scholarly journals Burnout and engagement: A South African perspective

2003 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Rothmann
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Causal Models ◽  
Item Bias ◽  
Measuring Instruments ◽  
Factorial Validity ◽  
Multicultural Context ◽  
Construct Equivalence ◽  
African Perspective

Work wellness, and more specifically burnout and engagement are important focus areas of research and intervention in South Africa. However, few studies have been conducted regarding the factorial validity, construct equivalence and item bias of measuring instruments of burnout and work engagement. Furthermore, few studies have been conducted regarding causal models of burnout as well as interventions to prevent and/or manage burnout in a multicultural context. Little is known about the causes of work engagement and interventions to increase it. Research should be conducted to validate measuring instruments of burnout, work engagement and predictors thereof in multicultural contexts. Research is also needed regarding the effectiveness of interventions to manage work engagement and to prevent and/or manage burnout. Opsomming Werkwelstand, en meer spesifiek psigiese uitbranding en begeestering is belangrike fokusareas vir navorsing en intervensie in Suid-Afrika. Tog is min studies onderneem rakende die faktorgeldigheid, konstrukekwivalensie en itemsydigheid van meetinstrumente van psigiese uitbranding en werksbegeestering. Verder is min studies onderneem ten opsigte van oorsaaklike modelle van psigiese uitbranding sowel as intervensies om uitbranding in ‘n multikulturele konteks te voorkom en/of te bestuur. Min is bekend oor die oorsake van werksbegeestering en intervensies om dit te verhoog. Navorsing moet onderneem word ten einde meetinstrumente van psigiese uitbranding, werksbegeestering en voorspellers daarvan in ‘n multikulturele konteks te valideer. Navorsing rakende die effektiwiteit van intervensies om werksbegeestering te bestuur en psigiese uitbranding te voorkom en/of te hanteer, is ook noodsaaklik.

scholarly journals Knowledge management according to organisational size: A South African perspective

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelius Kruger ◽  
Roy D. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
South African ◽  
Middle Management ◽  
Senior Management ◽  
Urban South ◽  
Embedded Knowledge ◽  
Personal Approach ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
Insight Into

Background:To date, few studies have focused on how embedded Knowledge Management (KM) is found in the roots of an organisation. Specifically, not much is known whether employees and managers hold similar perceptions regarding KM or if organisational size plays a role in the establishment of KM maturity.Objective: The objective of this article was to determine what role organisational size plays in the establishment of KM maturity and how different managerial levels viewed their organisations KM maturity.Method: The authors gained insight into KM maturity in different industry groupings over a five-year period from a large urban South African University engaged in numerous collaboration programmes with industry. In total, 434 employees were interviewed over three grouping levels (operational, middle and senior management).Results: The findings support arguments that irrespective of organisational size, knowledge orientated issues are applicable to all organisations. However, with significant differences in scores recorded over all maturity sections in South Africa, the findings indicated that different sized organisations address knowledge-orientated issues differently.Conclusion: Findings challenge the argument that the manner in which knowledge-orientated issues are addressed differ only slightly depending on organisational size. Smaller-sized organisations prefer a more personal approach, whilst larger-sized organisations prefer knowledge transfer via technology. Irrespective of organisational size, commitment holds the key to KM success. Commitment shown by middle management regarding KM is a differentiator.

scholarly journals Accounting practitioners’ views on the proposed “Micro GAAP”: A South African perspective

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hentie A. Van Wyk ◽  
Cobus Rossouw
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
The South ◽  
Reporting Framework ◽  
Accounting Practitioners ◽  
African Perspective

Even though the IFRS for SMEs does provide some relief in respect of the financial reporting burden for non-public entities, there still seems to be a need for an even lower level of financial reporting. In recent years South Africa embarked upon the development of a financial reporting framework for non-public entities and various versions of this so-called micro GAAP have been issued. However, the Accounting Practices Board raised some concerns about the then proposed micro GAAP. This article highlights the South African accounting practitioners’ views from different professional bodies on micro GAAP. They generally believe that micro GAAP will represent fair presentation and that the financial statements prepared under micro GAAP can still be regarded as general purpose financial statements. Furthermore, the majority of accounting practitioners believe that there is a definite need for a third tier of financial reporting in South Africa and indicated their preference of which entities may apply micro GAAP. Legal backing of micro GAAP is also considered appropriate by the practitioners.

A South African Perspective of Grade 9 Learners’ Experiences of Children’s Rights

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-294
Author(s):  
Lucia Munongi ◽  
Jace Pillay
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
South African ◽  
Children's Rights ◽  
Children’S Rights ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
Radical Approach

This study aimed to determine children’s experiences of their rights. The sample consisted of 185 Grade 9 pupils (females = 95; males = 90) randomly sampled from 13 secondary schools from Johannesburg, South Africa, from a previous study. The participants were requested to write their responses to an open-ended question: ‘What do you think of children’s rights in South Africa?’ The data were analysed using content analysis since the data from the open-ended question was qualitative in nature. Results indicated that children were aware that they have rights, and that adults were still violating them. Based on the findings and a human rights-basedframework, several recommendations were made, such as, the need to adopt a more radical approach when dealing with children’s rights and the need to encourage schools and families to develop a culture of respecting children’s rights.

Facial Social Risks in IT Development in South Africa - Learning from Scandinavia

2002 ◽  
pp. 268-289
Author(s):  
Helana Scheepers ◽  
Lars Mathiassen
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
South African ◽  
Systems Development ◽  
Problem Area ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Social Risks ◽  
Trade Unionist ◽  
African Perspective

South Africa is undergoing a number of changes, which has an effect on every aspect of society from the workplace to everyday life. South Africans need to reflect on this situation and determine how to proceed. The purpose of this article is to consider the development and implementation of information technology, one particular problem area, in this broader context. The article draws an analogy between the trade unionist systems development tradition in Scandinavia and the possible application it might have in South Africa. The article describes the situation in South Africa, presents the trade unionist approach to systems development, and describes the underlying principles that have been identified by Scandinavian researchers. It then evaluates these principles from a South African perspective and discusses the possible uses they might have in the South African situation.

scholarly journals Free Higher Education in South Africa—Why Not?

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saleem Badat
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Higher Education Policies ◽  
African Perspective

Some in South Africa has proposed providing free higher education. The implications of free higher education policies are analyzed from a South African perspective.

scholarly journals Postsecular democracy and the reign of God: Reading Habermas and Moltmann in South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wessel Bentley
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
African Culture ◽  
The South ◽  
History And Memory ◽  
Culture History ◽  
Participatory Citizenship ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
Political Model ◽  
Reign Of God

Governed by a liberal constitution, the South African democratic project is progressively finding its own identity. Being a democracy in Africa has unique challenges, as this system of governance needs to be contextualised by integrating African culture, history and memory into a political model which will promote sustainable participatory citizenship. This article engages, from a South African perspective, Habermas’ model of a postsecular democracy and Moltmann’s understanding of ‘Reich Gottes’ in Ethics of Hope. This article proposes an integrated relationship between responsible citizenship (Habermas’ postsecular democracy) and a Christian social conscience (Moltmann’s ‘Reign of God’)1for the South African context.Postsekulêre demokrasie en die koninkryk van God: in gesprek met Habermas en Moltmann vanuit ’n Suid-Afrikaanse perspektief. Die Suid-Afrikaanse demokrasie wat gegrond is op ’n liberale grondwet, is geleidelik besig om ’n eie identiteit te vind. Demokrasie in Afrika ervaar unieke uitdagings en moet derhalwe gekontekstualiseer word deur die Afrikakultuur, geskiedenis en geheue in ’n politieke model te inkorporeer wat beoog om houdbare en deelnemende burgerskap te bevorder. Hierdie artikel tree vanuit ’n Suid Afrikaanse perspektief in gesprek met Habermas se model oor postsekulêre demokrasie sowel as met Moltmann se verstaan van ‘Reich Gottes’ in Ethics of Hope. ’n Geïntegreerde verhouding tussen verantwoordelike burgerskap (Habermas se postsekulêre demokrasie) en ’n Christelike sosiale gewete (Moltmann se ‘Koninkryk van God‘) binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks word derhalwe deur hierdie artikel ondersteun.

scholarly journals Organisational inertia: Contrasting results in Australia and South Africa

2003 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gert Roodt ◽  
Carli Kinnear ◽  
Ronel Erwee
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Measuring Instruments ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Australian Institute ◽  
High Internal Consistency

This study investigates the similarities of scores on the Organisational Inertia Survey in executive samples in Australia and South Africa. The study builds on previous research on the metric qualities of the Organisational Inertia Survey and problems associated with assuming cross-cultural equivalence of measuring instruments. The sample for this study included a SA sample of 617 executives from different companies and 340 Australian executives from the Australian Institute of Management who participated in an Australian survey. The results show that a twofactor structure with a high internal consistency was extracted in the combined sample. The conclusion from further analyses is that significant differences exist in the obtained Organisational Inertia scores between Australian and South African examples and between male and female respondents. Opsomming Hierdie studie ondersoek die ooreenkomste tussen tellings van Australiese en Suid-Afrikaanse bestuurders op die organisasietraagheidvraelys. Die studie bou op vorige navorsing rakende die metriese eienskappe van die organisasietraagheidvraelys en probleme wat met die aanvaarding van tussen-kulturele ekwivalensie van meetinstrumente geassosieer word. Die steekproef vir hierdie studie het 617 Suid-Afrikaanse bestuurders uit verskillende maatskappye ingesluit en 340 Australiese bestuurders van die Australiese Bestuursinstituut wat aan die ondersoek deelgeneem het. Die resultate dui op ’n tweefaktor struktuur met ’n hoë interne betroubaarheid wat uit die gekombineerde steekproef onttrek is. Die gevolgtrekkings uit verdere ontledings is dat daar beduidende verskille bestaan in organisasietraagheidtellings tussen Australiese en Suid-Afrikaanse bestuurders en tussen manlike en vroulike respondente.

An Analysis of the State’s Obligation to Provide Access to Sufficient Water: A South African Perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 127-140
Author(s):  
Desan Iyer ◽  
Dev Datt Tewari
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Economic Rights ◽  
Running Water ◽  
Contentious Issue ◽  
Policy Frameworks ◽  
The World ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
Progressive Policy ◽  
South African Constitution

Abstract Many people in Africa, and around the world, do not have access to pipe or running water despite efforts being made to actualise socio-economic rights. South Africa is no different. The advent of the South African Constitution, as well as a strong commitment to advancing social and economic rights and values, has seen post-apartheid reforms in South Africa as well as an evolving water framework being confronted with new binary challenges. The era of social change has consequently underscored the need for an urgent redress of incongruences that still exist in respect of access to sufficient water. Despite South Africa adopting progressive policy frameworks for water in recent times, stark inequalities between communities in respect of access to sufficient water remain a contentious issue. The article will seek to analyse the developmental mandate of local government’s responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and giving effect to a key socio-economic right in South Africa.

Equalizing Opportunity through Small Business Development: A South African Perspective

1993 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-150
Author(s):  
Bruce Phillips
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Small Business ◽  
South African ◽  
Minority Business ◽  
Business Development ◽  
Business Sector ◽  
Small Business Development ◽  
History Of ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
Prejudice And Discrimination

The active development of the small firm sector is thought to present a vehicle highly appropriate to the task of equalizing opportunity in a very unequal society—the developing country of South Africa. This article seeks to evaluate the merits of the above assumption. It calls for a closer understanding of the unique difficulties encountered by a minority business group that has experienced a long history of prejudice and discrimination, namely the black, essentially small business sector of South Africa. The author calls for careful appraisal of available development initiatives in order to effectively serve the interests of this group.

scholarly journals The development and investigation of the psychometric properties of a burnout scale within a South African agricultural research institution

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Doris N. Asiwe ◽  
Lené I. Jorgensen ◽  
Carin Hill
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Research Institution ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
New Instrument ◽  
Construct Equivalence

Orientation: Burnout of employees is well documented within South Africa, but researchers have adapted imported instruments with a number of limitations. Therefore there is a need to develop a new instrument suitable for use in South Africa.Research purpose: To give an overview of current burnout measures, identify gaps within the literature and develop a new burnout scale for use within South Africa. The research examined the construct validity, reliability, construct equivalence and item bias of this new scale and investigated any differences that exist in relation to demographic variables.Motivation for the study: This study aimed to address various limitations regarding existing measures by developing a reliable and valid instrument for measuring burnout in South African employees that includes cognitive, physical and emotional (affective) components.Research approach, design and method: This empirical, quantitative research study delivered a cross-sectional survey, including the burnout scale and a biographical data questionnaire, to 443 employees of an agricultural research institution. Items for the burnout scale were written based on a literature review.Main findings: Exploratory factor analysis with target rotations resulted in a three-factor burnout model. Reliability analysis showed that all three scales (1) were sufficiently internally consistent and (2) showed construct equivalence for Black and White employees and speakers of Afrikaans and African languages. A practically significant difference in burnout levels was found in relation to age.Practical/managerial implications: The scale can be used to assess burnout for different cultural groups within research-based institutions.Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to knowledge regarding the burnout levels of employees in an agricultural research institution in South Africa and provides a new burnout scale that can be utilised in similar institutions.

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