The influence of endorsed professional surfers on consumer attitude towards surf brands
- Authors: Greybe, Frikkie
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Brand name products , Branding (Marketing) , Surfers
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8671 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008470 , Brand name products , Branding (Marketing) , Surfers
- Description: Sport, with the help of the media, plays a huge role in today’s society. Sport fans are following their favourite athlete and teams religiously as they compete locally and internationally. Over a century ago, the first professional athlete was endorsed. Since then companies are investing millions of dollars in athlete endorsement to promote brand awareness under consumers. The surfing industry is no different. With the Association of Professional Surfers (ASP) world tour, the big surf companies are jumping at the opportunity to sponsor pro surfers to market their products. Previous studies have shown athletes can evoke both positive and negative attitudes towards their endorsing brand thus effecting company’s sales. The aim of this study was to research the influence these endorsed pro surfers have on consumer behaviour towards their brand in a local market. A qualitative study was done on local surfers in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Results showed that favourite surfers evoke a positive attitude towards their sponsoring brand. However this influence does not seem to be as significant as in other sports. Surf companies within the industry should be aware of the big influence age has on the consumers behaviour and that different age groups follow different surfers. Companies should choose to sponsor professional surfers that fit the image of the company and the products, not necessarily the professional surfer who performs the best. Using professional surfers in advertising of products does create better brand awareness, but endorsed professional surfers are not likely to change consumer’s perceptions of the endorsing brand’s products.
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- Date Issued: 2011
The influence of leadership on the organisational effectiveness of SAPS precincts
- Authors: Chetty, Sandy-Lee
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: South Africa Police Service , Organizational effectiveness -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay , Leadership -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8607 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1590 , South Africa Police Service , Organizational effectiveness -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay , Leadership -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay
- Description: Public institutions have the responsibility to deliver various services to the public in the most effective and efficient manner. In South Africa, many public sector reforms were instituted after 1994. The main reasons for these reforms were to improve the access of the historically disadvantaged to public services, to increase efficiencies, to reduce costs and to reduce public debt. Despite improvements to the policy framework that underpins service delivery by the public sector, however, there are still many challenges in the delivery of public services. An improved public policy to deliver service alone is not enough if not supported by effective systems and processes for actual delivery, as well as effective leadership that leads and ensures the delivery of such services. Improving the organisational effectiveness of public institutions is therefore important in South Africa. The present study explores the role that leadership plays in the pursuit of organisational effectiveness in a selected public institution, namely the South African Police Service (SAPS). The primary objective of this study is to improve the organisational effectiveness of SAPS in the Nelson Mandela Bay municipal area by investigating the influence of leadership style (transactional and transformational) and personality (Machiavellian, narcissistic, collectivistic, masculine and feminine) on organisational effectiveness of SAPS (as measured by overall organisational performance and the individual job performance intentions of police officers). The research design is positivistic, as the relationships among the above-mentioned variables are statistically tested. The sample consisted of 90 police officers of senior rank drawn from five police stations in the Nelson Mandela Bay. The empirical results were reported and interpreted. These results revealed that constructive narcissistic and collectivistic leadership personality traits, as well as transformational leadership style exert a positive influence on the organisational performance of the Nelson Mandela Bay police precincts. The empirical results also showed that collectivistic leadership personality traits influence the performance intent of these police officials positively. These results are discussed in terms of the implications they hold for the managers of police precincts. The limitations of the study are reported which provide areas for future research.
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- Date Issued: 2011
The management of the antecedents of absenteeism at a motor manufacturing company
- Authors: Mandleni, Oscar
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Absenteeism (Labor) , Motor industry , Production management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8755 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011559 , Absenteeism (Labor) , Motor industry , Production management
- Description: Absenteeism is a complex set of behaviours masquerading as a unitary phenomenon. Absenteeism is a big problem in the motor manufacturing industry, especially, because of the number of processes that are labour intensive. Absenteeism is a multifaceted problem with many antecedents which make it challenging to resolve or contain. Financial impact is one of the consequences of absenteeism on a business, especially when one thinks that the primary objective of a firm in to make money. Absenteeism defeats these objectives through cost incurred for overtime to catch up production losses. Furthermore, in cases where replacement of personnel is necessary, this may include administrative costs related to the time human resource personnel spend looking for replacement employees or the time production management spends re-assigning employees. Absenteeism results in decreased productivity and may affect the quality of the product due to the increased workload and burden put on employees who are at work. Absenteeism is classified into scheduled and unscheduled absenteeism. Although some absenteeism is avoidable, it is important to understand that some absence is unavoidable. This is because people may fall ill, get injured or have unavoidable obligations which may lead to absenteeism. The purpose of this study was to identify the antecedents of absenteeism, with the assumption that once they are identified, they can be controlled, reduced or eliminated and the absenteeism rate thus reduced. The theoretical study focused on defining absenteeism, ascertaining the impact of absenteeism in the workplace, especially in an international organisation in the motor manufacturing industry and discussing the antecedents of absenteeism and strategies that can be used to manage these antecedents. The empirical study consisted of a survey, with a questionnaire as a data collecting tool. The process used to conduct the survey was to distribute the questionnaire among production employees in three operational units; namely Final Assembly, Paint Shop and Body Shop at a motor manufacturing company. Employees were approached, the purpose of the questionnaire explained and they were asked if they would be willing to complete the questionnaire. Employees who agreed to complete the questionnaire were briefed on the contents of the questionnaire and the completion process. The relationship between biographical variables and absenteeism was discussed. For the purpose of this study the following independent variables were discussed: age, marital status, gender, work area, length of service and number of dependents. The empirical study focused on the antecedents of absenteeism, and specifically job, organisational and personal factors, as well supervisors‟ attempts to manage absenteeism. The respondents indicated that they believed absenteeism was a problem in the study and that people stayed away for reasons other than genuine illness. It was recommended that absenteeism figures, such as the overall Gross Absence Rate (GAR) and Absence Frequency Rate for the organisation, and specific work areas and teams, are regularly communicated to employees and displayed prominently to emphasise the importance of attendance. Some suggestions were that: Supervisors should foster a genuinely respectful relationship between themselves and employees which will results in employees feeling obliged to be at work. The company should introduce a day care or crèche at work to allow female employees to bring their kids to work in the event they are unable to be looked after at home. Alcohol and drug abuse should not be seen as an external problem in the organisation but rather as something an organisation should get involved in to assist employee who might have a problem. The first step was to create a channel where employee can feel free to approach the company if they are in need of help. The study demonstrated that it was important to identify antecedents in order to address the real problems related to absenteeism.
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- Date Issued: 2011
The potential impact of diving charges on the demand for diving and the diving industry in the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area: a pilot study
- Authors: Schmidt, Jadon
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Recreational dive industry -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Recreational dive industry -- Licenses -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Marine parks and reserves -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal -- Management Conservation of natural resources -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Environmental management -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Marine resources conservation -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Waste disposal in the ocean -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal Marine pollution -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:756 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003877
- Description: This research is presented in three sections. Section 1 presents the research report in an Academic Paper format. Section 2 provides a comprehensive literature review and Section 3 describes the research methodology and methods employed. Sustainable management of natural resources is a global imperative. It is particularly significant in a country like South Africa that is blessed with an abundance of biological diversity but faces many socio economic challenges that are associated with developing nations. Toward addressing these issues, diver permit fees were implemented in South Africa in 2005, making it a legal requirement for all scuba divers undertaking a dive in a Marine Protected Area (MPA) to purchase a permit. This pilot study is the first attempt since the inception of the dive permit fees to determine their impact on the demand for diving and the diving industry in the Aliwal Shoal MPA, one of the premier dive destinations in the country. In order to address key questions, qualitative data was gathered during interviews with 12 dive operators active in the MPA and 28 divers that utilised the operators to dive. In addition, independent quantitative data on the number of dive boat launches during the past 20 years was used in conjunction with mean paying diver data obtained from the operators to ascertain the demand for diving at the Aliwal Shoal during the past two decades. Results indicate that were no significant differences (at the 5% level of significance) between paying divers during 2005 compared to 2004 and 2006 [H =.1923366, N= 36, p =0.9083]. Paying diver data for the period 2000 - 2004 were compared to 2005 - 2010 and no significant differences were found at the 5% level of significance (U= 2040, Npost = 72, Npre= 60, p = 0.584981). Diver interviews revealed that only 36% of divers had paid for a permit, representing a loss of R7 438 499 during the past five years, enough to support the current budget of the MPA for 10.6 years. Operator interviews revealed that alternative destinations, economic climate and local competition had the most impact on their businesses, with permit fees having no impact on the 50% of the operators’ businesses. Operators also reported that there was little or no enforcement of the permit fees, 9 of the operators indicated that there has been no improvement in the MPA or its management since the inception of the fees and all were dissatisfied with the current management MPA. Operators and divers complained about the current purchasing and handling practices associated with the permits. Despite offering a world class diving opportunity, the dive operators currently have no incentive to enforce the permit system and due to price pressure in the local market, and have adopted a mute stance on diver permits. Consequently, there has been no significant impact on the demand for diving since the inception of the permits in 2005. The initial hypothesis that the increased costs to divers as a result of the permits would drive down the demand for diving is therefore rejected. If the permits are more strictly enforced, it is likely that more divers may seek alternative destinations due to the perception of poor value as a result of the Sappi Saiccor effluent discharge, existence of shark nets and poor management, in accordance with existing literature. The resultant decrease in demand will be detrimental to the diving industry at Aliwal Shoal. The second hypothesis, that the costs associated with the better enforcement of the MPA regulations-in terms of impacts on the diving industry- might outweigh the benefits, is therefore accepted. All the results produced by this study suggest that authorities may have been too enthusiastic to have all the boxes ticked in order to meet deadlines for international targets for marine conservation and paid little or no attention to lessons learnt from MPAs globally. Every negative aspect highlighted by existing international literature as symptomatic of MPA failure is occurring at Aliwal Shoal MPA, albatrossing it with “paper park” status. Due to the size and scope of this study, the results should be interpreted with caution and not be utilised to guide policy but rather encourage further research.
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- Date Issued: 2011
The use of lean tools to increase productivity and improve efficiency in Port Elizabeth Enforcement Audit
- Authors: Bantom, Phumeza Patience
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Lean manufacturing , Quality control -- Auditing , Waste minimization , Auditing, Internal
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8645 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008159 , Lean manufacturing , Quality control -- Auditing , Waste minimization , Auditing, Internal
- Description: Lean philosophy is based on the continuous quest to improve the organisation‟s processes by creating a culture and operating principles which eliminate all non value adding activities within organisation„s processes. Manufacturing firms consider the adoption of the Lean tools as basic requirements for achieving World Class operational excellence or Best Practice. For some time, lean has been used by the manufacturing organizations. Most organizations understand that lean will help them survive global competition and stay in business. The objective of this study is to investigate how lean manufacturing tools can be used to improve efficiency and enhance the embedding of a continuous improvement culture in the South African Revenue Service Enforcement Audit Port Elizabeth. The activities that took place in Enforcement Audit Port Elizabeth from September 2010 until 31 October 2011 were observed. During the study, an introductory presentation by the researcher was made to Regional Enforcement Management and staff in general, the presentation was to introduce the study highlighting different Lean tools. Thereafter the Port Elizabeth audit staff members were engaged formally, using surveys to assess their underlying mindset and behaviour as well as informally, using unstructured interviews to solicit more information on activities taking place and the reasoning behind certain actions. The results of the survey and observations are analysed and interpreted.
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- Date Issued: 2011
Where leaders learn: constructions of leadership and leadership development at Rhodes University
- Authors: Andrews, Rushda Ruth
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Leadership -- Education (Higher) -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Leadership -- Research -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Development leadership -- Education (Higher) -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Rhodes University -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:782 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003903
- Description: This thesis explores the Where Leaders Learn slogan of Rhodes University. It does this by means of an analysis of discourses constructing leadership and leadership development within the institutional context. The discourse analysis was made possible as a result of interviews with a range of people involved in leadership and leadership development at the University. The analysis revealed that leadership development is constructed as taking place within a highly structured system that enables instructional and managerial leadership but constrains transformational leadership. The discourses that give meaning and understanding to the construct of leadership draw heavily on position within a hierarchy. The discourse of functional efficiency is enabled through practices related to reward, recognition, succession planning and mentorship which all serve to replicate the existing leadership structures creating more of the same and in essence stifling the potential for emancipatory leadership. The analysis also shows that a discourse of collegiality serves to create a false sense of a common understanding of leadership in the light of evidence of uncertainty and contestation around the meaning of the slogan Where Leaders Learn and, by association, the very construct of leadership. The discursive process of understanding leadership and developing an institutional theory for the purposes of infusing this into a curriculum poses many challenges. Barriers to new ways of thinking reside within the researchers' ontological and epistemological commitments. This amplifies the need for a more reflective ontology towards leadership and its consequences, especially so in a multidisciplinary environment such as Rhodes University.
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- Date Issued: 2011
Would an asset-based community development approach counteract a community deficit mindset in Leliefontein?
- Authors: Hopkins, Grant Camden
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Community development , Rural development , Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8691 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1009316 , Community development , Rural development , Sustainable development
- Description: This research report aims to explore the potential of an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach in Leliefontein. Through the ABCD process, an inventory of the individual capacities of a sample group will be undertaken, as well as an inventory of the significant local associations, organisations and institutions, as well as their capacities. The objective will be to use the asset-mapping process to challenge negative community self-perceptions, enabling them to build new, positive images that empower and release latent potential. The information gathered will also be made available to the individuals, organisations, associations and institutions within the community, along with some ideas on how mutually beneficial partnerships can be developed. The key objective will be to assist the community of Leliefontein, to no longer regard themselves from a deficit mindset, but positively, as a community with tremendous resources, assets and relationships that can be harnessed for 4 community economic development. Asset-mapping can then be used by local organisations to build new relationships within the community, as well as relationships that harness resources outside of the immediate community.
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- Date Issued: 2011