African spiritual consciousness within the personal interpersonal and professional leadership perspective
- Authors: Vilakati, Vusumuzi Martin
- Date: 2012-10-29
- Subjects: Leadership - Management , Interpersonal communication , Communication in management , Business - Religious aspects
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:10455 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7920
- Description: M.Phil. , Orientation: Personal experience of leadership within a religious community in Southern Africa and a preliminary literature review indicates that Personal Interpersonal and Professional Leadership (PIPL) mastery in Southern Africa needs an African spiritual consciousness (ASC) to strengthen its relevance. Conceptualising ASC requires an immersion into the narrative world of an African person to discover insights that can inform PIPL mastery within this context. Research purpose: the aim of the study is to conceptualise ASC within PIPL using the life history of an African in order to discover African insights on PIPL mastery. Motivation for the study: Current leadership literature on PIPL mastery does not sufficiently embrace ASC. This gap poses a challenge to the facilitation of PIPL mastery and potential realisation in the complex Southern African leadership context. Research design: The study employed a modernist qualitative methodology and constructivist paradigm as its research approach. A case study was used as a research strategy and a life history was used as a qualitative research technique. Purposeful sampling was employed in finding a storyteller and data was collected using solicited and unsolicited sources. Main findings: The study yielded a life history with a rich and varied description of how an African person experience of PIPL mastery. An analysis of the collected data revealed themes that can inform PIPL mastery with insights from an African experience and understanding of PIPL mastery. Practical implications: The conclusions of the study raise awareness on the particular themes for consideration within the PIPL perspective and necessitate a further inquiry into the journey of PIPL mastery from an ASC. Anticipated contribution: The study provides some understanding of how an African person understands and experiences PIPL mastery. This study adds to the relatively small base of qualitative research available on ASC and contributes to literature within PIPL programme by highlighting the potential themes for further exploration and research. Key Words: Personal Interpersonal and Professional Leadership (PIPL), Mastery, Africa(n), African Spiritual Consciousness, life-history, identity and facilitation, connectedness, grounded theory, African worldview storyteller and qualitative research
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- Authors: Vilakati, Vusumuzi Martin
- Date: 2012-10-29
- Subjects: Leadership - Management , Interpersonal communication , Communication in management , Business - Religious aspects
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:10455 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7920
- Description: M.Phil. , Orientation: Personal experience of leadership within a religious community in Southern Africa and a preliminary literature review indicates that Personal Interpersonal and Professional Leadership (PIPL) mastery in Southern Africa needs an African spiritual consciousness (ASC) to strengthen its relevance. Conceptualising ASC requires an immersion into the narrative world of an African person to discover insights that can inform PIPL mastery within this context. Research purpose: the aim of the study is to conceptualise ASC within PIPL using the life history of an African in order to discover African insights on PIPL mastery. Motivation for the study: Current leadership literature on PIPL mastery does not sufficiently embrace ASC. This gap poses a challenge to the facilitation of PIPL mastery and potential realisation in the complex Southern African leadership context. Research design: The study employed a modernist qualitative methodology and constructivist paradigm as its research approach. A case study was used as a research strategy and a life history was used as a qualitative research technique. Purposeful sampling was employed in finding a storyteller and data was collected using solicited and unsolicited sources. Main findings: The study yielded a life history with a rich and varied description of how an African person experience of PIPL mastery. An analysis of the collected data revealed themes that can inform PIPL mastery with insights from an African experience and understanding of PIPL mastery. Practical implications: The conclusions of the study raise awareness on the particular themes for consideration within the PIPL perspective and necessitate a further inquiry into the journey of PIPL mastery from an ASC. Anticipated contribution: The study provides some understanding of how an African person understands and experiences PIPL mastery. This study adds to the relatively small base of qualitative research available on ASC and contributes to literature within PIPL programme by highlighting the potential themes for further exploration and research. Key Words: Personal Interpersonal and Professional Leadership (PIPL), Mastery, Africa(n), African Spiritual Consciousness, life-history, identity and facilitation, connectedness, grounded theory, African worldview storyteller and qualitative research
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The influence of communication within organizations
- Authors: Dos Santos, Ayrton
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Communication in organizations , Communication in management , Corporate culture , Interpersonal communication
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/212989 , uj:21064
- Description: Abstract: Research has shown that communication is one of the key factors in organizational success and if not dealt with correctly will lead to poor organizational performance. This minor dissertation aims to investigate why modern day organizations still perform poorly in the area of communication. This will be demonstrated by researching the risk areas associated with communication as well as the factors within organizations that influence communication. This qualitative research study makes use of a case study, speed networking survey as well as a questionnaire. The findings of the research conducted identified four factors which influence communication namely, the communication software platform, organizational structure & strategy, communication competency of the employees and communication planning. Furthermore, the results found two main areas of risk associated with communication namely, the use of informal communication platforms (such as WhatsApp) and the communication of company information. The main conclusions drawn from this research were that organizations mainly perform poorly in the area of communication due to the lack of knowledge of the impact communication has on organizational performance. Modern day technologies such as email and instant messaging services have aided in the speed of communication but must not be solely relied on to solve all communication needs. This research calls for organizations to develop communication departments which work to identify the factors that influence their ability to communicate as well as the communication risk areas within the organization. Identifying and providing solutions to mitigate these factors should be their sole purpose. , M.Ing. (Engineering Management)
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- Authors: Dos Santos, Ayrton
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Communication in organizations , Communication in management , Corporate culture , Interpersonal communication
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/212989 , uj:21064
- Description: Abstract: Research has shown that communication is one of the key factors in organizational success and if not dealt with correctly will lead to poor organizational performance. This minor dissertation aims to investigate why modern day organizations still perform poorly in the area of communication. This will be demonstrated by researching the risk areas associated with communication as well as the factors within organizations that influence communication. This qualitative research study makes use of a case study, speed networking survey as well as a questionnaire. The findings of the research conducted identified four factors which influence communication namely, the communication software platform, organizational structure & strategy, communication competency of the employees and communication planning. Furthermore, the results found two main areas of risk associated with communication namely, the use of informal communication platforms (such as WhatsApp) and the communication of company information. The main conclusions drawn from this research were that organizations mainly perform poorly in the area of communication due to the lack of knowledge of the impact communication has on organizational performance. Modern day technologies such as email and instant messaging services have aided in the speed of communication but must not be solely relied on to solve all communication needs. This research calls for organizations to develop communication departments which work to identify the factors that influence their ability to communicate as well as the communication risk areas within the organization. Identifying and providing solutions to mitigate these factors should be their sole purpose. , M.Ing. (Engineering Management)
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Business communication as a means of worker participation
- Authors: Msada, Sicelo Ncelashe
- Date: 2014-02-05
- Subjects: Business communication , Interpersonal communication , Diversity in the workplace , Management - Employee participation , Council for Mineral Technology (South Africa)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/387120 , uj:3625 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/9003
- Description: M.Comm. (Business Management) , Communication in a business environment is an aspect that cannot be replaced. Theoretical considerations as revealed by literature indicate that the process is a complicated process. In this study, this is proven by the different types such as information theory which is concerned with the transmission aspects of communication process. The impact that information theory has had on the study of communication is analogous to the tremendous influence that quantitative techniques have had on management decision-making. Interpersonal communication emphasises transference of information from one person to another. It has both verbal and non-verbal forms. In verbal communication there is direct contact between parties involved. In non-verbal communication body postures are used as a means of communication. Written communication involves transmitting information through written word. Business communication within organisations is also influenced by other factors related to the diversity of workforce. Intercultural communication covers a wide variety of attitudes, perceptions and values. Language also plays an important role in communication as illustrated by the communicative, explanatory, regulatory and interrogative functions. The differences between American and British English illustrate the complexity of the process. The situation is more complex in South African organisations as there are eleven official languages. Of these only English and Afrikaans are used in workplaces as business languages. The population census conducted in 1996 indicated that about 43% of South Africans are functionally, illiterate and this number can be as high as 52% amongst blacks. As a result the majority of South Africans have poor understanding of these languages as a result of historical problems. In this study business communication is studies in a South African organisation, Mintek, to establish the effectiveness of communication in that organisation. Questionnaires are used to test the opinions of the employees. The results are tabulated and interpreted. Relevant literature is brought in when discussing the results, recommendations are made aiming at improving communication within Mintek.
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- Authors: Msada, Sicelo Ncelashe
- Date: 2014-02-05
- Subjects: Business communication , Interpersonal communication , Diversity in the workplace , Management - Employee participation , Council for Mineral Technology (South Africa)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/387120 , uj:3625 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/9003
- Description: M.Comm. (Business Management) , Communication in a business environment is an aspect that cannot be replaced. Theoretical considerations as revealed by literature indicate that the process is a complicated process. In this study, this is proven by the different types such as information theory which is concerned with the transmission aspects of communication process. The impact that information theory has had on the study of communication is analogous to the tremendous influence that quantitative techniques have had on management decision-making. Interpersonal communication emphasises transference of information from one person to another. It has both verbal and non-verbal forms. In verbal communication there is direct contact between parties involved. In non-verbal communication body postures are used as a means of communication. Written communication involves transmitting information through written word. Business communication within organisations is also influenced by other factors related to the diversity of workforce. Intercultural communication covers a wide variety of attitudes, perceptions and values. Language also plays an important role in communication as illustrated by the communicative, explanatory, regulatory and interrogative functions. The differences between American and British English illustrate the complexity of the process. The situation is more complex in South African organisations as there are eleven official languages. Of these only English and Afrikaans are used in workplaces as business languages. The population census conducted in 1996 indicated that about 43% of South Africans are functionally, illiterate and this number can be as high as 52% amongst blacks. As a result the majority of South Africans have poor understanding of these languages as a result of historical problems. In this study business communication is studies in a South African organisation, Mintek, to establish the effectiveness of communication in that organisation. Questionnaires are used to test the opinions of the employees. The results are tabulated and interpreted. Relevant literature is brought in when discussing the results, recommendations are made aiming at improving communication within Mintek.
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Sekondêre skoolleerders se belewenis van aggressie tydens kommunikasie met hul onderwysers
- Authors: Prins, Johannes Stephanus
- Date: 2010-06-03T05:46:33Z
- Subjects: Aggressiveness in adolescence , Teacher-student relationships , Communication in education , Interpersonal communication
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6863 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3295
- Description: M.Ed. , It is clear to me that the need for the teacher and the school to provide educational help and support is greater than ever before. With reference to democratic values in a multicultural society Le Roux (1997:1) is of the opinion that teachers have a lot of responsibility for both “what” and “how” learners learn. To gain better understanding in the “functioning” of the modern educational system it is of the utmost importance to investigate “how” educational goals are attained in the modern classroom. In accordance with this reasoning not only the content of the teaching and learning experience is important but also the process of educational communication (Du Plessis, 1974:5). Especially where education is viewed as help and support to the youth, the helping relationship between teachers and the learners in their care occupies a central position (Okun, 2002:21). In accordance with this view teacher and learners in this study will be seen as senders and receivers of educational verbal and non verbal messages (Goleman, 1996:116; Goleman, 2006:14; Johnson, 2006:126). If the helping relationship is of great importance to teaching and learning and if this relationship is built and maintained via teacher-learner communication, how does the experience of aggression while communicating with their teachers affect learners? What is learners’ experience of aggression while communicating with their teachers? What can be done about the experience of aggression during teacher-learner communication? This research was done in two phases. In PHASE 1 the goal was to explore and describe grade eleven learners’ experience of aggression while communicating with their teachers. In PHASE 2 the goal was the description of guidelines for communication between secondary school learners and their teachers with special reference to the handling of aggression in the communication and relationship. It is a qualitative investigation to explore and to describe learners’ experience of aggression while communicating with their teachers. The research rests on Phenomenological principles and methods (Giorgi, 2002). I followed a functional approach and the research is carried out with the view of improving my own educational practice as well as educational practice in general. The method of data collection followed is a qualitative interpretive constructivist approach to the generation of new knowledge and the specific method employed is phenomenological interviews. The research was conducted at an ex-Model C school. The sample was purposive and grade 11 learners were given an opportunity to participate in the research on a voluntary basis. Grade eleven learners were given opportunity because, in my view, in general, they have both enough experience with teachers and the vocabulary to talk about a complex phenomenon such as the experience of aggression. The methods and procedures employed made extensive use of triangulation with a view to enhancing trustworthiness. Twelve individual phenomenological interviews were conducted as well as a focus group interview. There was a total of nineteen voluntary participants of which eighteen are Afrikaans first language speakers and one is an English first language speaker. Eight boys and eleven girls participated. All of the participants are seventeen years of age. All the participants, except one boy, also wrote a naïve sketch about their experiences before the phenomenological interview or focusgroup interview was conducted. During all the interviews, as well as directly afterwards, field notes were made, by the researcher. The central question of this investigation is: “What is grade eleven learners’ experience of aggression wile communicating with their teachers?” and this question was operationalised in the individual phenomenological interviews, focus group interview, and the naïve sketches as: “How is it for you when your teachers are aggressive when they talk to you?”
- Full Text:
- Authors: Prins, Johannes Stephanus
- Date: 2010-06-03T05:46:33Z
- Subjects: Aggressiveness in adolescence , Teacher-student relationships , Communication in education , Interpersonal communication
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:6863 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3295
- Description: M.Ed. , It is clear to me that the need for the teacher and the school to provide educational help and support is greater than ever before. With reference to democratic values in a multicultural society Le Roux (1997:1) is of the opinion that teachers have a lot of responsibility for both “what” and “how” learners learn. To gain better understanding in the “functioning” of the modern educational system it is of the utmost importance to investigate “how” educational goals are attained in the modern classroom. In accordance with this reasoning not only the content of the teaching and learning experience is important but also the process of educational communication (Du Plessis, 1974:5). Especially where education is viewed as help and support to the youth, the helping relationship between teachers and the learners in their care occupies a central position (Okun, 2002:21). In accordance with this view teacher and learners in this study will be seen as senders and receivers of educational verbal and non verbal messages (Goleman, 1996:116; Goleman, 2006:14; Johnson, 2006:126). If the helping relationship is of great importance to teaching and learning and if this relationship is built and maintained via teacher-learner communication, how does the experience of aggression while communicating with their teachers affect learners? What is learners’ experience of aggression while communicating with their teachers? What can be done about the experience of aggression during teacher-learner communication? This research was done in two phases. In PHASE 1 the goal was to explore and describe grade eleven learners’ experience of aggression while communicating with their teachers. In PHASE 2 the goal was the description of guidelines for communication between secondary school learners and their teachers with special reference to the handling of aggression in the communication and relationship. It is a qualitative investigation to explore and to describe learners’ experience of aggression while communicating with their teachers. The research rests on Phenomenological principles and methods (Giorgi, 2002). I followed a functional approach and the research is carried out with the view of improving my own educational practice as well as educational practice in general. The method of data collection followed is a qualitative interpretive constructivist approach to the generation of new knowledge and the specific method employed is phenomenological interviews. The research was conducted at an ex-Model C school. The sample was purposive and grade 11 learners were given an opportunity to participate in the research on a voluntary basis. Grade eleven learners were given opportunity because, in my view, in general, they have both enough experience with teachers and the vocabulary to talk about a complex phenomenon such as the experience of aggression. The methods and procedures employed made extensive use of triangulation with a view to enhancing trustworthiness. Twelve individual phenomenological interviews were conducted as well as a focus group interview. There was a total of nineteen voluntary participants of which eighteen are Afrikaans first language speakers and one is an English first language speaker. Eight boys and eleven girls participated. All of the participants are seventeen years of age. All the participants, except one boy, also wrote a naïve sketch about their experiences before the phenomenological interview or focusgroup interview was conducted. During all the interviews, as well as directly afterwards, field notes were made, by the researcher. The central question of this investigation is: “What is grade eleven learners’ experience of aggression wile communicating with their teachers?” and this question was operationalised in the individual phenomenological interviews, focus group interview, and the naïve sketches as: “How is it for you when your teachers are aggressive when they talk to you?”
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Lovestyles and marital satisfaction
- Authors: Rudnick, Hilton
- Date: 2012-08-14
- Subjects: Love , Love - Psychological aspects , Intimacy (Psychology) , Interpersonal communication , Interpersonal relations , Marriage - Psychological aspects , Man-woman relationships
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9196 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5647
- Description: M.A. , Of late there has been an accelerated impetus in the study of marriage and its associated issues. A veritable deluge of research articles are regularly devoted to the topic, for example Hatfield and Sprecher (1986); Fincham and Bradbury (1987); Dion and Dion (1993); Kamo (1993). There has also been some recent South African research on marriage and mate selection, particularly Crous and Pretorius (1994). New books appear with striking regularity while instruments to measure aspects of relationships are readily available. These include Hendrick and Hendrick's Love Attitude Scale, Spanier's Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and Rubin's Love Scale (Tzeng, 1993). Relationships, love and marriage are becoming increasingly measurable and as more questions become answered, researchers are able to unravel some of the complexity within the field. Adams (1988) looks back at fifty years of family research to discover that it has become increasingly scientific despite dealing with so-called "soft" variables like adjustment and attitudes. When even more elusive constructs like satisfaction, contentment and love are introduced, social scientists find that the terrain might be uncomfortably abstract. However, it is anticipated that as this domain, once only the estate of poets and philosophers becomes steadily more understood, it will bear fruit by answering questions which can then be profitably applied in many couplecounselling situations. The concepts of mate selection, marriage and familial stability are at the heart of societal functioning. There are a myriad of variables that impact on these constructs, as is evident from Surra's (1990) decade review. Recent research has shed some light, albeit theoretical, on the reasons why two people form a marital dyad. Social scientists are thus slowly building a solid mass of knowledge relating to the entire process of how and why a couple eventually exist. This goes hand in hand with contemporary urgency, for the accelerating forces of career, sociological, psychological and economic pressures play havoc with older traditional values of stability and permanence in all these domains. Soaring divorce rates are only one symptom of couples and individuals buckling under these tremendous pressures. Clearly, whatever can be done to better understand the choices individuals make in forming marital dyads, can only be regarded as useful information. In the South African context, this type of research is similarly required. With the wealth of family and marriage research being done abroad, it is important to know if this information applies to South African couples. Thus the primary motivation for the study is to better understand the way South Africans love. Lee's (1976) treatise is widely accepted as a valuable model of love. To date no work appears to have been done using this model in South Africa. The aims of this study thus are: To determine if there is any relationship between the various lovestyles and marital satisfaction for a South African sample. To examine several contemporary models of love.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Rudnick, Hilton
- Date: 2012-08-14
- Subjects: Love , Love - Psychological aspects , Intimacy (Psychology) , Interpersonal communication , Interpersonal relations , Marriage - Psychological aspects , Man-woman relationships
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9196 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/5647
- Description: M.A. , Of late there has been an accelerated impetus in the study of marriage and its associated issues. A veritable deluge of research articles are regularly devoted to the topic, for example Hatfield and Sprecher (1986); Fincham and Bradbury (1987); Dion and Dion (1993); Kamo (1993). There has also been some recent South African research on marriage and mate selection, particularly Crous and Pretorius (1994). New books appear with striking regularity while instruments to measure aspects of relationships are readily available. These include Hendrick and Hendrick's Love Attitude Scale, Spanier's Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and Rubin's Love Scale (Tzeng, 1993). Relationships, love and marriage are becoming increasingly measurable and as more questions become answered, researchers are able to unravel some of the complexity within the field. Adams (1988) looks back at fifty years of family research to discover that it has become increasingly scientific despite dealing with so-called "soft" variables like adjustment and attitudes. When even more elusive constructs like satisfaction, contentment and love are introduced, social scientists find that the terrain might be uncomfortably abstract. However, it is anticipated that as this domain, once only the estate of poets and philosophers becomes steadily more understood, it will bear fruit by answering questions which can then be profitably applied in many couplecounselling situations. The concepts of mate selection, marriage and familial stability are at the heart of societal functioning. There are a myriad of variables that impact on these constructs, as is evident from Surra's (1990) decade review. Recent research has shed some light, albeit theoretical, on the reasons why two people form a marital dyad. Social scientists are thus slowly building a solid mass of knowledge relating to the entire process of how and why a couple eventually exist. This goes hand in hand with contemporary urgency, for the accelerating forces of career, sociological, psychological and economic pressures play havoc with older traditional values of stability and permanence in all these domains. Soaring divorce rates are only one symptom of couples and individuals buckling under these tremendous pressures. Clearly, whatever can be done to better understand the choices individuals make in forming marital dyads, can only be regarded as useful information. In the South African context, this type of research is similarly required. With the wealth of family and marriage research being done abroad, it is important to know if this information applies to South African couples. Thus the primary motivation for the study is to better understand the way South Africans love. Lee's (1976) treatise is widely accepted as a valuable model of love. To date no work appears to have been done using this model in South Africa. The aims of this study thus are: To determine if there is any relationship between the various lovestyles and marital satisfaction for a South African sample. To examine several contemporary models of love.
- Full Text:
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