ABSTRACT
Organisational functionality is critical for ensuring that the organisation remains focused on providing its performance mandate, especially in times of disruption such as the Corona Vims Pandemic, natural disasters caused by floods, earthquakes, and civil unrest. In times of disruption, organisation could enhance their functionality by applying the Viable System Model (VSM>. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (KZNDOE>, experienced functionality-related challenges during the Pandemic which hindered the delivery of teaching and learning across most schools. Therefore, the study aimed to enhance the department's functionality using the VSM. The target population consisted of300 senior managers, principals, and educators at the KZNDOE. The study employed an exploratory research design gathering data from 14 respondents through interviews as the data collection instrument. Data were analysed thematically using the NVivo 12 model. The study findings revealed that KZNDOE was not prepared to deal with the complexity presented by the Corona Virus Pandemic due to a dysfunctional structure, lack of resources, and skills incompetency to deal with complexity. To address the challenges, the department reviewed the functional structure which was last reviewed in 2011 to one that is adaptive in responding to the complex environment. The review would include the change of structure by creating new structures within the department that can deal with the Pandemic. For example, the study recommended a specific structure that deals with enhancing performance, Corona Virus Pandemic communication network, empowerment structures for educators, and structures to provide for remote learning and pre-learning materials. The study however recommended that a similar study could be conducted in other provinces to have a balanced view before making national inferences.
ABSTRACT
Leading through a crisis and volatile environment requires very different and unique leadership traits. This research sought to understand if the leaders at a state-owned (SoE) utility in South Africa, Eskom, are equipped with the required traits to succeed in a volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) induced crisis environment like the Covid-19 pandemic and if there is an alignment between how leaders perceive how well they can perform their tasks with their employees' perceptions of their ability to do the task in this environment. Ineffective leadership response to such an environment and crisis due to leaders lacking the essential traits can cost the SoE direly in financial terms, market value, service delivery, brand equity, and employee attrition. Thus, establishing the key leadership traits that leaders at Eskom lack for leading in VUCA and crisis environments would assist Eskom in identifying the appropriate upskilling for their leaders. Using a quantitative research design, the study surveyed a total of 65 senior managers and 45 employees at Eskom, an SoE in South Africa, using an online survey platform. The study found that the senior managers at Eskom are equipped to some degree with the appropriate traits required to succeed in a VUCA environment. They could not perform all 32 tasks well as per the SCAILES framework but do display key traits that align to 6 constructs of the framework: strategic, complex, adaptive, learning, emergence, and systems.
ABSTRACT
The study was based on exploring if succession planning was considered as a strategic for branding Zimbabwean Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs) beyond COVID19 pandemic. It adopted a sequential mixed method starting with a qualitative research followed by a quantitative research. Qualitative research helped in establishing themes which constructed a survey questionnaire for a further quantitative research. Results informed that SMEs operating in Zimbabwe's tourism industry have not been considering "succession planning" as a tool for brand survival and that it is difficult for these businesses to survive beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic. The study recommended that the SMTEs in Zimbabwe must consider succession planning for brand vibrancy through formalising structures and functions, delegation of branding related tasks and mostly branding should be treated as a business strategy. These will then develop some related activities within these organisations in order to improve on brand sustainability such as talent management, trainings, stakeholder involvement in brand formulation, career path development and applying brand awareness strategies.
ABSTRACT
In the past decade South Africa has been mired by downgrades from international Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs) which has been detrimental to its policies and economy. This study explored the role played by CRAs in influencing South Africa's governance prior the current global Corona (Covid 19) pandemic. The study adopted an interpretivist paradigm making it a qualitative enquiry. Data was collected through interviews, purposefully sampling key knowledge-holders while seeking a thematic analysis of the interview data. The study found that CRAs are key actors in the South African policy-making environment, they determine the creditworthiness of the country and are critical investment gatekeepers, while creating awareness as well as exerting pressure on policy makers in the policymaking process. Consequently, this has had a great impact on both monetary and fiscal policy of the country. Which underpins the overall domestic or local economic development path and eventually affects service delivery and the way of life of citizens. With the current adverse pandemic, and its impact on already fragile economies such as that of South Africa. The role of CRA will become ever more vital during and post the pandemic when countries scramble to borrow and pay debt accumulated before, during and post the pandemic. Making the behaviour of a country (policy-wise) greatly influenced by CRA. South Africa has not been exempted from this conundrum while it has already engaged in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for funds to help fight the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Gender & Behaviour is the property of IFE Centre for Psychological Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)