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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Driving cross selling in South African business to business firms
    (2015) Makhene, Mpho
    Cross-selling remains the easier and most cost effective option for companies to grow revenues and achieve profitability as compared to growing revenue by acquisition of new customers. Many firms are seeking to grow their revenue and achieve high levels of customer loyalty. These firms and industries across the world are turning to cross selling as the solution. Many factors, such as merger and takeovers, result in firms having multiple product lines and silos with sales people focused according to these product divisions. What becomes more difficult is identifying which factors will lead to more integrated teams that are motivated to engage in cross selling. This study seeks to address some of the challenges that result in lower motivations levels of sales people to engage in cross selling. Financial incentives, product knowledge and recognition are studies to determine their influence on motivation to cross sell products from other divisions in a firm. A review of literature was conducted to study the influence of financial incentive, product knowledge and personal recognition on work motivation. These three constructs were then extended into a quantitative study of how they influence sales people’s motivation to engage in cross selling. The findings uncovered that salespeople consider product knowledge as a key inhibitor for them to engage in cross selling. The results also revealed a close contest with financial incentives and personal recognition also having positive influence on their motivation to engage in cross selling. Consistent with existing literature from social studies, it cannot be overemphasised that product knowledge empowers sales people and gives them the confidence to cross sell in an industrial sales environment.
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    Evaluating the effectiveness of Harcombe's cognitive approach to literacy instruction in improving literacy learning in a South African university training setting.
    (2010-06-25T10:16:28Z) McMahon-Panther, Gail
    Along with various contextual factors, the method of literacy instruction is recognised as one of the main reasons for low levels of literacy learning both locally and internationally. Harcombe’s CATLI process is offered as an alternative literacy methodology, firstly since its constructivist, ecosystemic underpinnings endeavour to address as many contextual issues as is possible, and secondly, because the CATLI process attempts to address some of the gaps in other literacy instructional programmes. The current study aimed to evaluate the CATLI process as a viable alternative to traditional methods of literacy instruction. In addition, the study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using the constructivist approach to train university students in the CATLI process. The sample comprised trainee learning support specialists and one parent per learner receiving the CATLI intervention at the community centre at a Johannesburg university in 2007. Quantitative and qualitative data obtained by means of questionnaires and extant records provided evidence that all learners showed improvement in literacy skills as well as general development, ascribing the effectiveness of the process to being underpinned soundly by social constructivism and associated theories. For the same reason, trainees considered their training sufficient.
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    The factors that influence learner participation at the Johannesburg Department of City Power
    (2008-05-29T08:54:54Z) Andrews, Brenda Theresa
    ABSTRACT Globalisation and a continuous advancement in technology have necessitated a need for employees to be trained and re-trained. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence learner participation in the Adult Basic Education and Training programmes offered at the Johannesburg Department of City Power (Reuven). These include factors such as motivation, retention and barriers experienced by adult learners that are pertinent to learner participation. Data for the study was collected from ABET level 3 and 4 learners by means of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The following emerged as pertinent factors influencing learner participation at City Power: a) personal development, b) language, c) support structures, d) the standby/shift system and e) remuneration.
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    The motivational factors that affect the productivity of the workers on a construction site
    (2008-04-10T11:14:06Z) Mokobane, Mmaphuti Onismus
    The construction industry is labour intensive in nature. People often work long hours in relatively disagreeable environments, far from their families. Even if workers are not happy to be working in a particular environment they find themselves obliged to work. Fearing reprimands from their superiors, they often find it difficult to express their ideas. It is therefore difficult for management to identify the factors of motivation that affect their workers productivity in a work environment. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate motivational factors that affect the productivity of workers on construction sites in South Africa, focusing on skilled workers. For this, the scientific management approach and quantitative research methods were used. The findings from this study revealed that the motivational theories apply to construction sites, and management needs to apply these theories wisely in order to achieve improved productivity.
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    Personality traits and locus of control as predictors of work motivation
    (2008-04-10T07:31:48Z) Rajan, Sandhya Puthanpurayil
    The present research sought to firstly, understand the role of personality traits in the field of work motivation, to understand the relationship between these variables and to understand if personality traits could attempt to predict sources of work motivation. Thereafter, the relationship between the locus of control construct and intrinsic and extrinsic work motivation, respectively, was investigated. The secondary foci were to investigate the relationship between the demographic variables of age, race and field of work, respectively, and source of motivation. The current research used existing work motivation theories as a basis for understanding and explaining the construct of work motivation and used trait theory as a background to understand personality. Individuals from various fields, engaged in full-time work, were the sample for this research. Lecturers from various faculties at the University of the Witwatersrand, as well as, individuals in different fields of work, outside of the University, was the sample of the research. The final sample consisted of 61 individuals. Significant positive relationships were found between intrinsic work motivation and socially proper behaviour, and between extrinsic work motivation and self-discipline. While a significant negative relationship was found between intrinsic work motivation and tension. Furthermore, it was found that sensitivity and self-discipline appear to be predictors of extrinsic work motivation. Sensitivity and socially proper behaviour were positive predictors of intrinsic work motivation, while, the personality trait of being tense and conservative was found to be negative predictors of intrinsic work motivation. In addition, significant positive relationships were found between locus of control and sources of motivation while no significant relationships were found between the demographic variables and work motivation.
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    Motivation of the skilled workforce in the construction industry of South Africa
    (2007-10-22T12:05:51Z) Kposowa, Sao John
    ii ABSTRACT Job expectation and satisfaction are very important to the skilled workforce in the construction industry of South Africa. The industry pays a heavy price for a demotivated worker; the outcome is dissatisfying work, friction on the job, time theft, sub - standard output in terms of quality of productivity and absenteeism. Motivation in the construction industry is a step by step and day by day practical approach in motivating the skilled workforce which helps site managers to run the industry smoothly and increases work output in terms of productivity. Motivation to work well and increased output has a relationship to job expectation and satisfaction. Motivation in the construction industry is concern with why people behave in a certain way, and why they choose a certain course of action in preference to others.
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    Using phenomenography to explore the relationship between students perceptions of the learning context of their first-year engineering course and their approaches to learning.
    (2006-10-26T10:30:15Z) Henning, Lesley Ann.;
    Phenomenography is an area of research which focuses on identifying and describing the qualitatively different ways in which people understand phenomena in the world around them. In this research, a group of first-year chemical engineering students at the University of the Witwatersrand were interviewed in order to explore their perceptions of certain aspects of the learning context of their compulsory engineering course, Introduction to Process and Materials Engineering. The findings comprise descriptions of their different perceptions concerning the organization, content, teaching and assessment practices in the course as well as their perceptions of certain aspects of constructivism on which the course is based. Students’ perceptions which influence their approach to learning are categorized according to whether or not they encourage a deep approach to learning. Finally, the implications of these findings for future course development are discussed.