The impact of open-plan office design on the productivity of City of Cape Town employees
- Authors: Nghona, Ziyanda
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Labor productivity -- South Africa -- Cape Town , Performance -- Measurement Interior architecture Space (Architecture)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/48080 , vital:40469
- Description: Comprehensive research studies on identifying the positive and negative impact of open-plan office designs on employees’ work productivity were long initiated and still continually debated in developed nations such as USA, Canada and UK. As a result, the researcher decided to undertake research in order to determine whether the salient negative and positive factors, identified in international literature about open-plan office designs, are applicable in the South African context. The aim was not to reduce the accrued positive and negative factors, emanating from open-plan offices, but rather to identify and determine how they impact employees work productivity. The study had the following objectives, namely: (1) to investigate the employees satisfaction level with the physical environment as a result of working within the open-plan office design layout; (2) to determine the employees' stress levels as a result of working within the open-plan office design layout; (3) to determine the team members or co-workers satisfaction level as a result of working within the open-plan office design layout; and lastly, (4) to determine the positive and negative impact of the open-plan office design layout on employees work productivity. The data gathering approaches included survey self-administered questionnaires to the Built Environment related employees working within the open-plan offices of the City of Cape Town Municipality within the CBD area. The sample consisted the following departments: Facilities Management; Sports & Recreation; Human Settlement and Solid Waste. A purposeful random sampling method was followed to identify participants for the study. Concerning the first objective, it was clear from the analysis that employees are unsatisfied with the physical environment of the open-plan office design layout. Their dissatisfaction pointed to several issues such as less control or flexibility to rearrange or reorganise their office furniture to meet their work needs; limited or no available quiet and undisturbed time. As a result, it was not surprising that employees in open-plan office experience high job-related stress levels. However, in a positive light, concerning the team members or co-workers relations on working within open-plan offices, it was reported that employees are satisfied reporting high exchange of job related information and thus learning from each other. Lastly and more importantly, in terms of the overall aim of this study, the study revealed that the employees’ work productivity is affected negatively as a result of the open-plan office design in the City of Cape Town. Initially identification of how open-plan offices impact employees work productivity is the critical first-step in an attempt to reduce the negative and increase the positive impact and this constitutes the contribution of this study. However, this study was limited in that it only requested respondents to agree or disagree with the relationships among measurable variables that already exist in previous studies done in developed countries. The study survey was also limited by the selected sample within the City of Cape Town Municipality public offices. As a result, the study only sampled five Built Environment related openplan offices and thus the generalisability of the findings is limited. Further studies with large and wider survey can thus benefit this study topic in developing economies like South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Nghona, Ziyanda
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Labor productivity -- South Africa -- Cape Town , Performance -- Measurement Interior architecture Space (Architecture)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/48080 , vital:40469
- Description: Comprehensive research studies on identifying the positive and negative impact of open-plan office designs on employees’ work productivity were long initiated and still continually debated in developed nations such as USA, Canada and UK. As a result, the researcher decided to undertake research in order to determine whether the salient negative and positive factors, identified in international literature about open-plan office designs, are applicable in the South African context. The aim was not to reduce the accrued positive and negative factors, emanating from open-plan offices, but rather to identify and determine how they impact employees work productivity. The study had the following objectives, namely: (1) to investigate the employees satisfaction level with the physical environment as a result of working within the open-plan office design layout; (2) to determine the employees' stress levels as a result of working within the open-plan office design layout; (3) to determine the team members or co-workers satisfaction level as a result of working within the open-plan office design layout; and lastly, (4) to determine the positive and negative impact of the open-plan office design layout on employees work productivity. The data gathering approaches included survey self-administered questionnaires to the Built Environment related employees working within the open-plan offices of the City of Cape Town Municipality within the CBD area. The sample consisted the following departments: Facilities Management; Sports & Recreation; Human Settlement and Solid Waste. A purposeful random sampling method was followed to identify participants for the study. Concerning the first objective, it was clear from the analysis that employees are unsatisfied with the physical environment of the open-plan office design layout. Their dissatisfaction pointed to several issues such as less control or flexibility to rearrange or reorganise their office furniture to meet their work needs; limited or no available quiet and undisturbed time. As a result, it was not surprising that employees in open-plan office experience high job-related stress levels. However, in a positive light, concerning the team members or co-workers relations on working within open-plan offices, it was reported that employees are satisfied reporting high exchange of job related information and thus learning from each other. Lastly and more importantly, in terms of the overall aim of this study, the study revealed that the employees’ work productivity is affected negatively as a result of the open-plan office design in the City of Cape Town. Initially identification of how open-plan offices impact employees work productivity is the critical first-step in an attempt to reduce the negative and increase the positive impact and this constitutes the contribution of this study. However, this study was limited in that it only requested respondents to agree or disagree with the relationships among measurable variables that already exist in previous studies done in developed countries. The study survey was also limited by the selected sample within the City of Cape Town Municipality public offices. As a result, the study only sampled five Built Environment related openplan offices and thus the generalisability of the findings is limited. Further studies with large and wider survey can thus benefit this study topic in developing economies like South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The impact of trade liberalisation on Cote d’Ivoire
- Authors: Guei, Kore Marc Antoine
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Trade regulation -- Côte d'Ivoire Free trade -- Côte d'Ivoire , Developing countries -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17514 , vital:28373
- Description: The process of trade liberalisation and market-oriented economic reforms was initiated in many developing countries in early 1980s; and it intensified in 1990s. In 1994, Cote d’Ivoire was assisted by the IMF to implement trade-policy reforms under Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). After adopting SAP, the country witnessed soaring balance-of-payment problems, contraction of output, unemployment and the loss of government revenue. Several factors, which were at play resulted in dismal economic performance under SAP. In order to consolidate gains in competitiveness, and achieve high and sustainable growth, the Ivorian authorities coordinated efforts to establish and intra-regional custom tariffs among the member of the West African and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and bilateral agreements. It is against this background that this study is undertaken, in order to evaluate the impact of different trade-policy regimes on trade, welfare and revenue in Cote d’Ivoire. This study used one model: World Integrated Trade Solutions/Software for Market Analysis and Restrictions on Trade (WITS/SMART). The WITS/SMART model was used because of its ability in analysing the tariff effect of a single market on disaggregated product lines. The model also has the capability to analyse the effects of trade-policy reforms in the presence of imperfect substitutes. Using the WITS/SMART model, the study considered seven trade-liberalisation frameworks for Cote d’Ivoire: full implementation of the ECOWAS free trade agreement (FTA), ECOWAS common external tariff (CET), WAEMU CET, WAEMU FTA, EPAs, BFTAs and WTO FTA. The WITS/SMART model reveals that all trade liberalisation scenarios may cause welfare gains – due to the plummeting of prices. However, in all trade liberalisation scenarios, welfare gains were found to be is insignificant. In all cases, welfare gains fell far short of compensating for revenue loss. The impact of trade liberalisation on exports and imports was met with mixed reactions. For the WAEMU customs union and the ECOWAS customs union, and WTO FTA, trade reforms are likely to face serious balance-of-payment problems, as imports exceeded exports by significant margins. With respect to revenue loss, of all trading arrangements, the WTO FTA presents a serious challenge for Cote d’Ivoire revenue followed by BFTAs, ECOWAS FTA, EPAs, ECOWAS CET, WAEMU CET, and WAEMU FTA with anticipated revenue losses. Another challenge for Cote d’Ivoire is the presence of trade creation effects, which were observed in all trade reform scenarios. From this study, it appeared that WAEMU CET poses serious threats of trade creation followed by WTO FTA, BFTA, SADC FTA, COMESA CET, SADC CET, EPAs and WAEMU FTA. Specifically, the study highlighted that Cote d’Ivoire, on balance loses out on trade liberalisation, mainly from revenue loss and possible de-industrialisation from trade-creation effects. The study has also revealed that Cote d’Ivoire offers excessive tax exemptions, which worsens the fiscal position of the country in the face of trade liberalisation. Hence, based on the findings, this study recommends that Cote d’Ivoire needs to call for the design of a financial facility aimed at assisting industries affected by trade-creation effects. The country needs to consider improving the collection of revenue from alternative sources, such as VAT, excise duties, personal and company taxes and excise duty, in order to cushion itself against the revenue loss impact of trade reforms. Government could also consider widening the tax base, by taxing the informal sector, which has been growing rapidly in the past years. In addition, policies aimed at exports promotion, such as export subsidies, trade finance and the strengthening of trade-promotion organisations should be considered. The outcome of this study provides a wake-up call to developing countries engaged in the WTO negotiations and other regional trading arrangements.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Guei, Kore Marc Antoine
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Trade regulation -- Côte d'Ivoire Free trade -- Côte d'Ivoire , Developing countries -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17514 , vital:28373
- Description: The process of trade liberalisation and market-oriented economic reforms was initiated in many developing countries in early 1980s; and it intensified in 1990s. In 1994, Cote d’Ivoire was assisted by the IMF to implement trade-policy reforms under Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). After adopting SAP, the country witnessed soaring balance-of-payment problems, contraction of output, unemployment and the loss of government revenue. Several factors, which were at play resulted in dismal economic performance under SAP. In order to consolidate gains in competitiveness, and achieve high and sustainable growth, the Ivorian authorities coordinated efforts to establish and intra-regional custom tariffs among the member of the West African and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and bilateral agreements. It is against this background that this study is undertaken, in order to evaluate the impact of different trade-policy regimes on trade, welfare and revenue in Cote d’Ivoire. This study used one model: World Integrated Trade Solutions/Software for Market Analysis and Restrictions on Trade (WITS/SMART). The WITS/SMART model was used because of its ability in analysing the tariff effect of a single market on disaggregated product lines. The model also has the capability to analyse the effects of trade-policy reforms in the presence of imperfect substitutes. Using the WITS/SMART model, the study considered seven trade-liberalisation frameworks for Cote d’Ivoire: full implementation of the ECOWAS free trade agreement (FTA), ECOWAS common external tariff (CET), WAEMU CET, WAEMU FTA, EPAs, BFTAs and WTO FTA. The WITS/SMART model reveals that all trade liberalisation scenarios may cause welfare gains – due to the plummeting of prices. However, in all trade liberalisation scenarios, welfare gains were found to be is insignificant. In all cases, welfare gains fell far short of compensating for revenue loss. The impact of trade liberalisation on exports and imports was met with mixed reactions. For the WAEMU customs union and the ECOWAS customs union, and WTO FTA, trade reforms are likely to face serious balance-of-payment problems, as imports exceeded exports by significant margins. With respect to revenue loss, of all trading arrangements, the WTO FTA presents a serious challenge for Cote d’Ivoire revenue followed by BFTAs, ECOWAS FTA, EPAs, ECOWAS CET, WAEMU CET, and WAEMU FTA with anticipated revenue losses. Another challenge for Cote d’Ivoire is the presence of trade creation effects, which were observed in all trade reform scenarios. From this study, it appeared that WAEMU CET poses serious threats of trade creation followed by WTO FTA, BFTA, SADC FTA, COMESA CET, SADC CET, EPAs and WAEMU FTA. Specifically, the study highlighted that Cote d’Ivoire, on balance loses out on trade liberalisation, mainly from revenue loss and possible de-industrialisation from trade-creation effects. The study has also revealed that Cote d’Ivoire offers excessive tax exemptions, which worsens the fiscal position of the country in the face of trade liberalisation. Hence, based on the findings, this study recommends that Cote d’Ivoire needs to call for the design of a financial facility aimed at assisting industries affected by trade-creation effects. The country needs to consider improving the collection of revenue from alternative sources, such as VAT, excise duties, personal and company taxes and excise duty, in order to cushion itself against the revenue loss impact of trade reforms. Government could also consider widening the tax base, by taxing the informal sector, which has been growing rapidly in the past years. In addition, policies aimed at exports promotion, such as export subsidies, trade finance and the strengthening of trade-promotion organisations should be considered. The outcome of this study provides a wake-up call to developing countries engaged in the WTO negotiations and other regional trading arrangements.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The impact of world class manufacturing implementation at element 6, Springs
- Authors: Maqutyana, Sakumzi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Industrial management -- South Africa , Production management -- South Africa Manufacturing processes -- South Africa Competition -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18540 , vital:28662
- Description: The manufacturing environment is competitive and the competitiveness manifests itself in the market place. On the other hand, the customers are demanding a range of high quality products at low costs. Organisations pursue, and obtain, competitive advantage by abandoning the outdated traditional manufacturing methods and practising comprehensive approaches, such as World Class Manufacturing (WCM), which enable effective and efficient internal processes. These will, in turn, ensure that customer demands are met or exceeded. The challenge lies in measuring the effectiveness of the implementation of such a WCM approach. This paper provides an overview of the effective World Class Manufacturing measuring metrics, as implemented at Element Six South Africa. There are common KP’s that are recommended in the literature as being the ones that measure the impact of WCM in an organisation. To establish this, a survey was conducted using the employees of Element Six at Springs. The reason for selecting this company is because it has been on a world class journey for the past five years. Three groups of employees, made up of shop-floor employees, general staff and management, were targeted. From the distributed questionnaires, a total of 40 questionnaires were received. The empirical results from these variables showed no difference in their means when it comes to the measured KPI’s.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Maqutyana, Sakumzi
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Industrial management -- South Africa , Production management -- South Africa Manufacturing processes -- South Africa Competition -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18540 , vital:28662
- Description: The manufacturing environment is competitive and the competitiveness manifests itself in the market place. On the other hand, the customers are demanding a range of high quality products at low costs. Organisations pursue, and obtain, competitive advantage by abandoning the outdated traditional manufacturing methods and practising comprehensive approaches, such as World Class Manufacturing (WCM), which enable effective and efficient internal processes. These will, in turn, ensure that customer demands are met or exceeded. The challenge lies in measuring the effectiveness of the implementation of such a WCM approach. This paper provides an overview of the effective World Class Manufacturing measuring metrics, as implemented at Element Six South Africa. There are common KP’s that are recommended in the literature as being the ones that measure the impact of WCM in an organisation. To establish this, a survey was conducted using the employees of Element Six at Springs. The reason for selecting this company is because it has been on a world class journey for the past five years. Three groups of employees, made up of shop-floor employees, general staff and management, were targeted. From the distributed questionnaires, a total of 40 questionnaires were received. The empirical results from these variables showed no difference in their means when it comes to the measured KPI’s.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The influence of diversity management initiatives on business and social outcomes in South African businesses
- Authors: Webber, Zwelibanzi Samson
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Diversity in the workplace -- South Africa , Organizational change -- South Africa Social change -- South Africa Management -- Social aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13524 , vital:27217
- Description: Diversity management is of strategic importance in all organisations throughout the world. Its importance is derived from the belief that workplaces by nature consist of diverse employees, who in one way or another are different in terms of race, gender, religion, or any other difference that may have an impact on the business and its employees. The differences among people need to be managed. This study investigated the influence of diversity management initiatives on business and social outcomes in South African businesses. Literature reviews on diversity management and multicultural education in various parts of the world have revealed an impact on the influence of diversity management initiatives on business and social outcomes. However, existing South African literature on diversity management does not conclusively expose the effects of diversity management on business and social outcomes, hence the need for this study. The study was based on a conceptual framework, which included variables on diversity management initiatives, diversity management models, institutional development theory and business and social outcomes. Hypotheses for the study were also developed and tested. In testing the hypotheses, the empirical data collected was subjected to a series of statistical tests, using STATISTICA version 13. MANOVA tests were conducted to determine the existence of differences among variables and the extent to which the variables differed was measured by means of ANOVA tests. Tukey post hoc tests (Tukey HSD) were used to determine practical significance among variables. The study was also subjected to Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis tests to ascertain the existence of relationships between all diversity management initiatives and business and social outcome factors. The analysis was concluded by conducting an exploratory factor analysis. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to confirm or reduce the number of factors and the number of factors was subsequently reduced. A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient test was also done for the extracted factors, after which a regressions analysis test was conducted to confirm the existence of relationships between the extracted diversity management initiatives factors and business and social outcomes factors. This formed the basis for the development of a proposed diversity management model. The model of the implementation of diversity management initiatives is an important contribution to the study because it shows the different aspects that guide the process of implementation. The model is based on the implementation of a formal diversity management change strategy and programme of action; employment equity plan and strategy; and the recruitment and empowerment of women and people living with disabilities. The study was not without limitations. Challenges with regard to access to respondents were experienced and this was one of the delays in data collection. Another challenge experienced was that the study did not include qualitative research approaches, which could have been used for in-depth responses. The study provides an important milestone for the use of diversity management initiatives in South African companies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Webber, Zwelibanzi Samson
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Diversity in the workplace -- South Africa , Organizational change -- South Africa Social change -- South Africa Management -- Social aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13524 , vital:27217
- Description: Diversity management is of strategic importance in all organisations throughout the world. Its importance is derived from the belief that workplaces by nature consist of diverse employees, who in one way or another are different in terms of race, gender, religion, or any other difference that may have an impact on the business and its employees. The differences among people need to be managed. This study investigated the influence of diversity management initiatives on business and social outcomes in South African businesses. Literature reviews on diversity management and multicultural education in various parts of the world have revealed an impact on the influence of diversity management initiatives on business and social outcomes. However, existing South African literature on diversity management does not conclusively expose the effects of diversity management on business and social outcomes, hence the need for this study. The study was based on a conceptual framework, which included variables on diversity management initiatives, diversity management models, institutional development theory and business and social outcomes. Hypotheses for the study were also developed and tested. In testing the hypotheses, the empirical data collected was subjected to a series of statistical tests, using STATISTICA version 13. MANOVA tests were conducted to determine the existence of differences among variables and the extent to which the variables differed was measured by means of ANOVA tests. Tukey post hoc tests (Tukey HSD) were used to determine practical significance among variables. The study was also subjected to Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis tests to ascertain the existence of relationships between all diversity management initiatives and business and social outcome factors. The analysis was concluded by conducting an exploratory factor analysis. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to confirm or reduce the number of factors and the number of factors was subsequently reduced. A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient test was also done for the extracted factors, after which a regressions analysis test was conducted to confirm the existence of relationships between the extracted diversity management initiatives factors and business and social outcomes factors. This formed the basis for the development of a proposed diversity management model. The model of the implementation of diversity management initiatives is an important contribution to the study because it shows the different aspects that guide the process of implementation. The model is based on the implementation of a formal diversity management change strategy and programme of action; employment equity plan and strategy; and the recruitment and empowerment of women and people living with disabilities. The study was not without limitations. Challenges with regard to access to respondents were experienced and this was one of the delays in data collection. Another challenge experienced was that the study did not include qualitative research approaches, which could have been used for in-depth responses. The study provides an important milestone for the use of diversity management initiatives in South African companies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The influence of organisational culture on organisational commitment of employees in the banking industry
- Authors: Pegram, Carla
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Corporate culture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Organizational commitment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Employee loyalty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Banks and banking -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19684 , vital:28934
- Description: Given the importance of organisational culture on the success of commercial banks, the prevalence of increased employee turnover rates, as well as the challenges that banks face with regard to preventing the loss of employees to its competitors, this study focused on the influence of selected organisational culture factors on the organisational commitment of banking employees. Against this background, the primary objective of this study was to identify and empirically test the influence of selected organisational culture factors on Organisational commitment of employees in the banking industry in the Eastern Cape. An overview of the literature was provided whereby the nature and importance of organisational commitment and organisational culture were described in the context of the banking industry. From the literature it was evident that the organisational culture of a bank has an influence on the organisational commitment of employees. The literature highlighted Involvement of employees (Empowerment of employees, Team orientation and Capacity development of employees), Adaptability (Creating change, Customer focus and Organisational learning), Consistency (Core values, Coordination and integration and Agreement) and Mission (Vision, Goals and objectives and Strategic direction and intent) as the major factors of organisational culture which influence the organisational culture of a business, in this case a commercial bank. These factors of organisational culture formed the main focus of this study. A positivistic research paradigm and quantitative research methodology were adopted for this study and a descriptive research approach was used. The primary data collection procedures involved selecting the population, the sample, sampling techniques, as well as the sample size. For the purpose of this study, the population consisted of all banking employees of the selected commercial bank within the borders of the Eastern Cape province. The sample size in this study consisted of 700 banking employees. A survey was undertaken and a structured, self-administered questionnaire was used in order to gather the necessary data. The measuring instrument used was based on an existing questionnaire used in previous research. Where necessary the items were reworded to suit this study. A total of 700 questionnaires were distributed, which resulted in 336 usable questionnaires. Thus, an effective response rate of 49.43% was achieved. The reliability of the ordinal scales of the measuring instrument was confirmed by means of the calculation of Cronbach‟s alpha coefficients, whereby coefficients greater than 0.6 were deemed to be reliable. Cronbach‟s alpha coefficients of greater than 0.6 were returned for all the factors measured using ordinal scales, thus satisfactory evidence of reliability were provided. The validity of the ordinal scales of the measuring instrument was confirmed by means of a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Items originally intended to measure the constructs under investigation did not all load as expected. One item measuring each of the factors, namely, Empowerment of employees, Creating change, Organisational learning, Agreement, and Coordination and integration, did not load as expected and was thus excluded from further statistical analyses. The operationalisation for these factors was amended accordingly. The items measuring each of the remaining constructs, namely, Organisational commitment, Team orientation, Capacity development of employees, Customer focus, Core values, Vision, Goals and objectives, and Strategic direction and intent, all loaded as expected. The sample data was summarised using descriptive statistics. In addition, t-tests were used to determine whether the differences in mean scores returned by the demographic variable Gender and the independent and dependent variables under investigation, were significantly different from each other. Pearson‟s Product Moment Correlations coefficients were used to assess the associations between the variables under investigation. A Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) was undertaken to measure the relationships between the independent variable and the dependent variables investigated in this study. Lastly, the relationships between the demographic variables and the dependent and independent variables were tested by means of an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The dependent variable Organisational commitment returned a mean score of 6.11, with the majority of banking employees agreeing that they are highly committed to the bank and feel a strong personal connection towards the bank, would recommend working at this bank to others, would find it difficult to leave and would continue to work for the bank out of choice rather than necessity. The independent variables investigated returned mean scores of between 6.05 (Coordination and integration) and 6.32 (Strategic direction and intent) with most respondents agreeing that the conditions or relationships investigated existed within the bank in which they worked. The results of the MRA reported significant positive linear relationships between Empowerment of employees, Capacity development of employees, Coordination and integration and Strategic direction and intent, and the dependent variable Organisational commitment. Furthermore, a significant negative linear relationship between Core values and the dependent variable Organisational commitment were reported. No significant linear relationships emerged between the remaining independent variables, namely, Team orientation, Creating change, Customer focus, Organisational learning, Agreement, Vision and Goals objectives, and the dependent variable Organisational commitment. The results of the ANOVA reported various significant relationships between the demographic variables and the dependent and independent variables investigated in the study. Based on the findings of this study, numerous recommendations were proposed to assist managers of banks to ultimately improve the organisational commitment of employees by adopting and encouraging certain behaviours in terms of the organisational culture of the bank. The findings of this study showed that by focusing on Empowerment of employees, Capacity development of employees, Coordination and integration and Strategic direction and intent, banks can enhance the organisational commitment of their employees. It is hoped that the findings of this study will provide bank managers with practical suggestions on how to use these organisational culture factors to improve organisational commitment among employees, and that the suggestions for future research will inspire future researchers to continue investigating the organisational culture factors in banks.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Pegram, Carla
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Corporate culture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Organizational commitment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Employee loyalty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Banks and banking -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19684 , vital:28934
- Description: Given the importance of organisational culture on the success of commercial banks, the prevalence of increased employee turnover rates, as well as the challenges that banks face with regard to preventing the loss of employees to its competitors, this study focused on the influence of selected organisational culture factors on the organisational commitment of banking employees. Against this background, the primary objective of this study was to identify and empirically test the influence of selected organisational culture factors on Organisational commitment of employees in the banking industry in the Eastern Cape. An overview of the literature was provided whereby the nature and importance of organisational commitment and organisational culture were described in the context of the banking industry. From the literature it was evident that the organisational culture of a bank has an influence on the organisational commitment of employees. The literature highlighted Involvement of employees (Empowerment of employees, Team orientation and Capacity development of employees), Adaptability (Creating change, Customer focus and Organisational learning), Consistency (Core values, Coordination and integration and Agreement) and Mission (Vision, Goals and objectives and Strategic direction and intent) as the major factors of organisational culture which influence the organisational culture of a business, in this case a commercial bank. These factors of organisational culture formed the main focus of this study. A positivistic research paradigm and quantitative research methodology were adopted for this study and a descriptive research approach was used. The primary data collection procedures involved selecting the population, the sample, sampling techniques, as well as the sample size. For the purpose of this study, the population consisted of all banking employees of the selected commercial bank within the borders of the Eastern Cape province. The sample size in this study consisted of 700 banking employees. A survey was undertaken and a structured, self-administered questionnaire was used in order to gather the necessary data. The measuring instrument used was based on an existing questionnaire used in previous research. Where necessary the items were reworded to suit this study. A total of 700 questionnaires were distributed, which resulted in 336 usable questionnaires. Thus, an effective response rate of 49.43% was achieved. The reliability of the ordinal scales of the measuring instrument was confirmed by means of the calculation of Cronbach‟s alpha coefficients, whereby coefficients greater than 0.6 were deemed to be reliable. Cronbach‟s alpha coefficients of greater than 0.6 were returned for all the factors measured using ordinal scales, thus satisfactory evidence of reliability were provided. The validity of the ordinal scales of the measuring instrument was confirmed by means of a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Items originally intended to measure the constructs under investigation did not all load as expected. One item measuring each of the factors, namely, Empowerment of employees, Creating change, Organisational learning, Agreement, and Coordination and integration, did not load as expected and was thus excluded from further statistical analyses. The operationalisation for these factors was amended accordingly. The items measuring each of the remaining constructs, namely, Organisational commitment, Team orientation, Capacity development of employees, Customer focus, Core values, Vision, Goals and objectives, and Strategic direction and intent, all loaded as expected. The sample data was summarised using descriptive statistics. In addition, t-tests were used to determine whether the differences in mean scores returned by the demographic variable Gender and the independent and dependent variables under investigation, were significantly different from each other. Pearson‟s Product Moment Correlations coefficients were used to assess the associations between the variables under investigation. A Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) was undertaken to measure the relationships between the independent variable and the dependent variables investigated in this study. Lastly, the relationships between the demographic variables and the dependent and independent variables were tested by means of an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The dependent variable Organisational commitment returned a mean score of 6.11, with the majority of banking employees agreeing that they are highly committed to the bank and feel a strong personal connection towards the bank, would recommend working at this bank to others, would find it difficult to leave and would continue to work for the bank out of choice rather than necessity. The independent variables investigated returned mean scores of between 6.05 (Coordination and integration) and 6.32 (Strategic direction and intent) with most respondents agreeing that the conditions or relationships investigated existed within the bank in which they worked. The results of the MRA reported significant positive linear relationships between Empowerment of employees, Capacity development of employees, Coordination and integration and Strategic direction and intent, and the dependent variable Organisational commitment. Furthermore, a significant negative linear relationship between Core values and the dependent variable Organisational commitment were reported. No significant linear relationships emerged between the remaining independent variables, namely, Team orientation, Creating change, Customer focus, Organisational learning, Agreement, Vision and Goals objectives, and the dependent variable Organisational commitment. The results of the ANOVA reported various significant relationships between the demographic variables and the dependent and independent variables investigated in the study. Based on the findings of this study, numerous recommendations were proposed to assist managers of banks to ultimately improve the organisational commitment of employees by adopting and encouraging certain behaviours in terms of the organisational culture of the bank. The findings of this study showed that by focusing on Empowerment of employees, Capacity development of employees, Coordination and integration and Strategic direction and intent, banks can enhance the organisational commitment of their employees. It is hoped that the findings of this study will provide bank managers with practical suggestions on how to use these organisational culture factors to improve organisational commitment among employees, and that the suggestions for future research will inspire future researchers to continue investigating the organisational culture factors in banks.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The legal framework of concession agreements in Nigerian ports
- Authors: Sanni, Tajudeen
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Concessions -- Nigeria , Public law -- Nigeria Public-private sector cooperation -- Nigeria Marine terminals -- Economic aspects -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , LLD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20537 , vital:29317
- Description: The thesis examines the legal framework for concession agreements in Nigerian ports. The principal question is whether the legal framework for concession in ports is adequate. In order to answer this question, a number of related questions are raised and answered by analysis of laws and proposed laws related to ports. One question relates to what laws regulate concession in Nigeria. The thesis submits that a number of laws governs concession, the principal one being the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Act (ICRCA).The Act provides that Federal Government agencies may grant the private sector concession for the financing, construction and maintenance of their infrastructure. In order to examine what this means for the port sector, the thesis examines how concession is being currently implemented in the ports. It is pointed out that under concession policy, a whole lot of operational duties which used to be carried out by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) were being transferred to private sector in the new port governance paradigm. For this purpose, the possession of key NPA assets such as terminals for handling cargos were being transferred to the private sector vide concession agreements. The official position is that provisions in the Nigeria Ports Authority Act (NPAA) which allow the NPA to grant leases provide justification for the concession agreement. The concession policy also appoints the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) as the economic regulator of the ports to regulate economic activities such as tariff charged in the port. The thesis proceeds to examine the question whether port concession as it is being implemented is actually consistent with NPAA and other relevant laws. The thesis submits that stripping the NPA of a whole string of operational duties on the basis of concession is inconsistent with the provisions of NPAA which establishes the NPA as a regulator, operator and landlord of the port. The thesis posits that the ICRCA does not mandate the NPA to grant concession but rather leaves the decision to do so to the relevant government agencies such as the NPA. It is further submitted that the provision allowing the NPA to lease out its asset must be read with another provision restricting such leases to assets that are not necessary for the performance of NPA’s statutory duties. The thesis argues that this is based on the canon of statutory interpretation that one section of the law must be read holistically with the other sections. It is further argued that designation of NSC as economic regulator not only runs contrary to the Nigeria Shippers Council Act but also Utilities Charges Regulatory Commission Act (UCRCA) which regulates ports tariff and appoints UCRC as the relevant agency for this purpose. The thesis proceeds to examine the question whether the proposed laws, Nigeria Port and Harbour Authority Bill (NPHB) which establishes the port authority as the landlord cum regulator of port and the National Transport Commission Bill (NTCB) which establishes port economic regulator provide adequate legal provisions for port concession. The thesis posits that both bills legalize concession for the performance of core port functions by the private sector. However both contain some clauses that run contrary to the objectives stated therein. NPHB, for example, requires that the bill must be read in the context of the specific objective of separating landlord and regulatory duty from cargo-handling functions in the port. In contrast to this, the bill grants the NPA the duty to carry out port business and the powers to run cargo-handling business in addition to its landlord and regulatory functions. It is proposed that there should be a provision in the port bill providing a separate public company to compete with concessionaires for port businesses while the port authority concentrates on its technical regulatory and landlord duty that will allow it to enter into concession agreements as an independent entity. The thesis makes other proposals for the improvement of the aspects of the bills relating to port concession including inclusion of an outline of terms of concession agreement in the bill, public access to concession agreement, among others. It is recommended that the proposals are considered when the bills are passed into laws and concession agreements renegotiated on the basis of the bills when they become laws.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Sanni, Tajudeen
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Concessions -- Nigeria , Public law -- Nigeria Public-private sector cooperation -- Nigeria Marine terminals -- Economic aspects -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , LLD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20537 , vital:29317
- Description: The thesis examines the legal framework for concession agreements in Nigerian ports. The principal question is whether the legal framework for concession in ports is adequate. In order to answer this question, a number of related questions are raised and answered by analysis of laws and proposed laws related to ports. One question relates to what laws regulate concession in Nigeria. The thesis submits that a number of laws governs concession, the principal one being the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Act (ICRCA).The Act provides that Federal Government agencies may grant the private sector concession for the financing, construction and maintenance of their infrastructure. In order to examine what this means for the port sector, the thesis examines how concession is being currently implemented in the ports. It is pointed out that under concession policy, a whole lot of operational duties which used to be carried out by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) were being transferred to private sector in the new port governance paradigm. For this purpose, the possession of key NPA assets such as terminals for handling cargos were being transferred to the private sector vide concession agreements. The official position is that provisions in the Nigeria Ports Authority Act (NPAA) which allow the NPA to grant leases provide justification for the concession agreement. The concession policy also appoints the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) as the economic regulator of the ports to regulate economic activities such as tariff charged in the port. The thesis proceeds to examine the question whether port concession as it is being implemented is actually consistent with NPAA and other relevant laws. The thesis submits that stripping the NPA of a whole string of operational duties on the basis of concession is inconsistent with the provisions of NPAA which establishes the NPA as a regulator, operator and landlord of the port. The thesis posits that the ICRCA does not mandate the NPA to grant concession but rather leaves the decision to do so to the relevant government agencies such as the NPA. It is further submitted that the provision allowing the NPA to lease out its asset must be read with another provision restricting such leases to assets that are not necessary for the performance of NPA’s statutory duties. The thesis argues that this is based on the canon of statutory interpretation that one section of the law must be read holistically with the other sections. It is further argued that designation of NSC as economic regulator not only runs contrary to the Nigeria Shippers Council Act but also Utilities Charges Regulatory Commission Act (UCRCA) which regulates ports tariff and appoints UCRC as the relevant agency for this purpose. The thesis proceeds to examine the question whether the proposed laws, Nigeria Port and Harbour Authority Bill (NPHB) which establishes the port authority as the landlord cum regulator of port and the National Transport Commission Bill (NTCB) which establishes port economic regulator provide adequate legal provisions for port concession. The thesis posits that both bills legalize concession for the performance of core port functions by the private sector. However both contain some clauses that run contrary to the objectives stated therein. NPHB, for example, requires that the bill must be read in the context of the specific objective of separating landlord and regulatory duty from cargo-handling functions in the port. In contrast to this, the bill grants the NPA the duty to carry out port business and the powers to run cargo-handling business in addition to its landlord and regulatory functions. It is proposed that there should be a provision in the port bill providing a separate public company to compete with concessionaires for port businesses while the port authority concentrates on its technical regulatory and landlord duty that will allow it to enter into concession agreements as an independent entity. The thesis makes other proposals for the improvement of the aspects of the bills relating to port concession including inclusion of an outline of terms of concession agreement in the bill, public access to concession agreement, among others. It is recommended that the proposals are considered when the bills are passed into laws and concession agreements renegotiated on the basis of the bills when they become laws.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The nature and extent of conflict in the hospitality industry in Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Kendrick, Hazel Sheila
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Conflict management -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Interpersonal conflict Teams in the workplace -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17668 , vital:28427
- Description: This study aims to understand frontline managers and how they manage conflict in their working environment. The purpose of the study is to determine which intervening methods are used by frontline managers towards conflict that match up with conflict management strategies. A qualitative research method was used in the study; the data collection was by means of interviews with frontline managers in hotels in Port Elizabeth. The objective of the study was to understand the possible causes of conflict as well as finding alternative solutions by conducting interviews with frontline managers. The study reveals that frontline managers do experience conflict between employees and customers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Kendrick, Hazel Sheila
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Conflict management -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Interpersonal conflict Teams in the workplace -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17668 , vital:28427
- Description: This study aims to understand frontline managers and how they manage conflict in their working environment. The purpose of the study is to determine which intervening methods are used by frontline managers towards conflict that match up with conflict management strategies. A qualitative research method was used in the study; the data collection was by means of interviews with frontline managers in hotels in Port Elizabeth. The objective of the study was to understand the possible causes of conflict as well as finding alternative solutions by conducting interviews with frontline managers. The study reveals that frontline managers do experience conflict between employees and customers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The organisational commitment of financial planners in South Africa
- Authors: Paterson, Steven James
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Organizational commitment -- South Africa , Organizational behavior -- South Africa Financial planning industry -- South Africa -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13812 , vital:27310
- Description: With the increasing demand for financial planners, financial planning organisations need to understand the factors influencing organisational commitment in order to achieve a committed and loyal workforce. The purpose of this study was therefore two-fold. Firstly, the study intended to contribute to the more effective functioning of financial planning organisations through the successful retention of valuable human resources, and secondly, to expand the current body of knowledge on financial planning organisations in South Africa and abroad. Considering the purpose of this study, its primary objective was to investigate the influence of selected organisational-related factors on the Affective, Normative and Continuance commitment of financial planners currently employed in the financial planning industry in South Africa. Based on an extensive review of business management, industrial psychology, as well as human resource management literature and research (focusing on the vast amount of secondary sources available on organisational commitment), a hypothesised model illustrating the relationships between selected organisational-related factors and the three dimensions of organisational commitment was proposed. Twelve independent variables were hypothesised to influence the three dependent variables, namely the Affective, Normative and Continuance commitment of financial planners. The twelve independent variables included: Compensation, Distributive justice, Job autonomy, Job security, Organisational communication, Organisational support, Physical working conditions, Promotional opportunities, Psychological contract fulfilment, Training and development, Transformational leadership and Trust. In addition, nine demographic variables (Gender, Race, Age, Organisational tenure, Qualification, CFP status, Tied agent status, Salary structure and Organisational type) were identified. All of the dependent and independent variables in this study were clearly defined and operationalised using items from previously validated measuring instruments, in addition to several self-generated items based on secondary sources. Questionnaires were made available to potential respondents through the use of convenience snowball sampling. A total of 231 useable questionnaires were returned which were then analysed statistically. As a result of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the original operationalisations, hypothesised model, as well as the hypotheses were revised. Additionally, a new, combined factor emerged, namely Job security and promotional opportunities. The proposed model of factors was subsequently empirically tested by means of structural equation modelling (SEM). In order to carry out the statistical analysis, three submodels were created. The hypothesised model was revised and the redefined hypothesised relationships were given in path diagrams for each of the three submodels. The influence of the various demographic variables on Affective, Normative and Continuance commitment were assessed by means of an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and t-tests. A number of organisational-related factors were identified as influencing the dependent variables of this study, namely: Compensation, Organisational support, Distributive justice, Job security and promotional opportunities, as well as Training and development. In particular, Compensation and Organisational support were found to influence Affective commitment, while Distributive justice, Job security and promotional opportunities as well as Training and development were found to influence Normative commitment. Additionally, Organisational support and Job security and promotional opportunities were found to influence Continuance commitment. By investigating selected organisational-related factors influencing the three dimensions of organisational commitment, the study was able to provide practical recommendations to organisations in order to increase the Affective, Normative and Continuance commitment of their financial planners.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Paterson, Steven James
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Organizational commitment -- South Africa , Organizational behavior -- South Africa Financial planning industry -- South Africa -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13812 , vital:27310
- Description: With the increasing demand for financial planners, financial planning organisations need to understand the factors influencing organisational commitment in order to achieve a committed and loyal workforce. The purpose of this study was therefore two-fold. Firstly, the study intended to contribute to the more effective functioning of financial planning organisations through the successful retention of valuable human resources, and secondly, to expand the current body of knowledge on financial planning organisations in South Africa and abroad. Considering the purpose of this study, its primary objective was to investigate the influence of selected organisational-related factors on the Affective, Normative and Continuance commitment of financial planners currently employed in the financial planning industry in South Africa. Based on an extensive review of business management, industrial psychology, as well as human resource management literature and research (focusing on the vast amount of secondary sources available on organisational commitment), a hypothesised model illustrating the relationships between selected organisational-related factors and the three dimensions of organisational commitment was proposed. Twelve independent variables were hypothesised to influence the three dependent variables, namely the Affective, Normative and Continuance commitment of financial planners. The twelve independent variables included: Compensation, Distributive justice, Job autonomy, Job security, Organisational communication, Organisational support, Physical working conditions, Promotional opportunities, Psychological contract fulfilment, Training and development, Transformational leadership and Trust. In addition, nine demographic variables (Gender, Race, Age, Organisational tenure, Qualification, CFP status, Tied agent status, Salary structure and Organisational type) were identified. All of the dependent and independent variables in this study were clearly defined and operationalised using items from previously validated measuring instruments, in addition to several self-generated items based on secondary sources. Questionnaires were made available to potential respondents through the use of convenience snowball sampling. A total of 231 useable questionnaires were returned which were then analysed statistically. As a result of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the original operationalisations, hypothesised model, as well as the hypotheses were revised. Additionally, a new, combined factor emerged, namely Job security and promotional opportunities. The proposed model of factors was subsequently empirically tested by means of structural equation modelling (SEM). In order to carry out the statistical analysis, three submodels were created. The hypothesised model was revised and the redefined hypothesised relationships were given in path diagrams for each of the three submodels. The influence of the various demographic variables on Affective, Normative and Continuance commitment were assessed by means of an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and t-tests. A number of organisational-related factors were identified as influencing the dependent variables of this study, namely: Compensation, Organisational support, Distributive justice, Job security and promotional opportunities, as well as Training and development. In particular, Compensation and Organisational support were found to influence Affective commitment, while Distributive justice, Job security and promotional opportunities as well as Training and development were found to influence Normative commitment. Additionally, Organisational support and Job security and promotional opportunities were found to influence Continuance commitment. By investigating selected organisational-related factors influencing the three dimensions of organisational commitment, the study was able to provide practical recommendations to organisations in order to increase the Affective, Normative and Continuance commitment of their financial planners.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The path to adoption: experiences of couples who have transitioned from infertility
- Authors: Brophy, Mandy-Lee
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Adoption -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Infertility -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Family social work -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14763 , vital:27844
- Description: Parenthood is a life goal for the majority of individuals and couples who have reached a certain life stage. For many couples parenthood is, however, not a reality through expected means. Statistics gathered, in an unpublished information document, by the Port Elizabeth Infertility and Wellness Clinic, it is estimated that 10 to 15% of all married couples in the region experience infertility. After failed infertility treatment, adoption is considered an option for many couples wishing to have children. The social worker plays an integral role in the assessment and preparation for adoption. However, there is no legislated preparation for the fertility treatment process as there is for adoption in South Africa, yet both processes are intended to result in parenthood shadowed by stressful circumstances for prospective parents. The study explored the experiences of couples who have transitioned from being diagnosed as infertile and have successfully adopted. The study was conducted from a qualitative research perspective and employed the exploratory-descriptive strategy of inquiry. Purposive sampling was applied and eight married couples participated in the study. The participants were sourced from a support and information network for adoptive families as well as referrals from social workers working within the adoption field. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by an independent interviewer with thematic analysis being used for data analysis. Trustworthiness constructs were taken into account to ensure reliability and rigour. The major findings revealed the distinctive experiences regarding fertility treatment, the experiences regarding adoption and suggestions from couples for couples facing similar situations as well as for professionals in practice. The study is viewed as significant in guiding professional services to couples, who are intending to achieve parenthood via adoption, by adding to the body of existing knowledge in adoption and medical social work.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Brophy, Mandy-Lee
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Adoption -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Infertility -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Family social work -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14763 , vital:27844
- Description: Parenthood is a life goal for the majority of individuals and couples who have reached a certain life stage. For many couples parenthood is, however, not a reality through expected means. Statistics gathered, in an unpublished information document, by the Port Elizabeth Infertility and Wellness Clinic, it is estimated that 10 to 15% of all married couples in the region experience infertility. After failed infertility treatment, adoption is considered an option for many couples wishing to have children. The social worker plays an integral role in the assessment and preparation for adoption. However, there is no legislated preparation for the fertility treatment process as there is for adoption in South Africa, yet both processes are intended to result in parenthood shadowed by stressful circumstances for prospective parents. The study explored the experiences of couples who have transitioned from being diagnosed as infertile and have successfully adopted. The study was conducted from a qualitative research perspective and employed the exploratory-descriptive strategy of inquiry. Purposive sampling was applied and eight married couples participated in the study. The participants were sourced from a support and information network for adoptive families as well as referrals from social workers working within the adoption field. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by an independent interviewer with thematic analysis being used for data analysis. Trustworthiness constructs were taken into account to ensure reliability and rigour. The major findings revealed the distinctive experiences regarding fertility treatment, the experiences regarding adoption and suggestions from couples for couples facing similar situations as well as for professionals in practice. The study is viewed as significant in guiding professional services to couples, who are intending to achieve parenthood via adoption, by adding to the body of existing knowledge in adoption and medical social work.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The relationship between employee value proposition, organisational commitment and intention-to-serve among provincial traffic officers
- Authors: Macpherson, Wayne Elvison
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Organizational commitment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18036 , vital:28567
- Description: Traffic officers are employed to protect and serve the community, but various sources including annual reports and newspaper articles cast doubt on whether these goals are attained in the Eastern Cape. These sources further allege that the failure to serve can be attributed to dissatisfaction and poor employee commitment. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the Employee Value Proposition, organisational commitment and intention-to-serve among provincial traffic officers. A literature study was conducted on the three above-mentioned variables to achieve this objective. The empirical study consisted of a survey with a self-administered questionnaire. Five components of the Employee Value Proposition, as established by the Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) (2006), were measured. These included career opportunities, organisation itself, relationships, remuneration/reward and work itself. The Three Component Model (TCM) developed by Meyer and Allen (1991) was used to measure affective, continuance and normative commitment. The Intention-to-Serve Scale was adapted from the Employee Work Passion Appraisal (EWPA) Model (Zigarmi, Nimon, Houson, Witt and Diehl, 2011) and was used to measure intent-to-perform and intent-to-use discretion. The questionnaire was completed by 357 provincial traffic officers across the six districts of the Eastern Cape, which represented a 95 percent response rate. The results from the empirical study indicated that the majority of respondents had less positive perceptions of the Employee Value Proposition offered to them. Affective commitment, regarded as the desired type of organisational commitment, was scored the lowest. However, positive scores were obtained for intention-to-serve. A statistical and practical significant relationship was found between the Employee Value Proposition and organisational commitment, and between the Employee Value Proposition and intention-to-serve as well as between organizational commitment and intention-to-serve. The results suggest that a more appealing Employee Value Proposition could result in improved organisational commitment as well as improved intention-to-serve. It is therefore recommended that the Eastern Cape Department of Transport reconsider the Employee Value Proposition offered to traffic officers and use it as a tool to improve commitment and service delivery.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Macpherson, Wayne Elvison
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Organizational commitment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18036 , vital:28567
- Description: Traffic officers are employed to protect and serve the community, but various sources including annual reports and newspaper articles cast doubt on whether these goals are attained in the Eastern Cape. These sources further allege that the failure to serve can be attributed to dissatisfaction and poor employee commitment. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the Employee Value Proposition, organisational commitment and intention-to-serve among provincial traffic officers. A literature study was conducted on the three above-mentioned variables to achieve this objective. The empirical study consisted of a survey with a self-administered questionnaire. Five components of the Employee Value Proposition, as established by the Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) (2006), were measured. These included career opportunities, organisation itself, relationships, remuneration/reward and work itself. The Three Component Model (TCM) developed by Meyer and Allen (1991) was used to measure affective, continuance and normative commitment. The Intention-to-Serve Scale was adapted from the Employee Work Passion Appraisal (EWPA) Model (Zigarmi, Nimon, Houson, Witt and Diehl, 2011) and was used to measure intent-to-perform and intent-to-use discretion. The questionnaire was completed by 357 provincial traffic officers across the six districts of the Eastern Cape, which represented a 95 percent response rate. The results from the empirical study indicated that the majority of respondents had less positive perceptions of the Employee Value Proposition offered to them. Affective commitment, regarded as the desired type of organisational commitment, was scored the lowest. However, positive scores were obtained for intention-to-serve. A statistical and practical significant relationship was found between the Employee Value Proposition and organisational commitment, and between the Employee Value Proposition and intention-to-serve as well as between organizational commitment and intention-to-serve. The results suggest that a more appealing Employee Value Proposition could result in improved organisational commitment as well as improved intention-to-serve. It is therefore recommended that the Eastern Cape Department of Transport reconsider the Employee Value Proposition offered to traffic officers and use it as a tool to improve commitment and service delivery.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The role of African leadership values in achieving employee engagement in firms
- Authors: Yoyo, Vuyisa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Leadership -- Africa , Management -- Moral and ethical aspects Employee motivation Business ethics -- Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13392 , vital:27181
- Description: Firms have been largely characterised by competition and this necessitates that organisations leverage on their own competitive advantage in order to stay relevant to their customers. This is applicable to organisations whether they sell products or render services. Employees become key in assisting organisations to ensure that they deliver quality services or products to these customers, as they are mostly the ones that liaise with these customers. Employee engagement becomes an important factor that needs to be understood together with the leadership values that can be utilised to increase employee engagement. Understanding the role of leadership values in achieving employee engagement is essential as this will assist management to practise and encourage the implementation of these values in their organisations. The aim of this study to assist organisations to improve employee engagement by investigating the leadership values that influence the increase in employee engagement. This study is specifically looking at investigating the role that African Values in Leadership (AVL), as measured by communalism, cooperativeness, selflessness and collectivism, play in the achievement of employee engagement in firms. An empirical study, consisting of a mail survey was conducted amongst 109 employees of the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in the Eastern Cape Province. The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent and leadership determinants of employee engagement in the SOEs. The key findings indicated that AVL played a vital role in achieving employee engagement. Important values that were found to be significant in increasing employee engagement were selflessness, collectivism and cooperativeness. Furthermore recommendations were made to management to ensure that they encourage employees to practise AVL and also lead by examples through modelling these values to foster employee engagement in SOEs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Yoyo, Vuyisa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Leadership -- Africa , Management -- Moral and ethical aspects Employee motivation Business ethics -- Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13392 , vital:27181
- Description: Firms have been largely characterised by competition and this necessitates that organisations leverage on their own competitive advantage in order to stay relevant to their customers. This is applicable to organisations whether they sell products or render services. Employees become key in assisting organisations to ensure that they deliver quality services or products to these customers, as they are mostly the ones that liaise with these customers. Employee engagement becomes an important factor that needs to be understood together with the leadership values that can be utilised to increase employee engagement. Understanding the role of leadership values in achieving employee engagement is essential as this will assist management to practise and encourage the implementation of these values in their organisations. The aim of this study to assist organisations to improve employee engagement by investigating the leadership values that influence the increase in employee engagement. This study is specifically looking at investigating the role that African Values in Leadership (AVL), as measured by communalism, cooperativeness, selflessness and collectivism, play in the achievement of employee engagement in firms. An empirical study, consisting of a mail survey was conducted amongst 109 employees of the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in the Eastern Cape Province. The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent and leadership determinants of employee engagement in the SOEs. The key findings indicated that AVL played a vital role in achieving employee engagement. Important values that were found to be significant in increasing employee engagement were selflessness, collectivism and cooperativeness. Furthermore recommendations were made to management to ensure that they encourage employees to practise AVL and also lead by examples through modelling these values to foster employee engagement in SOEs.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The role of management in the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays
- Authors: Smit, Gerrit
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Project management -- South Africa , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management Industrial management -- South Africa Transformational leadership -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20681 , vital:29371
- Description: The construction industry is known as a very highly-fragmented industry with a large number of activities involving different parties and professionals such as project managers, architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, contractors, suppliers and financiers. As it is a fragmented industry, management efficiency and competency in the industry is needed to gain a higher level of competitiveness. Although it is often clear what the causes and effects of construction projects delays are, little attention has been given to the role of management in the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays. This research fills this gap in the literature. For the study, a theoretical framework to investigate the role of management in the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays was developed. The framework showed how four management functions predicted the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays. Nine factors were identified as the causes of construction project delays, namely, clients, contractors, labour, equipment, materials, consultants, community, contract and external issues. For the study, three effects of delays were proposed, namely, finance related delays, human related delays and legal related delays. In addition, the incidence of delays included the frequency of delays and duration of delays. This framework was empirically tested, and partial correlations were used to test the four hypotheses of the study. Three of the four hypotheses were accepted while the forth one was only partially-accepted. It was determined that demographics significantly predicted organising and leading of contractor managers in construction project delays. More specifically, demographics influenced how contractors with different educational levels executed organising and leading in managing construction project delays. The results further showed that management functions employed in construction projects, predicted five of the nine causes of construction delays. Further, the causes of construction project delays predicted both frequency and duration representing the incidence of construction delays. Lastly, the causes of construction project delays predicted the financial, human and legal effects of construction delays. The empirically-tested framework produced only two factors causing construction project delays. Factor one included variables relating to contractor and consultant related issues, and factor two included community, contractual and external issues. The factors for the effects of construction project delays and incidence of construction project delays remained the same. Respondent contractors in this study indicated that education was important as it influenced both leadership and organising functions of these contractors. Age, sex and other demographics did not influence the management functions for these contractors. Although much has been written on the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays, very little attention has focussed on the role of management in these. For the respondent contractors who were included in the research, the two management functions that would influence the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays, included organising and leadership. It further showed that these contractors were adequately dealing with planning and controlling, but needed to pay attention to organising and leadership.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Smit, Gerrit
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Project management -- South Africa , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management Industrial management -- South Africa Transformational leadership -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20681 , vital:29371
- Description: The construction industry is known as a very highly-fragmented industry with a large number of activities involving different parties and professionals such as project managers, architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, contractors, suppliers and financiers. As it is a fragmented industry, management efficiency and competency in the industry is needed to gain a higher level of competitiveness. Although it is often clear what the causes and effects of construction projects delays are, little attention has been given to the role of management in the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays. This research fills this gap in the literature. For the study, a theoretical framework to investigate the role of management in the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays was developed. The framework showed how four management functions predicted the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays. Nine factors were identified as the causes of construction project delays, namely, clients, contractors, labour, equipment, materials, consultants, community, contract and external issues. For the study, three effects of delays were proposed, namely, finance related delays, human related delays and legal related delays. In addition, the incidence of delays included the frequency of delays and duration of delays. This framework was empirically tested, and partial correlations were used to test the four hypotheses of the study. Three of the four hypotheses were accepted while the forth one was only partially-accepted. It was determined that demographics significantly predicted organising and leading of contractor managers in construction project delays. More specifically, demographics influenced how contractors with different educational levels executed organising and leading in managing construction project delays. The results further showed that management functions employed in construction projects, predicted five of the nine causes of construction delays. Further, the causes of construction project delays predicted both frequency and duration representing the incidence of construction delays. Lastly, the causes of construction project delays predicted the financial, human and legal effects of construction delays. The empirically-tested framework produced only two factors causing construction project delays. Factor one included variables relating to contractor and consultant related issues, and factor two included community, contractual and external issues. The factors for the effects of construction project delays and incidence of construction project delays remained the same. Respondent contractors in this study indicated that education was important as it influenced both leadership and organising functions of these contractors. Age, sex and other demographics did not influence the management functions for these contractors. Although much has been written on the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays, very little attention has focussed on the role of management in these. For the respondent contractors who were included in the research, the two management functions that would influence the causes, effects and incidence of construction project delays, included organising and leadership. It further showed that these contractors were adequately dealing with planning and controlling, but needed to pay attention to organising and leadership.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The safety of navigation and the role of port state jurisdiction: a South African perspective
- Authors: Metuge, Denning Ngomele
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Harbors -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Law of the sea -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19343 , vital:28853
- Description: This thesis set to examine whether South Africa has incorporated the provisions on vessel navigational safety standards established in the relevant international instruments developed by the IMO: the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS) as amended, the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW) as amended, and the Convention on International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGs) as amended. It also set to determine the regulatory scope for the exercise of port State jurisdiction from a South African perspective. To establish whether a vessel’s condition complies to prescribed navigational safety standards, the relevant international instruments require States that have ratified the instruments not only to ensure that vessels registered under their flag are inspected for compliance before they can navigate, but that foreign visiting vessels must be surveyed to ensure that they also comply with the safety standards. These surveys are conducted while vessels are in the port of a port State. In addition, the Third United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 (LOSC), provides in article 218 that the port State may enforce anti-pollution regulations committed by a vessel that calls at one of its ports, after committing an illegal discharge outside the territorial waters of the State and its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). However, the provisions of article 218 LOSC have been the center of scholarly debate on the scope of port State jurisdiction (PSJ). Whilst one school of thought holds that PSJ refers only to the provisions of article 218 LOSC, another contends that in defining PSJ, its meaning must be awarded a broader scope to include the regulation of navigational safety standards. Due to the varied opinions on the scope of PSJ, this thesis examined the regulatory framework for the exercise of port State jurisdiction (PSJ) in South Africa. The discussion was relevant to determine the role of PSJ to enhance navigational safety from a South African perspective. This thesis comprised of an in-depth analysis of primary and secondary sources of data relevant to the regulation of navigational safety. The data obtained was critically discussed to establish whether the relevant international navigational safety standards are incorporated into South African law. The process included critical discussions on the principle of jurisdiction, and its exercise by States under international law. The discussions analysed the complexities associated with defining jurisdiction and determining its scope, which are relevant in respect of States’ competence to prescribe and enforce domestic laws, in conformity with the requirements of the LOSC. International law awards jurisdiction to the State to regulate laws within its national territory subject to some restrictions. However, the meaning of jurisdiction is not easily discernible even to lawyers. The discussions showed that the Republic exercises jurisdiction in conformity with generally accepted grounds for the exercise of jurisdiction, and that it is the prerogative of the State to adopt laws it deems necessary within its territory. Thus, the incorporation of international instruments on the safety of navigation is not a forgone conclusion, as it is dependent on the will of the State to ratify, and give effect to the provisions of the relevant instruments in its domestic law. Furthermore, this thesis discussed the relevant international safety instruments in contrast to the provisions of South African merchant shipping regulations, to identify any regulatory gaps in the incorporation of their provisions in South African law. Against a background of comparative analyses of the international norms and the provisions of South African merchant shipping regulations, this research found that a significant number of the relevant international safety instruments are incorporated into south African law by Merchant Shipping Act (MSA) as amended, and regulations made in terms of the Act. The provisions of South African merchant shipping regulations are administered by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA). However, whilst this research found little doubt that the provisions of the STCW and COLREGs are given full effect in South African law, it identified regulatory differences in respect of the most relevant of all international instruments with regard to the safety of navigation, SOLAS. Some SOLAS provisions in respect of navigational safety are not incorporated into domestic law, and in some instances where they are incorporated, the provisions of domestic law contrasts that of SOLAS, or are not as comprehensive. For instance, there is a contrast in the provisions of the Navigation Bridge Visibility Regulations (NVBR), that make the regulations applicable to vessels of 45m or more in length constructed before 1 July 2008. Whereas, SOLAS regulations in respect of the navigation bridge visibility standards of vessels apply to vessels 55m or more length. Furthermore, a 5 months extension may be awarded in respect of a safety certificate issued for a South African vessel that is not in the Republic on the date of its expiry. This provision goes beyond the requirement of SOLAS, which requires that no extension be granted for a period longer than 3 months. Likewise, SAMSA may grant an extension of a safety certificate other than a cargo vessel construction certificate, for a period no longer than five month to enable a foreign vessel to complete its journey to its country of registry or point of inspection. This extension again, is longer than the 3 months requirement under SOLAS. Moreover, the survey requirements applicable to all South African vessels where ever they may be, and all foreign merchant vessels that come into the Republic, do not reflect the specific provisions of SOLAS. A significant amendment was made to SOLAS by SOLAS PROT 1988. SOLAS PROT 1988 introduced the harmonised system of survey and certification (HSSC) into the provisions of SOLAS, thereby harmonising its survey standards with those of other international instruments. SOLAS PROT 1988 has come into force for all States that have ratified the Protocol since the year 2000. This thesis finds that while South Africa is a party to SOLAS as amended by SOLAS PROT 1978, the Republic has not yet ratified SOLAS PROT 1988. Hence, the Republic is not bound to any requirements of SOLAS PROT 1988. Furthermore, although States that are not party to an international instrument requiring the implementation of the HSSC are invited to implement the HSSC anyway, there is no provision in the MSA that incorporates the HSSC. Of central importance to the regulation of merchant shipping standards, States are not only required to adopt domestic laws giving effect to international standards, but they are required to implement international standards in a uniform manner. This is aimed at avoiding a merchant shipping arena plagued by conflicting unilateral domestic rules. SOLAS PROT 1988 has been ratified by States comprising of 96% of the world’s merchant fleet by tonnage. The massive acceptance of SOLAS PROT 1988 is indicative of the international trend, towards uniformity in the implementation of international norms. This thesis recommends that, for the Republic’s merchant shipping regulations to reflect the international trend, the Republic should amend its merchant shipping regulation to incorporate the HSSC. Alternatively, the Republic may ratify SOLAS PROT 1988, and give full effect to its survey and certification standards and the relevant navigational safety provisions in the ANNEX of SOLAS.In addition, whilst a debate abounds on the international scene in respect of the scope of port State jurisdiction, the analysis of the regulatory framework for the exercise of port State jurisdiction in South Africa found that the regulatory framework for the exercise of port State jurisdiction by the Republic includes the regulation of not only environment-related navigational standards prescribed by article 218 LOSC, but also, navigational safety standards, and significantly, its scope is not burdened by the international law limitations to the exercise of coastal State jurisdiction. As such, a recommendation is made to the effect that when defining PSJ, its scope should not be limited to the enforcement of standards contained in article 218 LOSC, rather, it should be awarded a broader scope to include the regulation of other navigational standards including safety.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Metuge, Denning Ngomele
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Harbors -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Law of the sea -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19343 , vital:28853
- Description: This thesis set to examine whether South Africa has incorporated the provisions on vessel navigational safety standards established in the relevant international instruments developed by the IMO: the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS) as amended, the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW) as amended, and the Convention on International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGs) as amended. It also set to determine the regulatory scope for the exercise of port State jurisdiction from a South African perspective. To establish whether a vessel’s condition complies to prescribed navigational safety standards, the relevant international instruments require States that have ratified the instruments not only to ensure that vessels registered under their flag are inspected for compliance before they can navigate, but that foreign visiting vessels must be surveyed to ensure that they also comply with the safety standards. These surveys are conducted while vessels are in the port of a port State. In addition, the Third United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 (LOSC), provides in article 218 that the port State may enforce anti-pollution regulations committed by a vessel that calls at one of its ports, after committing an illegal discharge outside the territorial waters of the State and its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). However, the provisions of article 218 LOSC have been the center of scholarly debate on the scope of port State jurisdiction (PSJ). Whilst one school of thought holds that PSJ refers only to the provisions of article 218 LOSC, another contends that in defining PSJ, its meaning must be awarded a broader scope to include the regulation of navigational safety standards. Due to the varied opinions on the scope of PSJ, this thesis examined the regulatory framework for the exercise of port State jurisdiction (PSJ) in South Africa. The discussion was relevant to determine the role of PSJ to enhance navigational safety from a South African perspective. This thesis comprised of an in-depth analysis of primary and secondary sources of data relevant to the regulation of navigational safety. The data obtained was critically discussed to establish whether the relevant international navigational safety standards are incorporated into South African law. The process included critical discussions on the principle of jurisdiction, and its exercise by States under international law. The discussions analysed the complexities associated with defining jurisdiction and determining its scope, which are relevant in respect of States’ competence to prescribe and enforce domestic laws, in conformity with the requirements of the LOSC. International law awards jurisdiction to the State to regulate laws within its national territory subject to some restrictions. However, the meaning of jurisdiction is not easily discernible even to lawyers. The discussions showed that the Republic exercises jurisdiction in conformity with generally accepted grounds for the exercise of jurisdiction, and that it is the prerogative of the State to adopt laws it deems necessary within its territory. Thus, the incorporation of international instruments on the safety of navigation is not a forgone conclusion, as it is dependent on the will of the State to ratify, and give effect to the provisions of the relevant instruments in its domestic law. Furthermore, this thesis discussed the relevant international safety instruments in contrast to the provisions of South African merchant shipping regulations, to identify any regulatory gaps in the incorporation of their provisions in South African law. Against a background of comparative analyses of the international norms and the provisions of South African merchant shipping regulations, this research found that a significant number of the relevant international safety instruments are incorporated into south African law by Merchant Shipping Act (MSA) as amended, and regulations made in terms of the Act. The provisions of South African merchant shipping regulations are administered by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA). However, whilst this research found little doubt that the provisions of the STCW and COLREGs are given full effect in South African law, it identified regulatory differences in respect of the most relevant of all international instruments with regard to the safety of navigation, SOLAS. Some SOLAS provisions in respect of navigational safety are not incorporated into domestic law, and in some instances where they are incorporated, the provisions of domestic law contrasts that of SOLAS, or are not as comprehensive. For instance, there is a contrast in the provisions of the Navigation Bridge Visibility Regulations (NVBR), that make the regulations applicable to vessels of 45m or more in length constructed before 1 July 2008. Whereas, SOLAS regulations in respect of the navigation bridge visibility standards of vessels apply to vessels 55m or more length. Furthermore, a 5 months extension may be awarded in respect of a safety certificate issued for a South African vessel that is not in the Republic on the date of its expiry. This provision goes beyond the requirement of SOLAS, which requires that no extension be granted for a period longer than 3 months. Likewise, SAMSA may grant an extension of a safety certificate other than a cargo vessel construction certificate, for a period no longer than five month to enable a foreign vessel to complete its journey to its country of registry or point of inspection. This extension again, is longer than the 3 months requirement under SOLAS. Moreover, the survey requirements applicable to all South African vessels where ever they may be, and all foreign merchant vessels that come into the Republic, do not reflect the specific provisions of SOLAS. A significant amendment was made to SOLAS by SOLAS PROT 1988. SOLAS PROT 1988 introduced the harmonised system of survey and certification (HSSC) into the provisions of SOLAS, thereby harmonising its survey standards with those of other international instruments. SOLAS PROT 1988 has come into force for all States that have ratified the Protocol since the year 2000. This thesis finds that while South Africa is a party to SOLAS as amended by SOLAS PROT 1978, the Republic has not yet ratified SOLAS PROT 1988. Hence, the Republic is not bound to any requirements of SOLAS PROT 1988. Furthermore, although States that are not party to an international instrument requiring the implementation of the HSSC are invited to implement the HSSC anyway, there is no provision in the MSA that incorporates the HSSC. Of central importance to the regulation of merchant shipping standards, States are not only required to adopt domestic laws giving effect to international standards, but they are required to implement international standards in a uniform manner. This is aimed at avoiding a merchant shipping arena plagued by conflicting unilateral domestic rules. SOLAS PROT 1988 has been ratified by States comprising of 96% of the world’s merchant fleet by tonnage. The massive acceptance of SOLAS PROT 1988 is indicative of the international trend, towards uniformity in the implementation of international norms. This thesis recommends that, for the Republic’s merchant shipping regulations to reflect the international trend, the Republic should amend its merchant shipping regulation to incorporate the HSSC. Alternatively, the Republic may ratify SOLAS PROT 1988, and give full effect to its survey and certification standards and the relevant navigational safety provisions in the ANNEX of SOLAS.In addition, whilst a debate abounds on the international scene in respect of the scope of port State jurisdiction, the analysis of the regulatory framework for the exercise of port State jurisdiction in South Africa found that the regulatory framework for the exercise of port State jurisdiction by the Republic includes the regulation of not only environment-related navigational standards prescribed by article 218 LOSC, but also, navigational safety standards, and significantly, its scope is not burdened by the international law limitations to the exercise of coastal State jurisdiction. As such, a recommendation is made to the effect that when defining PSJ, its scope should not be limited to the enforcement of standards contained in article 218 LOSC, rather, it should be awarded a broader scope to include the regulation of other navigational standards including safety.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The status of employees employed by temporary employment services
- Authors: Strydom, Masunet
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Employment agencies -- South Africa , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa Employees -- South Africa Personnel management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13680 , vital:27295
- Description: The traditional employer-employee relationship came under an increased threat the past two decades with employers finding the option of utilising the services of Labour Brokers more attractive. Various reasons existed for this tendency amongst employers to opt for the use of Labour Brokers, some of these reasons being valid but mostly some reasons being born out of fear for the unknown labour law duties and obligations that were proposed to be placed on employers post 1994. In the absence of an action plan between the role players in the labour fraternity pathing the way traditional employer-employee relationships could be salvage, employers resorted to the appointment of Labour Brokers and Government on their part retaliated by considering either the total ban of Labour Brokers or the regulation of the profession to such an extent that same became largely unattractive and problematic. The non-addressing of problems and fears faced with by employers post 1994 resulted in an opportunity waisted to narrow the gap between employers and employees with the fight over work force power being the more important factor taken into consideration. This treatise will explore the options that faced the roll players post 1994 in the labour market, the reason for choices made and the effect same has had since on the labour market. The problematic amendments made to Section 198 of the Labour Relations Act in an attempt to iron out the wrinkles poor choices made by the stake holders over the regulations of Labour Brokers, will be discussed. The ripple effect the amendments to Section 198 of the Labour Relations Act had on other pieces of South African legislation will be considered and the uncertainty and confusion it has created discussed. Specific attention needs to be drawn to the intention of the legislature as to which party, the Labour Broker or employer, will be responsible for the ramifications of the wrong doings of an employee. Also, which party will be responsible to the employee to fulfil its labour rights as granted in the Constitution of South Africa. Unleashing reaction to the regulations of Temporary Employment Services does not seem to be a problem, the problem arises where the regulations proposed did not unleashed the desired reaction and roll players finding themselves frustrated and with having no alternative as to turn the Courts to solve the largely self-inflicted conundrum. The courts are left with the task of clarifying the legislature’s true intension in amending section 198 of the Labour Relations Act, which impact the writer with all due respect do not think the legislature even appreciated when the amendments were drafted. Currently, there is dividing views on the future of Labour Brokers per se in South Africa and the interpretation concerning Section 198 of the Labour Relations Act, as amended. The focus of this treatise is to highlight the different interpretations given to these amendments this far and highlight that if it is in fact the wish of stake holders in the Labour fraternity that Labour Brokers should continue to exist, clarification is needed by our Constitution Court on certain vital issues and as discussed in this treatise.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Strydom, Masunet
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Employment agencies -- South Africa , Labor laws and legislation -- South Africa Employees -- South Africa Personnel management -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13680 , vital:27295
- Description: The traditional employer-employee relationship came under an increased threat the past two decades with employers finding the option of utilising the services of Labour Brokers more attractive. Various reasons existed for this tendency amongst employers to opt for the use of Labour Brokers, some of these reasons being valid but mostly some reasons being born out of fear for the unknown labour law duties and obligations that were proposed to be placed on employers post 1994. In the absence of an action plan between the role players in the labour fraternity pathing the way traditional employer-employee relationships could be salvage, employers resorted to the appointment of Labour Brokers and Government on their part retaliated by considering either the total ban of Labour Brokers or the regulation of the profession to such an extent that same became largely unattractive and problematic. The non-addressing of problems and fears faced with by employers post 1994 resulted in an opportunity waisted to narrow the gap between employers and employees with the fight over work force power being the more important factor taken into consideration. This treatise will explore the options that faced the roll players post 1994 in the labour market, the reason for choices made and the effect same has had since on the labour market. The problematic amendments made to Section 198 of the Labour Relations Act in an attempt to iron out the wrinkles poor choices made by the stake holders over the regulations of Labour Brokers, will be discussed. The ripple effect the amendments to Section 198 of the Labour Relations Act had on other pieces of South African legislation will be considered and the uncertainty and confusion it has created discussed. Specific attention needs to be drawn to the intention of the legislature as to which party, the Labour Broker or employer, will be responsible for the ramifications of the wrong doings of an employee. Also, which party will be responsible to the employee to fulfil its labour rights as granted in the Constitution of South Africa. Unleashing reaction to the regulations of Temporary Employment Services does not seem to be a problem, the problem arises where the regulations proposed did not unleashed the desired reaction and roll players finding themselves frustrated and with having no alternative as to turn the Courts to solve the largely self-inflicted conundrum. The courts are left with the task of clarifying the legislature’s true intension in amending section 198 of the Labour Relations Act, which impact the writer with all due respect do not think the legislature even appreciated when the amendments were drafted. Currently, there is dividing views on the future of Labour Brokers per se in South Africa and the interpretation concerning Section 198 of the Labour Relations Act, as amended. The focus of this treatise is to highlight the different interpretations given to these amendments this far and highlight that if it is in fact the wish of stake holders in the Labour fraternity that Labour Brokers should continue to exist, clarification is needed by our Constitution Court on certain vital issues and as discussed in this treatise.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Towards a framework for the integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula
- Gomana, Lindokuhle Gcina, Thomson, Kerry-Lynn
- Authors: Gomana, Lindokuhle Gcina , Thomson, Kerry-Lynn
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Information technology -- Study and teaching , Computer security -- Study and teaching Educational technology Computer networks -- Security measures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13691 , vital:27296
- Description: Information is an important and valuable asset, in both our everyday lives and in various organisations. Information is subject to numerous threats, these can originate internally or externally to the organisation and could be accidental, intentional or caused by natural disasters. As an important organisational asset, information should be appropriately protected from threats and threat agents regardless of their origin. Organisational employees are, however, often cited as the “weakest link” in the attempt to protect organisational information systems and related information assets. Additionally to this, employees are one of the biggest and closest threat-agents to an organisation’s information systems and its security. Upon graduating, computing (Computer Science, Information Systems and Information Technology) graduates typically become organisational employees. Within organisations, computing graduates often take on roles and responsibilities that involve designing, developing, implementing, upgrading and maintaining the information systems that store, process and transmit organisational information assets. It is, therefore, important that these computing graduates possess the necessary information security skills, knowledge and understanding that could enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities in a secure manner. These information security skills, knowledge and understanding can be acquired through information security education obtained through a qualification that is offered at a higher education institution. At many higher education institutions where information security is taught, it is taught as a single, isolated module at the fourth year level of study. The problem with this is that some computing students do not advance to this level and many of those that do, do not elect information security as a module. This means that these students may graduate and be employed by organisations lacking the necessary information security skills, knowledge and understanding to perform their roles and responsibilities securely. Consequently, this could increase the number of employees who are the “weakest link” in securing organisational information systems and related information assets. The ACM, as a key role player that provides educational guidelines for the development of computing curricula, recommends that information security should be pervasively integrated into computing curricula. However, these guidelines and recommendations do not provide sufficient guidance on “how” computing educators can pervasively integrate information security into their modules. Therefore, the problem identified by this research is that “currently, no generally used framework exists to aid the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula”. The primary research objective of this study, therefore, is to develop a framework to aid the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula. In order to meet this objective, secondary objectives were met, namely: To develop an understanding of the importance of information security; to determine the importance of information security education as it relates to undergraduate computing curricula; and to determine computing educators’ perspectives on information security education in a South African context. Various research methods were used to achieve this study’s research objectives. These research methods included a literature review which was used to define and provide an in-depth discussion relating to the domain in which this study is contained, namely: information security and information security education. Furthermore, a survey which took the form of semi-structured interviews supported by a questionnaire, was used to elicit computing educators’ perspectives on information security education in a South African context. Argumentation was used to argue towards the proposed framework to aid the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula. In addition, modelling techniques were used to model the proposed framework and scenarios were used to demonstrate how a computing department could implement the proposed framework. Finally, elite interviews supported by a questionnaire were conducted to validate the proposed framework. It is envisaged that the proposed framework could assist computing departments and undergraduate computing educators in the integration of information security into their curricula. Furthermore, the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula could ensure that computing graduates exit higher education institutions possessing the necessary information security skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities securely. It is hoped that this could enable computing graduates to become a stronger link in securing organisational information systems and related assets.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Gomana, Lindokuhle Gcina , Thomson, Kerry-Lynn
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Information technology -- Study and teaching , Computer security -- Study and teaching Educational technology Computer networks -- Security measures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13691 , vital:27296
- Description: Information is an important and valuable asset, in both our everyday lives and in various organisations. Information is subject to numerous threats, these can originate internally or externally to the organisation and could be accidental, intentional or caused by natural disasters. As an important organisational asset, information should be appropriately protected from threats and threat agents regardless of their origin. Organisational employees are, however, often cited as the “weakest link” in the attempt to protect organisational information systems and related information assets. Additionally to this, employees are one of the biggest and closest threat-agents to an organisation’s information systems and its security. Upon graduating, computing (Computer Science, Information Systems and Information Technology) graduates typically become organisational employees. Within organisations, computing graduates often take on roles and responsibilities that involve designing, developing, implementing, upgrading and maintaining the information systems that store, process and transmit organisational information assets. It is, therefore, important that these computing graduates possess the necessary information security skills, knowledge and understanding that could enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities in a secure manner. These information security skills, knowledge and understanding can be acquired through information security education obtained through a qualification that is offered at a higher education institution. At many higher education institutions where information security is taught, it is taught as a single, isolated module at the fourth year level of study. The problem with this is that some computing students do not advance to this level and many of those that do, do not elect information security as a module. This means that these students may graduate and be employed by organisations lacking the necessary information security skills, knowledge and understanding to perform their roles and responsibilities securely. Consequently, this could increase the number of employees who are the “weakest link” in securing organisational information systems and related information assets. The ACM, as a key role player that provides educational guidelines for the development of computing curricula, recommends that information security should be pervasively integrated into computing curricula. However, these guidelines and recommendations do not provide sufficient guidance on “how” computing educators can pervasively integrate information security into their modules. Therefore, the problem identified by this research is that “currently, no generally used framework exists to aid the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula”. The primary research objective of this study, therefore, is to develop a framework to aid the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula. In order to meet this objective, secondary objectives were met, namely: To develop an understanding of the importance of information security; to determine the importance of information security education as it relates to undergraduate computing curricula; and to determine computing educators’ perspectives on information security education in a South African context. Various research methods were used to achieve this study’s research objectives. These research methods included a literature review which was used to define and provide an in-depth discussion relating to the domain in which this study is contained, namely: information security and information security education. Furthermore, a survey which took the form of semi-structured interviews supported by a questionnaire, was used to elicit computing educators’ perspectives on information security education in a South African context. Argumentation was used to argue towards the proposed framework to aid the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula. In addition, modelling techniques were used to model the proposed framework and scenarios were used to demonstrate how a computing department could implement the proposed framework. Finally, elite interviews supported by a questionnaire were conducted to validate the proposed framework. It is envisaged that the proposed framework could assist computing departments and undergraduate computing educators in the integration of information security into their curricula. Furthermore, the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula could ensure that computing graduates exit higher education institutions possessing the necessary information security skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities securely. It is hoped that this could enable computing graduates to become a stronger link in securing organisational information systems and related assets.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Ubuntu: linking indigenous values with efforts in building a reconciled South Africa: the case of NMMU
- Authors: Pezisa, Lindiswa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Postcolonialism -- South Africa , South Africa -- Historiography -- Social aspects , Reparations for historical injustices -- South Africa , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14477 , vital:27657
- Description: This thesis investigates the role that African indigenous value systems, Ubuntu in particular, could play in building a reconciled South Africa. In doing so a discourse analysis on Ubuntu is conducted and its potential in facilitating social cohesion in the quest for nation building. Specific focus is drawn on higher education an important task if we are to consider the accusation that higher education like its society, is still undergoing transformation and is under pressure to provide quality education for all people whilst also considering the large numbers of cultures that exist. For much needs to be done in redressing the imbalances caused by the apartheid education system which was organized according to racial lines. In doing so, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University is utilised as a case study with narrative presentations of how students perceive this traditional African value and its applicability to reconciliation in a post conflict society. For seemingly, there is something inherently important about this value in that it has been invoked and referred to in many important instances in South African history.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Pezisa, Lindiswa
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Postcolonialism -- South Africa , South Africa -- Historiography -- Social aspects , Reparations for historical injustices -- South Africa , Xhosa (African people) -- Social life and customs
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14477 , vital:27657
- Description: This thesis investigates the role that African indigenous value systems, Ubuntu in particular, could play in building a reconciled South Africa. In doing so a discourse analysis on Ubuntu is conducted and its potential in facilitating social cohesion in the quest for nation building. Specific focus is drawn on higher education an important task if we are to consider the accusation that higher education like its society, is still undergoing transformation and is under pressure to provide quality education for all people whilst also considering the large numbers of cultures that exist. For much needs to be done in redressing the imbalances caused by the apartheid education system which was organized according to racial lines. In doing so, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University is utilised as a case study with narrative presentations of how students perceive this traditional African value and its applicability to reconciliation in a post conflict society. For seemingly, there is something inherently important about this value in that it has been invoked and referred to in many important instances in South African history.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Unresolved communal land tenure: a case study of erf 912, King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality
- Authors: Jamjam, Nozibele Desire
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17592 , vital:28399
- Description: Twenty-three years into our new democracy the government is still to address the challenges of insecure land tenure in one of the former Bantustans, Transkei. South Africa still has a dual system of land rights, although addressing land rights and accessing land is a constitutional imperative. The study examines the state of communal land and the extent to which unresolved communal land affects development of the area. The study also examines how insecure tenure in communal land can be an impediment to development to some extent. The key research question, which underpins the study, relates to the absence of legislation that deals with securing the land rights of the people in the rural areas: Can South Africa, as a unitary state, continue to have a dual system of tenure rights. What is the cost of the delay in taking the correct decisions of securing tenure rights for people in the communal areas. The antithesis of having people with uncertain land rights in the communal areas, while people in the urban areas have land rights that are legally recognized, is a cause for concern in a new democratic dispensation. The aim of the study is to assess how unresolved land tenure has affected development in the former Transkei. The government is addressing the matter albeit not much progress has been made to this day. Finally, the importance of securing land tenure rights for communities in the former Transkei will go a long way in addressing the legacy of apartheid, the land question. Securing communal land rights will also go a long way in addressing problems associated with development of this land.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Jamjam, Nozibele Desire
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17592 , vital:28399
- Description: Twenty-three years into our new democracy the government is still to address the challenges of insecure land tenure in one of the former Bantustans, Transkei. South Africa still has a dual system of land rights, although addressing land rights and accessing land is a constitutional imperative. The study examines the state of communal land and the extent to which unresolved communal land affects development of the area. The study also examines how insecure tenure in communal land can be an impediment to development to some extent. The key research question, which underpins the study, relates to the absence of legislation that deals with securing the land rights of the people in the rural areas: Can South Africa, as a unitary state, continue to have a dual system of tenure rights. What is the cost of the delay in taking the correct decisions of securing tenure rights for people in the communal areas. The antithesis of having people with uncertain land rights in the communal areas, while people in the urban areas have land rights that are legally recognized, is a cause for concern in a new democratic dispensation. The aim of the study is to assess how unresolved land tenure has affected development in the former Transkei. The government is addressing the matter albeit not much progress has been made to this day. Finally, the importance of securing land tenure rights for communities in the former Transkei will go a long way in addressing the legacy of apartheid, the land question. Securing communal land rights will also go a long way in addressing problems associated with development of this land.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Uphengululo lobunzululwazi-lwimi ngokweembono zale mihla kuhlalutyo ngokwesithako sosetyenziso-lwimi Bunzululwazi sakhono kuxatyangelwa ngeengcingampefumlelwano Zika-Karl Marx
- Authors: Tsako, Mbuzeli Betroot
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Marx, Karl, -- 1818-1883 , Xhosa literature -- History and criticism Linguistics -- Research Language and languages -- Philosophy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21406 , vital:29512
- Description: Olu phando lujolise ekudandalaziseni ingcingane ka-Karl Marx ebizwa ngokuba yi-Marxism, nasekubetheleleni ingcamango yokuba amagama, imixholo nemiqondiso eyalekeneyo, oko kubangela ukuba iteksi ebhaliweyo ingabinantsingiselo inye ekunokuthiwa yeyona ichanekileyo. Luza kwenziwa kuqanyelwe ngale ngcingane ye-Marxism ukubhentsisa le mixholo, imiqondiso, nemixholwana neentsingiselo eziqulethwe yiyo. Uphando olu luza kwenziwa kwinoveli ezimbini ezichongiweyo zikaSaule ezizezi: Ukhozi Olumaphiko, no- Umlimandlela. Akuzi kuthelekiswa ntoni kwezi noveli koko kuza kuqwalaselwa ubuchule bombhali kuchongo magama nemiqondiso, nase kuwasebenziseni ngobuchule ukubhentsisa iintsingiselo, imixholo nemixholwana eyahlukeneyo. Umba wale mixholo, iintsingiselo awuzi kuphononongwa uwodwa koko kuza kuxoxwa ngawo uzalanisa amasolotya oncawadi anje ngophuhliso-zimo zabalinganiswa; impixano; ukudalwa koxhalabiso; ukulobolelana kwemixholo nemixholwana; intshukumo; ingxoxo; isantya; ubuzaza besimo sentlalo kwakunye nonikano-sithuba lweziganeko. Isiphumo solu phando siza kuba kukungqinelana kwemixholo nemixholwana, neentsingiselo eziqulethwe zezi noveli nale ngcingane ka- Karl Marx.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Tsako, Mbuzeli Betroot
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Marx, Karl, -- 1818-1883 , Xhosa literature -- History and criticism Linguistics -- Research Language and languages -- Philosophy
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21406 , vital:29512
- Description: Olu phando lujolise ekudandalaziseni ingcingane ka-Karl Marx ebizwa ngokuba yi-Marxism, nasekubetheleleni ingcamango yokuba amagama, imixholo nemiqondiso eyalekeneyo, oko kubangela ukuba iteksi ebhaliweyo ingabinantsingiselo inye ekunokuthiwa yeyona ichanekileyo. Luza kwenziwa kuqanyelwe ngale ngcingane ye-Marxism ukubhentsisa le mixholo, imiqondiso, nemixholwana neentsingiselo eziqulethwe yiyo. Uphando olu luza kwenziwa kwinoveli ezimbini ezichongiweyo zikaSaule ezizezi: Ukhozi Olumaphiko, no- Umlimandlela. Akuzi kuthelekiswa ntoni kwezi noveli koko kuza kuqwalaselwa ubuchule bombhali kuchongo magama nemiqondiso, nase kuwasebenziseni ngobuchule ukubhentsisa iintsingiselo, imixholo nemixholwana eyahlukeneyo. Umba wale mixholo, iintsingiselo awuzi kuphononongwa uwodwa koko kuza kuxoxwa ngawo uzalanisa amasolotya oncawadi anje ngophuhliso-zimo zabalinganiswa; impixano; ukudalwa koxhalabiso; ukulobolelana kwemixholo nemixholwana; intshukumo; ingxoxo; isantya; ubuzaza besimo sentlalo kwakunye nonikano-sithuba lweziganeko. Isiphumo solu phando siza kuba kukungqinelana kwemixholo nemixholwana, neentsingiselo eziqulethwe zezi noveli nale ngcingane ka- Karl Marx.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Using emotional intelligence interpersonal competency of empathy as a frame to combat xenophobia in schools: a case study
- Authors: Williams, Augustus
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Teacher-student relationships , Emotional intelligence -- South Africa -- Students Education, Humanistic
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13507 , vital:27214
- Description: The aim of this study was to explore how the perceptions of teachers on their emotional intelligence interpersonal competency of empathy that could be used as a frame to combat xenophobia in schools. The three objectives of this study was to explore and describe: teachers’ perceptions and experiences of xenophobic violence in schools in Port Elizabeth’s Northern Areas; teachers’ responses to xenophobic violence from the emotional intelligence interpersonal competency of empathy; and how emotional intelligence interpersonal competency of empathy could be used as a tool to combat xenophobia in schools. Foreign national learners in Port Elizabeth’s Northern Areas are subjected to xenophobic incidences by some teachers at these schools. This impacts negatively into these learners’ learning environment in these schools. It is behind this backdrop that this study sought to explore how the emotional intelligence interpersonal competency of empathy could be used by teachers as a frame to combat xenophobia in schools. The argument of this study therefore stems from the fact that teachers could use their EI interpersonal competency of empathy to combat xenophobia in their schools. Focus group and mini-focus group interviews was employed to get an explorative, descriptive and interpretive revelation, which was utilised to enhance validity and triangulation for this qualitative study.
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- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Williams, Augustus
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Teacher-student relationships , Emotional intelligence -- South Africa -- Students Education, Humanistic
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13507 , vital:27214
- Description: The aim of this study was to explore how the perceptions of teachers on their emotional intelligence interpersonal competency of empathy that could be used as a frame to combat xenophobia in schools. The three objectives of this study was to explore and describe: teachers’ perceptions and experiences of xenophobic violence in schools in Port Elizabeth’s Northern Areas; teachers’ responses to xenophobic violence from the emotional intelligence interpersonal competency of empathy; and how emotional intelligence interpersonal competency of empathy could be used as a tool to combat xenophobia in schools. Foreign national learners in Port Elizabeth’s Northern Areas are subjected to xenophobic incidences by some teachers at these schools. This impacts negatively into these learners’ learning environment in these schools. It is behind this backdrop that this study sought to explore how the emotional intelligence interpersonal competency of empathy could be used by teachers as a frame to combat xenophobia in schools. The argument of this study therefore stems from the fact that teachers could use their EI interpersonal competency of empathy to combat xenophobia in their schools. Focus group and mini-focus group interviews was employed to get an explorative, descriptive and interpretive revelation, which was utilised to enhance validity and triangulation for this qualitative study.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Work-readiness of university graduates: a professional accounting educational expectation gap in South Africa
- Authors: Schoeman, Lynn Antoinette
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Accountants -- Employment -- South Africa -- Students , College graduates -- Employment -- South Africa School-to-work transition -- South Africa Employability -- South Africa -- Students
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20455 , vital:29288
- Description: The constant change in the business environment versus the curriculum content of accounting educational programmes result in a possible gap between the competencies gained by students who complete their degree qualifications compared to the expectations of employers of these entering trainee accountants. However, the universities do endeavour to teach students the syllabus that will provide them with sufficient information and skills to be able to complete the tasks expected from them without much learning following university. Universities face increasing pressure to ensure graduates are equipped with the right employability skills (Osmani, Weerakkody & Hindi, 2017) yet literature show that graduates entering the workforce are not sufficiently equipped with all the necessary non-technical skills required by the accounting profession (Fouché, 2013). The research for this study was guided by the question whether universities sufficiently prepare entering trainee accountants with regards to work-readiness skills and whether a gap exists between the level of work-readiness skills expected by employers in professional accounting practice, and the actual level of capability of these skills transferred through the formal professional accounting educational programmes offered by universities in South Africa. Published literature reviewed on the work-readiness of graduates showed that an educational gap could exist between the skills required by employees and the skills that entering trainee accountants possess. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data from supervisors and/or coordinators from Accredited Training Centres (ATCs) in the Nelson Mandela Bay Region of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) on their perception of the level of capability expected of entering trainee accountants. The findings of this study showed that the universities provide entering trainee accountants with sufficient knowledge insofar as their technical abilities are concerned. However, employers perceive entering trainee accountants‟ capabilities in terms of their work-readiness skills, as insufficient.
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- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Schoeman, Lynn Antoinette
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Accountants -- Employment -- South Africa -- Students , College graduates -- Employment -- South Africa School-to-work transition -- South Africa Employability -- South Africa -- Students
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20455 , vital:29288
- Description: The constant change in the business environment versus the curriculum content of accounting educational programmes result in a possible gap between the competencies gained by students who complete their degree qualifications compared to the expectations of employers of these entering trainee accountants. However, the universities do endeavour to teach students the syllabus that will provide them with sufficient information and skills to be able to complete the tasks expected from them without much learning following university. Universities face increasing pressure to ensure graduates are equipped with the right employability skills (Osmani, Weerakkody & Hindi, 2017) yet literature show that graduates entering the workforce are not sufficiently equipped with all the necessary non-technical skills required by the accounting profession (Fouché, 2013). The research for this study was guided by the question whether universities sufficiently prepare entering trainee accountants with regards to work-readiness skills and whether a gap exists between the level of work-readiness skills expected by employers in professional accounting practice, and the actual level of capability of these skills transferred through the formal professional accounting educational programmes offered by universities in South Africa. Published literature reviewed on the work-readiness of graduates showed that an educational gap could exist between the skills required by employees and the skills that entering trainee accountants possess. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data from supervisors and/or coordinators from Accredited Training Centres (ATCs) in the Nelson Mandela Bay Region of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) on their perception of the level of capability expected of entering trainee accountants. The findings of this study showed that the universities provide entering trainee accountants with sufficient knowledge insofar as their technical abilities are concerned. However, employers perceive entering trainee accountants‟ capabilities in terms of their work-readiness skills, as insufficient.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017