Anton Grobler

Organisational climate: Conceptualisation and measurement in an ODL HEI

Higher education institutions (HEIs) need to improve their work environment to ensure an environment conducive to learning, including a healthy organisational climate, as one of the important aspects of sustainability. The first objective of the current study was to conceptualise organisational climate within an HEI and specifically one in an open distance learning (ODL) environment. The conceptualisation was done through the construction of an organisational climate questionnaire standardised for the ODL HEI. Secondly, the objective was to determine the psychometric properties of the newly constructed organisational climate questionnaire. A survey design was followed with a questionnaire, consisting of an item pool of 90 questions, which was administered to 2 086 personnel members of an ODL HEI. Six factors, with acceptable psychometric properties, were extracted using a factor analysis method. These factors were labelled leadership, my manager, organisational citizenship, compensation, interpersonal relationships and clients, capacity and values.

Organisational climate, person–organisation fit and turn over intention: a generational perspective within a South African Higher Education Institution

ABSTRACT A ‘new’ workplace landscape in the higher education sector leads to employees questioning their fit within the current organisation. This paper presents the findings of an organisational climate study within a South African Higher Education Institution and highlights multi-generational perspectives. The theoretical contribution of this paper is a confirmation of the multi-level as well as the interactionistic nature of the macro (organisational climate), the meso (P–O fit) and micro (turnover intention) variables, as impacted on by the differences between the generational categories. Findings suggest that when thinking of leaving the employ of the university, Generation X considers the congruence between the demands of the job and compensation whereas Generation Y and Baby Boomers consider complementary fit and treatment by the direct manager as instrumental. The study is concluded with practical recommendations to reduce employees’ turnover intention to ensure a productive and effective workforce.

Leadership in Southern Africa: A Regional Afrocentric Hierarchical Taxonomy

Leadership and leadership research should be viewed in a particular context. The contextual lens is largely neglected when Afrocentric leadership in organisations is framed. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the qualitative assertions that there are distinctive characteristics that underpin Afrocentric leadership in organisations can be authenticated by an empirical study conducted in Southern Africa. The aim is to determine and validate a leadership behaviour taxonomy within the regional context using an empirical paradigm in a cross-sectional design. The sample was drawn from 30 organisations in Southern Africa: South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, consisting of 1,676 participants from all sectors. The original conceptualisation of leadership in terms of a Westernised leadership behaviour taxonomy was statistically confirmed, in a unique permutation. This literature as well as the empirical findings revealed that while some leadership behaviours are generic, there are unique behaviours in an Afrocentric leadership taxonomy. This context specific taxonomy includes the following meta-categories: task, relations, a combined category change and external, and an additional unique African meta-category, which has a participatory, democratic and communalistic focus. As this is a first empirical study of this nature and magnitude, it could serve as a reference for further conceptualisation of Afrocentric leadership. The reconfigured meta-category taxonomy has been positively examined for structural validity as well as an assessment of convergent and discriminant validity. Recommendations are made about further research in testing the universal application of this leadership taxonomy in Africa. Recommendations were made for future research and the application of the findings to leadership in Africa.

Conceptualisation of an ethical risk assessment for higher education institutions

This article examines an ethical risk assessment conducted in one of South African largest higher education institutions. A statistical analysis of 1 687 respondents participating in the original ethical risk assessment survey was conducted. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a higher order, multidimensional model of three main factors, namely institutional ethical leadership orientation, individual/employee ethical orientation and institutional student-centeredness/orientation. Based on this examination and analysis this three-factor structure provides sufficient evidence of a conceptual ethical framework to be further tested empirically and used within higher education institutions.

An adapted measure of ethical climate in organisations – a South African study

A study was conducted to analyse the ethical climate typology of the Ethical Climate Questionnaire empirically, in order to develop a unique South African typology. This typology was tested for the equivalence of the construct between the private and public sector. A three ethical climate type solution was found (in contrast with the initial nine, and later five type typology). The results suggest that the construct is equivalent for both the private and public sectors. The findings could be used as a foundation for future studies, as well as for ethical climate measurement within the South African context.

Development of a career-enabler framework within a South African higher education institution

This study developed a preliminary career-enabler framework for use in a higher education setting. A quantitative survey was conducted with a sample of 1392 employees within a higher education institution in South Africa. Structural analysis was performed using exploratory factor analysis. The analysis yielded three enablers with acceptable psychometric properties, namely: self-transcendence, self-enhancement and self-conservation through work motives and needs. Interventions that focus on career-enablers within a higher education institution need to address these three factors.