A critical investigation of conflict management : a case study of a Namibian institution
- Authors: Uiras, Hilja
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Conflict management -- Namibia Conflict management -- Study and teaching Culture conflict Social conflict Conflict management -- Namibia -- Case studies Conflict management -- Study and teaching -- Case studies Culture conflict -- Namibia -- Case studies Social conflict -- Namibia -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1480 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003361
- Description: This study is a qualitative interpretative study of conflict management in a multicultural Namibian institution. The focus of the study is to understand how individual people in a particular organization perceive conflict, the possible sources of conflict as well as to explore the possible strategies of managing conflict. This is followed by an analysis of the general educational cultural and social characteristics of Namibia, which relate to the sources of conflict. I also make an attempt to have a deeper understanding of people from different cultural and educational backgrounds in viewing conflict and how these differences might be seen as major sources of conflict and how they deal with it - by using a case study approach. I interviewed 5 participants from different cultural backgrounds. The major research methodology I used in this study is in-depth interviews that allowed me to explore people's understanding of, attitudes to and views on conflict. I supplemented the interviews with participant observation, which allowed me to get first-hand information on how people interact socially and in meetings in order to explore possible sources and existence of conflict in meetings and how the staff dealt with it. Furthermore, I tried as much as possible to observe daily activities as an observer. People interviewed have different perceptions about conflict. Some use conflict to their advantage to arouse discussion and stimulate creative thinking. Some people find conflict to be a burden, something to be minimized. This avoidance leads to poor decisions and poor use of teams as a way to improve both decision making and acceptance of the decisions that are made. Cultural differences among staff and the process of reform emerge as the major sources of conflict. Whether a conflict will result in negative or positive consequences, or both, will depend to a large part on the strategy taken to resolve the conflict.
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An investigation of students' role within the governing structures of educational institutions
- Authors: Ngaso, Khayalethu Edward
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Student participation in administration -- South Africa School management and organization -- South Africa Student government -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1644 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003526
- Description: The question of the role of students in the governance of educational institutions has been an issue for decades in South Africa. It arose out of the desire and struggle by black students for a better sociopolitical environment in general and in education in particular. This demand gained momentum in the years 1976,1980 and 1985. The result was the establishment of Student Representative Councils, Parent-teacher-Student's Associations at schools, Broad Transformation Forums and Governing Councils at tertiary institutions. After 1994 the government of South Africa started the major task of reconstructing the country particularly education and its governance. Democratic governance was accepted as one of the fundamentals of education by the new department of education. The Schools' Act and the Higher Education Act were passed to give effect to this new spirit in 1996 and 1997 respectively. Students had a statutory right to be involved in all matters of governance in educational institutions. However, in the past two years i.e. 1997 and 1998 the issue of student participation has become controversial with tensions erupting amongst stakeholders particularly management and students. The bone of contention this time has not been whether students have to participate or not but how far should they be involved. The National Education Policy Investigation task team had recommended as early as 1992 for the systematic analysis of the roles of the various stakeholders within the governing structures to avoid the present situation to no avail. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate students' perceptions of their role within the governing structures and to assess the implications of such a role for the management of educational institutions. Central to this largely fact finding mission was an attempt to make a contribution engaging students in this debate and get to know them afresh, thereby understand their position, what their perception is about their role in the governance of their institutions. For this purpose the study used phenomenology as the method of research. The reason for that I wanted a methodology which will enable me to produce a report which would not be contaminated with my preconceived ideas about the phenomenon. The tool used for data-gathering was the interview. In-depth interviews were conducted with four student leaders. They were selected purposely due to the fact that they were involved in the governance of their various institutions. The study revealed the complexity of this phenomenon. It indicates that student involvement is crucial for harmonious relations to prevail and the creation of a climate of learning and teaching at educational institutions. Students saw their role as that of legitimising the process of decision-making. This is coupled with enforcing the management to be transparent, bringing back the rule of law, making sure that educational institutions are transformed, that students are empowered and capacitated and looking at the welfare of students. A recommendation that emerge from the study is that much investigation is needed on student participation. Areas which needed much attention are specified in the study.
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An investigation of the work-related values of educational managers of private church secondary schools in Malawi, and the implications of the values for OD interventions: a case study
- Authors: Kadyakapita, Mozecie Spector John
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Church schools -- Malawi School management and organization -- Malawi Private schools -- Malawi Values -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1659 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003542
- Description: One of the organizational change technologies developed in response to the inherent weaknesses of the scientific and classical management theories is organization development (0D). The theories grew out of research experiments in change and training in intergroup relations conducted by Kurt Lewin in 1946 in the United States of America. They have been further developed by other researchers and applied to organizations since then, and to educational organizations since the 1960s. This study was carried out in the light of what some of the 0D esearchers and consultants observed, namely, that 0D interventions tend to be less successful in organizations outside the USA, especially in developing countries. They attributed the lack of success of the interventions to the nature of 0D theories, the skills, attitudes and behaviour of OD consultants, the nature of organizations and, especially, culture. Some of the OD consultants said the culture of the people in developing countries is unreceptive to the values which underpin OD theories. I carried out this study to investigate the work-related values of managers in an educational organization in Malawi, and assess the implications of their values for OD interventions. I used a qualitative case study method and the interview technique to gather data for the study. I also used observation and document analysis techniques to supplement the interview technique. The results of the study indicate that most of the work-related values of the managers closely match the values of OD theories. The findings contradict what some of the OD researchers and consultants said about the culture of the people in developing countries. Hence, OD consultants need to investigate the work-related values of the gatekeepers of cli nt organizations and design and implement OD interventions that fit the interests of the gatekeepers.
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