The rationalization of companies: Renewer or destroyer of the work-force. The rationalization of companies in the Western world has become almost an integrated part of modern management strategies. The downsizing syndrome has proven to be the favourite choice of many. Change, so many studies have proven, enhances resistance among employees. Change as experienced during the downsizing process, where retrenchment forms an inherent part of the strategy creates its own range of fears and expectations amongst employees. This study analyses the experiences of employees during the phases of destructive change. The hypothesis the study tested was that significantly more employees will rate the experience as extremely negative and that the main issue at stake is job security. It was found that although a significant proportion of the employees thought that drastic change was necessary, they were bitterly unhappy with the way management introduced the change. It was also found that at the centre of unhappiness, threats to job security caused the most damage. Furthermore, it was proven that during change, a well-planned, pre-programmed exercise, with a definite beginning and end time creates significantly lesser stress and fear amongst employees than during a unstructured almost open ended process.Die rasionalisering van ondernemings in die Westerse wereld het amper 'n geintegreerde deel van moderne bestuurstrategie geword. Die verskralingsindroom, so blyk dit, is die gewildste keuse onder bestuur. Dit is deur baie studies bewys, dat verandering een of ander vorm van weerstand onder werknemers kweek. Verandering, soos dit deurleef word tydens verskraling en waar personeelvermindering inherent aan die proses is, skep sy eie unieke reeks vrese en verwagtings onder werknemers. Hierdie studie analiseer die ondervindinge van werknemers tydens fases van destruktiewe verandering. Die hipotese wat getoets is, is dat beduidend meer werknemers die proses as uiters negatief sal ervaar en dat die grootste faktor wat negatiwiteit beinvloed werksekuriteitbedreiging sal wees. Daar is bevind dat alhoewel 'n beduidende aantal van die werknemers aangedui het dat verandering in hul organisasies noodsaaklik was, was hulle terselfdertyd bitter ongelukkig oor die wyse waarop verandering in die organisasie toegepas is. Daar is ook bevind dat die hoofoorsaak vir ongelukkigheid werksekuriteitbedreiging was. Vervolgens is daar statisties beduidende bewys dat goedbeplande, goedgestruktureerde veranderingspogings met 'n duidelike begin en 'n einde baie minder stress en ongelukkigheid veroorsaak as pogings wat onbeplan, ad hoc en amper tydloos van aard is.
ALMOST OPEN AND ALMOST HOMEOMORPHISMS