Assessing the functionality of the department of the education in disruptive times using the Viable System Model

Abstract

Organisational functionality is critical for ensuring that the organisation remains focused on providing its performance mandate, especially in times of disruption such as the Corona Virus Pandemic, natural disasters caused by floods, earthquakes, and civil unrest. In times of disruption, organisation could enhance their functionality by applying the Viable System Model (VSM). The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (KZNDOE), experienced functionality-related challenges during the Pandemic which hindered the delivery of teaching and learning across most schools. Therefore, the study aimed to enhance the department's functionality using the VSM. The target population consisted of 300 senior managers, principals, and educators at the KZNDOE. The study employed an exploratory research design gathering data from 14 respondents through interviews as the data collection instrument. Data were analysed thematically using the NVivo 12 model. The study findings revealed that KZNDOE was not prepared to deal with the complexity presented by the Corona Virus Pandemic due to a dysfunctional structure, lack of resources, and skills incompetency to deal with complexity. To address the challenges, the department reviewed the functional structure which was last reviewed in 2011 to one that is adaptive in responding to the complex environment. The review would include the change of structure by creating new structures within the department that can deal with the Pandemic. For example, the study recommended a specific structure that deals with enhancing performance, Corona Virus Pandemic communication network, empowerment structures for educators, and structures to provide for remote learning and pre-learning materials. The study however recommended that a similar study could be conducted in other provinces to have a balanced view before making national inferences.

Keywords: {'name': 'Functionality, Viable System Model, Viability, Corona Virus Pandemic, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education'}

Authors & affiliations

Emmanuel Mutambara
Affiliation not supplied

Cele Thanduxolo J
Affiliation not supplied

Deposited references

Supplied references, not a list of publications citing this article.

Ahmed, M., & Shafiq, S. (2014). The Impact of Organisational Culture on Organisational Performance: A Case Study of the Telecom Sector. Global Journal of Management and Business Research: Administration and Management, 14, 21-30.

DOI: 10.4337/9781782547884.00026

DOI: 10.1596/33739

DOI: 10.1596/1813-9450-8773

DOI: 10.1177/1847979017712628

DOI: 10.3182/20130619-3-RU-3018.00283

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03323-7

DOI: 10.1016/j.omega.2015.08.004

DOI: 10.1201/9781315598741-10

Arasa, R. (2012). The Relationship between Strategic Planning and Firm Performance. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2, 201-213

DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2011.563825

DOI: 10.1016/S1569-3767(06)07008-7

Babbie, E. (2017). The Practice of Social Research 13th Edition. Belmont: Wadsworth.

DOI: 10.1002/job.132

Beer, S. (1981). Brain of the firm: The managerial cybernetics of organisation New York: Wiley.

Beer, S. (1985). Diagnosing the system for organisations. Chichester: Wiley

DOI: 10.1109/SCC.2007.94

Bhattacherjee, A. (2018). Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practices. Florida, USA: Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial-Share Alike.

DOI: 10.1108/02635571311312695

DOI: 10.1007/s41297-020-00104-6

Borkowski, A., Correa, J. S. O., Bundy, D. A., Burbano, C., Hayashi, C., Lloyd-Evans, E., Neitzel, J and Reuge, N (2021). COVID-19: Missing More Than a Classroom. The impact of school closures on children’s nutrition. https://ideas.repec.org/p/ucf/inwopa/inwopa1176.html (Accessed 31/01/21).

DOI: 10.1007/s11205-013-0485-6

Bourke R., O’Neill J., McDowall S., Dacre M., Mincher N., Narayanan V., Overbye S., Tuifagalele R. (2021). Children’s informal learning at home during COVID-19 lockdown. New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

Bryman, A. (2017). Social Research Methods. 5th edition. London: Oxford University Press.

DOI: 10.5296/bms.v11i1.16730

DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2011.563827

Cania, L. (2014). The Impact of Strategic Human Resource Management on Organisational Performance. Economia. Seria Management, 17, 373-383

Cooper, D. R. and Schindler, P. S. (2017). Business research methods. 13th edition. McGraw-Hill/ Irwin.

Devereux, S., Hochfeld, T., Karriem, A., Mensah, C., Morahanye, M., Msimango, T., Mukubonda, A., Naicker, S., Nkomo, G., Sanders, D. & Sanous, M. (2018): School Feeding in South Africa: What we know, what we don’t know, what we need to know, what we need to do. Food Security SA Working Paper Series No. 004. Pretoria: DSTNRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security

DOI: 10.1080/14681366.2020.1716836

Hildbrand, S. (2013). Systemic approaches to imporvement in sugarcane production and supply: Umfolozi and Felixton mill areas, PhD thesis, Leadership Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.

DOI: 10.1386/ijtm.4.2.131/1

ILO (2020). ILO Monitor 2nd edition: Covid-19 and the world of work: Updated estimates and analysis. Geneva, International Labour Organisation

IMF (2020b). World Economic Outlook: The Great Lockdown (Chapter 1). Washingon D.C., International Monetary Fund.

DOI: 10.1007/s10101-021-00263-w

Lamanna, M.A.; Riedmann, A.(2022). Stewart, S.D. Marriages, Families, and Relationships: Making Choices in a Diverse Society; Cengage Learning: Boston, MA, USA,

Leedy, P. D. and Ormrod, J. E. (2018). Practical Research Methods: Planning and Design. Chicago: Pearson.

DOI: 10.1386/jots.3.1.85/1

DOI: 10.1108/03684920710749677

DOI: 10.1002/sres.937

Motitswe, J. (2017). Teaching and learning methods in inclusive classrooms in the foundation phase, viewed 10 May 2015, from http://hdl.handle.net/10500/6037.

Mthethwa, A., (2020). Living in fear: The plight of educators with comorbidities, Daily Maverick (Online), viewed 02 August 2020, from https://www.dailymaverick. co.za/article/2020-07-07-living-in-fear-the-plight-of-educators-withcomorbidities/#gsc.tab=0. (1/2/2020)

Rahman, Z. and I. Matin (2020). Livelihoods, Coping, and Support during Coronavirus-19 Crisis. Dhaka, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development.

Ramrathan, P. (2021). Learner poor performance: Provoking Bourdieu’s key concepts in analysing school education in South Africa. Southern African Review of Education, 23(1), 23–36.

DOI: 10.2991/assehr.k.210101.042

DOI: 10.1108/K-01-2014-0017

Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2019). Research methods for business students. England: Prentice Hall.

DOI: 10.1002/sres.731

DOI: 10.1002/sres.649

Slavin, R. Maden, N. (2017). What Works for Students at Risk: A Research Synthesis. Educ Leader, 46(2), 290-510.

DOI: 10.1016/S0950-5849(03)00130-7

DOI: 10.1080/14681366.2020.1716836

Sternberg, R. J. (2019). Successful intelligence. New York: Simon and Schuster.

DOI: 10.1002/sres.957

Trochim, W. (2017). The Research Methods. 3rd edition. London. Knowledge Base.

UNESCO. (2020c). COVID-19 (2020). Educational disruption and response. Retrieved March 24, 2020, from https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse.

DOI: 10.1007/s11213-009-9125-0

WHO. (2020b). 2019-nCoV outbreak is an emergency of international concern, 31-01-2020.

World Bank (2020b). The Covid-19 Pandemic: Shocks to Education and Policy Responses. Washington D.C., World Bank.

World Bank (2020d). Fighting Covid-19: Europe and Central Asia Economic Update. Washington D.C., World Bank.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2003717

Zhou, T., Molfino, T., & Travers, J. (2021). The Cost of COVID: Understanding the Full Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Districts and Schools. Education Resource Strategies

Zimba, Z. (2017). Managing an inclusive school in Swaziland, Research report, Rhodes University, Grahams town.