The leadership characteristics and development of Doctor Trudy Thomas : a case study in servant-leadership
- Authors: Fietze, Jennifer Anne
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Servant leadership , Thomas, Trudi , Leadership -- South Africa -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:860 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020184
- Description: Doctor Trudy Thomas is a leader that served; as a medical doctor and as a public servant over five decades during and after the apartheid era in South Africa. The aim of this qualitative study was to identify the leadership characteristics that are evident in Doctor Thomas, the former MEC for Health for the Province of the Eastern Cape; as a leader and to explore how they developed over five decades, given her role within healthcare in South Africa. The first requirement of a servant-leader according to Robert Greenleaf (the contemporary pioneer of servant-leadership) (Greenleaf, 1977), is that the leader is a servant first and starts with a desire to serve. Doctor Thomas started her professional life as a medical missionary doctor, a profession that by its nature is serving and ultimately healing, in the poor rural communities of the Eastern Cape. Her leadership grew out of her initial concern for her patients and their communities and by the opportunities that she was presented with to apply her skills to serve. She was able to identify the deeper needs within these communities and was able to envision practical solutions to these problems, enlisting the assistance of others. Throughout her leadership journey she exhibited humility, and many other trademarks of a servant-leader. She did not see herself as a leader, believing rather that it was a privilege to serve and help people. This study was therefore able to conclude that the leadership that Doctor Thomas has exhibited is that of a servant-leader and that her leadership journey was unintentional and grew out of her desire and ability to serve. This thesis consists of three separate yet interrelated sections. Section One, The Academic Case Study is a holistic, biographical academic case study on an individual. The outcomes of this research are presented as an academic paper, which includes a condensed literature review, results and discussion, as well as recommendations for future research. It also presents recommendations regarding the application of servant-leadership in service industries like Healthcare in South Africa. The presentation of the results is predominantly qualitative with some quantitative aspects. Section Two, The Literature Review presents an extensive review of literature that relates to the phenomena of leadership; servant-leadership; leader and leadership development; servant-leadership development through service and finally servant-leadership in South Africa. Other aspects like Ubuntu and Unintentional leadership are examined. The literature review conducted serves as a broad foundation for understanding servant-leadership but does not purely focus on the issues of this individual study. Section Three, The Research Methodology is an outline of the research aim and objectives, and the research paradigm that has been adopted. The discussion also details the research methodology; the case study method; an inductive approach; an intersubjective position; the individual researched; data collection techniques and analysis; objectivity; issues of quality; ethics; and the limitations of this research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Fietze, Jennifer Anne
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Servant leadership , Thomas, Trudi , Leadership -- South Africa -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:860 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020184
- Description: Doctor Trudy Thomas is a leader that served; as a medical doctor and as a public servant over five decades during and after the apartheid era in South Africa. The aim of this qualitative study was to identify the leadership characteristics that are evident in Doctor Thomas, the former MEC for Health for the Province of the Eastern Cape; as a leader and to explore how they developed over five decades, given her role within healthcare in South Africa. The first requirement of a servant-leader according to Robert Greenleaf (the contemporary pioneer of servant-leadership) (Greenleaf, 1977), is that the leader is a servant first and starts with a desire to serve. Doctor Thomas started her professional life as a medical missionary doctor, a profession that by its nature is serving and ultimately healing, in the poor rural communities of the Eastern Cape. Her leadership grew out of her initial concern for her patients and their communities and by the opportunities that she was presented with to apply her skills to serve. She was able to identify the deeper needs within these communities and was able to envision practical solutions to these problems, enlisting the assistance of others. Throughout her leadership journey she exhibited humility, and many other trademarks of a servant-leader. She did not see herself as a leader, believing rather that it was a privilege to serve and help people. This study was therefore able to conclude that the leadership that Doctor Thomas has exhibited is that of a servant-leader and that her leadership journey was unintentional and grew out of her desire and ability to serve. This thesis consists of three separate yet interrelated sections. Section One, The Academic Case Study is a holistic, biographical academic case study on an individual. The outcomes of this research are presented as an academic paper, which includes a condensed literature review, results and discussion, as well as recommendations for future research. It also presents recommendations regarding the application of servant-leadership in service industries like Healthcare in South Africa. The presentation of the results is predominantly qualitative with some quantitative aspects. Section Two, The Literature Review presents an extensive review of literature that relates to the phenomena of leadership; servant-leadership; leader and leadership development; servant-leadership development through service and finally servant-leadership in South Africa. Other aspects like Ubuntu and Unintentional leadership are examined. The literature review conducted serves as a broad foundation for understanding servant-leadership but does not purely focus on the issues of this individual study. Section Three, The Research Methodology is an outline of the research aim and objectives, and the research paradigm that has been adopted. The discussion also details the research methodology; the case study method; an inductive approach; an intersubjective position; the individual researched; data collection techniques and analysis; objectivity; issues of quality; ethics; and the limitations of this research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Analysis of the implementation of corporate level strategy in a South Afircan furniture retailer
- Authors: Nkatsha, Thembinkosi Sydney
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Reengineering (Management) , Consolidation and merger of corporations -- South Africa -- Case studies , Organizational change -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:856 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018272
- Description: [Integrative Summary] This study is situated in the complex field of change management, and strategy execution. The study focuses on the corporate level restructuring of Ellerine Holdings Limited (EHL), subsequent to its acquisition by the micro lending financial institution African Bank Investments Limited (ABIL). The interest of the researcher was aroused by the uniqueness of the relationship. This was the first of its kind in a South African context, where a banker owned a furniture retailer. The restructuring was undertaken shortly after the acquisition. This research paper adopted a case study approach, in describing the restructuring initiative that took place in EHL, focusing on the period between January 2008 and the end of 2010/ 11 financial year on the 30th of September 2011. The case captures the significant phases of the restructuring including a background of (1) the protagonist, Toni Fourie (Chief Executive Officer), (2) EHL as the researched company, (3) the industry it operates in, and (4) the case content. Brief teaching notes have been provided to explain the teaching value of the case and to assist with its delivery in the classroom. Attention is drawn to a presentation by the protagonist in November 2011, named 'A CEO Insight' where he gave an overview and insights of the road travelled in restructuring Ellerine Holdings Limited, and more importantly highlights the following about the purpose and nature of the restructuring of the organisation. • A plan to change the way the industry works. • The creation of a profitable, stand-alone retail business through: o The sale of two companies, the closure of two companies and consolidating from thirteen to six brands. o Separating financial services from retail. o Moving the financial services component to African Bank, also a subsidiary of ABIL. o Redesigning the credit model. o Completion of twelve system changes. • Over R600million reduction in cost • A place where people want to work. The restructuring outlined above represents a major shake-up in many aspects of the corporation. The main challenge for Toni Fourie and his team was: how best could they restructure EHL to extract synergies between their two subsidiaries Ellerine Holdings Limited & African Bank to increase shareholders ' value at Group level. The case seeks to describe this in detail. The overarching strategy underpinning the restructuring of the researched corporation is premised on the price volume elasticity equation, by reducing the cost of credit, thereby driving pricing down within the brands, and facilitating more people having access to affordable credit. The case study of the restructuring is presented in Section 1. A review of relevant literature on strategy implementation is presented in Section 2, focusing on restructuring. Successful implementation of strategies only takes place with structures that are developed by organisations to support the achievement of their strategic objectives. Organisational architecture and design have a critical role to play in the execution of organisational strategies. Nadler and Tushman (1978) emphasise the importance of congruence in the organisational design, for the organization to not only deliver superior results but to sustain them over a period of time. Research by Okumus (2005) seems to tell us that the lack of credible framework to implement strategy, has contributed the high failure rate of strategy initiatives. Although this is a strategy implementation case, it also touches on aspects of leadership - mainly the architectural role - and the role, or influence of strategic leadership, in restructuring the corporation. The results of this research paper were achieved by following a specific research methodology. The aim of the research was to analyse the restructuring of the researched company at corporate level, having the following objectives in mind; • Understanding the strategy. • Analysing the design decisions in the light of the strategy chosen by the top management of Ellerine Holdings Limited. • Analysing what monitoring and control measures had been designed to facilitate the corporate restructuring. Data was collected through documentation of the corporation that was made available to the researcher on request, as well as those that are in the public domain, and an interview with the CEO of the researched company. The interview was conducted after analysing the documentation (Hakim, 2000). The Methodology is detailed in Section 3. The researcher hopes that the case study will contribute to learning about business leadership and strategic management. The case should develop an understanding of the complexities related to strategy execution at corporate level, particularly the restructuring aspect of it.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Nkatsha, Thembinkosi Sydney
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Reengineering (Management) , Consolidation and merger of corporations -- South Africa -- Case studies , Organizational change -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:856 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018272
- Description: [Integrative Summary] This study is situated in the complex field of change management, and strategy execution. The study focuses on the corporate level restructuring of Ellerine Holdings Limited (EHL), subsequent to its acquisition by the micro lending financial institution African Bank Investments Limited (ABIL). The interest of the researcher was aroused by the uniqueness of the relationship. This was the first of its kind in a South African context, where a banker owned a furniture retailer. The restructuring was undertaken shortly after the acquisition. This research paper adopted a case study approach, in describing the restructuring initiative that took place in EHL, focusing on the period between January 2008 and the end of 2010/ 11 financial year on the 30th of September 2011. The case captures the significant phases of the restructuring including a background of (1) the protagonist, Toni Fourie (Chief Executive Officer), (2) EHL as the researched company, (3) the industry it operates in, and (4) the case content. Brief teaching notes have been provided to explain the teaching value of the case and to assist with its delivery in the classroom. Attention is drawn to a presentation by the protagonist in November 2011, named 'A CEO Insight' where he gave an overview and insights of the road travelled in restructuring Ellerine Holdings Limited, and more importantly highlights the following about the purpose and nature of the restructuring of the organisation. • A plan to change the way the industry works. • The creation of a profitable, stand-alone retail business through: o The sale of two companies, the closure of two companies and consolidating from thirteen to six brands. o Separating financial services from retail. o Moving the financial services component to African Bank, also a subsidiary of ABIL. o Redesigning the credit model. o Completion of twelve system changes. • Over R600million reduction in cost • A place where people want to work. The restructuring outlined above represents a major shake-up in many aspects of the corporation. The main challenge for Toni Fourie and his team was: how best could they restructure EHL to extract synergies between their two subsidiaries Ellerine Holdings Limited & African Bank to increase shareholders ' value at Group level. The case seeks to describe this in detail. The overarching strategy underpinning the restructuring of the researched corporation is premised on the price volume elasticity equation, by reducing the cost of credit, thereby driving pricing down within the brands, and facilitating more people having access to affordable credit. The case study of the restructuring is presented in Section 1. A review of relevant literature on strategy implementation is presented in Section 2, focusing on restructuring. Successful implementation of strategies only takes place with structures that are developed by organisations to support the achievement of their strategic objectives. Organisational architecture and design have a critical role to play in the execution of organisational strategies. Nadler and Tushman (1978) emphasise the importance of congruence in the organisational design, for the organization to not only deliver superior results but to sustain them over a period of time. Research by Okumus (2005) seems to tell us that the lack of credible framework to implement strategy, has contributed the high failure rate of strategy initiatives. Although this is a strategy implementation case, it also touches on aspects of leadership - mainly the architectural role - and the role, or influence of strategic leadership, in restructuring the corporation. The results of this research paper were achieved by following a specific research methodology. The aim of the research was to analyse the restructuring of the researched company at corporate level, having the following objectives in mind; • Understanding the strategy. • Analysing the design decisions in the light of the strategy chosen by the top management of Ellerine Holdings Limited. • Analysing what monitoring and control measures had been designed to facilitate the corporate restructuring. Data was collected through documentation of the corporation that was made available to the researcher on request, as well as those that are in the public domain, and an interview with the CEO of the researched company. The interview was conducted after analysing the documentation (Hakim, 2000). The Methodology is detailed in Section 3. The researcher hopes that the case study will contribute to learning about business leadership and strategic management. The case should develop an understanding of the complexities related to strategy execution at corporate level, particularly the restructuring aspect of it.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
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