Department of Industrial Psychology

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Academic staff perceptions and the identification of critical success factors in a merger of two academic institutions
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-12) Stephen, David Ferguson; Du Toit, M. K.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this investigation is two-fold: to ascertain the perceptions and reactions of academic staff to a merger, and its impact on them; and secondly, to identify factors which are critical to merger success. Although the two institutions had agreed on some form of closer relationship, the process was accelerated by a decision by the Department of Education to use mergers as a means of initiating change in South Africa’s post-school education system. Despite many superficial similarities, the two institutions were dissimilar. Only operational and financial factors were considered. The human factors were ignored. This was critical as the two institutions were totally different with regards to organisational culture and academic standards. The resulting clash in these areas proved to be a major stumbling block to the success of the merger. Technikon A, regarded as the institution of choice, had been subjected to a variety of rapid environmental changes in the few years immediately prior to the merger. These changes had sapped staff morale. In addition, significant financial mismanagement had almost crippled the institution. While the staff of neither institution was in favour of the merger, and both staff associations approached the Department of Education to stop it, the merger went ahead. However, the staff association of Technikon B publicly and vociferously opposed the merger, based on their fears that Technikon A’s incompetent management and weak financial position would impact negatively on them. Instead of integrating “best practice” systems, the weak Technikon A management allowed Technikon B to “make the running” and introduce only their systems into the merger. In effect, this turned the merger into a hostile take-over and allowed for the total deculturation of Technikon A. The perceptions of a sample of Technikon A academic staff were canvassed, both pre- and post-merger. The pre-merger predictions were accurate and there was almost unanimous consent as to the outcomes of the post-merger environment. Comparisons were made with other academic mergers in South Africa and overseas – notably Australia – and parallels drawn with the merger in question. In all cases, the perceptions of staff were very similar. From the literature, a list of critical merger success factors was compiled, against which the present merger was compared. Given that this merger failed to successfully address almost all of the success criteria, the merger must, therefore, be regarded as a complete failure.
Adapting the systems model of performance management to major changes in the external and internal organisational environments
(AOSIS, 2001) Spangenberg, H. H.; Theron, C. C.
In essence, this article discusses ways to ensure continued relevance of Performance Management in fast-changing environmental and organisational realities. It starts with the rationale for moving from performance appraisal to Performance Management. In view of some persisting problems with regard to Performance Management, a systems approach to help alleviate these problems is discussed. The current status of Performance Management is reviewed, based on international surveys and a recent report on the way Performance Management best-practice organisations utilise the system. In view of this information, the Systems Model of Performance Management is adapted. The paper is concluded with a discussion and recommendations for future research.
Advancing group emotional intelligence through resonant leadership and exploring the effect on group effectiveness
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-12) Ferreira, Liisa; Van der Bank, Francois; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Global competitiveness has brought along many changes within organisations during the 21st century. Organisations are required to be adaptive to the rapidly changing world of work and its demands. One of the key factors that have shown to enhance an organisation’s capacity to be adaptive, is effective group work (Kozlowski & Bell, 2013). This realisation has led to a structural transition from individual work to group work in organisations (Brad, 2015; Koman & Wolff, 2008). However, not all groups are necessarily effective. Given the vast amount of research suggesting that groups with high emotional intelligence display higher levels of performance than groups with low emotional intelligence (Jordan et al., 2002; Wong & Law, 2002), this study was directed at understanding the sources of emotional intelligence in groups; and particularly, the role of Resonant Leadership as a facilitator of group emotional intelligence. The study made use of an ex post facto correlational design with a convenience sample of 321 individuals who responded to the questionnaires. Respondents had to rate their group leader on the four dimensions of Resonant Leadership (visionary, coaching, affiliative and democratic), using a new scale developed for the study, the Resonant Leadership Scale. To operationalise group emotional intelligence, they had to rate the presence of nine group norms using the Emotionally Competent Group Norms Scale. The overall effectiveness of the group was measured by the Collective Beliefs Scale representing the dimensions of trust, group identity and group efficacy. Finally, in order to control for the group members’ own emotional intelligence, the participants had to indicate their aggregate perceptions of the emotional intelligence of the individuals comprising their group in the Group Member Emotional Intelligence Scale. Structural equation modelling with partial least squares was used to analyse the fit of the measurement and structural model. All five of the hypothesised paths within the structural (inner) model were found to be statistically significant. The results revealed that in addition to the individual members’ own emotional intelligence, the style of leadership in the group (i.e. Resonant Leadership) play’s a significant role in the facilitation of group emotional intelligence, which was measured through nine Group Emotional Intelligence Norms (understand team members, address unacceptable behaviour, demonstrate caring, reviewing the team, support expressions, build optimism, proactive problem-solving, understand team context, and building external relationships). Furthermore, the results confirmed that Group Emotional Intelligence Norms have a positive impact on group performance, as denoted by the Collective Beliefs of trust, group identity and group efficacy. The results contributed to the development and validation of the Resonant Leadership Scale, and has also helped to formulate recommendations to organisations in the form of interventions aimed specifically at increasing group performance.
An analysis of a supervisor-subordinate trust relationship
(AOSIS OpenJournals, 2000) Engelbrecht, A. S.; Cloete, B. E.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In view of the importance of interpersonal trust as recognized by organizational scholars and the problems associated with the study of trust in organizations, the development of a conceptual model of organizational trust is essential. The aim of this study was to establish empirically the validity of a theoretically sound model of trust in the South African work context. The overall results confirmed a positive relationship between interpersonal trust, trustworthiness and successful trust relationships. The propensity to trust, as well as the length of the supervisorsubordinate relationship, however, did not prove to have a moderating effect on trustworthiness.
Antecedents for and outcomes of the pursuit of customised careers for millennial women in skilled occupations.
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) Van Huyssteen, Serina; De Wet, M.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. Industrial Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study aims to contribute to the field of Industrial and Organisation Psychology by shedding light on the increasing diversity of gender and generation which make up the global workforce today and how this diversity could alter an organisation’s strategies in attracting and retaining the most valuable employees. With this in mind the study explores the work-life values and -preferences which drive millennial women currently active in the workplace. The focus is on career customisation, which includes several work time and work location alternatives (part-time work, flexi-hours, time banking, compressed work work, job sharing, telecommuting, hot-desking, agency employment, portfolio careers) as well as the manner in which work-life conflict and work-life enrichment is impacted by career customisation. The research question is formulated around the antecedents which facilitate millennial women to actively pursue career customisation, especially in terms of their generation and the development of technology. In addition, the study explores the outcomes of career customisation for women on an individual level, for their families and for their careers, questioning whether the gains were worth the sacrifices. Furthermore their views are explored regarding the potential benefits of career customisation for organisations. Great care was taken to ensure adherence to ethical research guidelines during the research process. The research strategy and design consisted of a qualitative nonexperimental method using semi-structured questionnaires and symbol discussion in one-on-one interviews with thirteen individual millennial women of various races and millennial generation age categories active in a several forms of customised careers. Strategies to ensure quality of data were based on the confirmability, credibility, dependability and transferability of the data. Sampling of the participants was done by combining snowball sampling and purposive sampling. Data analysis and interpretation followed a process of idea categorisation which resulted in the identification of interrelated concepts in the material, from which themes and sub-themes were extracted. Seven main themes and twenty-two sub-themes emerged from the data. As main themes the millennial mind-set, the social culture which the woman forms part of and the prevailing organisation culture of their organisation were all themes which were indicated to be driving forces towards the pursuit of a customised career. In terms of outcomes of the pursuit of a customised career the main themes included mostly positive implications on the levels of individual well-being and the household as well as the benefits to the organisation if career customisation is accommodated. Lastly the need for organisations to embrace the reality of a changing work environment was indicated as a separate theme by the participants. These main- and sub-themes were discussed in depth, after which a structural model was created as visual representation of the associations between themes. Lastly the limitations of the study were discussed along with suggestions for further studies which could be valuable on the same or related subjects.
Antecedents of frontline service innovation within an agricultural, retail and services organisation within the Western Cape
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-12) Nieder-Heitmann, Marietjie; Malan, D. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Research on innovation in services is limited and it is only since the Gross Domestic Profit (GDP) of services sectors in most developed countries have started to exceed that of manufacturing, that the need for research has increased. Apart from the dramatic growth in services, the continous increase in business competition justifies more research on the manifestation and reinforcement of innovative behaviour on the individual frontline level. This study explored and empirically evaluated a theoretical model that identifies antecedents of Frontline Service Innovation amongst frontline employees within an agricultural retail, trade and services organisation within the Western Cape. The nomological network of latent variables included Frontline Service Innovation, Psychological Ownership, Emotional Intelligence, Empowering Job Characteristics, Innovative Organisational Climate, Psychological Safety, Creative Self-Efficacy and Empowering Leadership. The data was collected by means of a self-administered paper-and-pencil questionnaire and 150 questionnaires in total were completed. The measurement model was statistically evaluated by means of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and, where necessary, Linear Structural Relations (LISREL), but only PLS-SEM was utilised for the statistical evaluation of the structural model. The most important findings of the current study were that both Emotional Intelligence and Creative Self-Efficacy had a significant direct relationship with Frontline Service Innovation and Creative Self-Efficacy mediated the relationship between Empowering Job Characteristics and Frontline Service Innovation. In addition, the relationships between Empowering Leadership and Innovative Organisational Climate, Empowering Job Characteristics and Creative Self-Efficacy, Empowering Job Characteristics and Psychological Ownership, and Empowering Job Characteristics and Psychological Safety were established as being significant, with the mediating effect of Innovative Organisational Climate on the relationship between Empowering Leadership and Psychological Safety also being significant. This study richly contributes to research on service innovation. The limitations of the current research project are discussed along with recommendations regarding future research. The findings have enabled the researcher to discuss the practical implications thereof and to recommend a number of interventions aimed at facilitating Frontline Service Innovation in similar organisations.
Apparel shopping behaviour. Part 1, Towards the development of a conceptual theoretical model
(AOSIS Publishing, 2003-10) Du Preez, Ronel
Apparel shopping behaviour in a multicultural society is a complex phenomenon. The objective of this paper is to analyse various theoretical models from two disciplines, namely Consumer Behaviour and Clothing, and to develop a new conceptual theoretical model focussing on variables influencing apparel shopping behaviour in a multicultural consumer society. Variables were presented as market dominated, consumer dominated, and/or market and consumer interaction variables. Retailers, marketers, educators, researchers and students could benefit from the proposed model and recommendations are made in this regard. Part 2 reports on an empirical study based on the proposed conceptual theoretical model and discusses market segments and profiles.
Apparel shopping behaviour. Part 1, Towards the development of a conceptual theoretical model
(AOSIS Open Journal, 2003-10) Du Preez, R.
Apparel shopping behaviour in a multicultural society is a complex phenomenon. The objective of this paper is to analyse various theoretical models from two disciplines, namely Consumer Behaviour and Clothing, and to develop a new conceptual theoretical model focussing on variables influencing apparel shopping behaviour in a multicultural consumer society. Variables were presented as market dominated, consumer dominated, and/or market and consumer interaction variables. Retailers, marketers, educators, researchers and students could benefit from the proposed model and recommendations are made in this regard. Part 2 reports on an empirical study based on the proposed conceptual theoretical model and discusses market segments and profiles.
Apparel shopping behaviour. Part 2, Conceptual theoretical model, market segments, profiles and implications
(AOSIS Publishing, 2003-10) Du Preez, Ronel; Visser, Elizabeth M.
This article is based on the conceptual theoretical model developed in Part 1 of this series of articles. The objective of this research is to identify female apparel consumer market segments on the basis of differentiating lifestyles, shopping orientation, cultural consciousness, store patronage and demographics. These profiles are discussed in full and the implications thereof for retailers, marketers and researchers are highlighted. A new conceptual model is proposed and recommendations are made for further research.
Apparel shopping behaviour. Part 2. Conceptual theoretical model, market segments, profiles and implications
(AOSIS OpenJournals, 2003-10) Du Preez, R.; Visser, E. M.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This article is based on the conceptual theoretical model developed in Part 1 of this series of articles. The objective of this research is to identify female apparel consumer market segments on the basis of differentiating lifestyles, shopping orientation, cultural consciousness, store patronage and demographics. These profiles are discussed in full and the implications thereof for retailers, marketers and researchers are highlighted. A new conceptual model is proposed and recommendations are made for further research.
Apparel shopping orientation : two decades of research
(South African Association of Family Ecology and Consumer Sciences (SAAFECS), 2001) Visser, Elizabeth; Du Preez, Ronel
Shopping orientation is a complex and multidimensional concept. Defining shopping orientation is extremely difficult, due to numerous interrelated variables. Although the concept shopping orientation is described by researchers from various perspectives, certain major variables (or concepts) are repeated in the different descriptions. Stone (1954) introduced the concept shopping orientation. He referred to shopping lifestyles or shoppers’ styles that place emphasis on certain activities in particular. Other researchers added to this definition by pointing out that shopping-specific lifestyles encompass shopping activities, interests, and opinions. The definitions of shopping orientation reflect a view of shopping as a complex personal, economic, social and recreational phenomenon (Darden & Howell, 1987; Hawkins et al, 1989:641; Kwon et al, 1991; Shim & Bickle, 1994; Shim & Kotsiopulos, 1992a; Shim & Kotsiopulos, 1993; Shim & Mahoney, 1992).
Application of reliability analysis for performance assessments in railway infrastructure asset management
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03) Zhuwaki, Nigel Tatenda; Fourie, Cornelius Jacobus; Van Eeden, Joubert; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reliable railway infrastructure systems guarantee the safety of operations and the availability of train services. With an increase in mobility demands, it is increasingly becoming a challenge to deliver railway infrastructure systems with a sustainable functionality that meets the various dependability attributes such as reliability, availability, and maintainability. Decisions related to infrastructure asset management in the railway industry focus on the maintenance, enhancement, and renewal of assets. This is to ensure that the infrastructure assets meet the required level of dependability and quality of service at the lowest life cycle costs. The success of these decisions depends on the effective management of individual assets over their lifetime from the perspective of a whole systems approach. A whole systems approach offers greater advantages over the traditional silo approach which lacks integration and coordination in the maintenance and management of complex cross-functional multi-asset systems. Reliability, when applied to infrastructure asset management, is a mathematical concept associated with dependability in which engineering knowledge is applied to identify and reduce the likelihood or frequency of failures within a system. In addition, it enables a systematic analysis to be performed at various levels of the railway network to quantify the various dependability attributes of individual infrastructure assets and their impact on the overall performance of the infrastructure system. The objective of this study is to develop a scientific approach to model and evaluate the reliability performance of railway infrastructure systems. This paper presents the development and application of a holistic reliability model for multi-asset systems that can facilitate and improve infrastructure maintenance management processes in railway environments. The model is applied and validated using a practical case study in the context of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). The case study applied to PRASA`s Metrorail network concluded that a holistic performance assessment method using reliability analysis can assist in improving the maintenance and management of railway infrastructure assets to guarantee high quality of service.
Assessing behavioural intention of small and medium enterprises in implementing an HIV/AIDS policy and programme
(AOSIS OpenJournals, 2005-10) Parsadh, A.; Van Dyk, G. A. J.
Abstract: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are likely to feel the impact of an HIV/AIDS epidemic through reduced productivity and an increased percentage of absenteeism; staff turnover; recruitment and training costs; cost of employee benefits; and poor staff morale. One of the interventions is to implement an HIV/AIDS policy and programme, yet a literature search showed that psychological studies of SMEs in implementing an HIV/AIDS policy and programme are limited. The present study utilised the model of the theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1988, 1991), which is an extension of the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975; Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980). The intention to implement an HIV/AIDS policy and programme was predicted by the theory of planned behaviour constructs such as attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control. The theory of planned behaviour was found to have limited use in assessing behavioural intention of SMEs in implementing an HIV/AIDS policy and programme.
An assessment of HIV and AIDS knowledge, attitudes and safer sex practices among student men who have sex with men (MSM) at a higher education institution in the Western Cape
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-04) Semba, Allex Medson Mello; Davis, Burt; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to measure the level of HIV and Aids knowledge, attitudes and safer sex practices among student men who have sex with men (MSM) at a higher education institution in the Western Cape. The study served to recommend guidelines for effective and enhanced targeted intervention response for MSM student community. A total of 36 MSM students aged between 19 and 36 (of which most were South African, black and Xhosa speaking) were recruited to take part in the study. Selection was done via snowball sampling. Respondents completed questionnaires upon consenting to participate in the study. The study found moderately high levels of basic HIV knowledge among the sampled MSM population. There were, however, lower levels of knowledge reported regarding the associated risk and effective prevention strategies of anal sex when compared to similar information about vaginal sex and oral sex. Findings also show that participants had very positive attitudes towards HIV testing, condom use and a non-discriminating environment. Respondents lacked confidence in both management and student leadership with regards to their responsibility in mitigating homophobia/discrimination against MSM student population. Furthermore, a high number of respondents reported having sex with men and women as well as multiple sexual partnerships. Self-reported alcohol and drug use were found to be very low, with the majority of participants indicating non-use. Participants stated little challenges accessing health care services. However, respondents felt MSM specific information about health care related rights and needs were lacking. Recommendations from this study include current HIV and Aids policy reform, mainstreaming MSM-friendly health care services, introducing combination HIV prevention programmes such as Mpowerment and addressing the human rights needs of MSM.
An assessment of procedures and techniques employed by manufacturing organisations in the Port Elizabeth/Uitenhage region to evaluate the effectiveness of their supervisory training
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1995) Berry, David Michael; De Villiers, W. S.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The supervisor has taken on a key role in organisations in recent years particularly because of rapid developments in the trade union movement which have resulted in changes in industrial relations practices from industry level bargaining down to shop floor interface. Organisations realising the importance of the new role having to be played by the supervisor, who in many respects has been ill-equipped to perform this role, have embarked on extensive training and development programmes to ensure that the supervisors possess the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to effectively perform their functions. With the increased expenditure of time and money on training programmes and because of the uncertain economic climate, training practitioners have been placed under a great amount of pressure to produce sound evidence that their programmes are effective and do make a contribution to the overall effectiveness of the organisation. The aims of this study were to find answers to the following questions: How should the evaluation of supervisory training be conducted in order to be effective? How is the evaluation of supervisory training being conducted in manufacturing organisations in the Port Elizabeth/Uitenhage region? To what extent do the procedures and techniques used by these organisations adhere to the theoretical guidelines for such evaluation?
Attitudes and personal behaviours of professional health care personnel towards fellow employees living with HIV/AIDS
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Kuape, Lillo Augustinus; Augustyn, J. C. D.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study was undertaken to establish professional health care personnel’s attitudes and personal behaviours towards their colleagues living with HIV and AIDS in a rural government hospital, Mokhotlong - Lesotho. Three fundamental principles from the Belmont report (1976) generally guided the ethical measures engaged in this study; beneficence, respect for persons and justice. Quantitative methodology was used to elicit information; due to the personal nature of some of the questions inherent in an instrument that questioned personal values and attitudes, the research chose the instrument to be a self-administered questionnaire. The population of this study included 39 professional healthcare personnel from six different disciplines, however, the researcher categorised them into three main strata, namely: medical services (12.8 %, n = 5), nursing services (59.0 %, n = 23), and support services (28.2 %, n = 11). The results of this study has indicated that, a vast majority of the respondents had very positive attitudes and supportive behaviours towards PLWHIA and/or their CLWHIA. It is important for the institution to design and implement HIV/AIDS related programs, activities and policies that can provide support to both professional and nonprofessional health care personnel about HIV/AIDS-related issues; such as shaping their personal behaviours and attitudes towards HIV infection, as well as promoting care for PLWHIA and/or their CLWHIA and opposing stigmatization.
An audit of online recruitment : a South African perspective
(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2008-03) Swart, Lani; Ekermans, Gina; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
The survival of an organisation in a global competitive business environment depends on its survival skills (e.g. adaptability, flexibility and innovativeness), which is situated within its human resources. Hence, the recruitment function’s role is critical, since it is responsible for the procurement of key intellectual capital that could equip the organisation with a competitive advantage. However, against the accelerated growth of the Internet combined with global competition, traditional recruitment methods are increasingly failing to rise to the challenge of securing key intellectual capital, due to being too time consuming and expensive. Consequently, organisations are progressively turning to online recruitment (which does not refer to one specific technique, but rather several different Internet tools that can be employed as a recruitment method, such as organisational websites, specialised job sites, media websites or newsgroups). However, the presence of an organisational website that advertises vacancies is not sufficient to guarantee its success as a recruitment method. Hence, it is vital to gain an understanding of website recruitment, as well as how to maximise the website’s effectiveness and ability to facilitate successful online applicant behaviour (SOAB), in order to harness its full potential as a recruitment method, able to secure key intellectual capital. For the purpose of this study, SOAB refers to potential applicants (i.e. job seekers entering an organisational website in search of employment opportunities) being able to browse the website without any difficulty and obtain relevant and sufficient information concerning the organisation and its listed vacancies. In addition to enabling potential applicants to assess whether he/she will be able to fit, perform and accelerate in the work climate and culture of the organisation (i.e. decide whether he/she would like to work for the organisation), a website that facilitates SOAB, should also enable potential applicants to contact the organisation to address additional information needs. In essence, this study comprises of three phases and centres on the identification of website content- and usability design benchmarks that should contribute to a website’s ability to facilitate SOAB. By means of a comprehensive literature review, it is argued that the content- and usability design are vital contributing factors to a website’s ability to facilitate SOAB. It is also proposed that the effectiveness of the website as a recruitment method is, to a certain degree, linked to the effectiveness of the alignment of an organisation’s online recruitment strategy with the five stages of potential applicants’ job decision-making process (i.e. the recognition of an employment need, search for career related information, evaluation of career alternatives, identification and acceptance of employment and post-choice evaluation). Phase one, entails the identification of website content- and usability design benchmarks and culminates with the development of the Website Benchmarks Checklist. Phase two, which constitutes the overall purpose of this study, entails an audit of the sample of the ‘best’ SA employers’ (drawn from a survey conducted by the Corporate Research Foundation, 2005) websites. The primary aim is to determine the extent to which the sample’s website design incorporates the identified benchmarks. However, the quality of potential applicants’ interaction with a website (i.e. informative content being communicated in an effective, efficient and satisfactory manner), greatly influences their perception of the organisation’s image, its attractiveness as an employer, as well as their intention to pursue employment within the organisation. Hence, the third phase of the study entails the subjective evaluation of three websites (selected from the audited sample), by a sample of potential applicants. Throughout the study, the empirical tests conducted were descriptive in nature and utilised survey research methods to acquire the required data, related to the specified goals and objectives that encapsulate the aim and purpose of this study. The results obtained provided valuable insight into website design benchmarks that should assist potential applicants in their job decision-making process, increase a website’s ability to facilitate SOAB and maximise its effectiveness as a recruitment method responsible for securing key intellectual capital. In addition to revealing that the majority of the sample employs its website as a recruitment method, the audit results also indicated that although a high level of adherence existed concerning the sample’s incorporation of the usability design benchmarks. However, a notable difference that ranged from very little to relatively high existed with regards to the extent to which the sample’s website design adhered to the content design benchmarks. The subjective evaluation of the three websites by potential applicants revealed that in addition to being critical contributors to the quality of their interaction with a website, the content- and usability design also had a profound impact on their assessment of the websites. Finally, the results also showed that a similarity existed between potential applicants’ subjective evaluation and the extent to which the design of the three websites adhered to the recommended benchmarks (audit results).
Barriers to, and policy opportunities for, the growth of renewable energy technologies in South Africa : rethinking the role of municipalities
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-04) Tshehla, Maloba Gerard; Brent, Alan C.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Amid the climate change crisis of the 21st century, South Africa faces its own, tailor-made challenges. In its attempt to contribute to the global effort to mitigate climate change and achieve sustainable development, South Africa faces the challenge of a history steeped in cheap electricity - the curse of an abundance of coal. The municipality, as the lowest leg of governance, currently finds itself at a tough nexus, involving; municipal mandates to provide basic services; the possible financial risks of implementing RETs; the regulatory ambiguity surrounding electricity generation and distribution jurisdiction; and the necessary implementation of RETs as a means of addressing the growing risk of revenue loss from reduced electricity sales as consumers install their own RETs, and as a contribution to national climate change mitigation. This nexus is herein referred to as the ‘municipal dilemma’. This thesis, via a complex systems approach, explores the major barriers and policy opportunities in the implementation of renewable energy technologies (RETs) by municipalities embedded within the larger ambit of the South African government, as they attempt to address what the author has termed the ‘municipal dilemma’. What is especially interesting and relevant about a complex systems approach is the notion of learning and therefore adaptability. In light of municipalities and their role in the South African context, the notion of systems learning affords a unique perspective into the municipal dilemma and means of overcoming it. From a literature analysis of policy, through to a specific case study of Hessequa municipality, this study sought to assist municipalities in addressing this dilemma. South Africa’s energy and municipal management policies starting from the Constitution, is found to be conducive to the growth of RETs. Furthermore, there are clear channels through which municipalities can engage with these new technologies to address the municipal dilemma. What is seen to hinder this process is a web of institutional, political and regulatory barriers stemming from the over-politicization of the country’s energy sector - a direct result of a long history entrenched in coal-fired electricity generation. What was found lacking in the South African energy debate was the perspective of the municipality itself, which is ultimately tasked with catering for the energy needs of South African citizens while participating in national efforts. The notion that municipalities are best positioned to be influential in the growth of RETs is reinforced by the literature explored and through a complex systems approach. To effectively play their role, municipalities must: (a) be creative and bold in their development of appropriate policies to support RETs; (b) align their efforts with provincial and national programmes and simultaneously influence these programmes through municipal experience; (c) take advantage of systems in place, such as the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) process, to gradually build capacity within the municipality to manage increasingly complex RET implementation; (d) develop long-term strategies which, as per the tenets of complex systems theory, must feed from and into the ever-changing national and global landscape. This thesis posits that the municipal dilemma not only needs to be addressed, but offers the municipality a unique opportunity to rethink its role in the South African context. It has been found that a conducive regulatory environment is on the rise in the South African energy context. This environment, however, still requires much input from municipalities which are well positioned to offer direction to the policy creation process. In doing so, municipalities not only address the municipal dilemma, by also take their place as custodians of sustainable development.
'n Bedryfsielkundige ondersoek na die betekenis van geld : 'n vergelykende studie tussen Blanke- en Kleurlingstudente
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1977) Visagie, Dirk Louis; Raubenheimer, I. van W.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences . Department of Industrial Psychology.
n Bedryfsielkundige ondersoek na die seleksie en opleiding van rekenaarstelselontleders
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1977-12) Fick, L. J. (Louis Jean); Raubenheimer, I. van W.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: see item for full text

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