Orientation: Although there has been an improvement in workforce diversity in South Africa, gender and ethnicity issues such as discrimination, prejudice and sexual harassment prevail within organisations. This is because organisational leaders view diversity as a matter of legal compliance instead of as a value addition to organisational growth and profitability. Based on this, it is important for organisations to understand the economic side of diversity and not just be content with having such a workforce.Research purpose: This study investigated the effects of gender and ethnic diversity on the performance of employees in a selected higher education institution in South Africa.Motivation of the study: The study was conducted to determine whether gender and ethnic diversity influences the performance of employees in a higher education institution in South Africa. It is believed that by doing so, the study may assist organisational leaders to determine strategies and best practices that will create culture that is inclusive rather than exclusive.Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional research design was used. A stratified random sample (n = 258) was chosen by dividing employees into homogeneous strata of academic and non-academic employees. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data. Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regression analysis were performed.Main findings: The results show that gender diversity and ethnic diversity are positively and significantly related to employee performance. The study recommends that higher education institutions implement effective diversity management policies and strategies to improve the effectiveness of gender and ethnic diversity towards the performance of employees.Practical/managerial implications: The study recommends organisations to embrace diversity and not just abide by the affirmative action policies and be satisfied with having such a workforce. To achieve this, effective diversity management programmes such as diversity training and mentoring programmes should be implemented to ensure that all employees are properly trained on diversity issues.Contribution/value add: First of all, the findings of this study will add to existing knowledge that will aid in the understanding of gender and ethnic diversity in general and its relevance to employee performance, which in turn leads to organisational performance. Furthermore, this study will be an eye opener to organisational leaders and employees as it will help them to begin to see that diversity is a blessing rather than a matter of legal compliance. It will help organisations to see the need for having diversity and confirm that employees can work together despite their differences.

Orientation: Transformation is a topical issue in South African higher education institutions. The slow and sluggish progress in attempts to transform the sector can be attributed to leadership and commitment of staff in these institutions.Research purpose: The study investigated perceptions of employees and managers on the connection between transformational leadership style and employee organisational commitment in a selected rural-based higher education institution in South Africa.Motivation for the study: This study was conducted to determine whether a perceived lack or the presence of transformational leadership style influences the level of organisational commitment of academic and non-academic staff members of a rural-based university. It is believed that in this way, the study may assist in determining and identifying the strategies to be used to improve the commitment of the staff members to attain the much needed transformation in higher education institutions.Research design, approach and method: A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data following a quantitative research design. The target population was divided into academic and non-academic strata. Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regression analysis were performed.Main findings: The study found that transformational leadership style has a positive and significant relationship with affective commitment and moderate relationship with continuance commitment. On the contrary, it had no relationship with normative commitment. The study further revealed that perceived transformational leadership style explained the variance on employee organisational commitment. Therefore, the study concludes that effects of perceived transformational leadership style on employee commitment cannot be the same in different institutions and settings.Practical and managerial implications: The study recommends that each institution should diagnose its situation for a better pictorial view of how transformational leadership affects employee organisational commitment in their organisation.Contribution: The results of the study may assist leaders and employees in higher education institutions to enhance commitment for both academic and non-academic staff members through transformative leadership style to attain transformational goals of the South African higher education institutions as projected by the national government. Furthermore, this study will ensure the promotion and creation of transformative leaders who are adaptive and proactive in dealing with challenges of transformation in the former ‘black’ higher education institutions in South Africa and who also have staff members committed to this higher education transformation agenda.

The aim of the study was to investigate the dominant and preferred organisational culture at a higher education institution in South Africa and how organisational culture influences the organisational behaviour. The study employed a quantitative research design and 30 employees were randomly selected from two groups of non-academic and academic staff members of a selected school at the institution. A structured questionnaire was utilised to solicit information regarding the dominant and preferred organisational culture at the institution from the participants. The Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 2013 was used to determine the preferred and existing culture through mean scores. The results revealed that a role culture was dominant in the institution whilst employees preferred a support culture. The study further revealed that organisational culture has a significant impact on numerous organisational processes, employees as well as organisational performance. In addition, the results showed that if employees have shared norms and are supported by the organisation, they can increase their performance towards achieving overall organisational goals. Thus, from the findings, the study recommends policy makers and decision makers in organisations to adopt support culture through providing support to their employees to achieve both personal and organisational goals.

The study investigates the relationship between organizational culture and organization commitment at a higher education institution in South Africa. Quantitative research approach was used and 30 participants were chosen at random from academic and non-academic employees of the university. Furthermore, in order to gather data, the study used a structured questionnaire regarding the effects of existing organizational culture on organizational commitment. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between existing organizational culture typologies and facets of organizational commitment. The study revealed that different culture typologies bring about different levels of organizational commitment. Moreover, support of culture had a strong significant relationship with normative and continuance commitment. This means that if the organization shows the sense care and support to its employees, they will develop an obligatory sense of belonging and help the organization in attaining its objectives.

The objectives of this study was to determine the levels of occupational stress and organizational commitment of employees and to determine the differences of occupational stress and organisational commitment based on demographic information in a higher education institution. The sample consisted of 141 academic staff. The Organisational Stress Screening Tool (ASSET), and Allen and Meyer’s Organisational Commitment Tool (OCT) were used. The results showed that different occupational stressors contributed significantly to low organisational commitment. Occupational stress levels about job characteristics, work relationships, job overload and job control contributed to low levels of organisational commitment. The results also showed that there is a significant difference in occupational stress and organisational commitment levels based on the demographic differences of employees.