI principles, the researcher re-conceptualises strategic authentic institutional
identity formation.
Article 3
A vision is perceived as a valued and strategic tool for a leader, but a dreaming leader might be
frowned upon. However, Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and Appreciative Leadership (AL) employ âdreamsâ
as one of the crucial elements of this qualitative research method. This conceptual article
differentiates between a predominantly conscious-mind or preconceived dreaming (where the vision
is restrained and directed by components of strategy formation) and a predominantly subconsciousmind
or free-range dreaming (where the vision unveils a future unlimited by conscious constraints).
An alternative concept of vision that might assist leaders drive creative transformation, instead of
merely adjusting and upgrading existing strategies and practices, is conceptualised. Theoretical
support is supplied by the Alice in Wonderland chronicle (Carroll, 1969) as well as by research
conducted by Harvardâs Medical and Business Schools.
The article forms part of a larger research project within a post-critical paradigm, whereby the
reflective and theoretical epistemology of leadership includes metaphors from Alice in Wonderland.
These metaphors are juxtaposed with the UFS â where an internationally awarded transformation
took place after a debacle that was covered by various major international news agencies.
Article 4
This study documents the apparently devastating Reitz debacle â where four White students
humiliated four Black service workers while capturing the incident on video â from one week prior to
the incident which occurred in February 2008 to only 30 months later when the UFS received the
World Universities Forumâs 2011 Award for Best Practice in Higher Education.
The purpose of the research was to apply the Appreciative approach to what seems to be an
enormous disaster in the existence of the UFS. Motivation for the study manifested in a journey about
sense-making of the defining factors that accomplished the transformation on the UFS campus.
Intuitive as well as scholarly consideration determined the selection of the research design, approach
and method. The Appreciative approach is applied within action research methods, especially
participative and juxtaposed by an insider-author. The dynamics and opportunities that resulted from
the Reitz debacle and the application of an Appreciative approach to leadership facilitated
transformation on the campus and within its community. Data was collected by means of personal
observations, interviews, photographs and documentation. The international media documented this
uncontrolled case study extensively. To illuminate this study, traditional problem-based and
appreciative strength-based leadership styles and images are juxtaposed with aspects in logician
Lewis Carrollâs fantasy novel Alice in Wonderland (1865).
By applying an Appreciative approach, a life-giving transformation may develop from a seemingly
disparaging debacle. This finding suggests some practical and/or managerial implications. Extensive
international exposure not only contributes to the relevance, reality and validity of this case study on
the Reitz debacle, but also illustrates the possibilities of alternative approaches to a global audience of
leaders.
The extraordinary success of the Appreciative approach may contribute and add value by challenging
other institutions to employ this approach in order to heal, unite, and invigorate troubled and diverse
communities.
Article 5
The University of the Free State (UFS) underwent a well-publicised transformation process following a
well-publicised dilemma. Over the past few years, the author experienced an unpublicised
transformation process after one of those everyone-knew-but-you dilemmas. Auto-ethnography (AE)
was my travel vehicle on my journey from institutional awareness to personal transformation.
Through self-reflection, qualitative research methods and observation, travel-related metaphors,
theories on transformation, personal development, personal transformation and authentic leadership
were used as a vehicle to connect Self, Others and Culture in institutional and personal identity
consciousness. The authorâs travel companion, the unpretentious and individualistic Alice of
Wonderland, provides insight into and understanding in complex circumstances. The readers are
taken along a ten-phase journey to experience the practical and theoretical processes of
transformation, during which they will be allowed to linger among the locals at various Wonderland
stations.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-11142013-121707 |
| Date | 14 November 2013 |
| Creators | Smit, Emmerentia Jacomina |
| Contributors | Prof SM Niemann |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-11142013-121707/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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