Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom (IPS)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/12717

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The influence of workaholism and burnout on the intention to quite amongst academic employees at a selected university n the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2019) Andrews, Victoria
Universities worldwide have to contend with a changing landscape due to the massification of education, additional pressure being placed on academia with respect to research outputs, teaching a transforming student base, along with political and social pressures. In South Africa, in particular, there has been increasing pressure on government to effect socio-political and legislative changes to ensure that those that were previously disadvantaged are granted free educational opportunities. Within an academic milieu, talent retention of staff at higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa has become a challenge. Research highlights many changes in the nature of work over the past few decades, including an increasingly prevalent culture of long working hours and increasing work intensity across many sectors. Within academia, recent research indicates a culture of increasing work intensity over time often combined with decreasing resources and competing demands. Once assumed to be a low-pressure job, research reports that significant mind set shifts have been needed within academia in order to cope with the heavy workloads, administrative, teaching, community outreach and publishing requirements and expectations within this group of employees. These additional expectations are likely to result in burnout, which is defined as a prolonged response or “‘psychological syndrome’” in response to chronic interpersonal stressors on the job. Burnout affects all professions but tends to be more pervasive in human service occupations such as education. Despite this evident recognition, there is a paucity of research on burnout among South African academics.
Determining the exposure to and skills needed by industrial – organisational psychologists in the Western Cape Province to counsel employees towards flourishing in the workplace.
(University of the Western Cape, 2019) Brown, Shuné
According to literature, Industrial-Organisational psychology is mainly concerned with investigating the behaviour of humans within the work environment. It is stated that Industrial-Organisational psychology deals with well-adjusted working adults to improve we ll-being and efficiency by applying psychology principles (Health Professions Act, 2011). One of the roles of the Industrial-Organisational psychologist is to provide counselling in the workplace. Counselling in the workplace is typically done in a traditional way. This process is mostly seen as reactive and is aimed at helping individuals cope with problems and addictions with the goal of reinstating performance. This research will in part aim to suggest positive psychology as an alternative method. It is suggested that changing counselling to a positive psychology perspective could lead to greater outcomes than just assisting employees through personal and emotional difficulties. The aim of positive psychology counselling should be to enhance employees’ sense of coherence, resilience, optimism, work engagement and self-efficacy, amongst others. Thus, Industrial-Organisational psychologists need to be effectively prepared in order to counsel people towards flourishing in the workplace. This implies that they need the necessary exposure to and training in certain skills.
An evaluation of job crafting as an intervention aimed at improving work engagement
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Thomas, Emmarentia Carol
The construction industry plays a crucial role in the South African economy. In this high-risk industry, a lack of engagement by employees can have serious and costly health and safety consequences. Because construction companies work under conditions of tight deadlines and stringent requirements, executives and managers are often unable to reduce the demands on their employees. Hence, if employees are to increase their own levels of work engagement (and so improve health, promote safety, and guard against burnout), they need to exert personal agency by recrafting their own jobs. The term job crafting refers to proactive employee behaviours that seek to optimise the work environment, frequently by addressing the balance between job demands and job resource. Previous literature suggests that employees who use job crafting behaviours show higher work engagement, lower disengagement, more positive emotions, and better adaptive performance.
Experience of work-life balance by female traffic inspectors within the Western Cape provincial traffic: metro region
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Raybin, Fagmieda
Twenty-first century organisations have become more conscious of implementing work-life balance practices due to the fusion of females into the labour market, the existence of double career couples with children and equality gender. Several studies around work-life balance has been embarked upon, however, the perception of female traffic officers within the South African environment has not yet been explored. The present study seeks to understand and provide female traffic inspectors with better insights about how they are currently experiencing work and home life through self-awareness. A phenomenological approach based on a research design of inquiry was used to engage with female traffic inspectors and to obtain their experience, as well as its impact. The sample used for this study consisted of six female traffic inspectors from the Western Cape Government, Department of Transport and Public Works: Metro Region. The current research used one research instrument namely in-depth interview to address the research question using semi-structured, audio-taped interviews. Recurring themes that emerged from the study indicate that female traffic inspectors’ experience of work-life balance challenges involved job stress, work support, organisational culture and the work environment. These challenges have impacted on their work life and family life which gave rise to inter-role conflict, work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict, which negatively impacted on their attitude in attempting to adapt to their work environment. It became evident that most of the participants were finding it difficult to balance work and family as they realise that “something had to give”.
Relationship between generation theory, leadership style and job resources in a cleaning services organization in South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Ebrahim, Ahraas Begum
Purpose - The landscape of the world of work as we know has changed dramatically in the last decade. We have complex organizations compounded by multiple generations co-existing in the workplace. This phenomenon brings about different dynamics in organizations, progressive leaders if understood and managed correctly, could potentially capitalize on. The purpose of this paper is to understand the different generations and whether these generations require different leadership styles. The paper furthermore attempts to investigate whether different generations prefer different job resources. Design/Methodology/Approach – This research study uses a quantitative approach to determine whether there are indeed significant differences between the different generations and the leadership style they prefer as well as the job resources they prefer. Findings - Although no statistically significant differences were found between the different generations and their preferences for the specific leadership styles, the descriptive statistics regarding preference for leadership style across the generations, indicated that individuals from all generations indicated a preference for transformational leadership. Regarding preference for job resource dimensions, the results yielded a statistically significant difference in the preference for Advancement in Generation Y. Originality and Value – This research paper sheds further light on the understanding of different generations namely Baby boomers, Generation X and Generation Y. The paper maps out the preferred leadership style and preferred job resources of generations and allows business leaders an enhanced understanding of their employees.
The influence of perceived organisational support and organisational commitment on turnover intentions within selected higher education and training institutions in the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Fortuin, Tarrn Marisha-Joy
High staff turnover has been a cause for concern for most organisations in South Africa. Tertiary institutions have not been spared. Tertiary institutions that are surviving are the ones that are offering some support to their employees especially in the light of the so-called “publish or perish” adage that is prevalent among tertiary institutions as they compete to be the best in research output and quality. The purpose of the current research study was to answer the question, “What is the influence of Perceived Organisational Support (POS) and organisational commitment on turnover intention among academic staff at selected higher education institutions in the Western Cape Province of South Africa?” In order to answer the research question explaining the hypothesised relationships, the research study developed a theoretical model and tested an explanatory structural model to explain the manner in which POS and organisational commitment contribute to turnover intention.
Understanding the practice of career guidance in the Palestinian community inside Israel: concepts and challenges
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Mahamid, Mohammad Sami
The practice of career guidance in the Palestinian community inside Israel is a relatively recent phenomenon which became prominent after the emergence of approximately 30 career guidance centres across the country. The development of career guidance in a context that is characterised by continuous social underdevelopment, injustice and discrimination raises many questions around the effectiveness of career guidance and its role in fighting unemployment as well as the extent to which career guidance services can deliver results on the ground – within the Palestinian community. In the twenty-first century, we need to consider the changing social structures and contexts in which career guidance is practiced (Arthur, Collins, McMahon & Marshall, 2009). Such challenging environment interferes with the practice and its deliverables making it more difficult for Palestinian practitioners. Hence, in the light of such challenges, there exists a great need to determine the effectiveness of the services by focusing on a number of areas such as; the types of career guidance interventions used; the kind of challenges Palestinian practitioners are faced with; the theoretical framework for career guidance; the future needs and skills of career guidance practitioners. To achieve these objectives, the study interviewed a sample consisting of (N=8) Palestinian career guidance practitioners, who were drawn using convenience and snowballing sampling, using a qualitative approach; semistructured interviews. The results showed that Palestinian career guidance practitioners understood the role and function of career guidance and used a wide range of useful interventions that correspond to those in international literature. However, they were critical of Holland-based assessment that was used considering it to be incompatible with the Arab community. Participants further reported that they were faced with a spectrum of challenges that are multi-faceted in nature and felt that the key to having effective career guidance with concrete outcomes, is by dealing with it on a policy level.
The influence of organisational culture on organizational commitment and intention to quit among employees at selected retail organizations in the Western Cape province of South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Zhou, Talent
The economies of many countries in the world have been characterised by exponential growth in the past few decades. The rapid and continuous growth has brought about numerous changes in the business world which have demanded a high level of management practices as organisations fight for the required resources. Amongst the resources being sought after is human capital, employees have become one of the major resources that an organisation would want to retain. The turnover of employees to other organisations results in decreased production and a spike in the costs, through continuous, recruitment and training. Effective adaptation to change has become increasingly indispensable in order to survive, attract, maintain and retain vital resources in the highly competitive nature of the business industries. In the process of change and continuous adaptation, a skilled workforce has become the prime attraction to every employer. As a way of retaining the workforce and maintaining the competitive edge, it has become a primary obligation for organisations to build a well desired and conducive environment for the employees to ensure commitment and high levels of productivity. It is apparent that the understanding and research of the views, perspectives and opinions of employees about their organisations will be a value add in the further development of organisations, their environment, their culture and practices.
Employee participation in workplace wellness programmes in the Namibian public service: Motivational factors and barriers
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Maletzky, Mathilda Moretta
A typical workplace is likely to be non-existent in the absence of its human resources. Thus, human capital is generally an asset to most organisations. This is why it is important that employers play an active part in improving and maintaining the wellbeing of its most valued asset, its employees. The employee wellness programme is an intervention designed to serve a preventative and curative role concerning the wellbeing of employees and more organisations realises its value. However, employees and employers face various challenges when it comes to the participation of employees in these programmes. The objectives of this study was to determine the factors that motivates employees to participate in workplace wellness programmes as well as the barriers to employee participation in workplace wellness programmes in the Namibian public service. The researcher intended to uncover the personal views and experiences of public service employees pertaining to the motivational factors and barriers influencing their participation in workplace wellness programmes. The latter inspired the use of the qualitative research method as a suitable method to gather information. A total number of fifteen participants working for three different government ministries were interviewed by means of convenience sampling. Transcribed data was analysed through the method of thematic analysis and four sub-themes emerged from the data.
The relationship between authentic leadership and employee psychological capital in an organisation within the fast moving consumer goods food industry (FMCG), Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Africa, Rochelle
The recent economic situation in South Africa including the weak rand has led to a number of problems within the workplace including, retrenchment, unemployment, protracted strikes, decrease in motivation and fear of being jobless (Du Plessis & Barkhuizen, 2012). Instead of focusing on how the economy negatively affects employees with regards to their burnout, stress and job insecurity, organisations need to take a more positive approach and consider how individuals persevere through challenging times and still maintain a high sense of work performance. Recently that notion has changed as organisations moved their focus to positive organisational psychology. The positive psychology movement was spearheaded by Martin Seligman (Luthans, 2002). Seligman who was the American Psychology Association President began to understand and realised that little focus was given to the individual?s strength and that was how the positive psychology movement started (Luthans, 2002). Authentic leadership studies the leader?s transparent and genuine leadership style. Authentic leadership is an important leadership characteristic as the employees will start to trust their authentic leaders and hence the leader will be more likely to role-model behaviours that include hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism, which form the core dimensions of psychological capital. The study will establish whether the leader?s leadership style has an impact on the employee?s psychological capital. Data was collected through the psychological capital questionnaire (PCQ) the authentic leadership questionnaire (ALQ) and a biographical questionnaire. Probability sampling was used to gather the data of the present study. The data was analysed using statistical package for social science (SPSS).The study found that there was a relationship between authentic leadership and the three dimensions of psychological capital (hope, efficacy, and optimism). The dimension of resilience had no correlation with authentic leadership, which means that the leader?s leadership style does not influence or motivate the employee to be resilient. From the findings, it is evident that the organisation needs to focus more on the authentic leadership behaviours and resilience of employees.
The relationship between psychological capital, work engagement and organizational commitment amongst employees at a selected food processing plant in the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Gota, Grace
Business operational environments are constantly challenged by shifting trends in the economy, technology and market. The food processing industry is driven by rise in higher income and population growth as well as growing urbanization and internationalization of retail, which induce demand for food manufacturing products. More often than not, food processing is marked by voluminous production and mandatory stringent food processing standards (Henson & Cranfield, 2009). In a report by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (2012), in 2011, the food production division of the South African economy was the most dominant in terms of output, followed by paper and beverages production. Given the scale of impact and the volatile nature of the industry, food processing plants require support from employees who resemble positive psychological states, work with energy and delight as well as employees who display desire to remain with the organization. Positive psychological capacities can be developed in employees and have been associated with higher employee performance and satisfaction, amongst other desirable organizational outcomes (Luthans, Avolio, Avey, & Norman, 2007). The current study sought to add to existing research on psychological capital, work engagement and organizational commitment, by observing the variables in a food processing context. The main objective of the research was to investigate the relationship between psychological capital, work engagement and organizational commitment amongst employees at a selected food processing plant in the Western Cape.
Stress and its effects on the employees in a Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) organisation
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Maicu, Maria Christina
Employees in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry are at risk of experiencing high levels of stress and burnout. Females are especially even more at risk due to their work-load as well as home-life balance and child rearing responsibilities which could have a spill over effect at work. Although sources of stress vary for employees due to their work as well as life experiences, it could still result in negative and detrimental outcomes in their personal as well as professional lives. Stress could further lead to burnout, resulting in an employee developing a lack of personal accomplishment, emotional exhaustion (the extent to which emotional resources are depleted), as well as depersonalisation (negative, cynical attitudes and feelings towards others). This study highlights the significant relationship between occupational stress and burnout as experienced by males and females working in a factory in the Western Cape. A sample of 120 employees was selected from a population of 1000 workers in the fast moving consumer goods industry. For this study, a quantitative research was undertaken, which involved the use of a probability sampling method.
The experience and perception of sexual harassment in the workplace
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Manuel, Meegan Candice
Sexual harassment in the workplace continues to be experienced by many women around the world. Men may also be sexually harassed in the workplace by women or by other men. Given the pronounced attention accorded over the last few months to high ranking individuals within South Africa and the USA who have allegedly been involved in incidences of sexual harassment, the study is timely. The focus of sexual harassment studies within the workplace is furthermore important as it affects the employees, employers and the workplace as a whole. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of sexual harassment of employees of an information technology company. Information technology has typically been a male dominated occupation, and prevailing traditional, paternalistic attitudes may adversely impact on women's choice and pursuit of a career in this field. However, South African legislation, promulgated to enhance the intake of women and marginalised groups, has sought to strengthen gender equality and, concomitantly, the participation of women in information technology. The current research was conducted by administering the Sexual Harassment Experience Questionnaire and Perception of Sexual Harassment Questionnaire to a sample of 131 employees. These questionnaires were distributed via email within one organisation and four regional branches of the same organisation.
A study to investigate the attitude of customers towards electronic banking: The case of a South African-based company
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Mhlanga, Tafadzwa
It is known that attitude plays a significant role in consumer decision process whether to adopt new technology or not. Differences in attitude towards a product or a service depend on the nature of the product, individuals and the duration in which the product has been in the market. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the current research study investigated the influence of gender, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, trust, social norm, computer confidence on attitude towards e-banking and intention to start or continue using internet/cell phone banking among company ABC customers. Company ABC is a South African-based financial institution which was officially launched in January 2015. With the benefits of e-banking outnumbering the benefits of cash, company ABC started accepting electronic payments only in 2015, and opened for cash transactions in 2016. The need to understand factors impacting on consumers' attitude and behaviour towards using technology motivated the researcher. A quantitative approach was used with the aim to understand the attitude of consumers towards e-banking. 207 participants took part in the study. The sample was made up of customers from company ABC. The e-banking attitude questionnaire consists of six scales measuring perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, subjective norm, attitude, computer confidence, and intention to start to use or continue using e-banking. To measure the impact of computer confidence on attitude towards e-banking, a standardized computer attitude scale was adapted from a computer attitude scale which was developed by Loyd and Loyd (1985). Statistical analyses software packages such as SPSS (version 23) and LISREL (version 8.80) were utilised to measure the relationship between independent and dependent variables.
The impact of job demands and job resources on work engagement and turnover intentions within the information technology division of a South African bank
(University of the Western Cape, 2015) Van Heerden, Jana
The primary objective of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of 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 comprising of four sections. Participation in the survey was voluntary, anonymous and confidential. The first section of the survey consisted of gathering of the participants’ biographical and employment information. The subsequent sections provided a measurement of the specific latent variables using valid and reliable measuring instruments, including the the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17) designed by Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá and Bakker (2002), the Job Demands- Resources Scale (Jackson & Rothmann, 2005), and Roodt’s (2004) Turnover Intentions Scale (TIS).
The levels of career maturity amongst final year undergraduate students, within a department, at a higher education institution, in the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2015) Barendse, Tasneem
Tertiary education is becoming increasingly costly for many students. According to Pieterse (2005), young people can barely afford to make mistakes in their career decisions, as this could cost them too much in time and money. According to Coertse and Schepers (2004), one of the most important decisions adolescents will ever face is choosing what career to pursue. Coertse and Schepers (2004) propose that an adolescent’s career has significant consequences on their identity, values and aspirations. The most efficient way to develop young persons’ abilities, and assist them in realising their true potential, is through the educational and vocational training offered in schools (Lens, Herrera & Lacante, 2004). Many students do not receive proper career guidance at secondary schooling and they find themselves in their final year graduating, and unsure in terms of the career they are going to pursue. Hence, there exists a great need in the South African context for career guidance and for additional research in the levels of career maturity amongst final year undergraduate students. Career maturity has important implications for career development and decision-making practices (Schreuder & Coetzee, 2014). The term career maturity represents a readiness to engage in and the ability to master certain career developmental tasks appropriate to the age and level of an individual (Langley, Du Toit & Herbst, 1996). In previously disadvantaged communities in South Africa, career and educational planning was characterised by under- development, marginalisation, and under-resourcing (Pieterse, 2005). This could negatively impact students’ motivation towards, and perspectives of, their future careers. The present study aimed to assess the career maturity levels among final year students at a tertiary institution.
The relationship between psychological capital and employee wellness in organisations in the manufacturing industry in the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2014) Solomon, Shihaan
Psychological capital (PsyCap), the four dimensions of PsyCap and Perceived Wellness are viewed as positive constructs. Research indicated these positive constructs has a beneficial or positive effect on the organisation's financial performance.. Furthermore, health and wellness awareness is lacking especially in the production-driven manufacturing industry where the profit motive is of paramount importance. The research study used a cross-sectional design, measuring Psychological capital and Perceived wellness using questionnaires in the form of the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) and the Perceived Wellness Survey (PWS), respectively. These questionnaires are self-report measures, which were distributed to a sample of employees from the manufacturing industry (n = 160) in the Western Cape. Various studies both locally and abroad confirmed that the respective measures are both valid and reliable, However, the applicability in South African organisations requires further exploration.The present study aimed to determine what effect the factors of psychological capital had on the wellness of employees. The relationship between psychological capital and its effect on employees' wellness was assessed using Pearson correlation, Analysis of variance and Multiple regression analysis. Based on the findings, there was no significant relationshipfound between psychological capital and the wellness amongst the sample employees in the manufacturing industry. This is however contradictory to what studies found researching similar constructs.
Perceived organisational support, organisational commitment and turnover intentions amongst employees in a selected company in the aviation industry
(University of the Western Cape, 2014) Satardien, Maahierah
A large body of research on staff turnover report that intention to leave the organisation is one of the key predictor’s to staff turnover (Chen & Francesco, 2003; Steel & Lounsbury, 2009). Researchers agree that when organisational commitment is high amongst staff the result is low turnover (Abdulkadir & Orkan, 2009; Culpepper, 2011; Muse & Stamper, 2007; Rhoades & Eisenberger, 2002). A strong correlation between voluntary turnover and the three organisational commitment dimensions (namely, affective, continuance and normative) was also found (Tansky & Cohen, 2001; Ucar & Otten, 2010). Organisational commitment has been identified as an important employee job related behaviour and perceived organisational support plays a vital role in enhancing employees’ organisational commitment. As employees’ commitment increases, employees feel more obligated and committed towards their organisation and products of this increased commitment are favourable benefits such as organisational effectiveness, reduced turnover, improved performance and reduced absenteeism (Yang, Wu, Chang, & Chien, 2011). The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between perceived organisational support, organisational commitment and turnover intentions. Convenience sampling was used to identify the sample and questionnaires were used to collect the data. The questionnaires used to gain information include a biographical questionnaire; Eisenberger et al.’s Survey of Perceived Organisational Support, Meyer and Allen’s Organisational Commitment Questionnaire and Roodt’s Turnover Intentions Questionnaire. These questionnaires were administered to individuals employed as load control agents and support staff at a selected company in the aviation industry.
The perception of women regarding career barriers within a municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal region
(University of the Western Cape, 2014) Hlophe, Duduzile Rosemary
The aim of this research study was to assess the existence and impact of career barriers on women in a municipal environment and to understand whether career salience explains some of the differences in the perception of career barriers. To answer the research hypothesis, permission was obtained from the municipal management to embark on the study and the respondents were notified in writing of the purpose and benefits of the study. A cross-sectional, convenience sample of 89 female employees in post levels one to ten was used. The survey questionnaire consisted of a demographical questionnaire, The Career Barriers Inventory-Revised (CBI-R) (Swanson, Daniels & Tokar, 1996) and a career salience scale. The statistical analyses included descriptive, inferential statistics and analysis of variance. The data was also subjected to a Scheffe’s test to determine the differences in perceptions. The results (N = 89) of this study do not support the hypothesis that there is a significant difference between age and women’s experiences of sex discrimination as a career barrier. The first and second hypothesis, which meant to prove a significant relationship between career salience and career barriers and a significant difference in women’s perceptions of career barriers based on their career salience, was partially accepted.
Career maturity amongst first year university students in a commerce faculty at a tertiary institution in the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2013) Hoorn, Caroline
Career maturity is an essential requirement in human existence. Super (1979) identified five stages which highlight the level of maturity an individual should have achieved at a certain age. However, increasingly, it is being recognised that individuals are not at the level of career maturity where they ought to be. In order to address the matter relating to career maturity, the current research investigated the nature thereof amongst first year university students. The prevalence of specific aspects of career maturity (namely, self-information, decision-making, career information, integration of self-information and career information, and career planning) were investigated. In addition, the correlations between the aspects of career maturity and certain biographical variables such as age, gender and race were examined.

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