Academic literature on the topic 'Virtual work teams – South Africa'
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Journal articles on the topic "Virtual work teams – South Africa"
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De Bruyn, Anita Juliana. "Exploring high-performance work processes in effective virtual teams." African Journal of Economic and Management Studies 8, no. 4 (December 4, 2017): 398–409. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ajems-06-2016-0070.
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to bridge the void in virtual teams’ (VTs) lived experiences on the high-performance work process theme by exploring process alignment best practices for the functioning of effective VTs in the software sector of the technology industry of South Africa. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative, interpretivist case study was used to gain insight into the lived experiences of VT members. A purposive sample was selected, and data were collected through an electronic questionnaire and analysed by means of content analysis. Findings International literature corpus informed the process theme. Empirical evidence suggests that a value-driven work orientation to combat cybercrime linked with the pre-existence to specific architecture effectively contribute to the practice of VT expertise by delivering innovative new paths instead of aligning to traditional processes. Research limitations/implications The qualitative approach of this paper limits the replication possibilities beyond the information and communication technology (ICT) VTs who participated in the study. The themes, elements and the virtual nature of the study could be generalised across various technology-infused organisations in other VTs and within other knowledge working fields. Practical implications An exemplary questionnaire and method to obtain deep knowledge from the lived experiences of the virtually dispersed participants could be utilised for similar future studies. Social implications ICT software organisations trading on the African, within VT environments and South Africa, people practitioners and risk managers would benefit from the process alignment practices suggested in this study. Originality/value This paper complements seminal VT theorists, and presents suggestions towards a practical implementable novel framework for the implementation of VT processes alignment.
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Cogburn, Derrick L., and Nanette S. Levinson. "Teaching Globalization, Globally: A 7-Year Case Study of South Africa–U.S. Virtual Teams." Information Technologies and International Development 4, no. 3 (April 2008): 75–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/itid.2008.00018.
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Dubbeld, Bernard. "Breaking the Buffalo: The Transformation of Stevedoring Work in Durban Between 1970 and 1990." International Review of Social History 48, S11 (October 24, 2003): 97–122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0020859003001287.
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In Durban, South Africa, stevedoring workers were the most physically powerful workers of all, and were known as onyathi in Zulu, or buffalo, which aptly described the physical and collective nature of their work. Throughout the century, the stevedoring industry was especially labour-intensive, necessitating teams of workers. As in most industries in South Africa, African workers built and maintained the docks. These buffalo developed the linkage that made Durban a thriving city and sustained the apartheid economy. Yet today the buffalo are all but gone, replaced by onboard warehouses known as containers. Machines have replaced the men once so integral to the survival of the city.
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Chetty-Makkan, Candice M., Daniel deSanto, Richard Lessells, Salome Charalambous, Kavindhran Velen, Sewele Makgopa, Dumile Gumede, Katherine Fielding, and Alison D. Grant. "Exploring the promise and reality of ward-based primary healthcare outreach teams conducting TB household contact tracing in three districts of South Africa." PLOS ONE 16, no. 8 (August 13, 2021): e0256033. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256033.
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Background Tuberculosis (TB) household contact tracing is a form of targeted active case-finding for which community health workers (‘outreach teams’) in South Africa are primarily responsible for its implementation. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to understand the role of outreach teams in delivering TB household contact tracing. Methods The study took place in three districts of South Africa between May 2016 and February 2017. We conducted 78 in-depth interviews (IDI) (comprising 35 key stakeholders, 31 TB index patients and 12 HHCs) and five focus group discussions (FGD) (40 outreach team members in four FGDs and 12 community stakeholders in one FGD). Results Outreach teams contributed positively by working across health-related programmes, providing home-based care and assisting with tracing of persons lost to TB care. However, outreach teams had a limited focus on TB household contact tracing activities, likely due to the broad scope of their work and insufficient programmatic support. Outreach teams often confused TB household contact tracing activities with finding persons lost to TB care. The community also had some reservations on the role of outreach teams conducting TB household contact tracing activities. Conclusions Creating awareness among outreach workers and clinic personnel about the importance of and activities related to TB household contact tracing would be required to strengthen the delivery of TB household contact tracing through the community-based primary health care teams. We need better monitoring and evaluation systems, stronger integration within a realistic scope of work, adequate training on TB household contact tracing and TB infection prevention control measures. Involving the community and educating them on the role of outreach teams could improve acceptance of future activities. These timely results and lessons learned should inform contact tracing approaches in the context of COVID-19.
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Garg, Ajay K., and Jan van der Rijst. "The benefits and pitfalls of employees working from home: Study of a private company in South Africa." Corporate Board role duties and composition 11, no. 2 (2015): 36–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.22495/cbv11i2art3.
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Working from home is a worldwide trend and effect companies in various ways. This study focussed on South African circumstances and examined the cost saving implications for a private company and their employees if they would be able and allowed to work from home. Further, relationships between structural and relational factors with experience with virtual work were studied. Based on the data collected from 48 respondents, study found that majority of the employees were willing to work from home and the savings to company was estimated at R1 058.25 per month on rental, electricity, levy, rates, sewer and water expenses, while employees could save an average of R8 822.06 per month if they do not travel to work. On the other hand employees will spend only R347 per employee if they work from home. Relationship between structural factors and relational factors with perceived virtual work experience was found positive. Professional isolation and job performance was found highly negatively correlated.
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Blažič, Borka Jerman, Andrej Jerman-Blažič, and Tanja Arh. "A Virtual User Community." Journal of Global Information Management 23, no. 2 (April 2015): 24–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/jgim.2015040102.
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The aim of the research work presented in this paper is to explore a virtual-user community's influence on the design of a new, multimedia-based Internet service. The virtual community considered here are the researchers and associated administrative staff who are working on, or managing, collaboration projects or common tasks in distant laboratories all over the world. The acceptance and the attitudes of the community were studied and applied in the design of a new service offered by the Virtual Conference Centre Portal (VCCP) – Global Plaza. In this study, the cultural backgrounds of the user community were considered and the findings are discussed. . The studies were carried out with communities coming from three continents: Africa, South America and Europe. The paper gives a brief presentation of the VCCP's service facilities and an analysis of the results of the performed studies.
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FILANDER, ZOLEKA, and CHARLES GRIFFITHS. "Illustrated guide to the echinoid (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) fauna of South Africa." Zootaxa 4296, no. 1 (July 24, 2017): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4296.1.1.
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The sea-urchins (class Echinoidea) of South Africa have received little taxonomic attention since the last comprehensive regional monographic guide, which was published in 1976 and is thus now severely outdated. That account was also poorly illustrated, making it difficult to use. Recent work by the authors has also added some 19 additional species to the known fauna, which now stands at 70 species. The aims of this study are thus to revise and update the South African echinoid fauna list, and to present a new, easy to use and fully-illustrated guide to all known regional species. The analysis is based mainly on examination of samples from the Iziko South African Museum collections, although additional records from other museum collections, the published literature, photographic images submitted to the EchinoMap Virtual Museum Database and any other reliable records are also included. A short account of each species is given, including relevant synonymy and literature, and brief notes on identification, size, and global distribution. Photographs that best represent the diagnostic features of each species and a map showing its known records within the region accompany each species account. A binary key to species is also provided.
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Sotola, David Olusegun, Pregala Pillay, and Hafte Gebreselassie. "COVID-19 in Africa: a comparative analysis of early policy responses." Revista de Administração Pública 55, no. 1 (February 2021): 229–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0034-761220200427.
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Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has caused turmoil around the world. In Africa, some similarities and differences could be observed in the nature of the outbreak and the policy responses across the continent. This article discusses the policy responses and reflects on their effectiveness as a containment strategy. We speculate on why these strategies seem to work or not, and the lessons therein. The analysis also examines the setting up of crisis teams and whether they indicate lack of trust in the existing public administration system. The article argues that though South African cases and testing diverged significantly from the rest of the continent, a wider similarity can be observed in pandemic management across the continent. The article identifies some factors including quick and early measures, recent experience managing epidemic/health crises, and a display of some form of community resilience acquired over years of living in a state of poor governance as some of the important factors in the management of the pandemic. We find there is a dearth of scholarship on crisis management in the context of public administration and suggest this should be an object of future study in the field. The use of ad-hoc crisis teams that assume emergency powers is a common practice, but there is insufficient rigorous analysis to show their effectiveness and impact on existing bureaucratic institutions.
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Haeusler, Ilsa Louisa, Felicity Knights, Vishaal George, and Andy Parrish. "Improving TB infection control in a regional hospital in the Eastern Cape, South Africa." BMJ Open Quality 8, no. 1 (March 2019): bmjoq—2018–000347. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2018-000347.
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This quality improvement (QI) work was carried out in Cecilia Makiwane Hospital (CMH), a regional public hospital in the Eastern Cape, South Africa (SA). SA has among the highest incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the world and this is a leading cause of death in SA. Nosocomial infection is an important source of TB transmission. Adherence to TB infection prevention control (IPC) measures in the medical inpatient department was suboptimal at CMH. The overall aim of this QI project was to make sustainable improvements in TB IPC. A multidisciplinary team was formed to undertake a root cause analysis and develop a strategy for change. The main barriers to adherence to IPC measures were limited knowledge of IPC methods and stigma associated with TB. Specifically, the project aimed to increase the number of: ‘airborne precaution’ signs placed above patients’ beds, patients correctly isolated and patients wearing surgical face masks. Four Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles were used. The strategy for change involved education and awareness-raising in different formats, including formal in-service training delivered to nurses and doctors, a hospital-wide TB awareness week with engaging activities and competitions, and a World TB Day provincial solidarity march. Data on adherence to the three IPC measures were collected over an 8-month period. Pre-intervention (October 2016), a mean of 2% of patients wore face masks, 22% were correctly isolated and 12% had an airborne precaution sign. Post-intervention (May 2017), the compliance improved to 17%, 50% and 25%, respectively. There was a large variation in compliance to each measure. Improvement was greatest in the number of patients correctly isolated. We learnt it is important to work with, not in parallel to, existing teams or structures during QI work. On-the-ground training of nurses and clinicians should be undertaken alongside engagement of senior staff members and managers. This improves the chance of change being adopted into hospital policy.
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Moonasar, Devanand, Anban Pillay, Elizabeth Leonard, Raveen Naidoo, Shadrack Mngemane, Wayne Ramkrishna, Khadija Jamaloodien, et al. "COVID-19: lessons and experiences from South Africa’s first surge." BMJ Global Health 6, no. 2 (February 2021): e004393. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004393.
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On 5 March 2020, South Africa recorded its first case of imported COVID-19. Since then, cases in South Africa have increased exponentially with significant community transmission. A multisectoral approach to containing and mitigating the spread of SARS-CoV-2 was instituted, led by the South African National Department of Health. A National COVID-19 Command Council was established to take government-wide decisions. An adapted World Health Organiszion (WHO) COVID-19 strategy for containing and mitigating the spread of the virus was implemented by the National Department of Health. The strategy included the creation of national and provincial incident management teams (IMTs), which comprised of a variety of work streams, namely, governance and leadership; medical supplies; port and environmental health; epidemiology and response; facility readiness and case management; emergency medical services; information systems; risk communication and community engagement; occupational health and safety and human resources. The following were the most salient lessons learnt between March and September 2020: strengthened command and control were achieved through both centralised and decentralised IMTs; swift evidenced-based decision-making from the highest political levels for instituting lockdowns to buy time to prepare the health system; the stringent lockdown enabled the health sector to increase its healthcare capacity. Despite these successes, the stringent lockdown measures resulted in economic hardship particularly for the most vulnerable sections of the population.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Virtual work teams – South Africa"
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De, Abrew Upuli Kanchana. "Investigating the problems experienced by virtual team members engaged in requirements elicitation." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007845.
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The constant acceleration in the rate of technological innovation, and the ever growing emphasis on the importance of information for competition has seen organisations around the world strive for the technologies that give them global customer reach. One of the most pervasive technological innovations developed is the internet, and its unique quality of being able to draw people from across the world together in one virtual space has given birth to the concept of virtual teams. Organisations have seized the advantages of such virtual teams to give them the cost and time reductions they need to stay competitive in the global marketplace. In the software industry, where product and service development is always a race against time, forward thinking software companies in the developed world have taken full advantage of the cost and time saving benefits that virtual teams have to offer. In addition, the rate of expansion of technology and software to support such teams is also growing exponentially, offering increasingly faster ways of virtual working. Despite the immense advantages offered by such teams, South African software development companies do not seem to engage in distributed work to any great degree. The importance of this research rests on the belief that South African software development companies will be unable to avoid engaging in distributed software development if they are to achieve and maintain competitiveness in the global marketplace. This research focuses on a sub-section of the software development process with a specific reference to South African software development. The requirements elicitation phase of software development is one of the initial stages of any software project. It is here that developers work with the users in order to identify requirements for the system to be built. It is acknowledged that other phases of distributed development also bring to bear their own problems, however, in the interests of scoping this research, only the requirements elicitation process is focused on. The research shows that most techniques of requirements elicitation can be adapted for use within the virtual environment, although each technique has its share of advantages and disadvantages. In addition, virtual team members experience problems during their general, day-to-day interactions, many of these arising from the dependence on technology for communication and task performance. The research identifies the problems in both categories, and develops a holistic model of virtual requirements elicitation to prevent or solve the problems experienced by virtual teams engaged in distributed requirements elicitation. The model is made up of three key frameworks, each of which prescribes actions to be taken to ensure the success of the virtual team within the requirements elicitation process. The model is verified through the testing of its critical success factors. Certain aspects of the model were adapted based on the findings of the study, but it was confirmed that the rationale behind the model is sound, indicating that it has the potential to solve the problems of virtual RE when implemented.
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Tekeh, Emmanuel Temban. "The adoption of virtual teams and virtual technology in human resources management : a South African perspective." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2075.
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Thesis (MTech (Business Information Systems))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015.This study explores factors contributing to the slow adoption of virtual teams and virtual technology by South African organisations in Cape Town. The study adopted the Technology Organisation and Environment (TOE) framework to examine the influence of technological organisational and environmental contextual factors on organisation’s adoption of virtual teams and virtual technology. Three organisations from different industries in Cape Town were chosen as a case study. Data was collected via qualitative interviews and quantitative questionnaires while content analysis and a statistics package for social sciences were used to analyse and generate results. The results indicated that all three dimensions of the TOE framework significantly either enabled or inhibited organisational adoption of virtual teams and virtual technology. Technological contextual factors such as availability of technology were found to enable adoption while high set-up cost inhibited adoption, and perceived benefit and drawbacks either inhibited or enabled adoption due to the influence of other contextual factors. Organisational contextual factors like available resources and slacks were found to facilitate, whereas organisational competency and formal and informal linking structures impeded adoption. Management commitment, communication process, degree of centralisation, organisation size and technological competency were found to either enable or inhibit technology adoption owing to the influences of other contextual factors. Environmental contextual factors such as competition, government regulation and rapidly growing industries were found to encourage technology adoption. Lack of skilled labour was found to restrain technology adoption while industry characteristics, market structures and technology support infrastructure either enabled or inhibited organisational adoption of virtual teams and virtual technology due to the influence of other contextual factors.
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Thomas, Godwin Dogara Ayenajeh. "A virtual-community-centric model for coordination in the South African public sector." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021073.
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Organizations face challenges constantly owing to limited resources. As such, to take advantage of new opportunities and to mitigate possible risks they look for new ways to collaborate, by sharing knowledge and competencies. Coordination among partners is critical in order to achieve success. The segmented South African public sector is no different. Driven by the desire to ensure proper service delivery in this sector, various government bodies and service providers play different roles towards the attainment of common goals. This is easier said than done, given the complexity of the distributed nature of the environment. Heterogeneity, autonomy, and the increasing need to collaborate provoke the need to develop an integrative and dynamic coordination support service system in the SA public sector. Thus, the research looks to theories/concepts and existing coordination practices to ground the process of development. To inform the design of the proposed artefact the research employs an interdisciplinary approach championed by coordination theory to review coordination-related theories and concepts. The effort accounts for coordination constructs that characterize and transform the problem and solution spaces. Thus, requirements are explicit towards identifying coordination breakdowns and their resolution. Furthermore, how coordination in a distributed environment is supported in practice is considered from a socio-technical perspective in an effort to account holistically for coordination support. Examining existing solutions identified shortcomings that, if addressed, can help to improve the solutions for coordination, which are often rigidly and narrowly defined. The research argues that introducing a mediating technological artefact conceived from a virtual community and service lenses can serve as a solution to the problem. By adopting a design-science research paradigm, the research develops a model as a primary artefact to support coordination from a collaboration standpoint. The suggestions from theory and practice and the unique case requirement identified through a novel case analysis framework form the basis of the model design. The proposed model support operation calls for an architecture which employs a design pattern that divides a complex whole into smaller, simpler parts, with the aim of reducing the system complexity. Four fundamental functions of the supporting architecture are introduced and discussed as they would support the operation and activities of the proposed collaboration lifecycle model geared towards streamlining coordination in a distributed environment. As part of the model development knowledge contributions are made in several ways. Firstly, an analytical instrument is presented that can be used by an enterprise architect or business analyst to study the coordination status quo of a collaborative activity in a distributed environment. Secondly, a lifecycle model is presented as meta-process model with activities that are geared towards streamlining the coordination of dynamic collaborative activities or projects. Thirdly, an architecture that will enable the technical virtual community-centric, context-aware environment that hosts the process-based operations is offered. Finally, the validation tool that represents the applied contribution to the research that promises possible adaptation for similar circumstances is presented. The artefacts contribute towards a design theory in IS research for the development and improvement of coordination support services in a distributed environment such as the South African public sector.
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Van, Wyk Calvin. "Virtual project teams : a case study of virtual project team effectiveness in a South African financial institution." University of the Western Cape, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/5634.
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Magister Commercii - MComThe South African financial services sector has experienced phenomenal growth over the past two decades, and financial institutions that were previously regional are now operating nationally. To enhance operations and meet customer expectations, financial institutions have turned to technology and virtual project teams. There is mounting evidence of the use of virtual project teams throughout the financial services sector; however, the effectiveness of virtual project teams in South Africa, and the support they receive, is yet to be determined. This case study aims to investigate the effectiveness of virtual project teams by focusing on the organisational systems and group dynamics of the virtual project teams at one of South Africa's leading financial institutions. The study involves a cross -sectional survey conducted by means of a Lickert-scale questionnaire distributed among all 23 project team members (10 in Cape Town and 13 in Johannesburg). The findings are predicted to indicate the support provided by this particular financial institution to the virtual project teams’ operations, while also identifying the organisational systems in place and measuring the effectiveness of the virtual project teams. The financial institution on which this case study is based gave consent for the case study to be conducted, on condition of anonymity.
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Thabana, M. "The development of the teacher support team in assisting teachers of learners with special educational needs in one school in Khayelitsha." University of the Western Cape, 2004. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&.
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This research study explored the process in the development of theTeacher Support Team in assisting teachers of learners with special educational needs in the mainstream classroom. This research was conducted in the context of the restructuring of the South African Education system. The Policy Document White Paper 6 (2001) states that all learners irrespective of the barriers to learning and development have a right to be educated in the ordinary school, together with their peers.
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Pather, S. S. "The influence of emotional intelligence on change management strategies in establishing self-managing schools : a multi-site case study." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1154.
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In South Africa, the trend has been towards the decentralising of authority and giving greater powers to schools. This implies the active involvement of the school governing body members, the school management team members and the Level One educators in the day-to-day functioning of the school. Whilst some schools have welcomed this change and seen this devolution of power as an added advantage contributing to the efficacy of schools, some schools have struggled, while others have failed dismally to cope with this added responsibility of managing their own resources. The researcher, being an educator involved in this transition, has been intrigued by the success of some self-managing schools and the failure of others. The following words of Oliver Wendell Holmes have inspired the investigator to conduct this research to ascertain the reasons for the success of certain schools and the failure of others: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” Since the performance of schools is normally ranked according to their matriculation pass rates, this research focused on six self-managing schools in the Port Elizabeth District. These schools were selected on the basis of their matriculation performances in 2008. Two of the schools had achieved an above 85 percent matriculation pass rate (Category A); two obtained a 50 percent pass rate (Category B); while the other two schools obtained matriculation pass rates of between 25 percent and 30 percent (Category C). Although the research relied strongly on a qualitative method of inquiry, because of the nature of the data and the need to obtain a better understanding of the feelings, attitude and perceptions of those in management positions, governing body positions and members of the personnel, multiple instruments for data collection such as a literature review and the study of school documents and questionnaires, were used. This inclusion of these multiple instruments for obtaining information, which is also called triangulation, contributed to the reliability and validity of the empirical investigation. Although the data was presented in the form of tables and graphs, vi which alludes to a quantitative approach, a narrative interpretation of the findings, which is associated with a qualitative method of inquiry, was also presented. An analysis of the findings revealed that there was a great amount of involvement of the principals, school management team members and Level One educators in Category A schools, which had a matriculation pass rate of above 85%, in the following change management strategies: the establishment of a vision, planning and organising, teamwork, training and development, communication, praise and incentives, and evaluation and feedback. There was also a great contribution by the school governing body members. However, the study revealed that Category B and Category C schools did not effectively use communication, praise and incentives and evaluation and feedback as change management strategies. It was evident from the empirical investigation that in Category B and C schools, the school governing body members were less, or not involved in the usage of the change management strategies applied. According to the results based on the six-facet model of Emotional Intelligence, Category A schools obtained 80% and above in the competencies relating to the self and social domain. Category B schools fluctuated between 50 percent and 80 percent in both dimensions, while Category C schools fluctuated between 30 percent and 80 percent. The findings suggest that there should be greater involvement of all stakeholders, especially the school governing body members, in the establishment of a vision, planning and organising, communication, teamwork, training and development, praise and incentives and the provision of feedback and evaluation for self-managing schools to become effective and improve their performances. Professional development, especially in the areas pertaining to Emotional Intelligence competencies such as personal and interpersonal skills, should be prioritised. This thesis proposes that, on the basis of the investigation carried out at the six participating schools on the influence of Emotional Intelligence on the change management strategies adopted in self-managing schools, schools use strategies such as the establishment of a vision, planning and organising, communication, teamwork, training and development, praise and incentives and evaluation and feedback to ameliorate the damaging impact of change. There should be continuous training and development at schools, especially for the school governing body members, who are elected every three years. The newly elected school governing body members need to develop the necessary skills to effectively contribute to the efficacy of schools. The human resource is the vital ingredient in schools, thus for any progression or improvement, all stakeholders need to be informed, trained and enriched. Since Emotional Intelligence can be learned, professional development in the area of Emotional Intelligence should be given more thought and included in training courses, focusing on the development of personal and interpersonal skills. The Emotional Intelligence training should be conducted as part of teacher training courses as well as on an annual basis for educators already in the teaching system, since Emotional Intelligence can influence the use of change management strategies at schools and enhance the efficacy of the functioning of self-managing schools.
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Jafthas, Joan Agnes Ann. "Teacher support teams in primary schools, of the West Coast Winelands Education Management and Development Centre, Western Cape Education Department, South Africa." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2004. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&.
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The functioning of a teacher support team is an important aspect in improving quality of education, because it has as its purpose the enhancement of collaboration and support to educators and development of conditions for learners to become more successful. This research study explored the functioning of teacher support teams in primary and elementary schools of the Western Cape Education Department of South Africa and Massachusetts in the United States of America, in assisting educators of learners with special needs in mainstream schools.
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Fok, Clinton. "Virtual collaboration: improving communication in the South African construction industry." Thesis, 2018. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/25738.
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A research report submitted to the School of Construction Economics and
Management
Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Witwatersrand
15 February 2018This thesis aims to explore the impact of virtual communication among professionals within the South African construction industry by analysis of responses to a distributed questionnaire and interviews which will highlight trends and hindrances to effective communication. It hopes to answer the key question of key factors affecting virtual communication from a global perspective to that of the current South African state in order to improve future forms of ICT to maintain and enhance global competitiveness. To date, many construction organisations are autocratic and have a hierarchical organisational structure, which is often static and unable to change to current market needs. However, there is a growing trend for organisations to form specialised decentralised teams. These units are dynamic and are more flexible with knowledge transfer allowing their organisation to adapt to the ever changing global market. One particular adaptation in the construction industry is in information communication technology (ICT) which has resulted in organisations becoming more globally competitive. ICT is becoming more widely used in the construction project life cycle. While the development of virtual collaborations has allowed for companies to be globally competitive, there are areas in need of improvement such as communication and information processing. The use of current communication methods and processes are technologically driven and do not consider the individual’s psychological aspects. Social interaction within a workplace is important with a move away from autocratic information dissemination. These aspects have a direct effect on project delivery efficiency; productivity of labour force; as well as quality of the final product. There is a distinct shift in the use of different media for communication and effective those medium has proved to be. The reluctance to change and how quickly individuals adapt to technological advancements also impact on the efficiency of communication.
MT 2018
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De, Bruyn Anita Juliana. "A framework for best practices in the functioning of effective virtual teams in organisations within the technology industry of South Africa." Thesis, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/14221.
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Business need required a holistic and focussed framework for best practices in the functioning of effective virtual teams, despite the fragmented nature of empirical studies in this field. This study endeavoured to explore the best practices in the functioning of effective virtual teams against four prominent and unique themes linked to purpose, processes, people and technology. The value of this study does not vest in the existence of virtual teams, but in their orderly operation, in terms of best practice and the value proposition of effectiveness.
Following an exploratory qualitative strategy, the research was conducted according to the interpretivist branch of the phenomenological tradition, with a transcendental orientation in the social research field.
A qualitative multi-case research design for the empirical study was selected, resulting in a non-probability sample within the software sector of the technology industry in South Africa.
An original and pre-tested Lime Survey 2.0+ electronic questionnaire instrument was utilised as the instrument to collect information within a cross-sectional time horizon, to work in synchronisation with the collaborative asynchronous electronic architecture of virtual teams. Content analysis was applied to analyse data.
The main findings indicated that effective virtual teams purposefully orientate themselves toward excellence through electronic management systems, a specific value system, with a knowledge seeking focus, and a seamless linkage in electronic infrastructure, applications, and platforms which contribute to the functionality of the effective virtual team.
The main recommendations were that a pre-existing, functional, collaborative, integrated, electronic management system is regarded as the primary step in founding an effective virtual team. The focus of organisational leadership should be to embrace a holistic value system approach encapsulating specific elements of excellence, such as trust and independence. Human networking practices pursuing and sustaining knowledge are regarded as the key enabler for functioning of effective virtual teams. Lastly, a focussed seamless interface between the various electronic applications, platforms and infrastructures is recommended.Human Resource Management
D. Com. (Human Resource Management)
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Lavhengwa, Tendani Justice. "An e-collaboration maturity model for Research Institutions." 2014. http://encore.tut.ac.za/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1001574.
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D. Tech. InformaticsIn the world of information and communications technology (ICT), collaboration plays a central and significant role towards development and economic growth. Collaboration is relevant for all spheres, starting with individuals, organizations, private businesses, governments, and specifically research institutions which focus on research and innovation. In the academia, e-collaboration has become part of the survival strategy and is also essential to ensure continuity, competitiveness, growth and maturity. ARIs (Academic and Research Institutions) must plan on how e-collaboration is applied and improved in organizations. The main research objective for this study was to propose an e-Collaboration Maturity Model for ARIs. In support of this four secondary objectives were listed as follows: To investigate collaboration initiatives and technology amongst ARIs; To understand the driving forces and challenges towards Collaboration amongst ARIs; To explore the themes of e-Collaboration; To review maturity and assessment models.
Books on the topic "Virtual work teams – South Africa"
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Jules-Rosette, Bennetta, and J. R. Osborn. African Art Reframed. University of Illinois Press, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.5622/illinois/9780252043277.001.0001.
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This book approaches the reframing of African art through dialogues with collectors, curators, and artists on three continents. It explores museum exhibitions, storerooms, artists’ studios, and venues for community outreach. Part One (Chapters 1-3) addresses the history of ethnographic and art museums, ranging from curiosity cabinets to modernist edifices and virtual websites. Museums are considered in terms of five transformational nodes, which contrast ways in which museums are organized and reach out to their audiences. Diverse groups of artists interact with museums at each node. Part Two (Chapters 4-5) addresses museum practices and art worlds through dialogues with curators and artists examining museums as ecosystems and communities within communities. Processes of display and memory work used by curators and artists are analyzed with semiotic methods to investigate images, signs, and symbols drawn from curating the curators and exploring artists’ experiences. Part Three (Chapters 6-8) introduces new strategies for displaying, disseminating, and reclaiming African art. Approaches include the innovative technology of unmixing and the reframing of art for museums of the future. The book addresses building exchanges through studies of curatorial networks, south-north connections, genre classifications, archives, collections, databases, and learning strategies. These discussions open up new avenues of connectivity that range from local museums to global art markets and environments. In conclusion, the book proposes new methods for interpreting African art inside and outside of museums and remixing the results.
Book chapters on the topic "Virtual work teams – South Africa"
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Hughes, Colin, and Mark N. K. Saunders. "Building and Maintaining Trust in Virtual Teams." In Handbook of Research on Remote Work and Worker Well-Being in the Post-COVID-19 Era, 264–85. IGI Global, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-6754-8.ch015.
Full textAbstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread adoption of virtual teams (VTs), the prevalence of which had already been increasing steadily. However, studies show that VTs often fail to meet their potential, highlighting the centrality of trust to their success. While trust is important at the team member level and the focus of much of the extant research, it also underpins effective virtual leadership. Following a review of VT and trust literatures, research conducted within three global technology companies across Europe, Middle East, and Africa is used to provide insights into trust development in virtual leader-member dyads. These highlight leaders' behaviours that can both demonstrate their own trustworthiness to VT members and their trust of VT members. These behaviours are integrated into a framework for enabling high trust VT leadership which emphasises member-centricity.
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Thackeray, J. Francis. "A summary of the history of exploration at the Sterkfontein Caves in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site." In Hominin Postcranial Remains from Sterkfontein, South Africa, 1936-1995, 3–7. Oxford University Press, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197507667.003.0001.
Full textAbstract:
Sterkfontein Caves, near Pretoria, South Africa, are part of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. The caves have yielded hundreds of hominin fossils recovered over a period spanning more than a century. Exploration of the deposits has occurred in three phases. In the first phase from 1895–1935, fossils of various animals were recovered unsystematically by limestone miners, who noted fossiliferous breccias. The second phase, from 1936–1966, involved teams led by Robert Broom and John Robinson. Broom and Robinson’s excavations recovered many hominin fossils from Members 4 and 5, stone artifacts, and initial mapping of the Sterkfontein deposits. The third phase, 1966 until the present, included excavations led by Philip Tobias, Alun Hughes, Tim Partridge, Ron Clarke, Kathy Kuman, and Dominic Stratford. During this phase, the six members of the Sterkfontein deposits were recognized and characterized, and additional fossils of hominins and other fauna, as well as stone artifacts were recovered. Importantly, extensive analysis of fauna and paleonvironments was conducted. Hominin fossils were also recovered from Member 2. Considerable geochronological work has been done to characterize the complex stratigraphy and dating of these deposits. This chapter reviews the history of fieldwork at Sterkfontein.
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Blažič, Borka Jerman, Andrej Jerman-Blažič, and Tanja Arh. "Applying the User Experience Study of a Virtual Multi-Cultural Community in a Service Re-Design." In Handbook of Research on Technology Adoption, Social Policy, and Global Integration, 109–34. IGI Global, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-2668-1.ch007.
Full textAbstract:
The aim of the research work presented in this paper is to explore a virtual-user community's influence on the design of a new, multimedia-based Internet service. The virtual communities considered here are the researchers and associated administrative staff, who are working on, or managing, collaboration projects or common tasks in distant laboratories all over the world. The paper reflects the attitudes and the cultural background influence on the technology adoption by the studied community. The user experience were analysed and then applied in the re-design of a new service developed within the Virtual Conference Centre Portal (VCCP) – Global Plaza. The studies were carried out with communities coming from three continents: Africa, South America and Europe. The paper gives a brief presentation of the VCCP's service facilities and an analysis of the results of the performed studies.
Conference papers on the topic "Virtual work teams – South Africa"
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Tsits, Gwatiringa, and Adendorff Chris. "Virtual Reality Bridging the Gap between Job Skills Required and University Curriculum Competency in South Africa." In International Conference on Education. The International Institute of Knowledge Management, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.17501/24246700.2020.6203.
Full textAbstract:
Pervasive technologies such as Virtual Reality are disrupting and transforming the way we work and learn, necessitating the development of new ways of education to allow future employees to flexibly react to the future world of work and meet the demands of such a digitised working environment. By way of futures methodology, the aim of the research was to identify the present forces, trends and drivers of change that impact the future of education and the future of work. The Six Pillars of Futures Studies approach to research by Inayatullah was applied throughout the study. The mapping (environmental scanning) of Virtual Reality technologies as a driver of change was done, highlighting the impact of such technology on tertiary education and on the world of work. The purpose of the environmental scanning was to uncover existing and driving forces that will influence the future of tertiary education and the future of work. The Causal Layer Analysis (CLA) was the primary futures methodology applied in this research. CLA was used to investigate deeper causal issues from various viewpoints in order to formulate scenarios for the future. The study developed four different future scenarios and the most favourable scenario was used to formulate the recommended vision, "Future Vision of Education and Work in South Africa towards 2030" which incorporates a realistic, attainable and desirable future that could foreground the improvement of the skills gap in the South African context. This preferred future envisages an education system that broadens access to opportunities and provides the skills and competences that people need to thrive in a new sustainable economy. Keywords: Virtual Reality, Future of Education, Future workforce, Job Skills Requirements, Fourth Industrial Revolution, Futures Studies.
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Ahuja, Anil K., Sanjay Pande, Vivek Gangwar, Yogesh Sharma, and Anubhav Dahiya. "A Study of Indian Power Plant MRO (Maintenance Repair Overhaul) Industry." In ASME 2008 Power Conference. ASMEDC, 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1115/power2008-60023.
Full textAbstract:
Indian power sector has made significant progress despite legacy industry constraints. The current installed capacity is 140,000 MW and is growing at about 10% annually. The capacity utilization is beyond known benchmarks i.e. national average is over 78% and while NTPC over 92%. Traditional Indian MRO strategy is based on strategic improvisations to obtain the best out of prevailing industry and restricted maintenance windows. Power plant MRO in India faces issues of service and quality response. It presents an area which has scope for systemic improvements. The subject is also important due to linkage to energy efficiency improvement potentials which are central to global climate initiatives. “MRO Study Project” was undertaken by NTPC (along with Frost & Sullivan) with participation of other Indian generating companies to create a holistic industry view to accurately directionalize the improvement efforts. Power plant MRO is a weakly documented subject in India whereas for industrial countries it’s an almost settled issue. The project — which targeted creation of insights into power station and vendor side — therefore called for significant primary research. Teams visited most of the 36 participating Indian power stations and interviewed 40 MRO vendors (out of 200 participants). For best practice reference creation, visits were made to 7 power stations in Germany while information was also gathered from USA, South Africa and China. The project deliverables include a project report and certain data base considered useful to the industry. Indian power plant MRO has evolved around capacity utilization as the centre. The processes are man power intensive characterized by 1000 very small vendors who work for some 140 thermal stations. Survey indicated service and quality issues as well as inadequate technical back up of vendors which is compensated by plant personnel supervision. New objectives of efficiency improvement and costs reduction call for fundamental changes in areas of tooling, craft skill sets and procedures. MRO Destination envisions emergence of new industry components other than workforce providers — maintenance companies, maintenance schools, certification companies etc. The road map for change recommends three key focus areas: tariff structure which incentivizes efficiency improvement through MRO, best practice infusion to the MRO business and contracting processes improvements of power stations. Involvement of international vendors is expected to provide the best practice exposure as well as catalyze changes in the internal systems. Industry level initiative is recommended by creating a platform for accelerating change and cost effectiveness. The paper presents the project process, key data/analysis, salient findings and business opportunities. For India and many developing countries with similar focus, the work could be useful as it provides a structured platform for internal diagnostics on MRO as well as provides the prospective partners (international utilities and MRO service providers) with Indian MRO business nuances and opportunities to better plan possible business tie ups.