Faculty publications 

Articles     Adonisi, Mandla & Van Wyk, R. (2008) .The role that entrepreneurial characteristics play in predicting job satisfaction. South African journal of economic and management sciences, 11(4), 391-407.

Barnard, Helena & Bromfield, T. (2009). Local effort and global connections: the role of international linkages in the evolution of technological capabilities at Sasol. South African Journal of Economic History, 24, 1-39.

Barnard, H., & Levin, D (2008). Technology management routines that matter to technology managers. International journal of technology management, 41(1/2), 22–37.

This study addresses the fragmentation in the technology management field by identifying and organising the routines used by managers of technology. In a multi-method, iterative qualitative study done jointly between academics and technology managers from a number of large industrial firms, 27 technology management routines were identified. These 27 routines were organised into a framework consisting of four categories: producing scientific and technological knowledge, transforming knowledge into working artefacts, linking artefacts with user requirements, and providing organisational support. This framework provides an organising scheme to make sense of technology management routines. In addition, because managers of technology actively participated in developing the routines, the study contributes by identifying routines practitioners regard as particularly important. Both research and practical implications are derived from the framework.

Barnard, Helena (2008). Capability development and the geographic destination of outbound FDI by developing country firms. International journal of technology and globalization, 4(1), 39-55.

Barnard, Helena (2008). Uneven domestic knowledge bases and the success of foreign firms in an advanced host economy. Research policy.

Barnard, Helena, Cantwell, J., & Kumar, N. (2007). FDI and the internationalization of R&D: contrasting perspectives on the United Nations conference on Trade and Development 2005. Research policy, 36(8),1288-1294.

Beaty, Dave, Kriek, H.S., & Nkomo, S.M. (2009). Theory building trends in international management research: An archival review of preferred methods. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 12(1), 126-135.

Beaty, D., Nkomo, S., & Kriek, D. (2005). Management theory building in South Africa: an archival analysis. South African journal of labour relations.

Beaty, Dave, Adonisi, Mandla & Taylor, Terence (2007) Gender diversity in the perception of organisational politics in South Africa. South African journal of labour relations, 31(2): pp.68-84.

Cook, Jonathan, Muller, M., & Cutler, I (2005). The learning assessment centre and organizational transformation. South African journal of psychology, 35(4), 810-830.

The Learning Assessment Centre (LAC) helps managers define learning objectives based on feedback in a group of peers. This study tested the hypothesis that the LAC empowers managers to cope with change. Statistical methodology for a pretest, posttest design using ordinal (Likert) data is also reviewed. Middle managers from a bank undergoing major reorganisation were divided into two matched groups. The experimental group spent three days in a LAC designed to give them self- insight and an understanding of the bank’s requirements during the transformation. The control group received no treatment. Both groups were measured before and after the LAC on a self-report measure and a peer assessment questionnaire completed by subordinates. Fifty-eight managers completed both pretest and posttest measures. Whilst the subordinates of the control group reported a drop in their managers’ empowerment, the subordinates of the experimental group reported a substantial improvement in their managers’ empowerment. The difference between the groups was significant for five of the six areas measured. The difference between the self-reported performance of the two groups of managers was significant for only one area. These findings suggest that the LAC could provide a solution to companies faced with the potentially destructive impact of major transition on management effectiveness.

Fisher, Greg & Abdo, A. (2007). The impact of reported corporate governance disclosure on the financial performance of companies listed on the JSE. Investment analyst journal, 66, 43-56.

Goldman, M & Johns, K. (2009). Sportainment: changing the pace of limited-overs cricket in South Africa. Management decision, 47(1), 124-136.

Kleyn, Nicola, Goldman, M., & Chipp, Kerry (2007). What they really think: resolving methodological issues in supply chain ethics research. Acta Commercii, 112-122.

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to further the theory and strengthen methodological approaches to the role of ethics in buyer-seller relationships. The paper explores opportunities to enhance response rates, validity and eliability in the research context of organisationsseeking to understand the ethical beliefs their suppliers hold of their
buying organisations.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The research universe is a select business group, all of which are technologically literate and online. Innovative research sampling methods were selected to great effect. The method selected was saturation surveying, a process whereby all identifiable target respondents are surveyed. Instead of selecting between
sampling techniques, the option of saturation surveying, cheaply available electronically, removes the focus from the decision to either sample probabilistically or not. Instead, as the entire universe can be contacted in a cost effective manner, the sampling frame becomes of paramount importance. Thus, the focus then shifts from accurately selecting respondents from the sampling frame towards enhancing the sampling frame itself. The sampling frame was improved through guidance from the literature.
Findings: The paper demonstrates that this research approach was successful in that it generated a high response rate, suggesting great involvement amongst the supplier population in the topic at hand. It also indicates a lessening of non-response bias, as the response rate is more than double that of previous research into the area.
Implications: This paper presents a comprehensive approach to researching ethics in buyer-seller relations. It further promotes the effective use of new sampling methods enabled by the Internet when directed towards selective populations.
Originality/Value: The novel approach of sampling frame enhancement twined with saturation surveying has exciting implications for business research. The expansion of the sampling frame to a wider audience of suppliers has long been noted as necessary although not actioned. Furthermore, in terms of the little-studied nature of buyer-seller relations, the verification of the scale developed by Bendixon and Abratt (2007) affirms the robustness
of this measure for ethics research.

Magner, Colleen (2008). Contextual leadership development: a South African perspective. European business review.

Saville, Adrian (2009). Using an inflation-augmented price-earnings ratio to guide tactical asset allocation. South African Journal of Economic & Management Sciences, 211-227.

Saville, A.(2006). Using Benford's Law to detect data error and fraud: an examination of companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. South African journal of economic and management sciences, 9(3), 341-354.

Accounting numbers generally obey a mathematical law called Benford's Law, and this outcome is so unexpected that manipulators of information generally fail to observe the law. Armed with this knowledge, it becomes possible to detect the occurrence of accounting data that are presented fraudulently. However, the law also allows for the possibility of detecting instances where data are presented containing errors. Given this backdrop, this paper uses data drawn from companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange to test the hypothesis that Benford's Law can be used to identify false or fraudulent reporting of accounting data. The results support the argument that Benford's Law can be used effectively to detect accounting error and fraud. Accordingly, the findings are of particular relevance to auditors, shareholders, financial analysts, investment managers, private investors and other users of publicly reported accounting data, such as the revenue services.

Saville, A. (2004) .Improving the usefulness of accounting data in financial analysis. The South African journal of economic and management sciences, 7(3), 539-564.

Accounting practices are flawed. As a consequence, the accounting data generated by firms are generally open to interpretation, often misleading and sometimes patently false. Yet, financial analysts place tremendous confidence in accounting data when appraising investments and investment strategies. The implications of financial analysis based on questionable information are numerous, and range from inexact analysis to acute investment error. To rectify this situation, this paper identifies a set of simple, yet highly effective corrective measures, which have the capacity to move accounting practice into a realm wherein accounting starts to 'count what counts'. The net result would be delivery of accounting data that more accurately reflect firms' economic realities and, as such, are more useful in the task of financial analysis.

Sutherland, Margaret, Serretta, H., & Bendixen, M. (2009) .Core corporate governance dilemmas facing boards: a South African perspective. South African journal of economic and management science, 12(2), 194-210.

Directors and boards face many challenges in terms of managing complexity. A key factor of success in practising good corporate governance is the board’s ability to cope with paradox. The purpose of this research has been to explore the core corporate governance dilemmas facing boards. The investigation was qualitative in nature using the Delphi technique. Six core corporate governance dilemmas facing board members were identified one of which is not mentioned in the international literature. The findings should provide directors with an ability to identify the nature of the paradoxes to which they need to respond.

Sutherland, M., & Douglas, R. (2009). Best practice in implanting companies HIVAIDS interventions. South African Journal of Labour Relations, 33(2), 54-74.

Sutherland, M., & Wocke, A. (2008). The impact of employment equity regulations on psychological contracts in South Africa. International journal of human resource management, 19(4), 528-542.

This article will show the impact of employment equity legislation on the psychological employment contracts of the three main employee groupings in South African society. This study is important in that it fills the gap in the literature that identifies labour market regulations as an important shaping influence on the psychological contract. More than 500 managers from across South African industry and from all ethnic groups were surveyed to identify differences in psychological contracts and attitudes towards the social transformation regulations. We found that the legislation has impacted differentially on the three groupings mainly in terms of their loyalty to stay with their organizations, the focus on their career development in terms of the external labour market and the degree to which they felt they had been affected by the legislation. Additionally we find that the perceived linkage between job satisfaction and labour turnover is significantly weakened by labour market legislation in the case of the beneficiaries of the legislation, but that this may not be the case for those negatively affected by the legislation. The findings have significant implications for the HRM practices of multinationals operating in societies with significant labour market regulatory interventions.

Sutherland, M., Little, G., & Tudor, M. (2007). Accelerating the implementation of the clean development mechanism in South Africa. South African journal of economic and management sciences, 10(4), 395-411.

One of the ways the world has responded to the threat of global warming is by drafting the Kyoto Protocol and the associated Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to reduce greenhouse gases. South Africa is an attractive country for the implementation of industrial CDM projects, yet lags behind many other countries. This exploratory research determines the factors that are causing South Africa to lag other developing countries in the implementation of industrial CDM projects and the interventions that will have the most impact on accelerating the implementation in the future. The research involved semi-structured interviews of 30 experts involved in the South African CDM process. Clustering was then performed to create a matrix of influencing factors to develop a framework for required intervention. If implemented, the matrix will allow CDM practitioners to develop an implementation strategy within South African industry.

Sutherland, M., & Boyd, G. (2006). Obtaining employee commitment in living the brand of the organisation. South African journal of business management, 37(1), 9-20.

In the competitive business environment, brand management is viewed as a critical success factor. The importance of building a brand-centric organisation in which employees are ambassadors for the brand is often espoused, but there has been little empirical evidence of how managers should set about achieving this. This exploratory qualitative study consisted of four case studies in organisations where employees are acknowledged to 'live the brand' to obtain empirical evidence of those factors that influenced employee performance. The study uncovered six key practices that managers should implement in an integrated manner when driving an intervention to enable employees to live the brand. The findings also contradict some of the human resource literature in what was found to be unimportant.

Sutherland, M., & Selby, K. (2006). Space creation: a strategy for achieving employment equity at senior management level. South African journal of labour relations, 30(2), 42-65.

This research set out to establish whether "space creation" is a viable strategy for accelerating employment equity. In this exploratory qualitative research a series of in-depth interviews were conducted with acknowledged experts in the field. The data from these interviews were analysed to assess "space creation" and other employment equity approaches. A model was developed which links the affirmative action and "space creation" strategies to the organisation's human resource strategy and planning activities, its strategic business objectives and ultimately the business case for change. A second model has been developed which links the "space creation" strategies to their associated risks and rewards to enable organisations to choose the strategy that best fits their circumstances.

Sutherland, M., & Carmichael, T. (2005). A holistic framework for the perceived return on investment of an MBA. South African journal of business management, 36(2), 57-70.

Sutherland, M., Gaylard, M., & Viedge, C. (2005). The factors perceived to influence the retention of information technology workers. South African journal of business management, 36(3), 87-97.

Tobin, Peter (2007). African business schools: information and communication technology survey. Acta Commercii, 7, 29-39.

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to report on research into the status of information and communication technology in use at members of the Association of African Business Schools (AABS). Design / Methodology / Approach: The research reported on in this paper was carried out using a questionnaire sent by email to the target population (all the members of the AABS). The questionnaire covered a wide range of issues, including information technology strategy and governance, as well as the operational aspects of the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the institutions surveyed. Questions were based on topics identified from the literature and a recent industry survey conducted in one of the member countries, and the assessment criteria were based on a maturity rating scale.
Findings: This research helps to further an understanding of the use of ICT in the organisations that responded to the survey. Overall, there was a high level of understanding or applicability (over 95%) among the topics surveyed across all schools, but there was a significant proportion where no action on that topic had yet been taken (over 30% of all maturity ratings across all respondents). Average maturity rating across all topics for all respondents was 2.3 (action taken but an informal approach to the topic is currently used) on a scale from 0 to 5.
Implications: This research has important implications for the organisations responding to the survey and their awareness of the issues they face as institutions that seek to leverage their investments in ICT to raise their own competitive position and thus that of African organisations which have students educated at these business schools. There are also implications for the future success of the newly-formed AABS and its other initiatives in terms of meeting the objectives of the Association.
Originality / Value: This research is original in terms of which there is a broad understanding of the extent to which ICT is available and in use amongst the members of the AABS. Prior to the foundation of the Association, no suitable forum existed for the conduct of this research. The originality therefore, is in the opportunity presented to form a broader understanding of the status of the use of ICT to support the activities of business schools across Africa. The value of this research may be applied to both those respondents to the survey, other members of the AABS and other business schools operating in Africa that wish to understand the issues in the field of ICT that they should be addressing.

Tobin, P. (2007). Teaching IT through storytelling. South African computer journal, 38, 51-61.

This article explores the use of storytelling as part of an overall approach to the teaching of information technology in tertiary education. The author defines the context of use of storytelling in terms of the various types of education being delivered and the delivery methods, and then explores the potential uses and benefits of storytelling. A sample story is included and briefly analysed to illustrate how a story might be used; the author also reports on his own experiences of the use of storytelling in his teaching activities. Finally, a detailed checklist is presented of the issues to be considered when using the storytelling approach.

Tobin, P., Matthee, M.C., & Van der Merwe, P. (2007). The status quo of enterprise architecture implementation in South African financial services companies. South African journal of business management, 38(1), 11-24.

This article presents the findings of research that was conductedamongst Enterprise Architecture (EA) practitioners in the South African financial services sector. Due to the duration and cost implications of EA projects, factors that contribute to the success and failure of EA initiatives need to be investigated and identified. The research was largely based on a similar international study that was conducted by Schekkerman (2004b). A number of aspects of EA were investigated, including the place of EA in organisational and strategic governance, the EA architects, practices and processes, as well as the measurement of EA initiatives. Key findings from the study were that South African companies surveyed demonstrated lower levels of maturity in their approaches to the management of EA practices and processes; also identified were significant differences in the approach in South African respondents compared to international studies with respect to ownership of EA initiatives and the types of EA frameworks and modelling
techniques in use.

Tobin, P., & Bidoli, M. (2006). Factors affecting the adoption of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and other coverged IP services in South Africa. South African journal of business management, 37(1), 31-40.

The authors embarked on this study to investigate factors likely to impact on the adoption of VoIP and other converged Internet protocol (IP) services in the SA market. The intention of this study was to lay the groundwork for a comprehensive understanding of the forces shaping the market, in order to help industry participants and new entrants position themselves correctly. This is achieved by evaluating technology adoption and diffusion models, in particular Moore's chasm model, which highlights the reasons why so many new technologies fail to break into the mainstream. Empirical research of business customers and potential customers shows that the two key factors hindering the adoption of these technologies in SA are high bandwidth costs / high costs of services and quality of service issues. The research also shows that the trend towards IP is well established in SA, with many companies having already
invested in, or planning to invest in, VoIP and converged IP services.

Tobin, P., & Magenuka, T. (2006). Knowledge management and the JSE-listed construction sector companies. South African journal of information management, 8(4).

The construction industry represents a significant part of any country's economic activity and knowledge management is considered vital for the survival of organizations. If construction companies made more effective use of their knowledge as their source of competitive advantage, their long-term survival and competitiveness would remain intact. The objective of the research was to assess the extent to which those construction companies who at the time of the research were listed on the South African Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) (Aveng, Basil Read, Concor, Group 5, Murray and Roberts, and WBHO) were using knowledge management, based on a set of criteria in the research instrument. The findings of the research were that the sector as a whole displayed a relatively low level of maturity in the deployment of knowledge management and a number of recommendations were made to improve the performance of the sector in that regard.

Tobin, P., & Misch, A. (2006). Knowledge management and cognitive theory: an African case study. Acta Commercii, 6(13), 133-146.

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to report on research into whether knowledge can be managed more effectively by taking into consideration the nature and complexity of information being received by members of an organisation; the cognitive abilities of those members; and finally the nature and composition of the hierarchical structure of the organisation within which those members operate.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The research reported on in this paper was carried out using a case study approach, with the focus on a single organisation to which the authors had special access. Data was gathered using a combination of interviews and a focus group, with participants drawn from a cross-section of members of the case study organisation. Analysis was conducted within the framework associated with the primary theoretical model (Jaques & Clement, 1991) that underpins this research. Findings: This research helps to further an understanding of how individual and organisational performance may be influenced by issues such as cognitive processes and the relationship to information complexity. The research findings support the work of Jaques and Clement (1991). Implications: This research had important implications for the organisation in the case study investigation. Other organisations would need to evaluate the research findings in terms of their applicability to other organisations in the same industry, in the same country (South Africa) or elsewhere in other industries or in other countries on the African continent.
Originality/Value: This research is original in terms of the application of cognitive theory in conjunction with knowledge management principles in the context of the legal profession in South Africa. It has potential value in many other industries and countries.

Tobin, P., & Volavsek, P. (2006). Knowledge management measurement in South African organisations. Mousaion, 24(1), 96-118.

This article explores the status of knowledge management (KM) measurement in South African organisations. KM has been advocated by some observers as the only way of maintaining a competitive advantage in today's global economy, but if KM is not to fade away as yet another `management fad', it needs practical implementation models and measures to determine if it adds value. Considerable international research into KM models and measures exists, and several projects are afoot to derive KM standards, but there has been very little research in South Africa in this regard. This article investigates whether organisations in South Africa are using KM measurement models and measures, and if so, which ones. In particular, the authors wanted to establish if the measures used conform to one of the published approaches, namely that of the British Standards Institute (BSI). A descriptive quantitative research methodology was employed, using a semi-structured questionnaire e-mailed to a target population derived from non-probability purposive sampling. In the sample of eighteen organisations 94 per cent were found to be using KM measurement models, albeit from a much wider range than has been recorded elsewhere. In terms of measures, 89 per cent of the sample were found to be using measures, and all of these were using at least some of those recommended by the BSI.

Tobin, P., & Franze, M. (2005). Organisation structure and knowledge management: a case study. Mousaion, 23(2), 149-164.

The research sets out to investigate whether the organisational structure of an organisation impacts on the ability of the organisation to share knowledge. The research was limited to a single case study of an organisation in the telecommunications industry with a matrix structure and strong requirement for knowledge integration. The primary outcome is that the matrix organisation structure reduces the ability of the organisation to integrate and share knowledge. The weaknesses in the organisation come from the structure inhibiting the interaction and sharing of knowledge (too many departments, too many functional barriers); from the structure decoupling performance from reward (reduced recognition and feedback levels starving the motivation to share and integrate knowledge); from the structure not providing mechanism to share and integrate tacit knowledge, in particular; and from relying on, and hence overloading, formal organisation integrators to force coordination and integration. The research also provides a strong theory base that shows that knowledge integration can and should be used as the base for organisation design and that a strategic focus on strong knowledge integration can provide a sustainable competitive advantage for the company.

Tobin, P., & Gichuru, P. (2004) Challenges encountered diffusing tacit knowledge at Eli Lily SA. South African journal of information management, 6(4), 1-11.

Knowledge is now recognized as a company's most valuable asset. For the most part it resides in employees as tacit knowledge. Owing to the nature of tacit knowledge, efforts to diffuse it into an organization come with distinct challenges. The research objective was to identify the challenges of tacit knowledge diffusion that were most relevant and important to Eli Lilly SA, rank them in order of importance and make recommendations thereof. From the literature survey, nine hypotheses were developed and tested through a questionnaire sent via e-mail to 154 employees at Eli Lilly SA. Eighty-one responses were received of which 80 were used for analysis (53% response rate). Of the nine hypotheses, four were rejected while five were accepted. The main challenges identified that Eli Lilly SA faced when diffusing knowledge were distance and time. The conclusion was that Eli Lilly SA needed to build on the area of strength identified, which was leadership, and address the major challenges of distance and time by optimizing existing systems that were already in place in the organization.

Tobin, P., & Krecek, R.C. (2004). An analysis of opinions from veterinarians in South Africa regarding business management skills. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 75(1), 24-29.

The changing role of veterinarians in the global market is a current topic of debate and discussion. Few countries including South Africa have formally examined the changing dynamics of this profession. Therefore, the present study addressed 2 objectives. The 1st was to examine basic information about veterinarians in South Africa including their age, gender and distribution across provinces, the percentage whose practice was urban, rural or periurban, the numbers working with specific animal species, and the extent of business management and skills previously gained. The 2nd objective was to obtain opinions and insights from veterinarians in South Africa about the challenges and opportunities facing their business practices to better understand what they considered important dynamics to their businesses today. Several areas of business on which they were questioned and which were included in this study were: marketing, vision,humanresources, leadership, financial management, ethics, competition, day-to-day operations, interpersonal skills and information management. This is the 1st known survey to employ a questionnaire to gain insights and opinions from veterinarians about business management skills

Tobin, P., & Snyman, R. (2004). World-class knowledge management: a proposed framework. South African journal of information management, 6(3), 1-14.

The concept of world-class performance is explored as it applies to the field of knowledge management. The authors propose a framework of elements that can be used to measure world-class performance - each element is explored and applied to the field of knowledge management. The article concludes with brief recommendations on how the framework should be applied.

Tobin, P., & Snyman, R. (2004). Storytelling and knowledge management: what's the story so far? Mousaion, 22(1),.34-51.

One of the realities of knowledge management is that individuals, teams and organisations are constantly searching for better ways to share their knowledge. Could the use of stories and storytelling help in this search? This article reviews the key ideas associated with the concept of stories and the use of storytelling as a tool for knowledge-sharing in a corporate environment. The authors explore the use of an existing three-part model for storytelling, as well as the benefits to be obtained from the use of storytelling. An implementation plan is presented to help guide individuals and organisations that are planning to use stories and storytelling as part of a knowledge-sharing strategy.

Ward, Mike & Khan, A. (2008). The impact of collections strategy on the profitability of unsecured bank micro-loans. Studies in economics and econometrics, 32(3), 1-19.

Ward, M., & Du Plessis, A.J. (2008). Applying the Markowitz portfolio model as a passive investment strategy on the JSE. Investment analyst journal, 69, 39-46.

Ward, M., & Smit, C. (2007). The impact of large acquisitions of the share price and operating financial performance of acquiring companies listed on the JSE. Investment analyst journal, (65), 5-14.

Ward, M., (2006). Factors affecting credit assessment. South African journal of accounting research, 14(1), 39-50.

Ward, M., & Muller, C. (2006). Seasonal timing using put option portfolio protection on the on the JSE. Investment analyst journal, (64), 5-14.

Ward, M., & Muller, C. (2005). Hedge funds: an introduction. Investment analyst journal, (61), 49-54.

Hedge funds have shown remarkable growth as an asset class over the past few years, with an estimated $1 trillion in assets under management in 2004, and this figure expected to double in the next five years (HFR Report, 2004). The term "hedge fund" has its roots in the idea that high net-worth investors are more interested in protecting themselves from downside risk (i.e. hedging) than the conventional theories of risk and return might suggest. Unlike traditional unit trusts, which tend to be "long only" and measure performance against index type bench marks, hedge funds actively transact, seeking only positive returns, and to do so engage in short selling, derivative products and leveraged positions.

Ward, M., & Millson, R. (2005). Corporate governance criteria as applied in private equity investments. South African journal of business management, 36(1), 73-85.

Ineffective governance has often formed a backdrop to corporate failure with the resultant negative impact on stakeholders. In the field of private equity, investors have consistently received financial returns that outperform those of listed equities. This research investigates the relationship that private equity principals seek with their agents. The "agent-principal" relationship in private equity investments was investigated through a literature review and a survey of experienced private equity practitioners identified the key characteristics associated with this relationship. A conjoint analytical technique was used to measure the relative importance of the various attributes and the degree of preference or utility value for these attributes amongst a sample of 27 experts. The field research established that private equity investments are characterised by, inter alia, proactive agent-principal relationships; a relatively high level of shareholder activism; insistence on transparency; non-executive influence; and active performance management. While the implementation of these lessons may be a subject for future research, the current research has identified and prioritised corporate governance mechanisms that may be more generally applied.

Ward, M., Pascoe, G., & MacKenzie, D. (2005). The influence of economic factors on rights issue announcement. Investment analyst journal, (61), 17-28.

Wocke, Albert & Klein, S. (2009). The protective incubator and the growth of South African multinationals. Thunderbird International Business Review, 51(4), 341-354.

Wocke, A., & Leeds, C. (2009). Methods to reduce the referral of frivolous cases to the CCMA. South African journal of labour relations, 33(1), 28-44.

Wocke, A., & Sutherland, M. (2008). The impact of employment equity regulations on psychological contracts in South Africa. International journal of human resource management, 19(4), 528-542.

This article will show the impact of employment equity legislation on the psychological employment contracts of the three main employee groupings in South African society. This study is important in that it fills the gap in the literature that identifies labour market regulations as an important shaping influence on the psychological contract. More than 500 managers from across South African industry and from all ethnic groups were surveyed to identify differences in psychological contracts and attitudes towards the social transformation regulations. We found that the legislation has impacted differentially on the three groupings mainly in terms of their loyalty to stay with their organizations, the focus on their career development in terms of the external labour market and the degree to which they felt they had been affected by the legislation. Additionally we find that the perceived linkage between job satisfaction and labour turnover is significantly weakened by labour market legislation in the case of the beneficiaries of the legislation, but that this may not be the case for those negatively affected by the legislation. The findings have significant implications for the HRM practices of multinationals operating in societies with significant labour market regulatory interventions.

Wocke, A., & Von Ketelhodt, A. (2008). The impact of electricity crises on the consumption behaviour of small and medium enterprises. Journal of energy for Southern Africa, 19(1), 4-12.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will play a key role in future economic and social strategies in South Africa. However, we find that SMEs are particularly vulnerable to shocks in their external environment due to a general lack of skills and resources. This is critical as the future demand for electricity in South Africa is likely to outstrip supply and electricity will become increasingly unreliable and expensive. We surveyed 250 SMEs in Cape Town and found that the prevailing policy methods of changing electricity consumption behaviour: information campaigns, increasing prices, and providing rebates for energy savings, have had limited results and are unsustainable when applied to SMEs.

Wocke, A., & Klein, S. (2007). Emerging global contenders: the South African experience. Journal of International Management, 13(3), 319-337.

The global strategies of three major South African MNEs are examined with a view to understanding the applicability of existing theories to developing country firms and their emergence as global industry leaders. Emerging market MNEs are motivated by both defensive and offensive considerations. At the same time, home market domination allows potential contenders to develop competitive firm-specific advantages that are non-location based. We propose that successful emerging market MNEs start to build their global positions on the back of asset exploitation, but soon follow with asset seeking behavior. When country specific advantages are less important, contenders can accelerate their development of non-location based FSAs rapidly. Finally, leadership and domestic dominance may be more important than country specific advantages in explaining the success of emerging market MNEs.

Wocke, A., (2007). Building flexibility into multi-national human resource strategy: a study tour of four South African multi-national enterprises. International journal of human resource management, 18(5), 829-844.

Wocke, A., & Van der Spuy, M. (2003). The effectiveness of technology based (interactive) distance learning methods in a large South African financial services organisation. South African journal of business management, 34(2), 1-10.

The trend towards technology-based learning (or 'e-learning') is increasing, driven largely by anecdotal evidence of advantages. This article compares the effectiveness of the technology supported learner driven distance learning methods to the 'traditional' classroom based teaching model and the simulation model. The results of the training methods on a sample of cashiers in a major South African bank are compared and the study finds that there were significant differences between the outcomes of three methods of training that had an impact on performance and knowledge retention with classroom based learning having the greatest impact.

Books Magner, Colleen, Bojer, M.M., Roehl, H., & Knuth, M. (2008). Mapping dialogue: essential tools for social change. Taos Institute.

Ward, Mike & Price, A. (2006). Turning vision into value: corporate finance for non-financial executives. Pretoria: Van Schaik, ISBN: 9780627026454.

Chapters Barnard, Helena, Bromfield, T., & Cantwell J.A. (2009). Local effort and global connections: the co-evolution of firm capabilities and international linkages under inward-looking national policies. In B-A. Lundvall, K.J. Joseph, C. Chaminade & J. Vang, Handbook of Innovation Systems and Developing Countries. Building Domestic Capabilities in a Global Context. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Barnard, H., & Bromfield, T. (2009). The Development and Management of an Intellectual Property Strategy in a Developing Country Context: The Case of Sasol. In D. Kaplan (Ed.), The Economics of Intellectual Property in South Africa. WIPO.

Barnard, H., & Cantwell, J. (2008). Do firms from emerging markets have to invest abroad? outward FDI and the competitiveness of firms. In, Sauvant (Ed.) The rise of TNCs from emerging markets: threat or opportunity. Edward Elgar.

Cook, Jonathan & Nkomo, S.(c2006). Chapter 4: Leadership in Africa. In Managing business in Africa. Oxford University Press.

Fisher, Greg (2009). Personality, uncertainty and logic: impact on entrepreneurial outcomes. In P. Davidsson (Ed.) Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings. Chicago, Illinois.


Goldman, Michael and McCoy, S. (2009). Branding and positioning.  In P. Venter & M. Janse van Rensburg, Strategic Marketing. Oxford University Press Southern Africa.

Wocke, Albert & Bendixen, M. (2008). Building flexibility into multi-national human resource strategy: a study of four South African multi-national enterprises. In, Rowley & Warner (Eds.) Globalising international resources. Routledge/Taylor and Francis.

Liu, D., Kwan, K., & Fisher, Greg (2009). Does an entrepreneur's personality matter? a multilevel, multiphase investigation of core-self evaluations in the growth of top management team potency and new venture performance. Paper presented at the Southern Management Association Meeting. Asheville, North Carolina.

Fisher, G. (2009). Personality, uncertainty and logic: impact on entrepreneurial outcomes. Proceedings of the 69th annual meeting of the Academy of Management held on 7-11 August in Chicago, Illinois.

Fisher, G. (2008). Means versus goals: how uncertainty drives effectuation and causation in the new venture creation process. Paper presented at the Society of Entrepreneurship Scholars meeting. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Goldman, Michael (2008). Sports branding repositioning in a transitional political economy. Proceedings of the 6th annual Sport Marketing Association conference held in July 2008 at the Gold Coast, Australia.

Goldman, M., & Seyama, W. (2007). Success factors for brand extensions in fast moving consumer goods. Proceedings of the 19th annual conference for the Southern Africa Institute for Management Scientists, University of Johannesburg.

Rozyn, Shaun (2009, September). Understanding the determinants of cash holdings of corporate South Africa and the implications for monetary policy. Paper presented at the Economic Society of South Africa conference, Post Elizabeth.

Tobin, Peter & Snyman, R. (2008). Once upon a time in Africa: a case study of storytelling for knowledge sharing. Aslib proceedings, 60(2): pp.130-142.

Purpose: This paper reports on research conducted into the use of stories and storytelling to share knowledge in a large mining company based in South Africa. The paper shows how the use of oral methods combined with other media can be used to support a number of different objectives and yield a wide variety of benefits.
Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents the results of a case study which used a largely qualitative approach to gather data on a specific community of practice within the case study company.
Findings: The research identified an innovative approach being used to combine a number of approaches to sharing knowledge through the use of stories and storytelling, in particular graphical representation of the stories and the use of graphics in conjunction with oral storytelling methods.
Research limitations: This research was conducted in only one company, in one country. Further research would be necessary to further test the effectiveness of the approaches identified in this case.
Practical implications: The innovative approach of combining media and methods for sharing knowledge through stories and storytelling represent an opportunity for other organisations to use similar techniques in their efforts to improve knowledge sharing.
Originality/value: This is the first time that a case study exploring the use of stories and storytelling in the South African mining industry has used empirical research findings to evaluate the use of stories and storytelling. Significant value may be gained by others seeking to understand how best to use stories and storytelling to share knowledge.

Tobin, P. (2007). Critical success factors for communities of practice in a global company. Proceedings of the 8th European conference on knowledge management held on 6-7 September in Barcelona, Spain.

Tobin, P. (2007). Let me tell you a story: storyboards and their use of knowledge sharing in an African case study. Proceedings of the 8th European conference on knowledge management held on 6-7 September in Barcelona, Spain.

Tobin, P. (2007). Knowledge management: an historical perspective. Proceedings of the 21st British Academy of Management Conference held on 11- 13 September in Coventry, England.

Tobin, P. (2006). Teaching IT through storytelling. Proceedings of the Conference on Information Technology in Tertiary Education held on 18 - 20 September in Pretoria, South Africa.

Tobin, P. (2007). Stories and storytelling for knowledge sharing: a case study in the South African mining industry. Proceedings of the 21st British Academy of Management Conference held on 11- 13 September in Coventry, England.

Tobin, P., & Roux, A. (n.d.). Project managment maturity versus project success in South African companies. Proceedings from the project management South Africa conference.

Wocke, Albert & van der Merwe, M. (2006) .An investigation into responsible tourism practices in the South African hotel industry. Conference paper presented to the Royal Geographic Society Annual Conference.

This paper sheds light on the reasons for the limited uptake of responsible tourism initiative memberships by hotels in South Africa, despite South Africa being regarded as a leader in the field of responsible tourism policy, with the drafting of responsible tourism guidelines by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). The International Centre for Responsible Tourism’s conference (hosted in South Africa) preceding the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 resulted in the Cape Town Declaration, which was based on the guidelines developed by DEAT. There are currently two responsible tourism membership initiatives in South Africa. Non-experimental survey research was conducted among hotels about their understanding and implementation of responsible tourism practices. Sixty hotels responded to the survey, and it would appear that these hotels implement CSR/responsible tourism, though to varying extents. Responding hotels do not participate in responsible tourism initiatives because of - amongst others - confusion about what the concept means, and a lack of awareness of such initiatives. This paper raises questions about the effectiveness of membership initiatives in promoting the implementation of responsible tourism practices. It further questions the importance of a common understanding and awareness of what responsible tourism entail in ensuring that policy is implemented.