The challenge of implementing integrated environmental management within an organisation structure: the case of the environmental section at Drakenstein Municipality

Date
2016-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: This study aims to investigate the current level of integration experienced by Drakenstein Municipality’s Environmental Management section. The study has three objectives: (1) identifying and discussing the different Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) approaches, objectives and principles, (2) reviewing IEM in Drakenstein Municipality and (3) analysing their documentation, goals, human resources and processes/procedures. Literature has provided a variety of successful practices with regards to IEM. It has provided knowledge with regards to the types of integration, integrating tools as well as the principles of IEM. A variety of authors have also researched the possible degrees of integration ranging from partial integration to full integration running on a linear scale. Organisational design and structure has been acknowledged to have an impact on the degree of integration achieved within an organisation, some organisational design and structures are thus more suitable to achieve full integration than others. There is a strong legislative background regarding IEM in South Africa. Both National and Provincial policies and forums encourage integration efforts in the country. To illustrate the above mentioned IEM ideas and theories, Drakenstein Municipality’s Environmental Management Section was used as a case study in which the degrees of integration will be determined based on documentation, goals, human resources and processes/procedures of the Section as well as other relevant sections identified because the environmental problems are not just the responsibility of this Section , but requires a collaborative effort between all Section s whose operations are affected by the environment. The findings from the research illustrates that currently the municipality has partial integration. It is recommended that a planning methodology for strategic integration needs to be implemented to replace the current operational integration and people orientated integration. It was also found that for integration to increase in the Section integration needs to occur throughout the municipality due to its holistic nature. The most important contribution of this study is to help the Drakenstein Municipality’s Environmental Management Section identify the current integration level with regards to environmental matters in the municipality and providing recommendations to increase integration if necessary. The theoretical contributions, findings, recommendation and future research are discussed in this thesis paper.
AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het ten doel om die huidige vlak van integrasie te ondersoek in Drakenstein Munisipaliteit se Omgewingsbestuurafdeling. Die studie het drie doelwitte: (1) die identifisering en bespreking van die verskillende benaderings, doelwitte en beginsels van Geïntegreerde Omgewingsbestuur (GO), (2) hersiening van GO in Drakenstein Munisipaliteit en (3) analisering van die organisasie se dokumentasie, doelwitte, menslike hulpbronne en prosesse/prosedures. Die literatuur voorsien ‘n verskeidenheid suksesvolle praktyke in terme van GO. Dit verskaf insig oor die verskillende tipes integrasie, integrasie hulpmiddels beskikbaar sowel as die beginsels agter GO. ‘n Verskeidenheid skrywers het reeds die verskillende vlakke van integrasie probeer navors wat wissel tussen gedeeltelike integrasie tot volle integrasie op ‘n lineêre skaal. Die ontwerp en struktuur van ‘n organisasie speel wel ‘n rol in die vlak van integrasie wat bereik word, sekere organisatoriese ontwerpe en strukture is meer geskik om volle integrasie te bereik as ander. Daar is 'n sterk wetgewende agtergrond omtrent GO in Suid-Afrika. Nasionale sowel as provinsiale beleide en forums moedig integrasie pogings sterk aan in Suid-Afrika. In ‘n poging om die bogenoemde GO idees en teorieë te illustreer was Drakenstein Munisipaliteit se Omgewingsbestuurafdeling gebruik as gevallestudie waar die verskillende vlakke van integrasie vasgestel word op grond van dokumentasie, doelwitte, menslike hulpbronne en prosesse/prosedures van hierdie afdeling sowel as ander relevante afdelings, aangesien omgewingskwessies nie net hierdie afdeling se verantwoordelikheid is nie, maar wel ‘n gesamentlike poging tussen al die afdelings wie se bedrywighede ‘n impak mag hê op die omgewing. Die bevindings van hierdie navorsing illustreer dat die Munisipaliteit huidiglik gedeeltelike integrasie uitvoer in hul werksaamhede. Daar word voorgestel dat ‘n beplanningsmetodologie vir strategiese integrasie geimplementeer moet word om die huidige operasionele en mensgerigte integrasie te vervang. Daar was ook gevind dat integrasie regdeur die Munisipaliteit moet geskied weens sy holistiese aard alvorens dit kan verbeter in die omgewingsbestuurafdeling. Die belangrikste bydrae van hierdie studie is om Drakenstein Munisipaliteit se Omgewingsbestuurafdeling te help om die huidige vlakke van integrasie met betrekking tot omgewingsake te identifiseer en om aanbevelings te maak oor hoe integrasie verbeter kan word waar nodig. Die teoretiese bydrae, bevindings, aanbevelings en toekomstige narvorsing word bespreek.
Description
Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.
Keywords
Integrated environmental management, UCTD, Environmental management -- South Africa -- Drakenstein Municipality
Citation