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The contribution of generic coaching to self-leadership

  • Authors: Govindjee, Kavita
  • Date: 2023-12
  • Subjects: Employees -- Coaching of -- Research , Mentoring in business , Leadership -- South Africa , Organizational behavior
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/65610 , vital:74204
  • Description: The working landscape underwent significant changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to an increased need for employees to enhance their self-leadership skills. The advancement of these skills could assist individuals to adapt and thrive in the face of relentless change. While self-leadership skills have traditionally been cultivated through training, coaching research has typically not considered it as a process of contributing to the growth of self-leadership. This study aims to explore the contribution of generic coaching to self-leadership. A qualitative research design using a purposive sampling method was applied to a sample group consisting of nine coachees. Coaches from the researcher’s network in South Africa had referred coachees who had previously been engaged in an individual generic coaching process, such as life, health, career, business or executive coaching. This exploratory study involved conducting semi-structured online interviews to collect data. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was adopted to learn about the lived coaching experiences of the participants. A thematic analysis approach was applied to the data to extract repeated themes that could provide answers to the research questions. The themes that emerged from the data included (1) the generic coaching process, (2) the factors that facilitate effective coaching, (3) the impact of coaching, and (4) the understanding of self-leadership. The findings of the research had, to a large extent, indicated that generic coaching contributed to self-leadership. The connection between the three self-leadership strategies, the coaching process and the tools that were used made this apparent. Coaching is another method of development that can enhance employees’ self-leadership skills, accelerate growth and facilitate learning. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resources, 2023
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  • Date Issued: 2023-12

An investigation of how newly appointed team leaders in an automotive manufacturing organisation experience the role transition from specialists to team leaders

  • Authors: Mzelemu, Patrick Sbusiso
  • Date: 2022-10-14
  • Subjects: Leadership , Automobile industry executives , Role expectation , Identity (Psychology) , Personnel management , Organizational behavior
  • Language: English
  • Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/403036 , vital:69916
  • Description: The purpose of this study is to investigate and understand how specialists who are newly appointed team leaders in an automotive manufacturing organisation experience the transition from specialists to team leaders. The role of leading others in an organisation is linked to human resource leadership. The human resource is highlighted as a valuable resource as it is the only thinking resource in an organisation. It also influences cost and quality and it is central to the organisation's competitive advantage. Consequently, any interruptions or lack of effective management of the human resource will result in a loss of value that the human resource brings into the organisation since they maximise the use of all other resources. The role transitioning process takes place in three phases. These are the separation, transitioning and incorporation phases. In the separation phase, the transitioning individuals have difficulty detaching from their previous role; the individuals still having the urge to do the work for their subordinates instead of delegating illustrate this. In the transition phase, the individuals in the study experienced the anxiety of wanting to make the new role a success whilst experiencing a sense of lack of belonging due to not being in the familiar old role and not entrenched in the new role. In the incorporation phase, the transitioning individuals experience a sense of stability where they are comfortable acting in the new role. Problem: This study aims to answer the question of how newly appointed team leaders in an automotive manufacturing organisation experience role transition from specialists to team leaders Method: The study will be employing the qualitative thematic deductive method. The target population consists of team leaders who have transitioned into the team leader position in the past two years in different departments. The data was collected by way of face-to-face semistructured interviews with a sample size of seven participants. Data analysis was conducted with a method that is consistent with thematic analysis. 3 Key Findings: Individuals transitioning have urgencies to perform their previous roles in the early phase; during the transition phase, they have anxiety because they are not yet successful in the new role, and in the final phase, they have become comfortable with their new roles and their new identities. Implications: The study's outcome is to identify insights and resultant recommendations for non-leading specialists transitioning into roles where they have to lead others. The study will add to the research in the field of leadership behaviour and organisational behaviour. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2022
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  • Date Issued: 2022-10-14

Team-related factors influencing intra-team knowledge sharing in knowledge-intensive businesses

  • Authors: Van Greunen, Conrad
  • Date: 2021-12
  • Subjects: Knowledge management , Organizational behavior
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54630 , vital:46873
  • Description: In today’s knowledge-driven economy, knowledge is regarded as possibly the most important factor of production next to labour, land and capital. Knowledge is the lifeblood of a business and therefore crucial for its survival in today’s constantly changing and competitive economic environment. In fact, effective knowledge management holds many benefits for an organisation, such as increased productivity and enhanced business performance. Knowledge management is therefore key to ensure business success. In the knowledge management process, knowledge-sharing is typically recognised as the most important activity. Knowledge that is not shared, in particular tacit knowledge residing in the minds of individuals and accrued over time, loses its value. Notably, team knowledge-sharing is of utmost importance in that it enables a team to resolve practical issues more successfully, given that knowledge is shared among team members that hold various kinds of specialised and unique expertise. Organisations increasingly organise their specialised knowledge-intensive work around projects that consist of allocated members who cooperate on a regular basis to accomplish specific goals before a set deadline. However, without knowledge-sharing among team members, the diverse knowledge of various members cannot be optimally utilised to the benefit of the team and the organisation. Although it is well documented that knowledge-sharing among team members, in particular knowledge-intensive teams, may hold various advantages for teams and organisations in terms of their performance and competitive advantage, researchers also acknowledge that individuals are sometimes reluctant to share their knowledge. Moreover, there is a lack of empirical research on the team-related factors influencing intra-team knowledge-sharing, and a subsequent lack of guidance in terms of encouraging intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. Notably, the lack of current systematic, integrated research, that pay particular attention to the team-related factors influencing the knowledge-sharing behaviour within a team is problematic. This lack of research calls for further empirical research to better understand the teamrelated factors influencing intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour in knowledgeintensive teams. As such, the main research objective of this study was to identify and empirically examine selected team-related factors influencing the intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour of individual members participating in knowledgeintensive teams in knowledge-intensive businesses. Based on an extensive literature review, the following team-related factors influencing knowledge-sharing in a team context were identified and hypothesised to have a relationship with the dependent variable Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. These factors, which also served as the independent variables in this study, are: Team development competition, Team hyper-competition, Team psychological safety, Perceived surface-level diversity, Perceived deep-level diversity, Team identification, Metacognitive cultural intelligence, Cognitive cultural intelligence, Motivational cultural intelligence, Behavioural cultural intelligence, Affective team commitment, Continuance team commitment and Normative team commitment. Following the construction of the proposed hypothesised model, the researcher proceeded to develop a research design that would be suitable to address the research questions. For the purpose of this study, a positivist research philosophy and deductive approach to theory building were adopted, which is in line with the quantitative nature of this study. In addition, a survey research strategy was used and the study was cross-sectional in nature. The measuring instrument, which was in the form of a self-administered online questionnaire, was subjected to a pilot study. Minor adjustments were made to the questionnaire before an electronic link to the final version, accompanied by a cover letter, was e-mailed to 8 496 potential respondents. These potential respondents, who were identified using a convenience sampling technique, were likely to participate in knowledge-intensive teams and be representative of the population. A total of 384 usable responses were received. Following the data collection, the data were analysed to examine the proposed relationships as depicted in the hypothesised model. To address possible multicollinearity concerns associated with different variables that belong to a shared category, such variables were first combined into a single hierarchical variable. Thereafter, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on each factor that confirmed the factor structures by using various goodness-of-fit indices. Subsequent to the CFAs, the validity and reliability of the measuring instrument was assessed. The reliability of the measuring instrument was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, while the assessment of validity involved calculations of the average variance extracted (AVE) estimates and squared correlations between constructs. Based on the results of the reliability and validity assessments, the hypothesised model was revised accordingly. The revised model included Team development competition, Team psychological safety, Cultural intelligence, Team commitment and Perceived deep-level diversity as the independent variables influencing Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. Descriptive statistics and correlation results were presented on the constructs in the revised hypothesised model, while a structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was the main statistical technique used to test the significance of the relationships between the dependent and the independent variables. The relationships between selected demographic variables and Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour were assessed by means of general linear modelling (GLM), a subset of SEM. In light of these analyses, it was concluded that Team psychological safety, Team development competition, Cultural intelligence and Age have a significant influence on Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour and could thus be seen as predictors or determinants thereof. Of all the significant relationships identified in this study, Team psychological safety had the strongest effect on Intra-team knowledge-sharing behaviour. One should, however, not lose sight of the impact that competition and cultural intelligence could have on the knowledge-sharing behaviour of individual members participating in knowledge-intensive teams. This study contributes to the body of knowledge-sharing research in general, but also to knowledge-sharing behaviour in a team context in particular. Besides the theoretical contributions, this study makes several practical recommendations to knowledgeintensive businesses on how to manage the team-related factors influencing the Intrateam knowledge-sharing behaviour of individual members participating in knowledgeintensive teams. These recommendations could possibly enhance the competitive advantage of knowledge-intensive businesses. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-12

An analysis of talent management practices of recently hired employees from the perspective of the psychological contract

  • Authors: Bischoff, Olivia Edjegayhu
  • Date: 2021-10-29
  • Subjects: Gifted persons , Contracts Psychological aspects , Personnel management Psychological aspects , Breach of contract , Psychology, Industrial , Organizational behavior , Industrial relations , Employees Attitudes , Employee retention
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/191865 , vital:45173
  • Description: This research took the form of an explanatory case study focused within a single organisation to evaluate talent management practices of recently hired employees from the perspective of the psychological contract. The theory underpinning this research is Resource-Based Theory (RBT) in the context of Talent Management. The research aims were: 1) to analyse how talent management practices have affected the psychological contract, 2) to analyse how employees have responded and intend to respond if there has been a breach in the contract and 3) to analyse how employees have responded or intend to respond where psychological contract expectations have been met. The key concepts identified include talent management and the psychological contract. The literature therefore expanded on talent management highlighting the importance of recruiting, attracting and retaining talent, especially in a global context where experience and skills are a source of competitive advantage. Following this, the concept of the psychological contract was used as a lens through which to analyse the experience of individuals, specifically focusing on new employees joining the organisation, to assess their socialisation and onboarding experience. The literature further explored the importance of focusing on new employees, as this is deemed by the literature as a critical time of transition in the shaping of the psychological contract. In further reviewing the literature regarding early onboarding, further review of the literature identified important components, including (1) socialisation and onboarding, (2) performance management and probation, (3) employee development and (4) work conditions. From reviewing the literature four propositions were deduced as follows: • Proposition 1: All integrative processes in early onboarding influence the initial psychological contract of the employee. Proposition 1 was further divided into three sub propositions as follows: Sub Proposition 1a) HR plays a key role in early onboarding, influencing the initial psychological contract; Sub Proposition 1b) Supervisor support plays a key role in early onboarding, influencing the initial psychological contract; and IV Sub Proposition 1c) The work team plays a key role in early onboarding, influencing the initial psychological contract. • Proposition 2 stated: Performance discussions influence the psychological contract. • Proposition 3: Employee development opportunities are a source of motivation in the fulfilment of the psychological contract. • Proposition 4: Employment conditions influence the fulfilment of the psychological contract. The research followed a qualitative approach, using deductive analysis to analyse the data collected from semi-structured interviews. The findings and discussion show that the propositions confirmed the literature and were relevant to the case study at hand. Where there was varying degree of experience regarding the effect of the influence or impact on the psychological contract this was noted and expanded on accordingly. The study also recognised the additional context that presented itself within the findings, namely the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research concludes in acknowledging the delimitations and limitations of the study while making suggestions for areas of future studies. To conclude, this research shows that the transition of a new employee in their early stages within the organisation is an opportunity to support in positively influencing and maintaining the psychological contract to support employee satisfaction and motivation. If organisations can also appreciate that the psychological contract is dynamic and can change over time based on changing circumstances or needs, then this can be proactively monitored to support long-term retention of talent. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-10-29

The relationship between work engagement and psychological meaningfulness

  • Authors: Faro, Gillian Rochelle
  • Date: 2021-04
  • Subjects: Employee motivation , Organizational behavior , Psychology, Industrial
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/51360 , vital:43267
  • Description: Work engagement is a positive psychological construct that according to research predicts positive organisational outcomes. The overarching objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between work engagement and psychological meaningfulness and to determine whether work engagement can be predicted by means of psychological meaningfulness. This study took on the form of a cross-sectional design, using a questionnaire to measure work engagement and psychological meaningfulness. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Psychological Meaningfulness Scale (PMS) are instruments that have been widely used in research and were both found to be reliable and valid. The questionnaire was administered in the form of a paper and pencil self-administered questionnaire. This study was conducted at a mining/manufacturing company based in the Eastern Cape for employees across all occupational levels (N=202) and the sample was selected using non-probability convenience sampling as participation in the study was voluntary. Descriptive statistic methods were used to analyse the data, as well as an analysis of variance (ANOVA). Correlation data analysis methods were utilised to measure the relationship between variables. The study found a strong positive relationship between work engagement and psychological meaningfulness and that a large portion of the respondents scored moderate to high on work engagement and high on psychological meaningfulness. The study also found that there is a positive relationship between work engagement and age in that older employees are more engaged than younger employees. Male respondents were found to have higher levels of psychological meaningfulness. Lastly, the study revealed that psychological meaningfulness predicts work engagement. Research and organisational recommendations based on the research are discussed. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Labour Relations and Human Resources, 2021
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  • Date Issued: 2021-04

Psychological empowerment and organisational citizenship behaviour as predictors of intention to stay among employees in the banking sector in Lesotho

  • Authors: Domela-Serobanyane, Malinda
  • Date: 2020-06
  • Subjects: Psychology, Industrial , Organizational behavior , Banks and banking
  • Language: English
  • Type: Doctoral theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/20263 , vital:45640
  • Description: This study investigated the association between psychological empowerment and organisational citizenship behaviour, on the one hand, and intention to stay among employees in the banking sector in Lesotho. A few studies have investigated the relationship between intention to stay and the two independent variables of psychological empowerment and organisational citizenship behaviour individually. However, no study has investigated the relationship between intention to stay and psychological empowerment and organisational citizenship behaviour (combined) as predictors of intention to stay in the banking sector in Lesotho. Investigating psychological empowerment and organisational citizenship behaviour as predictors of employee intention to stay in the Lesotho banking sector has been considered vital for this study. Variables were chosen due to deficiencies in previous research related to the constructs of psychological empowerment; organisational citizenship behaviour and intention to stay explain the necessity for further research, in particular to the banking sector in Lesotho. Utilizing a positivist perspective, the current research used a closed questionnaire to 321 employees from three commercial banks in Lesotho. The response rate was 98 percent (309 responses). To analyse data, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used. In particular, this research used exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlation, and analysis of variance (ANOVA), analysis of moment structures (AMOS) as well as structural equation modelling to address the hypothesised relationships. Overall, the results of this study found that there is no association between psychological empowerment and employee intention to stay in the organisation. Demographic variables were used as control variables in the study and it was found, inter alia, that age positively influences the level of psychological empowerment as a predictor of intention to stay. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2020
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  • Date Issued: 2020-06

Job characteristics and organisational citizenship behaviour among employees in a previously disadvantaged South African university

  • Authors: Yawethe, Thozama
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Organizational behavior
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Industrial Psychology)
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/18952 , vital:43002
  • Description: This study examined job characteristics and organisational citizenship behaviour among employees in a previously disadvantaged South African University. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 149 randomly selected participants. A 5-point Likert scale job characteristics survey by Hackman and Oldham (1975) was used to measure job characteristics while, a 5-point Likert scale by Lee and Allen (2002) on organisational citizenship behaviour was used to measure employee’s organisational citizenship behaviour. Different statistical techniques such as Spearman rho correlation technique and Regression analysis were used to analyse data. The results showed that task significance, skills variety, autonomy and feedback are significantly positively related to organisational citizenship behaviour. There was a non-significant negative relationship between task identity and organisational citizenship behaviour. A combination of two or more job characteristics dimensions were found to report a higher proportion of variance in organisational citizenship behaviour than any one job characteristic separately. The study, thus, recommends that managers must design employees’ jobs or tasks that are more meaningful to stimulate the display of organisational citizenship behaviour. Initiatives that stimulate the use of a variety of skills, promotes feedback, promote task significance and autonomy were suggested as solutions to stimulate the display of OCB. The prevalence of such dimensions on one’s job increase motivation and satisfaction therefore contributing positively towards organisational citizenship behaviour.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

Multilingualism, innovation, and productivity: an examination of the impact of multilingualism in the workplace, with reference to the BRICS countries

  • Authors: Leyne, Breda
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Multilingualism -- BRIC countries , Bilingual communication in organizations , Second language acquisition , Language in the workplace , Diversity in the workplace , Communication in organizations , Intercultural communication , Labor productivity , Organizational behavior , Technological innovations , BRICS countries
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148149 , vital:38714
  • Description: This study examined whether the choice of language in the workplace affects personal and workplace productivity. The study has focussed on those working in countries which come under the BRICS grouping, Brazil, Russia, India and China and South Africa, as this provided a rich comparison of historical, economic and linguistic contexts. The research undertaken sought to explore the impact of prevailing language usage amongst employees of multi-national companies operating within the BRICS countries. With the assumption that these workforces will include multilingual individuals, the study set out to ascertain whether multilingualism has been recognised as a factor that might impact upon personal productivity or progress, either in a positive or negative fashion. The study set out to consider how language use may affect economic behaviour, firstly on a personal level and then to extrapolate this more widely into organisational productivity and innovation. This was set against background research into; theoretical perspectives on the acquisition of additional language, perceived benefits of bilingualism for individuals, studies of the management of language use with multinational corporations and relationships between language and economics. The conclusion reached is that multilingualism could have a beneficial impact on wider workforce productivity, and that it is not just a ‘language problem’ as it often seems to be treated. The final conclusion is that this may be something that should be more carefully considered by organisations in an increasingly global workplace. The researcher considers that multilingualism could be better employed as a workplace productivity metric, in a way that arguably it is not at present.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

A critical analysis of organisational justice in the South African financial service industry

  • Authors: Mrwebi, Viwe
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: Organizational behavior , Financial services industry -- South Africa -- Management Intrinsic motivation Employee retention Labor turnover
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/33065 , vital:32513
  • Description: Organisational justice has captured the interest of scholars in recent years since it is associated with the perceptions and reactions of an individual, to the presence of fairness in an organisation. It thus captures what an individual feel or evaluates to be, morally correct rather than viewing it to be something prescriptive. This study was aimed at investigating the extent of organisational justice on organisational citizenship behaviour, ethical behaviour and employee retention in the South African financial services industry. A hypothetical model and measuring instrument was developed in order to investigate factors that may influence the organisational justice in the financial services industry. Six independent variables (trustworthiness of management, employee engagement, reward system, organisational transparency, two-way communication and organisational climate) were identified as variables that have the potential to influence organisational justice (mediating variable). It was also hypothesised that organisational justice) has the potential to affect the dependent variables (organisational citizenship behaviour, ethical behaviour and employee retention). Furthermore, nine null-hypotheses were developed to test the relationship between independent, mediating and dependent variables. All these variables were clearly defined and operationalised with various items that were obtained from other measuring instruments or self-developed items. A quantitative research approach followed. This study made use of the non-probability sampling technique, specifically convenient and judgemental sampling, as there is no data base of financial services firms available in South Africa. A purposive sample of 800 respondents was drawn from four provinces in South Africa. Factor and regression analyses were used to test the significance of the relationship between the various independent and dependent variables. The mediating variable of organisational justice was viewed by respondents as a two-dimensional construct, namely procedural-interactional justice and distributive justice. Consequently, intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards, organisational transparency and organisational climate were identified as independent variables that could have an impact on the procedural-interactional justice to predict organisational citizenship behaviour and reputable employee retention in the financial services industry. No relationships were identified between trustworthiness of management and employee engagement and procedural-interactional justice. The independent variables, trustworthiness of management, extrinsic rewards and organisational climate, could have an impact on distributive justice to predict organisational citizenship behaviour and reputable employee retention in the financial services industry. No relationships were identified between employee engagement, intrinsic rewards, organisational transparency and distributive justice. The findings of this study have contributed to the body of knowledge in the financial services literature in South Africa, by developing a theoretical model and a measuring instrument of organisational justice in the financial services industry. The antecedents of organisational justice in the financial services industry are not well documented in literature and findings of this study could thus contribute towards closing this gap in literature. The findings of this study could also inform policy formulation to assist with the implementation of organisational justice programmes in the financial services industry. This study provided useful and very practical guidelines to organisations in order to ensure the effective strategising and management of OJ that could enhance their local and global competitiveness and long-term survival.
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  • Date Issued: 2018

Perceived breach and violation of the psychological contract in a collectivistic culture

  • Authors: Van der Merwe, Sophie Wilhelmine
  • Date: 2015
  • Subjects: Collectivism , Employees -- Attitudes , Contracts -- Psychological aspects , Industrial relations , Breach of contract , Personnel management -- Psychological aspects , Organizational behavior , Psychology, Industrial
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:855 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017523
  • Description: The significance of relationships on economic actions and employee behaviour makes it critical for employers to understand the dynamics of employment through mutual obligations (Rousseau, 1990; Guest, 2004b). The psychological contract affords a broad platform to study the employment relationship (Thomas et al., 2010), and is an important tool for organisational success (McDermott et al., 2013). The literature review contained in this study indicates the differences in contracting environments due to the prevailing cultural orientation. However, there is a dearth of research in collectivistic culture, to which this study will add. The literature also makes a distinction between perceptions of breach and violation. While perceptions of breach of the psychological contract is the perception that the employer has not met all obligations and promises, violation is the emotional and affective state following breach (Morrison & Robinson, 1997) and results in negative or deviant behaviours (Chiu & Peng, 2008). Both breach and violation perceptions negatively affect employee behaviours and attitudes in the workplace (Aggarwal & Bhargava, 2014). This research assumed a constructivist paradigm and builds understanding of the outcomes of breach and violation of the psychological contract on employees’ working life in a collectivistic environment. Primary data collection was by in-depth semi-structured, one on one interviews with five employees of a state-subsidised organisation in East London, making use of convenience sampling. Follow up interviews were conducted, resulting in 7ₑ/₄ hours of interviewing time. Cultural orientation was ascertained through the use of a questionnaire. The findings of this study confirmed that the type of psychological contract entered into influences the outcomes of perceptions of breach and violation. Both dimensions of collectivism, namely institutional and in-group, were practised in this environment, which also impacted on both the individual’s experience and outcomes for the organisation. The latter was influenced by commitment to organisational goals and supervisory or collegial relationships. Most notable of the results is the effect of expectations of transitional justice on experience of the psychological contract. Practical implications and recommendations for future research are made. This research is presented in three sections; firstly the research is presented in the format of an academic paper and includes a concise summary of literature and research method. The second section is an expanded literature review of the psychological contract and its influencing factors, as well as the outcomes of breach and violation. The last section describes and justifies in detail the design of the research and the research procedure followed. , Alternate name: Van der Merwe, Somine
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  • Date Issued: 2015

The four flows model and organising: a case study of the grounding programme at the University of Fort Hare

  • Authors: Dube, Nomzamo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9873-6566
  • Date: 2015-01
  • Subjects: Communication in organizations , Organizational behavior
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24739 , vital:63538
  • Description: The research focuses on McPhee and Zaug (2000)’s four flows model prevalent in the Communicative Constitution of Organisation (CCO) school of thought to explicate its applicability in the organisation of the Grounding Programme, a compulsory trans-disciplinary first year programme at Fort Hare University. This thesis diverts emphasis from studying organisation as a noun to Karl Weick (1979)’s view of seeing organisation as a verb, shifting emphasis to the term organising, thus looking at organisation as an on-going process not as an entity. The theoretical basis of the research is Giddens’ structuration theory which attempts to offer a conceptual stability to the friction of employees’ compelling needs for freedom and the organisational rules and policies. The structuration theory is foundational to the CCO perspective which gave birth to the four flows model, therefore perfectly ideal for the purpose of the study. Research methods used in this study are open ended interviews, participant observation and document examination. These complement each other and impeccable for this study. Upon intersecting the four flows model and the Grounding Programme, it came to light that the model was formed out of a series of models and theories, the weaknesses of each model or theory perpetuates to the next hence causing series of problems. Unsolved issues of the structuration theory perpetuates to the CCO which in the long-run extend to the four flows model. Findings also show that the inadequacies of one communicative flow of the four flows model affect the other flows hence it is sometimes difficult to track how the actual problem began. Again, not all flows are relevant for organisational purposes. In spite of McPhee and Zaug’s attempt to narrow the model into four distinct flows, the model still remains incomprehensive and has loopholes when linked to a particular organisation because organisations are different. However, McPhee and Zaug’s model ought to be credited for its successes too, which are outlined in the thesis. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2015
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  • Date Issued: 2015-01

Measuring brand loyalty in the medical device industry of South Africa : a study across the public and private health-care system

  • Authors: Rozani, Veliswa Celestine
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Brand loyalty , Organizational behavior , Medical supplies -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:8914 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021070
  • Description: Brands are major role-players in the organisational business strategy; and they are recognised as one of the most valuable assets a company can possess. The entry of low-cost competitors has redefined the entire competitive landscape of the health-care industry through their ability to transform their value chain, in order to drastically reduce prices. With the fierce rivalry amongst the competitors, and a quest for companies to achieve competitive advantage, companies must design their strategies better than their competitors. For a company to be successful in such an environment, customer-brand loyalty is a critical issue. The main objective of this study was to measure brand loyalty in the medical-devices industry of South Africa, and to establish the key influencing factors of brand loyalty in this industry. The measurement of brand loyalty in the medical devices industry is founded on a conceptual brand-loyalty framework for the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry developed by Moolla (2012). The 12 brand loyalty factors identified by Moolla are: customer satisfaction; switching costs or risk aversion; brand trust; involvement; repeat purchases; relationship proneness; commitment; perceived value; brand relevance; brand affect; brand performance and culture. The empirical study was conducted among 250 medical practitioners across the private sector and public sector health-care system of South Africa. The methodology adopted in the study included the sampling procedure, the data collection, the questionnaire development and the statistical techniques used to analyse the results. The results were analysed with regard to: Factor analysis; Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients, mean values and inferential statistics. The results were presented in a conceptual framework, in order to measure brand loyalty in the medical devices industry of South Africa. The results of this study concluded that the brand loyalty influences, as identified by Moolla, are important for measuring brand loyalty in the medical devices industry. The empirical results focused on the demographic profile of the respondents, the validity of the questionnaire, the reliability of the results obtained, as well as the importance of the research variables. The analysis enabled certain conclusions to be drawn relating to the significant factors of brand loyalty in the medical devices industry in South Africa. A comparison was conducted relating to age group, gender profile, the health-care sector and the medical specialization – to determine whether there were any significant differences in the influence of the brand-loyalty factors identified. The chapter concluded with a conceptual framework for the medical-devices industry adapted from Moolla (2012) framework.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

The leadership competencies subordinates value : an exploratory study across gender and national culture

  • Authors: Gondongwe, Sharon
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Leadership , Organizational behavior , Organizational behavior -- Cross-cultural studies , Organizational behavior -- Sex differences
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:1203 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015673
  • Description: The effectiveness of leadership is largely dependent on whether the leadership competencies exhibited by leaders are congruent with the value system endorsed by subordinates. One of the ways in which leaders can influence subordinates is by understanding the leadership competencies valued by subordinates. Gender and national culture are two of the many factors that have an influence on the leadership competencies valued by subordinates. A large amount of research has been conducted to determine if, indeed, gender and national culture influence the leadership competencies subordinates' value. However, most of this research has been conducted in Europe and North America, places in which national cultures differ significantly from those prevailing in African countries. This study, from a South African and Zimbabwean perspective, attempted to ascertain if gender and national culture influence the leadership competencies they value in their leaders. Existing studies have indicated that gender and national culture do not influence the leadership competencies valued in a leader. The findings of this study are in accordance with previous research and agree that gender and national culture do not influence the leadership competencies valued in a leader. The results of this study indicated that male and female subordinates value similar leadership competencies. With respect to national culture, both South African and Zimbabwean subordinates value similar leadership competencies. Based on the findings of this study, regardless of gender and national culture, all subordinates value a leader who is loyal, visionary, openly embodies integrity, and is a leader who empowers subordinates.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

Relationships between psychological capital, work engagement and organisational citizenship behaviour in South African automative dealerships

  • Authors: Harris, Chantel
  • Date: 2012
  • Subjects: Work -- Psychological aspects , Employee motivation , Job satisfaction -- South Africa , Organizational behavior , Automobile industry and trade
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DCom
  • Identifier: vital:9395 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008059 , Work -- Psychological aspects , Employee motivation , Job satisfaction -- South Africa , Organizational behavior , Automobile industry and trade
  • Description: Psychological capital (PsyCap), work engagement (WE) and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) are all positive constructs which research has indicated will have a positive impact on the bottom line. In light of Positive Organisational Behaviour, this has become increasingly important, particularly in the service industry where good service leads to satisfied customers and ultimately repeat purchases. This research took on the form of a cross- sectional design, using a composite questionnaire to measure PsyCap, WE and OCB. This was a self-report electronic questionnaire which was distributed via email to customer service representatives (N=276) from a national automotive company with dealerships in Gauteng and the Western Cape. The measurement models were revalidated for the South African sample of customer service representatives through conducting Exploratory Factor Analysis. PsyCap remained a four-factor structure, however lost items in the elimination process. Both the UWES and OCB instruments lost items and became two-factor structures. This makes the notion that these instruments are portable to the South African situation questionable. To confirm these structures, item parcelling was utilised and Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted. The results indicated that the new measurement models were better suited to the South African sample. Demographic groups had significant differences in the means for PsyCap, WE and OCB. Further to this, relationships between the constructs were tested through multiple regression and structural equation modeling. The most significant relationship was found between PsyCap and work engagement. Finally, PsyCap (barring optimism) and WE were found to load onto a single factor when testing for factorial independence, while OCB came out as a separate factor.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2012

Organizational Behaviour: IPS 322

  • Authors: Gcaza, L N , Berry, D
  • Date: 2010-01
  • Subjects: Organizational behavior
  • Language: English
  • Type: Examination paper
  • Identifier: vital:17490 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1010465
  • Description: Organizational Behaviour: IPS 322, Supplementary examination Jan/Feb 2010.
  • Full Text: false
  • Date Issued: 2010-01

The relationship between job satisfaction and organisational citizenship behaviour among selected organisations in Zimbabwe

  • Authors: Chiboiwa, Malvern Waini
  • Date: 2009
  • Subjects: Job satisfaction , Employees -- Attitudes , Corporate culture , Organizational behavior , Employee loyalty
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Industrial Psychology)
  • Identifier: vital:11547 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/30 , Job satisfaction , Employees -- Attitudes , Corporate culture , Organizational behavior , Employee loyalty
  • Description: Contemporary human resources management suggests that organisations which have been able to make it in the business arena have done so through good people management practices. Job satisfaction, through a people centered approach, has not been spared as one of the critical forces used in achieving organisational effectiveness. Traditional thought behind job satisfaction prescribes that satisfied employees tend to be more productive, creative and committed to their jobs; all of which are imperative to ii achieving an organisation’s bottom line. There has been some controversy surrounding the nature of the relationship between job satisfaction and organisational citizenship behaviour, which is another factor that is regarded as important in achieving organisational effectiveness. Some studies have shown that organisational citizenship behavior is a result of job satisfaction. In this regard, the present study focuses on the extent to which job satisfaction influences organisational citizenship behaviour among selected organizations in Zimbabwe. The study hypothesised that job satisfaction correlates positively with organisational citizenship behaviour. Participants in the study comprise of middle level management, supervisors and lower level employees. Two questionnaires were combined to collect data for the study. The Minnesota Satisfaction questionnaire was used to collect data on job satisfaction whilst a questionnaire by Konovsky and Organ (1996:253) was used to collect data on organisational citizenship behaviour. The results show that employees in the organisations surveyed report moderate levels of job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior. It was established that there was a substantive correlation between job satisfaction and organisational citizenship behaviour.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2009

Correlates and outcomes of emotional intelligence in organisations

  • Authors: Bosman, Leon Abraham
  • Date: 2003
  • Subjects: Leadership , Emotional intelligence , Organizational behavior
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DCom
  • Identifier: vital:11006 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/337 , Leadership , Emotional intelligence , Organizational behavior
  • Description: Emotional Intelligence and Leadership are two very important constructs to organizations. Likewise concepts like OCB, conflict handling and intention to quit of employees are equally important constructs to organizations. The primary aim of the present study was to determine how well Organisational Citizenship Behaviour and intention to quit as well as the conflict handling style of subordinates could be predicted by means of leadership style, and the emotional intelligence of leaders. A secondary aim was to determine whether a causal model could be built to represent the relationships among the variables included in the study. Relationships among these constructs were investigated in a South African sample of employees (N=470) working for various organisations. The construct validity and internal consistency of the measuring instruments were investigated. The finally accepted factor structure of not one of the measuring instruments matched the original structure as found by the authors/developers of the measuring instruments. It was therefore decided that in all cases the factor pattern as determined on the responses of the present sample would be used in further analyses of the data. Emotional intelligence of leaders as seen by subordinates and the self - perceived conflict handling styles of subordinates seem to be related in the case of Integrating and Obliging conflict handling styles and both the emotional intelligence sub-scales, i.e. Motivation and Vigilance. The Multiple Regression analysis indicated that the emotional intelligence sub-scales scores played a minor role in the prediction of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour. Models of the relationships among the variables were built by studying the results of v previous as well as the present study. The model, in which emotional intelligence is depicted as a causal variable influencing - through leadership behaviour – organizational citizenship behaviour and the integrating style of handling interpersonal conflict represented a good fit with the data. These results seem to provide some structure for thinking about the relationships among the variables and can possibly serve as frames of reference in future studies.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2003

Management of political behaviour in organisations

  • Authors: Pio, Riaan Johan
  • Date: 2000
  • Subjects: Organizational behavior , Corporate culture
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
  • Identifier: vital:10839 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/33 , Organizational behavior , Corporate culture
  • Description: In this research paper, the constructive management of political behaviour in organisations was investigated. A general overview of relevant aspects which specifically relate to the constructive management of political behaviour in the automotive industry was presented. The literature study included a discussion of the nature of political behaviour and guidelines for the management of political behaviour in organisations. The research methodology consisted of three phases: Phase 1: A literature study to determine guidelines to manage political behaviour in organisations constructively. Phase 2: An empirical study to determine the effectiveness of these guidelines in practice by means of a survey amongst role players in the automotive industry in South Africa. Phase 3: The findings from the literature study and empirical study were integrated into guidelines of how managers can manage political behaviour constructively. The study identified nine main strategies for managing political behaviour. They are: Open communication. Communication must be open to keep all parties informed and to prevent distrust. Reduction of uncertainty. This involves preventing employees being unsure of what the future holds. Awareness. The aim of awareness is for managers to be sensitive to and aware of situations that could elicit political behaviours. Furthermore, they must recognize political behaviour for what it is. Setting an example. Managers must set an exemplary example and not engage in political behaviour. An understanding of the reason/motivation for the formation of informal (political) groups or cliques. Having established the reason why political groups form will enable a manager to manage them more effectively. Confront political game players. Managers must address all forms of possible political behaviour in a serious manner. Understanding the organisation’s strategy, goals and action plans. All employees need to know exactly what direction the organization is moving in and what is in it for them. It is management’s task to ensure this open and clear communication, to prevent fears and political behaviour. Tie resource allocation and rewards to strategy. This can be achieved by ensuring that the criteria for the allocation of rewards is straight forward and understood by all. Reward systems must, furthermore, be directly linked to performance. There should also be transparency in decision-making. Isolate resource acquisition from internal operations. It is necessary to clearly specify the conditions and ground rules for the acquisition of resources to ensure that the process is transparent. The conclusion reached is that political behaviour in organizations can be managed constructively to build win-win relationships.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2000

Organisation development: a formative evaluation of an OD intervention

  • Authors: Routledge, Michael Henry Collis
  • Date: 1999
  • Subjects: Organizational change , Organizational behavior , Action research , Psychology, Industrial
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:3044 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002553 , Organizational change , Organizational behavior , Action research , Psychology, Industrial
  • Description: Rapid changes and increased competitiveness in business environments, together with greater demands by employees for improvements in the quality of their work lives, make it necessary for organisations to review their operating styles and functions. Many companies have found an answer in Organisation Development (OD) which focuses on ways in which people associated with organisations learn to diagnose and solve those problems which limit organisational effectiveness. The present study evaluates the progress of an OD intervention underway in an organisation in Zimbabwe. A formative evaluation is undertaken during an OD intervention. It is designed to assess the change effort's progress in such a way that steps can subsequently be taken to correct, modify or enhance such aspects of the intervention as may be determined by the evaluation. The study begins with a review of the company's original and revised Mission Statements as well as the present and last two sets of corporate three-year plans. These documents inform the construction of an interview guide. Individual interviews are then used to ascertain attitudes of respondents to the OD intervention and the changes it is bringing about. In addition the interviews are used to gauge the degree of commitment of respondents to the intervention. All the senior managers in the organisation are interviewed as well as the holding company's chief executive and the external consultant facilitating the intervention. The study records fundamental changes taking place in the attitudes of top managers and the first signs of an impact of these attitude changes on the formulation of company plans. Management styles and the culture of the organisation also show some change and influence on routine business operations. In addition there are early indications of an alteration of behaviour at other levels in the organisation. Business outcomes are improving and it is proposed that the benefits are due to fortuitous market developments assisted to an extent by the culture and attitude changes brought about by the OD intervention.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 1999
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