Submitted by Maike Costa (maiksebas@gmail.com) on 2016-04-15T13:24:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivo total.pdf: 1491135 bytes, checksum: a2db08f0e7806e5d3675b926779be199 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-15T13:24:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivo total.pdf: 1491135 bytes, checksum: a2db08f0e7806e5d3675b926779be199 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-06 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This study proposes a research on classical theory of equal opportunities. The expression information related to educational opportunities and income. For this purpose, are used four different databases associated with some empirical strategies. Thus, this study was divided into three stages: i) in the first, it appears the intergenerational transmission level of education in several economies. In addition, measures to indirect influence of environmental factors on individual effort expended. Moreover, clears up what the effect of a socio-economic growth in the test result; ii) in the second stage, we highlight the role of social and economic characteristics in educational performance. In particular, it appears the indirect influence of parental education on individual results. And finally, in the last step, it investigates the option called luck has deterministic influence on individual results. The results show different patterns of intergenerational transmission of education. In short, shall discharge to low levels of educational transmission in South American countries. On the other hand, there is a significant effect of the circumstances of the individual employee effort and a strong involvement of social and economic characteristics in educational performance. Finally, there was a substantial portion of luck option in determining the income, but also an important contribution of unobservable characteristics in individual economic results. / Este estudo propõe uma investigação sobre a clássica teoria de igualdade de oportunidades. Consideram-se informações referentes às oportunidades educacionais e de renda. Para tanto, utilizam-se quatro bases de dados distintas associadas a algumas estratégias empíricas. Diante disso, este estudo foi dividido em três etapas: i) na primeira, verifica-se o nível de transmissão intergeracional da educação em diversas economias. Adicionalmente, mensura-se a influência indireta de fatores circunstanciais sobre o esforço individual despendido. Além do mais, apura-se qual o efeito de um incremento socioeconômico no resultado do teste; ii) na segunda etapa, destaca-se o papel das características sociais e econômicas no desempenho educacional. Em especial, verifica-se a influência indireta da educação parental sobre o resultado individual. E, por fim, na última etapa, investiga-se se a denominada sorte opção tem influência determinística no resultado individual. Os resultados encontrados apontam diferentes padrões de transmissão intergeracional da educação. Em síntese, apuram-se baixos níveis de transmissão educacional nos países sul-americanos. Por outro lado, observa-se um efeito significativo das circunstâncias sobre o esforço individual empregado e uma forte participação das características sociais e econômicas no desempenho educacional. Por último, constatou-se uma parcela substancial da sorte opção na determinação da renda, como também, uma importante contribuição das características não observáveis no resultado econômico individual.

The researcher selected a quantitative cross-sectional design to test the concurrent validity of learning potential and psychomotor ability by evaluating the relationships between mining machine operators’ learning potential and psychomotor ability as well as their work safety behaviour. Work safety behaviour was considered indicative of their capability to operate a moving machine. The utilization of measuring instruments capable of measuring their learning potential and psychomotor ability and measuring safety behaviour by means of their safety score cards provided the required measurement data. The study involved a quantitative investigation into the relationship between learning potential and psychomotor ability as independent variables and safety behaviour as dependent variable. De Vos, Strydom, Fouche and Delport (2002, p.79) defined quantitative research as “based on positivism, which takes scientific explanation to be nomothetic. Its main aims are to measure the social world objectively, to test hypotheses and to predict and explain human behaviour. A quantitative study may therefore be defined as an inquiry into social or human problems based on testing a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers and analysed with statistical procedures in order to determine whether the predictive generalization of the theory holds true.” The aim of the study was to determine the learning potential and psychomotor ability of mining machine operators as well as compare the following sub-groups (based on the biographical variables): age, years’ experience, educational level and gender. The respondents’ work safety behaviour was measured and the relationship between the two measures of the independent variables (learning potential and psychomotor ability) and work safety behaviour determined. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The business environment has during the last decades gone through major dramatic changes. Rapid and radical technological development and continuous change in both business practices and behaviours of the population, to name a few, have complicated and put pressure on organizations’ new product development (NPD) processes. Having an effective and efficient NPD process while succeeding in innovation in today’s business environment is a big challenge. Organizations face multiple organizational and process type barriers to innovation and have difficulties in finding suitable successful and efficient tools and methods. The overall purpose of this paper is to investigate how organizations dealing with product development can increase their innovation and efficiency performance, i.e. organizational performance, with the use of Visual management (VM). The aim of VM is to improve organizational performance by connecting and aligning organizational vision, core values, norms, and goals with other management systems, work processes and workplace elements. The individual elements of VM can affect how encouraged the employees are to perform in the workplace, hence having an effect on organizational performance. However, there are still many questions to be answered and new knowledge to be gained regarding how to best utilize VM, such as the understanding of what factors mediate the impact VM has on performance. The overall purpose is further concretized in a research model with five related hypotheses. A hypothesis-testing is performed in a comparative study with four large organizations. The empirical data is primarily collected through surveys with employees utilizing VM, with a total of 144 respondents. In addition, semi-structured interviews are performed with each department utilizing the visual tool; the interviewees being knowledgeable in the design and process of utilized VM. VM appears to have a substantial effect on innovation and efficiency performance. However, it has no direct effect, rather it exhibits indirect effects. VM’s positive effect on efficiency IV performance is mediated by efficient behaviour, and VM’s positive effect on innovation performance is mediated by an increased cognitive ability. This paper contributes to the understanding of VM’s impact on organizational performance. By statistical analysis it highlights previous research stating that managerial tools and processes indirectly has an effect on organizational outcomes. Proposed framework is a beginning of visualizing the complex relationship existing between VM and organizational performance in a product development setting. Practical implications are that depending on desired outcome in the use of VM, the framework can act as a guidance in the procedure of VM meetings, by highlighting certain activities. For managerial, it highlights that the goal should not be to develop the most advanced or novel visual tool; rather focus on improving the employee’s cognitive ability and efficient behaviour. / Bolag har under de senaste decennierna upplevt stora förändringar. Snabb och radikal teknologisk utveckling och ständig förändring av både affärsmodeller och konsumtionsvanor, för att nämna några få, har gjort det komplicerat och lagt press på organisationers produktutvecklingsprocesser. Att ha en effektiv produktutvecklingsprocess och samtidigt lyckas innovera i dagens konkurrenskraft har visat sig vara en svår uppgift. Företag står inför flera utmaningar gällande innovation och affärsprocesser för innovation och har svårigheter att hitta lämpliga och effektiva verktyg och metoder. Det övergripandet syftet med detta arbete är att undersöka hur organisationer som jobbar med produktutveckling kan öka sin innovations- och effektivitetsförmåga genom att använda visuell projektledning. Syftet med visuell projektledning är att förbättra en organisationers förmåga att vara innovativa och effektiva genom att sammanfläta vision, värderingar, normer och mål med andra ledningssystem, arbetsprocesser och arbetsmoment. Anställda kan påverkas av visuell projektledning till den mån att organisationens prestation i helhet påverkas. Det finns fortfarande många frågor att besvara och ny kunskap att hämta om hur visuell projektledning nyttjas på bästa sätt. Till exempel förståelsen för vilka andra faktorer som kan mediera effekten visuell projektledning har på organisatorisk prestation. Det övergripande syftet av detta arbete konkretiseras i en forskningsmodell med fem tillhörande hypoteser. Hypotes-testning utförs i en jämförelsestudie med fyra stora organisationer. Empiriska data samlas främst genom enkäter med anställda som nyttjar visuell projektledning, där totalt 144 anställda svarande. Dessutom genomförs semistrukturerade intervjuer med personer kunnig i designen och processen av det använda visuella projektledningsverktyget. Studien visade att visuell projektledning inte har någon direkt effekt på innovation och effektivitet, utan snarare en indirekt effekt. Visuell projektlednings positiva effekt på effektivitet medieras av II effektivt beteende och den positiva effekten på innovation medieras av en ökad kognitiv förmåga hos de anställda. Detta arbete bidrar till förståelsen av hur visuell projektledning påverkar organisatorisk prestation. Genom statistiska analyser belyses tidigare forskning som visat på att ledningsverktyg och processer som bäst indirekt har en påverkan på organisatorisk prestation. Ett förslag till ramverk presenteras som en början på ett försök att visualisera det komplexa sambandet som finns mellan visuell projektledning och organisatorisk prestation. Praktiska implikationer är att ramverket kan användas som ett guidande verktyg för designande av proceduren för visuell projektledning genom att lyfta speciellt aktuella aktiviteter. För chefer betonas det att målet inte bör vara att utveckla det mest avancerade eller nya visuella verktyget; snarare fokusera på att förbättra de anställdas kognitiva förmåga och främja effektivt beteende.

Student selection is particularly challenging in South Africa. Heterogeneous educational backgrounds require that it is necessary to assess prospective students' potential rather than their current abilities that crystallised from inadequate school education. Dynamic assessment assesses learning potential versus traditional psychometric measures, which are static measures of cognitive ability, measuring what a person has already learned. The aim was to determine the predictive validity of a selection battery. The following predictors were included in the study; matric results, Potential Index Battery, LPCAT, bridging course status and gender. The results confirmed that static measures of intelligence and matric results showed lower predictive validity than learning potential tests. The learning potential measure appeared to be a more valid predictor of academic performance and is suitable to include in a selection battery. Gender and bridging course factors did not reflect significant differences in academic performance. There were indications that students perform better in successive years of study, once they have adjusted to tertiary education. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Personality, psychological type and cognitive ability are frequently implied to be underlying causes of differences in reasoning processes, decision-making processes and general success in a job. However, there is a trend towards utilising cognitive and personality measures interchangeably in the context of selection and development, particularly as it pertains to selection based on cognitive ability and cognitive style. The general aim of this research was therefore to investigate the relationship between psychological type, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI), and cognitive abilities and styles as measured by the Cognitive Process Profile (CPP). Cognitive ability is discussed under the cognitive psychology paradigm. A clarification of concepts associated with cognitive psychology is provided, and the CPP model is introduced as an integrative model encompassing aspects of cognitive ability and cognitive style. Psychological type is discussed under the analytical psychology paradigm, with a focus on personality structure, dynamics and development. This is then integrated into an overview of Jung's theory of personality types and the development of the MBTI. An empirical investigation, utilising Pairwise comparisons and Chi-square statistics was conducted. The results were then integrated to enable a better understanding of the relationship between cognition and personality. Based on this, it was concluded that there is insufficient evidence to suggest that a relationship exists between cognitive styles (as defined by the CPP) and personality (as defined by the MBTI). There were however, sufficient statistically significant findings to suggest that there is some relationship between cognitive processes / competencies and personality. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The purpose of the research was to determine whether measures of ability, personality and behaviour would significantly predict job performance of customer service agents in a South African commercial airline company. The Verbal Interpretation Test (VCC1), Numerical Reasoning Test (NP6.1), Basic Checking Test (CP7.1C), Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ32) and a competency based interview were completed by job applicants. Customer Contact Competency (CCC) scores and a Person Job Match (PJM) score were derived from the OPQ32 and ability measures to ensure job relevance during selection assessment. Job performance statistics in the form of training scores and supervisor ratings (from performance appraisals and criterion questionnaires) were obtained for the sample as criterion data. Correlations revealed statistically significant small to moderate correlations between the predictors and the criterion data / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M.Com (Industrial & Organisational Psychology)

The aim of this research was (1) to provide empirical data of learning potential and English language proficiency for work performance; (2) to establish whether race and gender influence work performance; (3) to evaluate practical utility and to propose recommendations for selection purposes. The Learning Potential Computerised Adaptive Test and the English Literacy Skills Assessment were used as measuring instruments to measure learning potential and English language proficiency respectively. Work performance data were obtained from the normal performance data system of the company where the research was conducted. ANOVA results showed differences between race and gender groupings. A regression analysis confirmed the predictive validity of learning potential and English language proficiency on work performance. The Spearman rho correlation coefficient (p < 0.05) showed a significant positive correlation between the investigated variables / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

<p>Förmågan att prestera under akut eller kraftig stress är en förutsättning för en del yrken. Forskningsresultaten gällande hur stress påverkar prestation pekar åt olika håll. Denna studie undersökte sambandet mellan fysiologisk arousal och kognitiv problemlösningsförmåga under stress. Trettiotvå polisstudenter testades på Ravens test av flytande intelligens APM set II både före och efter att antingen ha sprungit i tjugo minuter eller haft en självskyddslektion på ca fyrtio minuter. Resultaten från en mixed ANOVA för beroende mätningar visade på en signifikant interaktionseffekt (F (30) = 6,547, p < 0,05) – en ökning i prestationen hos självskyddsgruppen med arton procent och en minskning med femton procent hos löpningsgruppen. En möjlig förklaring till skillnaden i prestation kan vara att självskyddsträningen ger upphov till en annorlunda mental och kognitiv aktivering än löpningen. Graden av arousal kunde vidare inte förklara skillnaderna mellan grupperna och begreppets användbarhet i detta sammanhang kan kanske ifrågasättas.</p>

Förmågan att prestera under akut eller kraftig stress är en förutsättning för en del yrken. Forskningsresultaten gällande hur stress påverkar prestation pekar åt olika håll. Denna studie undersökte sambandet mellan fysiologisk arousal och kognitiv problemlösningsförmåga under stress. Trettiotvå polisstudenter testades på Ravens test av flytande intelligens APM set II både före och efter att antingen ha sprungit i tjugo minuter eller haft en självskyddslektion på ca fyrtio minuter. Resultaten från en mixed ANOVA för beroende mätningar visade på en signifikant interaktionseffekt (F (30) = 6,547, p &lt; 0,05) – en ökning i prestationen hos självskyddsgruppen med arton procent och en minskning med femton procent hos löpningsgruppen. En möjlig förklaring till skillnaden i prestation kan vara att självskyddsträningen ger upphov till en annorlunda mental och kognitiv aktivering än löpningen. Graden av arousal kunde vidare inte förklara skillnaderna mellan grupperna och begreppets användbarhet i detta sammanhang kan kanske ifrågasättas.

Student selection is particularly challenging in South Africa. Heterogeneous educational backgrounds require that it is necessary to assess prospective students' potential rather than their current abilities that crystallised from inadequate school education. Dynamic assessment assesses learning potential versus traditional psychometric measures, which are static measures of cognitive ability, measuring what a person has already learned. The aim was to determine the predictive validity of a selection battery. The following predictors were included in the study; matric results, Potential Index Battery, LPCAT, bridging course status and gender. The results confirmed that static measures of intelligence and matric results showed lower predictive validity than learning potential tests. The learning potential measure appeared to be a more valid predictor of academic performance and is suitable to include in a selection battery. Gender and bridging course factors did not reflect significant differences in academic performance. There were indications that students perform better in successive years of study, once they have adjusted to tertiary education. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)