Browsing by Author "Ntombela, Lungile Londiwe."

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Assessing the effectiveness of the employee wellness programme on administrative staff at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus)
(2020) Dube, Othembele.; Ntombela, Lungile Londiwe.
Employees are said to be the heart of any organisation. It is argued that employers may benefit from employee wellness programmes to enhance productivity, reduce employee absenteeism and lower the costs of insurance and compensation. This particular study aims to assess the effectiveness of the current employee wellness programme in use at the University of KwaZulu- Natal, based on the Holistic Wellness and the Logic models developed by Els and de la Rey (2006), Das, Petruzzello as well as Ryan (2014), respectively. Els and de la Rey (2006) developed the Holistic Wellness Model as a form of reference for the construction of a valid and reliable inventory that assesses the wellness of employees within South African organisations. In order to understand how the existing Employee Wellness Programme has positively impacted on employees, this research study adopted a quantitative research approach utilising selfadministered, closed-ended questionnaires which were completed by 248 administrative staff on the Westville campus. The reliability and validity of the measuring instruments used in the study were tested using factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha, respectively. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to process the data. The findings of the study indicated that the respondents are aware of the existence of the EWP and perceive it as a necessity. Furthermore, the findings indicated that respondents are not utilising the EWP; hence, they are not benefitting from it. One recommendation arising from the study is that UKZN may benefit from increasing their efforts in promoting the EWP to employees, and increasing the visibility of the programme across the five campuses. Furthermore, the majority of the respondents (64.4%) indicated that rewarding their participation in the EWP would encourage them to participate. Rewards should be used as an initial attraction to motivate individuals to participate in the programme. Arising from the study, it is recommended that the university regularly monitor and evaluate the programme in order to determine the effectiveness of the programme and introduce improvements. The other recommendation of the study is to promote the programme through the provision of rewards for participation.
Experiences and identity constructions of sexual and gender “non-normative”employees in corporate workplaces in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2020) Ntombela, Lungile Londiwe.; Msibi, Thabo Perceviarence.
This thesis explores the workplace experiences of sexual and gender “non-normative” employees in post-apartheid South Africa. Work is an important facet of one’s life. Not only is it necessary for economic reasons, the workplace is also a critical social space where people with different backgrounds, traits and abilities interact with each other. Social norms and values are applied and often reproduced, and one of these is heteronormativity. Whilst there has been increasing focus on diversity as far as gender, race and disability are concerned in the fields of Human Resource Management, there has been silences around issues of sexuality and gender identity in corporate workplaces in South Africa. Drawing from three theoretical frameworks, i.e., Acker’s (1990) gendered organisations, Crenshaw’s (1991) intersectionality and queer theory (Butler, 1990), this study aims to understand the complex ways in which employees construct, negotiate and manage their personal (sexual and gendered) and professional identities. Through grounded conversations, informed by narrative methodology, data was gathered from twenty-five (25) participants who self-identify as sexual and gender “non-normative” (‘queer’ according to Western gender and sexual subjectivity labelling). The participants reflected a wide range of occupations, ages and employment corporate workplaces in KwaZulu-Natal. They also reflected wide-ranging sexual (gay, lesbian and bisexual) and gender (cisgender and transgender) identities. The findings suggest that, despite the South African’s progressive anti-discriminatory legislative framework, sexual and gender “nonnormative” employees experience discrimination in corporate workplaces. Such discrimination was found to be covert and included verbal intentional or unintentional microaggressions. This thus influenced how gender and gender “non-normative” employees managed their identities at work. The study also found that, fundamentally, workplace diversity management policies are sluggish in prioritizing aspects of sexuality and gender identities, which exacerbates microaggressions. The study suggests that workplace culture is influenced by regimes of inequality based on the intersectional relations between sexuality, race and gender. This was seen in workplace policies, processes and practices that privilege heterosexuality. Theoretically, this study uncovered new perspectives in terms of the intersecting identities of participants within the context of the workplace. Here, the use of multiple theories has highlighted that the experiences of each sexual and gender “non-normative” employee are different. The theories also helped draw attention to the underlying major structures of power and the dynamics thereof within the organisation that render sexual and gender “nonnormative” employees as invisible. Furthermore, such power relations reproduce heteronormativity in terms of leadership, workplace friendships and administration of policy and practice. This work calls for more work to be conducted in the area of sexuality, with a deliberate inclusion of gender “non-normative” identities within the field of Human Resource Management, as a crucial component of workplace culture. It also appeals for the development of African-based theories that reflect the experiences of African realities, including African sexualities. An advantage of conceptualizing theory is the development of terminologies. Thus, we can move from using foreign words to describe South African experiences.
Exploring strategic management paradoxes related to intended and emergent strategies: a case study at Human Sciences Research Council (South Africa).
(2018) Ngcobo, Angeline Sibongile.; Mtembu, Vuyokazi Ntombikayise.; Ntombela, Lungile Londiwe.
As organisational environments become more global, they have changed drastically due to environmental needs and demands resulting to strategic paradoxes. This ultimately encouraged researchers to respond by using different models, asking particular questions like what a strategic paradox is and under what conditions they occur. While this research focused on the intended and emergent strategies, it is diffused across different areas of strategic management including; strategy, paradoxes, strategic paradoxes, as well as intended and emergent strategies. A continuum of different approaches in strategic making is crystallised from the literature. The study suggests that the fast pace of environmental change provide managers unpredictable results for their strategic commitment. The collision of strategic commitment and strategic uncertainty is causing what Raynor (2007) calls the strategy paradox. This study thus endeavoured to unite various views regarding strategic paradoxes, while also sharpening its focus on intended and emergent strategies. This research utilised a qualitative research method by exploring the research questions. The insights from the in-depth interviews formed the basis of the data that was analysed to produce research findings. Results suggested that strategic paradoxes are difficult to avoid even though they can be reduced if the strategy is aligned with the environmental change. The study aimed to make a positive contribution to the body of knowledge on strategy paradoxes by qualitatively exploring strategic paradoxes and hoping to provide answers, to what context do intended and emergent strategies impact the decision making and effectiveness of the Human Sciences Research Council (SA).
Fostering entrepreneurship as a career management option to reduce youth unemployment.
(2020) Shongwe, Nontobeko Amanda Nomfundo.; Ntombela, Lungile Londiwe.; Kunene, Lindiwe Nqobile.
This study explores the impact of skills development amongst youth in order to start businesses with the intent to create employment, therefore reducing unemployment. The rate of unemployment in South Africa has been growing rapidly the past few years which is concerning as it affects young people the most. Many youth resort to starting small businesses as a way to survive and to provide for their social needs. While there has been studies that have been conducted that motivate for entrepreneurship as a viable career option,it has been limited, especially in South Africa. This study focuses on encouraging youth to consider selfemployment as a career option than to seek employment. In order to ensure business success, this study advocates for the development of entrepreneurial skills through skills initiatives by various government departments. In order to ensure the effectiveness of skill development, this study examined the skills development programme offered by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) at EThekwini region. The study adopted the Structural Transformation model in order to advocate for entrepreneurship through skills development and policy intergration inorder to enhance economic growth in South Africa. This study took a qualitative research design which included collecting data through face-to-face interviews with youth who have attended the entrepreneurship skills development programme and stakeholders who facilitate the programme.The findings of the study indicated that while the youth found the programme offered by NYDA to be useful, they also noted various challenges, which at times could not be directly addressed by the programme. The paramount issue of capital frequently came through from interviews in which participants mentioned it crippeld certain spheres of their businesses. Stakeholders concluded that many youth are not informed about the governemnet departments and the programmes available to them for financial assistance. It was also noted that entrepreneurs are not versed in the industries in which they venture into. Therefore, negatively impacting on their business success. This study recommends that more awareness is made on the availability of agencies like NYDA in the promotion of skills to the youth. It also recommends further research to be done to explore ways to improve and encourage skills development for entrepreneurship and creating an entrepreneurial mind-set amongst youth.
Perceptions of school management teams on managing cultural diversity in uMzinyathi district schools, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2019) Sibanda, Nkosana.; Ntombela, Lungile Londiwe.
Globalisation, migration trends and transformation in labour laws have changed the face of contemporary organisations‘ workforces from being homogeneous to one that is culturally diverse. Management of cultural diversity has therefore gained significance in most organisations globally as it is associated with positive outcomes for both the employees and the organisation. Past studies on cultural diversity in South Africa have focused on commercial corporates leaving a gap in social and public institutions like schools. The main purpose of the current study is to determine the perceptions of School Management Teams (SMT) in managing cultural diversity in schools. The study explores if schools use cultural diversity management in the administration of schools and also explores whether there is a policy framework to implement cultural diversity. The study attempts to unlock better strategies for school managers to deal with cultural diversity among staff members in order to derive positive results. In order to address the research questions and objectives, the research used both the descriptive and exploratory designs and the concurrent mixed method approach was utilised in order to collect both numerical and nonnumerical data simultaneously. Purposive sampling was adopted and a semi-structured questionnaire was used as the main instrument to collect data from the respondents. The sample size consisted of 50 respondents who are members of school management teams drawn from ten schools in Umvoti circuit of Umzinyathi district in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Data from the study were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and content analysis. The study revealed that schools in Umzinyathi district do have strategies and policies for implementing cultural diversity programmes and there is positive interaction between staff members from diverse cultural backgrounds. The major hindrance in managing cultural diversity is the existence of cultural stereotypes which militate against positive interaction between individuals from different cultural backgrounds. The study recommended that schools ought to engage in more cultural activities in order increase cultural awareness amongst staff members. Schools are also advised to transform their organisational culture in order to accommodate increased diversity within the staff. The department of basic education is also encouraged to develop more holistic policies to fully address cultural diversity management in the schools.
Wage negotiation processes and strike action in the hospitality industry in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2019) Khomo, Mthokozisi Samuel.; Ntombela, Lungile Londiwe.
When employers and trade unions fail to reach and sign an agreement during the wage negotiation processes, disputes are lodged which may lead to strike actions. The strike incident affects both the employees who participate in the strikes due to a “no work, no pay” principle and the companies which loose production and revenue. The hospitality industry’s bargaining forums in KwaZulu-Natal provides a platform for the parties to negotiate salaries and other employment conditions to improve living standards and making more profits. The main objective of the study is to investigate the challenges faced by negotiators during the wage negotiation processes leading to a strike action in the hospitality industry in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This study is exploratory and descriptive in nature and adopted a mixed method approach. The mixed method consisted of quantitative analysis that focused on Likert scale using the programme Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) to quantify data. Further, a qualitative analysis of data was conducted on the open-ended questions. The researcher analysed the data by discussing the perspectives and views of the participants that were obtained through on the open-ended questions. Questionnaires were administered in order to collect data from an overall participant size of twenty, consisting of 15 Trade Union officials and 5 Managers. The findings of the study indicated that both the employers and trade union officials agree that there are collective agreements in the hospitality industry of KwaZulu-Natal, which provide dispute resolution processes. However, unreasonable high demands and low offer by parties create deadlocks in wage negotiations. Furthermore, there is lack of trust, failure to disclose the final demands and final offers. In addition, lack of financial transparency and poor leadership by the negotiators in the negotiation process are some of the reasons that result to employees opting for strike action. The study recommends that the relationship between managements and trade union officials is objective and training be conducted relating negotiation skills and strategies that can lead to wage settlements. The study further recommends that parties must negotiate in good faith and that the financial status and information be disclosed prior or during to wage negotiation process.