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A Structural Model On The Effect Of Managerial Interpersonal Competencies, Performance Management And Agency Relationships On The Performance Of Family And Non-Family Owned Smallto-Medium Enterprises In South Africa
Full text linkDissertationThe purpose of this study was to establish the effect of managerial interpersonal
competencies, performance management and agency relationships on the
performance of family and non-family owned small-to-medium enterprises in South
Africa. The often reported problem of low survival and poor performance rates by
these enterprises, which have been attributed among many other reasons, to the
lack of or poor managerial interpersonal competencies of the owner/managers, poor
people management skills and lack of attention to agency relationships that are
naturally found in family and non-family enterprises, gave impetus to this
investigation. Despite such attributions and the growth of literature on managerial
competencies and performance management, most previous researches have
studied managerial interpersonal competencies in isolation, with little effort to
appreciate their interplay with specific human resource management practices, such
as performance management and the varying agency relationships obtaining in
family and non-family enterprises. To close this gap in literature, a structural model
relating managerial interpersonal competencies, performance appraisal, agency
relationships and performance was proposed, based on reviewed literature and
three predominant theoretical perspectives - agency theory, stewardship theory and
the resource-based view.
The study adopted a positivist epistemological and objectivist ontological stances,
which made use of the quantitative approach. Due to lack of comprehensive
sampling frames for both family and non-family owned small-to-medium enterprises
in the province, convenience sampling was deemed most appropriate. The final
sample comprised 210 SME owner/managers in Gauteng Province. The structured
questionnaire containing closed-ended items was the only instrument used for data
collection. Using Structural Equation Modelling, the study developed and tested a
model that can be used to explain the effect of managerial interpersonal
competencies, performance management and agency relationships on the
performance of family and non-family owned small-to-medium enterprises in South
Africa. Group difference analyses were conducted on AMOS version 24 to check whether
there were statistical differences in the structural models for family and non-family
owned small-to-medium enterprises. It was established that more significant
relationships existed in the context of family owned small-to-medium enterprises
when compared to their other counterparts. The main findings of the study indicated
that owner/managers’ interpersonal competencies affected both employee
innovation and profitability as measured by return on investment in both types of
enterprises, and that although the quality of agency relationships in both types of
small-to-medium enterprises had no effect on innovation and profitability, they were
affected by owner/managers’ interpersonal competencies. Furthermore, the way
employee performance was appraised affected the quality of agency relationships
which in turn affected profitability only in family owned small-to-medium enterprises.
Having validated the structural model, and after submitting both theoretical and
practical contributions to the fledgling discipline of HR in entrepreneurial
organisations, recommendations to guide practice, policy and further research were
proffered
The Perceived Impact Of Performance Appraisal On The Performance Of Small-To-Medium-Sized Enterprises In Zimbabwe
Full text linkArticleOrientation: The increasing focus on human resource management (HRM) and performance
appraisal, in particular, in small- to- medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is a comparatively
recent phenomenon. Unfortunately, much of our knowledge of traditional HRM topics in
large corporations may not necessarily apply in the enterprises.
Research purpose: This study purposed to examine whether performance appraisal had an
impact on SMEs’ performance measured by return on investment (ROI) and innovation in
Harare Province, Zimbabwe.
Motivation for the study: Small- to- medium-sized enterprises are becoming the dominant
form of business in terms of the socio-economic development of countries worldwide, in areas
such as gross domestic product and employment. In view of this, a systematic collection of
information about employees in the enterprises, which forms the bedrock of all human
resource (HR) practice, can be done through performance appraisal. Unfortunately,
performance appraisal in SMEs has not received adequate research attention.
Research design, approach and method: The study employed an ex post facto correlational design
that adopted a purely quantitative approach. A total of 106 owners or managers took part in the
survey. A self-constructed structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The Statistical Package
for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used for both descriptive and inferential statistics.
Main findings: Most owner or managers made use of the 360-degree performance appraisal
method. The study established that very weak and statistically insignificant relationships existed
between performance appraisal and firm performance measured by both ROI and innovation.
Practical/managerial implications: It is recommended that the government through the relevant
ministries and agencies should consider more financial inducements, tax relief for start-ups and
additional grants to support investments in new technology, and more training for owner or
managers. This could, amongst other things, go a long way in assisting them to acquire sufficient
information technology infrastructure for effective implementation of performance appraisals.
Contribution/value-add: The current study is one of the very few, if any, that sheds light on
the nexus between HRM and performance appraisal in particular and the performance of
SMEs in the country. Unlike most studies, the current study adopted a hybrid approach in the
measurement of performance, making use of both objective and subjective measures
International Journal of English and Education INTERROGATING STUDENT WORK RELATED LEARNING EXPERIENCES AT A SELECTED UNIVERSITY IN ZIMBABWE
No full textABSTRACT: The study sought to explore students' experiences and perceptions in order to unravel the challenges that students face as they go through their work related learning (WRL
International Journal of English and Education INTERROGATING STUDENT WORK RELATED LEARNING EXPERIENCES AT A SELECTED UNIVERSITY IN ZIMBABWE
No full textABSTRACT: The study sought to explore students' experiences and perceptions in order to unravel the challenges that students face as they go through their work related learning (WRL
Managerial Interpersonal Competencies and the Performance of Family-and Non-Family-Owned Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Zimbabwe and South Africa
Full text linkPublished ArticleOrientation: Regardless of the contribution done by small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) in modern economies, and the critical role managerial interpersonal competencies play
in sustaining these enterprises, no known comparative study has been conducted in SMEs in
developing economies.
Research purpose: This study purposed to establish the impact of managerial interpersonal
competencies on SME performance as measured by innovation and return on investment
(ROI) in both family-owned SMEs (FOSMEs) and non-family-owned SMEs (NFOSMEs) in
Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Motivations for the study: Efforts at understanding managerial competencies and firm
performance among SMEs have taken a holistic approach, using all known managerial
competencies; yet, recently, there is acknowledgement that interpersonal competencies are
more effective in business sustainability than other competencies. With this observation, the
need to extent this finding in other contexts among FOSMEs and NFOSMEs in developing
countries becomes apparent.
Research approach/design and method: The study whose design was a descriptive
comparative case study adopted a quantitative approach.
Main findings: The study found a positive and significant relationship between managerial
interpersonal competencies and firm performance as measured by innovation and ROI in
FOSMEs in both countries.
Practical/managerial implications: NFOSMEs may need to focus their training on interpersonal
competencies for managers in order to be sustainable. For FOSMEs, continuous enhancement
of managerial interpersonal competencies is important as it promotes innovation and business
sustainability.
Contribution/value-add: The study helps fill the lacuna between research and practice with
respect to managerial interpersonal competencies in FOSMEs and NFOSMEs in the two
countries
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
The role of decent work in the Zimbabwean retail sector : testing a job engagement and turnover intention model
Full text linkORIENTATION : There is a continued call to understand those factors that not only affect work
engagement but also reduce turnover. A broad umbrella of work emerges arguing for
ascertaining how decent work conditions affect these outcomes of work.
RESEARCH PURPOSE : To offer insight into the relationship between decent work, job engagement
and turnover intention in the retail sector in Zimbabwe.
MOTIVATIONS FOR THE STUDY : Rapid changes in the business environment have undoubtedly led
to a deterioration of work standards across all sectors although the retail sector seems to have
been more vulnerable and suffered the most. This calls for the need to investigate on decent
work, a key mechanism in maximising labour force potential such as job engagement and
turnover intentions are not ignored.
RESEARCH APPROACH/DESIGN AND METHOD : The study adopted a descriptive survey design using
a quantitative approach. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used for the
purpose of analysis with the Structural Equation Model (SEM) utilised.
MAIN FINDINGS : The study found a positive significant relationship between decent work and
job engagement. A positive significant relationship was also established between job
engagement and turnover intention whereas, a very weak and statistically insignificant
relationship existed between decent work and turnover intention.
PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS : Retail sector managers ought to prioritise decent work
and pay closer attention to its impact on job engagement and turnover intention. A focus on
these constructs will breed a highly engaged and committed workforce that will give the sector competitive advantage.
CONTRIBUTION : Very few studies have shed light on the construct of decent work in developing
economies, and specifically in Zimbabwe. Decent work is critical in the realisation of the
sustainable development goal (SDG) 8. Its correlation with job engagement and turnover intention
brings to light quite invaluable insights to the management of human capital in the retail sector.http://www.sajhrm.co.zaam2023Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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