Organisations In South Africa Research Articles

A relational approach to human development in a crisis: perspectives from two case studies in South Africa during COVID-19

ABSTRACTThis research joins people-centered approaches to development in understanding how social relationships are integrated into the efficacy of human development organizations in South Africa during a crisis. It positions itself within a Relational Thinking approach. A relational tool was applied to measure the relational dynamics within two organizations in South Africa who provided support to people economically affected by the COVID-19 crisis and the accompanying lockdowns. An existing computer-generated program called the Relational Health Audit (RHA) was used to study the proximity or distance between individuals and groups in their organizations. The findings show the relational footprint of development organizations due to deepened connections, continuity, understanding of context, sensitivity to power dynamics and commonality. These relationships allowed quick adjustments and responses to people’s needs in the crisis. Through a relational approach, the article highlights why development cannot simply be viewed through a singular lens, but instead needs to be understood through a wide ranging and open-ended set of inquiries into systems, interventions, and outcomes.

Reflective supervision: The symbolic hands that hold.

Nonprofit organizations, providing psychotherapy services in community-based settings, are often faced with the tensions inherent in both ensuring quality services while limiting program costs. The same is true in private and public health care settings, where services regularly navigate cost reductions and budget cuts. At the Ububele Educational and Psychotherapy Trust, an nonprofit organization in South Africa, reflective supervision is seen as a critical component for effective, ethically sound, and culturally sensitive intervention despite competition for financial resources. This article will provide an overview of the organization's reflective supervision model, motivating for the need to prioritize reflective supervision for frontline staff. It also provides a case example, to demonstrate the value of reflective supervision for promoting practitioner reflexivity and preventing practitioner burnout in a highly traumatized environment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Customer relationship management systems for customer retention in a life insurance organisation in South Africa

By examining the role and value of customer retention (CR) in the life insurance sector of the South African insurance industry, this paper seeks to uncover the level of clientele receptiveness and willingness to adopt Information Technology (IT)-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Arguably, there are changing client needs, and market erosion requires innovative processes and particularly a readiness to accommodate the swift changes in technology. This volatile environment has, over the past decade, created increased competition and uncertain economic futures, which has placed life insurers under pressure and facing a steady increase in policy lapses. The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the role and value of IT-based CRM potential on customer retention in the life insurance industry in South Africa. It is argued, that with technological advances, increased competition, tough economic conditions, and clients becoming more financially conscious, insurers need to seek further and newer methods to retain their clientele.
 The study applied a quantitative research methodology by administering existing structured questionnaires to 100 clients at a Walk-in-Centre of a major life insurance company in South Africa to examine the causal link between IT-based CRM and customer retention. The survey concluded that probing unchartered terrain is required in fluctuating times for insurers to be competitive. The implication of the findings is that the speed, at which technology is evolving, is compelling insurers to evaluate new and alternative means of managing client relationships, as clients now drive the economy, not businesses. The very essence of a good CRM programme is its reliance on an IT system innovation, which is advanced enough to analyse the captured client data, transform that data into usable knowledge, which is then used to drive client retention. Explain who will be interested in the findings and why they should care about them. This paper contributes to the understanding, and implementation, of a successful IT-based CRM tool within the life insurance industry

Disability Inclusion in Diving Tourism: Perspectives from the Industry in South Africa

Disability inclusion in diving tourism is a relevant topic of study, considering the documented benefits to disabled communities, the growing demand for inclusive diving tourism opportunities globally, and the limited information on the status quo. This qualitative study assessed the perspectives on disability inclusion in diving tourism among 28 diving industry members (who were not disabled divers) and one representative (who was a disabled diver) from the largest disabled diving organization in South Africa, which is an important diving destination internationally. Benefits, challenges, involvement, and specific perspectives in inclusive diving tourism were captured through thematic analysis of participants' narratives. The results confirmed the multidimensional benefits of diving to disabled people and highlighted barriers to inclusive diving tourism related to logistics, knowledge, awareness, and attitude of the industry, marketing, and collaboration between stakeholders. This study drew useful recommendations to enhance disability inclusion in diving tourism and exploit its potential for the development of this industry.

Human rights violations among men who have sex with men and transgender people in South Africa.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender (TG) people face human rights violations (HRVs) which impact their access to critical interventions for HIV prevention, treatment, and related services. This study describes how Beyond Zero, a not-for-profit organisation in South Africa, built an HRV reporting system and discusses data on the HRVs experienced by MSM and TG people who accessed HIV prevention services between 01 January 2021 and 31 December 2021. This was a cross-sectional study using secondary analysis of programmatic data routinely collected as part of HIV prevention programmes for MSM and TG in 10 rural districts of South Africa. A total of 249 individuals reported having experienced HRVs. Of these, 113 (54.6%) were physical violations, 145 (58.2%) were psychosocial harassment, 15 (18.3%) were experienced within the workplace, and 59 (23.7%) were experienced at a healthcare or social services institution. Overall, 77% of the physical violations and 70.4% of the psychosocial violations occurred in the home and local community settings; 76.1% of the perpetrators of physical violence and 79.3% of the perpetrators of psychosocial harassment were known. Most incidents of physical violence (80.5%) and psychosocial harassment (92.4%) were not reported due to fear of homophobic or transphobic violence. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of documenting HRVs among MSM and TG people within HIV prevention programmes. Men who have sex with men and TG people should be systematically screened for HRVs and linked to legal or other services. Our findings present data on the nature of HRVs in 10 districts outside of the large urban centres where research documenting the lived experiences of MSM, TG people and other key populations is traditionally conducted in South Africa. This data contribute to addressing the gap in the literature on the needs of MSM and TG people in South Africa caused by the delayed inclusion of rural MSM and TG people in research.

Governance Structures: Enabling Social Entrepreneurial Organizations in South Africa to Operate Sustainably

Governance Structures: Enabling Social Entrepreneurial Organizations in South Africa to Operate Sustainably

South Africa enters the second wave of xenophobic violence: the rise of anti-immigrant organisations in South Africa

ABSTRACT Based on an analysis of authenticated YouTube videos and Internet news reports, this article argues that South Africa has entered the second wave of xenophobic violence targeting mainly black immigrants from other African countries. What makes this wave unique is the fact that organised formations that are relentless in their campaigns against immigrants have used various strategies and tactics, such as marches, protest actions, and social media, to identify or position immigrants as the cause of crime, poverty, and unemployment in South Africa. This phenomenon of organisations that have formal structures and leaders that are primarily formed to target immigrants in South Africa is still emerging and therefore little has been written on the topic, making it an under-researched area. The article contends that crime, economic decay, unemployment, poverty, and the general social and economic instability, and the organic crisis in general have led to the formation of anti-immigrant organisations.

Through the Media Looking Glass: Journalists’ Perceptions on South Africa’s Funded Environmental Journalism

ABSTRACTEnvironmental journalism has passed through a plethora of iterations—from a reporting that was science-oriented to a reporting for popular publications focusing on the green. This qualitative study looks at the political economy of environmental journalism in South Africa. The study seeks to understand the rationale of environmental journalism funded by corporate organizations in South Africa The study solicited for opinions from journalists who have been funded by various corporate organizations to cover social responsibility environmental initiatives. The study also gestures the use of environmental journalism to positively impact attitudes, raise awareness and play the advocacy role.

Organization barriers and social justice analysis of professional women in the workplace

The gender gap still poses a setback for women to advance their careers (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], 2015). Gender equality for working women and the issue of organization governance have continuously been debated as a social reality in the workplace. However, the discourse of equality and equity in the study of women and organizations often focuses on fairness in the sub-Saharan regions. The inability to adequately theorise women’s opportunities within the organization setting and from social justice perspective is problematic. Thus, discrimination based on gender in the workplace is deeply organizational and social if studied from the perspective of fairness and justice. Therefore, this paper problematizes the importance of gender equality from an organizational governance perspective and argues that the lack of mentoring and discrimination based on gender affects women working in a corporate organization in South Africa.

Emergent Cultural Contradictions from Overlapping Cultural Levels in Information Systems Development

Research exploring the cultural influence on information system development (ISD) projects tends to focus on a single level of influence (e.g., organizational culture) or cultural incompatibility between one or two cultural levels that are assumed to be discretely separate and static (e.g., national and organizational culture). In contrast, our research conceptualizes culture as dynamic and emergent, with varying levels of overlapping cultures that occur simultaneously in ISD projects (e.g., organizational and occupational culture overlaps). The case study method is used to examine two strategic projects in a single organization in South Africa. The findings describe how the overlap of different cultural levels gives rise to cultural contradictions in ISD projects. Understanding the relevance of the multiple cultures that exist in ISD projects offers further opportunity for refining explanations of cultural contradictions. Cultural contradictions that emerge from cultural overlaps during ISD are conceptualized as five distinct types: Vision Contradictions, Priority Contradictions, Process Contradictions, Role Contradictions, and Technology Contradictions. Despite variation in the context of each project, there is a similarity in the nature and effect of emergent cultural contradictions. The paper concludes with suggestions for addressing cultural contradictions in and influences on ISD projects.

The relationship between previous leadership theories and ethical leadership in a South African context: a narrative review

Leadership theories have underpinned significant leadership studies and practices which span decades. Despite the plethora of research on different leadership theories and styles, there is minimal research exploring the relationship between previous leadership theories and the ethical leadership style. Previous research has shown that the ethical leadership effect goes above and beyond other leadership styles and theories as the latter lack an exclusive ethical focus. Therefore, this paper aims to address the identified gap from a preliminary perspective of previous leadership theories as compared to the ethical leadership style. In addition, ethical leadership is the ‘only’ leadership style that is part of the King IV code and report on Corporate Governance in South Africa. The study is built on previous research conducted on leadership theories in relation to ethical leadership and corporate governance as per the King IV report. The method employed involved conducting a historical narrative review of research from more than 60 relevant sources obtained from different databases and search engines on this topic. The paper found that a relationship exists between historical and contemporary leadership theories, contemporary theories and ethical leadership style, and ethical leadership and corporate governance. Stemming from these results, a conceptual model of the relationship between leadership theories, ethical leadership style, and Ubuntu ethics is shown. It is hoped that different types of organizations in South Africa will benefit from this review paper since most need to comply with the King IV report and code. The focus should be on ethical leadership as it promotes better employee performance and positive organizational outcomes.

Guidelines for Screening Prospective Foster Parents: A Scoping Literature Review

The process of screening prospective foster parents is a requirement before a child in need of care and protection is placed in foster care. This is to ensure that the prospective foster parents fit the criteria for fostering children. The aim of this scoping review was to review current literature on guidelines for the screening of prospective foster parents. The six steps of Arksey and O’Malley’s framework was used. A total of 13 databases were searched, resulting in the retrieval of 75 studies, 11 of which met the inclusion criteria: English, full text, peer reviewed, open access studies conducted between 2017 and 2021 on guidelines for screening prospective foster parents. The data were analysed thematically. This study revealed six key components that are included in the screening of prospective foster parents, namely, personal factors relating to values and beliefs, social networks, interpersonal communication, personality characteristics, prospective foster parent–foster child relationship and the child’s background information. We deduce that the screening process is complex and time-consuming and that there is a need to develop a standardised screening process for screening prospective foster parents in South Africa. This study is confined to the screening of prospective foster parents by the government and child protection organisations in South Africa. None of the studies reviewed included the views of foster children. In this study, we recommend further scoping review research to include children’s views on the screening of prospective foster parents.

Longitudinal Analysis of Relationship between Entrepreneurial Mindset Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Knowledge Improvement among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa

Motivated by the lack of empirical research on entrepreneurial mindset knowledge training among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa, this article examined the entrepreneurial knowledge among 3584 adolescent girls and young women from four provinces, i.e. KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Western Cape in South Africa. The article also assessed how entrepreneurial mindset and skills training could drive the development and growth of AGYWs' mindsets towards entrepreneurship and link them with employment entrepreneurship opportunities. This study adopted quantitative and descriptive research approaches via longitudinal data collection. Secondary data collected using a questionnaire survey during entrepreneurial mindset and skills training from July-October 2021 by the large anonymized not-for-profit organization in South Africa was used for data analysis. Robustness analysis was performed using descriptive statistics using SPSS version 27.0. The findings from the empirical part of this research proved that adolescent girls and young women significantly improved their knowledge entrepreneurially throughout the training. This article contributes to the current body of knowledge as it filled in the gap and contributed significantly to the entrepreneurial mindset skill and knowledge improvement among adolescent girls and young women in South Africa.

Examining the relationship between employment equity implementation and employee performance at the workplace: Evidence from a leading organisation in South Africa

Employment equity has continued to occupy a centre stage in the field of human resource management in the current and forthcoming decades in various countries worldwide. It plays a critical role in promoting the elimination of unfair discrimination and consideration of people from previously disadvantaged groups at the workplace. The paper aims to establish the relationship between employment equity implementation and employee performance. The paper also examines the relationship between eliminating unfair discrimination and employee performance at the workplace. In addition, the paper also aims to evaluate the relationship between the maintenance of affirmative action and employee performance. This study adopted a descriptive research design and a quantitative research approach. The data employed regression analysis to test the hypotheses. Data was gathered from 172 employees in a leading organisation in South Africa. This paper's key findings revealed a positive relationship between employment equity implementation and employee performance. The statistical tests revealed a significant relationship between eliminating discrimination and improving employee performance in the workplace. However, the results of the statistical tests revealed an insignificant relationship between the maintenance of affirmative action and the improvement of employee performance at the workplace. In conclusion, organisations should ensure they eliminate unfair discrimination at all costs. This can improve employee performance.

Determinants of cloud computing deployment in South African construction organisations using structural equation modelling and machine learning technique

PurposeThis paper presents the findings from the assessment of the determinants of cloud computing (CC) deployment by construction organisations. Using the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework, the study strives to improve construction organisations' project delivery and digital transformation by adopting beneficial technologies like CC.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a post-positivism philosophical stance using a deductive approach with a questionnaire administered to construction organisations in South Africa. The data gathered were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Also, the fusion of structural equation modelling (SEM) and machine learning (ML) regression models helped to gain a robust understanding of the key determinants of using CC.FindingsThe study found that the use of CC by construction organisations in South Africa is still slow. SEM indicated that this slow usage is influenced by six technology and environmental factors, namely (1) cost-effectiveness, (2) availability, (3) compatibility, (4) client demand, (5) competitors' pressure and (6) trust in cloud service providers. ML models developed affirmed that these variables have high predictive power. However, sensitivity analysis revealed that the availability of CC and CC's ancillary technologies and the pressure from competitors are the most important predictors of CC usage in construction organisations.Originality/valueThe paper offers a theoretical backdrop for future works on CC in construction, particularly in developing countries where such a study has not been explored.

Maternal Oral Health and Global Oral Health: Policy Perspective

Abstract Background and problems The findings of the last South African National Children Oral Health Survey conducted between 1999 and 2002 indicated a national prevalence of dental caries at 60% among 6-year-olds, with over 80% of untreated caries. Various studies have shown that one of the successful strategies in preventing dental caries is intervention during pregnancy by providing prenatal oral health education. Importance and opportunities To successfully mitigate the challenge of ECC, South Africa needs a holistic approach strategy that will integrate oral health services into existing general health programmes, especially into antenatal care (ANC). South Africa National Oral Health Policy and Strategy states that “Integrate oral health strategy elements and strategies into programmes and policies of all sectors that impact community health like maternal and women's health.” All government health care facilities offer free essential ANC services, identifying risk factors relating to poor maternal and birth outcomes. This existing infrastructure can be utilized to deliver oral health education and care for expecting mothers as essential ANC services. Solution The Public Oral Health Forum, a non-profit organization in South Africa, seeks to develop maternal and oral health policies that can be aligned with its research and policy development strategy. It proposes maternal oral health policy and strategies, which could be applicable in the South African context: Education of pregnant women, prenatal providers, and dental and medical students about perinatal and infant oral health, integration of oral health in primary health care services, interprofessional workforce development and research to improve oral health and access to dental care among pregnant women and new mothers. This presentation will demonstrate how such maternal oral health policy and strategy are developed, aligning with existing policy and infrastructure in South Africa.

A Strategic Integrated Communication Framework for Child Protection Organizations in South Africa

ABSTRACT Child protection organizations (CPOs), as part of the non-profit sector in South Africa, play a vital role in addressing the needs of abused, neglected and vulnerable children. Child protection organizations largely depend on donors for funding, and communication plays a crucial role to ensure their sustainability. However, their communication is restricted due to statutory clauses protecting the identity and best interest of the child by limiting traditional strategies and associated fundraising practices. Niemann’s model of strategic integrated communication for the for-profit sector was taken as a point of departure. Against this background, the aim of the article was to determine how strategic integrated communication can be conceptualized and implemented to improve the communication approach and practices of child protection organizations. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were conducted with four of the largest registered national child protection organizations in South Africa to determine the suitability and application of strategic integrated communication in the child protection organization context. Based on source and data triangulation, a strategic integrated communication framework, premised on Niemann’s model, is proposed. This framework not only contributes to the growing body of knowledge regarding strategic integrated communication but also contributes towards practice in the child protection organization context.

Competing marginalities and precarious politics: a South African case study of NGO representation of transgender refugees

On the 26th of November 2012, the South African transgender rights organisation Gender Dynamix (GDX), Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA) met with the South African states Portfolio Committee for Home Affairs. The purpose of their meeting was to discuss issues regarding the Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status Act 49 of 2003, statelessness and the closure of Refugee Reception Offices in metro areas. The organisations involved play a critical role in representations and understandings of ‘transgender’ and ‘refugees and asylum seekers’ in South Africa, respectively. The meeting offered, I suggest, the perfect platform for organisations who, in their day-to-day work, assist transgender people seeking asylum in South Africa to come together, using the transgender refugee as an intersectional subject, around which their separate presentations might have easily coalesced. Yet, curiously, this did not happen. Extending transgender geographies in the Global South and offering an opening towards a broader conversation regarding advocacy for transgender refugees, I argue that transgender refugees represent a zone of precarious politics for organisations in South Africa dealing with competing marginalities. Indeed, it is not simply that transgender refugees are transgender but transgender and migrants, a dual precarity. This alignment with the migrant body is perceived as threatening by transgender organisations to the already precarious nature of transgender visibility. At the same time, given the increased global precarity of transgender rights, the inverse is true for refugee organisations.

Factors Influencing marine wildlife voluntourists’ satisfaction and post-experience attitudes: evidence from Southern Africa

ABSTRACT Marine wildlife voluntourism (MVT) is a niche with potential that warrants research on the dynamics underpinning MVT experiences, to steer sustainable development. This study investigated influential factors in marine wildlife voluntourists’ satisfaction and post-experience attitudes, through structural equation modelling (SEM). Southern Africa was the location of the research, given its growing popularity as an MVT destination and its need for marine conservation efforts. From June 2019 to June 2020, a questionnaire survey was administered to 142 tourists at three MVT organisations in South Africa, Mozambique and Madagascar. SEM identified ecocentric motivations and the perceived ethical conduct of MVT organisations as positively influencing satisfaction and post-experience attitudes towards education, the environment, compliance and advocacy, volunteering, citizen science, career choices, and paying for conservation. This study emphasised the importance of coupling the right tourist mindset with ethical roundness to make MVT a successful form of tourism with multiple direct and indirect benefits.

Knowledge Management Practices in a Religious Organisation in South Africa

Knowledge Management has developed over the years into a mainstream organisational necessity to achieve success and organisational effectiveness. Religious organisations are one of the most producers of knowledge. In many parts of Africa, several Pentecostal churches are established regularly, especially in crowded informal settlements. The knowledge conversion model was utilised to assess the knowledge management practices at a Pentecostal church in an informal settlement in Cape Town, South Africa. The objectives of the study were to examine the awareness and uptake of KM in the religious organisations, determine the level of openness of the members and leaders to knowledge sharing and conversion as well as assess how religious organisations leverage knowledge conversion and KM practices in achieving their goals in spreading the gospel and to enhance their community services. The church leadership and adult members of the church constituted the study population. The findings of this study revealed that the level of awareness and uptake of KM was very low because there was no documented training as well as responsible individuals responsible for the management of knowledge. Tacit knowledge is being shared informally through dialogue communication and religious meetings. However, this knowledge is not formally extracted, documented, or converted into explicit knowledge for organisational productivity, further sharing and future reuse. Although some of the leaders were not keen on knowing explicitly managed and shared in the organisation, religious members thought it is very important for knowledge to be documented and shared. Furthermore, as knowledge sharing is not prioritised within the organisation, the goal of spreading the gospel and to enhance their community services was found to be sluggish. The study developed a conceptual model for implementing knowledge management in Pentecostal religious organisations.