Individual experiences of a merger : the REM-theory

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) merger is typical of transformation in South African Higher Education. This merger does not conform to the "norm"; as it is ideologically motivated and thus the ideal base to study individual experiences of large scale change. Following a qualitative, grounded theory approach, 40 academic employees from UJ were interviewed. Findings indicate that academic staff relay their experiences and perceptions of the merger in three discernable time-frames, each with its own dynamic. Collectively, these time-frames constitute the Reflective Experience of Mergers (REM) theory, which examines how merger experiences of academic staff shape their perceptions of and attitudes toward the merger over time. The REM-theory reiterates the temporal nature of change; its effect on the emotional and psychological well-being of individuals and the role of leadership during a merger

Exploring academics’ experiences of a merger in higher education : the reflective experience of mergers (REM)- framework.

In contrast to most mergers and acquisition literature which focuses on merger activity in the business world, this paper examines the University of Johannesburg (UJ) merger, which is typical of transformation in South African Higher Education. This merger does not conform to the norm, as it is ideologically motivated and thus the ideal base to study individual experiences of large scale change. Following a qualitative, case study approach, 40 academic employees from UJ were interviewed. Findings indicate that academics relay their experiences and perceptions of the merger in three discernable timeframes, each with its own dynamic. Collectively, these timeframes constitute the reflective experience of mergers (REM) framework, which examines how merger experiences of academic staff shape their perceptions of and attitudes towards the merger over time. The REMframework reiterates the temporal nature of change, its effect on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of individuals, and the role of leadership during a merger

Using the critical management studies Tenet of denaturalisation as a vehicle to decolonise the management discourse in South Africa

Abstract: It has been roughly five years since the #FeesMustFall student protests shook the foundations of higher education in South Africa. However, in the aftermath of these protests, students’ demand for the decolonisation of the curriculum, despite initial energy, has seemingly lost momentum. Within the discipline of management and organisation studies, the situation is, even more, exacerbated, with efforts toward decolonisation being cosmetic at best. However, much criticism has been directed toward the notion of decolonisation for its lack of normative literature. This paper suggests that Critical Management Studies (CMS), and in particular, the CMS notion of denaturalisation, might provide a broad framework for achieving decolonisation. Furthermore, the work of contemporary philosopher Jacques Rancière is proposed as a pragmatic means to denaturalise management thinking to move closer to a truly decolonised management curriculum in South Africa

The determinants of apathy amongst South African youth toward entrepreneurship : an exploration

Abstract: Literature purports that high barriers to entrepreneurship have instigated a growing social perception that the youth prefer, or believe, that they are obliged to follow the route of seeking formal employment rather than pursuing entrepreneurial ventures. This research seeks to shed light upon the reasons for the low rate of entrepreneurial intention amongst the South African youth. Using a qualitative research approach, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with university students in Gauteng, South Africa. The data were analysed by means of summative content analysis, Findings indicate a broad understanding of entrepreneurship, but uncertainty surrounds the concept of entrepreneurship, as well as the support provided to prospective entrepreneurs by government and private institutions

Corporate social responsibility of a multinational bank and its South African subsidiary

Africa has become increasingly attractive to foreign investors, but the establishment of operations in emerging markets poses challenges for multinationals. One such challenge is implementing of corporate social responsibility (CSR) effectively across all subsidiaries. This study aims to determine whether there are differences in CSR expectations and praxis between a multinational bank and its subsidiary operating in South Africa. Through qualitative research methods, a case study research design approach was utilized to study CSR activities in the parent company and CSR activities in its South African subsidiary. Data collected from ten interviews are analyzed using open, axial and selective coding procedures. The study concludes that there are nuanced gaps in CSR expectations, and between the parent company and its South African subsidiary. Global CSR strategies may be applied consistently across subsidiaries, but they do not necessarily address core issues faced in emerging economies, placing doubts upon the practicality of these effort

The essence of the contemporary business organisation : a critical reflection

From a critical perspective, a dialectical conversational approach is followed in this paper to revisit and challenge the ontological question of why a business exists in the first place, thus reopening the argument on the original purpose of the business organisation. After proposing our ontological stance, we investigate three factors that (in our understanding) constitute a distortion of this original ontological position concerning the reason for existence of business organisations, these being the Business School mentality, the pop-culture mechanism of management and our pre-occupation with quantification. This paper concludes that the original purpose of the business organisation has been distorted to suite the 20th century conception of American capitalism. In an era where exceeding pressure is being placed on business organisations to occupy the moral high-ground, a rethink of what a business organisation is fundamentally about might be necessary to meet the challenges posed by the demands of these diverse stakeholder groups.https://www.questia.com/library/p151116/journal-of-global-business-and-technologyam2017Business Managemen

Students’ perception of the position of ethics within an organisation

Abstract: This study examines the perceptions that senior business management students have towards the position of ethics within organisations in Johannesburg in relation to the availability of formal ethics programmes, ethical culture, ethical leadership and ethical value systems. Research Design & Methods: The study employed a quantitative survey design to collect data, using selfadministered questionnaires from the respondents. The data were then analysed using descriptive statistics. Reliability statistics were employed to test the reliability of each construct. Findings: The findings of this study showed that senior students have a positive perception of the ethical position of Conclusion: There is evidence of positive attitudes towards the ethical conduct of organisations. However, some evidence shows that some organisations consider results first and ethics later, despite the availability of ethical codes, value systems, and ethical leadership and culture

Genome-wide association studies of the self-rating of effects of ethanol (SRE).

The level of response (LR) to alcohol as measured with the Self-Report of the Effects of Alcohol Retrospective Questionnaire (SRE) evaluates the number of standard drinks usually required for up to four effects. The need for a higher number of drinks for effects is genetically influenced and predicts higher risks for heavy drinking and alcohol problems. We conducted genome-wide association study (GWAS) in the African-American (COGA-AA, N = 1527 from 309 families) and European-American (COGA-EA, N = 4723 from 956 families) subsamples of the Collaborative Studies on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) for two SRE scores: SRE-T (average of first five times of drinking, the period of heaviest drinking, and the most recent 3 months of consumption) and SRE-5 (the first five times of drinking). We then meta-analyzed the two COGA subsamples (COGA-AA + EA). Both SRE-T and SRE-5 were modestly heritable (h2 : 21%-31%) and genetically correlated with alcohol dependence (AD) and DSM-IV AD criterion count (rg : 0.35-0.76). Genome-wide significant associations were observed (SRE-T: chromosomes 6, rs140154945, COGA-EA P = 3.30E-08 and 11, rs10647170, COGA-AA+EA P = 3.53E-09; SRE-5: chromosome13, rs4770359, COGA-AA P = 2.92E-08). Chromosome 11 was replicated in an EA dataset from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism intramural program. In silico functional analyses and RNA expression analyses suggest that the chromosome 6 locus is an eQTL for KIF25. Polygenic risk scores derived using the COGA SRE-T and SRE-5 GWAS predicted 0.47% to 2.48% of variances in AD and DSM-IV AD criterion count in independent datasets. This study highlights the genetic contribution of alcohol response phenotypes to the etiology of alcohol use disorders