Browsing by Author "Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor."

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African drumming as a means of enhancing diversity training in the workplace : a case study of a private Durban-based hospital.
(2009) Govender, Praneschen.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
In recent times, African drumming organisations in South Africa and worldwide have adopted group drumming as an experiential learning mechanism for facilitating interactive teambuilding within organisations so as to enhance group dynamics and build team spirit. Research conducted on drumming circles indicates that group drumming fosters a sense of community by breaking down barriers between participants and creating a space where respect and tolerance for others are valued. In light of South Africa‟s recent history of apartheid, various issues discussed as part of diversity training workshops (e.g. prejudice and negative stereotyping) remain “emotionally charged” topics which are “handled with care” by trainers in the corporate training environment. In light of this, the study aims to investigate the role of African drumming in creating an environment that encourages open and honest communication around sensitive issues in the context of diversity training. In addition, the study assesses the impact of group drumming on staff motivation, levels of participation and building a sense of community amongst participants in the context of diversity training. Primary research was conducted on a purposely-selected sample group of staff at a private Durban-based hospital scheduled to attend an innovative diversity training initiative, comprising of a short group drumming component followed by a conventional diversity training workshop. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, participant observation and focus group discussion were implemented in compiling a case study of diversity training workshops conducted at the hospital.
Articulating agency : a case study of the strategies used by the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union in servicing South African seafarer.
(2001) Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.; Bonnin, Deborah Rosemary.
In theorising globalisation, capital is represented as all-powerful and proactive in its mobility and ability to transcend national boundaries in search of new labour markets. It is this mobility of capital. which is argued to be instrumental in shaping the processes of globalisation (Ohmae: 1989, Allen: 1995: Thompson et al: 1998. Dicken: 1998). Labour in contrast is portrayed as fixed within territorial boundaries unable to shape or influence its own destiny or the processes of globalisation. These opposing discourses of capital as the prime agent of globalisaton and labour as a passive participant in the process have predominantly informed the debates about globalisation, and have remained mostly unchallenged in the literature. This dissertation interrogates claims of capital being all-powerful via its mobility and labour being 'agentless' in influencing the processes of globalisation. In order to achieve this I use the global shipping industry' as an example to explores these arguments. This is achieved by investigating the complex ways that relationships between shipping capital and seafaring labour have changed and how these changed relationships are articulated. Specifically I examine the strategies used by South African Transport and Allied Workers to service a transnational and flexible membership. My findings suggest that the 'agentless' nature of labour in shaping the processes of globalisatlon is exaggerated by proponents of the transnational neo-liberal discourse of globalisation.
Assessing emotional labour practices amongst lecturers in private higher education institutions in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2017) Maharaj, Vidna.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
The purpose of this study is to assess emotional labour practices amongst lecturers in private higher education institutes. This study focuses on private higher education institutes in Kwa Zulu natal, specifically lecturers that are exposed to an environment which is emotionally demanding .Private higher education institutions are the main interest in which academics may experience emotional labour. For this reason the various private higher education institutions is the focus of this study. Literature on emotional labour was discussed. This terms plays an important role in higher education institutions, where lecturers are seen to be providing more of a service in this profession rather than just playing the role of an academic. Both the private higher education sector and emotional labour is discussed extensively and reviewed in relation to one another. Thereafter emotional regulation processes and concepts, coping mechanisms and management support is discussed as part of the literature. The research methodology applied was qualitative research. Qualitative research allows the researcher to make sense of people experiences and interacting with them, thereafter making use of qualitative research techniques to collect and analyse information (Blanche, Durrheim &Painter, 2006). A case study was used. This case study focused on the academic staff at private higher education colleges. Given that the research undertaken in this study is qualitative; a case study is also the most appropriate research design considering the contextual, iterative and phenomenological nature of the study. This study used in- depth interviews as a data collection instrument. Interviews are used to elicit imperative information during research, interviewing is more natural form of interacting with people rather than making them fill out a questionnaire, this is the reason as to why interviews fit well with the interpretive approach to research (Blanche et al., 2006) .In- depth interview allows the interviewer to extract maximum information needed from participants.The findings were that academics need to constantly regulate emotions in order to function effectively at work. There is a high degree of emotion suppression in individuals that work in private higher education institutions. Most individuals feel that there are no support structures to able them to cope better within this service related work environment. Stress and exhaustion was evident within this environment. For future studies, the researcher recommends a support structure for lecturers within private institutes and additional management support towards employee mental wellbeing including emotional support programmes.
Assessing training and development trends in the South African Journal of Human Resource Management and the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology from 2003 to 2020.
(2021) Singh, Preven.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
In South Africa there is limited research available on the patterns of knowledge production with respect to training and development. This study focuses on assessing and identifying seventeen years of training and development trends in the South African Journal of Human Resource Management and South African Journal of Industrial Psychology for the years 2003-2020. Key empirical trends, theoretical trends, implications for practice and to establish the implications of these trends for future training practice and theory will be identified. A total of 2639 articles from both journals pertaining to various aspects were examined but a total of 88 articles, that dealt with training and development were selected for the study. It was discovered that, the most utilised research approach in both journals were quantitative in nature. It also lead to reveal that the University of South Africa in both journals have published the most articles, relating to training and development over the last seventeen years, in both journals. It can also be noted the sector that was researched the most frequent was the educational sector across both journals and that Melinde Coetzee (SAJHRM) and Ronel Du Preez (SAJIP) both published 4 articles in the respective journals but Melinde Coetzee has also published 2 training and development articles in the SAJIP as well. The most utilised theory or model were the Model of total rewards in the SAJHRM and Phenomenology & Regression in the SAJIP. It was also discovered that in 2019 the SAJHRM published 11 training and development articles, the highest amount over the 17 years and the SAJIP published 6 in 2010. The themes and recommendations for managers did overlap across both journals as well and there appeared to be common patterns in both journals and some themes like skill shortages seem to in line with international trends and countries experiences the same issues. The following chapter answers the proposed research questions and sheds light on recommendations for the future of training and development in South Africa.
Assessing work organization strategies of Johannesburg based e-hailing drivers.
(2022) Luhlongwane, Zamangwane Silindokuhle.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
The researcher has a brother that was an e-hailing driver in the year 2018. He had a number of traumatic experiences whilst working for this industry such as being hijacked, robbed, and verbally abused. As a family, we would always be relieved when he made it back home alive. The researcher could not help but imagine if this was what every family was experiencing with every person working in this industry. The researcher started reading a lot about this industry trying to understand all its advantages and disadvantages in the labour market to educate the worried family about the industry. The industry research led to an interest to formalize the research into an academic dissertation. The aim of this dissertation is to unpack the current work arrangements and conditions of the e-hailing platforms in Johannesburg, with the intention to shine a light on this industry for it to be acknowledged and fully regulated by the government. The aim of this study will be addressed by answering the below research questions: 1. How is work organized for e-hailing drivers in Johannesburg? 2. How are e-hailing drivers protected under the South African labour legislation? 3. To what extent can the South African labour legislation be adjusted to accommodate changes to the extant employment relationships of e-hailing drivers? 4. How does the case of e-hailing drivers allow us to understand conceptually the broader nature of precarious work in South Africa? Background of the Study The entrance of e-hailing services in South Africa has brought about many mixed emotions in the country. As there are some who appreciate the job creation and travelling convenience created by the e-hailing platforms, there are some who are against the e-hailing platform as it presents unfair competition in the market, poor working conditions and ambiguous employment titles for the e-hailing drivers. This is dissertation is important because although e-hailing work is advertised as a way of creating an extra income to the public, it has however become a main source of income for drivers on the dissertation platform (Hall & Kreuger, 2018). As shown in chapter 5, majority of the participants indicated that they were full time in the e-hailing industry. This piece of information further solidifies why it is important for the government to fully regulate this industry, as there are people who are fully relying on this industry for a living. The e-hailing services had drastically spread throughout the country, it is important for the government to note that the labour legislation’s duty is to protect all the vulnerable in the labour market. Problem Statement The developments in technological inventions and economic restructuring over the past years have encouraged the rise of new business models that are disrupting numerous traditional industries and bringing a challenge to current employment laws (Isaac, 2014). The current labour legislation does not address the issues that platform workers are facing. The question of how to regulate the platform industry and how to define the workers in this market is still being debated (Horney, 2016). So far, the pace of action has been slow. According to the literature, this is because, due to the competitive nature of the e-hailing economy, workers are often unwilling to cooperate to make a collective claim to enforce their rights; speaking out could jeopardize an individual's job due to the ease of rating and high reliance on reputation (De Stefano, 2015). More regulation is required to protect the rights of such workers. The issues surrounding this ambiguous category of the workers must be resolved, and more rights must be established (De Stefano, 2015). Precarious work arrangement has the potential to destabilise society as it is a threat to social and economic stability. This can have a great impact on the standard of living of both individuals and societies. Research Methodology This research chose the qualitative research method. This research will use the case study research design. The target population for this dissertation is Johannesburg based e-hailing drivers that are approximately 3000 in Johannesburg. A purposive sampling method was applied for this dissertation selecting 15 former Johannesburg-hailing drivers. The data collection method used both semi-structured interviews and secondary data.
Bibliometric and content analysis of the South African Journal of Human Resource Management and the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology from 2006 to 2016.
(2019) Pillay, Rylla.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
In South Africa there is limited research available on the patterns of knowledge production. Given the discriminatory past of South Africa, there is a special scarcity of research concerning the racial and gender profiles of academic authors. This study aims to analyse the bibliometric, demographic and thematic trends of scholarly literature within management studies. Particularly within the fields of human resource management and industrial psychology. Articles published in the South African Journal of Human Resource Management and the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology between 2006 and 2016 were analysed. The scope of this research is concentrated around the author’s biographical information as well as the research types, approaches, themes, software packages and types of intersectionality used to produce each article. Gathered data was analysed using a mixed methods approach. Inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative data and a thematic analysis was applied to generate qualitative themes. From both journals, a combination of 585 articles were examined and a total of 928 authors were identified. The results revealed that predominantly White male lecturers produced research articles. It was further discovered that authors who published the most frequently were based at historically White universities, however, overall there was a fair international representation of authors. In terms of research methods, over 60% of articles were quantitative with questionnaires being used to collect data. Many authors chose the software package SPSS to analyse raw data. Popular trends included work-family balance, employee wellbeing, emotional intelligence and organisational health and safety, amongst others. The purpose of this research is to assist universities and policymakers to reassess their research output patterns. Currently, the trends reflect traditional research methods with little variation. Furthermore, the biographical details reveal that black female authors have not been very active in publishing articles over the 10-year period. Going forward it is hoped that this research will help facilitate change in the current status quo and that the research environment becomes a diverse and equal platform for the publishing of scholarly literature.
Bibliometric and content analysis of the South African Journal of Human Resource Management and the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology from 2006 to 2016.
(2019) Pillay, Rylla.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
In South Africa there is limited research available on the patterns of knowledge production. Given the discriminatory past of South Africa, there is a special scarcity of research concerning the racial and gender profiles of academic authors. This study aims to analyse the bibliometric, demographic and thematic trends of scholarly literature within management studies. Particularly within the fields of human resource management and industrial psychology. Articles published in the South African Journal of Human Resource Management and the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology between 2006 and 2016 were analysed. The scope of this research is concentrated around the author’s biographical information as well as the research types, approaches, themes, software packages and types of intersectionality used to produce each article. Gathered data was analysed using a mixed methods approach. Inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative data and a thematic analysis was applied to generate qualitative themes. From both journals, a combination of 585 articles were examined and a total of 928 authors were identified. The results revealed that predominantly White male lecturers produced research articles. It was further discovered that authors who published the most frequently were based at historically White universities, however, overall there was a fair international representation of authors. In terms of research methods, over 60% of articles were quantitative with questionnaires being used to collect data. Many authors chose the software package SPSS to analyse raw data. Popular trends included work-family balance, employee wellbeing, emotional intelligence and organisational health and safety, amongst others. The purpose of this research is to assist universities and policymakers to reassess their research output patterns. Currently, the trends reflect traditional research methods with little variation. Furthermore, the biographical details reveal that black female authors have not been very active in publishing articles over the 10-year period. Going forward it is hoped that this research will help facilitate change in the current status quo and that the research environment becomes a diverse and equal platform for the publishing of scholarly literature
A case study of private-public sector labour market mobilities of South African medical laboratory specialists.
(2012) Singh, Suveera.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
This thesis examines the labour market for medical laboratory specialists, specifically anatomical pathologists and haematologists in KwaZulu-Natal. It aimed to establish the extent of mobility of pathologists from the public to the private sector and vice versa. This study also aimed to investigate the reasons for such movement and importantly, the effects of this mobility. Lee’s (1966) push-pull theory of migration was assessed in terms of its applicability to mobility in the local context and is extended and adapted to this context. The five key research questions on which this thesis is based are: What is the nature of labour markets for medical laboratory specialists in KwaZulu-Natal? What is the extent of the mobility of medical laboratory specialists from the public sector to the private sector and vice versa in KwaZulu-Natal? What are the causes of such mobility between public and private sectors in KwaZulu-Natal? What are the effects or implications of the movement of medical laboratory specialists in KwaZulu-Natal? Lastly, to what extent can Lee’s (1966) push-pull theory of migration be adapted to account for the mobility of anatomical pathologists and haematologists between the public and private sectors in KwaZulu-Natal? This study adopted a case study design that used a purposive sampling strategy. There were 23 participants involved in the study. Of the 23 participants selected, 11 were anatomical pathologists and nine were haematologists. The remaining three participants were a microbiologist, a migration specialist and an international anatomical pathologist. Key findings indicated that mobility between the public and private sectors does occur. The labour market for medical laboratory specialists displayed 23 anatomical pathologists and 11 haematologists in KwaZulu-Natal. Financial reasons were not the only reasons that pathologists switched sectors; rather the decision rested on several other non-economic factors such as the working environment, flexibility and even management styles. The effects of mobility include delays in diagnosis and patient care as well as increased stress levels and workloads of specialists. Certain push-pull factors of Lee’s (1966) push-pull theory were found to apply to the local context of this study.
Exploring workplace environmental factors affecting female academics' psychological resilience: a mixed methods sequential explanatory study=Ukuphenya umumonhlaliswano wendawo yokusebenzela othinta ukuzimelela kwensebenzongqondo yabesifazane abafundisa emanyuvesi.
(2022) Cadete, Núria Leandra de Jesus.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
A review of the relevant extant literature suggested that Higher Education Institutions [HEIs] are heavily dependent on the psychological resilience [PR] of academic staff members to achieve excellence in teaching and learning. However, there is a dearth of research that focuses specifically on the PR of female academics [FAs] in the context of workplace environmental factors [WEFs] in South African HEIs. In response, this study was conducted to identify some of the most prevalent WEFs-related adversities that may put FAs at risk for high levels of negative mental health outcomes [NMHOs], and the fundamental building blocks of psychological resilience [BBPRs] that FAs may exhibit in response to WEFs-related NMHOs. A mixed method sequential explanatory approach within the pragmatism paradigm was applied in this study. Through this approach, a sample of 135 FAs was drawn from the University of KwaZulu-Natal [UKZN] to participate in the dominant quantitative phase. Of the 135 FAs, 27 FAs were purposefully selected to participate in the follow-up qualitative phase. Informed consent was obtained from all FAs/participants prior to participation in this study. The quantitative and qualitative data were collected using online self-report surveys and indepth/ semi-structured interviews respectively; and subsequently analysed using Stata and Thematic Analysis, respectively. Primarily, the results of the study indicated that administrative demands and skewed workloads; research demands; teaching demands; and compensation and rewards were reported as the highest WEFs causing NMHOs. However, knowledge, skill, and ability [KSAs]; coaching support; professional and personal networking; and mentoring support were ranked as the lowest WEFs causing NMHOs. Generally, as a group, while participants reported having positive experiences towards the BBPRs [i.e., neuroticism, mindfulness, self-efficacy, and coping]; the majority of participants expressed experiencing high levels of NMHOs [i.e., stress, burnout, depression, anxiety, and compassion fatigue]. Overall, this study concluded that the PR of FAs depended crucially on individual factors [i.e., demographic characteristics] and work-related factors [i.e., support from the university management and human resource management [HRM]. The conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions made by this study are discussed; limitations and delimitations are acknowledged; and recommendations for UKZN management and HRM, and future research are proposed. Iqoqa Ubukezo lomthamombhalo osekhona ongenayo lwaphakamisa ukuthi izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme [ama-HIE] ancike kakhulu ekuzimeleleni ngezomqondo [i-PR] kwamalungu abasebenzi abafundisa emanyuvesi ukufika kokuhle kakhulu ekufundiseni nasekufundeni. Kodwa, kunokuntuleka kocwaningo olugxile kwi-PR yabafundisi basenyuvesi abangabesifazane [ama-FA] engqikithini yezimo zendawo endaweni yokusebenza [ama-WEF] kuma-HIE aseNingizimu Afrikha. Ekuphenduleni, lolu cwaningo lwenziwa ukuhlonza izingqinamba ezihlobene nama-WEF avame kakhulu okungabeka engcupheni esezingeni eliphezulu ama-FA ngokwemiphumela yempilo yengqondo engeyinhle [ama-NMHO], nezakhi ezibalulekile zokuzabalaza komqondo [i-BBPR] ezingavela kuma-FA uma ebhekene ne-NMHO ehlobene ne-WEF. Isukuchaza elilandelanisayo lendlela yokwenza ucwaningo exubile nepharadayimu yephragmathikhi kwasetshenziswa kulolu cwaningo. Ngale ndlelakubuka, isampula lama-FA ayi-135 lathathwa eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu-Natali ukuze libambe iqhaza lesigaba esikhulu sekhwantithethivu. Kuma-FA ayi-135, ama-FA angama-27 akhethwa ngenhloso ukuze abambe iqhaza esigabeni sokulandelela sekhwalithethivu. Imvume enolwazi yatholakala kuwo wonke ama-FA/ababambiqhaza ngaphambi kokuba babambe iqhaza kulolu cwaningo. Imininingo yekhwantithethivu noma yekhwalithethivu yaqoqwa kusetshenziswa amasaveyi okuzenzela-umbiko otholakala ku-inthanethi nezimposambuzo ezijulile/ezinesakhiwo esingaphelele, bese kuhlaziywa emva kwalokho kusetshenziswa i-Stata noKuhlaziya iNdikimba. Okokuqala, imiphumela yocwaningo iveze ukuthi izidingo zokuphatha nemithwalokusebenza engalingani; izidingo zocwaningo; izidingo zokufundisa; nesinxephezelo nomklomelo kwabikwa njengama-WEF aphezulu kakhulu adala ama-NMHO. Kodwa, ulwazi, ikhono nokukwazi [ama-KSA]; ukwesekwa kokuqeqesha ukuxhumana nokusetshenzwa nabo ngokomsebenzi nangokomuntu empilweni yangasese; ukweseka kokuthwasisa kwabekwa ezingeni eliphansi le-WEF edala i-NMHO. Ngokuvamile, njengeqembu, ngesikhathi ababambiqhaza bebika ukuthi benzakalelwa okuhle uma kuziwa kuma-BBPR [okungukuthi, inyurothizimu, ukuqaphela, ukufaneleka komuntu nokumelana nesimo]; iningi lababambiqhaza laveza okulehlele ngamazinga aphezulu kakhulu e-NMHO [okungukuthi, ingcindezi, ukukhathala kakhulu, ukhwantalala, ixhala nesifo sokukhathala ngenxa yokuzwelana]. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ucwaningo luphethe ngokuthi i-PR ne-FA yayincike kakhulu ezimweni ezihamba ngazodwa [okungukuthi izimo zomumobuhlanga] nezimo ezihlobene nomsebenzi [okungukuthi ukweseka ekuphatheni inyuvesi nasekuphatheni izindaba zabasebenzi [HRM]. Ukufaka isandla kokungamakhonsepthi, okwenjulalwazi, okwezindlela zokwenza ucwaningo nezokuqoqa ulwazi okwenziwe yilolu cwaningo kuyadingidwa; okuyizivimbi nokumelene nezivimbi kuyavunywa; kanti okuphakanyiswayo kubaphathi base-UKZN kanye ne-HRM, kuphakanyiswa ucwaningo lwasesikhathini esizayo.
Factors affecting the retention and recruitment of medical laboratory specialists in South Africa : a case study of anatomical pathologists and virologists in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2012) Cassim, Nadeem.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
The aim of this study is to assess the factors affecting the retention and recruitment of medical laboratory specialists in South Africa. South Africa experiences a significant shortage of medical laboratory specialists. The shortage has many negative implications on the quality and sustainability of the country‟s healthcare services. However, whilst medical laboratory specialists play an integral role in the country‟s healthcare system, there has been no research conducted on the labour market for these specialists and the reasons that facilitate the shortage. Through a qualitative case study of anatomical pathologists and virologists in KwaZulu-Natal, this study overcomes this gap by assessing the factors that negatively affect the retention and recruitment of these specialists. The objectives of this study are: to examine the national and international labour markets for South African medical laboratory specialists; to determine the consequences that the shortage has on South Africa‟s healthcare system; to assess whether social factors play a larger role than economic factors do in the retention and recruitment of South African medical laboratory specialists; to investigate the efficacy of non-work related factors in the retention and recruitment of these specialists; and to explain the labour market for these specialists in relation to the human relations, human capital and job embeddedness theories. Findings suggest that social factors play a larger role in the retention and recruitment of South African medical laboratory specialists. Additionally, the factors affecting the retention and recruitment of these specialists comprise of factors found within the work settings, as well as factors that are found outside the work settings of these specialists (i.e. work related and non-work related factors). Considering these factors allows for this study to make a few recommendations towards the successful retention and recruitment of medical laboratory specialists in South Africa. This in turn would contribute to the overall quality, efficiency and sustainability of the country‟s healthcare services.
Global transformation of the contemporary labour market for merchant navy seafarers: case studies of Filipino, South African and British seafaring labour markets.
(2008) Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.; Bonnin, Deborah Rosemary.
The central aim of this thesis is to investigate how and why labour markets are formed in specific ways under contemporary global capitalism. This thesis achieves this through a sociological analysis and explanatory account of the contemporary transformation of merchant navy seafaring labour markets for Filipino, South African and British seafarers. The study is centrally concerned with four questions relating to the restructuring of these labour markets. These questions are: 1. How has the labour market for seafarers been reshaped? 2. How has the restructuring of shipping capital facilitated this process process? 3. What has the role of labour been in this restructuring process? 4. What other labour market institutions contribute to this restructuring? Answering these four questions allows me to achieve the central aim of my thesis which is to investigate how and why labour markets are formed in specific ways under contemporary global capitalism. In answering these questions this thesis makes three theoretical interventions in industrial sociology. Firstly, this work offers a substantially different account of labour markets that advances a more fully social explanation of labour market formation that does not consider the social as a 'factor' or an 'add on' as does classical and neo classical economics (and some strands of economic sociology) but a significant shaper of global labour markets. Secondly, it fills a gap in theorising the agency of organised labour under global capitalism. The thesis demonstrated how the agency of organised labour and the importance of locality or place should also be accorded primacy in arguing how labour markets are produced. Thirdly in making my own assertions about the creation and decimation of working classes under capitalism, I draw on three detailed case studies of seafaring trade unions, capitalist and state strategies in the shaping and transformation of contemporary labour markets for seafarers and therefore demonstrate the fallibility of the 'race to the bottom' thesis using contemporary research and data.
The influence of workplace diversity on employee performance: a case study of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus.
(2020) Volson, Synade Teneil.; Sukram, Praversh Jeebodh.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
Leading institutions view diversity as an all-inclusive strategy to enhance employee performance and improve an institution’s reputation. This study allows institutions to see the influence that workplace diversity has on employee performance and therefore enables institutions to improve. This study aimed to show the relationship between workplace diversity and employee performance. The study first examines the role that diversity plays in the workplace. Secondly, it discusses the extent that workplace diversity affects employee performance. Thirdly, it creates an understanding of the effectiveness of diverse people working together. Fourthly, it discovers whether workplace diversity improves or hinders employee performance. The overall purpose of this study was to ascertain whether workplace diversity has a positive or negative influence on employee performance. Qualitative research was used to provide deeper insights. The data for this study was collected at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, amongst three Colleges on the Pietermaritzburg Campus, using personally administered questionnaires. The questionnaire was made up of mostly open-ended questions which made up the qualitative data, and a few closed questions which provided the demographics of the study. A sample size of 54 staff members was used. This sample was an equal selection amongst both academic and support staff members from all three Colleges. There was also an equal distribution of the factors in terms of the internal and external dimensions of the ‘Four Layers of Diversity’ model. The findings and results of the study are presented in the form of tables, column charts and pie charts. This study used content analysis to analyse the qualitative data that was collected. The themes of the study address the research objectives. The questions that respondents were required to answer in the questionnaire were related to each of the themes. The findings of the study are consistent with the literature. Based on the findings and analysis, it is clear that employees at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus have all had their different experiences with diversity in the workplace. The limitations of the study acknowledge that the researcher is aware of possible areas of weakness of the study and they have been taken into account. Recommendations are made based on the findings and results of the study. Areas for future research are discussed which can be undertaken. The study concludes by summarising the chapters in the study. This study will contribute to existing literature.
Organisational learning during the restructuring of a finance-based organisation.
(2022) Mbatha, Nokukhanya Nolwazi Charlotte.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
Restructuring has become a popular practice for improving organisational performance. Despite the fact that rebuilding is becoming progressively more essential as a standard managerial strategy in organisations, its effectiveness in increasing organisational efficiency remains unknown. Typically, restructuring aims to improve organisational performance by lowering costs, increasing competitive advantage and increasing productivity. In some cases, restructuring has proven to be effective in achieving these goals. However, an increasing number of studies appear to suggest that restructuring results in irrelevant enhancements and, in some cases, a decrease in organisational performance. The study’s main goal was to comprehend the employee experience of organisational restructuring at a finance-based organisation in Sandton, South Africa. Data were gathered using a qualitative research method. The study’s 12 participants were chosen using non- probability sampling. In-depth interviews were used as the data collection instrument. Senge’s Fifth Discipline theory has been used in the study to explain the way in which individuals respond to change. The sample comprised 12 individuals employed by the organisation under study. The in-depth interviews covered various aspects, including biographical information of the respondents, team learning, personal mastery and systems thinking, as well as shared vision. A pilot study was undertaken to ensure the reliability and validity of the research instrument. The study was guided by the following research questions: 1. How did team learning occur during the restructuring process? 2. How did personal mastery occur during the restructuring process? 3. How did systems thinking evolve during the restructuring process? 4. In what ways did systems thinking occur during the restructuring process? 5. To what extent was a shared vision achieved as a result of the restructuring process? The findings of this study revealed that restructuring did affect staff working in the organisation under study. Most of them did not have an issue with transformation per se; however, they were concerned about the way in which it was being implemented at the organisation. The majority of them believed that to achieve transformational goals, the organisation’s leadership should have considered the fundamental requirements of properly evolving systems thinking and taking personal mastery into account. Furthermore, participants confirmed that “unplanned change” was happening too quickly. This, they believed, contributed to a state of confusion, doubt and disorganization. To summarise, broad consultation, active communication, a strong human resource team and a shared vision are required for effective organisational restructuring.
Race classification at the University of KwaZulu‐Natal: purposes, sites and practices.
(2010) Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
Race classification has long been a feature of South African life, in daily life and its cognitive processes, and also in formal state-driven bureaucratic forms. In the post-apartheid period, classification of individuals on the basis of race has continued despite a stated commitment to principles of non-racialism. Primarily, this is justified in its formal manifestation because of the acknowledged need for redress of apartheid generated inequalities both in the labour market and in access to opportunities and resources (such as higher education). Investigating the purposes and practices of race classification in an institution of higher learning in South Africa – in this case, the University of KwaZulu-Natal as one of the largest employers in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as one of the largest national universities – offers a particularly interesting insight into these issues and provides an example of sites where this occurs. The research project has three key aims. Firstly it seeks broadly to identify the purpose of race classification, secondly the project investigates the processes followed in classifying people according to race, thirdly the study is interested in the effects, if any, of both classifying and being classified (from the perspective of the classifier) and the challenges involved in race classification. The project concludes by suggesting alternatives to race based classification.
The emergence of a new precariat? middle class and the elite professionals in Zimbabwe.
(2023) Mapuranga, Martha.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
The purpose of this study was to establish how a precarious socio-economic environment has reconfigured the status of elite professionals from a human resource management perspective in Zimbabwe. There is dearth of empirical studies in human resource management on the effects of the reconfigured middle class and elite professionals in the Global South particularly in Southern Africa. Focus was on three elite professions, namely the medical, legal and the academic. Qualitative research was employed in this study. Fifteen purposively sampled participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. Observations and documents were also used to strengthen the data from interviews. Data from interviews was analyzed through phenomenological analysis, while content analysis was used for documents. Data analysis was also aided by QSR also known as NVIVO, a qualitative data analysis software. Findings revealed that elite professionals feel a sense of disequilibrium in their salaries and income. This is due to the fact that they are now comparing themselves with other occupations in lower categories within their country as well as professionals in the same category but beyond their boarders. This therefore causes high outmigration of elite professionals with remaining professionals resorting to other strategies of augmenting/supplementing their meagre salaries. These include less engagement in training and development programs, career planning and progression as well as job satisfaction and job engagement level. It was also revealed that financial rewards are not hygiene factors but motivational factors when it comes to unstable economic environment like the current situation in Zimbabwe. This was evidenced by findings, which indicated that elite professionals are engaging in unorthodox means to supplement their salaries. Therefore, responsible entities dealing with professionals should restructure their reward polices to suite elite professionals so as to improve their job satisfaction, job engagement as well as development programs since these professionals offer their expertise that improves the performance of the country. It was concluded that, there is no universal definition of middle class as elite professionals no longer hold the middle class characteristics like other elite fields globally.
Understanding individual workforce resilience of women in selected Durban organisational settings.
(2017) Cadete, Núria Leandra de Jesus.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.
BACKGROUND: Over the past decades there has been an enormous increase in scientific research publications, targeting resilience of women within the workplace environment. Despite the potentially adverse effects that women may experience following adversities within their environments, many of them thrive through exercising mindfulness, self-efficacy, coping skills, while trying to manage the effects of neuroticism. Given the overall aim and purpose of this study vis-à-vis: to understand individual workforce resilience of women in selected Durban organisational settings; these factors are presented in terms of a ‘Biopsychological Model of Resilience’ indicating their connections to promoting psychological resilience. Further in the thesis, women experiences are discussed in light of feminism tenets to uncover their significance to resilience in the context of experiences of women beyond the workplace settings. METHODOLOGY: The study applied a qualitative approach, supported by the social constructivism paradigm. Ten women were chosen to be an instrumental part in this study, and were sourced based on preliminary set of criteria using purposive and snowballing sampling methods. Participants were interviewed to allow comprehensive collection of baseline insights and experiences on resilience over life history interviews. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically. A pilot study was performed to address potential challenges to the achievement of the study prior to the launch of the research process. FINDINGS: The multi-dimensional constructs of resilience and feminism theories reviewed, have indicated a good fit with the analysed findings, regarding the participants’ perceptions toward resilience. Overall, the findings supported the hypothesis that biopsychosocial dimensions influence the development of resilience. By not displaying resilience qualities, adverse experiences had greater undesirable impacts on women. Women reported experiences of different kinds of adversities including domestic violence, divorce, workplace harassment and discrimination, breast cancer, and death of a loved one. Despite experiencing challenges women reported using different strategies which helped them cope with setbacks. The findings revealed that the attribute of resilience can be exhibited by nurturing and applying resilience knowledge toward adverse experiences. Overall, the study facilitates knowledge sharing on resilience of women which may be insightful or increase awareness to different audiences regarding the theoretical underpinning of resilience. CONCLUSION: A biopsychosocial model of resilience was used to understand how factors such as mindfulness, self-efficacy, coping, neuroticism influenced resilience of women. Moreover, the association between resilience of women and feminism is evident in this study, and serves to highlight how the experiences of women from diverse personal and organisational backgrounds fit into the model of resilience. IMPLICATIONS: The study provides initial understandings of the multidimensional nature of psychological resilience which may throw new light into how women in circumstances of adversity can thrive more effectively. The Human Resource Management [HRM] should deepen understanding of individual workforce resilience to develop and implement meaningful policies to encourage resilience. Further studies should be conducted to explore the actual effect size of the individual resilience model toward mitigating the outcomes of adversities.
Work engagement, intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction among employees of a diamond mining company in Zimbabwe.
(2012) Masvaure, Polite.; Ruggunan, Shaun Denvor.; Maharaj, A.
Orientation: The mining industry has been one of the industries that has struggled the most to deal with employee welfare matters. As a result, it has been difficult to maintain industrial peace and harmony in several workplaces, resulting in negative multiplier effects to the mining business, particularly the unsatisfactory working conditions faced by the lifeblood of any organisation –its employees. In response to this, most organisations directed the bulk of their resources to the basics and tangible things, such as salary and rewards needed by employees to perform their duties, but a lot of unrest is still recorded. This dissertation examined aspects of work engagement, intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction among employees in a diamond mining company in Zimbabwe in order to understand those aspects that drive employees to apply themselves wholly to their work roles. Research Purpose: The research aimed to quantitatively explore levels and interrelationships between three constructs: work engagement, intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction among mine workers in a diamond mining company in Zimbabwe. In addition, the research qualitatively explored what managers’ perceptions of these three constructs are. Research Design, Approach and Method: This was a mixed methods, viz quantitative and qualitative study, which consisted of two phases of data collection. The first phase was a cross-sectional survey design, consisting of a sample (n= 157) drawn from employees of the diamond company. Three instruments: Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and the Minnessota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) were used to obtain the needed information from these participants. The second phase was the qualitative aspect, which consisted of in-depth individual interviews with functional managers. Main Findings: The study found that, while most of the participants (74%) are highly satisfied by their work, a substantial number (59%) are moderately (of average level) engaged and 67% are moderately motivated intrinsically. The findings suggest a positive co-relation between job satisfaction and work engagement; job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation, and work engagement and intrinsic motivation among the miners. Of all the factors that play a significant role in determining employees’ levels of job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and work engagement, age and marital status were found to be significant contributors to the way the employees apply themselves to their work roles. The findings also suggest that the majority of managers in the company believe that the shop floor workers (miners) are highly engaged in their work, highly intrinsically motivated and highly satisfied in their jobs. However, this contradicts the results obtained from the miners themselves. Practical/ Managerial Implications: The study notes with concern the opposing perceptions that managers seem to have regarding work engagement, job satisfaction and motivation levels among the miners. This attests to a knowledge gap that management has about low-level employees, a fact which may call into question the existence or non-existence, in the company, of a proper communication structure (and infrastructure) that allows employees to communicate with management. This may also point to the management approach adopted by the company, which may be discouraging employees from communicating their feelings to management. The ‘false’ impression which management has about employees may result in negative multiplier effects, such as strikes, high rate of staff turnover, inefficiency and, ultimately, organisational failure.