Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The term DERI stands for Defence Evaluation and Research Institute. DERls are
strategic institutes, established primarily to provide technological support to the
Department of Defence. They are responsible for the cost-effective development,
maintenance and application of advanced technologies and concentrate on
specific application areas in the South African Defence Force, corresponding to
the User Support Teams in the Armament Technology Acquisition Secretariat.
The research problem is how to strategically manage such a DERI in terms of
vision, mission, goals, structure of organisation, clients, alliances and resources
such as funding, personnel, facilities and equipment, to optimally provide the best
possible service to the main client, the DoD and in the process ensure the long
term sustainability of the DERI.
An interview was held with the senior executive manager of each of the five
official DERls and also with two very knowledgeable persons on the subject of
Defence and Evaluation Research management, with the aim of determining
which attributes or factors they deem important in the strategic management of a
DERI. The interviews were typed ver batim and all the attributes were included in
a questionnaire. A few more attributes determined from literature and discussions
with De Wet, were also added. Afterwards the abovementioned managers
completed a questionnaire in which they indicated the relative importance of the
various attributes.
The attributes that scored the highest rating were grouped into clusters and are
analysed accordingly. The clusters are as follows:
• ''people" cluster since it is about the knowledge, skills and trust of people
• ''value-for-money cluster since the attributes are about planning, funding
and objectives
• "you-have-to-earn-your-survival cluster since it is about disciplines,
application of R&D and the right of existence of a DERI
All three clusters are enlightened by the comments, remarks, suggestions and
concerns raised during the interviews with the senior executive managers.
People attributes came out as being the most critical success factor in the
strategic management of a DERI. "People" can effectively be divided into two
categories - the DERI's employees on the one hand and the clients' employees
on the other. Everything concerning people is seen as important namely: training.
remuneration, quality service (internal and external), trust, growth and
development, communication, Black Economic Empowerment, stakeholder
interface, etc.
There is a concern about the longer-term survival of the DERls because they are
currently situated in two different organisations in two different state departments
with different visions, missions and goals. A clear indication of the road ahead
should be given as soon as possible.
A solution to the integration question would be an independent investigation by
people who have no vested interests in the outcome of the decision. Whatever
the final answer (one of the two current state departments or a new organisation
or the slatus quo), both departments (Arts, Science and Technology and
Defence) should not feel endangered and the solution should be a win-win
situation for both parties. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: DERI is die verkorte vorm vir Defence Evaluation and Research Institute oftewel
Evaluasie- en Navorsingsinstituut vir die Weermag. DERI's is strategiese institute
wat daargestel is om tegnologiese ondersteuning aan die Departement van
Verdediging te bied. DERI's is verantwoordelik vir die koste-effektiewe
ontwikkeling, instandhouding en aanwending van gevorderde tegnologiee en
fokus op spesifieke toepassingsareas in die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag. Die
ondersteuning vind plaas in ooreenstemming met die behoeftes van gebruiker
ondersteuningspanne in die Wapen Tegnologie Aanskaffingsekretariaat.
Die navorsingsonderwerp is hoe om 'n DERI strategies te bestuur in terme van
visie, missie, doelwitte, struktuur van organisasie, kliente en bronne soos
befondsing, personeel, fasiliteite en toerusting, Ten einde die bes moontlike
diens aan die hoofklient, die Departement van Verdediging, te lewer en
terselfdertyd die DERI volhoubaar te maak oor die lang termyn.
'n Onderhoud is gevoer met die senior uitvoerende bestuurder van elke DERI
sowel as met twee baie kundige persone op die gebied van Verdedigingsevaluasie
en Navorsingsbestuur. Die doel hiervan was om te bepaal watter
faktore as die belangrikste in die strategiese bestuur van 'n DERI, beskou word.
Die onderhoude is woordeliks getik en al die faktore aangedui, in 'n vraelys
opgeneem. 'n Verdere aantal faktore, wat uit literatuurstudies en gesprekke met
De Wet verkry is. is ook ingesluit in die vraelys. Die vraelys is aan die betrokke
persone gestuur met die versoek om die relatiewe belangrikheid van die faktore
aan te dui.
Die faktore wat die meeste gewig dra, is in groepe saamgevoeg en sodanig
ontleed. Die groeperings is as volg:
• "mense" groepering aangesien dit handel oor kennis, vaardighede en
onderlinge vertroue tussen mense
• "waarde-vir-geld" groepering aangesien dit handel oor beplanning,
befondsing en strategiese doelstellings
• "moet-jou-oorlewing-verdien" groepering aangesien dit handel oor
dissiplines, die toepassing van navorsing en ontwikkeling en die
bestaansreg van 'n DERI
Die drie groepe word toegelig deur kommentaar, opmerkings en voorstelle van
die bestuurders tydens die onderhoude.
Die "mens"-faktor is verreweg die belangrikste sukses faktor in die strategiese
bestuur van 'n DERI. "Mense" kan in twee kategoriee verdeel word - die DERI se
werknemers aan die een kant en die van die klient aan die ander kant. Alle
aspekte rakende mense, word beskou as belangrik naamlik: opleiding,
vergoeding, kwaliteit van diens (intern sowel as ekstern), vertroue, groei en
ontwikkeling, kommunikasie, Swart Ekonomiese bemagtiging, kontak met
belangehouers, ensovoorts.
Daar bestaan onsekerheid oor die voortbestaan van die DERl's oor die
langtermyn as gevolg van die feit dat hulle tans deel is van twee organisasies
binne twee verskillende staatsdepartemente. Hierdie departemente het
verskillende visies, missies en doelstellings. 'n Aanduiding van die pad vorentoe
moet so gou as moontlik verskaf word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50195 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Smuts, Petrus Gerhardus |
| Contributors | De Wet, G., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 83 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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