Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the construction of Performance Assessment Discourses in three
companies in the Western Cape, South Africa. The specific interest of is in how Performance
Assessment Interviews (PAIs) are performed in terms of content, form, structure and social
practice, and how managers and employees experience and make sense of this organizational
practice. The study further investigates how individuals express their membership to
communities of practice (CofPs) within the workplace, and seeks to identify obstacles
(boundaries) in terms of acquiring and maintaining membership. This study is conducted
within the broader framework of discourse analysis (DA) and employs genre theory and
small story analysis as analytical tools.
The 31 participants in this study are managers and employees of three participating
companies in the Western Cape. They are L1 speakers of Afrikaans, English, isiXhosa and
isiZulu, and are representative of a wide range of employment levels (lower-level employees
to top management). Each individual participated in either a one-on-one interview or in a
focus group discussion, which were audio-recorded and transcribed. During these interviews
and discussion groups, individuals frequently resorted telling small stories in order to
explicate their feelings, perceptions and positions on certain matters. The data confirms that
several generic features of PAIs are identifiable and across all three companies, but that some
unique features are also reported. Furthermore, the analysis shows that Performance
Assessments are sites of struggles as dominant and competing discourses emerge from the
data. Additionally, the study reveals that acquiring membership to CofPs in a diverse
workplace is a complex endeavour and that language plays a determining role in acquiring
membership, as well as in the construction of workplace identities.
In conclusion, this study argues for further linguistic research within professional setting in
South Africa, and suggests that CofP theory be revised and further developed to be more
descriptive of diverse communities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe Prestasiebestuur (PB) diskoerse in drie maatskappye in die
Wes-Kaap gekonstrueer word. Die studie stel spesifiek belang in hoe prestasiebestuur
gesprekke (PBG) uitgevoer word in terme van inhoud, vorm, struktuur en die sosiale
praktyke wat daarmee saamhang. Verder word die manier waarop bestuurders en werkers
PBGs ervaar en interpreteer ondersoek. Die studie ondersoek ook hoe individue hul
lidmaatskap tot praktyk gemeenskappe (verskeie groeperinge wat praktyke deel) binne die
werksplek beskryf en die struikelblokke identifiseer wat hulle verhoed om lidmaatskap te
verwerf en te behou. Hierdie studie is uitgevoer binne die breër raamwerk van diskoersanalise
(DA) en gebruik genre analise en klein verhaal analise as ontledingsmetodes.
Die 31 deelnemers in die studie is bestuurders en werkers van drie deelnemende maatskappye
in die Wes-Kaap. Hulle is eerstetaalsprekers van Afrikaans, Engels, Xhosa en Zoeloe en is
verteenwoordigend van ʼn wye reeks posisies (vanaf junior posisies tot topbestuur). Elke
individu het deelgeneem aan óf ʼn individuele onderhoud óf ʼn groepsbespreking. Hierdie
onderhoude en besprekings is opgeneem en getranskribeer. Tydens die onderhoude en
besprekings het die deelnemers telkens van ‘klein verhale’ gebruik gemaak om hul ervaringe
en gevoelens te verwoord. Die data bevestig dat verskeie generiese eienskappe in PBGs
geïdentifiseer kan word in al drie maatskappye maar dat daar wel sommige unieke
eienskappe voorkom. Verder wys die analise uit dat binne PBs daar baie teenstellings bestaan
en dat daar dominante en mededingende diskoerse in die data geïdentifiseer kan word. Die
studie wys ook dat lidmaatskap tot ʼn praktykgemeenskap in ʼn diverse werksomgewing ʼn
komplekse onderneming is. Dit blyk ook dat taal ʼn bepalende rol speel in die verwerwing van
lidmaatskap, sowel as die manier waarop professionele identiteit gekonstrueer word. Verdere navorsing in professionele kontekste binne ʼn linguistiese raamwerk word aanbeveel.
Die waarde van klein verhaal analise om diskoerse in professionele kontekste te ondersoek
word beklemtoon en voorstelle word gemaak oor hoe die konsep ‘praktykgemeenskappe’
verder ontwikkel kan word om dit meer relevant te maak in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. / The ADA for funding this study
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/80171 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Jones, Tamiryn |
| Contributors | Conradie, Simone, Oostendorp, Marcelyn, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 205 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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