Aspekte van organisasie-kultuur in die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag

Date
2001-12
Authors
Jansen van Rensburg, Johannes Lodewikus
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The integration of the three former defence forces, four homeland forces and the one self-defence unit into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) drastically changed the race composition of the Department of Defence (DoD). The integration of these forces with their guerilla type warfare into a conventional force together with the changed race composition, is having an influence on the organisational culture of the DoD. The aim of this study is to investigate the organisational culture of the DoD with the primary focus on values to determine a group identity and the required behaviour. This investigation is conducted by researching the prescriptive legislation and policy applicable to the DoD, values from the traditionally western and Ubuntu culture, the vision of the Africa-Renaissance, tendencies in modern warfare and functions of modern armies. A proposed value system for the DoD is then developed. The way in which members of the DoD associate with this value system is tested by means of a sample and deviations are identified. Lastly, corrective options are proposed for these deviations. The developed value system consists of key values such as military professionalism, community/ethical orientation and military orientation. The collected data is interpreted by means of factors such as values characteristic of authority, military professionalism, military customs and human rights that concur with the key values. Against all odds it was found that members of the DoD associate badly with values traditionally associated with a defence force which is fully prepared. The following was found: • Members of the DoD do not identify with values such as commitment to comrades, non-discrimination, no bad excuses, fair practices, no misuse of rank, or pride and loyalty. Arms of service, rank groups, gender, population group and former force, identify in an average way with values characteristic with authority, high with professionalism, low with military customs and low with human rights. • The lower rank groups identify the worst with values, and warrant officers the highest. The senior officers identify the worst with human rights. • No distinction was found between the gender groups in respect of identification with values. • As far as population groups are concerned, differences occurred between whites and Africans in respect of their attitudes towards authority, professionalism, military custom and human rights. • As far as former force members are concerned, differences occurred between South African Defence Force (SADF), Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and the African People's Liberation Army (APLA) regarding their attitudes towards authority, professionalism and military customs. In so far as human rights are concerned, differences occurred between the SANDF and Transkei, Boputhatswana, Venda and Ciskei (TBVC). The study showed definite problem areas and remedial actions need to be concentrated on this. It is clear that the different race groups and members of former forces have different orientations towards the value system. This marginalisation of groups into sub-cultures cannot be tolerated. A group identity with which every member of the DoD can identify, needs to be established urgently. As remedial options a process of socialisation can firstly be used to instill a group identity and the desired behaviour in members of the DoD. Those who do not fit the group identity and required behaviour must be discharged. A value system must secondly be lived and the generals and officers of the DoD must be role models as far as the living of the value system is concerned. Thirdly, posters on notice boards are of little use if the values do not become visible in the behaviour of every member of the SANDF. There is no place for buzz words without any meaning. Fourthly, values must be validated by means of norms. These norms must be made known to all members of the DoD to ensure that the desired organisational culture and value system is instilled. In this regard the publication The Service Guide for Newcomers should be rewritten and given to every member of the DoD.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die integrasie van die drie verdedigingsmagte, vier tuislandmagte en een selfverdedigings-eenheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag (SANW) het 'n drastiese verandering in die bevolkingsamestelling van die Departement van Verdediging (DvV) teweeggebring. Die integrasie van die bevrydingsmagte, met hul guerrilla-tipe van oorlogvoering, in 'n konvensionele mag is besig om tesame met die veranderde bevolkingsamestelling 'n invloed op die heersende organisasie-kultuur van die DvV uit te oefen. Die doeI van hierdie studie is om die organisasie-kultuur van die DvV te ondersoek met die primere fokus op waardes ten einde 'n groepsidentiteit en die verlangde gedrag vir die DvV te bepaal. Die ondersoek geskied aan die hand van die voorskrifte van toepassing op die DvV, waardes vanuit die tradisionele Westerse en Ubuntukulture, die Afrika-Renaissance-visie, tendense in moderne oorlogvoering en funksies van hedendaagse weermagte. 'n Waardestelsel wat die organisasie-kultuur van die DvV weerspieel, word vanuit voorafgaande bronne ontwikkel. Die wyse waarop die lede van die DvV met die waardestelsel vereenselwig word deur middel van 'n steekproef getoets en afwykings word geidentifiseer. Ten slotte word remedierende opsies vir hierdie afwykings voorgestel. Die ontwikkelde waardestelsel bestaan uit kernwaardes, soos militere professionalisme, militere orientering en gemeenskaps-/etiese orientering. Die ingesamelde data word aan die hand van faktore soos waardes kenmerkend van gesag, militere professionalisme, militere gebruike en menseregte wat met die kernwaardes ooreenstem, vertolk. Teen alle verwagtinge in is daar bevind dat lede van die DvV hulself swak vereenselwig met waardes wat tradisioneel as baie belangrik vir 'n parate weermag geag word. Die volgende is bevind: Daar word nie met waardes soos toewyding aan makkers, geen diskriminasie nie, geen swak verskonings nie, regverdige gebruike, geen rangmisbruik nie, trots en lojaliteit geidentifiseer nie. • Weermagsdele, ranggroepe, geslag, bevolkingsgroep en voormalige weermagte identifiseer middelmatig met waardes kenmerkend van gesagsvertolking, hoog met professionalisme, laag met militere gebruike en swak met menseregte. • In terme van ranggroepe toon die laer range die laagste en die ranggroep adjudant-offisiere die hoogste metings betreffende die identifisering met waardes. Die ranggroep senior offisiere identifiseer die minste van al die ranggroepe met menseregte. • Geen onderskeid tussen geslagte bestaan met betrekking tot die identifisering van waardes nie. • Ten opsigte van bevolkingsgroepe is beduidende verskille tussen wit en Afrikaan se houding teenoor gesag, professionalisme, militere gebruike en menseregte gevind. • Daar is ten opsigte van voormalige weermagte gevind dat beduidende verskille tussen die houding van die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag (SAW) en Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) en die African People's Liberation Army (APLA) teenoor gesagsvertolking, professionalisme en militere gebruike bestaan. 'n Beduidende verskil kom voor in die houding van die SANW en Transkei, Boputhatswana, Venda en Ciskei (TBVC) teenoor menseregte. Die studie Iê duidelike probleemareas bloot en alle regstellings behoort hierop te fokus. Dit is duidelik dat die verskillende bevolkingsgroepe en lede van die voormalige weermagte totaal uiteenlopende orienterings ten opsigte van die waardestelsel het. Hierdie marginalisering van groepe in subkulture kan nie geduld word nie. 'n Groepsidentiteit waarmee alle lede van die DvV hulself kan vereenselwig, moet sonder versuim geskep word. As remedierende opsies word daar eerstens 'n sosialiseringsproses voorgestel ten einde 'n groepsidentiteit en die verlangde gedrag by lede van die DvV te kweek. Lede wat nie by die groepsidentiteit en die verlangde gedrag inskakel nie, moet eenvoudig ontslaan word. Tweedens moet die waardestelsels geleef word en die generale stat en offisiere behoort hier die rolmodelle te wees. Derdens moet die waardes op die glansbiljette wat op kennisgewingborde verskyn aan elke individu bekend wees en duidelik in die gedrag van alle lede van die DvV sigbaar te word. Daar is geen ruimte vir niksseggende gonswoorde nie. Vierdens moet waardes in terme van norme gekwantifiseer en aan alle lede van die DvV bekend gemaak word ten einde te verseker dat die verlangde organisasie-kultuur en waardestelsel inslag sal vind. Hiervoor moet die publikasie The Service Guide for Newcomers herskryf word en aan alle individue beskikbaar gestel word.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2001.
Keywords
Organizational change -- South Africa -- Evaluation, Group identity, Soldiers -- South Africa -- Attitudes, Value system, Organizational culture, Dissertations -- Public management and planning, Theses -- Public management and planning
Citation