scholarly journals Exploring workplace diversity and organisational effectiveness: A South African exploratory case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Veli Mazibuko ◽  
Krishna K. Govender
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Diversity Management ◽  
Workplace Diversity ◽  
Organisational Effectiveness ◽  
Managing Diversity ◽  
Qualitative Approaches

Orientation: Transformation and managing diversity are organisational imperatives, especially in South Africa. Thus, it is important for international companies with major operations in South Africa (SA) to embrace the benefits of managing a divergent workforce and translate this for organisational benefits.Research purpose: The article explores the perceptions of management and staff on diversity and its value to the organisation, by empirically evaluating the relationship with organisational effectiveness and performance through the development and testing of five hypotheses.Motivation for the study: Legislation has made it mandatory for transformation of the South African workplace and ensuring that diversity is embraced. However, not all companies have fully understood the benefits of recruiting and managing diverse teams for the benefit of the organisation.Research approach, design and method: Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used, whereby a survey was conducted among 227 employees using the Towers Watson Employment Employee Insight Survey (EIS). Inferential statistical techniques were used to test relationships among related variables postulated through five hypotheses.Main findings: It was ascertained that understanding and managing diversity has played a pivotal role in the (research) organisation’s performance and effectiveness over the past 5 years. More specifically, diversity management created room for appreciation, innovation and creativity that gave the organisations an edge to tackle diverse markets.Practical/managerial applications: South Africa has a diverse population, and when individuals join an organisation, they bring a unique set of characteristics referred to as personalities, which, through the socialisation process, get assimilated into teams’ norms and values, and the culture of the organisation. Managing diversity in the workplace is part of employee retention and attraction, with the intention to energise workplace productivity, thus increasing the organisation’s competitive edge.Contributions or value add: The positive impact engendered by diverse recruitment and retention is also supported by employee engagement, which presupposes employee ownership of change, by making it happen, and it is driven by employees that offer solutions to problems, by helping one another and who are proud of being part of the organisation. Its impact in the bigger scheme of events is to drive business performance, growth, cost management, and ability to attract, retain and engage top talent by establishing a winning and inclusive culture.

scholarly journals An Investigation of the Dynamic Effect of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Interest Rates on GDP in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (5(J)) ◽  
pp. 29-37
Author(s):  
Thomas Habanabakize ◽  
Daniel F Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
South African ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Repo Rate

Economic growth in South Africa has been in the “doldrums” for the past decade. If well managed, foreign direct investment (FDI) and repo rate (interest rate) could have a positive impact and assist in rapid economic growth so urgently needed in South Africa. FDI has been a driving force for growth in many developing economies. Not enough has been done to attract FDI in South Africa. The country has enormous ability and capacity to attract FDI inflows and to have the advantages from it. A quantitative research approach was used to analyse the association amongst the variables which include FDI, GDP and repo rate in the South African economy. The South African Reserve Bank database was used and the period analysed is from 2000 to 2016. Statistical and econometric methods such as correlation analysis, unit root tests, ARDL Bounds test for cointegration, an error correction model (ECM), and the Granger causality tests were used. Subsequently, after the econometric model was estimated, findings indicated the existence of a long-run relationship between the three variables. While, a significant positive relationship exists between FDI and GDP, a negative long-run relationship was found between GDP and repo rate and interestingly a nonsignificant relationship between repo rate and FDI. In the short run, the positive effect of FDI on GDP is minimal whilst a significant and positive relationship exists between GDP and repo rate. The results did also show some limitations in the results, with regards to FDI and repo rate that there is no significant relationship between the variables, meaning that repo rate does not have an impact on FDIs. Although some long-run evidence was found of FDI playing a role in economic growth in South Africa, such impact is limited. Also very interesting is that the repo rate and FDI do not have a statistically significant relationship. This could be due to the rising risks associated with investments in the country. In conclusion, there are many variables which could have a positive impact on the attraction of FDIs and such factors will be explored further in future studies. 

scholarly journals The effects of entrepreneurial intention on business performance

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Radipere ◽  
Watson Ladzani
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Regression Model ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Level Of Significance ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
The Relationship

The study examined the relationship between entrepreneurial intention and business performance using 500 small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) in Gauteng province, South Africa. A questionnaire was used to collect data. The findings from the survey were modelled through a categorical regression model with business performance as a dependent variable. The level of significance of eight out of twelve variables suggests that entrepreneurial intention be classified as the strongest predictor of business performance. These findings, depicting the magnitude of the business environment in the study area, clearly confirm the positive impact of entrepreneurial intention on business performance.

scholarly journals The impact of economic growth on unemployment in South Africa: 1994 – 2012

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 699-707
Author(s):  
Handson Banda ◽  
Ireen Choga
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Labour Productivity ◽  
Real Effective Exchange Rate ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Impact

One of the most pressing problems facing the South African economy is unemployment, which has been erratic over the past few years. This study examined the impact of economic growth on unemployment, using quarterly time series data for South Africa for the period 1994 to 2012.Johansen Co-integration reflected that there is stable and one significant long run relationship between unemployment and the explanatory variables that is economic growth (GDP), budget deficit (BUG), real effective exchange rate (REER) and labour productivity (LP). The study utilized Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to determine the effects of macroeconomic variables thus REER, LP, GDP and BUG on unemployment in South Africa. The results of VECM indicated that LP has a negative long run impact on unemployment whilst GDP, BUG and REER have positive impact. The study resulted in the following policy recommendation: South African government should re-direct its spending towards activities that directly and indirectly promote creation of employment and decent jobs; a conducive environment and flexible labour market policies or legislations without impediments to employment creation should be created; and lastly government should prioritise industries that promote labour intensive. All this will help in absorbing large pools of the unemployed population thereby reducing unemployment in South Africa.

International Diversity Management

2013 ◽  
pp. 14-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana Vassilopoulou ◽  
Jose Pascal Da Rocha ◽  
Cathrine Seierstad ◽  
Kurt April ◽  
Mustafa Ozbilgin
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Diversity Management ◽  
International Context ◽  
Managing Diversity ◽  
Maximum Variation ◽  
Variation Approach ◽  
The World ◽  
International Diversity ◽  
The Usa ◽  
National Borders

This chapter develops earlier work in the field by Ozbilgin and Tatli (2008) and uses examples of three countries–the USA, South Africa, and Norway–to illustrate the complexity of managing diversity across national borders. Key challenges of international diversity management are highlighted. These three cases have been selected using a theoretically driven, maximum variation approach. The concept of diversity management initially evolved and was developed in the USA. In contrast, South Africa is of interest due to its specific Apartheid past and its post-Apartheid challenges related to diversity management. Lastly, Norway is ranked among the best and most equal countries in the world. By exploring these different examples, we question the assumption that there can be a one best way to manage diversity in an international context.

scholarly journals Environmental influences, employee resourcing strategies and small and medium-sized enterprises performance: Case of South African small restaurants

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Honest Mupani ◽  
Crispen Chipunza
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
South African ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Environmental Influences ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Business Failure ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add

Orientation: Small businesses’ contribution to economic growth and employment creation cannot be disputed in South Africa, amid operating in an environment that is highly competitive and reports of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) high failure rates, in general. In view of this, and to our knowledge, no known theoretical study has been conducted in South Africa examining how certain environmental factors might influence the use of appropriate resourcing strategies for improved small businesses’ performance.Research purpose: This theoretical article investigates the relationships between environmental influences, employee resourcing strategies and business performance among South African small restaurants.Motivation for the study: There is a paucity of literature that has explored whether a relationship exists between the three variables among small restaurant businesses in South Africa, justifying the need for such an investigation.Research approach/design and method: This article, which is conceptual in nature, adopted a systematic literature review which entails combining all existing research literature related to the three variables so as to arrive at logical inferences.Main findings: The research contends that a relationship exists between the three variables.Practical/managerial implications: Small businesses need to be aware of the environmental influences that may contribute to business failure so that they attune employee resourcing strategies to the environment to achieve high performance.Contribution/value add: The article contributes to extant literature on the interplay between environmental factors, resourcing strategies and firm performance in small restaurant businesses of emerging economies.

scholarly journals Psychological work immersion enablers and behavioural indicators: Exploring socio-demographic differences among staff members

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-58
Author(s):  
Melinde Coetzee ◽  
Dieter Veldsman
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Black People ◽  
Employment Relations ◽  
Demographic Differences ◽  
Surface Level ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Indicator Variables

Research on surface-level diversity pertaining to differences among gender, age, race and tenure groups regarding their psychological work immersion has been limited in the South African organisational context. The present study explored whether gender, age, race and tenure groups differ significantly in terms of their perceptions of organisational enablers and behavioural indicators of employee engagement as measured by the psychological work immersion scale. The sample was a non-probability sample (N = 1 268) of individuals employed across various South African industries. The sample was predominantly made up of females (74%) and black people (86%) in the early (49%: 21–35 years) and establishment (51%: 36–50 years) career phases. Most individuals in the sample had less than five years of work experience (69%). Tests for independent samples revealed significant differences among the biographical groups on the psychological work immersion enabler and behavioural indicator variables. The results indicated that surface-level diversity characteristics are important to consider in strengthening employees’ work immersion as an aspect of employment relations. The differences observed provide valuable insights that could potentially be used by management in the design of business performance and retention strategies.

scholarly journals Performance management and employee engagement: A South African perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Govender ◽  
Mark H.R. Bussin
Keyword(s):  
Performance Management ◽  
South African ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Operational Efficiency ◽  
Organisational Effectiveness ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Value Add ◽  
And Performance

Orientation: To remain competitive South African organisations must improve their operational efficiency by lowering manufacturing and service costs, and the key is the performance of its employees.Research purpose: The purpose of the study was twofold: firstly, to establish if there is a relationship between performance management and employee engagement; and secondly to ascertain if performance management can be rebooted through increased employee engagement.Motivation for the study: Organisations that measure and manage performance generally outperform those that do not. Organisations need to understand what drives employee engagement and performance to outperform their competitors.Research approach, design and method: A qualitative approach was employed that included a review of research articles and interviews with employees from various functions across all levels within operations of a fast-moving consumer goods organisation based in Gauteng. A sample size of 20 employees was used.Main findings: The results suggest that a relationship exists between performance management and employee engagement and that an increase in employee engagement would result in improved performance of employees and subsequently the organisation. The study revealed that whilst engagement and communication occur across all levels within the organisation, there is still a significant gap. The messages and expectations are not simple enough to be understood. Employees are not empowered to have a voice which causes them to be demotivated. Supportive management, which is fundamental to the success of performance management, is lacking.Practical/managerial implications: The insight from this study may be used to change the way organisations engage with employees and manage performance to ensure it is a beneficial exercise that adds value to all stakeholders.Contribution/value-add: This study will contribute towards organisations understanding the relationship between performance management and employee engagement and how to leverage this towards improving operational efficiency and organisational effectiveness.

Efficiency in South African agriculture: a two-stage fuzzy approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 2723-2759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goodness C. Aye ◽  
Rangan Gupta ◽  
Peter Wanke
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Fuzzy Approach ◽  
Social Expenditure ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Growth Ratio ◽  
Content Type ◽  
African Agriculture ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the efficiency of agricultural production in South Africa from 1970 to 2014, using an integrated two-stage fuzzy approach.Design/methodology/approachFuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution is used to assess the relative efficiency of agriculture in South Africa over the course of the years in the first stage. In the second stage, fuzzy regressions based on different rule-based systems are used to predict the impact of socio-economic and demographic variables on agricultural efficiency. They are compared with the bootstrapped truncated regressions with conditionalαlevels proposed in Wankeet al.(2016a).FindingsThe results show that the fuzzy efficiency estimates ranged from 0.40 to 0.68 implying inefficiency in South African agriculture. The results further reveal that research and development, land quality, health expenditure–population growth ratio have a significant, positive impact on efficiency levels, besides the GINI index. In terms of accuracy, fuzzy regressions outperformed the bootstrapped truncated regressions with conditionalαlevels proposed in Wankeet al.(2015).Practical implicationsPolicies to increase social expenditure especially in terms of health and hence productivity should be prioritized. Also policies aimed at conserving the environment and hence the quality of land is needed.Originality/valueThe paper is original and has not been previously published elsewhere.

scholarly journals The SERVQUAL instrument: Reliability and validity in South Africa

1997 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 113-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deon Nel ◽  
Leyland F. Pitt ◽  
Pierre R. Berthon
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
South African ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Practitioner Research ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
African Context ◽  
Instrument Reliability

The drive to measure service quality has become a major focus in many organizations, as the links between service quality and business performance have become more clear. Similarly, the development of SERVQUAL, an instrument for the measurement of service quality, has spurred much research in this area. Most of the research concerning SERVQUAL has focussed on the psychometric properties of rehability and validity. SERVQUAL has received considerable academic and practitioner research attention in South Africa; however, while isolated studies have commented on its robustness none have considered SERVQUAL across a range of industries and settings using different approaches. The study reported here attempts to redress this. It reports the results of SERVQUAL studies across a range of organizations and examines issues of reliability and validity. A major conclusion is that SERVQUAL in a South African context generally possesses strong statistical properties but needs further refinement particularly to overcome problems of discriminant validity. Opportunities for further research are identified.

scholarly journals A confirmatory factor analytical study of a servant leadership measure in South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bright Mahembe ◽  
Amos S. Engelbrecht
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Servant Leadership ◽  
South African ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Latent Variables ◽  
Team Effectiveness ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Confirmatory Factor

Orientation: Servant leadership is a value-based leadership practice that plays a critical role in team effectiveness and organisational success.Research purpose: The goal of the study was to validate the Servant Leadership Questionnaire(SLQ), which Barbuto and Wheeler developed, on a South African sample.Motivation for the study: The literature is replete with evidence of the role of follower focused leadership practices in improving team effectiveness, employee engagement and organisational success. We need to complement these efforts with psychometrically sound measuring instruments.Research design, approach and method: The authors drew a convenience sample of 288 school teachers from schools in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. They used the SLQ that Barbuto and Wheeler developed to measure servant leadership.Main findings: The authors found high levels of reliability for the sub-scales of the latent variables. They found good fit with the data for the measurement model of the five latent servant leadership dimensions (altruistic calling, persuasive mapping, emotional healing, wisdom and organisational stewardship) through confirmatory factor analyses (CFA). They obtained reasonable fit for the first- and second-order servant leadership CFA. The authors concluded that the SLQ shows reasonable fit.Practical/managerial implications: The SLQ showed evidence of reliability and construct validity. It can contribute to the scientific selection and development of education leaders in South African schools.Contribution/value add: Servant leadership incorporates a service ethic that fosters participatory management, teacher development and team building. The department of education should increase team effectiveness in schools by selecting and developing servant leadership.

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