Management

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A conceptual framework for private higher educational institutions to respond to disruptions in South Africa.
(2024) Maota, Tshepo Religion.; Naidoo, Vannie.
During the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, global societies experienced widespread disruption and uncertainty, significantly affecting higher education. This "black swan" event tested the resilience of higher education institutions, necessitating an involuntary shift in instructional practices. This study explores the impact of pandemic disruptions on student and staff experiences in local PHEIs, with a focus on their operational flexibility and capacity to navigate turbulent circumstances. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, involving a sample size of 381 students and 316 staff members from various demographic backgrounds. We administered the survey using reliable measures to ensure high response rates. The findings indicate that lower-level students, such as undergraduates, faced greater difficulties in adapting to online learning compared to higher-level students, such as master's and doctoral candidates. The challenges included limited access to technology and resources, as well as difficulties maintaining engagement and motivation. In contrast, staff members initially reported high levels of support adequacy, but these ratings decreased with increased years of experience, possibly due to burnout and evolving expectations. Leaders within PHEIs highlighted the need for enhanced training and preparedness to manage disruptions effectively. They identified specific challenges, such as political and economic factors, system changes, and the absence of specialised tools for disruption management. Insights from leaders included the importance of scenario planning, robust communication strategies, and fostering a culture of adaptability and resilience. We developed a comprehensive framework for disruption management as a guiding beacon for navigating disruptive encounters. We created a machine-learning-based predictive model using a binary classification tree to predict disruption risks within this framework. The model was trained on variables such as potential impact, probability of occurrence, warning index, and relevance to the education sector, achieving high accuracy in classifying disruption risks. Despite limitations like region-specific focus and challenges of data collection during a pandemic, this study provides valuable insights into proactive strategies, support significance, effective leadership, and predictive models for disruption management in higher education. This research contributes to the understanding of disruption management in PHEIs and provides practical tools for enhancing institutional resilience.
Acceptance of LinkedIn for human resources management: a case study in the construction sector in Nigeria.
(2020) Omigade, Mariah Oluwaseun.; Ajayi, Nurudeen Abimbola.
Many organisations have accepted social media as an important platform for keeping up with global technological developmental trends. LinkedIn emerged as a social media platform that is used by human resources (HR) professionals across the world. It is renowned for its ability to facilitate communication between HR professionals. The main aim of the study is to understand the perceptions of HR employees in the construction sector on the acceptance of LinkedIn software in performing HR functions of the organisation in Nigeria. The objectives of the study are to understand its acceptance based on the perceived usefulness, and ease-of-use as described by Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The study also explored the challenges associated with the acceptance of LinkedIn in performing HR functions in a construction company. An exploratory research approach was adopted using the qualitative method to get in-depth knowledge of the identified phenomenon. A case study approach was adopted for the study, and a construction company in Lagos, Nigeria, was selected. Primary data was collected from HR officers. Semistructured interviews were conducted by the researcher where ten (N=10) HR department officers of the construction firm in Lagos Nigeria, were interviewed. The empirical results indicate that LinkedIn is not widely accepted in facilitating HR functions in the HR department. The results also show that the perceptions of the HR employees on the acceptance of LinkedIn are based on how it assists them in performing HR functions. The results also indicated that the use of LinkedIn is not only limited by security concerns, but by the lack of information, financial resources, required skills, and management buy-in. Furthermore, the results also show that the acceptance and use of LinkedIn for HR functions requires adequate buy-in from the executives of the organisation. HR employees must also be appropriately trained on the use of LinkedIn to perform HR functions and to mitigate LinkedIn security-related challenges.
The accommodation of people with disabilities within Transnet's workforce in KwaZulu- Natal.
(2018) Cebisa, Zwelakhe Erick.; McArthur, Brian Walter.
This research describes the factors influencing the inclusion of people with disabilities within the port environment in South Africa; hence the study was conducted at one of Transnet’s major divisions, the Transnet National Port Authority. The inclusion of people with disabilities has been on the country’s transformation agenda for some time. The literature review attests to the fact that historically, people with disabilities have been excluded and this phenomenon has translated itself into the labour market. It is for this reason that the inclusion of people with disabilities within organisations became a human rights issue as stated in the South African Employment Equity Act of 2000, the Act critically foregrounds the fact that the corporate world has not to date successfully included people with disabilities in the workplace. This research has used the model of organisational inclusion to describe factors which influence the inclusion of people with disabilities. The model consists of two components, namely the personal dimension and the organisational environment dimension. Personal dimension constructs have been used to describe the influence of both personal norms and values on the inclusion of people with disabilities, while the organisation environment dimensions have been used to describe the influence of policies, procedures and organisational rewards on the inclusion of people with disabilities. A probability sample of 361 employees was drawn from an estimated population of 6000 of the Transnet National Port Authority employees in KwaZulu-Natal, using stratified random sampling. The sample comprised employees with disabilities, employees without disabilities, members of management and human resources managers. Self-administered questionnaires with embedded checklists and interviews were used to collect the data. Qualitative data was collected by means of interviews. Only the human resources managers were interviewed because they generally had an in-depth understanding of organisational policies that affect the employment of people with disabilities. The survey revealed that Transnet was committed to employing people with disabilities. However, beliefs, myths, stereotyping and misconceptions surrounding those with disabilities also act as an impediment to the successful inclusion of people with disabilities within Transnet. Furthermore, the research revealed that the perceived cost of inclusion is a factor most likely to present more challenges. Furthermore, the results from qualitative analysis indicate that apart from perceived cost, the inclusion of people with disabilities at Transnet has genuine cost implications. It transpired that Transnet procures assets from global Original Equipment Manufacturers, so customisation to cater for people with disabilities can add to the costs of assets that are already expensive. The literature review acknowledges the important role that policies play in the organisation, as the development of policies is triggered by the gap in the inclusion of people with disabilities. The survey revealed that policies affecting the employment of people with disabilities are not effective in terms of their implementation, as most South African organisations are not on a par with the recommended target of 2%. Both the survey and the qualitative results recognise the significance of organisational procedures. However, organisational procedures cannot assist in achieving a successful inclusion where policies are not effectively implemented. Another issue is the rewards construct, which reveals that organisational rewards are more important to people with disabilities compared to those without. This could be due to the fact that people with disabilities have special needs and the exclusion experienced by this group has been extended to include organisational rewards. The research findings also endorse the notion that disability issues are not taken seriously by the Government and the corporate sector, as the employment of people with disabilities is being viewed as an onerous liability rather than a priority. Both the survey and qualitative results have revealed that the type of work to be performed also perpetuates exclusion. It emerged that most people with disabilities are not overly involved in Transnet’s core areas of business, such as the Crane and Pilot operation. They are mostly found in administrative departments such as human resources and finance. Apart from other divisions, the Transnet Freight Rail division was identified as the division that was unable to include people with disabilities; this exclusion is based on the tasks performed by this division. It also emerged that there is still non-compliance on the part of the company.
Administration of municipal bus transport with specific reference to the Durban City Council.
(1991) Moodley, Dayalan.; Reddy, Purshottama Sivanarain.
No abstract available.
Adoption and usage of mobile marketing practices to promote domestic tourism: a case of Zimbabwe’s hospitality sector.
(2021) Nyatsambo, Maceline.; Phiri, Maxwell Agabu.
The escalated global use of the mobile phone and mobile internet presents endless opportunities for dynamic marketers. Elsewhere, research on the adoption and use of mobile devices to harness marketing opportunities has been growing steadily, while lagging in Zimbabwe. Despite the problem of declining foreign tourist arrivals, the Zimbabwean tourism and hospitality sector has not harnessed mobile marketing (MM) practices to promote its domestic tourism market for sustainability. The main purpose of the study was to establish the readiness of Zimbabwe's hospitality marketing employees to adopt and use mobile marketing practices to promote domestic tourism. Guided by the research objectives, the study analysed extant literature on mobile marketing adoption, acceptance and use, benefits of specific mobile marketing practices and tools, domestic tourism and hospitality marketing, to come up with theoretical constructs of the hypothesized model. A quantitative research methodology approach and cross-sectional design were adopted. Data was collected from 264 respondents in major tourist destinations of Zimbabwe using a self-completion, mainly structured questionnaire in a survey. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling.The findings indicate that Awareness and nowledge; Experience; Social Networking habits and Perceived Usefulness(PU) positively influence behaviour intention (BI) to use mobile marketing (MM) practices amongst hospitality marketing employees in Zimbabwe. Perceived ease of use(PEOU); Management support; Company mobile technology infrastructure and Technology accessibility had no significant influence on BI. There was a significant indirect effect of Awareness Knowledge to Behaviour Intention mediated by PU and PEOU. Lastly, the results confirmed that BI had a significant positive influence on actual usage behaviour (AUB). The study recommends that marketing management in Zimbabwe’s tourism and hospitality sector should implement MM practice by providing marketing employees with mobile communication devices and mobile internet (Wi-Fi). These MM practices include use of mobile social media tactics like live streaming of tourism destinations and hospitality facilities, GPS enabled location-specific messages and targeted mobile messages via WhatsApp and SMS. Collaborations with mobile network operators would allow hospitality companies access to customer databases that can be used to recruit potential domestic tourists. The study contributes new knowledge by integrating constructs from technology acceptance and use theories and making an initial examination of these from the perspectives of marketing employees in the context of Zimbabwe’s domestic tourism and hospitality sector.
Adoption of responsible and sustainable management practices by SMEs in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.
(2019) Khumalo, Ayanda.; Madondo, Mfazo Cliford.
Globally, every organisation is measured by its adoption of responsible and sustainable management practices. However, the adoption of responsible and sustainable management practices by SMEs in South Africa is under-researched. The adoption of these practices enhances organisations’ performance. The research objective of this study was to explore the adoption of responsible and sustainable management practices by SMEs in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, by exploring the perceptions and the challenges confronting SMEs owner-managers in executing these practices. An integrative review of literature was used to explore the SMEs’ adoption of responsible and sustainable management. A mixed methods research approach was adopted utilizing the exploratory sequential mixed methods design. Thus, data were collected using two phases the qualitative and the quantitative phase sequentially from a sample size of ninety-one (91) SMEs owner-managers in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. Data analysis was done in two phases. Firstly, the qualitative data sets were analysed using the thematic analysis technique to that inform the collection and analysis of the quantitative data sets using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. The research findings show that SMEs in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, are not adopting the responsible and sustainable practices. Therefore, this study concludes that SMEs should adopt and implement these practices in a similar manner as large corporates. This dissertation contributes to the research in the field of SMEs and responsible and sustainable management. It further challenges some SME owners-managers in Pietermaritzburg to adopt and embrace responsible and sustainable management practices.
Adoption of smartphone etiquette in the workplace in service-based business: the case of National Botanical Gardens in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
(2021) Zondi, Mbusowakhe Philington.; Phiri, Maxwell Agabu.; Bamata, Nkombe Herman.
In recent decades, smartphones have grown in popularity. Their growth has left the trail of indisputable proof of both improving and disrupting the workplace. Studies also suggest that users may develop addictions at work, which is caused by smartphone applications and the way they constantly increase user engagement. While good smartphone usage has beneficial impacts, bad usage has a negative impact on job efficiency in a business. The selected service-based business has implemented the usage of smartphones in the workplace to facilitate communication and access to current business platforms to improve service delivery. However, it is unclear how smartphones are managed at the workplace to ensure that they fulfil their primary function. It is a management responsibility to figure out how much time is wasted, owing to a lack of mechanisms to track smartphone usage. Smartphones have made corporate management much more complicated because managers have to manage, not only production but also the additional distractions that might stymie production if not properly controlled. It is unclear whether implementing smartphone etiquette in service-based businesses could serve as a guide for managing smartphones in the workplace. The smartphone conundrum in the workplace, warrants to be investigated to ascertain the extent of use, the impact on productivity and profitability. And finally, to address approaches to manage the smartphones in the workplace. As a result, this study aimed to investigate if the adoption of specific smartphone etiquette approaches that can be used to improve productivity and profitability in service-based business. The case of the National Botanical Garden in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. This study adopted the interpretivism paradigm as a philosophical guide to understand the views of the participants. The study employed the qualitative research approach to deeply understand the phenomenon of the smartphones in service-based businesses. A case study research design was used as the architectural backbone of the research to enhance the correctness of the findings. The target population of the study was the customer service employees of the selected service-based business. A sample of 267 was drawn from the 1,000 in the study population through purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used to collect data from 199 customer services respondents. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The findings of the study revealed that smartphones have a high negative impact towards productivity and profitability in service-based business. This signified the importance of adopting the ‘smartphone etiquette approaches’ to manage the smartphones in the workplace. The findings of this study are valuable to service-based business managers as a basis for improving employees and business performance. The company's main goal is to increase its profit margins. Management can improve its performance by focusing on some elements that have a beneficial impact on a company's profitability, such as productivity through proper management of smartphone use in the workplace and reducing time used on non-work-related activities. This research is a significant step forward in comprehending the difficulties surrounding the influence of smartphones on business productivity and profitability in South Africa.
An agile based integrated framework for software development.
(2018) Ranjeeth, Sanjay.; Maharaj, Manoj Sewak.
Software development practice has been guided by practitioners and academics along an evolutionary path that extends from a Waterfall approach, characterised as highly prescriptive, to an approach that is agile, embracing the dynamic context in which software is developed. Agile Methodology is informed by a set of generic principles and agile methods that are customised by practitioners to meet the requirements of the environment in which it is used. Insight into the customisation of agile methods is pivotal to uphold the evolutionary trajectory of software development methodology. The study adopted a ‘socio-technical’ orientation to enhance the implementation of Agile Methodology. The social component of the study was aligned to the role played by organisational culture in the adoption of software development methodology. The amorphous concept of organisational culture has been operationalised by implementing the Competing Values Framework to develop a model that aligns organisational culture to an optimal methodology for software development. The technical component of the study has a software engineering focus. The study leveraged experiential knowledge of software development by South African software practitioners to develop a customised version of a prominent agile software development method. The model has been developed so that it is compatible with a variant of organisational culture that is aligned with agile methodology. The study implemented a sequential research design strategy consisting of two phases. The first phase was qualitative consisting of a phenomenological approach to develop the study’s main models. The second phase was quantitative, underpinned by technology acceptance theory, consisting of a survey based approach to determine South African software practitioners’ acceptance of the agile-oriented technical model that was developed in the study. The results from the survey indicated an 80% acceptance of the model proposed in study. Structural Equation Modelling was used to demonstrate that the inclusion of organisational culture as an independent construct improved the predictive capacity of technology acceptance theory in the context of software development methodology adoption. The study’s overall theoretical contribution was to highlight the significance of organisational culture in the implementation of agile methodology and to extend the evolutionary path of software development methodology by proposing an agile oriented model that scales the software process to an organisational infrastructure level.
An analysis of complementary competence co-branding potential in the beer industry.
Salisbury, Roger Hans Theodore.; O'Neill, Charles.
Co-branding, where two or more brands are used to market one new product, has been proposed as a potentially cost effective marketing strategy in highly competitive mature industries. The objective of the study was to evaluate a potential role for cobranding to increase users’ overall brand preference and to stimulate non-users’ brand preference whilst suppressing any existing negative perceptions. In order to do so the research sought to probe how consumers develop and respond to a diverse and complex range of brand associations that result from a co-branding alliance. A unique aspect is that this study incorporates unknown real brands in cobranding alliances and distinguishes between low equity and unknown brands. A convenience sample of 711 business studies students were asked to participate in the research with 331 questionnaires suitable for analysis recovered (a response rate of 47%). They were presented with individual brands and with co-brands incorporating a little known or unknown beer and restaurant/fast food brand with a relatively well known or popular complementary brand to produce an overall consumption solution. The study addresses four important research issues: Firstly, it tests a conventional consumer-based multi-dimensional brand equity scale and demonstrates the limitations and conceptual inconsistencies of this approach. A formatively-indicated measurement scale is developed to measure respondents’ “overall brand preference”. Secondly the method with which co-brand concepts are presented to respondents and how their overall brand preferences are measured is addressed. Two experimental procedures are tested. Thirdly, the effect on overall preference for a co-brand is measured when the original brands are evaluated variously as combinations of high, medium or low overall preference. Finally, the research examines the effect on respondents’ overall preference for a co-brand when a third cause-related modifying variable is introduced. The research supports the findings of similar studies but also records a number of novel contributions. Principally, that when component brands in a co-branding alliance range from unknown to high equity brands, the relationship between the contribution that a component brand makes to a co-brand is non-monotonic. For example, an unknown brand may improve the overall brand preference for a low equity, known brand. This has important implications in understanding consumers’ behavioural response to co-branding. The practical implications include highlighting the contribution that start-up enterprises and unknown brands can make to established brands rather than simply the reverse. Keywords: Complementary competence co-branding, brand preference, consumerbased brand equity, little known/unknown brands, formative scales, cause-related marketing.
Analysis of gender role socialisation influence on perception of leadership style of males and females.
(2009) Nwokeiwu, Johnson.; Gani, Abdul Sattar.; Perumal, Sadhasivan.
Many women have taken up higher positions in their companies in recent times both in South Africa and all over the world. Many more women are taking professional courses and will definitely find a place in the leadership position in the big companies (Sekaran, et al. 1992). As a result there is big change and there will be more changes in the demography of labour force. These changes make it essential that leaders understand how to capture the synergy for the emerging diverse group of employees. The best and brightest workers, whom we all seek, are coming out of a labour pool that is increasingly made of women. The aspirations of women have been changing dramatically as a result of civil rights movement and women movements and South Africa is a good example of the countries in the world where women have better opportunities of leading big organisations (Watson, et al. 2004). The inclusion of women in the leadership position of many companies has aroused the interest to investigate if there is a difference in the way women and men lead. This is important because the role of leadership and the style of leadership have been identified as the primary factors in determining organisational performance and competitiveness (Rechardson, et al. 2008). A major part of this study discussed and analysed the leadership style differences of men and women leaders. The study also took into cognisance of the importance of agents of socialisation such as the family (husband and wife), the media, religion and education on gender role in the society. We discussed the gender role ascribed to male and female in the society and how this has influenced the perception of their leadership styles. Males and females received different orientation from the media, religion, schools and colleges on how men and women suppose to behave. And how these orientations influence perception, interaction, and ultimately the leadership styles is an interesting area of study and somewhat more difficult to define (Rechardson, et al. 2008). A review of such differences serves as a starting point in the study of gender differences in behaviour and in the leadership styles; and why women may offer unique strengths essential to healthy growth and operation in an organization. The results of this study did not show much difference in the leadership styles of men and women leaders but there are a few differences in the leadership dimensions of the transformational and transactional leadership style. The Asian female leaders score higher in charisma than their male counterpart. Within positions female frontline (supervisors) scored higher on motivation (idealised influence), while the male middle managers scored higher on task oriented leadership behaviour. However insignificant the differences may be, it is wise to mention that women scored slightly higher than men in the leadership styles traditionally ascribed to women. For example, the results of table 26 show women leaders scored slightly higher than men in the participative/democratic and transformational leadership styles and they equally scored slightly higher in some dimensions of transformational leadership, intellectually stimulating, charisma, and motivation. Men scored slightly higher in autocratic, transactional and delegate leadership styles. Men also scored slightly higher in other dimensions like management by exemption and task oriented behaviours.
Analysis of the implementation of performance management and development system: a case study of department of arts and culture in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2017) Ndlovu, Sikhumbuzo Michael.; Mutereko, Sybert.
Studies have shown that employees must be involved in the whole cycle of Performance Management. This view draws upon Locke‟s conceptualization of goal-setting theory in which employees and supervisors in a workplace should set objectives that need to be achieved during the performance cycle. Unfortunately, studies have shown that employees are not involved in the performance planning and setting of their performance targets. This study has sought to explore the implementation of Performance Management in the Department of Arts and Culture in KwaZulu-Natal (DAC-KZN). Drawing on the pragmatism philosophy, the study has employed a mixed-method approach which involved in-depth interviews (six), documentary analysis and survey methods (83 questionnaires) to elicit the views of workers on the implementation of Performance Management in the DAC-KZN. Through documentary analysis, this study has established that there are proper and systematic procedures for Performance Management. However, data gleaned from interviews and surveys show that such procedures are not adhered to. Workers are often excluded from the planning and setting of goals. The quarterly reviews that are meant to assess progress are rarely performed. Training needs that are identified through Performance Management are rarely addressed. A further analysis has revealed that the central tendency is evident when supervisors give performance scores, with most workers being given average scores and few scores being above the average, which adversely affects their motivation. These findings have critical implications for human resources managers in the public sector. The consequence of this is that there is a need to balance the tensions between time constraints and proper Performance Management by involving workers in the whole cycle of Performance Management.
An analysis of the perceptions of expatriate academics on the factors affecting their work performance.
(2009) Henha, Pauline Ngo.; Vayej, Jameela.
This study examines the perceived influence of the following factors on the performance of expatriate academics: biographical profile, social and cultural adjustment, homesickness, language, organizational socialization, and satisfaction with the policies and practices of the organization with regard to salary, rewards and promotion. The study was conducted on a sample of 85 expatriate academics employees of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). The research data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire where all answers were requested using a five point likert scale (from 'strongly disagree' to 'strongly agree‟) except for the section on the biographical profile of the participants. In other words, the research data captured the perceptions of the respondents measured on the above-mentioned scale. This means for example that every expatriate academic in the study made a self-assessment of his or her work performance. The research sample was constructed using a snowball sampling method. The results obtained from the inferential statistical analysis indicate that language is the only predictor of work performance. The frequencies and means analysis revealed that respondents are not quite satisfied with their salary and rewards. Correlation analysis also revealed the following relationships between the research variables: a correlation was found between social and cultural adjustment and homesickness; a correlation was found between social and cultural adjustment and organizational socialization; and correlation was found between satisfaction with the policies and practices of the organization with organizational socialization. The findings of this research can be useful to universities for improvement of the performance of their expatriate academics through the following research recommendations: conducting language training; providing market-related salaries to expatriate employees; and granting holiday allowances and stress management programmes to expatriate academics so as to alleviate their homesickness.
Analysis of the service quality of a private tertiary institution : the case of Damelin College.
(2012) Martin, Lynelle Cerene.; Phiri, Maxwell Agabu.
The study focuses on the service quality of Damelin College in Pietermaritzburg. Damelin College strives to ensure that students extract every promising benefit their courses. Damelin College aims at being a provider of quality, learner -focused education. The various opinions and attitudes of students regarding the service quality at Damelin College is investigated using questionnaires. This study covers the service quality aspects of private tertiary institutions. Data for the study was collected at Damelin College using a random sample of two hundred participants. The service quality of Damelin is discussed in detail as well as the theory of quality dimensions. The significance of service quality for tertiary institutions is a major aspect and all students need to receive the most appropriate form of respect and understanding. The high commercialized fees that students pay needs to be equate to the standard of the education that they receive. In relation to the problem statement, the research objectives are as follows: 1. To measure the impact of the service quality in private tertiary institutions. 2. To undertake an empirical analysis of the linkage between private tertiary institutions. 3. To investigate what aspects contribute to the choice of a private institution in which to study. 4. To determine how service quality influences where to study. Private institutions, who want to gain a competitive edge, may need to begin searching for effective ways to attract, retain and foster strong relationships with students. The service quality dimensions are tangibility, responsiveness, reliability, assurance, empathy, overall service quality and student satisfaction.
Application of critical systems thinking within Telkom (SA) performance management systems.
(2000) Jaca, Reginald Siyabulela.; Petkov, Doncho.
This dissertation explores the applicability of the Critical System Thinking (CST) methodology known as Total Systems Intervention (TSI) version one to the complex problems related to the practice of the Performance Management System at Telkom SA. As a point of departure, this research provides a historical analysis of a non-systemic management approach - Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and several uni-demensional hard and soft systems approaches and their contributions to the emergence and development of CST. It is argued that, given the messy and ill-structured problems that emerge as a result of the implementation of Performance Management Systems (PMS) at Telkom, a pluralist problem solving methodology such as TSI is the appropriate methodology applicable to the problem under concern.
Application of systems thinking in evaluating the efficacy of whistle-blowing policy in the contact centre department : Eskom Eastern Region.
(2005) Masuku, Jabulani.; Hardman, Stanley George.
Workplace corruption is a serious problem in South Africa which threatens to undermine our hard earned democracy. The devastating effects of workplace corruption are immeasurable and can lead to a major downfall of the sound economic development that people of this country have achieved. Awarding of tenders to incompetent and ill-prepared tenderers, recruiting and unfairly appointing unqualified candidates, contravening Health and Safety laws and endangering lives of the public are but few of the examples of corrupt activities that individuals and organizations commit. Disclosure of information about organizational malpractice is known as whistle-blowing. Individual employees are usually the first ones to know if any wrongdoing is taking place. It is choices that these individuals make which determine whether wrongdoing continues unnoticed or is exposed early enough. Whistle-blowing has been identified as an important tool that can assist organizations to detect internal problems and ultimately stop them before they become an emergency. In an effort to promote a culture of whistle-blowing, South Africa has developed legislation which seeks to address the problem of workplace corruption. The Protected Disclosures Act (No. 26 of 2000), otherwise known as the 'Whistle-blowers Act' makes provisions in terms of which employees in both the public and private sector who disclose information of corrupt conduct by their employers of fellow employees, are protected from occupational detriment. Eskom has its own whistle-blowing policy which in line with the requirements of the Protected Disclosures Act, seeks to address the problem of corruption within the organization. However, the increasing level of workplace corruption since the adoption of the Whistle-blowing policy seems to be alarming in the Eastern region. Certain Eskom departments in the Eastern Region, particularly the Contact Center, have lost a significant number of their staff to dismissals as a result of corruption and fraud. This is an indication that Eskom has committed itself as to be a corrupt free organization. However dismissing corrupt individuals cannot always be the best solution as it often has devastating effects to the organization in the long run. The application of Systems thinking tools, particularly the diagrams has been used in the study in order to uncover the underlying issues resulting to observed symptoms around whistle-blowing. Using a systematic approach this study investigated the views of managerial employees, non managerial employees and trade union leaders with regard to efficacy of the whistle-blowing policy in the Eastern Region. Managerial employees who were interviewed showed relative lack of understanding of the whistle-blowing policy and implications thereof. Non managerial workers who were interviewed during the course of this study also showed fear and preoccupation about saving their jobs rather than risk losing their careers by being conquerors of corruption. The findings further showed that organizational culture seems to concentrate mainly on understanding customer needs. This practice indicates that externally generated change takes precedence over proactive internal development. As Eskom is driven by the need to adapt to its ever-changing environment (in order to survive) this reduces the focus on internal developments, that is, creating the environment that is conducive for whistle-blowing to flourish. There does not seem to be effective mechanisms in place that could facilitate the disclosure of organizational misconduct in such a manner that it would benefit both individual (employees) disclosing wrongdoing and Eskom. Unintended consequences of dismissals seem also to be overlooked. The research concludes by recommending the greater use of the policy. This would entail intervention by top management, vigorous awareness campaigns and demystification of whistle-blowing.
The application of systems thinking in formulating a sustainable development agenda for Illovo Sugar Ltd.'s Sezela business.
(2005) Campbell, Mark.; Taylor, Robert Gordon.
Ever since the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, the quest for 'sustainability' has gained increased prominence on the business landscape. The King Report on Corporate Governance has further heightened awareness of social and environmental considerations which had previously been overlooked, thus broadening the business agenda beyond meeting the needs of owners and shareholders. Within the South African context, transformation imperatives have placed additional obligations on our businesses, requiring a change in corporate attitudes and business practices. Thus, in today's business climate, where companies compete globally for customers as well as talent, where reputation is as important as financial outcome, and where social and environmental risks have become key business dynamics, companies are increasingly being called to account, by a broader range of stakeholders, across a far wider spectrum of activities and operations. The dissertation reflects on the complexity of developing an inclusive and participatory approach to understanding the dimensions of sustainability and developing a sustainable development agenda for IlIovo Sugar Sezela business. The study presents an opportunity to apply systems thinking to consider the various perspectives and worldviews of the participating stakeholders, and to promote democratic decision-making in formulating possibilities. In this regard, it is imperative that the inquiry involves the use of methodologies appropriate to the structure and nature of the organisation, and that the outcome of the inquiry involves a 'product' that is owned by the organisation.
The application of the viable systems model to the Durban Institute of Technology Library.
(2006) Mkhize, Thandeka F.
Most institutions of higher learning in South Africa have had to merge because of the directive from the Department of Education enacted in the Higher Education Act of 1997, which aimed at restructuring the higher education sector. Academic libraries as departments within these institutions also had to merge as their parent organisations merged. The Durban Institute of Technology (DIT) became the first merged institution of higher learning in the country. The purpose of this study is to diagnose whether the merged DIT libraries are viable. This is tested by using the Viable Systems Model (VSM), which is based on cybernetic principles. This research project is meant to give a holistic view of the viability of the DIT libraries. Members of the library staff were asked through an interview process what their views were about the library. The interviews were semi-structured and were conducted individually so as to elicit detailed information from library staff about the library, its processes, procedures, structure and management. Observation and document analysis were also used to gather further information relevant to the study. The study concluded that the library does not have enough resources and there is confusion amongst members of the library staff about what the library goals are. Although the library does not have a single image and culture it is very active and is well represented in the Library and Information Services structures and within the DIT.
The application of Viable System Model(VSM) in the context of establishing, maintaining and restoring a Culture of Learning, Teaching and Service (COLTS) in a school : an organizational setting.
(2001) Nhlabathi, Zandile Florence.; Taylor, Robert Gordon.
The establishment, restoration, enhancement and maintenance of the Culture of Learning, Teaching and Service (COLTS) in a school, remains a precondition for a successful Education System. Colts aims at restoring functionality in the schools with the view to improve the quality of learning and teaching activities. The COLTS campaign programmes were launched in February 1997 by the then President Mandela, to promote a culture of learning, teaching and service in every institution in the country. From the National to Circuit level the focus is directly or indirectly devoted to the Culture of Learning, Teaching and Service in a school. The Culture of Learning, Teaching and Service promotes the idea that it is the duty of educators to teach and of learners to learn. The question is how Learning, Teaching and Service structures, processes ensure viability with the application of a Viable System Model (VSM) in a school The Viable System Model is a powerful diagnostic tool to promote viability in an organization. Therefore, the Viable System Model is applied as a methodology for understanding structures and processes of learning and teaching in a school. The application of a Viable System Model in the context of learning and teaching is used as a consistent intervention tool to develop the organizational competence. The application of a Viable System Model as an intervention tool in managing the Culture of Learning, Teaching and Service becomes a powerful learning experience or challenge for schools. The core business of any school organization is learning and teaching; thus its mechanisms for identity and viability determine survival and success. This demands that the learning and teaching programmes or approaches need to adapt to the changing environment and the new approaches require a new way of thinking, research and learning. Therefore, the Viable System Model is applied as a methodology that is capable of improving performance in a school as an organization. It is used as a diagnostic tool to check the culture of learning, teaching and service structures and processes to ensure viability and effectiveness. The culture of learning, teaching and service context explores the usefulness of VSM in dealing with complex situations in the organization. The aim is to use a Viable System Model to improve synergy between learning and teaching autonomy of parts and the whole school. It is hoped that the usefulness a of Viable System Model in the culture of learning, teaching and service context will develop a school's competence. The restoration of COLTS is a challenge to both the Education System and school community. The VSM is applied at different levels of COLTS to make specific recommendations, taking into consideration the internal and external environment. The VSM theory is used to pinpoint the various systemic or structural constraints within and outside the school. For schools to succeed as adaptive goal-seeking entity, they need understanding and application of VSM. The relevance of VSM theory such as the idea of recursion, cybernetic principles and arrangement of functions at different levels provide organizations with flexibility they need to survive in complex changing environments. Through the application of a Viable System Model, schools are encouraged to learn and understand how change unfolds through circular patterns of interaction rather than linear patterns. The discord or common faults, constraints and harmonising elements in the COLTS scenario reveal that the relationship between school and the environment should be understood as ongoing processes that need to be maintained. Therefore, the COLTS activities should meet the business idea of the organization and the principles of viability. To achieve learning and development in COLTS context, schools need to practice new behaviour skills and integrate new skills into new ways of thinking and doing. The school has to seize the opportunities created by the process of using a Viable System Model as a tool for maintaining COLTS in school. In conclusion, personal living model and the Toulmin Argument Model are included as part of systematic management, reflection and learning experiences. The models are a self-reflective process of how I can deal with COLTS issue in my organization which becomes an on - going process for personal and school as an organization to develop into new thinking horizons in COLTS context.
Applying lean principles in craft brewing to improve quality and reduce costs : two KwaZulu-Natal case studies.
(2018) Mahlangu, Sindisiwe.; Salisbury, Roger Hans Theodore.
A significant number of companies around the world have implemented lean methodologies in order to remain competitive. Although these were initially developed for large manufacturing companies, the principles that serve as a foundation for these methodologies are, arguably, also applicable to small companies. The proposed research will focus on small craft breweries in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa to determine if they too can benefit from implementing practices that are based on lean principles. The world’s craft brewing industry is well-established and growing rapidly. Most of the beer brewed in South Africa is mass-produced at comparatively low cost. Craft beer brewed by smaller scale breweries is relatively more expensive to produce and consumers have to accept trade-offs between the perceived better quality and higher cost of craft beer. In order to gain and maintain market share, craft brewers need to produce quality beer whilst reducing production costs. The objectives of this study were threefold. Firstly, it sought to identify appropriate assessment tools that may be used to measure waste in craft breweries. Secondly, to identify and measure any sources of waste that may occur in craft breweries. Lastly, to determine if and how craft brewers can introduce lean methodologies based on lean principles in their production processes in order to improve quality and reduce costs. The study was guided by lean theory. The principles derived from this directed the deployment of lean tools and practices to implement lean production methodologies. Lean theory argues that lean methodologies, if implemented correctly, will yield positive results for all firms in all industries. A multi-case study approach was used, supported by five data collection instruments; direct observations, participant observations, documents & records and semi-structured interviews. A convergent, parallel, mixed methods design was used as this allowed both qualitative and quantitative data to be gathered, analysed and then merged to interpret the findings and results. The data was analysed using content analysis with NVivo software. The main findings of this study indicate that: 1. Lean tools, like the Lean Assessment Tool, which consists of several lean improvement programmes and tools (e.g. setup time reduction, visual controls) may be used to assess waste in craft breweries. 2. The sources of wastes and inefficiencies which were identified from the case studies relate to inventory, overproduction, waiting time, unnecessary transporting, processing waste, inefficient work methods, product defects and underutilised human resources. 3. Identifying lean tools and programmes that the company can implement under its current production capabilities is a key success factor in becoming a lean organisation. 4. Having a step by step implementation model which is clear to follow will help companies to implement lean production. 5. To produce good quality beer, the ingredients used must be of good quality. Also, close monitoring of the brewing processes, times and temperatures is essential. 6. The current challenges in the craft beer industry include high levels of competition from the mainstream beer producing giants, distribution problems, maintaining consistent quality and developing effective marketing plans in a highly contested market. The study was concluded by discussing the implications of these findings for theory and literature, as well as for practitioners. Recommendations, specific for these case studies were provided and areas for future research suggested.
Applying systems thinking and action research to improve a problematic situation on a large project.
(2004) Lang, Harold Allen.
Formal project management methodologies and processes play a vital role in organisations that run large complex projects and programmes. Is it possible that these methodologies and processes can end up defeating the purpose for which they are introduced? Can these methodologies actually cause projects to fail by becoming the focus of attention? If so, what can be done to reverse this bizarre situation? This study intends to give some insights into these complex questions. Methodologies that are not usually used in such environments are applied to a particular messy situation on a project in an attempt to bring about some relief. The events took place in a conservative, rapidly changing and highly politicised organisation that had embarked on a programme comprising many large interdependent projects that needed to be implemented in an aggressive time frame. A particular large and complex project was running into trouble due to, in no small measure, the strict enforcement of onerous project management procedures. The project team was becoming demoralised and very stressed, which aggravated the situation further. Project managers usually adopt a "hard" approach to making changes. The aim of this research is to see whether using a "softer" approach in the environment described above could alleviate the situation. In this study, systems thinking and action research form the core of the multi-methodological approach to understanding the problem situation and identifying appropriate interventions to bring about improvements. Given the culture of the organisation concerned, will the application of these methodologies improve the situation by bringing the project back on track and improve staff morale? Other concepts that play a role in this study include complexity theory and the learning organisation that are deemed essential to the understanding of the holistic picture. 111 "This we know. The earth does not belong to us; we belong to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood that unites one family. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons and the daughters of the earth. We did not weave the web of life; we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves." (Chief Seattle)

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