A study to analyse the organisational wellness present in a Port Elizabeth-based pharmaceutical company with the intent of developing and implementing an organisational wellness programme
- Authors: Sam, Nerine Carmel
- Date: 2005
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10929 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/185
- Description: South African employees have found a wide range of stressors prevalent in their working experience. The impact of these stressors on the lives of the employees adversely affects the organisational effectiveness of any organisation. The 21st century business world has become more stressful and risky because of the daily workplace demands, coupled with internal competitive challenges, placed on employees. The effect of this stress on employees is seen in an increase in absenteeism, a loss in employee productivity, increased insurance premiums, reduced workforce efficiency and an increase in training and employment costs. As a result, organisations are compelled to commit their management team to ensuring their employees health and wellness. This can be achieved through the implementation of a structured wellness programme or policy. This study's intention, forming the main problem, was to determine the wellness programmes that would be required by the pharmaceutical company, Bodene (Pty) Ltd, in order to enhance, maintain and develop its organisational wellness. This resulted in the development of a wellness programme. The approach taken to resolve this problem began with an intensive literature survey to determine the critical wellness factors that literature indicated as necessary for employees to be successful and happy in their work environments and outside of them. This was followed by an empirical study undertaken within the Small Volume Parenteral department of the organisation. The study was undertaken by the administration of a structured employee questionnaire to blue collar workers and a select number of middle managers in order to determine the level of wellness present amongst the employees. In addition, a structured management questionnaire was administered to the Sister-on-site and the Industrial Relations manager in order to determine whether any wellness programmes currently existed within the organisation, the extent to which they had been implemented, the extent to which they are successful within the organisation and the role, if any, that management play in actively promoting employee wellness. Among the main findings, on the negative side, the study revealed that employees within the department are close-lipped when it comes to revealing information of a personal nature. This has resulted in a difficulty in assessing their sexual and financial wellness, in particular. With regards to management, findings revealed that the employees felt that there is not enough trust between the employee and management. It was also indicated that management is not as open as possible with the employees. In addition, employees indicated that they felt that there was a lack of communication among team members as well as various forms of discrimination existing in the organisation. On the positive side, the study has indicated that a respect for all cultures exists within the organisation. It has also indicated that a minimal amount of conflict is experienced between superiors and subordinates and that the majority of employees feel a sense of belonging within the organisation. Findings from the literature survey undertaken and the empirical study done within the organisation were integrated and a coherent organisational wellness programme was developed. The organisational wellness programme has been recommended to the management of Bodene (Pty) Ltd. If the programme is considered viable, it will be implemented within the organisation.
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- Date Issued: 2005
An analysis of factors influencing the choice of particular schools in preference to township schols, in the Port Elizabeth area
- Authors: Mapasa, Tobeka Eugié
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: School choice -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Blacks -- Education -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Multicultural education -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10784 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/144 , School choice -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Blacks -- Education -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Multicultural education -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: There has been a radical exodus of learners from the townships schools to former Model C, Coloured and Indian schools and this has had an impact on township schools. In some schools in the Port Elizabeth townships, learner enrolment has dropped tremendously. This tendency has also been a concern of the Eastern Cape Department of Education. The focus of this research was to determine the reasons that prompted the learners to prefer schools that were far from their homes while there were schools situated nearer to their homes. To accomplish this, a review of literature on why learners in other parts of the world moved from school to school and or why their parents send them to particular schools was done. The literature assisted in identifying key issues pertaining to school choice. These issues were translated into questions used in questionnaires to learners and parents to determine the reasons for preference of schools outside the townships. The data gathered via the questionnaires led to interviews with the staff from the schools in the areas where the case study participants live. Apart from gathering data for interpretation the interviews were also used to triangulate data collected via the two questionnaires. The five most important factors that were common to the parents and the learners, identified and endorsed by the educators as influencing school choice, were firstly the fact that high status parents prefer high status schools; secondly that safety, discipline and the smooth running of the school are of high importance. Thirdly it was indicated that extra-mural activities in the school curriculum play an important role. The opportunity the school provides for parental involvement was rated as the fourth most important factor. The educator’s attitudes towards work were rated as the fifth most important factor. The research report finally emphasized the need to undertake a variety of projects for further research. Suggestions were also made by way of recommendations of possible factors that had to be taken into consideration when determining strategies to attract learners to township schools.
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- Date Issued: 2005
An analysis of strategies driving, and the successes achieved after the conversion of agricultural co-operatives to alternative business forms in South Africa
- Authors: Neser, Marius
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10921 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/146 , Agriculture, Cooperative -- South Africa
- Description: During the period 1994 to 2004, the Registrar of Co-operatives, situated in Pretoria (South Africa), considered applications and subsequently de-registered 102 agricultural and non-agricultural South African co-operatives, which then converted to alternative business forms. This research was conducted to determine the strategies driving co-operatives to convert to alternative business forms in South Africa, and to evaluate the level of success achieved in a specific case. During the research, the changing legislation relating to co-operatives was identified as one of the main drivers to convert, although during pilot testing, the respondents submitted capital forming or growth restrictions as main drivers for conversions. The main concerns about the impact of changing legislation were about voting rights changing to a one-person-one-vote, which, according to the respondents, could affect control within the co-operative. Financial ratio analysis to determine liquidity, debt management and profitability of a specific converted case was conducted by disseminating and processing data by means of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. In the selected case the conversion did not guarantee success, and the financial figures showed that a conversion did not have immediate impact, although the last three years of the 10-year period analysed showed signs of a positive growth on the return on total assets (ROA). External influences, especially legislation in the broad sense, and specifically regarding Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE), Employment Equity and Labour practise may have serious impact on the choice of business form the prospective entrepreneur decides upon, or the existing enterprise bases its decisions on as to its future business form.
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- Date Issued: 2005
An integrated skills development model for emerging construction contractors in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Lazarus, Spencer
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Contractors -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Contractors -- Training of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10928 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/170 , Contractors -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Contractors -- Training of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: One of the challenges faced by many government decision-makers today relates to the need for a construction development programme that comprehensively addresses the challenges faced in delivery of building and infrastructure projects. Investment into such programmes should be justified and measured by increased contractor capacity to execute projects and grow their businesses. The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) intends to develop and pilot an emerging contractor development programme with the assistance of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). In implementing the project, the CSIR and the ECDC will assume the role of the project managers, responsible for planning, executing and coordinating the entire training and mentorship programme. Suitably qualified training providers and mentors have been sourced from private enterprises and individuals. Sixty contractors throughout the province will be selected to form part of the program. Training providers and mentors will provide high quality inputs to enable a group of selected contractors to be assessed and accredited by the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) in terms of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). This dissertation addresses the requirements that an integrated development model needs to be effective in terms of emerging contractors’ further development and sustainable growth.
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- Date Issued: 2005
Establish to what extent small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Port Elizabeth CBD comply with good governance principles and practices
- Authors: Mpafa, Dumisani
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Corporate governance , Small business -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:10904 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/163 , Corporate governance , Small business -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: Throughout the world, corporate or good governance has become such a dominating terminology in the ever -increasing business vocabulary. Its fast rise and strategic relevance to the global business communi ty is part ly due to the desi re by the business leaders wor ldwide to be seen to be doing something about the scourge of corporate failures resulting f rom poor governance. The objective of the research was to establish to what extent Smal l and Medium Enterpr ises (SMEs) comply with good governance principles and practices. The SMEs in the Port Elizabeth CBD were chosen as the representative population of the SME sector throughout the country. The research methodology included: A li terature study to determine, on the one hand the current good governance pract ices global ly, and on the other the role, relevance and the challenges of the SMEs in the South Af rican Economy. An empir ical study in order to obtain the empir ical evidence concerning SME compliance to good governance principles and pract ice. This was done through a survey of SME sector in the Port Elizabeth CBD. Lastly, the conclusion and recommendations. The conclusion was reached, inter alia, that the major ity of SMEs do not comply wi th good governance principles and pract ices for various reasons. Therefore the following recommendations were made: Recommended that the organisational accountants appointed in terms of the law should not confine themselves to the financial aspects of the business only, but also look at governance of these small businesses. Recommended that a sub-code for SMEs be developed. Recommended that the existing code of governance be amended to include a clause that requires large and establish businesses to insist on good governance in the SMEs they deal with at any level. Recommended that the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should develop a qualification or unit standard on good governance to facilitate training on good governance. Since good governance knowledge is a key competence for every manager, especially senior management. It is recommended that institutions of higher learning should have good governance in their curriculum.
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- Date Issued: 2005
Increasing competitiveness through the enhancement of logistics processes in the South African automotive industry
- Authors: Njokweni, Thobela
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Business logistics , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Competition, International
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10939 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/418 , Business logistics , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Competition, International
- Description: Logistics has become one of the automotive industry's most crucial sub-sectors. Previously, logistics had to step aside to make way for production considerations. Today it is regarded as being every bit as crucial as production in the global village. Advancement of logistics in South Africa is crucial because original equipment manufacturers are producing to developed world standards but are having to cope with low developing world logistics standards. The logistics processes that need to be enhanced in order for the South African automotive industry to be more competitive were investigated. To examine the main problem, three sub-problems were identified. The first sub-problem that has been identified dealt with logistics processes that will enhance the competitive advantage of the South African automotive industry. The second sub-problems looked at key logistics opportunities and threats to the environment in which South African motor manufactures trade. They were investigated by assessing the nature of the South African motor manufacturing industry. Finally, the third sub-problem investigated conclusions that can be arrived at concerning the appropriateness and strategic value of the analysis.
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- Date Issued: 2005
Motopomo: the historical-theoretical background to contemporary graphic design practices
- Authors: Economou, Inge
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Graphic arts , Graphic arts -- 20th century , Modernism (Art)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10764 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/179 , Graphic arts , Graphic arts -- 20th century , Modernism (Art)
- Description: This study proposes to illustrate that the twentieth century passage from modernity to postmodernity, with its induction of socio-cultural development and attitudinal change, exists as a fundamental means of informing the character of contemporary graphic design practice1. Today, in contrast to the intentions of this study, many appraisals of graphic design work would seem to place too much emphasis on the analyses and evaluation of the stylistic character of creative practices and not enough on the theoretical, historical and attitudinal issues surrounding them. As such, this study attempts to reveal the meaning and moreover the relevance of philosophical, social, cultural and critical theory for contemporary, postmodern graphic design practices. This is done in order to provide graphic designers with a reflective awareness of the structure of the cultural context within which they work, and takes into account twentieth century cultural theory and twentieth century, western graphic design practice, within the framework of the passage from modernity to postmodernity.
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- Date Issued: 2005
The effect of new teaching methods in chemistry on the foundation certificate learners' results
- Authors: Nagel, Lilian Estelle
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: Chemistry -- Study and teaching (Higher)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10787 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/162 , Chemistry -- Study and teaching (Higher)
- Description: This study investigated possible alternative Chemistry teaching methods to improve the learning and thus the pass rate of the learners of access programmes at the Port Elizabeth Technikon. The study traced Chemistry learning from the Pre-Technician course to the present Science Foundation Certificate. Since the latter programme is a new course with new criteria, only implemented since the beginning of 2003, it provided a suitable platform for the evaluation and updating, if necessary, of new teaching methods. The study was limited to the subject of Chemistry. The participating learners in this qualitative research were fully informed of the objectives of this research and, for ethical reasons, their identities were protected. The methodology chosen was action research, which will include discussions regarding the choice, necessity and value of the research method. The following tools were used to collect data to determine approaches to learning and how the examination results were influenced: Questionnaires; Journal entries of students; Interviews; Data of examination results.
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- Date Issued: 2005