Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:
Chapter 1 outlines the purpose of the research, provides the background on the way
in which LR matters are currently managed and handled in the Department of
Defence (DOD), identifies the research problem, and outlines the research design
and methodology.
Chapter 2 explores the theoretical framework of the principles of labour relations and
management of change. The chapter reveals that the principles of labour relations
hold persons in management or supervisory positions responsible for managing LR
matters, and suggests that LR practitioners should therefore be able to equip them
with adequate skills and knowledge of the procedures for dealing with LR matters in
the workplace. The chapter also reveals that the principles of the management of
change suggest that the employees should be prepared for change; that a change
agent, who should create an environment conducive to change through lobbying the
support of persons in management and employees for the proposed change, should
be identified; and that resistance to change should be identified at an early stage of
the change process in order to eliminate it. Change agents are encouraged not to
dominate the change process, but rather to facilitate it in order to ensure that the
organisation and its employees drive the change process themselves.
Chapter 3 explores the objectives of the LR support function as well as the content of
LR practices in order to determine the extent to which LR practitioners can become
change agents in the DOD. The chapter reveals that LR at grassroots level is
practiced in the way that has resulted to conflicts and costly litigations. In this
chapter the regulatory framework and procedures that impede LR practitioners from
becoming change agents are also analysed.
Chapter 4 covers the data collection process and the analysis thereof. The data
reveals that the LR structure at grassroots level is not conducive for the professional
delivery of enhanced LR services; that the target group does not have access to
adequate resources that would enable them to execute their functions; and that
empowerment programmes are implemented to equip the target group with adequate qualifications, skills and or knowledge to be able to render enhanced LR
services. The main findings were that guidance is lacking to ensure that LR
systems, structures and processes at grassroots level are in place, to ensure that LR
matters are managed and handled in a fair and responsible way; to ensure that LR
staff with adequate competences to render LR services is appointed; and to ensure
that the LR department is active enough and lead the execution of enhanced LR
services.
In Chapter 5 the main findings are analysed and it is concluded that LR practitioners
are unable to become change agents if LR systems, structures and processes are
not in place. It is encouraged that LR practitioners should form a cohesive but
diverse team that is able to render enhanced LR services, and that the LR
department should take a leading role. It is recommended that a study be conducted
to determine overarching LR strategy that would guide the establishment of LR
systems, the determination of LR structure and processes for dealing with LR
matters, and the empowerment programmes for ensuring the professional delivery of
enhanced LR services. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:
Hoofstuk 1 skets die doel van die navorsing en verskaf agtergrond oor die manier
waarop arbeidsverhoudinge tans in die Departement van Verdediging bestuur en
hanteer word. In hierdie hoofstuk word die navorsingsprobleem ook geïdentifiseer
en die navorsingsontwerp en -metodologie uitgestippel.
Hoofstuk 2 ondersoek die teoretiese raamwerk van arbeidsverhoudingbeginsels en
die bestuur van verandering. Die hoofstuk openbaar dat die beginsels van
arbeidsverhoudinge persone in bestuurs- of toesighoudende posisies
verantwoordelik hou vir die bestuur van arbeidsverhoudingkwessies. Daar word
voorgestel dat arbeidsverhoudingpraktisyns daarom in staat moet wees om hierdie
persone toe te rus met voldoende vaardighede en kennis van die prosedures vir die
hantering van arbeidsverhoudingkwessies in die werkplek. Die hoofstuk openbaar
ook dat die beginsels van die bestuur van verandering aandui dat werknemers op
verandering voorbereid moet wees en dat ’n veranderingsagent geïdentifiseer moet
word. Só ’n agent moet ’n atmosfeer skep wat bevorderlik vir verandering is deur
steun vir die voorgestelde verandering van persone in bestuur en werknemers te
werf. Verder moet weerstand teen verandering in ’n vroeë stadium in die
veranderingsproses vasgestel word om dit sodoende uit te skakel.
Veranderingsagente word aangemoedig om nie die veranderingsproses te oorheers
nie, maar eerder te vergemaklik om te verseker dat die instelling en sy werknemers
die veranderingsproses self dryf.
Hoofstuk 3 ondersoek die teikens van die arbeidsverhoudingsteunfunksie asook die
inhoud van arbeidsverhoudingpraktyke om te bepaal tot watter mate
arbeidsverhoudingpraktisyns veranderingsagente in die Departement van
Verdediging kan word. Hierdie hoofstuk onthul dat arbeidsverhoudinge op grondvlak
op ’n manier beoefen word wat reeds tot konflik en duur litigasies gelei het. In
hierdie hoofstuk word die regulerende raamwerk en prosedures geanaliseer wat
arbeidsverhoudingpraktisyns verhinder om veranderingsagente te word.
Hoofstuk 4 dek die data-insamelingsproses en analise van hierdie proses. Die data
onthul dat die arbeidsverhoudingstruktuur op grondvlak nie bevorderlik is vir die
professionele lewering van verbeterde arbeidsverhoudingdienste nie, en dat die
teikengroep nie toegang tot voldoende bronne het wat hulle in staat sou stel om hulle
funksies uit te voer nie. Die data openbaar verder dat bemagtigingsprogramme
toegepas word om die teikengroep met voldoende opleiding, vaardighede en/of
kennis toe te rus om verbeterde arbeidsverhoudingdienste te lewer. Die
hoofbevinding was dat daar gebrekkige leiding is om te verseker dat
arbeidsverhoudingstelsels, -strukture en -prosesse op grondvlak gereed is; dat
arbeidsverhoudingkwessies op ’n regverdige en verantwoordelike manier bestuur en
hanteer word; dat arbeidsverhoudingpersoneel met voldoende bevoegdhede
aangestel word om arbeidsverhoudingdienste te lewer, en dat die
arbeidsverhoudingdepartement aktief genoeg is en die voortou neem in die
uitvoering van verbeterde arbeidsverhoudingdienste.
In hoofstuk 5 word die hoofbevindinge geanaliseer en die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat
arbeidsverhoudingpraktisyns nie in staat is om veranderingsagente te word indien
arbeidsverhoudingstelsels, -strukture en -prosesse nie gereed is nie.
Arbeidsverhoudingpraktisyns word aangemoedig om ’n verenigde maar diverse span
te vorm wat verbeterde arbeidsverhoudingdienste kan bied en die
arbeidsverhoudingdepartement word aangemoedig om ’n leidende rol in hierdie
verband te speel. Daar word aanbeveel dat ’n studie gedoen word om ’n
oorkoepelende arbeidsverhoudingstrategie vas te stel wat as riglyn kan dien vir die
stigting van arbeidsverhoudingstelsels, die bepaling van arbeidsverhoudingstruktuur
en prosesse om met arbeidsverhoudingkwessies om te gaan, en
bemagtigingsprogramme om te verseker dat verbeterde arbeidsverhoudingdienste
professioneel gelewer word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2109 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Qwele, Gcobani |
| Contributors | Burger, A. P. J., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Management and Planning. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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