Subjective career success has been the focus of research for a number of years. The term refers to the individual’s personal perception of how successful he/she is in a career. In many qualitative studies subjective career success is found to be a multi-dimensional construct. Although there are quantitative instruments that measure subjective career success, they do not measure the construct on multiple dimensions. The first objective of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of two existing multi-dimensional instruments that measure subjective career success, especially in the South African context. These are the Perceived Career Success Scale (Gattiker & Larwood, 1986) and the Life-success Measures Scale (Parker & Chusmir, 1992). The second objective was to determine which predictors can be found for subjective career success. Literature differentiates between three broad categories of variables, namely demographical (gender, language group, marital status and age), human capital (job tenure, level of education and career planning) and organisational variables (perceived organisational support and training, and development opportunities). A convenience sample of 754 personnel from the South African Police Service was taken at stations and training colleges in the Free State, South Africa. A measuring battery that assesses subjective career success was used. This entailed the Perceived Career Success Scale as well as the Life-success Measures Scale. In addition, questions were used to ascertain the three types of variables demographic (gender, language group, marital status and age), human capital (job tenure, level of education and career planning) and organisational variables (perceived organisational support and training and development opportunities). The following statistical analyses were done to analyse the data: descriptive and inferential statistics, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, product-moment correlations, confirmatory factor analysis and linear regression analysis. The results of these analyses indicate that subjective career success is indeed a multi-dimensional construct. Three dimensions (job success, interpersonal success and non-organisational success) of the Perceived Career Success Scale (Gattiker & Larwood, 1986) could be established. These dimensions yielded good reliability, but the validity remained problematic. In contrast, the Life-success Measures Scale (Parker & Chusmir, 1992) yielded four dimensions (security, social contribution, professional fulfilment and personal fulfilment). The psychometric properties of these dimensions were acceptable and showed to be reliable and valid. In addition, various demographic, human capital and organisational variables were found to be predictors of subjective career success. Career planning, training and developmental opportunities, as well as perceived organisational support, explained the most variance. Various recommendations were made for the context of the South African Police Service, and also for future research. The organisation is advised to apply the results from this study to adjust policies and practices in such a way that employees will experience higher levels of subjective career success. Furthermore, career discussions may be held in order to enhance opportunities for career planning and provide opportunities for relevant training and development that are aligned to the business drive of the organisation. Interventions that will increase perceived organisational support and congenial relationships could be implemented and maintained. More research on the two subjective career success measures is needed, in order to 1) verify the validity of the Perceived Career Success Scale and 2) to apply it and the Life-success Measures Scale to other sectors and industries. It is also recommended that a more heterogeneous sample be utilised as well as longitudinal research designs in future research studies relating to subjective career success. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Over the past few decades it has become evident that the work/family interface is a much broader concept that does not only stress the negative side of the relationship, but also include a positive side. This refers to the process by which participation in one role (e.g. work role) is made better or easier by virtue of participation in the other role (e.g. family role). South Africa is a multicultural society, which consists of four groups (i.e. Black, White, Coloured and Indian), speaking eleven official languages. All of these groups are faced with unique and different circumstances. Apart from cultural, ethnic and linguistic differences, other divergent elements may exist (i.e. values and norms). Therefore South African employees may experience the positive side of the work/family interface differently from employees within other countries. To add to the problem, it is not clear how South African employees‟ experiences of enrichment between work and family domains compare to the experiences of employees in other countries. Furthermore, to date no measuring instrument to assess the enrichment between work and family domains in both directions (work-to-family and family-to-work) exists, that is unique to the South African context. This could pose potential problems for organisations and for future studies on the positive side of work/family in South Africa. The objectives of this research were 1) to determine how the positive side of the work/family interface, particularly work-family enrichment, is conceptualised according to the literature; 2) to develop a new work-family enrichment instrument that is suitable for the South African context and that addresses conceptual and measurement issues relating to previous positive measurements of the work/family interface; 3) to investigate the psychometric properties of the newly developed work-family enrichment instrument; and 4) to assess antecedents and outcomes of work-family enrichment among employees within the South African context. The study consisted of four phases. During the first phase, following an extensive review of literature covering the positive side of the work/family interface, a theoretical framework was proposed for the study. Thereafter, a new instrument that measures work-family enrichment was developed based on the proposed theoretical framework. The instrument was tested via Rasch modelling with a pre-limenary study (N = 527), in order to overcome some of the measurement limitations from the previous positive work-family instruments. This test was followed by investigating the psychometric properties (i.e. construct validity, discriminant validity, convergent validity and external validity; N = 627) of the newly developed MACE Work-Family Enrichment Instrument. During the final phase, antecedents, work-family enrichment and outcomes were assessed in the South African context. In both phases 3 and 4, the following instruments (accompanied by the new instrument) were utilised, namely the Work Resources Scale, Home Resources Scale, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Family Engagement Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, Career Satisfaction Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, Family Satisfaction Scale and the Work-family Enrichment Scale. During the first phase, the literature revealed that the positive side of the work-family interface is presented by various concepts (i.e. work-family enhancement, work-family facilitation, work-family positive spillover and work-family enrichment). The review also revealed that, to date, the work-family enrichment concept has been the only concept in literature on the positive work/family interface that is grounded in a properly developed conceptualised theoretical model. The fundamental thinking behind the work-family enrichment model is that work and family each provides individuals with resources (i.e. skills and perspectives, psychological and physical, social-capital, flexibility, material) in the one domain, that may help the individual improve the quality of his/her performance in the other domain. These resources thus enable improved performance in the other role either directly (i.e. instrumental path) or indirectly (i.e. affective path). During the second phase a new work-family enrichment instrument was developed, namely the MACE Work-Family Enrichment Instrument. This instrument was based on the proposed work-family enrichment theoretical model for both directions (i.e. work-to-family and family-to-work). Initially 133 items were developed that the researcher obtained from the existing literature, and 161 items were self-developed. During the evaluation study, various problematic items were eliminated by using the Rasch measurement model. The third phase included the validation study in which the psychometric properties of the new MACE instrument was investigated. The results provided evidence for construct validity, discriminant validity and convergent validity, and showed significant relations with external variables. Adequate internal consistency was also found for the proposed scales. The final number of items retained after this phase in the development and pilot study of the MACE Work-Family Enrichment Instrument were 34. During the final phase, various relationships were pointed out between antecedents (i.e. various work resources and home resources), work-family enrichment dimensions, as well as dimensions and outcomes of this type of enrichment. These included work-engagement dimensions, family engagement dimensions, as well as satisfaction-dimensions for work, career, life and the family environment. The results of these relationships were found to be in accordance with other literature on the positive side of the work/family interface. The present study provided evidence for the psychometric properties of the new MACE instrument, which researchers and managers can use to investigate the specific enrichment between work and family domains of employees in a South African context. The results give researchers and managers insight into the specific antecedents (e.g. work resources) and outcomes (e.g. job satisfaction) that play a role in work-family enrichment. This insight can be used as basis on which interventions can be developed to deal with these issues currently. Recommendations were also made for future research. / PhD (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Subjective career success has been the focus of research for a number of years. The term refers to the individual’s personal perception of how successful he/she is in a career. In many qualitative studies subjective career success is found to be a multi-dimensional construct. Although there are quantitative instruments that measure subjective career success, they do not measure the construct on multiple dimensions. The first objective of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of two existing multi-dimensional instruments that measure subjective career success, especially in the South African context. These are the Perceived Career Success Scale (Gattiker & Larwood, 1986) and the Life-success Measures Scale (Parker & Chusmir, 1992). The second objective was to determine which predictors can be found for subjective career success. Literature differentiates between three broad categories of variables, namely demographical (gender, language group, marital status and age), human capital (job tenure, level of education and career planning) and organisational variables (perceived organisational support and training, and development opportunities). A convenience sample of 754 personnel from the South African Police Service was taken at stations and training colleges in the Free State, South Africa. A measuring battery that assesses subjective career success was used. This entailed the Perceived Career Success Scale as well as the Life-success Measures Scale. In addition, questions were used to ascertain the three types of variables demographic (gender, language group, marital status and age), human capital (job tenure, level of education and career planning) and organisational variables (perceived organisational support and training and development opportunities). The following statistical analyses were done to analyse the data: descriptive and inferential statistics, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, product-moment correlations, confirmatory factor analysis and linear regression analysis. The results of these analyses indicate that subjective career success is indeed a multi-dimensional construct. Three dimensions (job success, interpersonal success and non-organisational success) of the Perceived Career Success Scale (Gattiker & Larwood, 1986) could be established. These dimensions yielded good reliability, but the validity remained problematic. In contrast, the Life-success Measures Scale (Parker & Chusmir, 1992) yielded four dimensions (security, social contribution, professional fulfilment and personal fulfilment). The psychometric properties of these dimensions were acceptable and showed to be reliable and valid. In addition, various demographic, human capital and organisational variables were found to be predictors of subjective career success. Career planning, training and developmental opportunities, as well as perceived organisational support, explained the most variance. Various recommendations were made for the context of the South African Police Service, and also for future research. The organisation is advised to apply the results from this study to adjust policies and practices in such a way that employees will experience higher levels of subjective career success. Furthermore, career discussions may be held in order to enhance opportunities for career planning and provide opportunities for relevant training and development that are aligned to the business drive of the organisation. Interventions that will increase perceived organisational support and congenial relationships could be implemented and maintained. More research on the two subjective career success measures is needed, in order to 1) verify the validity of the Perceived Career Success Scale and 2) to apply it and the Life-success Measures Scale to other sectors and industries. It is also recommended that a more heterogeneous sample be utilised as well as longitudinal research designs in future research studies relating to subjective career success. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The primary aim of this research was to determine whether there is a relation between locus of control, transformational leadership and management success. One hundred and one shift overseers completed selfevaluation questionnaires on locus of control and transformational leadership. Thereafter, in turn, the managers completed evaluation questionnaires on the work performance of the shift overseers. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed statistically significant interrelations between internal locus of control, autonomy and transformational leadership. The three scales of management success also showed a strong positive correlation. Canonical correlations indicated that only one variant could be interpreted and that high internal control and high autonomy are associated with high transformational leadership and laissez faire leadership style. According to the literature overview, a positive relation exists between internal locus of control, transformational leadership and management success as well as organisational performance. An attempt is made to account for these diverse findings in terms of the relevance of a performance model within an organisational context. / Die primere doel van hierdie navorsingstudie was om te bepaalof daar 'n verband is tussen lokus van beheer, transformasionele leierskap en bestuursukses. Eenhonderd en een skoftoesighouers het selfbeoordelings-vraelyste oor lokus van beheer en transformasionele leierskap voltooi. Daarna het die bestuurders beoordelingsvraelyste oor die skoftoesighouers se werksprestasie voltooi. Die Pearson korrelasietoets het getoon dat daar statisties beduidende verbande is tussen interne lokus van beheer, outonomie en transformasionele leierskap. Die drie skate van bestuursukses het onderling sterk positief gekorrelleer. Kanoniese korrelasies het aangedui dat slegs een variaat interpreteer kan word en dat hoe interne beheer en hoe outonomie geassosieer is met hoe transformasionele leierskap en lae laissez faire-leierskapstyl. Die literatuurstudie het getoon dat daar 'n positiewe verband is tussen interne lokus van beheer, transformasionele leierskap en bestuursukses asook organisasie-prestasie. Verklarings vir hierdie teenstellende bevindings word gegee aan die hand van die relevansie van 'n prestasiemodel binne 'n organisasiekonteks. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

With the increasing global energy demand and the decreasing availability of good quality coals, a better understanding of the important properties that control the behaviour of low–grade coals and the subsequent chars in various utilisation processes, becomes pertinent. An investigation was therefore undertaken, to study the effects of chemical and physical properties imparted on chars during pyrolysis on the subsequent gasification reaction kinetics of typical South African inertinite–rich, high ash Highveld coals. An attempt was made at following these changes in the transition from coals to chars by a detailed characterisation of both the parent coals and the respective chars. These changes were determined using various conventional and advanced techniques, which included among others, carbon crystallite analysis using XRD and char carbon forms analysis using petrography. Three of the four original coals were characterised as Bituminous Medium rank C (coals B, C and C2), while coal D2 was found to be slightly lower in rank (Bituminous Medium rank D). The coals were rich in inertinites (> 54 vol. %, mmb with coal C2 having as high as 79 vol. %, mmb) and high in ash content (> 26.7 wt. %, db) and cabominerite and minerite contents (26 – 39 vol. %, mmb). The inertinitevitrinite ratios of the coals were found to range from 1.93 to 26.3. Characterization results show that both volatile matter and inherent moisture content decreased, while ash, fixed carbon and elemental carbon contents increased from coals to chars, indicating that the pyrolysis process was efficient. Elemental hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen contents decreased, whereas total sulphur contents increased from coals to chars. This reveals that the total sulphur contained in the char samples was associated with the char carbon matrix and the minerals. Hydrogen–carbon and oxygen–carbon ratios decreased considerably from coals to chars showing that the chars are more aromatic and denser products than the original coals. Despite the fact that mineral matter increased from coals to chars, the relative abundance of the different mineral phases and ash components did not exhibit significant variation amongst the samples. The alkali index was, however, found to vary considerably among the subsequent chars. Petrographic analysis of the coals and char carbon forms analysis of the chars reveal that total reactive components (TRC) decrease while the total inert components (TIC) increase from coals to chars. The 0% gain in TIC observed in char C2 was attributed to its relatively high partially reacted maceral char carbon forms content. Total maceral reflectance shifted to higher values in the chars (4.43 – 5.28 Rsc%) relative to the coals (1.15 – 1.63 Rsc%) suggesting a higher structural ordering in the chars. Carbon crystallite analyses revealed that the chars were condensed (smaller in size) relative to the parent coals. Lattice parameters: interlayer spacing, d002, increased, while the average crystallite height, Lc, crystallite diameter, La, and number of aromatic layers per crystallite, Nave, decreased from coals to chars. Carbon aromaticity generally increased whereas the fraction of amorphous carbon and the degree of disorder index decreased from parent coals to the respective chars. Both micropore surface area and microporosity were observed to increase while the average micropore diameter decreased from coals to chars. This shows that blind and closed micropores were “opened up” during the charring process. Despite the original coal samples not showing much variation in their properties (except for their maceral content), it was generally observed that the subsequent chars exhibited substantial differences, both amongst themselves and from the parent coals. The increasing orders of magnitude of micropore surface area, microporosity, fraction of amorphous carbon and structural disorderliness were found to change in the transition, a good indication that the chars’ properties varied from that of the respective parent coals. Isothermal CO2 gasification experiments were conducted on the chars in a Thermax 500 thermogravimetric analyser in the temperature range of 900 – 950 °C with varying concentrations of CO2 (25 – 100 mol. %) in the CO2–N2 reaction gas mixture at ambient pressure (0.875 bar in Potchefstroom). The effects of temperature and CO2 concentration were observed to be in conformity with established trends. The initial reactivity of the chars was found to increase in the order: chars C2 < C < B < D2, with char D2 reactivity greater than the reactivity of the other chars by a factor > 4. Gasification reactivity results were correlated with properties of the parent coals and chars. Except for the rank parameter (the vitrinite reflectance), no significant trend was observed with any other coal petrographic property. Correlations with char properties gave more significant and systematic trends. Major factors affecting the gasification reactivity of the chars as it pertains to this investigation are: parent coal vitrinite reflectance, and: aromaticity, fraction of amorphous carbon, degree of disorder and alkali indices, micropore surface area, microporosity and average micropore diameter of the chars. The random pore model (chemical reaction controlling) was found to adequately describe the gasification reaction experimental data (both conversions and conversion rates). The determined activation energy ranged from 163.3 kJ·mol–1 for char D2 to 235.7 kJ·mol–1 for char B; while the order of reaction with respect to CO2 concentration ranged between 0.52 to 0.67 for the four chars. The lower activation energy of char D2 was possibly due to its lower rank, lower coal vitrinite reflectance and higher alkali index. The estimated kinetic parameters of the chars in this study correspond very well with published results in open literature. It was possible to express the intrinsic reactivity, rs, of the chars (rate of carbon conversion per unit total surface area) using kinetic results, in empirical Arrhenius forms. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Chemical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

With the increasing global energy demand and the decreasing availability of good quality coals, a better understanding of the important properties that control the behaviour of low–grade coals and the subsequent chars in various utilisation processes, becomes pertinent. An investigation was therefore undertaken, to study the effects of chemical and physical properties imparted on chars during pyrolysis on the subsequent gasification reaction kinetics of typical South African inertinite–rich, high ash Highveld coals. An attempt was made at following these changes in the transition from coals to chars by a detailed characterisation of both the parent coals and the respective chars. These changes were determined using various conventional and advanced techniques, which included among others, carbon crystallite analysis using XRD and char carbon forms analysis using petrography. Three of the four original coals were characterised as Bituminous Medium rank C (coals B, C and C2), while coal D2 was found to be slightly lower in rank (Bituminous Medium rank D). The coals were rich in inertinites (> 54 vol. %, mmb with coal C2 having as high as 79 vol. %, mmb) and high in ash content (> 26.7 wt. %, db) and cabominerite and minerite contents (26 – 39 vol. %, mmb). The inertinitevitrinite ratios of the coals were found to range from 1.93 to 26.3. Characterization results show that both volatile matter and inherent moisture content decreased, while ash, fixed carbon and elemental carbon contents increased from coals to chars, indicating that the pyrolysis process was efficient. Elemental hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen contents decreased, whereas total sulphur contents increased from coals to chars. This reveals that the total sulphur contained in the char samples was associated with the char carbon matrix and the minerals. Hydrogen–carbon and oxygen–carbon ratios decreased considerably from coals to chars showing that the chars are more aromatic and denser products than the original coals. Despite the fact that mineral matter increased from coals to chars, the relative abundance of the different mineral phases and ash components did not exhibit significant variation amongst the samples. The alkali index was, however, found to vary considerably among the subsequent chars. Petrographic analysis of the coals and char carbon forms analysis of the chars reveal that total reactive components (TRC) decrease while the total inert components (TIC) increase from coals to chars. The 0% gain in TIC observed in char C2 was attributed to its relatively high partially reacted maceral char carbon forms content. Total maceral reflectance shifted to higher values in the chars (4.43 – 5.28 Rsc%) relative to the coals (1.15 – 1.63 Rsc%) suggesting a higher structural ordering in the chars. Carbon crystallite analyses revealed that the chars were condensed (smaller in size) relative to the parent coals. Lattice parameters: interlayer spacing, d002, increased, while the average crystallite height, Lc, crystallite diameter, La, and number of aromatic layers per crystallite, Nave, decreased from coals to chars. Carbon aromaticity generally increased whereas the fraction of amorphous carbon and the degree of disorder index decreased from parent coals to the respective chars. Both micropore surface area and microporosity were observed to increase while the average micropore diameter decreased from coals to chars. This shows that blind and closed micropores were “opened up” during the charring process. Despite the original coal samples not showing much variation in their properties (except for their maceral content), it was generally observed that the subsequent chars exhibited substantial differences, both amongst themselves and from the parent coals. The increasing orders of magnitude of micropore surface area, microporosity, fraction of amorphous carbon and structural disorderliness were found to change in the transition, a good indication that the chars’ properties varied from that of the respective parent coals. Isothermal CO2 gasification experiments were conducted on the chars in a Thermax 500 thermogravimetric analyser in the temperature range of 900 – 950 °C with varying concentrations of CO2 (25 – 100 mol. %) in the CO2–N2 reaction gas mixture at ambient pressure (0.875 bar in Potchefstroom). The effects of temperature and CO2 concentration were observed to be in conformity with established trends. The initial reactivity of the chars was found to increase in the order: chars C2 < C < B < D2, with char D2 reactivity greater than the reactivity of the other chars by a factor > 4. Gasification reactivity results were correlated with properties of the parent coals and chars. Except for the rank parameter (the vitrinite reflectance), no significant trend was observed with any other coal petrographic property. Correlations with char properties gave more significant and systematic trends. Major factors affecting the gasification reactivity of the chars as it pertains to this investigation are: parent coal vitrinite reflectance, and: aromaticity, fraction of amorphous carbon, degree of disorder and alkali indices, micropore surface area, microporosity and average micropore diameter of the chars. The random pore model (chemical reaction controlling) was found to adequately describe the gasification reaction experimental data (both conversions and conversion rates). The determined activation energy ranged from 163.3 kJ·mol–1 for char D2 to 235.7 kJ·mol–1 for char B; while the order of reaction with respect to CO2 concentration ranged between 0.52 to 0.67 for the four chars. The lower activation energy of char D2 was possibly due to its lower rank, lower coal vitrinite reflectance and higher alkali index. The estimated kinetic parameters of the chars in this study correspond very well with published results in open literature. It was possible to express the intrinsic reactivity, rs, of the chars (rate of carbon conversion per unit total surface area) using kinetic results, in empirical Arrhenius forms. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Chemical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The primary aim of this research was to determine whether there is a relation between locus of control, transformational leadership and management success. One hundred and one shift overseers completed selfevaluation questionnaires on locus of control and transformational leadership. Thereafter, in turn, the managers completed evaluation questionnaires on the work performance of the shift overseers. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed statistically significant interrelations between internal locus of control, autonomy and transformational leadership. The three scales of management success also showed a strong positive correlation. Canonical correlations indicated that only one variant could be interpreted and that high internal control and high autonomy are associated with high transformational leadership and laissez faire leadership style. According to the literature overview, a positive relation exists between internal locus of control, transformational leadership and management success as well as organisational performance. An attempt is made to account for these diverse findings in terms of the relevance of a performance model within an organisational context. / Die primere doel van hierdie navorsingstudie was om te bepaalof daar 'n verband is tussen lokus van beheer, transformasionele leierskap en bestuursukses. Eenhonderd en een skoftoesighouers het selfbeoordelings-vraelyste oor lokus van beheer en transformasionele leierskap voltooi. Daarna het die bestuurders beoordelingsvraelyste oor die skoftoesighouers se werksprestasie voltooi. Die Pearson korrelasietoets het getoon dat daar statisties beduidende verbande is tussen interne lokus van beheer, outonomie en transformasionele leierskap. Die drie skate van bestuursukses het onderling sterk positief gekorrelleer. Kanoniese korrelasies het aangedui dat slegs een variaat interpreteer kan word en dat hoe interne beheer en hoe outonomie geassosieer is met hoe transformasionele leierskap en lae laissez faire-leierskapstyl. Die literatuurstudie het getoon dat daar 'n positiewe verband is tussen interne lokus van beheer, transformasionele leierskap en bestuursukses asook organisasie-prestasie. Verklarings vir hierdie teenstellende bevindings word gegee aan die hand van die relevansie van 'n prestasiemodel binne 'n organisasiekonteks. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The purpose of this study was to develop a way of identifying resilient and non-resilient middle-adolescent learners, by means of an instrument or otherwise, in a former Model C-school. The research paradigm is pragmatism and a methodology of mixed methods was used. A questionnaire was developed and qualitative interviews were conducted to verify the results of the questionnaire. The theoretical framework of resilience as well as the developmental phase of middle-adolescence were studied. After conducting a pilot study, the necessary changes were made and an experimental version of the questionnaire was compiled on the basis of Kumpfer’s Transactional Model. This framework includes both processes and outcomes and six main constructs were specified, viz. stressors or challenges, the environmental context, person-environment-transactional process, internal resilience factors, resilience processes and outcomes or means of reintegration. Focus was placed on internal resilience factors. The “Veerkragtigheidsvraelys vir Middel-adolessente (toets)” (VVM-A(t)) (Resilience Questionnaire for Middleadolescents (test)), was compiled consisting of forty two self-evaluation questions using a continuum scale. This self-evaluation scale gives the respondent the opportunity to respond on a continuum line between not like me at all and exactly like me. The place of research, a secondary school in an area reflecting the diversity of the South-African population, was selected by means of convenience sampling and all the grade 8 and 9 learners (294 participants) completed the VVM-A(t). Two factors were identified by means of factor analysis viz. internal locus of control and external locus of control. The VVM-A, consisting of 22 items, was finalised from these results and the participants’ scores were recalculated for the selected items. Interviews for the purpose of verification or rejection of the VVM-A were conducted with twelve participants, four from the group with high scores, four from the group with low scores and four learners that grouped near the median. The in-depth interviews confirmed the results on the VVM-A. This instrument can therefore be regarded as valid and reliable to identify the resilient and non-resilient middle-adolescent learner. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Text has abstracts in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu / Translators give us access to texts written in other languages, yet they remain mostly invisible to us. The translator’s preface therefore becomes the most important paratext where their voices are heard and where the text is identified as a translation. Research on South African paratexts is scarce and the study contributes to filling this gap. The aim of this study was to explore the nature of South African translatorial prefaces by determining the characteristics, content and functions of the prefaces and describing how translators are visible in their prefaces. A qualitative study was done where Genette’s (1997) conceptual framework was fitted into the overarching theory of Descriptive Translation Studies, making use of thematic analysis as described by Braun and Clarke (2013) to analyse the data. The data consisted of 65 South African literary texts with translatorial prefaces, published between 1945 and 2016 in the official South African languages. The study found that South African translators are mostly invisible through the absence of translatorial prefaces, but when they do write prefaces, they become highly visible and write about a wide variety of topics that make their prefaces a rich documentary source of valuable information for readers, translation studies students and scholars. The study provides a foundation for further research on South African translatorial prefaces. Translatorial prefaces should be included in the curricula for Translation Studies students and in a multilingual country like South Africa, no translation should be without a preface. Translators are encouraged to write comprehensive prefaces that will increase their visibility and situate translations in the polysystem of South African literature. / Vertalers gee ons toegang tot tekste wat in ander tale geskryf is, maar tog bly hulle meestal onsigbaar vir ons. Die vertalersvoorwoord word dus die belangrikste teks waar hul stemme gehoor kan word en waar die teks as ’n vertaling geïdentifiseer kan word. Navorsing oor Suid-Afrikaanse parateks is skaars en die studie dra daartoe by om hierdie leemte te vul. Die doel van die studie was om die aard van Suid-Afrikaanse vertalersvoorwoorde te ondersoek deur die kenmerke, inhoud en funksies van die voorwoorde te bepaal en te beskryf hoe vertalers sigbaar is in hulle voorwoorde. ’n Kwalitatiewe studie is gedoen waar die konseptuele raamwerk van Genette (1997) in die oorkoepelende teorie van Beskrywende Vertaalstudies toegepas is, met behulp van tematiese analise soos beskryf deur Braun en Clarke (2013) om die data te ontleed. Die data bestaan uit 65 Suid-Afrikaanse letterkundige tekste met vertalersvoorwoorde, wat tussen 1945 en 2016 in die amptelike Suid-Afrikaanse landstale gepubliseer is. Die studie het bevind dat Suid-Afrikaanse vertalers hoofsaaklik onsigbaar is deur die afwesigheid van vertalersvoorwoorde, maar wanneer hulle wel voorwoorde skryf, word hulle hoogs sigbaar en skryf hulle oor ’n wye verskeidenheid van onderwerpe wat hul voorwoorde ’n ryk dokumentêre bron van inligting vir lesers, studente in vertaalstudies en vakkundiges maak. Die studie bied ’n basis vir verdere navorsing oor Suid-Afrikaanse vertalersvoorwoorde. Vertalersvoorwoorde behoort opgeneem te word in die kurrikula van vertaalstudie studente en in ’n veeltalige land soos Suid-Afrika behoort geen vertaling sonder ’n vertalersvoorwoord te wees nie. Vertalers word aangemoedig om omvattende voorwoorde te skryf wat hul sigbaarheid sal verbeter en hul vertalings in die polisisteem van Suid-Afrikaanse letterkunde sal plaas. / Abaguquli beelwimi basenza sikwazi ukufikelela kwiimbalo ezifumaneka ngezinye iilwimi, kodwa bahlala befihlakele kuthi. Iimbulambethe zabaguli zilwimi ngoko ke ziba yingcaciso ebaluleke kakhulu ethi ibaveze ivakalise amazwi abo, kwaye yenza iimbalo ezo zibe nokuphawulwa okanye zichazwe njengeenguqulelo. Uphando malunga neembulambethe okanye iingabulazigcawu eMzantsi Afrika lunqabile kungoko olu phando lunegalelo ekuvaleni esi sikhewu. Injongo yolu phando kukuphonononga ubume beembulambethe zeenguqulelo ezifumaneka eMzantsi Afrika ngokufumanisa iimpawu zazo, umxholo kunye nemisebenzi yeembulambethe, kwakunye nokuchaza indlela abazibonakalisa ngayo abaguquli kwiimbulambethe zabo. Kwenziwe uphando lohlobo oluchazayo (qualitative), apho kuysetyenziswe inkqubosikhokelo yengqiqo kaGenette (1997) ndawonye nethiyori esisikhokelo yeziFundo zoGuqulo loLwimi eziChazayo (Descriptive Translation Studies), nolusebenzisa uhlahlelo lwethematiki njengoko luchaziwe nguBraun noClarke (2013) ekuhlalutyeni idatha. Idatha iqulathe iimbalo zoncwadi ezingama-65 zaseMzantsi Afrika ezineembulambethe zeenguqulelo ezapapashwa phakathi konyaka ka-1945 no-2016 ngeelwimi ezisemthethweni eMzantsi Afrika. Olu phando lufumanise ukuba abaguquli beelwimi ikakhulu, ababonakali ngenxa yokungabikho kweembulambethe zezi nguqulelo, kodwa xa bathe bazibhala iimbulambethe, bayabonakala kakhulu kunjalonje batsho babhale ngenqwaba yezihloko ezahlukeneyo nezenza iimbulambethe zabo zibe ngamaxwebhu angoovimba abaqulethe ubutyebi bolwazi olubalulekileyo kubafundi zincwadi, abafundi bezifundo zoguqulo kunye nezifundiswa. Olu phando lwakha isiseko solunye uphando olunokwenziwa ngeembulambethe zeenguqulelo zaseMzantsi Afrika. Ngolu phando kuhlatyw’ ikhwelo lokuba iimbulambethe zeenguqulelo zibe yinxalenye yekharityhulam yabafundi beziFundo zoGuqulo kananjalo, kwilizwe elineelwimi ngeelwimi njengoMzantsi Afrika, makungabikho nguqulelo ingenambulambethe. Abaguquli bayakhuthazwa ukuba babhale iimbulambethe ezityebileyo eziya kubatyhila ngakumbi babonakale kubafundi neziya kubeka iinguqulelo kwisixokelelwano soluhlu loncwadi lwaseMzantsi Afrika. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M.A. (Linguistics)

Job insecurity in the workplace has become an increasingly important trend in organisational research. The appraisal of job insecurity by individuals plays a significant part in how reactions manifest in the experiences of workplace stressors, job satisfaction, positive and negative work attributes and social support. However, there is a lack of research regarding specific workplace stressors at work leading to certain outcomes like safety behaviour, turnover intention and mental health, especially within a South African working context. Job insecurity has also been classified as a workplace stressor. The existence of other stressors tends to increase the ultimate effect of insecurity for the individual. The attempts from organisational management to manage this phenomenon are therefore crucial in decreasing the negative effects of job insecurity and increasing the productivity of the organisation. In order to measure the job insecurity levels of employees, it is important to make use of valid and reliable job insecurity measures. An absence of empirical research on validity and reliability studies in terms of job insecurity in South African is evident. The main objectives of this research were: 1) to establish the psychometric properties of a measure of job insecurity in a selected gold mining company in South Africa; 2) to determine the influence of job insecurity and work stress (i.e. role conflict, clarity and overload) on worker safety performance and if coping could moderate this; 3) to investigate the theoretical and empirical relationships between job stressors (task completion ambiguity and task quality ambiguity), competency demands, employability perceptions, job satisfaction and turnover intention over time, and 4) to investigate if social support has a mediating effect between positive interpersonal attributes, negative interpersonal attributes, job insecurity and subsequent health. To achieve the first objective, a cross-sectional design was used (N = 566), including various business units of a South African-based gold mining company. The assessment of the psychometric properties of a measure of quantitative and qualitative job insecurity for employees was determined through construct (structural) equivalence, exploratory factor analysis and multivariate analysis of variance to calculate the comparison of the factor structure for the different cultural groups. For qualitative job insecurity, the scale shows low equivalence for the African languages group. Statistically significant differences were found between the levels of job insecurity of employees in terms of gender. The second objective, concerning the investigation into the relationship of work stress and job insecurity with unsafe behaviour at work, was achieved with across-sectional survey design (N = 771). The hypothesised model included the influence of role conflict, role ambiguity, role overload, and job insecurity on unsafe work behaviour. Coping was introduced as a moderator in this relationship. The results indicated that when employees experience work stress and job insecurity, their safety compliance is low. This relationship was also moderated by a coping strategy of Avoidance. To achieve the third objective, a longitudinal study was conducted and data was gathered by means of an electronic survey, with 771 employees participating at Time 1, and 345 participating at Time 2. Results for predicting employees’ turnover intentions, experience of task completion and quality ambiguity, external employability and job satisfaction made a direct contribution in predicting their turnover intention. No mediating role of job satisfaction between job stressors, competency demands and employability perceptions on the one hand and turnover intentions on the other hand, were found. Addressing the fourth objective in investigating the moderating role of social support between the relationship of experiencing positive interpersonal (communication with the manager and feedback), negative interpersonal experiences (powerlessness and interpersonal conflict), job insecurity (quantitative and qualitative) and health, was met with a longitudinal random sample of employees in different business units in one selected multi-national mining company based in South Africa (N = 771). Results for these employees indicated that all the proposed variables, except feedback from the manager, were statistically significantly related to health. No moderating effect for social support could be found over time, but it was shown that interpersonal conflict at work is a longitudinal predictor of employee health. By way of conclusion, the implications of the research were discussed and recommendations for managers and for future research were made. / Thesis (PhD (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.