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Towards improved relevance of the Master of Business Administration : competencies for the contextual practice of management in South Africa
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613921181958144 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Venter, Esther |
| author2 | Le Sueur, Heidi |
| author_browse | Le Sueur, Heidi Venter, Esther |
| author_facet | Le Sueur, Heidi Venter, Esther |
| author_sort | Venter, Esther |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description |
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131964 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:49.382Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131964 Towards improved relevance of the Master of Business Administration : competencies for the contextual practice of management in South Africa Venter, Esther Le Sueur, Heidi Naude, Piet Bam, Armand Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Business Management. Management -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Communication in management -- South Africa Organizational behavior -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH SUMMARY: The pressing challenges facing the South African economy and society three decades into democracy, combined with the potential of relevant management education, prompted an investigation into the required managerial competencies for South African managers. In an environment marked by inequality, poverty, and related social issues, management education can be expected to engage the motives, attitudes, and values of graduates. Management is framed as a contextual practice: a blend of analysis, experience, insight, and practical wisdom in an environment filled with ambiguity and uncertainty, where there is no single best way to take action. A study into the literature on managerial competencies revealed extensive lists of generic managerial competencies that were seldom adequately defined or described. The research problem addressed is the absence of a set of relevant managerial competencies to guide the South African MBA programme in effectively equipping graduates for the contextual practice of management. The research questions addressed are: What competencies are needed by senior managers for the contextual practice of management in South Africa? How can these required competencies be described, and how are they interconnected? Finally, how do the contextually relevant competencies relate to the minimum competency standards currently mandated for MBA degrees by the Council on Higher Education, which serves as the statutory body overseeing South African MBA programmes? The main aim of the research was to contribute to the relevance of the MBA degree to effectively develop managers for the South African context. To answer the research questions, a descriptive phenomenological study was conducted into the phenomenon of management in South Africa, involving a sample of 20 practising senior/executive managers. The structured analysis method of Giorgi was applied to devise structural statements describing a set of 37 competencies that emerged from the descriptions of the lived experiences of the participants. Network analysis principles were applied to map the intricate web of connections between different levels of competencies. An understanding of such levels and connections is important for curriculum designers. The network analysis enabled the identification of key influencing competencies. Based on the insights gained, a Framework of Contextually Relevant Managerial Competencies was developed. The study makes a valuable contribution to the body of knowledge on managerial competencies. The findings are relevant to business schools and regulators, among others, for application in the design and improvement of management education curricula to ensure relevance. Additionally, the study makes an important methodological contribution, in light of the limited utilisation of phenomenology in the field of management research. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die dringende uitdagings wat die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie en samelewing drie dekades in die demokrasie in die gesig staar, saam met die potensiaal van relevante bestuursopleiding, het 'n ondersoek genoodsaak na die bestuursbevoegdhede benodig deur Suid-Afrikaanse bestuurders. In 'n omgewing gekenmerk deur ongelykheid, armoede, en verwante sosiale kwessies, kan daar verwag word dat bestuursopleiding die motiewe, houdings, en waardes van gegradueerdes sal betrek. Bestuur word voorgestel as 'n kontekstuele praktyk: 'n mengsel van analise, ervaring, insig, en praktiese wysheid in 'n omgewing gevul met dubbelsinnigheid en onsekerheid, waar daar nie een beste manier is om op te tree nie. 'n Ondersoek na die literatuur oor bestuursbevoegdhede het ‘n uitgebreide lys van bestuursbevoegdhede aan die lig gebring wat selde voldoende gedefinieer of beskryf is. Die navorsingsprobleem wat aangespreek is, is die afwesigheid van 'n stel relevante bestuursbevoegdhede om die Suid-Afrikaanse MBA-program effektief in te rig. Die navorsingsvrae wat aangespreek is, is: Watter bevoegdhede word deur senior bestuurders vir die kontekstuele praktyk van bestuur in Suid-Afrika benodig? Hoe kan hierdie vereiste bevoegdhede beskryf word, en hoe is hulle met mekaar verbind? Ten slotte, hoe vergelyk die kontekstueel relevante bevoegdhede met die huidige minimum bevoegdheidstandaarde vir MBA-grade, soos voorgeskryf deur die Raad vir Hoer Onderwys in Suid-Afrika? Die hoofdoel van die navorsing was om by te dra tot die relevansie van die MBA-graad om bestuurders vir die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks doeltreffend te ontwikkel. Om die navorsingsvrae te beantwoord, is 'n beskrywende fenomenologiese studie uitgevoer na die verskynsel van bestuur in Suid-Afrika, wat 'n steekproef van praktiserende senior/uitvoerende bestuurders ingesluit het. Die gestruktureerde analisemetode van Giorgi is toegepas om strukturele uitsprake te verwoord wat 'n stel van 37 bevoegdhede beskryf wat na vore gekom het uit die beskrywings van die geleefde ervarings van die deelnemers. Netwerkanalisebeginsels is toegepas om die ingewikkelde web van verbindings tussen verskillende vlakke van bevoegdhede visueel aan te toon en om sleutelbeinvloedende bevoegdhede te identifiseer. Gebaseer op die verkrygte insigte, is 'n Raamwerk van Kontekstueel Relevant Bestuursbevoegdhede ontwikkel. Die studie maak 'n waardevolle bydrae tot die kennisversameling oor bestuursbevoegdhede. Die bevindinge is relevant vir besigheidskole en regulatoriese owerhede, onder andere, vir toepassing in die ontwerp en verbetering van bestuursopleidingskurrikula om relevansie te verseker. Daarbenewens maak die studie 'n belangrike metodologiese bydrae, in die lig van die beperkte gebruik van fenomenologie in die veld van bestuursnavorsing. Doctoral 2025-05-02T09:58:10Z 2025-05-02T09:58:10Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131964 Stellenbosch University xviii, 376 pages : illustrations, maps, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Management -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Communication in management -- South Africa Organizational behavior -- South Africa UCTD Venter, Esther Towards improved relevance of the Master of Business Administration : competencies for the contextual practice of management in South Africa |
| title | Towards improved relevance of the Master of Business Administration : competencies for the contextual practice of management in South Africa |
| title_full | Towards improved relevance of the Master of Business Administration : competencies for the contextual practice of management in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Towards improved relevance of the Master of Business Administration : competencies for the contextual practice of management in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards improved relevance of the Master of Business Administration : competencies for the contextual practice of management in South Africa |
| title_short | Towards improved relevance of the Master of Business Administration : competencies for the contextual practice of management in South Africa |
| title_sort | towards improved relevance of the master of business administration competencies for the contextual practice of management in south africa |
| topic | Management -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Communication in management -- South Africa Organizational behavior -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131964 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT venteresther towardsimprovedrelevanceofthemasterofbusinessadministrationcompetenciesforthecontextualpracticeofmanagementinsouthafrica |