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The aim of this study was to suggest and test a research model that examines whether work engagement mediates the effect of human capital management practices (HCMPs) on employee performance. These relationships were assessed through the Smart PLS 4 (Partial Least Square) software using Partial Least Square-based Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Data were elicited from full-time hotel employees and their managers in South Africa. Based on the PLS-SEM results, work engagement was identified as a mediator of the effects of HCMPs on employee performance. Specifically, HCMPs, manifested by training, career opportunities, and rewards, improve work engagement, triggering employee tasks, and adaptive and creative performance. Additionally, work engagement had a positive influence on task performance, adaptive performance, and contextual performance. This research contributes by empirically testing work engagement as a full mediator in the relationship between HCMPs and employee performance, offering insights into the crucial role of HCMPs in fostering employee engagement and performance within the hospitality industry. Implications of the results are discussed, and directions for future research are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the power dynamics underpinning performance management at a selected South African university. It specifically employs Michel Foucault’s (1977) ideas on Governmentality to interpret the envisioning of performance management in this context at the level of Policy. The study employed a qualitative research methodology to address the questions at hand. Data were generated from one primary source: a discourse analysis of the Performance Management Policy (2013) at a selected university in South Africa. Using Michel Foucault’s (1991) theories on governmentality, a discourse analysis of Performance Management Policy documents was conducted with the goal of critically interrogating the kinds of new academic subjectivities being created in South African higher education. The findings show that the Policy on Performance Management at the university in question works towards creating academic subjects which conform with the university’s expectations and are consistently self-regulated. Findings also show that management of academics is constantly controlled and regulated by a powerful matrix of governance, comprising the university and the wider global community. This paper recommends that performance management discourses should take into stronger cognizance the matter of academic freedom and autonomy. We further recommend that Policy developers and management teams at universities be conscious of the complex forces of power that shape academic identities so that their policies move away from oppressive discourses. We argue that there is much we can learn from governmentality theory if we hope to build more just and equitable societies going forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact assessment (IA) follow-up is necessary to determine the environmental effects of a project or plan to inform ongoing management. No previous research confirms if visitor surveys may be used to this extent for developments within a protected. This paper explores if and how visitor surveys may be used as a tool for supporting EIA follow-up within protected areas. Relevant EIA documentation was appraised to determine EIA performance expectations for management of the Nombolo Mdhluli Conference Centre development in the Kruger National Park. Forty-four expectations were identified, translated into questions, and included in a survey scale. Eighty-nine conference delegates completed the survey whereafter an Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) method was used to map the responses in four IPA map quadrants: 1. Possible overkill, 2. Low priority, 3. Q3 Keep up the good work, and 4. Concentrate here. The IPA map displays 29 items of statistical significance in the four IPA map quadrants with 12 items in the 'Concentrate here' quadrant. The IPA results mapped the need for management to concentrate on responsible building, waste, water, energy, compliance, awareness, cumulative impact management. The paper shows that visitor surveys may be used as a simple but effective tool for supporting EIA follow-up monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the phenomena brought about by the genesis of supply chain management (SCM) in the South African public procurement sector arena is demand management (DM). If properly implemented, departments may be able to plan their procurement activities and has the potential to convert a procurement office from a mere reactive function into a fit for purpose office which will be responsive to the needs of its stakeholders in a more efficient and effective manner. Despite its glorious intensions, many government departments are still grappling with the implementation of DM function. The guiding question is: what are the obstacles preventing demand management functions from being implemented successfully? To find answers, the study applies a qualitative research approach, and information is obtained from literature review. Conceptual analysis is considered to analyse the data. The study aims to demystify the concept and provide a practitioner's perspective regarding the implementation of DM. The motivation of the study is that the findings may assist procurement officials on how to implement DM effectively serving the needs of SCM. It may also serve as springboard in the body of knowledge, thus being used as a point of reference and continue to illuminate public discourse in the public sector procurement environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevailing global competitive environment requires continuous improvement approaches that integrate the entire organisation, from strategic management to operational performance. World class manufacturing (WCM) is a continuous improvement strategy that defines the logic, rigour, and detail of how organisations can achieve sustainable operational performance and customer satisfaction improvements. The paper investigates the factors influencing the successful implementation and sustaining of WCM in the South African manufacturing industry. A qualitative descriptive approach is employed to probe the views and opinions of WCM practitioners in a global manufacturing company with a footprint in South Africa and in other African countries, who were enrolled via purposeful sampling. The findings revealed that management commitment significantly influences achieving a successful WCM system. Furthermore, running WCM as a system could mitigate noticeable barriers identified in this study. The study could substantially enhance industrial engineering practice by revealing aspects to consider when implementing and running a WCM system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The South African retail sector faces numerous inventory management-related problems that have detrimental effects on both inventory and warehouse performance. Some of the negative effects include the inability to fulfil orders, poor-quality control and inventory management operating systems, and ineffective warehouse security and layout design. It is necessary to develop and identify interventions for mitigating these problems. Additionally, literature on inventory and warehouse management in the South African retail sector is currently limited. The study tests a model for linking inventory management to warehouse performance in the retail industry in South Africa. Method: The study used a quantitative survey method involving 203 supply chain professionals selected from retail outlets in the Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal provinces. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling based on the partial least squares technique. Results: Three inventory management practices: inventory investment and ABC analysis contributed positively to inventory performance. Inventory performance contributed positively to warehouse performance. Conclusions: Inventory management and performance are important drivers of warehouse performance in the retail sector. However, a correct mix of inventory management practices is essential. The study offers several contributions. Theoretically, the study provides insights into the contribution of inventory management to warehouse performance in retail environments. Specifically, the study identifies the inventory management practices that are important in optimising both inventory and warehouse performance in retail supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Business Administration & Social Studies is the property of Aves Yayincilik Ltd. STI 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.)

This article seeks to analyse the barriers to employee performance and productivity at the Department of Home Affairs' Richards Bay branch. The mandate of the public sector is to offer effective and efficient public service delivery to the public, and service provision is guaranteed by the South African constitution. There has been a public uproar about low worker performance and productivity at the Department of Home Affairs. The government is currently employing a Performance Management System (PMS) to improve the performance and productivity of public personnel. This paper will look at the feasibility of the PMS in terms of increasing the productivity and performance of DHA employees. The challenges encountered in the implementation of the PMS will be analysed and possible strategies to counter these challenges will be proposed. This article contends that the PMS is ineffective in addressing South African public servant performance. The government must create new measures to effectively implement the PMS as the current standard tool to improve civil servant performance and productivity. To fulfil the study's objectives, this paper used a qualitative technique, unstructured interviews were the data collection tool used and content analysis was used to analyse the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the advent of democracy in South Africa, the public sector reform initiatives introduced by the National Treasury have focused on matters related to efficiency and effectiveness. These initiatives are intended to enhance a service focus by introducing and implementing performance management systems in the public sector. Looking at global objectives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and national policy frameworks such as the National Development Plan (NDP) the need for policy effectiveness in South Africa rises. The studies that have been carried out have mainly focused on monitoring and evaluation as a general contributing factor to improving the government's efforts. However very little has been done to address the specific need for effective monitoring and evaluation systems in line with South African's sustainable development in greater detail. This article adopted a qualitative approach that utilised a systematic review of the literature. The methodological design enabled one to explore existing data to conduct a systematic enquiry into the identified research questions. The findings of this article revealed that despite the implementation of the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and policy frameworks, concerns regarding their effectiveness are debatable. This article concluded that the South African government is not employing monitoring and evaluation tools to their maximum potential but executes these mechanisms in compliance with legislative requirements. This article recommends a change of approach in policy development and implementation practices, which includes the design and establishment of a system that enhances South African policy impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the impact of the Performance Management System (PMS) on employee performance in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality (NMMDM). A quantitative research approach was adopted, in which 200 participants were sampled from a population of 693 employees. A closedended questionnaire was used to collect primary data, and descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. The study results reveal that the main challenge that affects employee performance is the lack of proper training for managers and supervisors in implementing the PMS. The study further recommends that training for senior managers and supervisors be made mandatory, and that refresher courses be held on an annual basis to assist senior managers and employees in improving system implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to explore the academics' experiences of the performance management system (PMS) at a university and to understand which of their performances enhanced the achievement of the university's strategic goals. Furthermore, the study sought to establish the support required by the academics to achieve the performance as captured in their key performance indicators (KPIs) within the faculty. A qualitative research design was adopted using semi-structured, in-depth, individual interviews to collect data from 18 academics, coded L1 to L18. Interview questions revolved around the participants' four KPIs, namely quality teaching and learning, research productivity, community engagement and participation in management activities. Through content data analysis, participants' experiences were highlighted. It was revealed that PM at the institution revolved around predetermined KPIs that were given to the academics in advance before the exercise. The four KPIs later came out as the key PM practises applied by the university to enhance the achievement of its strategic goals. It was also possible to establish the participants' performance, the support given by the university and the gap between the participants' performance and the institution's expectations, as captured in the KPIs. It emerged that whilst the participants had the needed competencies to ensure quality teaching and learning, they also required, among others, a mechanism to assess the impact of teaching on the students' performance. It further emerged that little was done in terms of research productivity; and that participants required enormous support from the university, and rewards to enable them to publish and supervise. Regarding community engagement and participation in administrative activities, participants indicated that it was more challenging due to pressing teaching loads. Based on the findings, recommendations to enhance all the identified KPIs were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employees are the organisation's most valuable resource, and the ability of employers to attract, retain, and reward appropriately talented and competent employees determines an organisation's success or failure. The study seeks to determine the impact of a stagnant remuneration structure on employee performance and retention in the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), South Africa. A parallel convergent mixed-methods research design was used in the study. The data draws from 423 structured questionnaires and 31 key informants administered to the employees and stakeholders in the DPSA. The data was analysed using binomial logistic regression and thematic analyses. The binomial logistic regression findings support the null hypothesis and corroborate past findings that higher remuneration leads to higher employee performance. Low performers were highly insecure about the government's stagnant salary and early retirement proposition. Complementarily, the thematic analysis identified the basic salary, medical aid, pension, and housing allowance as key determinants of remuneration in the public service. Career development, improved administrative capacity, and a positive work environment are key strategies for improving employee performance and retention. The study recommends the most sustainable employee retention strategies during periods of wage stagnation. This study adds to the literature by employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, drawing on binomial logistic regression analysis and thematic analysis, a methodological contribution to the theory, and empirical evidence on how the public sector can balance employee performance and retention in instances of stagnant remuneration structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study sought to establish a performance management system, employment relationships and work engagement framework for the public sector in South Africa. Methodology: The study used a survey research design and a quantitative approach in which a structured questionnaire was employed to obtain information from respondents. The data were processed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Four hundred employees who were permanently employed, who were at job levels 1-12 and had been employed for more than five years from the population of 10 660 employees took part in this study. The study utilised a non-probability, purposive sampling method. Findings: Empirical findings proved that there is a strong relationship between performance management systems, employment relationships and work engagement. Research limitations: This study was conducted within the public sector; therefore, the results may not apply to other institutions, such as those in the private sector and government-private entities. Practical implications: This paper provides good insight into the relationship between performance management systems, employment relationships and work engagement and the way they impact each other. The study advocated that public sector managers are required to ensure that passion for employment relationships and work engagement is high and employee performance can be optimal. Originality/value: There is still a gap in the literature concerning the relationship between a performance management system, employment relationships and work engagement framework for the public sector in South Africa. Therefore, this study makes a valuable contribution to the body of knowledge already available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite efforts by the South African government to manage public sector performance, the Department of Social Development (DSD) is facing lawsuits for failing to provide public value to the foster care placement beneficiaries. This article examines the integration of organisational and individual performance management systems to enhance foster care service delivery in Waterberg District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. A parallel convergent mixed‐method research design was adopted, and drew on the principal component analysis (PCA) and thematic analysis to analyse the impact of integrating organisational and individual performance management systems amongst social workers. The PCA findings accentuate the significant role of strategic human resources management, work experience and performance management delivery systems. Furthermore, performance targets as critical elements to enhance effective foster care service delivery in South Africa is highlighted. In complementing the PCA findings, the thematic analysis attributed the failure to manage and address the challenges associated with the backlog in foster care by the DSD as a consequence of misalignment between strategic intent, workforce and internal integration between different programmes at the operational level, in particular between social work and community development programmes. Peer review procedures should be designed to enhance the effectiveness of the performance management deployment system. Consequently, strategic human resource management practices should correspond with the department's resources and needs to enhance performance and service quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, most South African (SA) municipalities still need to produce clean audits. In 2018 and 2019, most municipalities in SA needed better-quality financial statements and performance reports. Misrepresentation of financial statements in audit reports is linked to inadequate governance, misappropriation of public funds and poor public service delivery. It is upon this background that this study aimed to: (i) assess perceptions of municipality middle management employees on factors affecting auditing, (ii) evaluate the differences in perceptions among municipality middle management employees on factors affecting auditing, (iii) measure the effect of factors affecting auditing on overall clean audit and (iv) establish the effect of clean audit on service delivery at two municipalities in Mpumalanga province. Using a structured questionnaire, a quantitative descriptive approach methodology was employed to collect data from a minimum sample of 294 employees in the middle management category working within the accounting and finance department at two municipalities in Mpumalanga province, SA. SPSS v28 was used to conduct descriptive and multivariate analyses, including mean, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation, and regression analysis. Results indicated that employees from the clean audit municipality had positive perceptions of factors affecting clean audit, while employees from the municipality with an unclean audit had negative perceptions. It was also concluded that factors affecting auditing had a statistically significant positive effect on clean audits. The findings in this study led to significant implications for theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The primary research objective was to establish how the university management used the risk register as part of the process to achieve strategic objectives, manage risk and assess performance. Methodology: The study followed a mixed-methods design. It commenced with the qualitative collection of data through the analysis of the current literature to establish whether the risk register has the characteristics of a management tool. Based on the qualitative data collection and analysis, a structured questionnaire was developed to collect quantitative data to achieve the primary research objective, namely to establish how the university's management currently uses the risk register to achieve strategic objectives, manage risk and assess performance. Findings: The findings indicated that management realized the value of integrating strategy with risk and performance management, but not through using the risk register. Furthermore, 79.5% of the participants agreed that the risk register was populated to manage risk, 40.2% agreed that it was populated to comply with legal requirements, and 25.2% completed the risk register to comply with executive management requirements. Originality/Value: This study is meant to raise the awareness that the risk register can be used as a tool to integrate strategy and risk and performance management as it includes the strategic objectives, the risk, and the controls to prevent the risk from arising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance Management Development System (PMDS) is presumed to be a foundation for successful performance management in the public service. The PMDS is vital for timeously developing a grievance resolution matrix in order to enhance labour peace in the public service. As a result, the South African public sector has adopted the PMDS in the hope of enhancing public service performance. This article highlights PMDS challenges in public hospitals in Mpumalanga Province where thirty-two respondents were purposively selected and interviewed. The sample consists of government employees, including hospital executives and trade union shop stewards. The survey results show that PMDS faces unresolved challenges in Mpumalanga Province and that there is no sustainable permanent solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A researcher's reputation is influenced by the quantity and quality of his or her publications. A record of these publications is usually kept by an academic in a resume or on an online platform, such as LinkedIn, Google Scholar or Research Gate. The purpose of this article is to contrast the major metrics of Google Scholar with that of Research Gate of a number of engineering academics employed at a university of technology in South Africa, in order to determine any notable differences. A quantitative study is undertaken to gather the total number of citations, h-index values and Research Gate scores for engineering researchers present on both databases. Results indicate that Research Gate has the highest number of authors present from the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology at the Central University of Technology. However, Google Scholar records the highest number of citations for these authors. Only 31 out of the possible 86 academic staff members maintains a profile on both databases, where only 4 researchers have more than 500 citations. It is recommended that management mandate the presence of their academic staff on one of many available databases in this regard, thereby enhancing the visibility of the research done at the university and enabling an easier review of the achievements of staff for performance management purposes or for promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and implementation of Public Performance Management and Development Systems (PPMDSs) in the South African public service is a relatively new phenomenon and remains a source of contention. Similar to other government departments, the National Department of Human Settlements (NDHS) has been faced with dwindling organisational performance despite the design and implementation of its PPMDS in terms of its Employee Performance Management and Development (EPMD) policy. Following a qualitative, case-study design, the purpose of this article is to report on findings of an empirical survey conducted at the NDHS to explore key challenges associated with implementing its PPMDS. The target population comprised senior managers (directors) and middle managers (deputy directors and assistant directors). Responses obtained were analysed using SPSS software (version 27). The findings revealed significant challenges, including other employees' negative perception of the implementation of the system, leadership issues, and organisational structural concerns that adversely influence successful implementation of the PPMDS in the NDHS. In response, a strategic framework is proposed to implement the PPMDS more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a result of globalisation and the growing importance of environmental and social issues, construction companies are expected to reduce the environmental impact of their day-to-day activities and make the industry more environmentally friendly. Many research works published have ignored the critical parameters and dimensions of green supply-chain management (GSCM) and logistics performance as environmental protective practices in the construction industry. Therefore, there is a need to investigate how the construction sector should implement GSCM programmes and logistics performance as environmentally friendly practices in their business activities, which would be beneficial to all stakeholders. Objectives: The present study intends to fill this gap by analysing the impact of environmentally friendly practices, such as GSCM and logistics performance in the construction industry in southern Gauteng. This study considered regulatory pressure, green information systems, green packaging, reverse logistics and logistics performance as environmental protective practices. Method: This study adopted a quantitative approach to survey a sample of 440 suppliers and purchasers' managers from construction companies in the southern Gauteng province. A judgemental or purposive sampling technique was applied to collect data from respondents. Data were analysed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS 27.0) and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS 27.0). In addition, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to analyse the relationship between constructs and test the hypotheses. Results: This study revealed that regulatory pressure, green information systems, green packaging and reverse logistics significantly influence logistics performance of construction companies. Conclusion: Study demonstrated that through GSCM and logistics performance, construction companies can correlate their business activities and the environment effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public university in the global South continues to be trapped in an existential slumber, struggling to self-define/self-diagnose its purposes, rationales, goals and agenda(s). Despite the emergence of the #FeesMustfall, #RhodesMustFall, and more recently the #Asinamali student protests, South African higher education continues to adopt neoliberal and colonial conceptions of institutional reforms, seen through the emergence and enactment of performance management instruments, demographic understandings of transformation, incoherent/illogical policy prescriptions, and the use of technology as pedagogic replacement. In this article, I attempt to do two things. Firstly, I critique the South African higher education policy and legislative framework as largely inadequate and neoliberal in nature and designed to reinforce market-orientated logics and discourses. Secondly, and in thinking beyond the neoliberal university, I propose what an inclusive curriculum could look like through a decolonial lens. I end the article with some parting thoughts on the future of the neoliberal university in South Africa, and the potential implications for what I see as the emergence of decolonial and transformative curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor local government performance has been detrimental to South Africa's development. The study explores the challenge(s) the Msunduzi Local Municipality is facing in ensuring good performance necessary for achieving its planned development. The study argues that flaws in the management of performance lead to poor performance. This research was interpretivist, used a case-study strategy and adopted a qualitative design / approach. Secondary data in the form of municipal publications and primary data in the form of interview information was collected and analysed. The findings demonstrated that there is a lack of alignment between the planned development and the necessary performance to achieve it in the Msunduzi Local Municipality. The Key Performance Areas of top managers were not aligned to the Integrated Development Plan goals; Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were internally rather than externally focused; some of the KPIs were too vague to be measurable, and there was no agreement on the top five strategic objectives of the Municipality. This research investigation sought to contribute to the limited understanding of municipal performance and development policy alignment by improving municipal service delivery in developing countries. Lessons have been learnt on the need for policy alignment based on holistic thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Review of African Political Economy is the property of Review of Political Economy (ROAPE) 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.)

To institutionalise performance management and accountability in municipalities, the South African government has managed to develop regulations and strategies to guide the development of the municipalities’ performance management system as part of the local government reforms. Despite the existence of oversight committees within municipalities, challenges in terms of functionality and performance continue to impact general accountability practices in municipalities. This article briefly focuses on a municipal performance management framework and how performance indicators are set, as guided by various National Treasury documents. Performance and accountability are technical, managerial tools that can support decision-making and enhance public sector organisations’ efficiency and effectiveness. The article also reviews accountability practices in terms of internal accountability structures such as sections 79 and 80 committees. The article found that the review process is an ongoing challenge for committees to perform their oversight work, and this does not only relate to the committees’ functionality but also to those councillors with little or no expertise in scrutinising financial and other complex reports serving on these committees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative analysis examines the relevance of journal measurement indices for the humanities and the sciences. The analysis explains how different measurements work, what they measure and their impact on the integrity of research, paradigm change and citation levels. The increasing use by university auditors of impact factors as performance management and research output indicators is critically examined with regard to implications for the humanities. The effect of this neoliberal approach on African-based academic developments is examined, as are the intellectually re-colonising effects of such systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South Africa, the transition from a politically-sanctioned, racially segregated society to a democratically-based administration was, on all levels, an overwhelming task. The positive policies that were designed to improve the country's economy were accompanied with a policy of cadre deployment that advocated for ANC party loyalists to occupy prominent positions in the public sector. This political patronage - implemented via state jobs - led to poor performances in government institutions and in the nation as a whole. This paper assesses the effects of the cadre deployment policy on performance management in the public sector by focusing on significant elements of economic growth and expansion. It presents a proposed framework, based on control theories that illustrate how aspects of cadre deployment and performance management contribute to present knowledge of the African academic and administrative environment. An extensive literature review incorporated various sources providing information on cadre deployment and other relevant documents such as various reports on political structures and performances. The results of this study confirm that cadre deployment exacerbated problems related to corruption, poor procurement systems, wasteful expenditure and the deteriorating state of local government. The article promotes calls for the review and an overhaul of the authoritative structure that governs local municipalities, with the goal to supplement Section 152 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The article further recommends the ANC-led government to revise its cadre deployment policy to combat the challenges of skills shortages and poor service deliveries in various municipalities, which have resulted from ingrained nepotism, overt politicisation and the appointment of unqualified personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of the principles of New Public Management by many governments across the world was invariably accompanied by the implementation of performance evaluation. It is generally accepted that performance evaluation optimizes the performance of workers. As part of a broader investigation which employed a mixed methods approach, the study used data from six interviews with high school principals and 100 survey questionnaires with purposively selected high school teachers in uMgungundlovu District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In the analysis of this data, the paper demonstrates that beyond the obvious benefits of performance evaluation such as improvement in performance, there are also unintended consequences such as a narrow focus on measured output, teacher burnout, and falsification of information in order to maximize credit or to avoid punishment. This study illustrates the understandings of high school educators in uMgungundlovu District of the effects of performance evaluation. The findings have important implications for public administration and scholars alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the publication strategies and decisions of academics in two key fields at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. We ask how research output has been shaped over the last two decades by the increasing priority attached to institutional rankings and the accompanying pressure to publish in key journals. Drawing on output data from three selected years: 1993, 2003, 2013, and interviews with colleagues in Education and Social Anthropology, this contribution is an analysis of the factors behind the publishing patterns, including shifts towards international collaboration, that have emerged in South Africa over the past 20 years. Differing trends emerge in these two fields with a common theme including an emphasis, regardless of the questions being asked, on publishing internationally in accredited journals. The increasing pressure to satisfy performance management criteria required for promotion and monetary reward has driven researchers to be more individualistic in their approach to research output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South African democratic government is now responsible for providing public services to all of its citizens. To increase accountability, enhance good governance and improve service delivery for all citizens, in 2009/2010 the Presidency shifted the public sector from the input-output performance management (PM) framework to the Outcomes Approach (OA). Questions presented are (1) whether the African National Congress as ruling party, renowned for a successful liberation struggle, has fostered results-oriented PM? (2) In importing the international best practice of the OA did the South African government take African epistemologies into account? It is argued that African epistemologies, such as Afrikology (Nabudere, 2011) offer a strategy for putting people first to improve service delivery for all South Africans. The mixed method research design applied case study strategy to draw upon 44 senior managers in the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs as respondents. Content, matrix and thematic analyses were employed to analyse qualitative data. Stata software was used to analyse quantitative data. Unlike results from qualitative data, results of quantitative data yield some evidence of political accountability and PM effectiveness through the OA. Change management for OA implementation appears elusive. It does not seem that African epistemologies are incorporated into change management and OA implementation. It is recommended that the South African government take cognisance of African ways of knowing and be at the forefront of decolonising the Public Service by using Afrikology to promote new knowledge production for employee development and citizen driven PM to improve service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nineties were a period of mass reforms in South African policing. Within a few years of its transition from apartheid to democracy, the South African Police Service (SAPS) had developed a performance measurement tool based on the New York CompStat system. Such tools have been praised for their apparent effectiveness in reducing crime but scorned for the pressures they place on police officers. This article demonstrates that the SAPS' Performance Chart has framed the police as crime fighters, giving little to no regard for community relations or police legitimacy. While organisational rhetoric emphasises police-community relations and police professionalism, these are absent from the targets by which police are assessed. The unintended consequences were clearly demonstrated when angry residents of Khayelitsha in Cape Town successfully lobbied for a Commission of Inquiry into the failures of policing in 2012. The scandal showed that despite good intentions, the introduction of the Chart has not produced effective, democratic policing. On the contrary, the resulting pressure to 'perform' can and has promoted police practices that erode community trust in and cooperation with police. For the SAPS, this is particularly true in the absence of a measure of public confidence or of feelings of safety. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the results of a statistical analysis of the weekly working hours of academics in a Faculty of Human and Social Sciences at a South African university. The aim was to quantify, analyse and compare the workload of academic staff. Seventy-five academics self-reported on their workload by completing the workload measuring instrument. The results indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in the total working hours per week in terms of gender, schools, academic qualifications and positions. However, there were statistically significant differences in the hours spent performing core academic activities such as teaching and learning, administration and management, research and postgraduate supervision, and community engagement and services to the scholarly community. The results indicated inequalities in the workload allocation of academic staff, with some staff members being underutilized and others significantly over worked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Principals, as one of the professional leaders in a school, are accountable for the quality of education in the school. This is a part of the normal job description and expectations for the person in such a post. In the South African context with a large number of underperforming schools, there is an intention to have an additional performance agreement as a part of performance management, to be signed by principals to hold them accountable for the expected examination results. This article investigated the understanding of principals of the possible motivational implications if the performance agreement is implemented. It also focuses on the issue of what may motivate principals to improve their performance towards sustainable quality education. Motivational theories are used as the lens to understand the principals’ perceptions of this performance agreement process. The focus group interviews indicated that most principals are not in favour of the intended implementation and that it may rather have a negative influence on their motivation levels. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

It is widely recognized that in the management of employee pay, there is a definite divide between government and the private sector. The immediate question comes to mind: “How is performance-related pay working in government?” A closer look provides insight on the kind of challenges governments are facing in getting this process working. It is obvious that they need to, as this pay philosophy is not working as it should or could. A proper analysis of the current scenario would pave the way to a much improved performance-related pay structure in government as a whole. It is clear that the link to performance management is of critical importance. Should governments and the private sector alike not start to learn from each other, instead of adopting the “we are better and different than you philosophy?” It is all one economy in each country with two major role players, of which government is a significant stakeholder. It is hoped that this article will assist senior government officials in establishing that closer link between performance and pay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The housing delivery plans of the South African province of Gauteng and two of its metropolitan municipalities broadly respond to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for improving the lives of slum dwellers and eradicating poverty. This paper evaluates some South African responses to the MDGs by considering the housing delivery and settlement upgrading plans of the provincial and local authorities for two major cities in Gauteng. In the face of pressure to demonstrate progress in meeting the MDGs, public servants have resorted to devising strategies that will present a positive picture. These include semantic changes such as subscribing to a narrow definition of informality as illegality and shifting responsibility away from particular organs of the state and onto residents, the private sector and other spheres of state. These strategies are unlikely to bring significant improvement to the lives of poor people living in informal settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance monitoring, often based on the use of performance indicators, has become a central aspect of the work of government departments in South Africa. Even though the South African Police Service (SAPS) is regarded as one of the leading government departments in the use of performance monitoring systems, it does not use performance information in a critical enough manner, particularly given the risk that the introduction of performance measures will lead to perverse incentives. Given that the SAPS is one of the largest police services in the world, the centralised reporting on organisational performance in the annual report is ineffective. It obscures much more than it reveals about what is being achieved by the organisation. Since 2005 the Auditor General of South Africa has been phasing in a 'predetermined objectives' audit that involves checking on the reliability of the performance information presented by the SAPS. Though he has limited capacity to do so, the AG also carries out what are called 'performance audits', that involve deeper and more focused scrutiny of the functioning of government departments. A 2008-09 performance audit on service delivery at police stations and 10111 call centres highlights the type of scrutiny that the SAPS needs to be subjected to if information on its performance is to become more meaningful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the movement patterns, heart rates and work-to-rest ratios of South African Rugby Union referees during the two halves of match-refereeing. The referees were monitored by means of a video camera in 16 matches during a tournament. The frequency and duration of the different movement patterns (standing still, walking, jogging, lateral movements and sprinting) during each half of the matches were analysed using the Dartfish TeamPro software package. Heart rate (HR) was recorded to determine the intensity of the movement patterns by a Suunto Team pack monitor system. A large practical significance difference was found between the mean frequency for standing still (d=2.53), walking (d=2.50), jogging (d=2.42), lateral movements (d2.86) and sprinting (d1.31), as well as for the mean duration for standing still (d2.05), lateral movements (d0.76) and sprinting (d0.77) between the two halves of match refereeing.The intensity displayed a large practical significant difference between the time spent in the maximal (d2.07), anaerobic threshold (d=0.92) and sub-threshold (d7.90) heart rate zones between the two halves.The first and second halves had a work-to-rest ratio of 1:3.5 and 1:5 respectively. The study revealed that several of the measures for movement patterns increased significantly during the second half. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an overview of shifting political—administrative relationships in South Africa, with particular reference to growing politicization (partisan control of the bureaucracy). Studies of politicization of public services are important because political involvement in management has often led to negative effects on service delivery. The article sets out a theoretical framework for political—administrative relationships, examining the growing politicization of public services, the impact of New Public Management (NPM) and political—administrative relationships in developing countries. It then looks at political—administrative relationships in South Africa, including the apartheid history, the development of a new framework in the democratic South Africa and politicization in the staffing of the public service. It examines three functional areas — the decentralization of powers, contract appointments and performance management — and discusses the implications of this changing framework for service delivery. The methodology consisted of interviews with a number of senior government officials, including three current directors-general and a former Minister for the Public Service and Administration, an analysis of government legislation, Public Service Commission (PSC) data including surveys, unpublished data of the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), policy papers of the African National Congress (ANC) and an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study of political involvement in bureaucracies. The article concludes that growing politicization of the public service has contributed to poor service delivery, and that the South African government needs to place greater emphasis on merit as the basis for appointments and promotions.Points for practitionersThis article is useful for professionals working in public management and administration because it looks at the following debates and issues, which have practical implications: frameworks for understanding political—administrative relationships in the public service; the impact of the politicization of staff in the public service; and how merit-based appointment can improve government effectiveness. The article also offers lessons to developing countries wishing to create more professional public services. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article argues that the work of school principals in South Africa is shaped by two major sets of constructs or ‘landscapes’: the literature on leadership and management which provides particular constructions of the field and its changes; and the terrain of new policy frameworks adopted after apartheid to transform the education system. In terms of the former, the influence of international debates may be seen in South Africa, but these are situated adaptations rather than simple reflections. In terms of the latter, the new policies are underpinned by a tangled network of regulations on governance, labour relations and performance management, which bring complexity to the task of running schools. In addition, the enormous inequalities that continue to exist between schools mean that the work of principals is very different in different contexts. The article argues that a mismatch between the ideal and the actual may impede, rather than assist, attempts to improve schools. In particular, constructions of principals’ work in discourses that conflate leadership and management, that over-generalize, and that do not engage seriously with local conditions and the day-to-day experiences of principals, are likely to provide distorted depictions of principals’ work. In this context, a better understanding of the landscapes of leadership is a necessary starting point for change. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Education systems all over the world, like all other organisations, have certain organisational goals that they set and wish to achieve. It is argued that for increased pupil performance, in the case of education systems, teachers must work harder and smarter. A performance system is regarded as part of the process to achieve this organisational goal. Some prominent researchers, however, forecast a movement away from performance management as we know it. In this paper we use insights from a specific school district in South Africa to highlight the need for effective advocacy of a performance system to ensure a measure of success. One of the majorfindings is that although advocacy in its narrow sense is a process to make stakeholders aware of a new policy, the data collected reveal two broad themes, namely, the process itself but also the issues about the content of that which should be advocated. Findings on the process itself focus on sufficient funding, effective training, reconsideration of the cascading mode of delivery, clarity on the roles of different structures, official sources of information, anticipated reaction of teachers and effective monitoring of the implementation process. Findings on the content of IQMS focus on the conceptual framework of IQMS, clarity of the content and contextual factors to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance management of higher education institutions is a major challenge for many countries. Such institutions deliver mostly a social as opposed to an economic return, and cannot be evaluated using the same approach as is applicable to a business enterprise. Many countries have developed rather complex and elaborate approaches to this challenge and South Africa is no exception in this regard. The Department of Education, which has the responsibility for managing the country's higher education institutions, has recently revised its evaluation framework, the results of which are used to determine the annual core grants. Although the performance indicators are appropriate to the desired policy objectives, implementation of the framework has been distracted by other objectives of the department. In this article it is shown that funding allocations based on the new formula do not correlate with performance and it is therefore inevitable that the framework will lead to unexpected and undesirable outcomes. At a time when South African institutions are struggling to maintain their competitive position within the global community of universities, this reaction will be extremely unfortunate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study that is described in this article was to determine the relationship between team leaders' motivational behavior and the performance of their team members. Moreover, the differences between the team leaders' self-assessments of their motivational behavior and their team members' perceptions have been studied. The study has been performed among 27 team leaders and the team members they are supervising in a South African multinational that produces tank containers. In the study each team is represented by 5 members, so the total sample consists of 135 team members. It appears that we have succeeded in developing a reliable measurement instrument for measuring degrees of motivational behavior shown by team leaders. Both for the team leaders' self-ratings and for the team members' ratings, the scales appear to be homogeneous. The instrument may be useful as a means for finding out where motivational behavior is already shown in organizations and where it has to be improved. It can also be used as a research instrument in future studies of the phenomenon. Moreover, the relationship between the team leaders' motivational behavior and the performance of the team members are dealt with. Besides, differences between the self-ratings and team members' ratings are discussed. Finally, some major implications of the outcomes and recommendations are given. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The use of the performance management (PM) system is highly contested by public servants in South Africa, although its value as essential to the appraisal and management of staff is undeniable., Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore nurses' perceptions and experiences of the PM system at primary healthcare (PHC) facilities in relation to the current health system's reforms., Method: An exploratory, descriptive and qualitative design was utilised. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. A semi-structured interview tool was used to collect data from 18 nurses in four sub-districts of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda district in the North West province. Data were analysed through thematic analysis., Results: The findings of this study confirmed that PM is implemented to some extent. However, various loopholes in its implementation threaten the accuracy and transparency of the system and leave it vulnerable to perceived organisational injustice and unfairness, with the objectivity of the system questioned. The limitations of the current PM system revealed by this study include (1) the lack of alignment with current health system reforms towards comprehensive and integrated care that demands person-centred care; (2) the system's usefulness for career progression, performance improvement and rewarding exceptional performance., Conclusion: Performance management is inadequately applied in PHC facilities at district level and needs to be realigned to include the appraisal of key attributes required for the current health system's reforms towards comprehensive and integrated care, including the provision of person-centred care, which is central for responding adequately to South Africa's changing disease profile towards multi-morbidity.

The article focuses on the National Core Standard developed by the National Department of Health to provide quality health care. It mentions that the World Health Organization has defined quality of health services as the acquisition of goals that are being implemented by health systems to attain the population's expectation. Moreover, meeting the National Core Standards requires clinical audit in several aspects which include mentoring and supervision, surveillance, and performance management.