JOURNAL OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGISTS

The Types of preparations available for government employees before retirement

2021-02-17T23:23:50+00:00

The aspect of retirement and the concept of retirement age represent a crucial transition of considerations across all employees in private and public sector. Attached to these concepts is the main issue of livelihood post retirement simple expressed as social security. Employers have a duty and the responsibility to implement pre-retirement preparations those whom have contributed over the years for the success of their organisation. This study sought to describe the types of preparations available for employees between ages of 55 and 65 who are due to retirement in terms of statutory retirement age. A positivist epistemological inquiry using five-point Likert type research was used to answer the following research question, “What type of preparations are available for government employees before retirement?”. As it is customary within the quantitative tradition semi-structured questionnaire was developed and pilot tested before final implementation. Five key parameters were identified for inclusion into the question and these were: (i) intellectual preparations; (ii) psychological preparations; (iii) physical preparations; (iv) social preparations; and (v) economic preparations. The study context was at the Department of Home Affairs in Limpopo province were a sample of 88 employees was drawn.
The study revealed the following:
? Intellectual preparations were available at 45%. Close examination of these findings indicated insufficient intellectual preparations for employees. Mambwe and Mwape (2016) concluded that if retiring employees are provided with necessary intellectual preparations they would know better about the possible future in relation to all other four clusters listed below
? Psychological preparations were available at 36%, appearing to be the lowest rating of all the categories. It was suggested that employers provide professional psychological preparation and further provide seminars where retired employees could come in address and the retiring employees about expectations and practical scenarios faced by post retirees. Looking at this results the researcher postulate further that the employer’s current initiatives were inadequate.
? Physical preparations were available at 46%. This aspect is absolutely important first as a social responsibility for organisation to take care of employees in general (all employees) and has a correlation to productivity and contribution in organisation growth.
? Social preparations were available at 63%, appearing to be the highest rated by respondents among all the categories. This particular category does not necessarily fall within those variables that employer could have direct control on and that this aspect falls under a field that has not been much priority by employers and researchers respectively (Gabileo, 2018)
? Economic preparations were available at 59%. It seemed that to a lager extend respondents were concerned about their economic affairs more than any other thing as compared to Intellectual, Psychological and Physical category. The view expressed in this study revealed that this category appeared to be at the centre of everything and as such all other categories were subject to adequacy of economic preparations.
The research concluded that study objectives were met and that SA government was not adequately preparing employees due to retire.
Key terms: Government employees, Preparations, Retirement, Types

The Strategy development for a successful change implementation at Barloworld

2020-11-26T09:37:58+00:00

Businesses exist to generate profits for the shareholders, pay taxes and to pay their employees. Therefore, managers constantly look for better ways to maximise profits. In this quest they must continuously improve operations and use technology where possible and necessary. This endeavour calls for business improvement and automation as much as possible. Invariably this affects employees who might be frightened by changes in the organisation. Employees must be thought of and catered for when a change takes place in their work environment. Most organisations are faced with a never-ending dilemma of having to deal with change cycles that happen at a high frequency rate and high failure rate.

The objectives of the study are to determine how change process is embraced at Barloworld; to ascertain if change process is formalised at Barloworld; to examine the need for organisations to develop a change framework; and to establish the elements of a framework for a successful change implementation. For this research a qualitative methodology was used.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants using Zoom for these interviews and for recording the sessions. These interview sessions were conducted for a period of two weeks. The collected data was thoroughly analised using thematic analysis to get to the findings, conclusions and recommendations.

The findings of the study revealed that there is an understanding of the need for change at Barloworld, however there is further inference suggesting that the processes of change management could have been handled better. Participants indicated support and buy-in to an emminent change. Inadequate communication flow emerged as a cause and an impediment to successful change implementation. Review of participants’ statements in vivo indicated that a recent exercise of change management lacked a guiding tool such as a framework from employees’ perspective. A framework for change management at Barloworld needs to be visible, communicated and inclusive.

Following the outcome of the data analysis, the researcher proposes the Foundation; Implement; Sustain (FIS) framework that will aid in successful change implementation.

A STRATEGY FRAMEWORK FOR BLACK WOMEN OWNED CO-OPERATIVES TO DO SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS IN FRANCES BAARD DISTRICT IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE

2020-12-03T00:25:40+00:00

The study focussed on developing a strategy framework for sustainable business undertaken by black women owned cooperatives in the Northern Cape district of Francis Baard. Black women owned cooperatives face several notable impediments that obstruct sustainable and successful business development and management. Some of the contributors to the current situation could be attributable to lack of effective strategy focussed on cooperatives in general and black women owned cooperatives. A few studies have been published on the plight and status of cooperatives in South Africa and beyond, with clearly focussed recommendation emanating from empirical findings. This study, being aware of the vast depository of literature on the phenomena and using the Population Intervention, Comparator and Outcome (PICO) method, sought to answer the question, “how to develop a strategy framework for black women owned cooperatives to run sustainable businesses.

A Qualitative Review Synthesis, a method within the Systematic Reviews approach was adopted as suitable orientation for answering the research question. A systematic review, also known as review on review (RoR) provides evidence-based solutions hinged upon primary research conducted by many different authors on the same context or situation. Using a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) tool. A total of 400 articles were retrieved from varied databases such as Ebsco-host, Google Scholar, Z-library and Web Science. Through a rigorous critical appraisal of these articles. 100 articles were finally included in the study as a subject of analysis. Thematic analysis using the WebQDA software produced thematic expressions that were finally treated to develop a theory / framework as per main research objective. The outcome of this qualitative evidence synthesis culminated in a formulation of the SNI Framework for Sustainable Black Women Owned Cooperatives

Lived experiences of Educators in relation to CPTD within the Johannesburg West District High Schools

2020-09-17T08:53:25+00:00

Abstract

Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) is empowerment and enhancement of professionalism and competence of Educators within the education system, whether public or private sector. The Department of Basic Education implemented a standardized CPTD program throughout the schooling system, which is monitored and managed by a statutory body known as SACE (South African Council of Educators). This study sought to describe lived experiences of educators in relation to implementation of CPTD in Johannesburg West District. The study was designed within the interpretivist paradigm, employing phenomenology as a strategy of inquiry. 10 educators were selected purposively for interviews, which were recorded with permission of participants. The recording was critical for demonstration of member checking and audit trail required for rigor determination in qualitative research.

Through thematic data analysis, the study generated three themes in pursuit of answering the research question, which were (1) Mentorship Vacuum, (2) Dis-interest and inertia and (3) Leadership Support. Whereas the first two themes report the negative experiences educators have had with CPTD, the last them reflected that participants had some form of leadership support.

Key Words: CPTD, Educators, Leadership Support, Mentorship

INSTILLING VALUE-SIGNIFICANCE IN LAND OWNERSHIP IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE

2020-11-26T09:26:35+00:00

ABSTRACT

The concept of value-significance in landownership has been viewed from only one dimension – the economic dimension. This study focused on the intrinsic dimension, sometimes theoretically called “place attachment” to determine how this component could be infused in land reform support and maintenance programs directed towards beneficiaries of the land redistribution program in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The current state of the post-land redistribution programme is characterized by a plethora of problems that lead to discouraged beneficiaries, unproductive land use and ultimate land degradation. In view of the above, this study sought to answer the question, “How to instill value-significance in land ownership to beneficiaries of the land redistribution program in the Northern Cape Province”.

An interpretivism phenomenological approach has been selected as a method of inquiry, purposively selecting study participants from different cohorts of the land redistribution program between the period 1994 to 2018. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain in-depth insights, seeking to describe the lived experiences of the land redistribution program. Aligned with ethical standards, interviews were conducted and recorded on an audio recording device, with the permission of participants. Recorded data were transcribed and analyzed using both thematic analyses benchmarked to the COSTA QDA Technique and the webQDA software.

Findings of the study culminated into four thematic expressions as follows: (1) Land redistribution program needs to be underpinned by a structured maintenance program; (2) Land redistribution program transformed lives of beneficiaries; (3) Beneficiaries of land redistribution program aspire to full ownership of the land for productive use; and (4) A framework for instilling value-significance in land ownership could enhance the maintenance of the land redistribution program. Through a rigorous synthesis of these thematic expressions, a final outcome of this study culminated in the development of the INSTIL Framework for instilling value-significance in land ownership.

Improving conditions of service for family caregivers in South Africa

2021-04-07T19:37:51+00:00

Introduction: In most cases, chronically ill patients, the physically/mentally challenged and old persons are discharged from healthcare institutions to their families who have inadequate knowledge and skill relating to the condition. The healthcare system offers no continuity of care to the family caregivers. The family caregiver is left to attend to the psychological, economical and physical needs of the patient with limited to no support from the healthcare system. This creates a huge challenge and increases the burden for the family caregiver which ends up becoming unbearable to the point where the process is no longer a healthy or viable option for both the caregiver and the care recipient. The role of the caregiver in a patient’s health is often overlooked or underestimated in the South African health system, as a result, the caregiver is not included in the health and financial systems. The aim of this study was to conduct a Qualitative Systematic Review of the conditions of service for family caregivers across four dimensions namely: Problems/challenges, burden, intervention and outcome, in South Africa. Method: A Qualitative Systematic Review was conducted, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) methodology on Google Scholar database, and retrieved articles from 1994 to 2020. Boolean operator words, “AND”, “OR” and “NOT”, were used, to search key terms “family caregiving in South Africa”, “primary caregiving” or “informal caregiving”. Rigour was determined and documented throughout in order to allow readers to access its completeness. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were clearly outlined. Criteria for evaluating primary studies were clearly defined at the beginning of undertaking research. A total of 1810 articles, reports and dissertations, were retrieved and only 85 studies were analysed. Findings and Discussion: Studies were critically appraised using WebQDA software, whereby 198 comments emerged. Both the burden and challenges of caregiving experienced were categorized as problems, which came out 82 times compounding the role that they play. Other categories that emerged from the studies were Intervention and outcome which came out 53 and 13 times respectively, implying that interventions would have an impact on improving or declining outcome.

THE RATIONALE FOR BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN BY THEIR INTIMATE PARTNERS

2020-11-01T16:44:42+00:00

ABSTRACT

The problem of Gender Based Violence and the complexity of its multi-perspectival and multi-layered description within social sciences has become a major concern in South Africa and the world at large. Organisations such as the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are amongst many global leading advocacy voices against gender based violence, especially intimate partner violence. This study was focused on the rationale for behavioural patterns of intimate partner violence and intimate partner homicide. The units of analysis of this study involved male perpetrators who were incarcerated across four maximum correctional centres in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. A total of 12 inmates were selected purposively as interview participants in the study. The ontological position of this study was within interpretivist tradition with phenomenological epistemological approach. Interpretive methods of enquiry are located within the broad qualitative research methods, which was the foundation to this particular investigation. The semi structured questionnaires were constructed along the philosophical and scientific prescripts of philosophical research. .

Findings established that the rationale for intimate partner violence and intimate partner femicide are the anger, lack of communication, social constructs and toxic behaviour as the causes of violence in intimate relationships. This was reflected by participants as the contributing factor to their violent behaviour. Theories of intimate partner violence also explain most of the behaviour related patterns are associated with the stress. Cultural norms and societal expectations were found to influence the behaviour pattern of perpetrators. The economical exclusion subsequent to the Beijing Conference on women empowerment and freedom, as well as social exchange theory further suggest the pressures on male perpetrators and their roles as expected by culture and society are the causes of frustration and anger which end up in violent behaviour and femicide.

Key words: Intimate partner violence, intimate partner homicide, intimate partner femicide, gender based violence, domestic violence

AN INFORMATION DISSEMINATION STRATEGY FOR GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSONS TO MINIMISE SERVICE DELIVERY PROTESTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

2020-11-26T09:25:46+00:00

The purpose of this study was to develop an appropriate information dissemination framework for government spokesperson to minimize service delivery protests in South Africa. Of central concern to the study was the positive contribution that government communicators could make with regard to managing the reputation of the South African government.
The study’s aims were to address the concerns and assumptions that many government spokespersons underappreciate the value of effective information dissemination especially in the context of South Africa’s volatile service delivery environment. Ineffective information dissemination skills on the part of government spokespersons is a real cause of concern. The inability by government spokespersons to properly disseminate, inform and update disaffected communities on service delivery issues is largely regarded as a contributory factor towards the current surge in protest incidences. Disseminating information in a crisis-ridden environment is a complex task that requires unusual information dissemination strategy, skills and experience.
The study followed an interpretivist epistemological trajectory within the qualitative method using case studies as a research strategy. In depth interviews were conducted using semi structured interview guides to obtain rich information regarding the phenomenon in relation to service delivery protests in South Africa. Interviews were recorded in line with ethical standards and subsequent to participants’ s permissions using an audio recoding device. These recorded interviews were transcribed and transformed into data documents that were subsequently analyzed within the method of thematic analysis. Data refinement was treated through the COSTA QDA technique using webQDA software.
Findings confirmed the pre-defined study objectives which indicated the need for heightened and structured approach to information dissemination by government communicators. Further synthesis indicated a requirement for such information dissemination to be structured proactive and responsive to diverse environments. In view of the above, a theory was developed which resulted in an Information Dissemination framework.

The Impact of Low Morale on Social Workers within the Gauteng Department of Social Development

2021-05-14T14:04:12+00:00

The researcher conducted a study on low morale of social workers in the context of their employment within the Department of Social Development in Gauteng Province of South Africa. This study was motivated by researcher’s careful observation on how the social workers negatively conduct themselves towards their respective work. Collins (2007) studied the rationale and underlying causes of social worker’s satisfaction levels in relation to their work and found that maximization of job satisfaction, implementation of appropriate stress-related coping strategies and support systems were critical in averting low morale among social workers. The researcher has also observed that social workers in the Gauteng Department of Social Development seem to be unhappy and lethargic every time they perform their duties. The main purpose of this study was to explore, describe and gain insight into two critical scenarios, firstly, to investigate low morale on Social Workers of the Gauteng Department of Social Development and secondly, to establish how low morale on Social Workers impact on the morale of their subordinates. Extensive literature is available on different research databases explaining the importance and structure of research methodology in academic investigations. Creswell (2009) defined research methodology as a systematic way including all activities the researcher intends to follow in pursuit of solving the research problem. The ontological trajectory of this investigation will be hinged and bounded within the pragmatic philosophical assumptions, wherein the researcher will follow a QUAL+quan approach. In this particular, the researcher will follow an inductive sequential method of inquiry where the “core” focus will be the qualitative and the supplementary will be the quantitative with an inductive/simultaneous logical approach. A paradigm may further be described as a research philosophy, school of thought, researcher lens or even researcher’s world view. There are three main paradigms in social science research, namely, Positivism, Interpretivism and Pragmatism. A presentation of findings and results from the pragmatic inquiry that was undertaken to respond to the topic entitled, “The impact of low morale on social workers in Gauteng Department of Social Development.”

To navigate this research, it was critical to align all procedures and activities to research objectives as follows to explore the reasons for high social work staff turnover at the Department of Social Development in Gauteng, to understand the underlying impacts of low morale and turnover on social workers, to understand effects of both reasons and impacts of low morale on those who report directly to social workers and to arrive at recommendations to the Department on the impact of this phenomenon on service delivery and the Department’s goals and objectives. This presentation is therefore divided into two main parts, the first part deals with findings from the case study bounded within the qualitative research dimension, which was the core investigation method in this study; the second part presents the results from the survey, which was an instrument used to fulfil; the supplemental requirements of the quantitative dimension (Costa,2020). For the qualitative dimension of this study, purposive sampling technique (also known as judgment, selective or subjective sampling) was used in order to attain information at each of the identified regions. The study findings were triangulated from both dimensions and conclusions culminated in three of the following thematic expressions: (1) lack of management support and poor work relations impact negatively on social workers job satisfaction; (2) Absence of support precipitates dramatic experiences that have an adverse effect on the work-life of social workers;(3) Prevalent inertia of accountability results in low morale, poor skills transfer and ultimately inadequate service delivery.