Road safety education is a complex phenomenon which should be viewed holistically if taken into a... more Road safety education is a complex phenomenon which should be viewed holistically if taken into account the interconnectedness of education, infrastructure and enforcement. Effective road safety education is specifically important for learners in the Further education and training (Fet) band, as they are active contributors to a community. the greatest criticism against road
The retention of scarce skilled employees is one of the major challenges affecting public service... more The retention of scarce skilled employees is one of the major challenges affecting public service delivery. Retaining scarce skilled employees in organisations is not always strategically prioritised, despite the cost of turnover to the employer. The article is the product of research which describes the nature of the psychological contract and analyses the extent to which the Limpopo Provincial Treasury (LPT) is able to retain financial practitioners (scarce skilled employees) by focusing upon issues such as career development, motivation and attachment. The LPT faces serious staff turnover rates in scarce skilled employees, specifically pertaining to young internal auditors, which has resulted in unmet targets over the past 10 years. In this research, a questionnaire survey was used to collect data. The questionnaire comprised both closed- and open-ended questions designed to determine employee perceptions regarding the retention of scarce skilled employees. The questionnaire was distributed to 60 core employees in the LPT. The target population included internal auditors, risk management practitioners, internal control practitioners, financial management practitioners, information technology specialists, revenue management practitioners, accountants and economists. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics in the SPSS software packages, while qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. The results revealed that the employee morale, the lack of promotion opportunities and inadequate resource allocations were the main causes for retention failure. The research resulted in recommendations put forward for the development of an integrated human resource management policy aligned to retention through an intensive resource allocation strategy.
Gender mainstreaming is considered to be an essential part of good governance and an administrati... more Gender mainstreaming is considered to be an essential part of good governance and an administrative tool for managers to integrate gender equity issues into all aspects of their work including policies, activities and programs. The National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality, 2000, and the Strategic Framework for Gender Equality within the Public Service, 2006, ensure that the process of gender mainstreaming is at the center of the transformation processes within all the structures, policies, procedures, practices and programs, while the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill, 2013, gives effect to Section 9 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, by arguing for the equal representation of women in all decision-making positions and structures. The article aims to analyze the senior management challenges associated with gender mainstreaming in the South African Public Service, specifically the National School of Government, by focusing on the policy environment enabling gender mainstreaming, the challenges associated with gender mainstreaming and by offering considerations to address these management challenges.
The question every academic teaching in a higher education institution should ask is whether educ... more The question every academic teaching in a higher education institution should ask is whether education is an investment or an end? The answer to the question highlights the difference between institutional success and student engagement as part of institutional success. The reality of the ever-changing environment is that what academics teach their students today becomes superfl uous tomorrow. How students learn and engage becomes just as important as what they learn. The article argues that what Public Administration students should know should be guided by how they learn. The article focuses on student engagement as an important consideration during the process of curriculum review and development, since the relationship between content and how content is engaged with is the foundation for successful lifelong learning. The article will discuss the multiple studies which have made a positive contribution to understanding the different dimensions involved in and constructive outcomes of student engagement. Specifi c arguments will support the integrated alignment between student, academic and institution in ensuring a successful higher education experience. The changing role of higher education is highlighted within the context of continued calls for relevancy and applicability in curriculum content. The argument supported throughout the article is that since higher education should consider and refl ect the needs of its society, it stands to reason that the student should be an active collaborator in determining what is taught as well as how it is taught. It lies in the how a curriculum is taught
Public Administration Education has been a contentious issue as the discipline developed and stru... more Public Administration Education has been a contentious issue as the discipline developed and struggled to fi nd its own identity and theoretical framework. The article argues that Public Administration Education has been shaped by its historical infl uences and that the interdisciplinary nature of Public Administration poses specifi c challenges to its teaching. Public Administration, as a social science, fi nds its application in various political, social, economic and physical environments. The reality is that some common characteristics in the practice of public administration can be discerned, but this is not suffi cient to create a theory. The implication of the above is that institutions of higher education, although led by South African Qualifi cations Authority registered qualifi cation outcome, interprets the discipline based on their own peculiarities – leading to fragmentation and non-consensus as to what constitutes the discipline of Public Administration. In this article, the authors argue that teaching Public Administration does not refl ect any true discipline related inquiry. Rather, institutions of higher education react to the practice of public administration in teaching the theory of Public Administration. The authors argue for a balance between theory and practice to be evident in Public Administration Education. This article will explore, using inductive reasoning, the content
P ublic Administration has reluctantly been accepted as a science by some of its sister disciplin... more P ublic Administration has reluctantly been accepted as a science by some of its sister disciplines in the Social Sciences. This may be ascribed to the eclectic nature of the Discipline and its reliance on related disciplines to explain, direct and inform study and practice. Public Administration studies human beings engaged in administrative and managerial duties in organs of state. Therefore, any study should consider the behaviour and actions of human beings in an organisational setting operating in a political environment. Sciences depend on theory to investigate, explain and predict the phenomena being studied. A science has to be founded on justifiable laws or acceptable theories to develop new knowledge and influence practice. Public Administration is in the unenviable position that it studies social phenomena subjected to continuous change due to societal values and political changes. Thus it has to be able to adopt theories providing for universal truths, but accommodating the new domain of study, e.g. the development of public-private-partnerships and the evolution of the developmental state. Various theories related to Public Administration will be investigated in this article to establish their relevance. This will be used as a foundation to enter into a discourse regarding the identification of the requirements against which Public Administration theory should be tested. With this as a point of departure the possible development of Public Administration related theories will be discussed.
T he war for talent rages! This statement has echoed through public and private organisations wor... more T he war for talent rages! This statement has echoed through public and private organisations worldwide and the end is not in sight. Contemporary public organisations have been plagued by its inability to attract, develop and retain those truly talented employees. But how is talent defined in the public organisation? In this article the context of talent management in the public organisation will be described. The assumption is that public sector organisations should be able to implement successful talent management strategies, but only if they are clear regarding the intent of their talent management strategies. The statement presupposes that a public administrative structure and system exists to support talent management. The features of the contemporary public administration will be examined and placed in relationship to the enabling legislative framework that supports talent management. The article explores the context of talent and talent management. The reciprocal relationship that sustains talent management is elaborated upon and inference is drawn from the development of administrative theory and its emphasis on talent management. The article argues for a third dimension to the contemporary conceptualisation of talent management, namely for a supportive public organisation. In conceptualising talent management as based on a reciprocal relationship to sustain employee/employer ability, motivation and opportunity, the administration should be seen as an active enabler for the attraction, development and retention of talent. The article concludes with a call towards using talent management as an approach to organisational structuring and functioning, and not merely as a strategy to fulfil current human resource development gaps or skills shortages.
T he developmental state in South Africa has become a matter of great concern and urgency to all ... more T he developmental state in South Africa has become a matter of great concern and urgency to all practitioners at the three spheres of government. The government has, since its inception in 1994, promoted economic growth and development through a variety of mechanisms, including policy implementation and the promulgation of legislation. In the local sphere of government provision has been made for national and provincial intervention to maintain the national standards of service delivery. However, since 2004 the protests, sometime violent, against the inability of municipalities to deliver their services have increased exponentially. This article argues that realising the developmental state cannot be considered without taking into account both the social origin of the concept as well as its bureaucratic content. The spate of violent confrontations between municipalities and communities led to renewed calls for an interventionist and distributive state. However, the balance between developmentalism, interventionism and democracy has to be maintained. The new developmental state is one where equal emphasis is given to the concepts development through performance, managerial, technical and bureaucratic efficiency and effectiveness and institutional rationalisation and transformation, while maintaining the democracy which provides a voice for the poor and marginalised, protects and accrues the rights of citizens, promotes institutional separation of powers and functions, transparent decision making, accountability and effective monitoring and control.
T he HIV/AIDS epidemic is growing at an alarming rate in the Southern African region, including S... more T he HIV/AIDS epidemic is growing at an alarming rate in the Southern African region, including South Africa. The impact of the epidemic on the socio-economy of South Africa, as well as the South African Public Service, needs to be properly understood so that appropriate measures can be put in place to address the challenges resulting from the epidemic. The article focuses on an evaluation of the planning function used in the implementation of HIV/AIDS policies in the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE). The research methodology used for the article is qualitative in nature and uses interviews and a questionnaire to evaluate employee perceptions regarding the implementation of departmental HIV/AIDS policies. The article further describes the legal framework supporting the appropriate management of HIV/AIDS in the Public Service. It further reviews the initiatives that have been established in planning for HIV/AIDS in the DPE; identifies the planning challenges that are experienced by the DPE in managing HIV/AIDS effectively; and makes recommendations towards successful implementation. Without an appropriate response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the DPE will be unable to maintain its mandate in assuring the proper functioning of state-owned enterprises.
349 John Donne stated that 'No man is an island' and this becomes abundantly clear when managers ... more 349 John Donne stated that 'No man is an island' and this becomes abundantly clear when managers are placed in positions of public accountability and service delivery. A public organisation will only be as strong as its weakest manager and this assumption places additional pressure on the competency and performance of public managers. During times of change the public manager will be required to act as a competent, effective and efficient resource to the department and this is the reason why the South African government has placed such an emphasis on public human resource development. Human resource development is an important aspect contributing to a country's growth potential and in a world marked by globalisation, international competence is essential. In order to ensure the constant supply of qualified and experienced individuals with leadership and management skills, organisations design their own development interventions to suit their needs.
Road safety education is a complex phenomenon which should be viewed holistically if taken into a... more Road safety education is a complex phenomenon which should be viewed holistically if taken into account the interconnectedness of education, infrastructure and enforcement. Effective road safety education is specifically important for learners in the Further education and training (Fet) band, as they are active contributors to a community. the greatest criticism against road
The retention of scarce skilled employees is one of the major challenges affecting public service... more The retention of scarce skilled employees is one of the major challenges affecting public service delivery. Retaining scarce skilled employees in organisations is not always strategically prioritised, despite the cost of turnover to the employer. The article is the product of research which describes the nature of the psychological contract and analyses the extent to which the Limpopo Provincial Treasury (LPT) is able to retain financial practitioners (scarce skilled employees) by focusing upon issues such as career development, motivation and attachment. The LPT faces serious staff turnover rates in scarce skilled employees, specifically pertaining to young internal auditors, which has resulted in unmet targets over the past 10 years. In this research, a questionnaire survey was used to collect data. The questionnaire comprised both closed- and open-ended questions designed to determine employee perceptions regarding the retention of scarce skilled employees. The questionnaire was distributed to 60 core employees in the LPT. The target population included internal auditors, risk management practitioners, internal control practitioners, financial management practitioners, information technology specialists, revenue management practitioners, accountants and economists. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics in the SPSS software packages, while qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. The results revealed that the employee morale, the lack of promotion opportunities and inadequate resource allocations were the main causes for retention failure. The research resulted in recommendations put forward for the development of an integrated human resource management policy aligned to retention through an intensive resource allocation strategy.
Gender mainstreaming is considered to be an essential part of good governance and an administrati... more Gender mainstreaming is considered to be an essential part of good governance and an administrative tool for managers to integrate gender equity issues into all aspects of their work including policies, activities and programs. The National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality, 2000, and the Strategic Framework for Gender Equality within the Public Service, 2006, ensure that the process of gender mainstreaming is at the center of the transformation processes within all the structures, policies, procedures, practices and programs, while the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill, 2013, gives effect to Section 9 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, by arguing for the equal representation of women in all decision-making positions and structures. The article aims to analyze the senior management challenges associated with gender mainstreaming in the South African Public Service, specifically the National School of Government, by focusing on the policy environment enabling gender mainstreaming, the challenges associated with gender mainstreaming and by offering considerations to address these management challenges.
The question every academic teaching in a higher education institution should ask is whether educ... more The question every academic teaching in a higher education institution should ask is whether education is an investment or an end? The answer to the question highlights the difference between institutional success and student engagement as part of institutional success. The reality of the ever-changing environment is that what academics teach their students today becomes superfl uous tomorrow. How students learn and engage becomes just as important as what they learn. The article argues that what Public Administration students should know should be guided by how they learn. The article focuses on student engagement as an important consideration during the process of curriculum review and development, since the relationship between content and how content is engaged with is the foundation for successful lifelong learning. The article will discuss the multiple studies which have made a positive contribution to understanding the different dimensions involved in and constructive outcomes of student engagement. Specifi c arguments will support the integrated alignment between student, academic and institution in ensuring a successful higher education experience. The changing role of higher education is highlighted within the context of continued calls for relevancy and applicability in curriculum content. The argument supported throughout the article is that since higher education should consider and refl ect the needs of its society, it stands to reason that the student should be an active collaborator in determining what is taught as well as how it is taught. It lies in the how a curriculum is taught
Public Administration Education has been a contentious issue as the discipline developed and stru... more Public Administration Education has been a contentious issue as the discipline developed and struggled to fi nd its own identity and theoretical framework. The article argues that Public Administration Education has been shaped by its historical infl uences and that the interdisciplinary nature of Public Administration poses specifi c challenges to its teaching. Public Administration, as a social science, fi nds its application in various political, social, economic and physical environments. The reality is that some common characteristics in the practice of public administration can be discerned, but this is not suffi cient to create a theory. The implication of the above is that institutions of higher education, although led by South African Qualifi cations Authority registered qualifi cation outcome, interprets the discipline based on their own peculiarities – leading to fragmentation and non-consensus as to what constitutes the discipline of Public Administration. In this article, the authors argue that teaching Public Administration does not refl ect any true discipline related inquiry. Rather, institutions of higher education react to the practice of public administration in teaching the theory of Public Administration. The authors argue for a balance between theory and practice to be evident in Public Administration Education. This article will explore, using inductive reasoning, the content
P ublic Administration has reluctantly been accepted as a science by some of its sister disciplin... more P ublic Administration has reluctantly been accepted as a science by some of its sister disciplines in the Social Sciences. This may be ascribed to the eclectic nature of the Discipline and its reliance on related disciplines to explain, direct and inform study and practice. Public Administration studies human beings engaged in administrative and managerial duties in organs of state. Therefore, any study should consider the behaviour and actions of human beings in an organisational setting operating in a political environment. Sciences depend on theory to investigate, explain and predict the phenomena being studied. A science has to be founded on justifiable laws or acceptable theories to develop new knowledge and influence practice. Public Administration is in the unenviable position that it studies social phenomena subjected to continuous change due to societal values and political changes. Thus it has to be able to adopt theories providing for universal truths, but accommodating the new domain of study, e.g. the development of public-private-partnerships and the evolution of the developmental state. Various theories related to Public Administration will be investigated in this article to establish their relevance. This will be used as a foundation to enter into a discourse regarding the identification of the requirements against which Public Administration theory should be tested. With this as a point of departure the possible development of Public Administration related theories will be discussed.
T he war for talent rages! This statement has echoed through public and private organisations wor... more T he war for talent rages! This statement has echoed through public and private organisations worldwide and the end is not in sight. Contemporary public organisations have been plagued by its inability to attract, develop and retain those truly talented employees. But how is talent defined in the public organisation? In this article the context of talent management in the public organisation will be described. The assumption is that public sector organisations should be able to implement successful talent management strategies, but only if they are clear regarding the intent of their talent management strategies. The statement presupposes that a public administrative structure and system exists to support talent management. The features of the contemporary public administration will be examined and placed in relationship to the enabling legislative framework that supports talent management. The article explores the context of talent and talent management. The reciprocal relationship that sustains talent management is elaborated upon and inference is drawn from the development of administrative theory and its emphasis on talent management. The article argues for a third dimension to the contemporary conceptualisation of talent management, namely for a supportive public organisation. In conceptualising talent management as based on a reciprocal relationship to sustain employee/employer ability, motivation and opportunity, the administration should be seen as an active enabler for the attraction, development and retention of talent. The article concludes with a call towards using talent management as an approach to organisational structuring and functioning, and not merely as a strategy to fulfil current human resource development gaps or skills shortages.
T he developmental state in South Africa has become a matter of great concern and urgency to all ... more T he developmental state in South Africa has become a matter of great concern and urgency to all practitioners at the three spheres of government. The government has, since its inception in 1994, promoted economic growth and development through a variety of mechanisms, including policy implementation and the promulgation of legislation. In the local sphere of government provision has been made for national and provincial intervention to maintain the national standards of service delivery. However, since 2004 the protests, sometime violent, against the inability of municipalities to deliver their services have increased exponentially. This article argues that realising the developmental state cannot be considered without taking into account both the social origin of the concept as well as its bureaucratic content. The spate of violent confrontations between municipalities and communities led to renewed calls for an interventionist and distributive state. However, the balance between developmentalism, interventionism and democracy has to be maintained. The new developmental state is one where equal emphasis is given to the concepts development through performance, managerial, technical and bureaucratic efficiency and effectiveness and institutional rationalisation and transformation, while maintaining the democracy which provides a voice for the poor and marginalised, protects and accrues the rights of citizens, promotes institutional separation of powers and functions, transparent decision making, accountability and effective monitoring and control.
T he HIV/AIDS epidemic is growing at an alarming rate in the Southern African region, including S... more T he HIV/AIDS epidemic is growing at an alarming rate in the Southern African region, including South Africa. The impact of the epidemic on the socio-economy of South Africa, as well as the South African Public Service, needs to be properly understood so that appropriate measures can be put in place to address the challenges resulting from the epidemic. The article focuses on an evaluation of the planning function used in the implementation of HIV/AIDS policies in the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE). The research methodology used for the article is qualitative in nature and uses interviews and a questionnaire to evaluate employee perceptions regarding the implementation of departmental HIV/AIDS policies. The article further describes the legal framework supporting the appropriate management of HIV/AIDS in the Public Service. It further reviews the initiatives that have been established in planning for HIV/AIDS in the DPE; identifies the planning challenges that are experienced by the DPE in managing HIV/AIDS effectively; and makes recommendations towards successful implementation. Without an appropriate response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the DPE will be unable to maintain its mandate in assuring the proper functioning of state-owned enterprises.
349 John Donne stated that 'No man is an island' and this becomes abundantly clear when managers ... more 349 John Donne stated that 'No man is an island' and this becomes abundantly clear when managers are placed in positions of public accountability and service delivery. A public organisation will only be as strong as its weakest manager and this assumption places additional pressure on the competency and performance of public managers. During times of change the public manager will be required to act as a competent, effective and efficient resource to the department and this is the reason why the South African government has placed such an emphasis on public human resource development. Human resource development is an important aspect contributing to a country's growth potential and in a world marked by globalisation, international competence is essential. In order to ensure the constant supply of qualified and experienced individuals with leadership and management skills, organisations design their own development interventions to suit their needs.
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Papers by Gerda Van Dijk
In this research, a questionnaire survey was used to collect data. The questionnaire comprised both closed- and open-ended questions designed to determine employee perceptions regarding the retention of scarce skilled employees. The questionnaire was distributed to 60 core employees in the LPT. The target population included internal auditors, risk management practitioners, internal control practitioners, financial management practitioners, information technology specialists, revenue management practitioners, accountants and economists. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics in the SPSS software packages, while qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis.
The results revealed that the employee morale, the lack of promotion opportunities and inadequate resource allocations were the main causes for retention failure. The research resulted in recommendations put forward for the development of an integrated human resource management policy aligned to retention through an intensive resource allocation strategy.
In this research, a questionnaire survey was used to collect data. The questionnaire comprised both closed- and open-ended questions designed to determine employee perceptions regarding the retention of scarce skilled employees. The questionnaire was distributed to 60 core employees in the LPT. The target population included internal auditors, risk management practitioners, internal control practitioners, financial management practitioners, information technology specialists, revenue management practitioners, accountants and economists. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics in the SPSS software packages, while qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis.
The results revealed that the employee morale, the lack of promotion opportunities and inadequate resource allocations were the main causes for retention failure. The research resulted in recommendations put forward for the development of an integrated human resource management policy aligned to retention through an intensive resource allocation strategy.