Orientation: Advances in information technology (IT) have prompted the transition of the human resource management (HRM) function from being administrative to strategic. Whilst it has been established that IT has an important role in such a transition, it is not clear to what extent the development of IT competencies would enable HRM professionals to be strategic. Research purpose: The purpose of the article is to determine the IT competencies that will enable entry-level South African HRM professionals to be strategic partners to business. Motivation for the study: The findings of this study will contribute to the effective use of HR technology, thereby mitigating risk and enriching the role of the HR function in local organisations. The use of technology within the HRM function can be enhanced leading to improved data-driven people decisions. Research approach, design and method: A quantitative research design using a cross-sectional survey was employed. Data collected from 252 HR professionals were analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Multiple regression was used to establish the relationship between the identified factors and strategic business partnering. Main findings: The results produced a three-factor model consisting of: (1) technologising employee processes, (2) processing data expertly and (3) translating external trends. These factors explained 34% of the variance in strategic business partnering. Practical implications: The results of this study have implications for organisations with HRM functions and for higher education institutions (HEIs) offering HRM qualifications. Organisations should utilise the identified competencies when hiring and developing entrylevel strategic HRM business partners. Higher education institutions should develop curriculum that would prepare graduates to be effective HRM professionals. Contributions or value-add: This study adds to the limited research on IT competencies required of HRM professionals to contribute as strategic business partners.

BACKGROUND:Women commonly seek medical advice about menopausal symptoms. Although menopausal hormone therapy is the most effective treatment, many women prefer non-pharmacological treatments, such as physical activity. The effectiveness of physical activity has been inconclusive when assessed by randomised controlled trials, and it remains unclear how women feel about it as a possible treatment approach. The aim of the study was to explore symptomatic menopausal women's views and experiences of physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor and other menopausal symptoms.METHODS:An in-depth qualitative study was embedded within a randomised controlled trial that assessed the effectiveness of physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms in previously inactive vasomotor symptomatic women. Participants were randomised to one of two physical activity interventions or a usual care group. Both physical activity interventions involved two one-to-one consultations, plus either supporting materials or access to physical activity support groups, over 6 months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 purposively selected participants from all three trial groups after they had completed trial follow-up. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed by constant comparison.RESULTS:All participants talked positively about physical activity as a treatment for their menopausal symptoms, with most reporting participation had improved their hot flushes and night sweats. They reported that they had experienced improved sleep, physical health and psychological well-being. Those who received the physical activity plus social-support intervention reported their ability to cope with their menopausal symptoms had improved. Many participants commented that they would prefer doctors to discuss physical activity as a possible treatment for their hot flushes and night sweats, before offering medication.CONCLUSIONS:Based on the views and experiences of the women who participated in this study, healthcare professionals should continue discussing physical activity as a potential first treatment option with menopausal women. Furthermore, healthcare professionals should ensure they prepare, support, and encourage these women both physically and emotionally.TRIAL REGISTRATION:ISRCTN ISRCTN06495625 Registered 10/11/2010.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how compliance with labour law—particularly the Labour Relations Act (LRA) and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA)—could be promoted as sound governance practice. The study adopted a qualitative approach, and eight experts in the field were purposefully sampled and interviewed. The results suggested that small-enterprise owners were not knowledgeable about labour laws, hence their inability to comply with them. It was found that owners experienced labour laws as cumbersome, and their forced implementation had a negative impact on governance. It is suggested that different legal requirements be applied to the small-enterprise sector. Guidelines are proposed which legislators could use to assist the South African government in modifying the requirements of the LRA and the BCEA in respect of small enterprises. This study fills a gap in existing literature on small enterprises and governance in South Africa in the field of employment relations.

The purpose of the study was to gather information on perceptions of the current governance practices in shelters in South Africa and put forward recommendations to professionalise the sector at board/committee level. Through semi-structured interviews, this qualitative study sought out the views of 16 participants, both at board/committee and at operational levels, at companion animal shelters. The main findings indicate inconsistencies and flaws in the governance fabric in this sector, and point to the need for a coherent set of basic governance standards suitable for shelters. This study makes a contribution to the companion animal welfare sector by offering the first formal study into governance in this domain, and provides a foundation from which future research can be leveraged.

Orientation: Retaining and developing talented top- and middle-level managers who possess organisational-specific skills and experience promotes competitive advantage for organisations and is a long-term investment. Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore challenges to retention and effective retention strategies for top- and middle-level managers. Motivation for the study: Human resource (HR) managers are facing difficulties retaining managers as a result of ineffective retention strategies. This study aims to provide insight into suggested strategies to retain such managers. Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey, using an instrument developed from the literature, was completed by 97 HR management professionals registered with the South African Board of People Practices. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted as well as group comparisons. Main findings: Results revealed that leadership and performance management practices are considered to be effective retention strategies for top- and middle-level managers. Practical and managerial implications: Having a deeper understanding of effective retention strategies for top- and middle-level managers can assist HR professionals in retaining these employees. Contribution or value add: This study adds to the insights of HR professionals, line managers and leaders in organisations regarding retention challenges and effective retention strategies for top- and middle-level managers.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether an intervention to address post-graduate student plagiarism in an Honours programme in Human Resource Management at a South African university had an impact one-year later. In a quasi-experimental design, the sample comprised 34 students in a control group and 70 students in two intervention groups. Student essays were examined for different types of plagiarism at two different times and compared by means of Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Findings indicate that students who were exposed to both parts of an intervention evidenced less plagiarism in their essays one year later than those who were exposed to only one part of the intervention or no intervention at all. https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.82.1.2305

Corporate go, emance is increasingly being , ie,,ed as es:;ential to sound business practice The recommendatil>nS oi the Cadbul) Committee in the United Kingdom ,, 1th resp.:ct to the role l'i a chairman are similar to tht.':'< later fi.)fffiulated in the King Report on Corporate GO\emance in South .-\frica In the present stud~ the pen:e1,ed qualities of ·good· ch:unnen are imest1gah:d among chairmen. chief e,ecuti,es and main board members m the l"K and South _-\fnca In t>..,th the l"K and in South Africa the same robust methodolog~ \\35 useJ. enabling an 1mer--,;l,unt1: cvmpans..,n l•iresuits The L Jo... stud~ comprised 60 in-depth intenie,,s folllmed t,~ a mailing l)i .JW --1ues,1,1nn.ures k> \\h1,h 11mam-r,•arJ members respon,k.1 !"he South .-\fn.:an stud~ comprised 15 in-depth ,men 1e,,s folk",eJ b~ a matlmg ,,i 2-l I 8 --iue,u,,nnam:s w ,, hi.:h 27-l main-board members responded. In both cases. in the ,mah sis. four-factl,r and four--.:luster x'lu11ons emerged '\N surpri,ingl~. !he results lex the t\\O countries are quite different from each other and different profiles of pre!~ chairmen ,,ae round. In the case of the L"K. the most preierred protile supports the e,ecution of roles recommended for g°'--,J go,crnance ,, hile in South Africa. the least preferred profile appears to be the most appropriate. -

Orientation: Over a period of 6 years, a South African pharmaceutical company had been involved in several mergers and acquisitions. These changes had proved difficult for staff and staff attrition had risen. Research purpose: The objective of the study was to explore the perceptions of senior managers about the impact of change on the psychological contract. The sub-objectives were to determine what organisational factors contribute to changes in the psychological contract during periods of change, and the implications of the breach of the psychological contract for the company and its employees. Motivation for the study: As the company was set to embark on further mergers and acquisitions, the opinions of senior managers about how such changes should be addressed are important for the company. Research design, approach and method: A case study approach was used in this qualitative study. The population comprised 60 senior managers of whom 12 were purposefully selected for inclusion in the study. A semistructured interview schedule was used to capture the views of these managers and themes were extracted by means of content analysis. Main findings: Seven themes emerged which encapsulated the perceptions of senior managers about the impact of change on the psychological contract during periods of mergers and acquisitions – lack of communication, an absence of planning, lack of employee engagement, less than optimal human resources involvement, lack of preparation of the organisational culture and poor change management processes. These factors need to be addressed to strengthen the psychological contract of employees during periods of change. Practical/managerial implications: The study highlighted areas that leaders and managers of the company should consider when embarking on mergers and acquisitions if the psychological contract of employees is not to be negatively impacted. Contribution: While caution must be exercised in the generalisation of the findings, companies in the same industry or those in other industries could use the findings as points of departure for considering the elements that should be addressed in change initiatives.

Orientation: The loss of high-potential employees was a concern to leaders at a South African development finance company. The research question that guided the study was: How can high-potential employees be retained in the company? Research purpose: The objective of the study was to identify factors that positively impact the retention of high-potential employees in a development finance company. Motivation for the study: The organisation that comprised the unit of study had prioritised employee development to retain high-potential employees, thereby aiming to build a strong talent pipeline and a sustainable knowledge base. A prevalent concern was that there were no formal retention programmes for high-potential employees. Accordingly, organisational leaders could benefit from understanding those retention factors that may serve to retain such employees. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative methodology promoted a deeper understanding of a social problem through a case study. Eleven purposefully chosen highpotential employees provided insights into factors they considered to be important in their retention. A content analysis of the data resulted in clusters of themes that addressed the research objective. Main findings: The following factors appeared to influence the retention of high-potential employees: leadership and organisational culture, organisational purpose, developmental opportunities, meaningful work and collegiality. Practical and managerial implications: Leaders in the company should consider factors that could influence the retention of high-potential employees. Such factors should be built into formal retention strategies based on the intrinsic needs of employees; the strengths that the organisational culture provides could be leveraged in this regard. Contribution: The practical value of the study was the highlighting of the factors that can be leveraged to retain high-potential employees in a development finance company.

Internationally, student plagiarism is on the rise despite measures introduced by universities to detect its occurrence and to institute actions to prevent and address this practice. One of the reasons that may contribute to this problem is the reluctance of faculty to report student plagiarism. Through the medium of a disguised South African case study, this paper advances reasons to explain this oversight. Such reasons include psychological discomfort, opportunity costs, lack of procedural clarity, administrative bureaucracy and a prevailing culture of managerialism. Recommendations are furnished to faculty alerting them to practices of which they must be aware when intending to report student plagiarism. Recommendations are also proposed to university leaders and administrators with regard to leadership support for those who report student plagiarism, the development of clear policies and procedures, the reduction of bureaucratic red tape, support to students whose first language is not English and reflection on the institutional moral context within which students study.

The objective of the study was to illustrate the consequences of management oversight, as an element of poor corporate governance, of timeous stakeholder identification and engagement during a South African mining crisis. A secondary objective was to apply Quantitative Narrative Analysis (QNA), a methodology thus far mainly used in sociological research, to the understanding of this governance problem.An historical event in the South African platinum mining industry, the Marikana mining disaster, served as the unit of analysis for this case study. By utilising QNA, changes in stakeholder dynamics and salience were identified, based on available narrative from South African and UK newspaper articles spanning the period 1-24 August, 2012. The historical timeline of events and consequences were plotted, the main actors identified and the relationships between the actors and the events, mapped. A stakeholder analysis took the form of graphical stakeholder models, facilitating meaningful interpretation of the effects of the events that occurred. A typology of stakeholder categorisation was used to plot how the classification of stakeholders changed during the course of 24 days.The methodology used lays foundations for future methodological applications of QNA within stakeholder theory and presents opportunities for improved understanding of the impact of stakeholders on a company and on each other during a crisis event. The study contributes, practically, to an understanding of the importance of stakeholder identification and engagement during times of crises in order to assist leaders in engaging appropriately and timeously with different stakeholders groups, thereby promoting sound corporate governance.

OBJECTIVE:To compare the cost-utility of two exercise interventions relative to a control group for vasomotor menopausal symptoms.DESIGN:Economic evaluation taking a UK National Health Service and Personal Social Services perspective and a societal perspective.SETTING:Primary care.POPULATION:Peri- and postmenopausal women who have not used hormone therapy in the past 3 months and experience ≥ 5 episodes of vasomotor symptoms daily.METHODS:An individual and a social support-based exercise intervention were evaluated. The former (Exercise-DVD), aimed to prompt exercise with purpose-designed DVD and written materials, whereas the latter (Exercise-Social support) with community exercise social support groups. Costs and outcomes associated with these interventions were compared to those of a control group, who could only have an exercise consultation. An incremental cost-utility analysis was undertaken using bootstrapping to account for the uncertainty around cost-effectiveness point-estimates.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:Cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY).RESULTS:Data for 261 women were available for analysis. Exercise-DVD was the most expensive and least effective intervention. Exercise-Social support was £52 (CIs: £18 to £86) and £18 (CIs: -£68 to £105) more expensive per woman than the control group at 6 and 12 months post-randomisation and led to 0.006 (CIs: -0.002 to 0.014) and 0.013 (CIs: -0.01 to 0.036) more QALYs, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £8,940 and £1,413 per QALY gained respectively. Exercise-Social support had 80%-90% probability of being cost-effective in the UK context. A societal perspective of analysis and a complete-case analysis led to similar findings.CONCLUSIONS:Exercise-Social support resulted in a small gain in health-related quality of life at a marginal additional cost in a context where broader wellbeing and long-term gains associated with exercise and social participation were not captured. Community exercise social support groups are very likely to be cost-effective in the management of vasomotor menopausal symptoms.

State-owned companies play a central role assisting governments to promote the well-being of citizens in developing countries. As such, they must be well governed. Integral to sound governance is an holistic strategy to ensure that risk is managed.The objective of the present qualitative study was to identify those components of risk that could be incorporated into Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) at South African state-owned companies. The first part of the study entailed a document review at seven Schedule 2 state-owned companies. The second part of the study involved a Delphi survey with 18 expert risk managers in the public sector. From a combination of the findings of parts 1 and 2, five main themes emerged as being important for consideration when addressing risk at state-owned companies. The study provides pointers for consideration in the endeavour to incorporate ERM as an integral part of strategic and operational processes at state-owned companies.

Student academic dishonesty is increasing locally and internationally and universities are devising strategies to address this problem. The first year of academic study lays the foundation for future years of study and, as such, is critical in the establishment of adherence to academic values. As part of a larger project, the perceptions about academic honesty of first-year students belonging to the millennial generation at a large South African public university were obtained with a view to identifying trends in perceptions between the 2011 and 2012 student cohorts as well as the relationship between student sub-groups and perceptions held about academic honesty. The present study also sought to validate the findings of the 2011 study. The population comprised all 22 442 students entering the University for the first time during the 2011 and 2012 academic years. Combined Strategy Sampling, followed by cluster sampling was used to obtain a sample of 5 730 students (3 611 in 2011 and 2 119 in 2012), broadly representative of the institutional population. In this regard, the 2011 sample of Thomas and van Zyl (2012) (3 611 students) was combined with the sample of the present study (2 119). A questionnaire, developed from the literature, comprising 12 ethical statements was used as the survey instrument. The data for the 2012 student sample was compared to that obtained from the Thomas and van Zyl (2011) sample and, by means of Chi-square tests and Standardised Residuals, the statistical association between perceptions held by members of student sub-groups and perceptions about academic honesty was investigated. The sample of both years of first-year students indicated a trend in perceptions and one that pointed to an understanding of the meaning of academic dishonesty yet a regard for it as a relative concept and one that is superseded by, for example, the belief that right and wrong is a matter of personal opinion, that ideas do not belong to anyone and that information is accessible and free. This implies that these students enter academia with perceptions about academic honesty that may differ to those founded on the value authenticity in academia. Differences in opinion were found amongst students of different language groups and the qualification for which they were registered. It is recommended that the values of academia should be reinforced with this student group and that broad pedagogic approaches, whilst reinforcing these values, should be tailored and differentiated according to the specific nature of each faculty and with particular sensitivity to the writing needs of students who belong to different language groups. OPSOMMING Die insidensie van studente akademiese oneerlikheid is ‘n toenemende probleem beide op nasionale en internasionale vlak en universiteite is besig om strategieë in plek te sit om hierdie problem aan te spreek. Die eerste studiejaar is ‘n kritieke moment vir die vestiging van gepaste akademiese waardes omdat dit die fondament lê vir die daaropvolgende studiejare. Die huidige studie vorm deel van ‘n groter projek wat die persepsies van sogenaamde milleniale generasie eerstejaarstudente oor akademiese eerlikheid by ‘n groot publieke universiteit in Suid Afrika ondersoek het. Die doel van die ondersoek was om tendense in die persepsies van studente wat tussen 2011 en 2012 die universiteit betree het asook die onderlinge verwantskappe tussen verskeie sub-groepe in verband met akademiese eerlikheid te ondersoek. Die huidige studie het ook gepoog om die bevindinge van die 2011 studie te valideer. Die populasie waaruit die steekproef geneem is het bestaan uit al 22 442 studente wat die Universiteit tydens die 2011 en 2012 akademiese jare vir die eerste keer betree het. Gekombineerde strategie steekproefneming, gevolg deur trossteekproefneming is gebruik om ‘n steekproef van 5 730 studente (3 611 in 2011 en 2 119 in 2012) te selekteer. Die steekproef was demografies gesproke verteenwoordigend van die institusionele student profiel. Vir die doel van hierdie studie is die 2011 steekproef van Thomas en van Zyl (2012) (3 611 studente) en die 2012 steekproef (2 119 studente) gekombineer. ‘n Vraelys wat vanuit die litteratuur ontwikkel is en wat uit 12 eties gelaaide stellings bestaan het, is as navorsingsinstrument gebruik. Die data van die 2012 steekproef is vergelyk met die data van Thomas en van Zyl (2011) en die chi-kwadraat toets met gestandardiseerde residue is gebruik om die statistiese verband tussen verskillende sub-groepe en hul persepsies oor akademiese eerlikheid te ondersoek. Tendense wat daarop dui dat studente die betekenis van akademiese oneerlikheid verstaan, maar dit as ‘n relatiewe konsep beskou, was waarneembaar in beide steekproewe wat hier ondersoek is. Die studente het aangedui dat hul oortuiging dat “reg en verkeerd slegs ‘n kwessie van persoonlike oortuiging is” en dat “idees nie aan iemand kan behoort nie maar dat hulle vryelik beskikbaar en bruikbaar moet wees” belangriker is as konsepte wat tradisioneel verband hou met akademiese oneerlikheid. Dit impliseer dat hierdie studente dikwels die akademie betree met persepsies oor akademiese oneerlikheid wat verskil van die tradisionele akademiese verstaan wat op die belangrikheid van egtheid in die akdedemie gegrond is. Die huidige studie het verskille in sienings gevind tussen verskillende taalgroepe asook tussen die verskillende studierigtings. Hierdie studie beveel aan dat die waardes wat eie is aan die akademie duidelik gekommunikeer sal word in die groter studentegroep. Dit moet gedoen word deur algemene pedagogiese benaderings asook op pasgemaakte maniere wat die behoeftes en aard van verskillende fakulteite asook die verskillende skryfbehoeftes van verskillende taalgroepe in ag neem. https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.80.1.2210

Orientation: Logo-leadership development challenges leaders to move beyond financial or individual gain to accepting leadership as a calling.Research purpose: The objective of the study was to ascertain whether an intervention embedded in the life and teachings of logo-therapist Viktor Frankl affects the way aspiring leaders construct leadership in terms of meaning (logo-leadership).Motivation for the study: A consideration of Frankl’s life gives rise to the question of whether aspiring leaders can learn from and use his life teachings as an inspiration in the discovery of meaning for themselves as leaders.Research approach, design and method: Participants comprised 20 students registered for an MCom degree at a South African metropolitan university. The research process involved three phases: (1) a pre-intervention questionnaire, (2) an appreciative inquiry intervention and (3) a post-intervention questionnaire. Framework analysis and a comparative method were used to analyse the data.Main findings: A meaning-centred leadership development intervention may impact the leadership role orientation of aspiring leaders, changing it from a predominantly career orientation to a calling. However, this effect largely occurred on an explicit (extrinsic) level.Managerial implications: Organisations that wish to develop logo-leadership may consider using the life teachings and work of Frankl as a development tool.Contribution/value-add: This study contributes theoretically to a relatively new development within the field of Frankl’s logotherapy, leadership with meaning (logo-leadership). On apractical level, this study introduced the concept of logo-leadership for leadership development and suggests that leadership may be influenced by exposure to a leadership intervention.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effectiveness of exercise as treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms. DESIGN:Three-group randomised controlled trial, two exercise interventions and a control group. SETTING:Primary Care, West Midlands UK. POPULATION:Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women experiencing at least five hot flushes/night sweats per day and not taken MHT in previous 3 months were recruited from 23 general practices. METHODS:Participants in both exercise interventions groups were offered two face-to-face consultations with a physical activity facilitator to support engagement in regular exercise. In addition, one exercise group received a menopause-specific information DVD and written materials to encourage regular exercise and the other exercise group was offered the opportunity to attend exercise social support groups in their communities. Interventions lasted 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:The primary outcome was frequency of hot flushes/night sweats at 6-month up. RESULTS:Two hundred and sixty-one women were randomised (n = 87 per group). Neither of the exercise intervention groups reported significantly less frequent hot flushes/night sweats per week than controls (exercise-DVD versus control: -8.9, 95% CI -20.0 to 2.2; exercise-social support versus control: -5.2, 95% CI -16.7 to 6.3). CONCLUSIONS:This trial indicates that exercise is not an effective treatment for hot flushes/night sweats. Contrary to current clinical guidance, women should not be advised that exercise will relieve their vasomotor menopausal symptoms.

The study explored the nature of publically identified corporate governance transgressions relating to deals designed to promote black economic empowerment (BEE) at 22 South African mining companies. A review of South African English language newspaper articles was undertaken for the period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011. Reported transgressions were assessed against a framework developed from relevant codes and legislation. Political interference/nepotism/fronting was the most-cited category of behaviour promoting governance transgressions, followed by fraud/ structuring of controversial BEE deals, and mismanagement/negligence. Public concern about governance of BEE deals in the mining sector and, accordingly, about the contribution of BEE to the broad socio-economic upliftment of historically disadvantaged South Africans, is highlighted.

Plagiarism by academics has been relatively unexplored thus far. However, there has been a growing awareness of this problem in recent years. We submitted 371 published academic articles appearing in 19 South African management journals in 2011 through the plagiarism detection software program Turnitin™. High and excessive levels of plagiarism were detected. The cost to government of subsidising unoriginal work in these journals was calculated to approximate ZAR7 million for the period under review. As academics are expected to role model ethical behaviour to students, such a finding is disturbing and has implications for the reputations of the institutions to which the authors are affiliated as well as that of the journals that publish articles that contain plagiarised material.

A key requirement for listing on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) index is the publication, by companies, of annual sustainability reports in line with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines that require stakeholders to be included in defining the content of such reports. Despite this requirement, stakeholders appear not to be integrally involved in the process. The primary objective of the study was to determine whether the contents of sustainability reports of the mining companies listed on the JSE SRI index are based on the outcome of robust stakeholder engagement processes undertaken specifically for the purpose of preparing these reports. Against a backdrop of the GRI requirements, a quantitative evaluation was undertaken of recent sustainability reports of 11 South African mining companies. These reports were also qualitatively assessed against the corporate social responsibility (CSR) Journey Model proposed by Mirvis and Googins (2006). The two assessment scores for each mining company were integrated and the companies were plotted according to a CSR journey that encompasses degrees of stakeholder involvement. The findings highlight that while the companies adhere to the quantitative GRI stakeholder engagement requirements, the contents of the sustainability reports have not been specifically informed by stakeholders. Companies also appear to be in the early stages of the CSR journey. Recommendations include advising mining companies to utilise existing stakeholder engagement platforms to advance stakeholder inclusion in sustainability reporting and for mining companies to engage in developing the business case for CSR, which could promote greater stakeholder involvement.