In an effort to determine whether job satisfaction and expectations in a group of workers undergoing major change in the workplace differ from groups of workers not undergoing major change, data were collected from three groups of workers at the operator level in a major U.S. electronics manufacturing company. Two of the groups were not undergoing a major work redesign and served as control groups. A group undergoing the early stages of a major work redesign, characterized primarily by their formation into a self-managed work team, served as the experimental group. The experimental group and one control group were located at the same manufacturing plant, while the other control group was located at another plant. It was hypothesized that the group of workers undergoing change would differ in job satisfaction and that over time, the difference would grow. It was also hypothesized that the group undergoing change would have different expectations about the nature of their jobs in the future. Data were collected from members of the three groups using a modified version of Hackman and Oldham's (1980) Job Diagnostic Survey, with two administrations of the survey seven months apart. Data were analyzed using a 3 (Groups) X 2 (Perception: "Now" versus "Near Future") x 2 (Administration) factorial design, with repeated measures Oil the Perception variable. Results revealed a difference in job satisfaction between the groups, as hypothesized. Results also revealed that members of the experimental group did have a few expectations for the future not held by members of the control groups; otherwise, expectations differed very little between the groups. Explanations for these findings are offered. This study suggests that those charged with implementing major change in the workplace should keep in mind that they may not see dramatic reactions from workers asked to make major changes, at least at the earliest stages of the change.

Doctor of Education / This case study looks at the impact of closing an urban secondary school. It considers the experiences of the students, the staff and the parents. It does not argue with the decision to close the school but concentrates on the experience for those most closely involved. The thesis is guided by the main research question which is: “What is the impact of school closure on the various elements of a school community and is there a way to close a school and minimise this impact?” Supplementary questions seek to describe how the closure was undertaken and what factors can be identified which helped ease the transition for those involved. While seeking to develop theory grounded in the research the findings have also been informed by theory associated with grief, place attachment, emotion in the workplace and change. Unpublished primary documents such as transcripts of group interviews, responses to written questionnaires and minutes of meetings are the basic sources of data for this thesis. The researcher was an active participant in the closure and well known to all respondents. The thesis concludes that although keeping the school open for the final year was of benefit to the morale and adjustment of staff it was probably less beneficial for the students involved. It suggests that with proper counselling support and identification of the closure as a critical incident, a quick closure would help student learning outcomes and prevent teacher de-skilling. It also confirms the importance of a school, or probably any institution, in the emotional life of those associated with it. Note: The students in this study range in age from 13 to 18 years of age in Years 7 through to 12.

Doctor of Education / This case study looks at the impact of closing an urban secondary school. It considers the experiences of the students, the staff and the parents. It does not argue with the decision to close the school but concentrates on the experience for those most closely involved. The thesis is guided by the main research question which is: “What is the impact of school closure on the various elements of a school community and is there a way to close a school and minimise this impact?” Supplementary questions seek to describe how the closure was undertaken and what factors can be identified which helped ease the transition for those involved. While seeking to develop theory grounded in the research the findings have also been informed by theory associated with grief, place attachment, emotion in the workplace and change. Unpublished primary documents such as transcripts of group interviews, responses to written questionnaires and minutes of meetings are the basic sources of data for this thesis. The researcher was an active participant in the closure and well known to all respondents. The thesis concludes that although keeping the school open for the final year was of benefit to the morale and adjustment of staff it was probably less beneficial for the students involved. It suggests that with proper counselling support and identification of the closure as a critical incident, a quick closure would help student learning outcomes and prevent teacher de-skilling. It also confirms the importance of a school, or probably any institution, in the emotional life of those associated with it. Note: The students in this study range in age from 13 to 18 years of age in Years 7 through to 12.

Thesis (MA (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / In most organisations worldwide, the magnitude of change is ever increasing. In the midst of these uncertainties, there is an increasing need for leaders who can provide structure, meaning and security within their teams. Dynamic and transformational leaders become a sought after jewel in organisations. Emotional intelligence has gained immense popularity in the last few years. Extravagant claims have been made regarding the impact of emotional intelligence on transformational leadership, as some researchers claim that emotional intelligence accounts for up to 90% of leadership success. The primary goal of this study was therefore to research the influence of emotional intelligence on leadership, and to develop a structural model to determine the relationships between the dimensions of emotional intelligence and transformational leadership. If the dimensions of the emotional intelligence construct that have a positive influence on leadership could be established, this would provide a valuable tool to organisations. Recruitment, selection, training and development procedures could be structured in a way that focuses on identifying and developing these dimensions of emotional intelligence in leaders. A literature study of the theories and models of transformational leadership and emotional intelligence was conducted. A short overview has also been given of “Primal Leadership” – discussing the emotional role of a leader as the first and foremost function of any leader. Hypotheses, based on the theoretical background, have subsequently been developed in order to establish the relationship between the dimensions of emotional intelligence and leadership.The sample in this study is compiled of 118 managers within a financial institution in the Western Cape. A questionnaire consisting of three sections was compiled to collect information in order to provide an answer to the research problem. Section A of the questionnaire was designed to give an overview of the demographic variables of the participants. Section B measured emotional intelligence by making use of the Rahim/Minors emotional intelligence questionnaire. Section C employed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire by Bass & Avolio to measure transformational leadership. A detailed statistical analysis was conducted. Correlations between the constructs of emotional intelligence and transformational leadership were determined by means of Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients. Positive and significant correlations have been found for all hypotheses. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and the partial least squares (PLS) method were applied to test the hypothesised structural model. Although the model did not provide a good fit, most of the predicted hypotheses have been confirmed by the model. To investigate the unique contribution that each variable of interest makes to the dependent variable to which it is linked, standard multiple regression analyses have been performed on the data. A positive and significant relationship has been found between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership. Support has also been found for most of the hypotheses that have been developed in order to explain the relationship between the dimensions of emotional intelligence and the dimensions of transformational leadership. The study also succeeded in determining the emotional intelligence dimensions that are the best predictors of leadership success, and these criteria can be utilised for the selection, training and development of leaders. Conclusions are drawn from the results obtained, the implementation value of the study is discussed, and recommendations for future research are made.

With the accelerated process of political and socio-economic transformation in South Africa, revolutionary organisational change has become a given in contemporary South African business life (Human & Horwitz, 1992). For revolutionary organisational change to succeed in South Africa, middle managers who represent the 'cement' of the organisation, need to adjust at the individual level. However, the literature on organisational change remains curiously silent about individual adjustment (Ashford, 1988). The goals of the research were firstly, to recount the middle manager's perceptions and experiences of revolutionary organisational change. Secondly, to detail the psychological re-<lrientation and reidentification of middle managers within their 'changed' organisational context. Thirdly, to understand the relative success of middle managers' psychological adjustment. A single case study design was most appropriate as the study represented a unique case in that it was the most transformed public organisation in South Africa. An initial research group and two theoretically relevant sub-groups were created through theoretical sampling. The data collected through in-depth interviews, direct observation and documentation, and the analysis of this data were jointly undertaken. The results indicate that the respondents perceived a necessity for revolutionary organisational change due to the political changes within South Africa. However, the actual management of the change process was perceived to be poor as the respondent's experienced a lack of participation and a lack of communication. The traumatic 'side effects' of these experiences included feelings of powerlessness and uncertainty which increased the level of organisational stress. Specific individual differences proved largely ineffective in moderating the increased stress. This was attributed to the violation of the individual respondents' psychological contract and the subsequent shared psychological disorientation. The violation resulted in feelings of hurt, betrayal and resentment which shifted the respondents view of the employment relationship. The respondents were therefore unable to identify with the 'new' organisation. This was evident in their attitudinal and behavioural responses which included a lack of trust, lack of organisational commitment and a shift in work satisfaction as weU as ensuing 'offsetting' behaviour and a reluctance to engage in organisational citizenship behaviour. These attitudinal and behavioural responses strongly suggested that the respondents' psychological adjustment was predominantly ineffectual.

Change cannot be denied and it is constantly prevalent in our external and internal worlds. How we adapt to change has an important impact on our lives as it can define the quality of our lives. I, the researcher, am interested in people’s change, how change affects people and how I can help them to progress fast and effectively. Therefore the aims of this qualitative study are: 1) to introduce an alternative way to view phobias, and to 2) examine the effectiveness of an Energy Psychology method, HBLUTM, in the detection and resolution of phobias in the context of change, transition and/or progression. This study's findings confirm the wide-ranging effect the HBLUTM simple phobia treatment had on the 10 participants and suggests that the HBLUTM simple phobia protocol was successfully implemented to treat all the participants, thereby relieving them of their phobias of change or transition / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Change cannot be denied and it is constantly prevalent in our external and internal worlds. How we adapt to change has an important impact on our lives as it can define the quality of our lives. I, the researcher, am interested in people’s change, how change affects people and how I can help them to progress fast and effectively. Therefore the aims of this qualitative study are: 1) to introduce an alternative way to view phobias, and to 2) examine the effectiveness of an Energy Psychology method, HBLUTM, in the detection and resolution of phobias in the context of change, transition and/or progression. This study's findings confirm the wide-ranging effect the HBLUTM simple phobia treatment had on the 10 participants and suggests that the HBLUTM simple phobia protocol was successfully implemented to treat all the participants, thereby relieving them of their phobias of change or transition / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

The focus of this study was the unconscious dynamics in the consultant-client relationship as industrial and organisational psychologists seek to achieve change in client organisational systems. Twelve psychodynamic themes were used to interpret a journal maintained by the consultant throughout one consulting assignment, in an effort to understand the unconscious processes influencing the effectiveness of the consulting relationship. Analysis found that the client system imported the consultant to carry nurturing and healing on behalf of the system, but projected onto and into him the confusion, pain, hostility and incompetence in the system, stripped him of authority and manipulated him out of his role as change agent. The consultant unconsciously accepted the projections, failed to contain the system&#8217;s anxiety, gravitated towards the paranoid-schizoid position and was unable to effect meaningful change. Recommendations where made for the use of this form of psychodynamic analysis as a self-evaluative tool in the consulting context. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A.

Text in Afrikaans / This research dealt with the contribution of psychodynamic group interventions to organisational development (OD). The research consists of a qualitative investigation and was based on a case-study design with the use of multiple cases. Three different cases were presented, namely where a psychodynamic group intervention was used together with another intervention, where obstacles in a group were to be solved and as an in-house working conference. Random sampling was also done within the cases. Three interventions were done, data was gathered and analysed by means of content analysis, and the results were reported. It was found in all three cases that a unique contribution was made. Regarding the first case, the intervention was the beginning of a process of change whereby the participants were enabled to develop their identity as a group, from a family business to a company. Participants became aware of underlying conflict, started to own their roles in it, and to take responsibility for addressing the dynamics themselves. In the context in which the intervention was used, the contribution was, however, restricted because its value was only experienced after the intervention. Regarding the second case, the obstacles influencing the functioning of the team were addressed efficiently after the intervention. Participants were authorised to manage their boundaries more efficiently and to address role differentiation, leading to more open communication and a better work climate. Regarding the third case, it was found suitable especially for learning diagnostic competencies from a psychodynamic paradigm. Learning occurred on a personal level resulted in the ability of participants to identify dynamics in their organisation and to present similar interventions in their work place. Recommendations were made for the use of psychodynamic group interventions from a qualitative paradigm, as well as regarding the necessary competencies and a training programme for presenting psychodynamic group interventions. / Hierdie navorsing hande! oor die bydrae van psigodinamiese groepintervensies tot organisasie-ontwikkeiing (00). Die behoefte om onbewuste dinamika in organisasies aan te spreek, hettot hierdie navorsing aanleiding gegee. Die navorsing is in die vorm van 'n kwalitatiewe ondersoek en is gebaseer op 'n gevallestudie-navorsingsontwerp waarin daar van meervoudige gevalle gebruik gemaak is. Drieverskillendegevalleisaangebied, naamlikwaar'n psigodinamiese groepintervensie saam met 'n ander intervensie gebruik is, waar blokkasies in 'n groep opgelos moes word en as 'n in-huise werkskonferensie. Daar is ook van ewekansige steekproefneming binne elke geval gebruik gemaak. Drie intervensies is uitgevoer, data is ingesamel en deur middel van inhoudsontleding ontleed. Daar is bevind dat al drie gevaiie 'n unieke bydrae gelewer het. Ten opsigte van die eerste geval was die intervensie die begin van 'n veranderingsproses waardeur die deelnemers in staat gestel is om vanuit 'n familiebesigheid hu! identiteit as 'n maatskappy te ontwikkel. Deelnemers het bewus geword van onderliggende konflik, begin om hulle rolle daarin te eien, en verantwoordelikheid te aanvaar om die dinamika self aan te spreek. In die konteks waarin die intervensie gebruik was, was die bydrae egter beperk omdat die waarde daarvan eers na afloop van die intervensie ervaar is. Ten opsigte van die tweede geval is die blokkasie wat die funksionering van die span bei'nvloed het na afloop van die intervensie doeltreffend aangespreek. Deelnemers is bemagtig om hul grense meer doeltreffend te bestuur en roldifferensiasie aan te spreek, wat tot meer openlike kommunikasie en 'n beter werksklimaat aanleiding gegee het. Ten opsigte van die derde geval is bevind dat dit veral geskik was vir die aanleer van diagnostiesebevoegdhedevanuit'n psigodinamiese paradigma.Leerwatoppersoonlike vlak plaasgevind het, het tot gevolg gehad dat deelnemers in staatwas om die dinamika in hul organisasie te identifiseeren om self soortgelyke intervensies in hul werkplek aan te bied. Aanbevelings virdiegebruikvanpsigodinamiesegroepintervensiesvanuit'nkwaiitatiewe benadering tot 0 0 is gemaak, sowel as aanbevelings oordie noodsaaklike bevoegdhede en 'n opleidingsprogram vir die aanbied van psigodinamiese groepintervensies deur bedryfsielkundiges. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D.Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / 103 Leaves printed on single pages, preliminary pages i- viii and numbered pages 1-132. Includes bibliography, list of tables and figures. Digitized at 600 dpi grayscale to pdf format (OCR), using a Bizhub 250 Konica Minolta Scanner. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research explored the role of interpersonal justice perceptions in an organisation undergoing change. Interpersonal justice was operationalised by dividing it into two components namely, social sensitivity and informational justice. The study falls within the qualitative and quantitative paradigm. The research was conducted at a South African financial institution undergoing change due to a merger and acquisition, and comprised of in-depth interviews as well as an exploratory survey. The sample consisted of 159 employees. The results confirm those of previous research studies regarding the relationship between interpersonal justice and job satisfaction. The results also showed that a difference in the interpersonal justice perceptions of employees at different job grades exists. Interpersonal justice perceptions are likely when employees believe that they personally are treated fairly and are being adequately informed of the changes in their organisation. This is of utmost importance if one is to create a just and efficient workforce during organisational change processes. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsing het die rol van interpersoonlike geregtigheid persepsies in 'n organisasie wat verandering ondergaan ondersoek. Interpersoonlike geregtigheid was geoperasioneel deur dit te verdeel in twee komponente naamlik, sosiale sensitiwiteit en inligtings geregtigheid. Die studie val onder die kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe paradigma. Die navorsing was onderneem by 'n Suid-Afrikaanse finansiele instelling wat deur organisatoriese verandering gegaan het as gevolg van 'n samesmelting. Die navorsing het bestaan uit in diepte onderhoude asook 'n ondersoek opmeetinstrument. Die steekproef het bestaan uit 159 werknemers. Die resultate van die studie ondersteun die van vorige navorsing wat betref die verhouding tussen interpersoonlike geregtigheid en werkstevredenheid. Die resultate het ook getoon dat 'n verskil in die interpersoonlike geregtigheid persepsies van werknemers op verskillende posvlakke bestaan. Interpersoonlike geregtigheid persepsies is moontlik wanneer werknemers glo dat hulle met respek en regverdigheid behandel word. Werknemers moet ook genoegsaam ingelig word van die veranderinge in die organisasie om persepsies van interpersoonlike geregtigheid te ondervind. Dit is van uiterste belang gedurende organisatoriese veranderinge om 'n doeltreffende mannekrag waar geregtigheid geld te skep.