Faculty of Management Sciences
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Item Roots and causes of occupational stress amongst female academics in Universities of Technology in South Africa(Sciedu Press, 2022) Mathews, Mercillene; Khumalo, Njabulo; Dlamini, Bongani Innocenttress and stress-related problems have negative human resource and financial implications for Universities of Technology (UoT) in terms of absenteeism, productivity, organizational effectiveness, employee morale and medical aid subsidies. For tertiary institutions, the impact of stressed academics on core business activities relating to students and examinations are far-reaching. The paper assessed the roots and causes of occupational stress amongst female academics in a UoT in South Africa. The paper adopted a qualitative research approach with a focus group of selected female academics in the UoT. The paper revealed that workload and performance management, as well as family life and personal life; teaching vs research and administration; Covid-19 and online teaching and learning; holidays and leave and lack of leave; meetings and support deficiency; resources and lack of care and empathy, as well as poor HR, bullying and imposition and a lack of professionalism; nepotism and favouritism; retrenchments and instability, along with poor recognition and appreciation, were the roots that contribute to occupational stress in the UoT in SA. The paper recommends that effective interventions be implemented by the UoT in order to manage the stress of these female academics, thereby reducing the negative impact thereof on themselves and the institution. University policy-makers should devise a variety of solutions in a well-balanced package that places responsibility on both the university and staff to manage occupational stress.Item The implications for the curriculum of the learning opportunities provided to students studying office management and technology during work integrated learning(Scientific Research Publishing, Inc., 2024) Ndhlovu, Thobekile Octavia; Ogunsola, Sijuwade Adedayo; Dlamini, Bongani Innocent; Zondo, Robert Walter DumisaniThe field of secretarial and administrative work is confronted with challenges posed by the quick development of office technology, organizational reor ganizations, and shifts in the global economy. These challenges impact not only the workers who are currently employed as secretaries or administrative staff but also higher education institutions and students pursuing administra tive careers. As a result, workplace demands must be better met by both in dustry and academic institutions. This study looks at the learning opportuni ties provided to Office Management and Technology (OMT) students during Work-integrated Learning (WIL). It also investigates the implications for the curriculum to enhance workplace and classroom learning and makes recom mendations for changes to the OMT curriculum at Universities of Technolo gy (UoTs). It further explores and presents the skills, attributes, and compe tencies that OMT graduates must have in the workplace of the twenty-first century. Moreover, it gives UoT office technology departments a thorough analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of their current curriculum, enabling them to make any necessary improvements. This research comprises a case study involving Durban University of Technology (DUT) and Mango suthu University of Technology (MUT). Due to its sole reliance on surveys, the approach was primarily quantitative; however, a petite amount of qualita tive data emerged from the open-ended questions. In addition to giving par ticipants a chance to voice their ideas, the qualitative questions served to in terpret the quantitative information included in the questionnaire. The study included two sets of questionnaires that were given to two distinct divisions in work-integrated learning and industry supervisors who oversee OMT stu dents at DUT and MUT. The analysis demonstrates how well the existing OMT program satisfies the fundamental demands of the sector. There is evi dence, that workplace and classroom learning both require improvement. For OMT curricula to be more relevant and responsive in workplaces, the study also identified new competencies and qualities that must be included. Ac cording to the findings, universities and businesses should work together to improve student readiness for professional needs and that the Office Man agement and Technology curriculum be revised regularly of the targeted population: MUT third-year OMT students who participatedItem Organizational benefits of human resource management roles in South African state-owned enterprises(2022-10-07) Muzanenhamo, Arvid; Dlamini, Bongani InnocentHuman Resource Management practitioners have been criticized for lacking business acumen due to the nature of the personnel management concept. There has been a change in Human Resource Management roles from traditional personnel management to Strategic Human Resource Management which seeks to provide organizational competitiveness. This article aims to provide organizational benefits of Human Resource Management to an organization as a result of the Strategic Human Resource Management concept. The strategic nature of Human Resource Management has been revealed in this article as there is evidence of Human Resource Management's contribution to the business success. This paper is a study carried out in a South African State-owned enterprise to identify organizational benefits acquired from Human Resource Management roles. Qualitative research was used in this study, and interviews were administered to obtain data from Human Resource practitioners and departmental supervisors in a state-owned enterprise. 24 participants were purposively selected to provide data for the study. This study revealed that the Human Resource department provides beneficial activities to the organization such as reduction of employee turnover, employee development, employee wellness, and internal communication. The critical discussion provided in this paper would strengthen the body of knowledge on the role of Human Resource Management in improving organizational effectiveness.Item A survey of personal hurdles contributing to failures of rural entrepreneurship : economic implications for owner-managers(Clute Institute, 2018) Agbenyegah, Albert Tchey; Dlamini, Bongani InnocentThis study seeks to explore with keen understanding of personal hurdles as revealed by owner-managers from two rural settings of the Northern Cape Province (NCP). The study focuses on personal hurdles that according to literature contributes to the growing failure of entrepreneurial activities. Personal hurdles were assessed using “Statistical Package for the Social Science” (SPSS). A survey method is utilized in gathering primary dataset, descriptive analysis and frequency tables were used to assess all the basic variables including the personal hurdles of owner-managers. Factor analysis was utilized as a determinant of personal hurdles. Formulated hypotheses for the study were tested by the inferential statistic of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Relationships between dependent (rural entrepreneurial failures) and independent variables (resources, information and infrastructure gaps) were ascertained through the Pearson Correlation techniques. The study revealed that the resource gaps affect rural entrepreneurial failure (REF)On the other hand, information and infrastructure do not have significant effect on REF.A moderate positive linear correlation between resource gap and REF was detected. Furthermore, there is a low positive linear correlation between REF and the two independent variables (information and infrastructure gaps) were detected.Item Total rewards and its effects on organisational commitment in higher education institutions(AOSIS, 2018-05-17) Mabaso, Mzwenhlanhla Calvin; Dlamini, Bongani InnocentOrientation: Retaining staff with special endeavours within higher education institutions has become a top priority and crucial for any organisational productivity and competiveness. Attracting and retaining talent has remained a critical and complex issue for human capital management in organisations.Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of total rewards on organisational commitment measured by Total Rewards Scale and Organisational Commitment Questionnaire.Motivation for the study: There is paucity in research on the impact of total rewards on organisational commitment. Commitment of academic staff is significant as higher education institutions are influential in the development of a country.Research design, approach and method: This study employed the quantitative research method using a survey design. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect survey data. A sample of 279 academic staff, which was the total population of participants, was selected for this study.Main findings: Results show a positive and significant correlation between elements of total rewards (performance management, 0.387; recognition, 0.335; talent development and career opportunities, 0.328; compensation, 0.231; benefits, 0.213; work–life balance, 0.024) and organisational commitment. A variance of 52.3% of total rewards explained organisational commitment. Performance management, compensation, benefits, recognition, talent development and career opportunities significantly predicted organisational commitment. However, work–life balance indicated a negative effect on organisational commitment.Practical managerial implications: Findings of the study has implications to managers because they have to encourage and promote total rewards in order to enforce talent retention within higher education institutions for the benefit of both institutions and employees.Contribution: The results are important to managers with great interest in talent retention and can be used as guideline to develop rewards strategy.Item Exploring the motives for operating in Ghana's informal slum sector(2019) Zogli, Luther-King Junior; Lawa, Emmanuel; Dlamini, Bongani Innocent; Kabange, Martin MulundaAbstract: In the developing world, slums house a sizeable amount of the urban population and most slum inhabitants are engaged in informal activities. In Sub Sahara African countries this sector has historically contributed above 50% to non-agricultural Gross Value Added. Informal sector activities in Ghanaian slums employ a substantial amount of people, who on average earn about $8 a day, a figure which is above the poverty threshold of $2 a day. Most of these slum activity operators reside in slums whereas a sizable amount reside in formal housing, a phenomenon which has led to the growth of Ghanaian urban slums. To assist these slum operators to grow and someday integrate into the formal sector, it is important to find out the factors that motivated them to engage in these activities in the first place. The study employed Exploratory Factor Analysis, on a sample of 344 drawn from the two biggest slums (Sodom & Gomorrah and Akwatia Line) in Ghana’s two major cities, Accra and Kumasi respectively. The results show a set of six clusters, explaining 61% of the variation in motives for slum activities. The avoidance of government regulation was found as the main motive for one’s involvement in slum activities. Other driving forces include the ‘luxury’ of working at one’s own time, making use of one’s talents and family relations, as well as the quest for earning a higher incomeItem Investigating the challenges of e-learning in a developing institution of higher learning : a hypothetical approach(Clute Institute, 2019-05-01) Agbenyegah, Albert Tchey; Dlamini, Bongani InnocentThe popularity of e-learning (EL) largely infiltrated into every sector of South African institutions of higher learning. This growing interest in EL is due to the advent of rapid internet technologies. For decades, South African institutions of higher learning have accepted EL as a vital learning tool for the enhancement of learning and teaching within the higher education sector. However, there are countless challenges that continue to hinder learning and teaching activities. This study seeks to determine the relationships between various challenges and EL capabilities through stated hypotheses. The study is a descriptive, qualitative design aided by a quantitative approach that were applied to collect data. In total 150 full and part-time ICT students including four permanent ICT lecturers participated in the study. By means of statistical methods of descriptive, inferential statistics aided by independent t-tests, three stated hypotheses were formulated and tested. The study therefore, recommends that higher institutions of learning should increase investments in various EL programs including relevant ICT infrastructure development and also in levels of connectivity. The study further recommends that EL contents should be designed taking into account the cultural characteristics of students.Item Citizens’ e-participation at Local Municipal Government in South Africa(Lifescience Global, 2019-08-06) Okeke-Uzodike, Obianuju Ebele; Dlamini, Bongani InnocentThe emergence of the digital revolution has obligated governments all over the world to be more accessible, effective and accountable in the provision of public services.Item Adjustment experiences of first-year students in South Africa(2020) Dlamini, Bongani Innocent; Tom, Reyagalaletsa Felicity; Nel, Kathryn Anne; Zogli, Luther-King JuniorBackground and Objective: For most students, adjusting to both social and academic life entails engenders a modicum of stress and emotional challenges for most students, resulting in risks of students drop-out. The current study sought insight and understanding into the adjustment experiences of first-year students at a previously disadvantaged tertiary institution of Higher learning in South Africa. Materials and Method: Qualitative research was conducted to establish the lived experiences of the participants. Four focus with eighteen first-year participants from different departments were utilised for data collection. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews, which allowed probing. Thematic Content Analysis was employed to gather themes from the data. Results: The main results indicated that first-year students found life was different, many old familiar and predictable relationships disintegrating. However, they also found independence and the resilience to adapt to change. Positive adjustment experiences and coping mechanisms included working hard, interacting with lecturing staff and attending religious events, while negative ones included drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. Conclusions: The study recommended that orientation for first-year students is imperative and should incorporate a programme that helped first-year students understand the challenges they are likely to face in this new phase of their academic and social development.Item Determinants of income in the informal sector : a case of selected slums in Ghana(2019-12-01) Zogli, Luther-King Junior; Lawa, Emmanuel; Dlamini, Bongani InnocentThis paper investigates the determinants of income earned in two informal slum economies in Ghana, using OLS regression analysis. Amongst factors, operator’s social networks, locus of control, type of economic activity, educational level, age of business and labour size, it was found that labour size was the main determinant of average daily income in slum activities in Ghana, with a 25% increase in average daily income for every extra person employed. Also, an extra year of experience in running the same business increases income by 10%. This reflects that, a slum operator’s continuous operation (learning and earning by doing) over the years, helps to augment income. An extra year of formal education on the other hand only increases daily income by 1%.