Literature indicates that pharmacists of South Africa experience high levels of stress as a result of their working conditions. Seeing that the definition of subjective well–being (SWB) entails that a person feels positive affect (positive moods) and experience infrequent feelings of negative affect (such as stress), pharmacists have low SWB since they experience high levels of stress. It is thus vital to lessen the stress seeing as this low SWB may entail a danger to the profession as well as the patients' safety. Based on this leisure proves to enhance well–being by producing positive affect (such as happiness) and reducing negative affect (such as stress or depression). Leisure (taking a holiday) is furthermore a means of buffering stress and therefore the perfect solution to pharmacists' stress. Hence the purpose of this research was to determine the role of holiday taking on South African pharmacists' overall well–being. To achieve this goal a database was obtained from The South African Pharmacy Council. This database consisted out of 8000 e–mail addresses of pharmacists registered at the Pharmacy Council. From the 1500 e–mails that were send out 207 completed questionnaires were obtained. A thorough literature analysis on socio–demographic characteristics, travel motives, independent choices and preferred activities when taking a holiday was done in Chapter 2. This chapter gives a detailed understanding of how the afore–mentioned factors influence the decision to take a holiday and the effect of taking a holiday on subjective well–being. Article 1 (Chapter 3) and Article 2 (Chapter 4) was based on this chapter's literature. Chapter 3 (Article 1) of this study determined whether holidays lead to positive SWB of pharmacists. In order to achieve this aim, the chapter made use of the Affectomer 2 and Satisfaction with life Scale to determine the pharmacists' subjective well–being before and after taking a holiday. Dependent t–tests were then applied to compare the A distinction on the other hand can be made amongst pharmacists that imply different working conditions and working hours. Therefore Chapter 4 (Article 2) of this study determined all the factors that influence the different groups of pharmacists' holiday taking which ultimately could lead to the enhancement of the profession's well–being. To achieve this, the chapter made use of factor analysis, ANOVAs and chi–square tests to find differences between different pharmacists. The results showed that the three groups of pharmacists (private, government, and industry), differ based on sociodemographic characteristics. These socio–demographic characteristics furthermore influence the different groups of pharmacists' decisions to take holidays which leads to higher subjective well–being. The results of Chapters 3 and 4 indicate that pharmacists experience enhanced wellbeing after taking a holiday and which have implications for different role players. This study is the first to determine the profile of pharmacists and give an indication of their travel behaviour that will assist destinations to alter their product/services to better suit the profile or travel behaviour of pharmacists. Employing companies on the other hand can have financial benefits in the form of low staff turnover and satisfied patients. Although pharmacists are seen as a homogeneous group, pharmacists differ based on socio–demographic characteristics and therefore the Pharmacy Council may enforce the design of different policies for the different groups of pharmacists to reduce the pharmaceutical profession's stress. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Literature indicates that pharmacists of South Africa experience high levels of stress as a result of their working conditions. Seeing that the definition of subjective well–being (SWB) entails that a person feels positive affect (positive moods) and experience infrequent feelings of negative affect (such as stress), pharmacists have low SWB since they experience high levels of stress. It is thus vital to lessen the stress seeing as this low SWB may entail a danger to the profession as well as the patients' safety. Based on this leisure proves to enhance well–being by producing positive affect (such as happiness) and reducing negative affect (such as stress or depression). Leisure (taking a holiday) is furthermore a means of buffering stress and therefore the perfect solution to pharmacists' stress. Hence the purpose of this research was to determine the role of holiday taking on South African pharmacists' overall well–being. To achieve this goal a database was obtained from The South African Pharmacy Council. This database consisted out of 8000 e–mail addresses of pharmacists registered at the Pharmacy Council. From the 1500 e–mails that were send out 207 completed questionnaires were obtained. A thorough literature analysis on socio–demographic characteristics, travel motives, independent choices and preferred activities when taking a holiday was done in Chapter 2. This chapter gives a detailed understanding of how the afore–mentioned factors influence the decision to take a holiday and the effect of taking a holiday on subjective well–being. Article 1 (Chapter 3) and Article 2 (Chapter 4) was based on this chapter's literature. Chapter 3 (Article 1) of this study determined whether holidays lead to positive SWB of pharmacists. In order to achieve this aim, the chapter made use of the Affectomer 2 and Satisfaction with life Scale to determine the pharmacists' subjective well–being before and after taking a holiday. Dependent t–tests were then applied to compare the A distinction on the other hand can be made amongst pharmacists that imply different working conditions and working hours. Therefore Chapter 4 (Article 2) of this study determined all the factors that influence the different groups of pharmacists' holiday taking which ultimately could lead to the enhancement of the profession's well–being. To achieve this, the chapter made use of factor analysis, ANOVAs and chi–square tests to find differences between different pharmacists. The results showed that the three groups of pharmacists (private, government, and industry), differ based on sociodemographic characteristics. These socio–demographic characteristics furthermore influence the different groups of pharmacists' decisions to take holidays which leads to higher subjective well–being. The results of Chapters 3 and 4 indicate that pharmacists experience enhanced wellbeing after taking a holiday and which have implications for different role players. This study is the first to determine the profile of pharmacists and give an indication of their travel behaviour that will assist destinations to alter their product/services to better suit the profile or travel behaviour of pharmacists. Employing companies on the other hand can have financial benefits in the form of low staff turnover and satisfied patients. Although pharmacists are seen as a homogeneous group, pharmacists differ based on socio–demographic characteristics and therefore the Pharmacy Council may enforce the design of different policies for the different groups of pharmacists to reduce the pharmaceutical profession's stress. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Objective: The primary objective is to determine the preferred organisational characteristics and remuneration types for pharmacists and university students in South Africa. The primary objective will be realised and supported by meeting the secondary objectives, which are: * What organisational characteristics and remuneration types exist in the literature that could influence the employee’s perception of the organisation? * How do these characteristics and remuneration types differ between students and pharmacists? * How do these characteristics and remuneration types differ between different age groups? * How do these characteristics and remuneration types differ between different levels of experience? Methods: The research of this study will be conducted by means of a comparative literature review and a quantitative empirical study. The literature review will discuss the staffing situation in the pharmacy as it is currently experienced, as well as the aspects that might influence potential applicants in the future. The empirical investigation will be done by analysing pharmacists currently employed by a retail pharmacy chain organisation and the final-year pharmacy student class of a South African university. Quantitative research will be conducted by way of an anonymous questionnaire. Part one will be used to determine the demographics of the study populations. Part two will determine the current level of motivation as well as aspects pertaining to their preferred organisational characteristics and will include the following: * To determine the current organisational characteristics sought after by the pharmacists and pharmacy students in the study population; and * To determine the most preferred remuneration types for the pharmacists and pharmacy students in the study population. Results: It was noted that many organisational characteristics could influence the employee perceptions. From the analysed questionnaires, characteristics that include growth opportunities inside the organisation, using your pharmaceutical skills, physical working location, as well as manageable intensity of work were cited as the most important characteristics. The most important remuneration packages in the studied population were analysed to be: * A basic plus benefit system was preferred * A skills-based pay as the base of the remuneration package * A performance-based incentive system where benefits are rewarded according to merit * Incentives calculated from amount of personal output and not by business unit or organisational profit * Share options were popular as an added benefit It should be noted that the preferred remuneration packages do differ between students, pharmacists, pharmacy managers, different age groups and experience groups and can be personalised for each group. Conclusion: This study highlighted preferred organisational characteristics and remuneration types for retail pharmacists and final-year pharmacy students. It is recommended that a more in-depth study of the preferred organisational characteristics and remuneration types for retail pharmacists should be conducted. This study should also include the cost implications of hiring the most suitable candidate for a position versus the least suitable candidate. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Objective: The primary objective is to determine the preferred organisational characteristics and remuneration types for pharmacists and university students in South Africa. The primary objective will be realised and supported by meeting the secondary objectives, which are: * What organisational characteristics and remuneration types exist in the literature that could influence the employee’s perception of the organisation? * How do these characteristics and remuneration types differ between students and pharmacists? * How do these characteristics and remuneration types differ between different age groups? * How do these characteristics and remuneration types differ between different levels of experience? Methods: The research of this study will be conducted by means of a comparative literature review and a quantitative empirical study. The literature review will discuss the staffing situation in the pharmacy as it is currently experienced, as well as the aspects that might influence potential applicants in the future. The empirical investigation will be done by analysing pharmacists currently employed by a retail pharmacy chain organisation and the final-year pharmacy student class of a South African university. Quantitative research will be conducted by way of an anonymous questionnaire. Part one will be used to determine the demographics of the study populations. Part two will determine the current level of motivation as well as aspects pertaining to their preferred organisational characteristics and will include the following: * To determine the current organisational characteristics sought after by the pharmacists and pharmacy students in the study population; and * To determine the most preferred remuneration types for the pharmacists and pharmacy students in the study population. Results: It was noted that many organisational characteristics could influence the employee perceptions. From the analysed questionnaires, characteristics that include growth opportunities inside the organisation, using your pharmaceutical skills, physical working location, as well as manageable intensity of work were cited as the most important characteristics. The most important remuneration packages in the studied population were analysed to be: * A basic plus benefit system was preferred * A skills-based pay as the base of the remuneration package * A performance-based incentive system where benefits are rewarded according to merit * Incentives calculated from amount of personal output and not by business unit or organisational profit * Share options were popular as an added benefit It should be noted that the preferred remuneration packages do differ between students, pharmacists, pharmacy managers, different age groups and experience groups and can be personalised for each group. Conclusion: This study highlighted preferred organisational characteristics and remuneration types for retail pharmacists and final-year pharmacy students. It is recommended that a more in-depth study of the preferred organisational characteristics and remuneration types for retail pharmacists should be conducted. This study should also include the cost implications of hiring the most suitable candidate for a position versus the least suitable candidate. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014