South African Public Service Research Articles

Culture, Leadership and Individual Performance - A South African Public Service Organization Study

The South African (SA) government, like many in developing countries, is subject to various pressures as it tries to address transformation for better service delivery. The aforementioned has an implication on the type of culture created in the Public Sector and type of leaders required to maximise resources for effective and efficient delivery of services. Through an exploratory survey among a convenient cluster sample of respondents in specific public sectors organizations in SA, using predeveloped and validated questionnaires (OCA; MLQ; IWPQ), it became evident that transformational and transactional leadership have a significant relationship with organisational culture, even though there is no significant correlation between the “power” culture, “task” culture and performance measures. Transactional leadership showed a high direct effect on individual performance, compared to transformational leadership. The primary implication for service delivery is that appointments to leadership positions in the South African public service should be on the basis of assessments rather than ‘comradeship.’

Ignorance-making in 7de Laan: A Critical Whiteness Studies perspective

ABSTRACTSteyn (2012, 22) contends that at the heart of societies structured in racial hierarchies, such as South Africa, lies an ‘ignorance contract’ described as a ‘tacit agreement to entertain ignorance’. Building on Kellner’s (1996) assertion that media texts highlight the values, social issues and trends of the context in which they are produced, this article interrogates the manifestation of Steyn’s ‘ignorance contract’ in one form of symbolic expression in the media, namely, the Afrikaans television soap opera 7de Laan. Seen against the background of the South African public service broadcasting’s (PSB) commitment to nation-building, 7de Laan is a rich text to analyse with reference to constructions of whiteness, and the perpetuation of white ignorance. The article conducts a narrative analysis of a sample of 7de Laan episodes focusing on the nature of the community and setting; the use of language; and the treatment of diversity within the theoretical framework of Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS), a discipline working to ‘destabilize the assumptions behind whiteness as a cultural norm’ (Foster 2003, 1) with the ultimate goal of contributing to voluntary, critical engagement with normative white subjectivities.

Clinical Outcomes and Women's Experiences before and after the Introduction of Mifepristone into Second-Trimester Medical Abortion Services in South Africa.

ObjectiveTo document clinical outcomes and women’s experiences following the introduction of mifepristone into South African public sector second-trimester medical abortion services, and compare with historic cohorts receiving misoprostol-only.MethodsRepeated cross-sectional observational studies documented service delivery and experiences of women undergoing second-trimester medical abortion in public sector hospitals in the Western Cape, South Africa. Women recruited to the study in 2008 (n = 84) and 2010 (n = 58) received misoprostol only. Those recruited in 2014 (n = 208) received mifepristone and misoprostol. Consenting women were interviewed during hospitalization by study fieldworkers with respect to socio-demographic information, reproductive history, and their experiences with the abortion. Clinical details were extracted from medical charts following discharge. Telephone follow-up interviews to record delayed complications were conducted 2–4 weeks after discharge for the 2014 cohort.ResultsThe 2014 cohort received 200 mg mifepristone, which was self-administered 24–48 hours prior to admission. For all cohorts, following hospital admission, initial misoprostol doses were generally administered vaginally: 800 mcg in the 2014 cohort and 600 mcg in the earlier cohorts. Women received subsequent doses of misoprostol 400 mcg orally every 3–4 hours until fetal expulsion. Thereafter, uterine evacuation of placental tissue was performed as needed. With one exception, all women in all cohorts expelled the fetus. Median time-to-fetal expulsion was reduced to 8.0 hours from 14.5 hours (p<0.001) in the mifepristone compared to the 2010 misoprostol-only cohort (time of fetal expulsion was not recorded in 2008). Uterine evacuation of placental tissue using curettage or vacuum aspiration was more often performed (76% vs. 58%, p<0.001) for those receiving mifepristone; major complication rates were unchanged. Hospitalization duration and extreme pain levels were reduced (p<0.001), but side effects of medication were similar or more common for the mifepristone cohort. Overall satisfaction remained unchanged (95% vs. 91%), while other acceptability measures were higher (p<0.001) for the mifepristone compared to the misoprostol-only cohorts.ConclusionThe introduction of a combined mifepristone-misoprostol regimen into public sector second-trimester medical abortion services in South Africa has been successful with shorter time-to-abortion events, less extreme pain and greater acceptability for women. High rates of uterine evacuation for placental tissue need to be addressed.

Customized Conceptual Human Resources Processes Model to Facilitate the Administrative Function in the South African Public Sector

This study was prompted by the fact that few research studies have focused on non-managerial administrative employees in the South African public service. The study aims to provide a conceptual Hum...

Influence of sense of coherence on work-life balance at the South African public service

The inability of workers to achieve balance between work and family responsibilities has led to heightened incidence of illnesses associated with stress. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the role of Sense of Coherence (SOC) on the achievement of work life balance by focusing on individual managers at a municipality in the South African public service. These individual managers often struggle with work-life balance (WLB) challenges like HIV/AIDS, relational tension, single parenthood, child and elder care, alcohol and substance abuse, debt and financial issues, absence of job autonomy, function vagueness/role conflict and job stress. A sequential transformative mixed methods research design is adopted. Data were collected using self-report questionnaire administered to 364 individual managers; additional eleven members of top management were interviewed. Quantitative data gathered are analyzed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 to test the reliability and validity of the instrument as well as the bivariate association between the variables. NVIVO is used in organizing qualitative data for ease of content analysis. The findings indicate that SOC should be considered when designing strategies to address employee work-life needs. Furthermore, it confirmed that the presence of strong SOC does not lead to achievement of WLB

The development of disability-related employment policies in the South African public service

Worldwide, the employment of people with disabilities has been challenged by the slow development of ‘workplace specific’ disability employment policies. The focus has been on formulating legislation to overcome barriers and the implementation of national disability policies without ensuring that workplaces formulate such policies. While laws regarding disability have been on the statute books for two decades in South Africa, little is known about how effective they have been and their impact in the workplace. This article examines whether South African government departments have developed or reviewed employment policies for the benefit of people with disabilities, and determines whether policy makers were aware of the existence of the Disability Code (Republic of South Africa, 2002) and the Technical Assistance Manual (Republic of South Africa, 2005) when the policies were developed or reviewed. Human Resource Managers from 16 government departments in KwaZulu-Natal Province were interviewed. It was found that although HR policies were in place and some were being developed, very little has been done in terms of reviewing and/or developing disability employment policies. Furthermore, the existing prescripts were not extensively used as a resource during the development of disability-related employment policies. This has negatively affected the employment of people with disabilities in the public service. It is hoped that the results will assist management, HR practitioners as policy makers, and line managers to develop disability employment policies in order to attract and retain people with disabilities. The research also contributes to the existing body of literature on disability

The transformation of the South African Public Service: exploring the impact of racial and gender representation on organisational effectiveness

AbstractThe transformation of the South African Public Service into a bureaucracy that is broadly representative of the population is one of the most significant public sector reforms to occur since the end of apartheid. Grounded in the theory of representative bureaucracy, this study examines demographic representation in the South African Public Service and how it impacts the organisational effectiveness of national departments. The empirical analysis is based on longitudinal data from 60 national departments from 2006 to 2013. The findings show that as these organisations become more representative by hiring a higher per cent of Africans, of Coloureds, and of Indians, they achieve a higher per cent of goals. The findings for gender representation are more mixed and show that female representation among most racial groups is unrelated to organisational effectiveness.

Human resources engagement practices: An investigation of organisational justice perceptions

Literature assumes that organisational justice has an impact on employee related behaviours. Yet there is limited empirical research on organisational justice and employee engagement to support the literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of organisational justice for human resources engagement practices in a South African public service organisation. Organisational Justice Measurement Instrument (OJMI) was used as a measure of organisational justice and the Ultrech Work Engagement Scale measured the participants’ levels of work engagement. Data was collected from a random sample of employees working in a public service organisation (n=350). Descriptive statistics and correlational analysis were conducted to analyse the data. Results of the correlational analysis indicated a significant correlations between organisational justice and work engagement dimensions namely; vigour, dedication and absorption. In terms of contributions and practical implications, insight gained from the findings is relevant for practitioners and managers in the field of organisational behaviour to initiate interventions to enhance employees’ work engagement levels as well as to conduct future research.

Actions and Behaviours Essential for Monitoring &amp; Evaluation to Succeed in South African Public Service

As an intervention mechanism to improve service delivery, the concepts of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&amp;amp;E) is recently growing in popularity among countries, including South Africa. To this end, questions are posed in this article to establish the effect of making use of M&amp;amp;E in the South African public service. These are posed in view of the fact that South Africa has established a number of sound regulatory frameworks in the past, which should serve as a ‘fertile’ environment for effective service delivery. On this basis, attempts are made to investigate the answers to such questions, and then the body of knowledge through literature review was consulted so as to contextualise and conceptualise arguments and recommendations that could be made at the end of the article. Monitoring and Evaluation could be seen as a critical tool for government institutions to be effective towards achievement of their goals and objectives, as well as making an impact on the lives of South African citizens. In view of this, much needs to be done to several unresolved issues, particularly issues around the organisational/operational culture, peculiar public servants’ attitudes, inefficiency and incompetence, as well as non-compliance with relative legislation. Recommendations with regard to the required actions and behaviours in the public service are, therefore, proposed for consideration.

Ethics in the South African Public Service: A Paradox of Culture, Politics and Ethics in the World of Work

This paper argues that South Africa is also crippling to fit in the notion of native culture into the ethos of the world of work. Institutions of public service remain strange to those serving it and those meant to benefit from it, leading to lack of conformity by public officials to ethical frameworks prescribed for good conduct. This paper uses literature to argue that the mismatch between the native cultural ethos and ethical frameworks based on rational doctrines of enlightenment are a cause for escalating unethical conducts in the public service. The ethics introduced to the practice of public administration tend to be artificial in relation to actual custom practices of African diversity. That raisesquestionsas to whether Africa is really free from colonisation if its ethical values and customs are regarded as unethical in terms of standards that are outside its being. The paper concludes that there is a need to harmonise the legislation governing ethics and the generally accepted cultural values and practices of the South Africans that is informed by authentic African customs.

Exploring the Triggers of Transformational Change in the South African Department of Correctional Services

Change is a critical phenomenon in any organisation that wants to optimise its performance at individual, team and organizational levels in order to survive and remain competitive in the intensely competitive and globalised operational environment – be it economic, social, political, technological, international or labour market environment. This paper presents empirical evidence gathered from research participants in the Correctional Centres located in the KwaZulu-Natal Region of the Department of Correctional Services on the factors that triggered the fundamental culture change from the punishment-oriented philosophy to the rehabilitation-driven philosophy in terms of the treatment of sentenced offenders (herein referred to as DCS change). An interest in the triggers of transformational change within a correctional environment has motivated the authors to embark on an empirical study which sought to establish the triggers of the transformational change in the Department of Correctional Services of South Africa. The study was significant, particularly if one considers the fact that there is generally an interest in the factors that force organisations to initiate and implement organisation-wide changes. Change and transformation strategists, organisation development practitioners, and managers in general in both the public and private sector globally and in South Africa in particular will benefit from the study, particular if one considers the fact that transformational change interventions are currently being implemented across the South African public service as part of the government’s agenda of reconstructing and developing the South African society. An extensive literature study on the external and internal triggers of organisational change was undertaken as part of contextualising the triggers of transformational change within the South African Correctional Services environment in general. The literature study was followed by the empirical study which focused on gathering data from correctional officials and offenders through utilising two survey questionnaires. The empirical findings revealed that the fundamental culture change from the punishment-oriented philosophy which was characterised by non-existence of a human rights culture to a rehabilitation-focused philosophy underpinned by the promotion and maintenance of a human rights culture was sparked off by various internal and external factors. These ranged from financial, social and political reasons to complaints about service from offenders, complaints from national and international bodies regarding human rights violations, competitive forces, proactive and progressive leadership,and the need to reduce recidivism. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n10p596

The Reality of Resistance to Change Behaviour at the Department of Correctional Services of South Africa

One of the dynamics of transformational change which the study sought to establish within the offender correctional environment was the notion of resistance to change, which forms part of the human dimension of transformational change. This paper presents empirical evidence gathered from the Correctional Centres of the South African Department of Correctional Services in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal on resistance-to-change behavior displayed by the employees of Correctional Services, namely Correctional Officials regarding the fundamental culture change from the punishment-oriented philosophy to the rehabilitation-driven philosophy in terms of the treatment of sentenced offenders (herein referred to as DCS change). Inadequate empirical evidence on the significant role that the human elements and dynamics play in the success or failure of transformational change efforts has motivated the authors to embark on an empirical study which sought to establish whether the paradigm shift from the punitive approach to the rehabilitative approach within the offender correctional environment in South Africa was characterised by the resistance-to-change behavior on the part of correctional officials. The study was significant, particularly if one considers the fact that organisational change scholars (though there are still few who have researched on the subject) have put forward an argument that the high failure rate in the implementation of transformational change interventions is attributed to the neglect of the human factor during the planning and implementation phases of the transformational change management process. Change and transformation strategists, change and transformation implementers, change and transformation agents, change and transformation recipients, organisation development practitioners, and managers in general in both the public and private sector globally and in South Africa in particular will benefit from the study, particular if one considers the fact that transformational change interventions are currently being implemented across the South African public service as part of the government’s agenda of reconstructing and developing the South African society. An extensive literature study on resistance to change was undertaken as part of contextualising the resistance-to-change behavior within the Department of Correctional Services and South Africa in general. The literature study was followed by the empirical study which focused on gathering data from correctional officials through utilising a survey questionnaire. The empirical findings revealed that there were indeed elements of resistance-to-change behavior on the part of correctional officials insofar as the DCS change was concerned. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n3p548

Organisational Factors Affecting Learning Transfer In The South African Public Service

The purpose of the study was to identify organisational factors that affect learning transfer in the South African Public Service. The study was conducted using a mixed method approach. The study was conducted in one of the public service departments with a staff population of 3000 employees. A total of 5 managers were interviewed and 150 questionnaires were distributed, and a 60% response rate was achieved from the questionnaires distributed. Thematic content analysis was utilized to analyse qualitative data and descriptive exploratory factor analysis was utilized to analyse quantitative data. It was found that organisational factors such as organisational and performance culture, supervisor and management role, organisational policies and resource availability play a pivotal role in the ability of employees to transfer learning into the workplace. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n2p743

State of South African Public Service in the Context of Macro Socio-Economic Environment

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 requires the public service to embody certain enshrined democratic principles and values and be able to perform effectively and efficiently. The Constitution stipulates that the public service has to be professional, efficient in the use of resources, development-oriented, impartial in the provision of services, and responsive to the needs of the people. It should be accountable and transparent, perform effectively and efficiently in meeting all the tasks of government, and have the institutional capacity and organisational ethos to perform the tasks of government effectively. In each of these areas the Public Service faces a number of challenges, determined by, among others, the macro-socio environment. It is on this bases that the authors provides an analyses of the macro-socio environment in which the public service operates and propose a professional single public service, subject to merit-based selection and promotion processes.

Integrated Financial Management Information Systems: Guidelines for effective implementation by the public sector of South Africa

Background: Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (IFMIS) can improve public sector management by providing real-time financial information to managers in order to enhance their decision-making capabilities. The South African Public Service is currently busy with the implementation of an IFMIS. However, the implementation of such a project has proved to be a very demanding undertaking and has not been met with resounding success.Objectives: The research was conducted in order to identify the challenges and risks that are involved in the implementation of the IFMIS in South Africa. After identification of the challenges and risks, solutions or guidelines were developed that may make the implementation more successful.Method: The methodology that was used is that of a literature study where theories were explored and used to solve a research problem. Based on the theoretical research, solutions and guidelines were developed to solve challenges and risks experienced.Results: The results indicated that there are a number of challenges involved with the implementation of an IFMIS. A set of best practice guidelines was developed that may make the implementation more successful.Conclusion: The sheer size and complexity of an IFMIS poses significant challenges and a number of risks to the implementation process. There are, however, critical success factors or best practices that can be used for the project to succeed. It is recommended that these best practices be used by the South African Public Service.

Evaluating the internalisation of core values at a South African public service organisation

Orientation: Fully entrenched and internalised organisational values have proved a competitive advantage for many leading organisations. The benefits range from higher profit margins to the improvement of employees’ commitment and ethical performance. Nevertheless, the process of value shaping is often no more than a management goal. It is rarely truly internalised by the whole organisation.Research purpose: This article presents an effort to describe a value internalisation effort within a South African public service organisation as well as the results of a subsequent evaluation to ascertain to what extent those efforts actually led to internalisation throughout the organisation. A set of actions and practices were implemented within the public service organisation; the intent was that they should enhance value internalisation in the organisation. A long-term strategy of value internalisation was followed that focussed mainly on the clear articulation and communication of the values through different communication mediums and platforms, such as road shows and branded value material hand-outs, as well as through extensive value internalisation training.Motivation for the study: Documentation of value internalisation processes and its evaluation, especially in South African public service organisations is extremely rare. To ensure that public service organisations do not repeat the same mistakes in their value internalisation practices and implementation processes, proper documentation of these processes in the public and research domains are needed. The need for the evaluation of value internalisation programmes should also be propagated as in many instances, programmes are implemented, but the subsequent success thereof is never evaluated.Research design, approach and method: A survey questionnaire consisting of a 5-point rating scale was developed to measure the extent of value internalisation after the implementation of long-term internalisation strategies. Employees at different levels and in different units of the organisation participated in the survey.Main findings: Results (N = 941) reflected lower than expected mean scores for each value component. In addition, differences in internalisation extent were found between two demographic variables, namely population groupings and organisational units.Practical/managerial implications: The results of this study confirmed certain shortcomings in value internalisation processes, such as the way values are identified, communicated and reinforced. Knowledge of the latter may help human resource (HR) practitioners to apply more effective value shaping practices.Contribution/value-add: This study provides specific guidelines that may enable practitioners to evaluate their own value internalisation practices. These guidelines include creating institutional value parity through employee engagement and encouraging leaders to facilitate both the emotional and cognitive interface of value internalisation efforts. Furthermore all leaders in the organisation should be exposed to training and development programmes that address the importance of leaders’ own credibility in efforts to institutionalise values within the organisation. The measurement instrument developed for this study may also provide HR practitioners with a means to evaluate the extent of value internalisation in an organisation.

Human Resource Challenges Confronting the Senior Management Service of the South African Public Service

The Senior Management Service constitutes the supreme leadership cadre of the South African Public Service. It was established in 2001, and its aim and purpose being to lead and direct the service delivery transformatory agenda of the South African Government, within a developmental state paradigm. Driving the transformatory agenda is dependent upon a stable, reliable and competent Senior Management Service (SMS). However, the SMS is currently confronted with human resource challenges, such as staff capacity, strategic cross-cutting issues, and staff turnover. Regular summits lead by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) with civil society and labor union involvement, can effectively contribute to ensuring that human resource challenges are adequately dealt with.

Transformational leadership in the South African public service after the April 2009 national elections

Orientation: The implementation of transformational leadership in public services after national elections has been well recorded in other parts of the world. However, this is not the case in South Africa. Research purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine whether transformational leadership has a beneficial relationship with subordinate leadership acceptance, job performance and job satisfaction.Motivation for the study: Leadership is a critical issue that the public sector needs to address in order to survive and succeed in today’s unstable environment. According to Groenewald and Ashfield (2008), transformational leadership could reduce the effects of uncertainty and change that comes with new leaders and help employees to achieve their objectives.Research design, approach and method: The sample comprised 1050 full-time employees in the public sector based in head offices. The measuring instruments included the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), the Leadership Acceptance Scale (LAS), the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and the Job Performance Survey (JPS).Main findings: Transformational leadership had a positive correlation with subordinate leadership acceptance, performance and job satisfaction.Practical/managerial implications: Managers can train public sector leaders to be transformational leaders because of the adverse effect lack of transformation can have on employees’ attitudes in areas like satisfaction, performance and commitment.Contribution/value-add: This study makes an important contribution to our understanding of transformational leadership processes and to how the public service can improve its practices in order to render quality service to South Africans.

Promoting the Employability and Employment of People with Disabilities in the South African Public Service

Immediately after the election of South Africa's 1994 post-apartheid government, the employability and employment of people with disabilities in the Public Service emerged on the top of the transformation agenda. Currently, the Public Service comprises more than one million people making it the country's largest employer. The South African Government has approved that by 2010, people with disabilities must comprise 2% of total Public Service employment. South Africa has been hailed as a model for the rest of Africa, especially in regard to legislative and institutional measures, as well as for assessment reports and strategic interventions. It is advocated that the 2010 target could be achieved by intensified endeavors and determination by state and non-state actors through analytical rigor applied to understanding and dealing with concerns and challenges. Mobilization of civil society to support strategic interventions and ongoing informed discourse on conceptual challenges, especially in regard to a country-specific definition of disability, will enhance all endeavours.

PROFILE OF A RESEARCH PROJECT: THE MEDAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MILITARY HISTORY

The following particle embodies an analysis of the following four publications, relating to the South African award structure: (i) Fforde, J.P.!. & Monick, S. A guide to South African orders, decorations and medals and their ribbons 1896-1985. Johannesburg: South African National Museum of Military History, 1986. (ii) Monick, S. South African military awards 1912-1987. Johannesburg: South African National Museum of Military History, 1988. (iii) Monick, S. Awards of the South African uniformed public services 1922-1981. Johannesburg: South African National Museum of Military History, 1988. (iv) Monick, S. South African civil awards 1910-1990. Pending publication by the South African National Museum of Military History in January 1991. The term analysis, as opposed to review, merits considerable emphasis. For it is, of course, impossible for an author to furnish an objective appraisal of his/her own works. Rather, the central motive underlying this article is to provide the reader with a profile of a research project undertaken by the South African National Museum of Military History. The publications cited above absorb and disseminate the products of that research, which may be defined as a structured presentation of the evolution and development of the South African award structure; including an in-depth analysis of the central themes or characteristics of this pantheon.