Doctoral Degrees (School of Public Leadership)

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Administrative aspects of parks and recreational facilities at the local government level with particular reference to the Durban municipality : a theoretical and practical perspective
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1992-03) Bayat, Mohamed Saheed; Gildenhuys, J. S. H.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The provision and administration of parks and recreational facilities at the local government level was investigated. The status of parks and recreational facilities in overseas countries was described and compared with the situation in South Africa. After defining the concepts of play, recreation and leisure it was suggested that recreation is a basic human need throughout the life cycle. As such, the provision of parks and recreation facilities by local authorities is more than just a service. Since it concerns the basic social welfare of the community, it is also a moral obligation.
Administrative reforms required for the successful implementation of the National Development Plan
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-03) Orlandi, Nelia; Rabie, Babette; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Challenges with the successful implementation of policies, strategies and plans have been identified as reasons for South Africa not reducing poverty, unemployment and inequality. The aim of this study is to identify the obstacles that prevent successful policy implementation in South Africa. The focus is specifically to identify the possible constraints that could prevent the successful implementation of the South African National Development Plan (NDP), vision 2030. Policy implementation has been identified in the literature as one of the key elements of public administration. Over time, public administration went through a series of reforms, specifically to search for effective ways to make government work better and more cost effectively. Apart from the role of performance measurement in government’s effectiveness, the focus of reforms shifted to performance-based management as a whole. To ensure effective and efficient service delivery it is important to establish the key factors influencing the success of policy implementation. The study of policy implementation is grounded in the disciplines of public sector management and policy science. It comprises well-defined linear steps within a broader economic, political and social environment that, if taken care of, should lead to a sound policy process being put in place. All government activities must reflect and align to the objectives of government policies. The challenge, however, is to implement the mechanisms properly to reap the benefits of efficiency and effectiveness and to be able to evaluate success or failure. This research proposes a model to evaluate the success or failure of the implementation of the policy process. A model was developed, based on the key public sector reforms, mechanisms and key factors that influence successful policy implementation. The proposed model builds on previous models and frameworks and considers content, causality, context, capacity and control as critical elements influencing policy implementation. It is structured to assist policy implementation analysts to assess policy implementation over the entire policy process. The practical application of the model was tested on the South African NDP. The application of the model to the NDP identified slow progress, challenges with the design and mechanisms as blockages for the implementation of the NDP. Slow progress on the implementation of the NDP necessitated a more detailed analysis of the mechanisms introduced for the implementation of the NDP. Throughout the analysis, the complexity of the mechanism has been identified as a challenge for the successful implementation of the NDP. A revised operating model is therefore recommended for the implementation of the NDP. This revised model provides a simplified mechanism that fully integrates the NDP priorities into the standard processes of government. The proposed mechanism replaces the complex medium-term strategic framework (in its current format) and programme of action reporting process with a more integrated system. The adoption of a more refined framework, based on the proposed operating model for the development of the next five-year implementation plan of the NDP, should eliminate some of the blockages caused by the content and causality elements of the current NDP implementation plans. Despite the recommendation for a revised mechanism, a range of recommendations, based on the findings from the analyses on the current mechanism, have been made. The recommendations start with the development of well described performance indicators and targets. The next set of recommendations relates to the adoption of a more refined model for the implementation plans for the NDP and, therefore, the better integration of the NDP into the existing activities of departments in all spheres of government. Although many of the NDP initiatives relate to existing activities that can be accommodated in the existing budget programme structures of government, the review of all budget programme structures, to provide for the relevant resources and capacity, is recommended. This recommendation refers to all levels of government to ensure the correct classification of budget programmes to accommodate the NDP outcomes and activities to which funds must be directed. A further recommendation includes the consideration of combining other forms of budgeting selectively within the programme performance management system adopted by the South African government. To improve the relationship between planning and budgeting, government should also consider the review of the institutional arrangements of the planning, budgeting and monitoring and evaluation components. This is not just in terms of the NDP/long-term planning, but also in respect of medium- and short-term planning, reporting and monitoring. The last set of recommendations emphasises the role of communication and control when services are decentralised or, in the case of South Africa, the use of public entities. The main recommendations include: The identification of key relevant stakeholders as opposed to using multiple actors responsible for the implementation of national outcomes. Giving greater responsibility to programme managers linked to a public entity and at the same time holding them accountable for the monitoring of the strategic and financial management of public entities. Holding programme managers responsible for communicating and the monitoring of the requirements of public entities (that provide services on behalf of government) in terms of the implementation of the national outcomes.
Adopting “Results-based management policy innovation : a tool for strategy planning and execution” : a case study of the United Nations human settlements programme
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-12) Olupot, Geoffrey; Rabie, Babette; Cloete, Fanie; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Geen opsomming beskikbaar.
Advancing resilience assessments : the social dimensions of electricity supply in South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-04) Van der Merwe, Susara Elizabeth; Biggs, Reinette, 1979-; Preiser, Rika; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Electricity supply serves as a lifeline, is foundational to the effective functioning of modern society, and powers multiple layers of other critical infrastructure systems. In South Africa, Eskom, the national state-owned electrical utility, generates 95% of the country’s electricity, making the South African economy highly dependent on the utility. Eskom has been caught up in socio-political, technical and financial challenges, including corruption and state capture allegations. Futhermore, owing to supply deficits, Eskom had to resort to national load-shedding from 2007 to 2008 and from 2014 to 2015. Withdrawal of labour and acts of sabotage by employees during a national strike again necessitated load-shedding between June and August 2018. Eskom is described as the biggest risk to the South African economy, by investment bank Goldman Sachs in 2017, as well as the International Monetary Fund at the end of 2018. Resilience is a systems-level outcome that emerges as a result of dynamics within complex adaptive systems. An essential service, such as electricity, is resilient if the complex adaptive socio-technical system, from which it is produced, has the capacity to sustain delivery of the core service amidst disruption and ongoing change. A fundamental departure point for this study is the realisation that a resilient technical infrastructure is not enough to ensure the supply of essential services is resilient. The dynamics of the embedded social component is often overlooked, but contributes both inherent strength and vulnerability to the functioning of the socio-technical system that delivers the essential service. This dissertation uses the implications of complexity thinking and resilience thinking to investigate approaches to assess and build the resilience of the embedded social resources required to ensure resilient essential service delivery. The specific objectives of the study were to: develop a conceptual framework for assessing resilience of essential services; pilot two methods for assessing and building resilience (through a principle-based formative assessment approach and a narrative-based sensemaking approach); and to describe the SenseMaker® methodology, as it is increasingly utilized in academic research. These objectives were addressed through four research papers around which the dissertation is structured: The first paper develops a framework to conceptualise domains of resilience that distinguish between social and technical resilience investments, on the one hand, and between specified and general resilience, on the other. Specified resilience deals with resilience of particular system components to defined threats, whereas general resilience is a generic capacity to adapt and transform amidst unpredictable threats and unforeseen risks. Investments in all four of these domains are required in complex adaptive socio-technical systems to ensure resilient essential services. The paper also distinguishes between summative and formative resilience assessments. The first involves assessments of resilience whose primary aim is to report to a third party what is in place. The second entails assessments for resilience whose primary aim is to establish, through engagement with relevant stakeholders, what resilience is required and agree collectively on how to build it. The second paper develops and pilots a formative resilience assessment approach, using an appreciative inquiry facilitation approach to assess how the seven generic resilience building principles from the field of socio-ecological systems can be utilised to enhance general social resilience within socio-technical systems. Six participatory workshops were conducted that produced assessments situated in the collective experiences and perspectives of the participants. The study operationalised the seven resilience building principles into an assessment process that can be rapidly and repeatedly conducted to involve several members of a community. The study found participants identified opportunities to enhance resilience based on the principles of resilience governance towards adaptive and transformative resilience capabilities. The third paper provides a detailed description of the SenseMaker® method used to perform the sensemaking-based resilience assessment in paper four. Originally developed as a decision-making tool for corporate businesses, SenseMaker® is now increasingly used by researchers, but has not been well documented in the academic literature. This paper describes the SenseMaker® method, how it can be used, and its significance and shortcomings in research settings. The fourth paper develops and pilots a narrative-based sensemaking approach for assessing the strength of social resilience competencies and the relative combinations of specified and general social resilience resources that people draw on in the face of disruption. The approach was piloted in a national emergency exercise conducted in Eskom, which simulated sudden cascading failure across interdependent systems and functions. The study found that employees drew more on specified than general resilience resources. Results were interpreted relative to the quality of cognitive, connective and purposive sensemaking that participants displayed in response to the simulated failure. The key contribution of this dissertation is that it provides conceptual clarity regarding the different domains of resilience that need to be considered in socio-technical systems. Moreover, the study develops and pilots two methods for assessing social resilience. The first assessment approach is formative and uses the seven principles; and, the second is summative, using the narrative-based sensemaking approach. The importance of sensemaking capacities in social resilience is emphasized, and methodological clarity on the use of the SenseMaker method in research settings is provided. The findings from this study advance conceptual and methodological aspects of resilience assessments, in particular assessments of the social dimension of socio-technical systems. This study is especially significant as it was performed in a technical organization with an engineering driven culture, but focused on social aspects that affects systems-level resilience. These insights may also have relevance in advancing the assessment of social dimensions of resilience in social-ecological systems. On a practical note, the findings may assist a wide range of actors seeking to assess and build the resilience of essential service delivery in socio-technical systems.
African entrepreneurship : an exploration of innovation hubs as development institutions
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04) Nkontwana, Phumlani Stanley; Burger, A. P. Johan; van Breda, John; Rabie, Babette; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Innovation hubs have emerged as key hybrid entrepreneurship spaces where certain important institutional arrangements are made. Yet their development impact has arguably remained elusive. To explore underlying issues, this research aimed to answer the main question: How can hubs across Africa be reconfigured in ways that translate entrepreneurship into development? This investigation took an institutional approach to answering the research question. This was grounded on the argument that while evolutionary economic theory was an important contribution in crystallising the role of entrepreneurship in the formal economy, it reduced entrepreneurship to a micro-economic phenomenon by overly focusing on the individual entrepreneur and understating the mediating factors of institutional arrangements and the political economy. By implication, this necessitated a redescription of entrepreneurship in line with a macro-economic development perspective. Drawing from the new conceptual redescription of entrepreneurship and literature reviewed, it was argued that hubs have the potential to be effective at supporting entrepreneurship that leads to development, but only if they employ an ecological approach. An ecological approach was argued to be more useful for African entrepreneurship because it meant acknowledging the importance of creating a dynamic ecology of support among hubs. The choice of methodology was, by extension, based on its ability to embrace the relational and macro-economic perspectives of entrepreneurship. Thus, the study used an emergent transformative transdisciplinary research methodology involving five research design phases: co-design, stakeholder engagements, co-production of new knowledge, dissemination of results; and inspiring action. To complement the methodology, the study followed a narrative-based research method called SenseMaker®, which enabled the data collection of 100 stories across Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda. To answer the research question, the investigation organised respondent data into factual knowledge of their current realities (systems knowledge), areas of possible levers that may signal strategic areas of intervening (transformation knowledge) and ideal results local respondents reported they want (target knowledge). The analysis execution of the qualitative dataset used to derive empirical findings, employed two but complementary statistical techniques namely thematic analysis and non-linear causality diagram. One of the key empirical findings suggested hubs are potentially a key institutional vehicle that assembles resources such as talent, ideas and capital. Concurrently, the study highlighted an ongoing dominant perspective that while government is experienced as either absent or punitive, and private sector continues to be experienced as the lead force in coordinating ecosystem activities that drive entrepreneurship momentum and maturity; successful African entrepreneurs are essentially minority foreigners or diaspora with international education, past corporate experiences or upper-middle-class family backgrounds. By providing a new theoretical redescription of entrepreneurship from a development perspective and a practical example of employing methodological agility in an empirical investigation, the study contributed an original narrative account of stakeholder’s experiences evidencing the growing emerging view that even though the mainstream discourse in entrepreneurship is mainly about driving momentum and maturity across different ecosystems, locals and indigenous entrepreneurs do not have a sense of control or human agency to shape the directionality of African entrepreneurship toward development outcomes they want.
An analysis of South Africa public entity performance using biomatrix systems thinking theory : a case of South African water boards
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04) Buthelezi, Phakamani; Ndevu, Zwelinzima; Bossert, J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: The performance of South Africa’s water boards as public entities is increasingly receiving both private and public attention. Firstly, this is due to their character as service-orientated entities expected to rise to the occasion as the state strives to meet its constitutional obligation in the distribution of world class bulk potable water everyday pf the year to various water customers and municipalities. Secondly, there are areas of concern regarding the functioning of water boards as they are perceived at times as not adding value when fulfilling their roles and responsibilities. Even though there is no scholarly definition of what constitutes ‘adding/added value’, one can conclude that not adding value refers to a number of factors, including an inability to be self-sufficient, an inability to be in agreement with the South African Constitution and failure to meet performance targets. The water boards are no exception. It does not seem that the concerns will disappear soon, as water continues to be regarded as a strategic natural resource that is under tremendous pressure due to issues such as access, quality, quantity, and climate change. Whilst the South African Constitution makes it clear that the provision of reticulated water services is the responsibility and the domain of local governments or municipalities, there is a continued reliance on the national water boards to provide the same services on behalf of the municipalities concerned. Moreover, there is an ever-increasing public demand for better water services in terms of water quality and quantity and assurance of supply. Balancing the reliance of world class bulk potable water distribution (services provision) on the water boards and the ever-increasing public demands for better bulk water resources management (services) requires systems thinking approach that understands the interconnectedness of various components of integrated water resources management systems for socio-economic growth and development. It was therefore deemed appropriate to evaluate the water boards’ performance in terms of systems thinking. Generally, systems thinking is regarded by scholars as an integrative and systematic planning theory that ultimately improves and enhances performance in both private and public entities. There are various models and proponents of systems thinking. However, for this study, only the biomatrix systems thinking model of Elisabeth Dostal, in collaboration with Anacreon Cloete and György Járos, is/ was used in the evaluation of the water boards’ performance. The biomatrix model was chosen because it is an approach that integrates all essential key concepts of the whole field of systems thinking into one systemic approach. The biomatrix systems thinking model is viewed by its proponents as an integrator of concepts and theories developed by other systems thinkers. It was thus appropriate to test it in the evaluation of the water boards’ performance to determine the strategy required to improve performance in line with the requirements of the South African Constitution regarding water services provision. The argument was that water services was a constitutional matter and that the Bill of Rights made it compulsory for the state to ensure water access to all residents of South Africa. The aim of the study was to evaluate the South African water boards in terms of systems thinking. The intention was to determine the extent to which the biomatrix model as one of the systems thinking models could be used to improve performance and assist in developing the performance strategy of the water boards. The research method used was the qualitative method. The research was carried out in terms of a case study approach by conveniently selecting Umgeni Water, Amatola Water and Overberg Water, three of the nine national water boards. The case study was conducted in an interactive dialogue format on a diverse group of participants with emphasis on water as the leader of the socio-economic growth and development and ecological sustainable developmental agenda. Given the importance of water distribution for South Africa by Water Boards, it is suggested that all the recommendations presented in Chapter 8 be considered for implementation at a national as part of water boards’ performance enhancement. Whilst the study interrogates water distribution by water boards using system theories, it does suggests that the solution of the water distribution by water boards lies in the perpetual search for a discursive point of equilibrium to be found in implementing water distribution using system theory by water boards, by organs of developmental state, the private sector, and the participation of the institutions of civil society such as research think tanks and academic institutions in the water distribution delivery process. The latter is due to the fact that water boards as supposedly financially sound state-owned entities are critical in the same way that water is essential catalyst to the development of the country and the growth of its economy as implicitly and explicitly reflected on the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (28 November 2018) and the National Water and Sanitation Resource Strategy III being under review. World class bulk potable water or water distribution is a core function of water boards and water services is a core function of Water Services Authorities in South Africa. As the thesis is focusing on water boards, the main focus is water distribution not water services. Through consultation with the WSAs and the Minister of Water and Sanitation (a shareholder, trustee or custodianship) , the water boards are often mandated to provide specific water services across the WSAs or municipalities and the country on behalf of the Departments of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA). The results of the study further revealed the following: • Systems thinking theory and the biomatrix model are both relevant and applicable to the water boards’ water distribution core policy mandate and environment. • There is one conceptual water board framework adopted by the democratic administration and management system in post-1994. For purpose of unique distribution in various catchment management system in terms of water business cycle, hydrology and distribution approaches, the national conceptual water board system managed by the national Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is divided into various water boards aligned to both catchment management agencies (CMAs) per water management area and provincial legislatures as far as possible. There is actual one water board in South Africa and the concept is unnecessarily divided into a number of entities that should be gradually merged into one (review). • There are four (4) dimensions of biomatrix model as discovered in this study than popular three (3) dimensions in literature. The fourth one being the legislation which includes the area of jurisprudence. • The aspects of the biomatrix systems thinking model are not seven (7) but actually eight (8). The eight one is about law, governance and regulations as incorporated into the Republic of South Constitution. • The performance model is appropriate to enhance and improve water boards’ performance. The study further confirmed the role of human resources in bulk water services provision. Given the importance of water services for South Africa, it is suggested that all the recommendations presented in Chapter 8 be implemented nationally as part of water boards’ performance enhancement.
An analysis of the evolving military futures debate : explaining alternative military futures for the South African National Defence Force
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2006-04) Vrey, Francois; Roux, A.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Management and Planning. Institute for Futures Research (IFR).
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Twenty-first century armed forces increasingly have to operate amidst unprecedented uncertainty and complexity cascading onto the military domain. Not only are their roles and implicitly their whole being now constantly questioned; the historic rationale for their existence is also under pressure. New and even unorthodox responsibilities find their way into and increasingly begin to eclipse and challenge traditional elements that configure the military sphere. Adjustments towards new futures thus become essential, as the images of warless futures and endisms about war remain merely that - images. Subsequently, notions about the adaptive military and armed forces being open ended systems sensitive to and capable of remaining in step with unfolding futures, become imperatives. In addition to learning from history, military futures now increasingly co-feature as the domain to master in the pursuit of appropriate future armed forces. Exploring the future through a recognised field of study allows for alternative futures to unfold that are bound to differ from an historic review and its linear continuance. This also serves as a tenable argument for military futures. Only by systematically peeling away the dogma that armed forces are instruments for war and little else, can the required changes to and future contributions of military establishments towards alternative military futures be exposed. Subsequently, military forces become entities capable of changing alongside their societies towards futures not predominantly shaped for and by war. To this end, the topic of alternative military futures offers insights into the utility of armed forces as a more contributing and constructive future policy instrument. In researching alternative military futures through contiguous debates concerning the futuresmilitary nexus, military change, the Revolution in Military Affairs, and the unfolding strategic environment, it emerges that military change towards new futures is a rather slow and incremental process. Furthermore, the Revolution in Military Affairs, in spite of its prominence, offers limited future options to the majority of governments aspiring to exploit new ways and means for engaging military futures. In turn, the future strategic environment premises strategic futures leaving armed forces little choice but to prepare for a horizontal threat spectrum of simultaneity and complexity, and a vertical dimension of a destructive-constructive merger. This matrix calls for expanded military means to meet complex futures characterised by simultaneity and variety through a response hierarchy comprising destructive and constructive ways and means. These are future challenges also faced by the defence decision-makers and military practitioners in South Africa. Alternative military futures for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprise some interface with the dynamics posited by theories on military change, contributions by the Revolution in Military Affairs and threat-response continuum posited by the future strategic environment. From this challenging premise alternative military futures embedded in the more constructive and preventative use of its military policy instrument towards Africa in particular, a South African defence paradigm is emerging for employing the South African National Defence Force in future. Renouncing the warfighting option to bring about change, accepting the volatile and complex African challenge and embracing democracy and multilaterism call for new defence thinking to probe the future. This search is bound to reveal the unfolding of alternative military futures that reach beyond the expectations of South African defence decision-makers and military practitioners from both the apartheid and struggle generations.
An analysis of the performance of state- owned enterprises in Namibia : case studies in the transport sector
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-04) Limbo, Cedric Mwanota; Schwella, Erwin; Brand, Dirk; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH SUMMARY : The classical view of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) has typically been framed around dimensions of efficiency, productivity and administrative bureaucracy (Cuervo-Cazurra, Inkpen & Musacchio, 2014). A number of theoretical perspectives, namely the property rights school, the public choice tradition, the neoclassical approach, the behavioural approach and the budget-maximising approach, have been used to model SOEs (Lawson, 1994). Despite a long theoretical interest in modelling SOEs, and their large impact on the global economy, challenges still exist to develop a comprehensive theory of SOEs (Peng, Bruton, Stan & Huang, 2016). It is generally argued that SOEs have the potential for good governance, efficiency and better service delivery through enhanced performance. However, most SOEs do not reach these ideals. This situation justifies the need to study and carefully appraise options for injecting higher performance into SOEs if they are to play a meaningful role in achieving Vision 2030 – the vision of Namibia to become an industrialised country by 2030. The primary objective of this dissertation was to analyse the performance of SOEs in the transport sector and to identify factors that have contributed to the high or low performance of these SOEs. Several arguments have been made about the inefficiency and poor service delivery of SOEs. According to Steytler (2009:19), “[t]he poor financial performance of state owned enterprises have [sic] often been attributed to weak management practices of the CEOs of these institutions”. The ‘bureaucrats in business’ thesis by the World Bank (1995) advances a contrary view, i.e. that bureaucrats who run state-owned enterprises should not be blamed for all the ills of these companies since they are not necessarily incompetent but rather have to deal with contradictory goals and perverse incentives. Although the study confirmed most of the foregoing arguments, further analysis of the performance of SOEs in Namibia revealed that SOEs do not necessarily underperform simply because they are state-owned but because of the way that they are managed. With this revelation in mind, the study developed a model that could be helpful to address this situation, namely the performance of SOEs. Without going into the merits and demerits of the different methodologies, this study opted to use a mixed methods (pragmatic) approach. This allowed the researcher to adopt the best-suited approach to the research problem without getting caught up in the philosophical debates about which one is the best approach.
Anti-corruption strategies in the South African public sector : perspectives on the contributions of complexity thinking and ICTs
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2009-03) Habtemichael, Faniel Sahle; Cloete, Fanie; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Management and Planning.
Among the multitude of problems that contemporary South Africa is faced with, is corruption. Corruption in contemporary South Africa has spread to a systemic level, as evidenced through national and international research, official government statements, and the media. The leakage of billions of Rand from government coffers to greedy individuals is alarming. Allegations of corruption are increasingly implicating top government and party officials. Some of government payrolls are invaded by ghost workers; government accounts are charged by over- and under-invoicing, phantom billing and ghost beneficiaries. Resources are diverted and leaked in the process of supply chain activities. Against these, ICTs are not well placed, despite their capabilities to counter administrative corruption. The dissertation focuses on exploring the answers to the following questions in the South African public sector. i. What is corruption and why is it still increasing, despite the availability of ICTs that can effectively assist in tracking and tracing irregularities in the financial system? ii. How sufficiently and effectively are ICTs designed to minimise susceptibility to corruption in financial transactions, HR issues, and the activities (elements) of the supply chain? iii. How cohesive and integrated are the sub-systems and systems in the anticorruption industry (organisationally, nationally and internationally) in order to close the loopholes for corruption? iv. Is there a nationally centralised database system that is used as a frame of reference in administrative decision making? v. What general problems are there in the anti-corruption system? 6 In the effort to move from the conceptual to the empirical level, these problems provide the main stimulus for exploring the status and role of information technologies in the anti-corruption system.
Aspekte van organisasie-kultuur in die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001-12) Jansen van Rensburg, Johannes Lodewikus; Muller, J. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences . School of Public Leadership.
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.
An assessment of the relevance of environmental management accounting for sustainability in Zimbabwe’s extractive industries
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03) Muza, Cuthbert; Burger, A. P. Johan; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) has taken centre stage in companies with high environmental impacts, as literature reveals. The aim of this study was to assess current and potential relevance of Environmental Management Accounting in Zimbabwe’s mining sector and extractive industries. In assessing the relevance of EMA in the mining sector, the research was guided by research questions aimed at understanding whether EMA actually or potentially contributes to the sustainability of the mining sector and whether EMA systems contribute positively towards sustainability better than traditional accounting systems. The research premise was that, given the limited information about the implementation and relevance of EMA in Zimbabwe’s mining sector and extractive industries, EMA is an area of study which justifies in-depth research. It was further premised that implementation of EMA enhances sustainability in extractive industry and mining development. To achieve the aim of this study, a qualitative research design was adopted with an interpretivist paradigm. The researcher used multiple methods of data collection to source both primary and secondary data. These methods included open-ended questionnaires, interviews and document analysis. This helped to validate the results generated by triangulating them for purposes of consistency, confirmability and to reduce research bias. The researcher used the snowball sampling method to reach 34 companies out of a possible 89 companies. The study was a case study of the mining sector with the unit of analysis being the single companies in the sector. The multiple embedded cases of individual companies were analysed using ‘Atlas.ti’ qualitative data analysis software. The research findings indicate that EMA contributes positively in the mining sector, thereby promoting sustainability. However, the use of EMA is at entry level with random application. There are strong indicators of Environmental Management Accounting practices in the company’s traditional accounting systems. The different perspectives on EMA support the idea that the mining sector is complex; hence the implementation of EMA is difficult. The cost of implementing EMA does not outweigh the benefits thereof. The results also indicate that EMA improves the running of mining companies on a day-to-day basis. In spite of these encouraging findings, the benefits of EMA have not yet been fully realised in Zimbabwe because they can only be visible once EMA is being implemented more systemically. Notwithstanding, EMA has the potential to promote sustainability through the three pillars of sustainable development. The study revealed that, although the traditional accounting system addresses the three pillars of sustainability, it was not clear how the social pillar was being addressed. There are many benefits to be gained through EMA, with commensurate challenges of implementing it. Among the challenges is the need for stakeholders and management buy-ins in EMA applications. Research findings indicate that the paucity of EMA literature is limited to developing countries and emerging markets. While EMA is contributing positively in the Zimbabwean mining sector and extractive industries, companies are reluctant to implement it because of an envisaged capital intensive nature and lack of knowledge. The researcher recommends that companies be made aware of material flow cost accounting using physical environmental management accounting (PEMA) and monetary environmental management accounting (MEMA) systems. There is need to prioritise the development of sector-specific EMA standards. The accounting profession should also embrace developments in sustainability accounting and further develop their standards on guiding accounting professionals in how to implement a full-fledged EMA. The accounting profession should also work with other professionals to effectively implement EMA. The researcher recommends that further research be conducted to determine the role of legislation in Environmental Management Accounting. It will also be ideal to conduct research to check the impact of EMA on social issues.
Beleidsdinamika-analise van omgewingsbesoedelingsbeleid in die Wes-Kaap
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1994-11) Bakkes, Cornelius Meyer; Muller, Kobus; Fox, W.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Omgewingsbesoedeling, verwysende na lugbesoedeling, waterbesoedeling en afvalbesoedeling in die Wes-Kaap, is grootliks die gevolg van menslike aksies. Sedert die koms van Jan van Riebeeck in 1652, maar veral na die tweede helfte van die twintigste eeu, is verskeie pogings aangewend om omgewingsbesoedeling met behulp van beleidsmaatreels te beheer ten einde te voorkom dat omgewingsbesoedeling hinderlik of skadelik vir menslike gesondheid sal wees. As agtergrond tot hierdie studie is 'n omgewingsbesoedelingsprofiel vir die tydperk 1960 tot 1990 van die Wes-Kaap saamgestel. Ter aanvulling word 'n teorestiese beskrywing van beleidsanalise en spesifiek die beleidsdinamikamodel en die invloed wat die algemene en spesifieke omgewingsfaktore op organisasies het, is die beleidsveranderinge wat omgewingsbesoedelingsbeleid ondergaan het, ontleed. Sodoende is die dinamika van omgewingsbesoedlingsbeleid in die Wes-Kaap getoets. Aanvanklik is die vernaamste beleidsvoorskrifte teen omgewingsbesoedeling in die Volkzgesondheidswet, 36 van 1919, aangetref. GEdurende die tweede helfte van die twintigste eeu het hierdie situasie drasties verander. Om te verseker dat daar meer doeltreffend teen omgewingsbesoedeling opgetree word het beleidsverdeling van bestaande beleid plaasgevind. Van die vernaamste beleidsverdelings het op sentrale owerheidsvlak voorgekom as gevolg van die totsandkoming van die Waterwet 54 van 1956, die Wet op die Voorkoming van Lugbesoedeling, 45 van 1965, en die Wet op Omgewingsbewaring, 100 van 1982. Binne plaaslike owerheidsverband en spesifiek die Munisipaliteit van Kaapstad bly dit dat die prosesbenadering en die invloed van algemene en spesifieke omgewingsfaktore op organisasies beleidsverdeling, beleidsopvolging, beleidsinstandhouding en beleidsbeëindiging tot gevolg gehad het. Die navorsingstudie lei tot die gevolgtrekking dat omgewingsbesoedeling, en veral lugbesoedeling en waterbesoedling, tot 'n groot mate deur die voorgenoemde beileidsmatreëls beheer en voorkom word.
Beleidstelselanalise van militêre opleiding in die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Weermag
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2003-04) Coetzee, Abraham Johannes Albertus; Cloete, G. S.; Greyling, E. S. G.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: POLICY SYSTEM ANALYSIS OF MILITARY TRAINING IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE FORCE Borders in a global economy market exist only to determine the sovereignty of nations. Modern military interventions on the other hand are caught up in a struggle to stabilise international focal points. In the midst of this struggle, is the South Africa National Defence Force, in a process of change on the way to a supportive role to the African Renaissance and an upliftment mandate of the South African society. The South African government is caught in a battle against poverty, illiteracy and unemployment of an abundance of general workers, opposing a shortage of speciality skills measured against the National Qualifications Framework. The National Defence Force in contrast, attempts to create a meaningful military development training policy for the backbone of the National Defence Force, the non-commissioned officer. This military development training policy should not only adhere to economic restrictions of the Defence Budget, but should also acknowledge the potential and skills of this specific group. A literature survey as well as an empirical study of the non-commissioned officer's military development training policy in respect of the different arms of service in the National Defence Force shows that up to 18% of the personnel budget is spent on training. In the midst of this tendency, military development training does not keep up with changing training policy systems in South Africa, and that its effectiveness should therefore be improved in an integrated military developmental training system. The study has found that there are gaps in the military developmental training policy where learners in the South African Army have to meet far more course requirements than their peers in other Arms of the Service. Furthermore, the standard of curricula of the different training courses is not the same. Both these problems could be solved by way of one responsible, joint training department in the National Defence Force.In an emotional protection of a defence force culture, the National Defence Force creates a training budget monster, where seven different training units' supply the same training. According to the different developmental training curriculums, with small exceptions of arms of service specific training, developmental training could easily be presented in one or two separate National Defence Force Units. This idea will support the concept of one force and joint operations. In addition this idea will ensure that the National Defence Force exists within a National Defence Force culture followed by an arm of service culture that is supported by a functional culture.
Die bestuur van diversiteit in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002-12) Fourie, Marius (Mattheus Hermanus Wessels); Muller, J. J.; Schwella, E.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences . School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organisation development is an emerging behavioural science discipline. Its goals are to make organisations more effective and to develop individual potential. For this reason organisation development provides a set of methodologies to bring about organisational change and improvement systematically. The techniques introduced by organisation development adhere to a set frame of values. This research proposes that organisation development, as an evolving discipline, can depend on the management of diversity as a tool for change under certain conditions. Organisations are faced with the problem of surviving a fiercely competitive world. This they have to do with a workforce that is becoming increasingly diverse. Diversity as highlighted in this study, is a complex phenomenon. It does not entail only race and ethnicity as is sometimes believed, but also incorporates aspects like cultural differences and individual preferences. The traditional view of diversity has been assimilation, where race and other differences were standardised in a type of melting pot. In real life groups want to retain their individuality and this is being increased by today's non-hierarchical, collaborate and flexible management styles. The challenge is therefore to acknowledge differences and then to get the same and even more productivity from a diverse workforce as had been the case with the homogeneous workforce. This must be done without artificial programmes, standards or barriers. The limited data strongly suggest that efforts to manage diversity, as undertaken by leading organisations, have been fairly successful in improving performance regarding productivity, absenteeism and turnover. If diversity is ignored or improperly managed, it could become a detractor from performance. On the other hand, if diversity is managed well, organisations will be able to make diversity an asset to performance. This research shows that the management of diversity can and should be used to change organisation culture and to promote satisfactory performance. In this regard the monoculture of the South African Police Services is described as an example of an organisation culture that hampers the personal growth of its members and thus leads to ineffectiveness. This study identifies the main characteristics of the so-called police culture that prevents the organisations performance from being effective. It does so in the light of recent quantitative and qualitative research. Out of this a framework is developed that can be used to implement the management of diversity. The study also proposes proposals to utilise the management of diversity as an organisational development technique. For this purpose a measurement instrument is developed. The dissertation concludes with an exposition of strategies that the South African Police Service can implement on individual, group and organisation level, to manage diversity effectively.
Building corporate resilience : based on a case study of Spier Holding's search for a lower carbon future
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012-12) Pahwa-Gajjar, Sumetee; Swilling, Mark; Brent, Alan C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A study of the sustainability journey of Spier Holdings, a well known wine and leisure business in South Africa, offers a unique opportunity for interrogating corporate drivers for a lower carbon future. The business has established sustainability as a brand identity, declared carbon neutrality as a macro organisational goal in response to the global challenge of climate change, and sought scientifically and technologically appropriate ways of addressing this challenge. A preliminary analysis revealed various initiatives that are in place for measuring and reducing the business’ environmental impact, including carbon emissions. However, an in-depth study of the establishment’s environmental performance over two decades showed inconsistencies in year-on-year reporting, delays in shifting the supply chain, and gaps in implementation, particularly in the area of energy efficiency and adoption of renewable energy technology. Understanding and interrogating the business’ sustainability journey through a systems ecology and corporate citizenship framework proved inadequate. The case highlights that organizational goals for environmental performance areas, including the aim of carbon neutrality, and sustainability reporting are not sufficient catalysts for change. A complexity-based resilience approach allowed the business to be understood as an adaptive system. The sustainability story tracks different phases of a modified adaptive renewal cycle, which also determine the dominant management paradigms, strategic responses and forms of collaboration during each phase. Spier’s sustainability journey was found to be underpinned by a quest for corporate resilience which includes the resilience of the business (enterprise resilience) and of the social-ecological system within which it resides (SES resilience). The business responded to interdependent risks and uncertainties in its internal and external contexts, through investment strategies in key areas of corporate environmental performance. As a contribution to new knowledge, this thesis proposes an integrated corporate resilience framework for building enterprise resilience and ecological sustainability. This framework, and the accompanying mapping tool, reveals deep, ecological drivers for Spier’s environmental performance across corporate areas of lower carbon emissions, water sustainability, wastewater treatment, solid waste recycling and ecological custodianship. The framework is recommended for use by similar businesses, eager to configure their relationship with natural resources and ecosystem services, and by scholars, for investigating corporate performance towards environmental sustainability.
A case study analysis of human resource management systems in selected higher education institutions in South Africa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-04) Govender, Loshni Sarvalogasperi; Mantzaris, E. A.; Pillay, P.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Human Resource Management (HRM) systems are a critical component of every organisation and encompass models, practices, orientations and other key elements, which impact on the efficiency and relevance of the services and other related outputs provided to users. The associated successes and failures of HRM systems ultimately have a significant organisational impact. This exploratory work sought to ascertain the impact of Human Resource (HR) models, HR competencies, and transformative leadership, on employee performance, satisfaction and perception. Further, an analysis of the competencies required of HR practitioners were identified. This study and its findings are intended to assist HR departments in their consideration of the need for transformational leadership and improvement of HR models and competencies, relevant to the requirements of the higher education (HE) sector. HRM systems in higher education in South Africa are facing challenges. To meet the dynamic needs of contemporary organisations, a critical review of current practices and models are required. The principal aim of this study was to examine the HRM systems used in higher education institutions in South Africa. In addition, transformative leadership models and competencies within the HE sector in South Africa were explored. The focus of this study is on how these aspects advance the social justice agenda of the country and that of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). A case study approach by way of a comparative study of HRM systems in two universities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa was undertaken. A mixed method approach was utilised in this study. The first phase involved in-depth qualitative data collection. This was followed by a quantitative data collection process. The results of the study indicate the need for a relevant, localised HRM Model which meets the needs of South African universities and other sectors in South Africa. The current HRM curricula used for the training of HR practitioners needs are to be reviewed to ensure relevant content is covered in preparing graduates for the workplace. Further, institutional executive general management and HRM capability require attention and a renewed focus on HRM development and capacity building are required. The capability of the executive management of universities was found to be a key factor in the advancement of transformational change. In addition, the need for localised HRM research with specific emphasis on HR practice and effectiveness as well as the location of HRM within the South African legislative milieu emerged as a critical factor. Finally, the institutional positioning of HR needs to be addressed in terms of structural alignment and decision-making capability. The recommendations propose that the South African Regulatory Value Aligned (SARVA) HRM Model be used in the South African context; as it considers the extraneous variables and factors that can meaningfully lead to effective HR practices. It is envisaged that the model will act as the nexus between the organisation, its strategy, outcomes, values in alignment with the provisions of the ILO, the country’s legislative framework and stakeholder requirements. The development of the SARVA HRM Model which can be used across different sectors and industries both in South Africa and within the Southern African Development Community region, is a key contribution emanating from the study. The model may be utilised in a global context as it proposes the prescripts of the ILO and the legislative framework on a country-basis as well as institutional values, which together with identified HRM functions, provide a cohesive modality for HR practices within organisations.
Child poverty and the performance of the child support grant in South Africa
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011-03) Streak, Judith Christine; Van der Berg, Servaas; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the cruelest legacies of the apartheid era in South Africa was that it created a situation in which a very large proportion of children in the African and Coloured populations live in households affected by severe poverty. The first aim of this dissertation is to make a contribution to knowledge about the South African child poverty profile and its sensitivity to the adult equivalence scale used in measurement. This contribution is based on the Income & Expenditure Survey 2005. In April 1998, following the recommendations of the Lund Committee, the Child Support Grant (CSG) cash transfer programme was introduced. This programme initially paid a benefit of R100 a month to primary caregivers who passed a means test to help them care for children age 0-6. Currently it offers R250 to primary caregivers of children age 0-15 who pass a means test. The second aim of this dissertation is to synthesize the main findings and knowledge gaps of the performance of the CSG based on an analysis of the existing research on the programme. The questions used to structure the CSG analysis are derived from an application of the Rossi et al. (2004) systematic approach for tailoring a social programme evaluation and cover the logic of the programme‘s impact theory, implementation impact and design. Chapter one considers conceptual and methodological issues in child poverty measurement, thereby providing methodological foundations for the analysis. Chapter two reviews the existing research on child poverty in South Africa and identifies knowledge gaps that the Income and Expenditure Survey of 2005 analysis contributes towards filling. Chapter three presents the findings on the sensitivity of the child poverty profile to changes in the adult equivalence scale as well as on the dimensions of the South African child poverty profile. Chapter four describes the Rossi et al. (2004) method for tailoring a social programme evaluation and applies it, thereby laying the foundations for the CSG programme analysis, presented in chapter five. The conclusion explains how the child poverty analysis in the first half of the dissertation relates to the CSG analysis in the second and draws implications of the dissertation‘s main findings for future research. Setting the poverty line at the 40th percentile of households calculated with different AESs, the scope and composition of child poverty are found to be relatively insensitive to the scale used. This supports the argument that it may be appropriate in South Africa to use a poverty line based on a per capita welfare measure. For the construction of the poverty profile per capita income is used as the welfare indicator, with the poverty line set at the 40th percentile of household. The profile finds that poverty remains more extensive amongst children than adults even after the massive injection of cash via the CSG into poor households with children. Large variations across provinces remain. The child poverty headcount and depth and severity measures are all found to be higher amongst children age 0-4 than children age 15-17, despite the prioritization of very young children in the roll out of the CSG programme. The finding that children age 0-4 are still most in need questions the logic behind the government‘s recent decision to expand coverage of the grant to children age 15-17 instead of allocating additional funds to support this group. The CSG programme impact theory is found to be reasonable. A substantial amount of research on the programme‘s implementation is identified, which shows the massive expansion in its coverage since 2000 and that, in general, it has been well implemented. Delay in reaching very young eligible children, under-representation of children with non-biological caregivers and failure to reach some of the very poorest children who live in remote areas emerge as weaknesses in programme implementation. Barriers to access are identified. The difficulty of distilling the effects of the CSG programme on child poverty and its associated deprivations in the absence of a randomized community trial is explained, as is the need to use direct rather than indirect monetary indicators to isolate the impacts of the CSG on child poverty. A small yet convincing evidence base on the impacts of the programme is identified; this shows that it has been achieving its ultimate objectives of reducing child deprivation and promoting human capital development. It is argued that the existing research and current budgetary context suggests that: the income means test should not be eliminated; the CSG benefit value should not be raised substantially; school related conditions should not have been linked to receipt of the CSG benefit; and, even in the case of children age 16 and above, the grant should be paid to children via the primary caregiver. The research priorities implied by this dissertation are organized into three separate yet interrelated areas of research. The first is further research on the dimensions of multi-dimensional child poverty in South Africa. Here the spotlight needs to be on: understanding more about which children are deprived and in what sense; similarities and differences between the composition of poverty based on indirect monetary measures and other more direct measures of deprivation; the circumstances which ensure that children age 0-4 are still most in need (at least in the resource deprivation sense). The second area is research on the implementation of the CSG programme, in which case the findings from the existing research on the weaknesses in programme implementation and concerns about targeting outcomes need to guide the research. The third area of research identified as requiring further attention is that of the CSG‘s impacts on child deprivation (wellbeing). Here the focus needs to be on establishing which children are benefiting most and least from the grant and why. Towards this end quantitative researchers need to follow the lead of other researchers and use direct indicators of child outcomes. Qualitative research on who controls the resources that flow into the household, as well as how resources are allocated inside the household, can make an important contribution to answering these questions. The CSG‘s potential to generate behavioral effects which could alter household structure and/or income earned from wages is something that is also identified as important for researchers to explore.
Closing the strategy execution gap in the public sector : a conceptual model
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-03) Olivier, Anton J.; Schwella, Erwin; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The importance of strategy execution to achieve organisational objectives is increasingly recognised. However, successful execution seems to remain problematic, not only in government, but also in the business world today. Because of the gap between strategy planning and execution, the required benefits stated in this planning are seldom realised. The consistent and generally poor execution of strategic plans in the public sector leads to poor service delivery. The objective of the research was to develop, test and further improve a conceptual model that can specifically be applied in public sector organisations (PSOs) to help close their strategy execution gap. According to the research hypothesis, strategy execution will significantly improve by using a simplified, dynamically integrated conceptual model as guide in tailoring strategy execution in each PSO. The qualitative Participative Action Research (PAR) methodology was used based on case studies in Namibia, including ministries, state-owned enterprises and local authorities. The literature gap was found to be the limited number of resources addressing strategy execution in the public sector and the limited number of sources presenting a multi-disciplinary or integrated model involving the whole organisation. Based on previous literature reviews and experience, the researcher developed his first conceptual model in 2006. After the development of four more models, the final MERIL-DE Model was arrived at in 2014 as conceptual model to help close the strategy execution gap in the public sector. Additional literature review and analysis of the public sector context, supported by ten case studies in Namibia over the eight year period (2006–2013), led to the MERIL-DE Model containing and integrating the nine vital strategy execution components. These are as follows: 1) Leadership, 2) Strategic Planning, 3) Project Management, 4) Alignment (with organisational elements), 5) Performance Management (containing the MERIL elements Measure, Evaluate, Report, Improve and Learn), 6) Drive (mostly internal motivation), 7) Engagement (through dialogue), 8) Risk Management and 9) Stakeholder Management. The first seven components were identified through literature review and the last two from considering the unique public sector context. Features of the model include the critical role of leadership, the need to clearly link strategy and projects, the important role of project management, the shorter review periods for both strategic and project plans, the need for an institutionalised quarterly strategy execution cycle and importance of engagement and motivated workforce. The MERIL-DE Model shows the need to build adaptive and sustainable organisations in a complex and challenging public sector. The conventional plan-and-execute processes have to be complemented by sense-and-respond capabilities through a system of Measure, Evaluate, Report, Improve and Learn – linked to Drive and Engagement – in which components are dynamically integrated. Each PSO, however, needs to develop its own unique or tailor-made MERIL-DE model. This tailored model is referred to as the “Stratex Car” to be designed and built by each PSO, considering its own unique conditions. The Strategy Execution Framework (SAF) is presented as tool to assess the strength of each MERIL-DE component with the Total Strategy Execution Capacity (TSEC) to determine the total capacity of the PSO to execute its strategy. It is believed that the use and application of the MERIL-DE Model will significantly contribute to close the strategy execution gap present in the public sector, not only in Southern Africa, but worldwide – to see governments and public organisations deliver real beneficial public service. Monitored application of this model will be valuable for future research towards the ongoing closing of the strategy execution gap.
Co-designing gendered energy innovations for urban informal settlement households in Kenya : a case study of Mathare Valley informal settlement
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Anditi, Christer Adelaide; Musango, Josephine Kaviti; Ndevu, Zwelinzima; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Energy innovation processes are gender-blind, which impedes energy innovation adoption in informal urban settlement households. While renewable energy innovations can significantly decrease carbon emissions and improve livelihoods, 80% of Africa depends on biomass for their energy needs, and only 43% have access to electricity, resulting in high energy insecurity. The impact of energy insecurity disproportionately affects women more than men. In cities, emergent inequalities are higher among poor populations living in informal settlements. For example, 60% of Nairobi’s population lives in informal settlements. Despite the global development approach to integrating informality, the current energy policy in Kenya is bifocal: rural-urban. It does not recognise informal settlement households’ uniquely gendered characteristics and their role in energy innovation adoption. Moreover, the policy lacks instruments for interrogating and implementing gendered energy needs. This study applies design thinking in mainstreaming gender in energy innovation processes to promote adoption. Three objectives achieved include: contextualising gendered energy innovations in informal urban settlements in Kenya, exploring dissemination channels for gendered energy innovations in Kenya, and co-designing an actor-network structure for gendered energy innovations in informal urban settlements in Kenya. This transdisciplinary case study of the Mathare Valley informal settlement in Nairobi develops a novel tool named Gender Mainstreaming Model for Innovation Adoption (GeMMIA) to interrogate the role of gender across the innovation process systemically. The overall methodology is mixed methods and uses cross-sectional data. A survey of 207 households in Mathare unveils the dimensions of gender in this informal urban settlement. Semi-structured interviews with multiple stakeholders and key informants map their journeys as they interact with innovations. Subsequently, an analysis of the user journey maps explores the decision-making process, which is then used as a guide to facilitate a focus group discussion. The multi-stakeholder focus group discussion proposes dissemination strategies for gendered energy innovations, including the need to interrogate informal agency. The ensuing multi-stakeholder design thinking workshop examines value translation across the energy chain through a quasi-experiment. The result is an actor-network structure that integrates informal agency with formal systems to promote energy innovation dissemination. The study finds that, indeed, informal settlements in Africa are uniquely gendered in several ways: women are less exposed to energy innovations, there are higher mortality rates in women and children, poor technical skills training and low participation of women in energy projects. The survey results indicate that in Mathare, although women make household energy decisions, the men pay for the energy fuels and devices in the home. Female-headed households have lower incomes than male-headed households. In addition, there is a high level of illiteracy, eminent use of poor energy sources and overall, household gender dynamics are relational. The proposed strategies in addressing emergent gender concerns across the energy innovation process are mainly women-specific and integrated. They address strategic energy needs for women but also appreciate the gender interdependency within the household. The co-designed actor network reveals stronger ties between the users and the informal community representatives than with the formal system. The study integrates these two agencies and maps their networks and value translation. In conclusion, the study contributes to systems and target transdisciplinary knowledge in the energy sector. Transdisciplinarity is essential in understanding contextual user dynamics, and while it is necessary to address women-specific inequalities, including men in development endeavours is just as fundamental. The study proposes strategies for disseminating gendered energy innovations to adopt for informal settlements in Kenya, an actor-network to test in the settlements, and develops a gender mainstreaming tool as a policy instrument.
Collaborative governance: a holistic approach to managing the methamphetamine problem in the Western Cape
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) Visser, Anton; Uys, Frederik; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Public institutions in South Africa are increasingly required to respond effectively to serious societal problems. The year-on-year increase in the abuse of methamphetamine over the last decade in the Western Cape represents one such societal problem that needs to be effectively managed by public institutions in the Western Cape Province. Methamphetamine abuse is having a devastating effect on local communities and is causing irreparable damage to the lives of thousands of users and their families. Despite significant drug abuse prevention efforts of various public institutions, the private sector and local communities, methamphetamine abuse is fast becoming a societal problem of epidemic proportions. A definite need exists for re-thinking the way in which drug abuse is being managed in South Africa and the Western Cape Province in particular. Internationally, there seems to be general consensus that drug abuse needs to be addressed from a multi-disciplinary approach that will allow actions to be taken from various perspectives. This view is also held by South African public institutions and is in fact, entrenched in the South African Government’s National Drug Master Plan. Unfortunately, this does not translate into actual collaboration or any measure of sustainable results. To this end, the study was conducted for purposes of determining whether Collaborative Governance could serve as an appropriate management approach for addressing the Western Cape’s methamphetamine problem. In doing so, it was found that Collaborative Governance is inextricably linked to the concept of Holism. When a holistic state is realised, the measure of value that can be secured is more than that of the sum of individual efforts and should thus be pursued in the management of societal problems. However, whilst the realisation of a holistic state spontaneously occurs in nature, this is not the case in the management sciences, and hence the need for the adoption of a management approach that promotes this concept. The study therefore endeavoured to determine whether the proper implementation of the principles of Collaborative Governance can indeed result in added value being achieved as far as managing the methamphetamine problem is concerned. This study makes specific recommendations on how the principles of Collaborative Governance can be applied to managing the methamphetamine problem in order to ensure that it be addressed from a holistic perspective that can be expected to yield additional public value. This includes the development of what is believed to be an ideal system for the effective management of the methamphetamine problem, i.e. an Integrated Management System. Multiple research methods were employed during the course of the study of which the empirical dimension was both qualitative and quantitative in nature. This included survey research among members of the major drug management structures in the Western Cape, interviews with various participants, and observations and conducting a field experiment on the practical application of the principles of Collaborative Governance in a particular setting.

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