The relationship between leadership and employee engagement in an automotive original equipment manufacturer in South Africa
- Authors: Slater, Bronwyn Lereen
- Date: 2024-04-03
- Subjects: Leadership , Transactional leadership , Transformational leadership , Employee engagement , Industrial relations , Automobile industry and trade South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/434756 , vital:73102
- Description: The manufacturing industry is one of the greatest contributors to the South African economy. Owing to a competitive and complex automotive climate, it is suggested that only a few automotive manufacturing organisations will remain viable in the coming years, without the optimal reliance on human capital resources to navigate an unpredictable and unfolding landscape. In securing a sustainable future, the engagement of these human capital resources is necessitated. This competitive landscape has resulted in the call for adaptive and flexible leadership. Leadership behaviour is categorised into three streams, namely, transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and non-leadership, which is referred to as laissez-faire leadership. Employee engagement is defined as the extent to which an employee is committed to, and involved in, their operational function and the organisation, whilst portraying a willingness to perform and contribute beyond that which is expected of them. The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between leadership and employee engagement in an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in South Africa. This OEM operates in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng Provinces of South Africa. Globally, the OEM launched a leadership journey to facilitate a shared value system that supported a vision towards organisational success, by focusing on transformed ways of working and acting, as a global collective team. The outcome of this desired journey yielded eight Leadership Principles. These Leadership Principles are referred to, and included in the research study, to gain a more robust internal perspective of the leadership behaviours that are most advocated within the OEM, in relation to employee engagement. The objective of this research therefore was to establish the relationship between leadership and employee engagement in the respective OEM, by investigating the impact of transformational leadership and transactional leadership on employee engagement. A triangulation approach was adopted to analyse the data, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The result when testing the reliability coefficient scores of the leadership instrument described a poor measure for transactional leadership, and a good measure for transformational leadership. Therefore, the results that stemmed from the statistical analysis in relation to transactional leadership could not be trusted. However, in the context of this research, it was found that there is a statistically significant relationship between transformational leadership and employee engagement. Whilst utilising the qualitative research methodology, it was found that there is a limited definition-based relationship between transactional leadership and the eight Leadership Principles. However, there is a definition-based relationship between the Leadership Principles and transformational leadership, owing to similarities found in the definition descriptions between at least six of the eight Leadership Principles. In the investigation of whether there is a definition-based relationship between the Leadership Principles and employee engagement, it was found that a limited definition-based relationship between the eight Leadership Principles and engagement existed. The research therefore met its objectives in determining a relationship between leadership and employee engagement in an Original Equipment Manufacturer in South Africa. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Management, 2024
- Full Text:
- Authors: Slater, Bronwyn Lereen
- Date: 2024-04-03
- Subjects: Leadership , Transactional leadership , Transformational leadership , Employee engagement , Industrial relations , Automobile industry and trade South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/434756 , vital:73102
- Description: The manufacturing industry is one of the greatest contributors to the South African economy. Owing to a competitive and complex automotive climate, it is suggested that only a few automotive manufacturing organisations will remain viable in the coming years, without the optimal reliance on human capital resources to navigate an unpredictable and unfolding landscape. In securing a sustainable future, the engagement of these human capital resources is necessitated. This competitive landscape has resulted in the call for adaptive and flexible leadership. Leadership behaviour is categorised into three streams, namely, transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and non-leadership, which is referred to as laissez-faire leadership. Employee engagement is defined as the extent to which an employee is committed to, and involved in, their operational function and the organisation, whilst portraying a willingness to perform and contribute beyond that which is expected of them. The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between leadership and employee engagement in an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in South Africa. This OEM operates in the Eastern Cape and Gauteng Provinces of South Africa. Globally, the OEM launched a leadership journey to facilitate a shared value system that supported a vision towards organisational success, by focusing on transformed ways of working and acting, as a global collective team. The outcome of this desired journey yielded eight Leadership Principles. These Leadership Principles are referred to, and included in the research study, to gain a more robust internal perspective of the leadership behaviours that are most advocated within the OEM, in relation to employee engagement. The objective of this research therefore was to establish the relationship between leadership and employee engagement in the respective OEM, by investigating the impact of transformational leadership and transactional leadership on employee engagement. A triangulation approach was adopted to analyse the data, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The result when testing the reliability coefficient scores of the leadership instrument described a poor measure for transactional leadership, and a good measure for transformational leadership. Therefore, the results that stemmed from the statistical analysis in relation to transactional leadership could not be trusted. However, in the context of this research, it was found that there is a statistically significant relationship between transformational leadership and employee engagement. Whilst utilising the qualitative research methodology, it was found that there is a limited definition-based relationship between transactional leadership and the eight Leadership Principles. However, there is a definition-based relationship between the Leadership Principles and transformational leadership, owing to similarities found in the definition descriptions between at least six of the eight Leadership Principles. In the investigation of whether there is a definition-based relationship between the Leadership Principles and employee engagement, it was found that a limited definition-based relationship between the eight Leadership Principles and engagement existed. The research therefore met its objectives in determining a relationship between leadership and employee engagement in an Original Equipment Manufacturer in South Africa. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Management, 2024
- Full Text:
The morphogenesis of higher education leadership: a social realist exploratory journey
- Authors: Andrews, Ruth
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Educational leadership South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Critical realism , Social realism , Educational change South Africa , Transformational leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/442897 , vital:74051 , DOI 10.21504/10962/442897
- Description: The purpose of the study underpinning this thesis was to explore the tensions experienced by university leaders as they balance politics, power and the academic project whilst pursuing their ultimate concerns in the world. Universities are undergoing constant change, particularly in the present time of hypercomplexity, where the discourses of globalisation and neoliberalism condition higher education institutions and their leaders. This predisposes universities to operate as a market economy rather than as a public good. University leaders are under immense pressure as they seek to reposition themselves and exercise their agency in steering their institutions in a landscape fraught with complexity and contestation about the very nature of the modern university. The study was located in a traditional university in South Africa, which added another layer of complexity given the history of Apartheid and, the use of education as a means of discriminating against the black majority population, and the subsequent attempts by the government to transform the system following the first democratic election of 1994. Bhaskar’s (1989) critical realism and Archer’s (1998, 2000) social realism were used to frame the study theoretically. Bhaskar argues for the understanding of the world as an ‘open system’ in which experiences and events emerge from the tendential interplay of mechanisms at a layer of reality not directly accessible to empirical observation. Archer’s (2000) social realism draws on critical realism to provide a set of tools that allows an exploration of the social world in more detail. This study draws on the tools of analytical dualism, or the temporary separation of structure, culture and agency for analytical purposes, and Archer’s (1998) morphogenetic framework, which allows for the exploration of change, or non-change, over time. The overarching goal of the study was to explore how leaders at one South African university were enabled and constrained as they exercised their agency in the pursuit of projects they had identified to address their ultimate concerns about the world more generally and higher education in particular. However, the study also sought to explore the construct of leadership itself in a specific context by using Archer’s (2007, 2012) theoretical work on reflexivity. The study drew on in-depth interviews with senior leaders at the institution, including two vice-chancellors. The interviews were subjected to analysis, and the inferential tools of abduction and retroduction were used to identify the interplay of mechanisms located at the level of the Real, the deepest layer of reality posited by Bhaskar (1978), which led to the events and experiences reported by leaders. A literature review was used to identify additional theories that were used in the processes of abduction and retroduction. The study revealed that change, or rather non-change, is often concealed in cultural rhetoric veiled in leadership practices in acts assimilating past ideology and codified rules and practices with new codified rules and practices. Leaders often draw on powerful relational networks as they reflexively exercise their agency, and these networks can also work to constrain change. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education 2023
- Full Text:
- Authors: Andrews, Ruth
- Date: 2023-10-13
- Subjects: Educational leadership South Africa , Education, Higher South Africa , Critical realism , Social realism , Educational change South Africa , Transformational leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/442897 , vital:74051 , DOI 10.21504/10962/442897
- Description: The purpose of the study underpinning this thesis was to explore the tensions experienced by university leaders as they balance politics, power and the academic project whilst pursuing their ultimate concerns in the world. Universities are undergoing constant change, particularly in the present time of hypercomplexity, where the discourses of globalisation and neoliberalism condition higher education institutions and their leaders. This predisposes universities to operate as a market economy rather than as a public good. University leaders are under immense pressure as they seek to reposition themselves and exercise their agency in steering their institutions in a landscape fraught with complexity and contestation about the very nature of the modern university. The study was located in a traditional university in South Africa, which added another layer of complexity given the history of Apartheid and, the use of education as a means of discriminating against the black majority population, and the subsequent attempts by the government to transform the system following the first democratic election of 1994. Bhaskar’s (1989) critical realism and Archer’s (1998, 2000) social realism were used to frame the study theoretically. Bhaskar argues for the understanding of the world as an ‘open system’ in which experiences and events emerge from the tendential interplay of mechanisms at a layer of reality not directly accessible to empirical observation. Archer’s (2000) social realism draws on critical realism to provide a set of tools that allows an exploration of the social world in more detail. This study draws on the tools of analytical dualism, or the temporary separation of structure, culture and agency for analytical purposes, and Archer’s (1998) morphogenetic framework, which allows for the exploration of change, or non-change, over time. The overarching goal of the study was to explore how leaders at one South African university were enabled and constrained as they exercised their agency in the pursuit of projects they had identified to address their ultimate concerns about the world more generally and higher education in particular. However, the study also sought to explore the construct of leadership itself in a specific context by using Archer’s (2007, 2012) theoretical work on reflexivity. The study drew on in-depth interviews with senior leaders at the institution, including two vice-chancellors. The interviews were subjected to analysis, and the inferential tools of abduction and retroduction were used to identify the interplay of mechanisms located at the level of the Real, the deepest layer of reality posited by Bhaskar (1978), which led to the events and experiences reported by leaders. A literature review was used to identify additional theories that were used in the processes of abduction and retroduction. The study revealed that change, or rather non-change, is often concealed in cultural rhetoric veiled in leadership practices in acts assimilating past ideology and codified rules and practices with new codified rules and practices. Leaders often draw on powerful relational networks as they reflexively exercise their agency, and these networks can also work to constrain change. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, Education 2023
- Full Text:
Service as a leadership competency at Director/CEO level
- Authors: Chilton, Ilse Mercia
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Leadership Moral and ethical aspects , Servant leadership , Compassion , Humility , Integrative thinking , Critical incident technique , Transformational leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419075 , vital:71614
- Description: Given ethical failures in leadership, the actions and decisions of leaders are receiving renewed attention based on the role business plays in society. Business leaders need to demonstrate their willingness to consider their influence on society and not merely consider the demands and expectations of shareholders. Leaders must consider the ethical lens through which their decisions and actions are perceived. Service as a leadership competency can develop ethical leadership. Currently, service is not clearly defined and understood, and Pearse (2017) proposes five interrelated elements of service as a competency, namely individualised consideration, compassion, motivation to lead, humility and integrated thinking. The study examined if the five interrelated service elements are present when a leader at Director/CEO level exercises an act of service towards a follower. The study adopted a qualitative deductive thematic approach, collecting data through semi-structured interviews and using the critical incident technique to guide the interviews. The study's findings support the research proposition that service as a leadership competency consists of the five elements, but with some of these elements expanded. Service as a leadership competency is recommended to develop high-quality social relationships within an organisation, which will positively impact the corporate culture. Organisations can recruit and select leaders based on ethical leadership requirements and integrate these into performance management systems. Recommendations for further research have also been made. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2023
- Full Text:
- Authors: Chilton, Ilse Mercia
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Leadership Moral and ethical aspects , Servant leadership , Compassion , Humility , Integrative thinking , Critical incident technique , Transformational leadership
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/419075 , vital:71614
- Description: Given ethical failures in leadership, the actions and decisions of leaders are receiving renewed attention based on the role business plays in society. Business leaders need to demonstrate their willingness to consider their influence on society and not merely consider the demands and expectations of shareholders. Leaders must consider the ethical lens through which their decisions and actions are perceived. Service as a leadership competency can develop ethical leadership. Currently, service is not clearly defined and understood, and Pearse (2017) proposes five interrelated elements of service as a competency, namely individualised consideration, compassion, motivation to lead, humility and integrated thinking. The study examined if the five interrelated service elements are present when a leader at Director/CEO level exercises an act of service towards a follower. The study adopted a qualitative deductive thematic approach, collecting data through semi-structured interviews and using the critical incident technique to guide the interviews. The study's findings support the research proposition that service as a leadership competency consists of the five elements, but with some of these elements expanded. Service as a leadership competency is recommended to develop high-quality social relationships within an organisation, which will positively impact the corporate culture. Organisations can recruit and select leaders based on ethical leadership requirements and integrate these into performance management systems. Recommendations for further research have also been made. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2023
- Full Text:
The impact of leadership on job satisfaction at a specific bank in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Wyngaard, Shaun Peter
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Leadership , Bank employees Job satisfaction , Labor turnover , Transformational leadership , Bank management South Africa Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62050 , vital:28099
- Description: This study aimed at investigating the relationship between leadership and employee job satisfaction in the banking sector of South Africa. The study drew from the fact that there is a growing emphasis in organisations to reduce employee turnover by keeping their employees satisfied. The ultimate performance, effectiveness and competitiveness of an organisation are directly related to an organisation’s ability to keep its employees optimally productive and satisfied. Numerous research studies have been conducted on transformational, transactional and passive-avoidant leadership to determine the significance of their respective relationship with the job satisfaction of employees in different scenarios. Results show that the transformational leadership style has a significant relationship with job satisfaction; while the transactional leadership style or the passive-avoidant style are applied according to changing circumstances. The study adopted a quantitative approach, using online questionnaires as an instrument for collecting primary data. The target population of the study was 380 bank employees, and the target sample was 218; 121 questionnaires were completed and used as the actual final sample. Questionnaires were completed from managers and employees of the selected bank, with the two population groups being investigated using different scales. SPSS was used in analysing the collected data. The findings of this research showed that the leadership styles under investigation have a direct impact on the job satisfaction of employees. Transformational leadership was found to have a significant positive relationship with job satisfaction, while the relationship between transactional leadership and job satisfaction was positive but moderate. A significant negative relationship was found between passive-avoidant leadership and job satisfaction. It is thus the responsibility of the financial institution under investigation to highlight the significant links and benefits of this leadership style to its management to ensure increased job satisfaction and lower turnover of employees in the institution. Literature explored in this study supported the close link between the different leadership styles and job satisfaction.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Wyngaard, Shaun Peter
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Leadership , Bank employees Job satisfaction , Labor turnover , Transformational leadership , Bank management South Africa Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62050 , vital:28099
- Description: This study aimed at investigating the relationship between leadership and employee job satisfaction in the banking sector of South Africa. The study drew from the fact that there is a growing emphasis in organisations to reduce employee turnover by keeping their employees satisfied. The ultimate performance, effectiveness and competitiveness of an organisation are directly related to an organisation’s ability to keep its employees optimally productive and satisfied. Numerous research studies have been conducted on transformational, transactional and passive-avoidant leadership to determine the significance of their respective relationship with the job satisfaction of employees in different scenarios. Results show that the transformational leadership style has a significant relationship with job satisfaction; while the transactional leadership style or the passive-avoidant style are applied according to changing circumstances. The study adopted a quantitative approach, using online questionnaires as an instrument for collecting primary data. The target population of the study was 380 bank employees, and the target sample was 218; 121 questionnaires were completed and used as the actual final sample. Questionnaires were completed from managers and employees of the selected bank, with the two population groups being investigated using different scales. SPSS was used in analysing the collected data. The findings of this research showed that the leadership styles under investigation have a direct impact on the job satisfaction of employees. Transformational leadership was found to have a significant positive relationship with job satisfaction, while the relationship between transactional leadership and job satisfaction was positive but moderate. A significant negative relationship was found between passive-avoidant leadership and job satisfaction. It is thus the responsibility of the financial institution under investigation to highlight the significant links and benefits of this leadership style to its management to ensure increased job satisfaction and lower turnover of employees in the institution. Literature explored in this study supported the close link between the different leadership styles and job satisfaction.
- Full Text:
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »