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1.

INTRODUCTION

The role of employees in any organisation going through a process of change is very

vital. In June 2010 the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) embarked on

a turnaround strategy to try and address its operational challenges and reposition itself

within the broadcasting market. This study explores the perceptions of SABC

employees about the impact of its turnaround strategy on its training and

development programme. This introductory chapter describes the research problem

and the rationale for the study. In addition, an overview of the research methodology

is provided, the limitations of the study and the organisation of this research report.

1.1

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND RATIONALE FOR THE

STUDY

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was established in 1936. It

functioned arguably well until recently when it begun to experience major challenges.

In the period between 2007 to date, the SABC has been faced with various challenges

such as, poor financial management and political interferences from the ruling party

(Fourie, 2007). These challenges have resulted in low staff morale, high staff turnover,

several industrial actions, untimely resignations of two Chief executive Officers in a

short space of time and the dissolvent of its board of directors by the parliamentary

portfolio committee. In order to respond to these challenges the SABC came up with a

turnaround strategy.

The objective of the turnaround strategy was to effect changes in the following aspects

of the SABC as an organisation: performance management, financial controls,

recruitment and management of staff, training and development, and its structure

(Sigula & Mnyandu, personal communication, February 25, 2011). The expected

outcomes of the turnaround strategy were to improve the organisation’s financial

controls and to re-shape the SABC and position it for success in the future digital

media environment (SABC, 2011).

Although no evaluation of the turnaround...