Browsing by Author "Du Plessis, Marieta"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Achievements and challenges for Higher Education during the COVID-19 pandemic: A rapid review of media in Africa
    (MPDI, 2021) Sonn, Inge K.; Du Plessis, Marieta; Van Vuuren, Carel D. Jansen
    The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic struck globally and has affected higher education institutions (HEIs) and their operations, indirectly impacting the progress of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 achieved thus far. This article addresses HEIs achievements and challenges experienced in the wake of the pandemic. Online news media reports played a facilitative role in providing information to the HEI communities. A rapid review exploring online news media messages relating to higher education at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa was utilised. Narrative synthesis was used to analyse the data. The results highlight HEIs achievements, which aim to ensure that all students receive the same level of education and provision in terms of devices and mental health support. However, challenges were also experienced at HEIs and include students feeling uncertainty and fear regarding completing their education. Furthermore, the results also show that not all students received the same level of education due to contextual factors, thus deepening the existing social disparities in Africa. The pandemic provides an opportunity for HEIs to embed the components of global citizenship education into the curriculum and to work in an innovative way to promote Sustainable Development Goal 4.
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    Contemporary leadership behavior enabling leadership effectiveness in a public university
    (University of the Western Cape, 2021) Jansen van Vuuren, Carel Daniel; Visser, Dirk; Du Plessis, Marieta
    The purpose of the present study is to enrich academic knowledge, the understanding of management theory, and professional management practice for leaders in a South African Higher Education Institution (HEI) under volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) conditions. Due to increased globalisation and rapid changes in the technological, social, economic, and political spheres, the environment in which organisations function has become increasingly VUCA. These factors create a unique set of challenges for the leaders of these organisations. Traditionally tested and proven methods of leading organisations no longer guarantee high performance. The dynamic environment is challenging leaders to find new ways to be successful. To further complicate matters, the speed, frequency, and intensity with which the organisational environment is changing are ascending in nature. The field of Higher Education in South Africa demonstrates the challenges and opportunities VUCA imposes on organisational leadership.
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    Exploring the views of academics on an academic leadership program in higher education
    (Stellenbosch University, 2022) Frantz, Jose M.; Marais, Janene Elizabeth; Du Plessis, Marieta
    Leadership in higher education institutions has been receiving growing interest, because of the role institutions play in developing students to become leaders in the broader society. However, institutions have to equip staff, adequately, with leadership skills, first, and one way of doing this, is through a leadership development programme for academic staff. The purpose of this current study was to explore and describe the impact of an academic leadership development programme, based on the perceptions of the participants.
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    The Role of Change-oriented leadership in a selected South African organisation
    (University of the Western Cape, 2017) Sha, Nadine; Du Plessis, Marieta
    Modern day leaders are faced with a complex globalised environment that has resulted in intense competition, ever-changing government rules and regulations, stakeholder demands, environmental policies and much more. In order to not only survive but thrive, they need to lead and motivate a diversified group of employees with different economic, cultural, and socio-political values. Today’s leaders need to develop effective managerial strategies, learn to inspire those both inside and outside of the organisation, and guide change. This study aimed to provide insight into change-oriented leadership and examine its effect on psychological capital (PsyCap) and psychological empowerment as antecedents of work engagement and change-oriented organisational citizenship behaviour (changed-oriented OCB). For purposes of this study, a quantitative research design was employed using both paper and pencil and electronic questionnaires. Data was gathered by using a probability sample of employees within a manufacturing organisation in South Africa (N = 736). The measurement instruments were revalidated for the South African sample through both confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). All the measuring instruments retained its original factor structures and reported acceptable reliabilities of change-oriented leadership (α= .908), PsyCap (α= .848), psychological empowerment (α= .860), work engagement (α= .883) and changed-oriented OCB (α= .897).
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    Walking the tightrope of job demands and resources: Leveraging work engagement to counter turnover intentions of information technology professionals
    (Frontiers Media, 2022) Van Heerden, Jana; Du Plessis, Marieta; R. Becker, Jurgen
    Organisations within the banking industry are increasingly confronted with attraction and retention challenges within their Information Technology (IT) divisions, driven by an increase in demand for skilled resources within the market. Therefore, the primary objective of the study was to explore the impact of job resources and job demands on work engagement and employee turnover intentions within the IT division of a South African bank. The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model was applied as theoretical framework to identify the unique job resources and job demands driving work engagement and turnover intentions of employees within this highly specialised section of the South African banking industry. Quantitative data was collected from 239 IT professionals via a self-administered, web-based survey measuring work engagement, job demands and resources, and turnover intentions.
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    Will working students flourish or give up? exploring the influence of academic psychological capital, grit, and time management
    (South African Journal of Higher Education, 2022) Amadi, Winston; Du Plessis, Marieta; Solomon, Shihaam
    Working students are faced with challenges and responsibilities both at university and in their employment. In attempting to study the books and chapters assigned, meet assignment deadlines, participate in extracurricular activities, and functions at work, working students may be overwhelmed. The primary aim of this study was to examine and understand the influence of non-cognitive factors (including Psychological Capital, time management, and grit) on flourishing and the working student’s intention to quit their studies. A non-probability sampling technique indicating convenience sampling and purposive sampling were employed to recruit respondents. The sample (n = 194) was from a residential university in the Western Cape of South Africa. Non-cognitive variables had a positive relationship with flourishing and a negative relationship with intention-to-quit studies. Academic mindset measured as Psychological Capital explained the largest proportion of the variance in flourishing and intention-to-quit studies. Lecturers, counsellors, and university officials should collaborate to incorporate programmes that will aid in developing these non-cognitive variables into the university’s curriculum. These interventions may help improve academic success and throughput of working students.