Research Publications (Management Sciences)
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Item Good governance and the implementation of national health insurance in the public health sector : a case of South Africa(Virtus Interpress, 2015) Brauns, Melody; Stanton, AnneFor years it has been argued that implementation failure is one of the main reasons why policies do not yield the results expected. In South Africa, a version of this argument, which often features, is that good policies are drawn up but then not implemented. Government failure is a reality. Just as corporations survive according to whether they make good decisions, so to governments fall or are re-elected on whether they make good decisions. General argument in governance literature is that a wide variety of developments have undermined the capacity of governments to control events within the nation state. As a consequence the state can no longer assume a monopoly of expertise or of the resources to govern.Item Reforming the Health Sector in South Africa – Post 1994(Virtus Interpress, 2015) Brauns, Melody; Stanton, AnneThis article reviews the efforts of the South African government in recognising development challenges of the post-apartheid era and assesses the approaches employed to bring about economic growth and to address inherited inequalities.Item Ethics, codes of conduct, morals and professionalism as a bulwark against corruption and unethical conduct in the public sector: a case of South Africa(Virtus Interpress, 2015) Brauns, Melody; Mdlazi, DavidThis paper endeavours to critically examine ethics in South Africa especially after the first democratic elections and later developments. Such an analysis will inevitably overspill to the quality of service delivery and participation. As such there is a need for ethics to be re-examined and investigate how this may be used to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the South African government service. Much has been written on ethics and their relevance to the public sector organisations. Indeed they are critical for service delivery for both sectors namely, private and public sectors. This paper will trace the origins and development of ethics and their relationship with other associated terms such as morals, codes of conduct and relate same to the guidelines emanating from the South African Constitution Act (Act 108 of 1996). Once this objective has been achieved the position of ethics to our daily lives from individual and citizenship perspective will be explored. By such investigation it is envisaged to reposition ethics to our working environment as a vehicle that supports and fuels accelerated quality decision-making and service delivery. In that way it will be possible to locate the area of responsibility and accountability in the public sector. One will also examine the power-authority-responsibility triangle relative to ethics, ethical conduct, codes of conduct, and professionalism and indicate how these can be effectively applied to address issues of violation of human right through fundamental deprivation of critical services and products.Item The public healthcare sector and governance in South Africa(Virtus Interpress, 2015) Brauns, MelodyThis article reviews literature on governance in order to facilitate an analysis of the governance of the South African public healthcare sector. Some of the key theoretical perspectives have been presented on how best to organise the state and its bureaucracy. Theorists have long interrogated in what way public institutions foster or impede economic growth. Evans and Rauch point out for example, that the role of bureaucratic authority structures in facilitating economic growth has been a sociological concern since Max Weber’s classic contributions almost 100 years ago. These debates and others are explored in this article with specific reference to the provision of equitable public healthcare. Weber’s theory on rational bureaucracy as well as New Public Management will be reviewed as these theories offer two distinct approaches to governance.Item Performance management and public policy : the case of the health sector in South Africa(ASSADPAM, 2014-03) Brauns, Melody; Wallis, MalcolmThe South African healthcare sector stands at the threshold of major restructuring in an attempt to address inadequacies as a result of fragmentation of health services in apartheid South Africa. The performance of health services, particularly in more remote areas, has decreased and has led to reduced quality and effectiveness of health services. For individuals residing in rural communities, access to health services can be arduous. Delivery of essential services has to meet the needs of marginalised people who live in remote areas. The department of health is faced with growing expectations from citizens to use resources effi ciently and effectively so that healthcare can be afforded and accessed by all. National Health Insurance (NHI) aims to introduce reforms to improve the provision of healthcare. The health sector is reputed to be good at formulating policies, discussing ideas, making recommendations and spending resources, but poor on implementing policies. The government insists that the policy framework is transparent and well-defi ned and that what is needed is effective implementation. Regrettably, the transition of policy into practice is more complex than the perceived judgement of government. The results of this study may be useful not only to the case study institution, but to all District Hospitals, especially the Department of Health and the public management sector and may assist in taking the NHI forward.Item Aligning strategic human resource management to Human Resources, performance and reward(The Clute Institute, 2013-11) Brauns, MelodyIn a rapidly changing business environment, one may recognise the words “the only thing constant in life is change” by French author Francois de la Rockefoucauld. Yet, with on-going change, it can be difficult to know what to do and how to do it. The world out there is harsh and competition is fierce. Indeed, the world is changing at a rapid pace. Therefore, both public and private sectors have to plan for the future and prepare for any unforeseen circumstance. This paper will discuss the link between Strategic Human Resource Management, Human resources, Performance and Reward, what we know, and the future direction of Strategic Human Resource Management. Strategic Human Resource Management involves making those decisions that define the overall vision, mission, core values and objectives of the organisation, thus determining the most effective utilisation of its resources. Walker (1992: 16) states that Strategic Management enables managers to respond to environmental changes based on a defined business mission, vision and values. Strategies are directional plans that guide management actions in the pursuit of opportunities. In essence, strategies point the way for the most promising changes. They are plans that give direction and address people related business issues. Human Resource strategies are important because they help determine how to manage people in relation to business strategies. Strategic Human Resource Management aligns Human Resources, which is necessary for the success of the organisation.