Organisational norms of academic administration at a higher education institution

This article sets out to investigate the organisational norms at a higher education institution as perceived by academic administrative staff members. To achieve the aim of this article, a literature study and empirical research were undertaken. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 88 staff members in the Academic Administration Department at a higher education institution. To investigate the relationship between the independent and dependent variables, nine hypotheses were tested. The results indicated significant relationships between some of these variables. Guidelines are provided as to which organisational norms are acceptable, which are not yet problematic but pose various challenges and which are problematic and need interventions. The guidelines could be useful in any organisational setting which requires new group formation or working relationships. A hypothesized model to investigate norms is also proposed

The relationship between organisational culture and strategy formulation in South African firms

In this article the relationship between organisational culture and strategy formulation in South African firms is investigated. The intention is to analyse whether South African firms with specific organisational culture types formulate strategies in the same manner. Literature available on the individual concepts of organisational culture and strategy formulation is extensive, but the relationship between the two concepts is generally ignored. During the empirical survey a self-administered questionnaire was send to 3000 firms. The culture type exhibited by firms was compared to the manner in which these firms formulate strategies. The findings confirm statistical significant relationships between firms with different organisational culture types and how strategies are formulated. Firms should therefore increase their emphasis on aligning culture and strategy

Transference and counter-transference in systems psychodynamic group process consultation: The consultant’s experience

This study explored consultants’ experiences of transference and counter-transference when conducting group relations training from the systems psychodynamic stance. A phenomenological research design was used with semistructured interviews conducted on a purposive sample of 13 organisational development consultants in a financial institution. The data was analysed by means of content analysis. The results showed that consultants have varied receptiveness in terms of receiving projections and managing transference. These differences involve triggers, characteristics and systemic valence. The consultants experienced counter- transference on five different cognitive and emotional levels. Distinguishing between personal and group emotions, receiving projections and managing transference, all contribute to the complexity of organisational consulting. Opsomming Hierdie studie het ondersoek ingestel na konsultante se ervarings van oordrag en teen-oordrag tydens groepverhoudingsopleiding vanuit die sistemiese psigodinamiese posisie. ’n Fenomenologiese navorsingsontwerp is gebruik met semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gevoer met ’n doelgerigte steekproef van 13 organisasie ontwikkelingskonsultante in ’n finansiële instelling. Die data is ontleed deur middel van inhoudsontleding. Die resultate het aangetoon dat konsultante uiteenlopende ontvanklikheid het wat betref die ontvangs van projeksies en die hantering van oordrag. Hierdie verskille behels snellers, kenmerke en sistemiese valensie. Die konsultante het teen-oordrag ervaar op vyf verskillende kognitiewe and emosionele vlakke. Om onderskeid te tref tussen persoonlike en groep-emosies, die ontvang van projeksies en die hantering van oordrag, dra alles by tot die kompleksiteit van konsultering