The general aim of this study was to investigate whether a relationship exists between employee wellness (specifically sense of coherence, burnout, sources of job stress and work engagement) and career anchors, and to determine whether gender, race, employment and age groups differed in terms of the employee wellness and career anchors variables. The study was conducted among a random sample of 90 employees in a typical South African work context. The data was collected by means of the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ), Maslach’s Burnout Inventory (MBI), Sources of Job Stress, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Career Orientations Inventory (COI). Supporting evidence indicates significant associations between employee wellness and the career anchors variables. The results also showed significant differences between the career anchors of males, females, blacks, whites, permanent staff, contract staff and age groups. The findings contribute valuable new knowledge to the wellness and career literature and organisational practices related to employee wellness and career decision making. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This study aimed at investigating the relationship between Salutogenic constructs (Sense of Coherence, Locus of Control and Self-Efficacy) and Interpersonal Styles. In addition it sets out to examine whether there are any differences between both aforementioned variables and selected individual and organisational variables, specifically, gender, race, age and tenure. A significant positive relationship was found to exist between Salutogenic constructs and Interpersonal Styles classified as Friendly, while significant negative relationships were found between Salutogenic constructs and Interpersonal Styles classified as Hostile and Hostile-Submissive. Salutogenic constructs were found to have no significant relationships with the remaining five Interpersonal Styles namely Dominant, Dominant-Friendly, FriendlySubmissive, Submissive and Hostile-Dominant. Salutogenic constructs showed no significant differences with regards gender and race, but significant differences with regards age and tenure. Interpersonal Style showed significant differences with regard to race, age and tenure, but not with gender with the exception of the Hostile-Submissive, Hostile and Friendly styles / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This study investigates whether a relationship exists between two constructs, namely sense of coherence (SOC) and organisational commitment, and their relationship with specific biographical attributes of consultants working in the enterprise resource and planning (ERP) industry. The results of the study indicate that, overall, a relationship at a significant level could not be established between the two constructs. However, some of the correlations in this study showed that a few relationships could be established at a significant level between age and tenure and some of the subscales of the two constructs. On the basis of the results of the study, recommendations could be made that apply in the ERP industry. Suggestions were also made for possible further research in other areas such as recruitment, employee development, employee reward, compensation and recognition, employee retention, succession planning, employee wellbeing and talent management. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The objective of this study was to: (1) assess the overall wellness climate profile of a sample of higher education call centre employees for national benchmarking purposes; (2) explore the relationship between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout; and (3) determine how the participants differ regarding these variables in terms of socio-demographic contextual factors such as gender, race, age, and marital status. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey was used as a measuring instrument. Compared to the national norm, the results indicated a risky wellness climate reflecting a burnout propensity, lower morale (affective wellbeing) and lower resilience (sense of coherence). Significant relations existed between the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout levels. Significant differences regarding these variables were also detected between males and females and the various marital status groups regarding the participants‟ sense of coherence, affective wellbeing and burnout. The findings of this study contributed new knowledge that may be used to inform employee wellness programmes within a higher education call centre environment. The study concluded with recommendations for future research and practice. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This research has utilised Antonovsky's SOC construct and explored its role in a group relations training event. A quantitative and qualitative design was used. A sample of eight (N = 8) human resources practitioners was recruited through convenience sampling. The qualitative analysis of the group relations training event was facilitated by split mean procedure analysis of the SOC results. The research demonstrated that the SOC is a pervasive disposition in determining the way in which one appraises and copes with group relations· training. All participants experienced anxiety, stress, defensive behaviour, negative emotions and learning associated with a group relations training event. However, the high-SOC participants were better able to cope, manage and make sense of the group relations training than low-SOC individuals. Recommendations were formulated in doing future research for human resource practitioners on the role of SOC in group relations training. / Industrial and Organizational Psychology / M.Admin. (Industrial Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Die doel van hierdie studie was om die verwantskap tussen persoonlikheidstipes en 'n salutogeniese konstruk naamlik sin vir koherensie te ondersoek. Persoonlikheid is vanuit 'n behavioristiese sowel as humanistiese paradigma ondersoek en sin vir koherensie vanuit 'n salutogeniese paradigma. Die studie is uitgevoer onder middelvlak bestuurders in 'n finansiele instelling waarvan die totale populasie in 'n gegewe geografiese gebied betrek is. Twee meetinstrumente, naamlik die lewensorientasievraelys (OLQ) en die Myers-Briggs tipe indikator (MBTI) is gebruik op die populasie van 57 bestuurders. Pearson produkmoment-korrel asiekoeffisiente is bereken en 'n variansie-ontleding is gedoen. Die resultate van hierdie studie toon dat daar nie 'n beduidende verband is tussen persoonlikheidstipes en sin vir koherensie nie. Die aanname word gemaak dat 'n verwantskap tussen die twee konstrukte moontlik gevind kan word indien 'n meer geografies verspreide en heterogene proefgroep gebruik word waarin al die persoonlikheidstipes verteenwoordig is. / The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between personality types a11d a salutogenic construct, namely sense of coherence. Personality has been investigated from a behaviouristic as well as a humanistic paradigm and sense of coherence from a salutogenic paradigm. This study has been done on persons on middle management level in a financial institution of which the total population has been approached in a given geographical area. Two measuring instruments, namely the Orientation To Life Questionnaire (OLQ) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) have been used on the population of 57 managers. Pearson product moment correlation coefficient has been calculated and a variation analysis has been done. The results of this study show that there is no significant relation between personality types and sense of coherence. It is supposed that a relationship between the two constructs might be found if a more heterogenic and geographically spread experimental group is used in such a way that all the personality types are represented. / Psychology / M.A. (Bedryfsielkunde)

The aim of this dissertation is to establish the factor structure of six salutogenic constructs. The six constructs are conceptualised form the salutogenic paradigm - namely sense of coherence, hardiness, self-efficacy, learned resourcefulness, locus of control and potency. A personality profile of the salutogenic functioning person as well as relevant international and South African research are presented. Measurements for the six constructs and biographical data are administered to a representative sample of 100 administrative officers. The instruments were found to be reliable in this study. Pearson product moment correlations indicated that salutogenesis does not differentiate between gender, race or qualification, and that coping ability increases with age. Factor analysis indicated a distinct three factor structure consisting of sense of coherence, hardiness and a combination of self-efficacy and potency (self-control). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit confirming the literature on and personality profile of the salutogenic functioning individual. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Admin. (Industrial Psychology)

L'objectif de ce travail consiste à étudier le mécanisme de photo-isomérisation d'une série de commutateurs moléculaires biomimétiques (IP) inspirés de la Rhodopsine (Rho), par spectroscopie d'absorption transitoire. Ce travail comprend également le développement puis l'utilisation d'une expérience d'absorption transitoire avec des impulsions sub-8 fs dédiée à la mesure des cohérences vibrationnelles concomitantes à la photoréactivité des IPs. [...] La description détaillée des deux montages de type pompe-sonde mis en œuvre pour ce travail, ainsi que le détail des analyses et corrections de données expérimentales effectuée ont été décrits. Les deux montages utilisés ont été alimenté par une même source, un laser Ti: saphir amplifié délivrant des impulsions à 800nm d'une durée de 40 fs. le premier est un montage d'absorption transitoire conventionnel permettant l'acquisition des spectres transitoires sur une large gamme de spectrale à l'aide d'un continuum de lumière blanche, avec une résolution de 70fs. Le second montage pompe-sonde dédié à la mesure de cohérence vibrationnelle a été développé au cours de la thèse. Dans ce dernier les impulsions pompes à 800nm sont comprimés d'une durée de 8fs, à l'aide d'un compresseur composé de fibre creuse contenant du gaz (Néon). Une conversion de fréquence permet de générer une impulsion centrée à 400 nm de largeur spectrale correspondant `a une durée de 8 fs. Un balayage rapide du délai entre la pompe et la sonde est mis en œuvre pour supprimer de manière efficace l’effet dominant du bruit à basse fréquence de l’intensité de la pompe sur les signaux d’absorption transitoire. [...] / The research presented durind this Phd work address one of the paradigms of atomic/molecular physics of modern era, namely the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. The chemical processes on the atomics level has been reliying on the ability to separate fast electron motion from that of heavy nuclei. We focus in the so called conical intersection (CI), whereby molecular isomerization proceed over timescale clearly violating this paradigmatic approximation. Arguably, the most spectacular example of such process is the primary photochemical event in vision. The key aspect of these ultrafast, and often remarkably efficient, transitions is the conversion of optical energy into mechanical energy through coherent channels, that is with negligible loss of energy due to the random dissipation. This work in many aspects expands on the scope and offers a very challenging, et attractive, endeavour into vibrational coherence of complex molecule in solution. Molecular complexity was primarely motivated by wide applicablity of research on synthetic molecules that mimic the photoreaction of Rhodopsin (Rho), to date the fastest and most efficient optomechanical photoswitch. To this end, we have developed and used a state-of-art ultrafast time domain vibrational coherence spectrometer (VCS), allowing sub-10 fs resolution, hence vibration windows up to 3000 cm-1. Such combinaison unlocks to new ways to control over chemical reactions, whereby mechanistic forces precede rather than outpley thermal fluctuations. This concept transcends chemistry, and as a matter pf example, it has only begun to be exploited in material science. [...]

The aim of the diploma thesis is theoretical analysis of optical fiber sensory sensing using coherent and incoherent interferometry, creation of simulation models of interferometers and their practical measurement. The first part deals with the description of basic physical principles and interferometers. In the second part the thesis deals with the description and design of optical microphones, which are based on the principles of physical interferometers Michelson and Mach - Zehneder interferometer. Both models are simulated in the VPIphotonics simulation environment. In the third part of the thesis, both models are assembled and measured. The last part of the thesis presents the differences between the interferometers and the results of the measurements.

This doctoral thesis deals with design of a new generation of coherence-controlled holographic microscope (CCHM). The microscope is based on off-axis holographic configuration using diffraction grating and allows the use of temporally and spatially incoherent illumination. In the theoretical section a new optical configuration of the microscope is proposed and conditions for different parameters of the microscope and its optical components are derived. The influence of different sources of noise on phase detection sensitivity is studied. In the next section design of experimental setup is described and automatable adjustment procedure is proposed. Last section describes experimental verification of the most important optical parameters of the experimental setup. When compared to previous generation of CCHM, the newly proposed configuration uses infinity-corrected objectives and common microscope condensers, allows more space for the specimens, eliminates the limitation of spectral transmittance and significantly simplifies the adjustment procedure so that automation of this procedure is possible.