Conceptualising a Personal Capacity Development Framework for Senior Management Service in the Department of Defence

Abstract

The recognition of processes for military professionalism and the public service professionalism through capacity development for senior management services (SMS) by means of education, training, and development (ETD) opportunities that satisfy the competencies required in the South African (SA) Department of Defence (DOD) cannot be overemphasised. The study aims to propose a development framework that can be unique to the DOD for personal capacity development of SMS and to analyse the current governance status. The qualitative research method was employed with an open-ended questionnaire as the primary source of data and the DOD accountability documents (Quarterly Performance Reports, Annual Reports, and End/Mid- Term Performance Reviews) were analysed to validate and triangulate the findings. The DOD SMS is a unit of analysis with 270 SMS members, inclusive of Defence Act Personnel (DAP) and Public Service Act Personnel (PSAP) designated in the Services and Divisions. Purposive sampling was utilised to select seventeen participants in Human Resource (HR) environment that voluntarily completed the questionnaire. Furthermore, the DOD accountability documents were sampled to determine their balance and evenness in answering the research questions. This study was underpinned by systems theory as a theoretical lens which is illustrative of identified HR processes working together effectively as a whole. The findings revealed that capacity development is a continuous process that changes overtime influenced by three capacity levels (environmental, organisational, and individual). These capacity levels interact to impact the capacity development framework relevant to enhance HR competencies, particularly for SMS. In concluding the study, recommendations were made for further studies to understand the improvement of pedagogy and the incorporation of ethics and gender considerations into officer professional military education (PME) curriculum. The recommended framework underpins leadership, management, and governance processes commanded by strategists who embrace the African philosophy in context with the DOD's one-force concept. However, the study limitation is in the DOD SMS, even though SMS is also instituted in other state entities.