Performance assessment of infrastructure and housing contractors in Buffalo City
- Authors: Ngqinambi, Thomakazi Thobeka
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Performance standards , Construction industry -- South Africa -- Management Contractors' operations Organizational effectiveness
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/33682 , vital:32964
- Description: It is evident that contractors in Buffalo City Metro Municipality are not successfully executing the projects appropriately. The effects can be a result of factors contributing to poor performance. Expenditure trends tell a frightening story in relation to the performance of the contractors as the main spenders on capital and operating project budgets. The municipality is faced with projects that have time and cost overruns, poor project implementation and total abandonment. There is no proper performance measurement instrument in place; as a result, the council struggles to terminate poor performing contractors. This study focuses on key performance indicators that can be employed by the municipality to measure performance of contractors and evaluate progress. Also this study outlined the factors affecting contractor performance during construction so as to understand the effects of these factors on the performance. A questionnaire was utilised to collect information from construction stakeholders. In order for contractors to improve their overall performance, focus should be on construction time and cost. Clients must improve on speed of decision-making during construction.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Assessing the personal development of employees in a municipal environment
- Authors: Ntile, Zukiswa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Performance standards , Employee retention , Employees -- Recruiting , Employees -- Training of
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8875 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020420
- Description: Skills transfer to Municipal employees is lacking due to management delays in acknowledging and understanding its importance to the affected employees. These result in poor work performance and services delivery to the communities. In the research design the Job Performance in any organisation is expected to be releasing good results or outcomes. Employees expect to be recognised in their work they perform. The employers’ responsibility is to ensure that the employee’s interests are taken care of reasonably. Scarce skill is a very important aspect in the career of specialised skilled employees and expectations are very high in this kind of environment. Globally the scarce skill is one of the aspects that is encouraged that organisations should take cognisance of. When staff is recruited and works for the Municipality it is vital that they are retained and capacitated through trainings. The employees that have worked for the Municipality a longer period should or must at least transfer those skills for the preparation of the succession planning and continuity in the organisation. The data was collected in a form of a questionnaire where respondents indicated their responses based on the questions formulated to measure their job performance, scarce skills, retention of staff, recruitment and selection, on-the-job training for skills transfer and training in relevant field. The data collected was analysed and presented in the form of tables and percentages. The study has revealed that the clear strategies recommended are essential in the personal development of employees through training, recognition inthe institution by way of remuneration or awards and ensuring to retain staff for a longer period for succession planning in a municipal environment.
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- Date Issued: 2014
Evaluation of supervisor performance at Transnet port terminals
- Authors: Ben-Mazwi, Amanda
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Supervision of employees , Personnel management , Performance standards
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8935 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021200
- Description: The study is about evaluating supervisor performance at Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and the impact it has in the business world in general. The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of supervisors at Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) in the Eastern Cape. The sample size of 43 supervisors working at TPT from different departments like operations, planning, key accounts and procurement participated in the study. The sampled supervisors are between the ages of 20 and 59 years and was composed of females and predominantly males. The data was gathered through a questionnaire that was designed particularly to address the lack of quality of supervisory support at TPT. The response from respondents were tied to themes that were constructed, which are: (a) organisational goals; vision and management competencies; (b) communication; (c) performance cycle-setting of goals; (d) supervisor/supervisee performance conversation; and (e) supervisory development programme. The literature gathered and deliberated on in the literature review emanate from different authors in the form of books, journals and treatises. The empirical results were linked to theories gathered from different authors. Research findings were used to curb the issues identified, which will be beneficial to both TPT and its employees. The recommendations were submitted to the company to look at developing an in-house supervisory programme, capacity building internally and creating platforms for effective communication.
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- Date Issued: 2014
The influence of performance management systems on employee engagement
- Authors: Brewis, Willem Christiaan Coenraad
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Performance standards , Sales personne -- Rating of
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8836 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019957
- Description: This study focused on investigating different performance management systems and the possibility to introduce a performance management system (PMS) into the sales environment of a company. The company the researcher is working for does not have an official PMS and feel the need to investigate the possibility to introduce a PMS. The study investigated an appropriate PMS that promotes engagement levels with employees that will be the ideal system for the sales environment in the company. Both the PMS and engagement impact on employees were addressed and the suitable PMS was selected. Implementing a system within a selected division the researcher will compile a road map for implementing a PMS into the rest of the company with the background and learning done while implementing the system. The employees participated willingly in a survey. The questionnaire assessed the employees understanding of what a PMS is. Further, the questionnaire assessed if the company does have a PMS system in place. The engagement levels of employees were measured and this allowed management to make the appropriate changes to get the employees engaged in the workplace. The results from the survey show that the employees understand and have a need for a PMS. They do understand how a PMS in the workplace work. The company has a system in place to compensate employees for work done. The company does not deal with underperformance and engagement levels are very low. The factors of engagement tested were very low and it addressing the engagement factors integrated in a PMS will increase engagement levels with employees.
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- Date Issued: 2014
Transition from performance appraisal to performance management
- Authors: Maphazi, Thandeka
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Employees -- Rating of , Performance standards , Management by objectives , Personnel management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8808 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018570
- Description: The aim of this research study was to conduct an investigation to establish whether a performance management system would facilitate the achievement of the organisation’s strategic goals and objectives. The organisation used as a case study in this research uses a performance appraisal process which is not effective in facilitating the organisation’s strategic goals and objectives. Hence, this study has been undertaken against the above background. The researcher has utilised a positivist paradigm in this research. This means that the researcher has used a quantitative methodology in the process of data collection. A random sampling technique was used with an aim of including critical elements of the population of this study. More particularly, 50 employees of the organisation were electronically presented with a questionnaire based on important key elements of performance management. Moreover, the questionnaire included a Likert type scale consisting of closed and opened-end questions. Questionnaires were received from 35 employees, of which one was from senior management, 13 project managers, 12 from supervisory staff and 9 from support staff. Statistica was used in this research as a software program for the quantification of the data. This study revealed that the transition to a performance management will help the selected company achieve their strategic goals and objectives. Recommendations are made for the role of line management and the role of human resources in performance management.
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- Date Issued: 2013
A post restucturing assessment of employee attitudes in South African National Science Council
- Authors: Bugaari, Lynn
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Job enrichment , Employees -- Attitudes , Employee morale , Performance standards
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9945 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013702
- Description: Research problem: The restructuring of an organisation can be classified as a transformational intervention (Litwin & Burke, 1992). As such is it has a potential to significantly influence key employee attitudes that are related to employee and organisational performance. Any deterioration in these attitudes could impact negatively on organisational outcomes. As part of the monitoring and review of change interventions, management needs to understand the change in employee attitudes towards their work and management in their business units and towards the broader organisation in order that, if necessary, corrective action can be taken. Research objectives: To address the research problem, research objectives and questions were established. The main objective of the study was to investigate whether there has been a change in attitudes of employees in two business units of a South African National Science Council after the implementation of restructuring in the organisation and the business units. The key attitudes to be measured are job and management satisfaction, perceived organisational support, organisational commitment and a dimension of employee engagement, dedication. Research questions: Four research questions were established and these were; What is the change in employee attitudes post-restructuring? In particular what is the change in employee job satisfaction; management satisfaction, employee engagement, commitment to the organisation and perceived organisational support? What is the relationship between the sub-groups, distinguished by gender, occupational level, race, home language, age, number of years of service and business unit, and employee attitudes pre-restructuring? What is the relationship between the sub-groups distinguished by gender, occupational level, race, home language, age, number of years of service and business unit, and employee attitudes post-restructuring? What is the relationship between the sub-groups distinguished by gender, occupational level, race, home language, age, number of years of service and business unit, and the change in employee attitudes pre and post-restructuring? Research design: The nature of this research is descriptive. In order to solve the research questions the researcher used a pre-test and post-test measurement of employee attitudes. A survey using a structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information regarding employee attitudes before and after the restructuring of the organisation and business units. Major findings: The results from the survey showed that there was a change in the levels of organisational commitment, job satisfaction and management satisfaction at the National Science Council after the restructuring had taken place. Also, the impact of the sub-groups in the organisation on affective factors was evident in the level of occupation and employee engagement, race and management satisfaction, the business unit and the levels of perceived organisational support, management satisfaction and employee engagement, home language and employee engagement, the number of years the employee had worked for the organisation and management satisfaction, age and job satisfaction and employee engagement.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Improving employee job performance in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM)
- Authors: Maqungo, Thandeka Abigail
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Labor productivity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Performance standards
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8805 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1017533
- Description: The South African national government has bestowed certain authority on local governments in order for community services to be delivered by officials who are closer to the community and who will consider community needs. Post-apartheid South Africa is confronted with a major challenge in ensuring that municipalities deliver optimal and professional services to ratepayers of all ethnic and diverse cultures. Municipalities have important objectives to implement, while service delivery is one of its major goals. The ratepayers in the NMBM have complained and protested against poor service delivery that resulted from poor job performance by NMBM employees. It is therefore necessary to investigate the obstacles that are hindering the NMBM employees in exhibiting effective and satisfactory job performance in order to deliver the required services to the customers. The primary objective of the study is improving employee job performance in the NMBM by investigating the factors that influence such performance. More specifically, the study investigates the influence of job involvement, team work, organisational communication, skills development and training, recognition and pay and rewards on the job performance of NMBM employees. Convenience sampling was used to select a sample of 250 respondents from the large population of about 2 000 NMBM employees. The sample was stratified to include all occupational levels including the executive mayor, portfolio councillors, executive directors, and financial officers, operating officers, chiefs of staff, directors, assistant directors, senior managers, professionals and blue collar staff. Two hundred and fifty questionnaires were distributed, but only 200 usable questionnaires were returned, producing a response rate of 80 percent. The empirical results showed that recognition systems, job prestige, skills recognition, and skills development and training were significantly related to the job performance of the NMBM employees. Job involvement, fringe benefits, pay and rewards, teamwork and organisational communication were not significant related to the job performance of the NMBM employees. The study provides managerial and future research recommendations in this regard.
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- Date Issued: 2012
Exploring employee morale at the Port Elizabeth plant of Cadbury (South Africa)
- Authors: Wolfaardt, Michelle
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Cadbury Ltd , Chocolate industry -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Employee morale , Job satisfaction , Performance standards , Employees -- Rating of , Personnel management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3093 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003129 , Cadbury Ltd , Chocolate industry -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Employee morale , Job satisfaction , Performance standards , Employees -- Rating of , Personnel management
- Description: In the current business climate, performance is increasingly determined by how flexibly and effectively companies can utilize their human resources and this in tum, is influenced by employee morale. Morale refers to a state of psychosomatic health marked by an energetic, decisive resolution to achieve a given goal. When morale is low, employees may do what is required but do not have the energy to 'go the extra mile'. The importance of maintaining high morale is thus evident. The following project involved a study of morale in Cadbury's Port Elizabeth plant. Cadbury management was concerned about low morale following a recent merger with Bromor Foods. They thus wanted to assess: the state of current morale; any factors that may be influencing it; indicators of low morale (so that it may be monitored in the future) and finally, ways of addressing any existing morale issues. In order to achieve these aims, the researcher conducted interviews with various people to explore morale issues from employees' perspectives. She then sought confirmation for these views at the organizational level through the use of a survey. Statistical and thematic analyses showed morale to be low for middle managers and revealed a variety of indicators and influencing factors, as well as suggestions for addressing them. Despite the need to boost the sample size with convenience sampling, and thus, reduced representivity, the research was successful in answering the research aims.
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- Date Issued: 2006
Moving from performance appraisal to performance management at Goldmaster
- Authors: Verhulp, Ian Marc
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Employees -- Rating of -- South Africa -- Cape Town , Performance standards , Personnel management , Jewelers -- South Africa -- Cape Town
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8750 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/635 , Employees -- Rating of -- South Africa -- Cape Town , Performance standards , Personnel management , Jewelers -- South Africa -- Cape Town
- Description: Performance management systems help align individual goals and objectives with those of the organisation. The system engages employees and thereby directs them toward achieving the strategic goals of the organisation. The purpose of this research study was to conduct an investigation at a manufacturing jeweller in the Western Cape to establish whether a performance management system would facilitate the achievement of the organisation’s strategic goals and objectives. Preliminary investigations showed that the organisation was using a performance appraisal process which was not effective in facilitating the organisation’s strategic objectives. Based on the initial investigation, this study was undertaken. To achieve the goals of this study, 33 employees of the organisation were presented with a questionnaire based on important key elements of performance management. Responses were received from 31 employees, of which one was from senior management, two from management, three from supervisory staff, and 25 from general staff members. Their responses to the questionnaire were analysed and evaluated and, based on the findings, recommendations were made. The results of the study showed that problems exist in the organisation which impede achievement of its strategic goals. A performance management system would assist the organisation in many of these areas to overcome the identified problems. The results of the study will enable the management of the organisation to design and implement a performance management system to facilitate the achievement of the organisation’s strategic goals.
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- Date Issued: 2006
Public sector pharmacists' perception of the public sector performance management system
- Authors: Ranchod, Shameem Roshnee
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Pharmacy management , Performance standards , Public administration
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:10077 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/596 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011728 , Performance -- Management , Pharmacy management , Performance standards , Public administration
- Description: Performance Management aims to develop the employee and ensure that the work which the employee does is in line with organisational goals. However, many managers and employees do not like performance management systems and very often, for this reason, such a system does not succeed in meeting the organisation’s goals. The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions towards the performance management system of pharmacists working in the public sector. A questionnaire was compiled and pharmacists working in all public sector hospitals, provincial and municipal clinics and medical depots were asked to complete the questionnaire. The response rate was 66 percent. Seventy three percent of respondents had never undergone a performance evaluation, 75 percent stated it did not motivate them, 62.5 percent felt it did not improve poor performance, 90.6 percent felt the Performance Appraisal System did not reward good performance sufficiently and 63.6 percent felt it did not help with career progression. Seventy eight percent believed that the Performance Appraisal System did not effectively measure the pharmacists’ performance, and 82 percent felt that the System needed to be developed further. At least four evaluations should have been completed per year, yet 85 percent of respondents had experienced three or fewer evaluations since the System had been introduced. The analysis of the responses indicated that there was great dissatisfaction with the current performance management system. A few of the reasons are that the system in place did not effectively measure the pharmacists performance, that additional work done was not recognised, and that the process was extremely time-consuming. It may be concluded that the government needs to address the current problems being experienced with this system, as at present, it is not meeting the objectives it was intended to meet.
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- Date Issued: 2006
Development of a model of performance indicators required for the effective management of South African Universities and Technikons
- Authors: Hutton, Wendy
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Management , Performance -- Management , Performance standards , Performance -- Measurement
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:10826 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/16 , Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Management , Performance -- Management , Performance standards , Performance -- Measurement
- Description: Research has been conducted on performance indicators in higher education institutions in a number of countries. However, in South Africa limited research in this field on a national level is available to the management of South African higher education institutions. The change in funding of these institutions has led to performance measurement becoming essential in order to justify the use of public funds. In order to obtain more relevant information about performance indicators in the South African context, a literature study was conducted to develop a questionnaire to test the concurrence of the importance of performance indicators in South African universities and technikons. The findings of the survey shows a high level of concurrence for the performance indicators identified in the literature study.
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- Date Issued: 1999