DISCLAIMER
THE DOCUMENT PRESENTED IS A DEMOSTRATION ON HOW STUDENTS CAN
APPROACH THE ASSIGNMENT FOR PUB4867. IT IS BASED ON PRESCRIBED
MATERIAL AND EXTERNAL RESEARCH. THE DOCUMENT CONTAINS BOTH SHORT
NOTES AND A RESPONSE EXAMPLE FOR EACH QUESTION. STUDENTS ARE
THEREFORE ADVISED NOT TO COPY AND PASTE BUT USE THE DOCUMENT AS A
RESEARCH GUIDE THAT WOULD HELP THEM DRAFT THEIR OWN FINAL COPIES.
, PUB4867 2026 ASSIGNMENT 6 2026 PUB4867 2026
Contents
Introduction: The Strategic Imperative for Public Sector Adaptation ...................................... 3
I. The Changing Nature of Public Sector Management .................................................. 3
Shift from Centralised Bureaucracy to Semi-Autonomous Units ........................................ 3
The Requirement for Knowledge Work and Multiskilled Managers .................................... 3
Focus on Outcomes, Effectiveness, and Accountability ..................................................... 4
II. Strategic Management as the Adaptive Response .................................................... 4
Defining Strategic Management and Planning ................................................................... 4
Benefits and Necessity of Strategic Planning .................................................................... 4
III. Analysing the Management Environment: The Systems Approach ........................... 5
The Micro- or Internal Environment ................................................................................... 5
The Market or Specific Environment.................................................................................. 5
The Macro- or External Environment ................................................................................. 6
IV. Health Challenges within the National Strategic Agenda .......................................... 6
Strategic Priority 5: Improve the Health Profile of all South Africans .................................. 6
The Specific Challenge of HIV/AIDS Mitigation ................................................................. 7
V. Strategic Response and Future Planning for Health Mandates.................................. 7
Environmental Scanning and Organisational Analysis for Health Reform .......................... 7
Strategy Formulation under Constraints ............................................................................ 8
VI. Translating Health Strategy into Action: Management by Projects ............................ 8
The Management by Projects Philosophy ......................................................................... 9
The Role of the Project Support Office (PSO) in Health Reform ........................................ 9
Project Implementation Focused on the Community/Customer ....................................... 10
VII. Strategic and Transformational Leadership in Health Sector Reform .................... 10
The Act of Institutional Leadership and Shared Vision ..................................................... 10
Managing the Transition Through Change (Unfreezing, Migration, Refreezing) ............... 11
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 12
References ......................................................................................................................... 13