High performance organisation: A quantitative inquiry at a specific metropolitan municipality in the Gauteng Province

Abstract

Since the dawn of the new democracy in South Africa, the media has been fraught with episodes of dissatisfaction
among stakeholders about the service delivery record of municipalities. The aim of this study is, therefore, to
explore employees’ experiences and perceptions, particularly at the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, regarding
the service delivery performance of this municipality. The study was particularly motivated by the apparent lack of a
scientifically tested intellectual tool to assist municipalities in improving service provision to residents. A
quantitative research design was adopted to ensure uniformity and consistency of the data gathering and analysis
processes. To this end, a population of 800 participants was targeted and at least 474 participants responded, thus,
registering a response rate of 59%. The main findings of this study was the High Performance Organisational
Culture model applicable to local government, whose factors yielded Cronbach Alpha coefficients of between 0.703
and 0.964. The managerial implication of the results of the study is a potential to equip the decision makers in the
municipal sector with an empirically tested tool to assist the municipalities to ascend to a high performance status
and thus, improve the quality of life of residents. The study is poised to provide a useful framework for policy
formulation on high performance in the municipal sector.