A framework for transmitting and entrenching values in indigenous black South African family businesses
- Authors: Kupangwa, Welcome
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Family-owned business enterprises -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53991 , vital:46171
- Description: Family businesses are the predominant form of business globally and their importance to the economies of countries and job creation are often highlighted. In comparison to non-family businesses, family businesses are often described as having several unique characteristics such as a long-term orientation, being more emotions-laden, and having multiple family generations work in the business. Family businesses are also more deeply rooted in their cultures and values than non-family businesses are, and it is these values that contribute to their uniqueness and longevity. The dominant cultures and values found in family businesses are often associated with those of the founders and their families, and most founders want successive generations to run their family businesses according to established traditions and core values. Despite their importance in both developed and developing economies, family businesses face significant challenges to survive and prosper across generations. One such challenge involves the transmission of values from business founders and/or current leaders to the next generation of family members. If these values are not transmitted to and shared by the next generation, and not entrenched into the functions and processes of their family business, the functioning of the family and the family business are at risk. Existing research on values in family businesses reveals limited knowledge of values transmission to the next generation of family members. In addition, questions remain unanswered as to how values are institutionalised and entrenched into family businesses, and how these values contribute to their longevity and success. Given the need to understand the role of values in the transgenerational success of family businesses, many research calls have been made to investigate the nature of values, values transmission and values entrenchment among family businesses, including those in developing countries. In response to these calls the primary objective of this study was to provide a framework for explaining how values are transmitted among indigenous Black South African business owning families and how these values are entrenched into their family businesses. Investigating values in the context of indigenous Black South African business owning families highlights the influence of indigenous culture on the transmission and entrenchment processes. This study is positioned in the interpretivism and the postmodernism research paradigm. Both deductive and inductive reasoning to theory development and qualitative methodological approach were adopted to create new and richer understandings and interpretations of the phenomena under investigation. Utilising a multiple and descriptive case study methodology, data was collected from seven indigenous Black South African family businesses through semi-structured interviews. To corroborate the interview findings, observations, document analysis and field notes were also used for data collection, which was then analysed utilising reflexive thematic analysis. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
- Authors: Kupangwa, Welcome
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Family-owned business enterprises -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53991 , vital:46171
- Description: Family businesses are the predominant form of business globally and their importance to the economies of countries and job creation are often highlighted. In comparison to non-family businesses, family businesses are often described as having several unique characteristics such as a long-term orientation, being more emotions-laden, and having multiple family generations work in the business. Family businesses are also more deeply rooted in their cultures and values than non-family businesses are, and it is these values that contribute to their uniqueness and longevity. The dominant cultures and values found in family businesses are often associated with those of the founders and their families, and most founders want successive generations to run their family businesses according to established traditions and core values. Despite their importance in both developed and developing economies, family businesses face significant challenges to survive and prosper across generations. One such challenge involves the transmission of values from business founders and/or current leaders to the next generation of family members. If these values are not transmitted to and shared by the next generation, and not entrenched into the functions and processes of their family business, the functioning of the family and the family business are at risk. Existing research on values in family businesses reveals limited knowledge of values transmission to the next generation of family members. In addition, questions remain unanswered as to how values are institutionalised and entrenched into family businesses, and how these values contribute to their longevity and success. Given the need to understand the role of values in the transgenerational success of family businesses, many research calls have been made to investigate the nature of values, values transmission and values entrenchment among family businesses, including those in developing countries. In response to these calls the primary objective of this study was to provide a framework for explaining how values are transmitted among indigenous Black South African business owning families and how these values are entrenched into their family businesses. Investigating values in the context of indigenous Black South African business owning families highlights the influence of indigenous culture on the transmission and entrenchment processes. This study is positioned in the interpretivism and the postmodernism research paradigm. Both deductive and inductive reasoning to theory development and qualitative methodological approach were adopted to create new and richer understandings and interpretations of the phenomena under investigation. Utilising a multiple and descriptive case study methodology, data was collected from seven indigenous Black South African family businesses through semi-structured interviews. To corroborate the interview findings, observations, document analysis and field notes were also used for data collection, which was then analysed utilising reflexive thematic analysis. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
The influence of contemporary leadership styles on the job satisfaction and organisational commitment of SME employees
- Authors: Kupangwa, Welcome
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Leadership , Job satisfaction , Organizational commitment , Business enterprises -- Employees
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:9013 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018508
- Description: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have the potential to enhance economic growth and innovation, create jobs, assist large businesses in the distribution of goods and services, and stimulate competition in the economy. However, SMEs face several challenges that influence their longevity, growth, and success. Poor leadership has been highlighted as influencing the job satisfaction and organisational commitment levels of employees, ultimately contributing to employee turnover and SME failure. This study mentions the dishonest, selfish and corrupt nature of modern leadership and identifies a gap in the literature regarding the practice of leadership, especially among South African SMEs. Against this background, the primary objective of this study was to assess the levels of several contemporary leadership styles displayed by SME owners, namely Servant, Authentic, Ethical and Participative leadership, and to investigate their influence on the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape. A quantitative research paradigm was adopted and a sample was drawn from employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape Province. The selection of the sample was done using judgement and convenience sampling. A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was undertaken, and a total of 236 usable questionnaires were returned on which to undertake the statistical analysis. In order to assess the validity of the dependent variables, namely Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment, tests for uni-dimensionality (using factor analysis) were undertaken. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was undertaken on the independent variables and four factors were extracted, which corresponded with the theoretical dimensions of Relational leadership, Participative leadership, Servant leadership and Ethical leadership. The items intended to measure Authentic leadership did not load as expected, but a factor named Relational leadership emerged as a result of several items measuring Ethical and Servant leadership loading together. All the independent and dependent variables returned Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of greater than 0.7. As such, sufficient evidence of validity and reliability for the scales measuring the dependent and the independent variables was provided. The data collected was also subjected to several statistical analyses. These included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment correlations, multiple regression analyses, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The majority of respondents agreed that they experienced Job satisfaction in the SMEs in which they were employed and that they were committed to these businesses. Relational leadership returned the highest mean score while the lowest score was returned for Participative leadership. The majority of respondents also agreed that the SME owners for whom they worked displayed the leadership styles under investigation. All the independent variables were significantly and positively correlated with the dependent variables, Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment. In addition, significant positive correlations were reported between all the independent variables. The multiple regression analyses revealed that three of the four leadership styles investigated in this study had a significant positive influence on both the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in the SMEs. These leadership styles were Servant, Relational, and Ethical leadership. In addition, the results of this study showed that Job satisfaction mediates the relationship between Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership, and the Organisational commitment displayed by employees working in SMEs, but does not mediate the relationship between Participative leadership and Organisational commitment. The findings also showed that the demographic variables investigated in this study had no influence on how SME employees perceived the Servant and Relational leadership behaviours of SME owners. However, the results showed that female respondents perceived SME owners as displaying a Participative leadership style more so than male employees did. The findings also revealed that employees with a post-matric qualification perceived that SME owners displayed higher levels of Participative leadership than those without a post-matric qualification. In addition, the ANOVA revealed that White respondents perceived that SME owners exhibited more ethical behaviours than Black respondents did. Given the findings of this study, several recommendations were put forward to enhance the levels of Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership among SME owners, and to ultimately enhance the levels of Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment experienced by their employees. As such SME owners were provided with practical recommendations on how to attract and retain employees by adopting appropriate leadership behaviours. Employees play a vital role in achieving the goals and vision of a business. Satisfied and committed employees put more effort into ensuring the goals and vision of the business are achieved, contributing to business success and ultimately the economy as a whole.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Kupangwa, Welcome
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Leadership , Job satisfaction , Organizational commitment , Business enterprises -- Employees
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:9013 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018508
- Description: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have the potential to enhance economic growth and innovation, create jobs, assist large businesses in the distribution of goods and services, and stimulate competition in the economy. However, SMEs face several challenges that influence their longevity, growth, and success. Poor leadership has been highlighted as influencing the job satisfaction and organisational commitment levels of employees, ultimately contributing to employee turnover and SME failure. This study mentions the dishonest, selfish and corrupt nature of modern leadership and identifies a gap in the literature regarding the practice of leadership, especially among South African SMEs. Against this background, the primary objective of this study was to assess the levels of several contemporary leadership styles displayed by SME owners, namely Servant, Authentic, Ethical and Participative leadership, and to investigate their influence on the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape. A quantitative research paradigm was adopted and a sample was drawn from employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape Province. The selection of the sample was done using judgement and convenience sampling. A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was undertaken, and a total of 236 usable questionnaires were returned on which to undertake the statistical analysis. In order to assess the validity of the dependent variables, namely Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment, tests for uni-dimensionality (using factor analysis) were undertaken. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was undertaken on the independent variables and four factors were extracted, which corresponded with the theoretical dimensions of Relational leadership, Participative leadership, Servant leadership and Ethical leadership. The items intended to measure Authentic leadership did not load as expected, but a factor named Relational leadership emerged as a result of several items measuring Ethical and Servant leadership loading together. All the independent and dependent variables returned Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of greater than 0.7. As such, sufficient evidence of validity and reliability for the scales measuring the dependent and the independent variables was provided. The data collected was also subjected to several statistical analyses. These included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment correlations, multiple regression analyses, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The majority of respondents agreed that they experienced Job satisfaction in the SMEs in which they were employed and that they were committed to these businesses. Relational leadership returned the highest mean score while the lowest score was returned for Participative leadership. The majority of respondents also agreed that the SME owners for whom they worked displayed the leadership styles under investigation. All the independent variables were significantly and positively correlated with the dependent variables, Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment. In addition, significant positive correlations were reported between all the independent variables. The multiple regression analyses revealed that three of the four leadership styles investigated in this study had a significant positive influence on both the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in the SMEs. These leadership styles were Servant, Relational, and Ethical leadership. In addition, the results of this study showed that Job satisfaction mediates the relationship between Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership, and the Organisational commitment displayed by employees working in SMEs, but does not mediate the relationship between Participative leadership and Organisational commitment. The findings also showed that the demographic variables investigated in this study had no influence on how SME employees perceived the Servant and Relational leadership behaviours of SME owners. However, the results showed that female respondents perceived SME owners as displaying a Participative leadership style more so than male employees did. The findings also revealed that employees with a post-matric qualification perceived that SME owners displayed higher levels of Participative leadership than those without a post-matric qualification. In addition, the ANOVA revealed that White respondents perceived that SME owners exhibited more ethical behaviours than Black respondents did. Given the findings of this study, several recommendations were put forward to enhance the levels of Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership among SME owners, and to ultimately enhance the levels of Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment experienced by their employees. As such SME owners were provided with practical recommendations on how to attract and retain employees by adopting appropriate leadership behaviours. Employees play a vital role in achieving the goals and vision of a business. Satisfied and committed employees put more effort into ensuring the goals and vision of the business are achieved, contributing to business success and ultimately the economy as a whole.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
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