Abstract
Cost pressures at universities, brought on by declining levels of subsidies in real terms, above
inflation wage increases, as well as a volatile rand-dollar exchange rate, have resulted in a
renewed quest for efficiency gains. While various cost containment measures have been
pursued by universities, employee productivity has not received the same level of attention.
Despite a number of studies having investigated the effects of an organisational structure and
management style on employee productivity, a gap in literature exists in the context of South
African universities. This holds especially true for the administrative, non-academic, part of
universities.
This study was qualitative in nature, taking the form of a case study, utilising semi-structured
face-to-face interviews and direct observation. Twenty-five interviews were conducted at a
Student Enrolment Centre at an urban university in Gauteng. Data was analysed by means of
content analysis. Results indicated that the prevailing centralised structure and autocratic
management style is perceived to negatively affect employee productivity, due to a lack of
communication and low motivational levels. The findings assist universities and industry to
improve employee productivity by making changes to structure and managerial style.