Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Wealth today cannot be merely measured by material acquisition but also by depth of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. This knowledge, wisdom and understanding lie in the human capital of the organisation. The dynamic nature of business today demands a constant renewal in the aspirations of the employee. Therefore, the performance of the employee in any organisation becomes the most important component. If an organisation is to gain competitive advantage, it must understand how people think, feel and act and then utilize that understanding to increase human performance. The study argues that one of the important feelings that must be understood in order to increase people effectiveness in an organisation is career management. Career management is investing in the minds of the people. The minds of the people are the source of wealth. Developing people to improve their knowledge, skills and capabilities is fundamental to the overall performance of an organisation. Career management helps identify specific talents and behaviours an individual must bring to the job. Career management also brings prosperity and job satisfaction to the individual. Career management as a system to capitalize on the employee's talents and potential should begin with a strong emphasis on personal empowerment and the elimination of self-directed negativity. Against this background, the study looks very deeply into the importance of self management. Further, the organisation itself needs to understand that peak performance is not an event but the life of the business. Whenever the results are announced the competitor listens to establish ways of doing the best. To keep up with the spirit of competitive advantage and gaining peak performance all the time, the organisation must constantly devise means to engage the emotional commitment of the employee. Such means must include career management strategies as also an attempt for employee retention. The organisation must position itself to be a facilitator of career coaching. As a facilitator of career coaching the organisation is able to plan the career success and happiness of the employee. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vandag se rykdom kan nie net slegs deur middel van materiële geskat word nie maar asook deur diepsinningheid van wetenskap, wysheid en begrip. Hierdie kennis, wysheid en verstand rus in die menslike kapitaal van die organisasie. Die dinamiese soort van besighede deesdae verlang 'n gedurige hernuwing in die strewe van die werknemer. Daarom is dit die prestasie van die werknemer in enige organisasie wat die mees belangrikste komponent is. As die organisasie 'n mededingende voordeel wil bereik,moet die organisasie verstaan hoe mense dink, voel en optree,dan daardie verstand aanwend om menslike vermoëte verbeter. Die studie dui aan dat een van die belangrikste gevoelenswaardes wat begryp moet word om mense se vermoë te verbeter in 'n organisasie, is loopbaanbestuur. Loopbaanbestuur belê in die mense se verstandelike vermoë omdat dit 'n bron van rykdom is. Ontwikkeling van mense om hulle kennis, vermoë en bekwaamhede te verbeter is die grondbeginsel tot die totale prestering van die organisasie. Loopbaanbestuur help om spesifieke talente en houdings te identifiseer wat 'n individu aan die werk moet bring. Loopbaanbestuur bring asook voorspoed en werksbevrediging aan die individu. Loopbaanbestuur as 'n stelsel wat kapitaliseer op die werknemers se talent en potensiaal moet begin met 'n sterk klem op selfbestuur en die verwydering van persoonlike negatiewe. Teen hierdie agtergrond, kyk die studie baie diep na die belangrikheid van selfbestuur. Verder, behoort die organisasie te begryp dat topprestasies nie 'n gebeurtenis is nie, maar die siel van die besigheid is. Wanneer die uitslae aangekondig word, luister die mededinge en doen sy beste om aan nuwe maniere te dink om sy beste voor te lê. Om by te bly met die mededingende voordeel en om die hoë prestasie te bereik teen alle tye moet die organisasie aanhoudelik met metodes voorendag kom sodat die werknemer emosioneel verbind is tot die organisasie. Sulke middelweë moet loopbaan beheer strategies insluit asook 'n poging om werknemer te behou. Die organisasie moet homself so plaas dat hy 'n fasiliteerder van loopbaan afrigting is. Deur as fasiliteerder van loopbaan afrigting op te tree word dit moontlik om loopbaansukses en gelukkigheid van die werknemer te bewerkstellig.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Coloured males in top and senior managerial positions are not advancing at the same rate as males from other races in South Africa. In reality the Commission of Employment Equity is showing a decline for Coloured males in top and senior management positions. The purpose of this study was to understand what interventions organisations can implement to increase the number of Coloured males in leadership roles as well as ensuring their loyalty at an early stage in their careers. The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of Coloured males in senior managerial roles via the use of semi structured interviews. The study highlights the earlier influences that assisted with the advancement of Coloured males, the barriers they encountered and what success factors played a role in their career ascent. A qualitative approach was employed for the collection of primary data and involved interviews with fourteen Coloured males who are in senior management roles in the corporate sphere. The study together with literature reviewed, highlights the interventions that organisations can implement to ensure that Coloured males advance at the same pace as their White counterparts. In particular these interventions if done at an early stage of the careers of Coloured males it could lead to loyalty that will ensure that this constituency stays with the organisation.

Recruiting and retaining an adequate share of the UK workforce is vital to meeting the construction industry's demands and sustaining its current growth. This requires the industry to attract new employees, adopt a proactive approach to Human Resource Development (HRD) and the formulation of effective retention strategies. Career development programmes are required which can align the industry's needs with the career expectations of the individual employee. However, despite the importance of such schemes to the trade and craft occupations, most research devoted to career development has a professional and managerial focus. A need to redress this imbalance has been compounded by a variety of factors such as the scarcity of skilled people, falling recruitment levels and high employee turnover rates. The overall aim of the work reported in this thesis is to develop an understanding of trade and craft career dynamics. The information can be used as a framework for supporting specific career management and career development initiatives, which in turn will serve to actively encourage skill development, attract new employees and retain the services of the current workforce. Drawing on the conceptual languages of extant "Careers" and "Human Resource Management" theory, the research adopted an ethnographic research approach. An iterative multiphase research design framework was utilised, involving a combination of research paradigms. These quantitative and qualitative methods included: a questionnaire of 563 informants; discussions with 54 groups of trainees; and 88 indepth interviews with both New Entrant Trainees (NETs) and Qualified and Experienced (QE) construction workers. By encouraging systematic narrative accounts of the attitudes, behaviours and idea systems of the actors involved a better understanding of the nature of trade and craft employment was developed. Combining and comparing the fmdings of both datasets (NETs and QEs) and relating this to the outlined theoretical perspectives sheds new light on the career dynamics within the industry. The resear_c~-. found that although employees are not comprehensive in their information and search of career options; they do place a high priority on career development. However, career development is limited due to the realities (opportunities and operational conditions) of the industry; which influence attitudes of individuals and their peers. Employees often further encounter a series of career decision errors which affect the employment relationship. The fmdings suggest that good career development practice is capable of helping to attract, recruit and retain a sustainable share of the UK workforce. As such, the fmdings provide a platform from which effective employment strategies can be developed in the future.

Despite multidisciplinary and extensive coverage, existing career theory is largely premised on Western frameworks and limited research has been conducted into career development experiences of individuals from African countries in local or transnational settings. Thus the research presented in this thesis extends on existing constructionist career development commentary by gaining insight into the interplay between societal structures and individual action in an African context. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing the career development of professional Angolans working in the oil and gas industry and how experiences associated with living and working in Western contexts influences the career development of such individuals. The aim was to go beyond discovery of factors and analyse data in the form of highly personalised accounts from key informants to deepen understanding of African career development in transnational settings, mindful of postcolonial factors. Data were collected over an 18-month period using ethnographic fieldwork and semi-structured interviewing with 24 participants. Within an ethnomethodological framework and drawing on developments in postcolonial theory, constructionist grounded theory approaches informed the hermeneutic analysis of data. Findings revealed that multiple and distinctly nuanced dynamics between institutional micro structures (e.g., family, education and employment) and societal macro structures (e.g., socio-economic, political, historical and cultural environments) significantly shape individual career decision making, behaviour and aspirations in the Angolan context. Experiences of living and working in Western settings were found to have a profound impact on personal and professional development as well as aspirations for international careers. The main limitations of this study derive from its relatively small sample size and particularist focus on a single industry, however its value stems from rich narratives captured and significant effort made to triangulate findings via ‘research conversations’ with informants and industry professionals. In light of the above, this study adds to existing career theory by incorporating postcolonial perspectives and career development experiences that go beyond planned structured careers in organisational settings by focusing on the individual consequences of international assignments in transnational settings. In light of this, insights offer value also for multinational organisations that are engaged in developing African talent.

Η επιλογή επαγγέλματος είναι ένα γεγονός ιδιαίτερης σημασίας για το άτομο. Αρχίζει να το απασχολεί από την εφηβική ηλικία και από αυτή τη συγκεκριμένη επιλογή θα εξαρτηθεί σε μεγάλο βαθμό η μελλοντική του σταδιοδρομία και η κοινωνική του ευημερία. Πλέον, στην επαγγελματική ανάπτυξη αποδίδεται η έννοια της συνεχούς εξέλιξης που εμπεριέχει η επαγγελματική πορεία του ατόμου από τα πρώτα κιόλας σχολικά του χρόνια μέχρι και την ώριμη ηλικία. Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι η διερεύνηση του επιπέδου επαγγελματικής ανάπτυξης μαθητών του Δημοτικού σχολείου, σύμφωνα με τη θεωρία επαγγελματικής ανάπτυξης του Donald E. Super. Προκειμένου να διερευνηθούν οι απόψεις των μαθητών για το εκπαιδευτικό και επαγγελματικό μέλλον τους, τους εκπαιδευτικούς και επαγγελματικούς στόχους που έχουν θέσει, τις δραστηριότητες με τις οποίες ασχολούνται και το αν αυτές βοηθούν στη διερεύνηση της σταδιοδρομίας τους και, τέλος, το ρόλο των σημαντικών άλλων στις εκπαιδευτικές και επαγγελματικές αποφάσεις που λαμβάνουν, επιλέχθηκε η ποιοτική έρευνα, και συγκεκριμένα η διεξαγωγή ημιδομημένων συνεντεύξεων με τους δεκαοκτώ (18) μαθητές που φοιτούσαν στην Ε΄ Τάξη σε 8/θέσιο Δημοτικό σχολείο της Πάτρας κατά το σχολικό έτος 2011-2012. Όπως φάνηκε από τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας, οι μαθητές έχουν αναπτύξει και τις εννέα διαστάσεις της επαγγελματικής ανάπτυξης, όπως αυτές παρουσιάζονται στη θεωρία του Super. Ειδικότερα, έχοντας επίγνωση της αυτοαντίληψης τους και της προοπτικής του χρόνου, αναπτύσσουν την ιδέα του σχεδιασμού και είναι σε θέση να συσχετίσουν την εκπαιδευτική τους εμπειρία με τα επαγγέλματα. / Career planning is an event of the utmost importance for every human being. Since that particular choice will deeply influence the future career and social prosperity of a person, it should be thoroughly thought over from adolescence. Career development is a life-long procedure initiating at early school years and going forth the course of a lifetime. The purpose of this study is to explore the level of career development of primary school students, according to the theory of career development by Donald E. Super. In order to explore the views of pupils on educational and professional future and goals they have set, the activities they are employed with and whether these contribute to exploring their career and finally, the role of significant others in educational and professional decisions they take, qualitative research has been chosen and particularly the conduction of semi-structured interviews. Those interviews involved the participation of eighteen students enrolled in fifth grade of an Primary Patras School during the 2011-2012 academic year. The results achieved in the current study have shown that students have developed the nine dimensions of career development, as presented in the theory by Super. Specifically, students being aware of their self-concept and time perspective, they reach the position of planning their career and are capable of relating professions with educational experience acquired.

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

多數人仰賴視覺做為探索世界的管道，連帶的視覺性符號或語言用法也成為人際互動最主要的溝通方式。視障者佔全台灣總人口數約千分之二的比例，在視覺型態的社會中，他們的生活經驗為何？如何看待自身的定位與外在社會環境？這些都是值得討論的問題。 基於此，本研究旨在探討台灣重度視覺障礙者個人的生涯發展，內容涵蓋重度視障者本身的自我概念、教育過程、就業過程等層面及其影響，此外，外在環境如社會態度、重要他人與相關就業政策等，亦是本研究所欲探討的主要範疇。 本研究係採質性研究方法，其中透過深度訪談了解視障個案之生命經驗、想法與感受，經由參與觀察實際接觸視障個案的生活，輔以相關文件做為參考，做為探討重度視障者生涯發展之基礎。根據上述資料彙整並描述五位視障個案的生命故事，簡潔言之，得到下列發現： 一、自我概念於視障者個人生涯中扮演的角色： 1.自我概念發展與社會互動有關，與生理障礙未必有直接相關；2.視障者亦有個別差異，不應以偏蓋全而加諸刻板印象；3.自我概念型態影響個人的生涯決定與發展方向。 二、教育和視障者個人生涯之關係： 1.學校的課程安排影響未來就業，其中缺少生涯輔導相關課程；2.視障者本身強調走讀教育與啟明學校的影響有所差異。 三、視障者求職就業的現況： 1.部分機構以刻板印象先行否定其就業能力；2.職業訓練經常是就業的前提；3.不同社會文化對於按摩工作的評價差異兩極。 四、外在社會環境和視障者個人生涯發展之關係： 1.外在世界由明眼人所支配，包括溝通之符號與言語用法皆以視覺做為基礎；2.與社會大眾之間缺乏相互理解而產生鴻溝；3.真正的需求和政策間存有落差；4.建設無障礙環境需以同理心為前提，兼顧視障者與非視障者的需求。 依據研究結果提供以下建議： 一、實務建議：1.進用視障者應由政府機構與教育單位先行做起；2.教育機構安排一般生體驗視障生活，增進對視障者的了解；3.透過廣播電台讓社會大眾重視視障者的需求；4.透過替代役的方式恢復視協員的制度；5.志工可依個人專長加以訓練。 二、對未來研究之建議：1.探討走讀與啟明不同教育背景對於視障者的生涯發展影響；2.探討不同城鄉地區視障者的生涯發展；3.探討從事不同職類之視障者的生涯發展；4.比較國內外重度視障者的生涯發展；5.攝影器材可以作為參與觀察之工具。 / Most people rely on their vision as the medium to explore the world; therefore, visual symbols or linguistic usages soon become the main communication way of human-to-human interaction. Whereas individuals with visual impairment in Taiwan represent approximately 0.2% of the total population, we would like to know what lives the visually impaired have experienced in this visual-type society? How they position themselves and what their perspectives are on the external society? These are issues worth discussing. Based on the foregoing, this research mainly discusses the career development of individuals with severe visual impairment, including various dimensions and influences such as their self-concepts, education processes, employment courses, and so on. Moreover, the public attitude, significant others and relevant employment policies related to the external society are also main points in this study. The study adopts qualitative research by conducting in-depth interviews with the visually impaired individuals to realize their life experiences, thoughts and feelings. Via not only participant observation and practical contact toward these cases, the researcher also applies related documents as the reference to be the foundation of discussing the career development of people with severe visual impairment. According to the collected information mentioned above and life narratives of five visually impaired cases, the main findings of study are summarized as followed: (1) The role self-concept plays in visually impaired individuals’ careers: 1. Self-concept of an individual with visual disabilities has concern with social interaction, but not necessarily directly relates to the physiological handicap. 2. The visual impaired also have individual differences so that we should avoid the so-called stereotype that may divide them into only a few categories. 3. Their own conceptual models about themselves do affect their decision of career and the direction they choose to develop. (2) The relationship between education and visually impaired individuals’ own careers: 1. Curriculum designs in school influence the future career, however, there is a lack of related career guidance. 2. Individuals with visual impairment themselves emphasize that the influence of inclusive education differs from that of school for the blind. (3) The recent employment status of people with visual disabilities: 1. Some institutions even deny the working ability of visually impaired people based on the fixed stereotype. 2. Job training is usually the prerequisite for them to obtain a job. 3. Different societies or cultures tend to see the massage job with extremely opposing opinions. (4) The connection between external society and personal career development of the visually impaired people: 1. People with vision dominate the outward world, so that symbols we communicate with each other and languages we use in daily life are all based on the “ sight ”. 2. Gaps appear between visually impaired individuals and the public due to the shortage of mutually understandings. 3. What people with visual impairment practically demand differs from our policies. 4. The barrier-free environment should be constructed under the prerequisite of empathy that look after both the visible and the invisible. Below are suggestions based on the results of this research: (1) For the practice: 1. Government apparatus and education institutes should lead the way to hire the visually impaired people. 2. Education institutes arrange normal people to experience invisible life to be acquainted with these visually disabled people more. 3. Arousing people to pay much attention to needs of this visually impaired individuals through the broadcaster. 4. By way of substituted soldiers we may bring the system of guide people back. 5. Volunteers can be trained according to their professional specialties. (2) For the oncoming research: 1.To explore how the two different educational backgrounds of inclusive education and school for the blind affect the career development of people with visual impairment. 2. To compare their career developments of towns and countries. 3. To enquire their career developments of various positions. 4. To compare the native career developments of visually disabled people with overseas. 5. To use photographic equipments can be used as tools for participant observation.

The single most common decision that people between the ages of 16 years and 22 years need to make is that of their career choice. Research in the field of career guidance has shown that the world of work is changing. It is generally accepted that an individual will be presented with many opportunities in the world of work and these give rise to the notion of multiple careers. To predict accurately what these opportunities might be is impractical and naive, if not impossible. Career guidance counsellors are now expected to understand the interrelationships between occupations and occupational groups; an understanding that is vital when providing a comprehensive and realistic career guidance service. The career guidance processes or programs that counsellors use, need to allow for the identification of base or entry level careers that will provide opportunity for both horizontal and vertical career movement. While the schooling system has traditionally been the primary role player in preparing learners for the world of work, recent budgetary cuts have forced schools to focus on academic subjects, and, as a result, career guidance as a subject has become ancillary to the school syllabus. This situation is unlikely to be remedied unless career guidance becomes an examinable subject as are mathematics, physical science, biology and so on. A literature study surrounding career guidance practices in South Africa and career choice and development theories from around the world, suggest that existing career guidance programs in South Africa need to be restructured to allow for a more comprehensive solution for learners, that need to make a career choice. The "PACE" career guidance program was designed to enhance the career knowledge of learners, increase their self awareness in relation to careers, and ultimately to accelerate the career maturity process. Learners from schools in East London were exposed to the program, with the intention of determining the effect of the program on their career maturity levels. Whilst certain elements which constitute career maturity were not influenced by the program, results obtained from the research indicated a significant increase in the overall career maturity level of these learners. Resulting from this dissertation, recommendations have been made relating to the length of a career guidance program, the point of departure and the point of exit, the importance of balancing realism with circumstances, and the necessity for career guidance practitioners to possess a thorough understanding of careers and the various paths that careers may follow. Suggestions regarding further research in the area of career guidance are also provided. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2003

This study explores what UK managers aged 50 and over perceive as career progression at a time in life when opportunities for further promotion may have ceased. It examines motivational drivers and subjectively significant personal and organizational influences on career progression. It also investigates whether motivation for career progression is perceived to have changed over the career and the extent to which it may differ between male and female older managers. The research adopted a qualitative, inductive approach using a phenomenological methodology. Fieldwork comprised semi-structured interviews with 27 male and 13 female managers aged 50 and over from two large, UK financial services organizations. The findings show how motivation for career progression in managers aged over 50 is driven by individually diverse patterns of career drivers, personal and work-related influences, and attitudes towards career opportunities. These can be classified into a number of career progression orientations. The study contributes to knowledge in the area of subjective psychological career mobility in late career and the balance which individuals maintain between the organizational and personal aspects of their career. It demonstrates that motivational drivers of career progression are perceived to change over the career and that career progression is linked, on an individual basis, to past, current and future career mobility which may extend past the traditional retirement transition. It also reveals that, in general, older female managers may exhibit a greater drive for self-realisation through later life career renewal than their male counterparts.

This mini-dissertation was submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban Institute of Technology, 2007. / This study aimed to assess the perceptions and career choices made by Technikon Witwatersrand Homoeopathy graduates from 1998 to 2004. It is noted that Technikon Witwatersrand (TWR) is now known as University of Johannesburg; however as the name change did not occur at the time of this study, this study refers to this institution as TWR throughout. The study was designed to investigate their demographic composition as well as aspects concerning career choices, the status of their practices and the reality of Homoeopathy being a viable and satisfactory career choice. / M