This study explores the expectations of local communities from higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Northern Province of Rwanda, focusing on two specific institutions: IPRC Musanze and INES Ruhengeri. Employing a robust mixed-method design, the research integrates both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data were collected through structured surveys administered to HEI staff and alumni, while qualitative insights were gathered via in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders, including community members. Additionally, secondary data sources, such as policy documents and institutional reports, were utilized to complement the primary data. The study's findings reveal a significant disparity between community expectations and the actual capabilities of HEIs, shaped by factors such as institutional type (public vs. private), program offerings, and the socio-economic needs of residents. Notably, gender differences emerged, with women generally harbouring higher, often unrealistic, expectations of HEIs compared to men. Communities view HEIs as crucial drivers of regional development, expecting them to enhance employability, contribute to local economic growth, and provide essential community services. However, challenges including inadequate collaboration, resource constraints, and differing expectations between public and private institutions were identified. To address these issues, the study proposes adding the 'local community' as a fourth element to the existing triple helix model (university-industry-government) to better align HEI outputs with community needs. Furthermore, it emphasizes the necessity of redefining roles and responsibilities between HEIs and the government to foster more effective and sustainable collaborations. The research contributes to the broader discourse on higher education's role in societal development, particularly in emerging economies like Rwanda. The rigorous methodological approach, employing the three main research programmes Citavi, NVivo and SPSS, ensures that the study's insights are both robust and actionable:The current thesis is divided into eight chapters: (1) General Introduction, (2) Related Works, (3) Guiding Theories/Models, (4) Research Methodology, (5) Talking from Experience: Graduates' Voice from Graduation to Labour Market, (6) Communities in the Vicinity of HEIs: A Local Perspective and Expectations, (7) Collaboration between HEIs and their Neighbouring Communities: Challenges and Proposed Solutions and lastly but not least, the chapter (8) which is conclusion. I start the first chapter by giving readers a broad introduction that sets the scene for the study and is followed by a statement of the problem. I also define the study's purpose, research questions, and the scope. Finally, I talk about the significance of the study. In the second chapter, I attempt to conduct a critical review of the existing literature on the research questions. Weaknesses, gaps, immediate relevance, and contributions are identified in this review, and the exploration reflects the variables specified in the research questions and objectives. The third chapter identifies the underlying theories reflecting the relationships between the concepts and theories that I intend to analyze in order to achieve the stated goals of the study. The fourth chapter discusses the research questions, resources, and procedures along with how they relate to the study's theoretical framework. To achieve this, a brief discussion of the research design, study location, study population, sampling technique, sample size, data collection and methods, data sources, data analysis, and ethical considerations is provided. The fifth chapter presents and discusses field data that was gathered to address one of the four major research questions that the current thesis seeks to investigate. A special focus is placed on graduates from HEIs. It primarily focuses on what we can learn from the experiences of current HEI graduates on the job market. Graduates discuss their practical experience in the labour market from the time of graduation to their current position. The analysis and presentation of the findings in relation to the following research questions are covered in the sixth chapter: What do local communities anticipate of HEIs in their areas? Do communities' expectations of public and private HEIs differ in any way? Which one, if any? It aims to ascertain the various kinds of expectations that the communities in Rwanda's Northern Region have of the HEIs nearby. The chapter contrasts the expectations of the two study institutions' local communities. The study participants were selected from residential areas close to the colleges; IPRC Musanze (public) and INES Ruhengeri (private). While Chapter 6 presented and discussed facts and expectations primarily related to collaboration between higher education institutions and neighbouring communities under the current study, Chapter 7 presents and discusses field data collected to answer another key research question that focuses on the challenges that collaboration faces. Its primary goal is to identify the most significant challenges and potential solutions to the majority of those challenges. Based on their practical experience, both local community members and staff from the two HEIs identified pressing challenges. Finally, in Chapter 8, a conclusion is drawn using data primarily from two higher education institutions in Rwanda's northern province as a case study. The conclusion was reached following the study's objectives, based on evidence and reasoning grounded on collected data and evaluated literature while keeping the theoretical framework in mind. / Diese Studie untersucht die Erwartungen der Lokalgemeinschaften an Hochschulen (HEIs) in der Nordprovinz Ruandas, wobei der Fokus auf zwei spezifischen Institutionen liegt: IPRC Musanze und INES Ruhengeri. Durch den Einsatz eines bewährten Mixed-Method-Designs integriert die Forschung sowohl quantitative als auch qualitative Ansätze. Quantitative Daten wurden durch strukturierte Umfragen erhoben, die an das Personal und die Alumni der HEIs gerichtet waren, während qualitative Erkenntnisse durch tiefgehende Interviews und Fokusgruppendiskussionen mit wichtigen Interessengruppen, einschließlich Gemeindemitgliedern, gesammelt wurden. Zusätzlich wurden sekundäre Datenquellen, wie politische Dokumente und institutionelle Berichte, herangezogen, um die Primärdaten zu ergänzen. Die Ergebnisse der Studie zeigen eine signifikante Diskrepanz zwischen den Erwartungen der Gemeinschaften und den tatsächlichen Fähigkeiten der HEIs, die von Faktoren wie der Art der Institution (öffentlich vs. privat), dem Studienangebot und den sozioökonomischen Bedürfnissen der Bewohner beeinflusst werden. Auffällig sind auch Geschlechterunterschiede, wobei Frauen im Allgemeinen höhere, oft unrealistische Erwartungen an die HEIs haben als Männer. Die Gemeinschaften sehen die HEIs als wesentliche Treiber der regionalen Entwicklung, erwarten von ihnen eine Steigerung der Beschäftigungsfähigkeit, einen Beitrag zum lokalen Wirtschaftswachstum und die Bereitstellung wesentlicher Dienstleistungen für die Gemeinschaft. Es wurden jedoch Herausforderungen wie unzureichende Zusammenarbeit, begrenzte Ressourcen und unterschiedliche Erwartungen zwischen öffentlichen und privaten Institutionen festgestellt. Um diese Probleme zu bewältigen, schlägt die Studie vor, die Lokalgemeinschaft als viertes Element dem bestehenden Triple-Helix-Modell (Universität-Industrie-Regierung) hinzuzufügen, um die Ergebnisse der HEIs besser an die Bedürfnisse der Gemeinschaft anzupassen. Darüber hinaus wird die Notwendigkeit betont, die Rollen und Verantwortlichkeiten zwischen den HEIs und der Regierung neu zu definieren, um eine effektivere und nachhaltigere Zusammenarbeit zu fördern. Die Forschung leistet einen Beitrag zur breiteren Diskussion über die Rolle der Hochschulbildung in der gesellschaftlichen Entwicklung, insbesondere in aufstrebenden Volkswirtschaften wie Ruanda. Der streng methodische Ansatz, der die drei Hauptforschungsprogramme Citavi, NVivo und SPSS einsetzt, stellt sicher, dass die Erkenntnisse der Studie sowohl fundiert als auch umsetzbar sind:The current thesis is divided into eight chapters: (1) General Introduction, (2) Related Works, (3) Guiding Theories/Models, (4) Research Methodology, (5) Talking from Experience: Graduates' Voice from Graduation to Labour Market, (6) Communities in the Vicinity of HEIs: A Local Perspective and Expectations, (7) Collaboration between HEIs and their Neighbouring Communities: Challenges and Proposed Solutions and lastly but not least, the chapter (8) which is conclusion. I start the first chapter by giving readers a broad introduction that sets the scene for the study and is followed by a statement of the problem. I also define the study's purpose, research questions, and the scope. Finally, I talk about the significance of the study. In the second chapter, I attempt to conduct a critical review of the existing literature on the research questions. Weaknesses, gaps, immediate relevance, and contributions are identified in this review, and the exploration reflects the variables specified in the research questions and objectives. The third chapter identifies the underlying theories reflecting the relationships between the concepts and theories that I intend to analyze in order to achieve the stated goals of the study. The fourth chapter discusses the research questions, resources, and procedures along with how they relate to the study's theoretical framework. To achieve this, a brief discussion of the research design, study location, study population, sampling technique, sample size, data collection and methods, data sources, data analysis, and ethical considerations is provided. The fifth chapter presents and discusses field data that was gathered to address one of the four major research questions that the current thesis seeks to investigate. A special focus is placed on graduates from HEIs. It primarily focuses on what we can learn from the experiences of current HEI graduates on the job market. Graduates discuss their practical experience in the labour market from the time of graduation to their current position. The analysis and presentation of the findings in relation to the following research questions are covered in the sixth chapter: What do local communities anticipate of HEIs in their areas? Do communities' expectations of public and private HEIs differ in any way? Which one, if any? It aims to ascertain the various kinds of expectations that the communities in Rwanda's Northern Region have of the HEIs nearby. The chapter contrasts the expectations of the two study institutions' local communities. The study participants were selected from residential areas close to the colleges; IPRC Musanze (public) and INES Ruhengeri (private). While Chapter 6 presented and discussed facts and expectations primarily related to collaboration between higher education institutions and neighbouring communities under the current study, Chapter 7 presents and discusses field data collected to answer another key research question that focuses on the challenges that collaboration faces. Its primary goal is to identify the most significant challenges and potential solutions to the majority of those challenges. Based on their practical experience, both local community members and staff from the two HEIs identified pressing challenges. Finally, in Chapter 8, a conclusion is drawn using data primarily from two higher education institutions in Rwanda's northern province as a case study. The conclusion was reached following the study's objectives, based on evidence and reasoning grounded on collected data and evaluated literature while keeping the theoretical framework in mind.

The general aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the graduateness, employability and satisfaction with retention factors of individuals and whether graduateness moderates the relationship between employability and satisfaction. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional research design on a purposive, non-probability sample (N = 100) of predominant black (93%), male (49%) and female (51%) trainees between the ages of 17-29 years (early career). Presenting/applying information skills significantly and negatively predicted compensation while ethical/responsible behaviour significantly and positively predicted satisfaction with job characteristics and organisational commitment. Graduateness related positively to self-perceived general employability. General employability did not significantly predict the participants’ satisfaction with retention factors. Graduate skills and attributes did not significantly moderate the relationship between self-perceived employability and satisfaction with retention factors. Males had significantly stronger perceptions of employability compared to females while females had higher levels of work–life balance satisfaction compared to males. Overall, the results suggest that general self-perceived employability is more a function of graduateness than of retention, while graduateness positively relates to retention factors. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Bibliography / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the advent of the 21st century the world has been experiencing rapid changes in knowledge, technology and information. These changes pose challenges to the providers of education and training in general and vocational education and training in particular. The impact of technological advancement and the nature of organisational changes in the workplace demand skills of an increasingly higher level – particularly skills in the areas of information technology, problem solving and communication. The problem identified in this study was that graduates from vocational training centres (VTCs) in Namibia did not have appropriate employability skills needed at the workplace, as indicated by Namibian employers. The aim of this study was to identify the types of employability skills considered important by employers at the workplace and to determine how such skills could be integrated into the vocational education and training curriculum in Namibia. A literature review conducted revealed that employers require workers with the following key, core or employability skills: communication, information technology, working with numbers, working with others, problem solving and improving one’s own learning and performance. The population for this study was 493 employers providing on-the-job training or employing vocational training centre graduates. A total of 244 out of the 493 employers responded. The population of the study represented the following occupational sectors: auto trades, building construction trades, metalwork trades and electrical engineering trades. Data for the study were collected through reviewing the literature on employability skills, a survey questionnaire to employers and face-to-face interviews conducted with selected employers during the research. The following questions were explored in the questionnaire and structured interviews: i) Which employability skills are important at the workplace? ii) Who is responsible for developing employability skills? iii) If it is the responsibility of vocational training centres to foster employability skills, at which educational level should employability skills education be introduced? iv) How should the acquisition of employability skills be promoted? v) How should employability skills be assessed? The study found that employers in Namibia considered employability skills such as teamwork, time management, a positive attitude, problem solving, planning, and coping with multiple tasks as the most important skills they required from vocational training centre graduates. Employers further indicated that employability skills could be developed at family/home settings as well as at school and vocational training centres and suggested that employability skills education be introduced from level 1 during the first year of training. It was also found that portfolios, observation and practical assessment were credible approaches for assessing employability skills and that this should be done in real-life contexts. Based on the conclusions arrived at in the study, it is recommended that a policy framework for employability skills be developed and implemented in the Namibian vocational education and training system. Specific recommendations are made regarding the following aspects: the type of employability skills; whose responsibility it is to develop these skills; at which level of training the development of employability skills should be implemented; how they could best be learned and how the learning of employability skills could be assessed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die snelle veranderinge op die gebied van kennis, tegnologie en inligting sedert die begin van die 21ste eeu bied groot uitdagings aan die verskaffers van onderwys en opleiding in die algemeen en beroepsonderwys en -opleiding in die besonder. Die uitwerking van tegnologiese vordering en die aard van organisatoriese veranderinge in die werkplek vereis groter hoërorde-vaardighede as vantevore – veral vaardighede op die gebied van inligtingstegnologie, probleemoplossing en kommunikasie. Die probleem wat in hierdie studie aan bod gekom het, was dat gegradueerdes van beroepsopleidingsentrums in Namibië nie oor voldoende indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede wat in die werkplek benodig word, beskik nie, soos aangedui deur Namibiese werknemers. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om die soorte indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede wat werkgewers by indiensneming van personeel as belangrik beskou te identifiseer, en om vas te stel hoe sodanige vaardighede in die kurrikulum vir beroepsonderwys en .. opleiding in Namibië geïntegreer kan word. Literatuuroorsig het getoon dat werknemers benodig word met die volgende belangrike, kern- of indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede: kommunikasie, inligtingstegnologie, syfervaardigheid, samewerking met ander persone, probleemoplossing en die verbetering van eie leer en prestasie. Die navorsingspopulasie vir hierdie studie het uit 493 werkgewers bestaan wat indiensopleiding verskaf of wat persone in diens het wat reeds hul beroepsopleiding voltooi het. Tweehonderd-vier-en-veertig werkgewers het uiteindelik aan die vraelysondersoek deelgeneem. Die motor-, konstruksie- en metaalwerkbedryf, asook die elektriese-ingenieurswesesektor, is in die navorsingspopulasie verteenwoordig. Data is ingesamel deur literatuuroorsig te doen oor indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede, en deur vraelyste en persoonlike onderhoude. Die volgende vrae is in die vraelys en tydens gestruktureerde onderhoude gestel: i) Watter indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede is in die werkplek belangrik? ii) Wie is verantwoordelik vir die ontwikkeling van indiensneembaarheids-vaardighede? iii) Indien dit die verantwoordelikheid is van beroepsopleidingsentra om indiensneembaarheids-vaardighede te bevorder, op watter opvoedkundige vlak behoort opleiding met betrekking tot indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede ingestel te word? iv) Hoe behoort die aanleer van indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede bevorder te word? v) Hoe behoort indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede geassesseer te word? Daar is bevind dat werkgewers in Namibië indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede soos spanwerk, tydbestuur, positiewe houding, probleemoplossing, beplanning en die hantering van veelvuldige take as die belangrikste vaardighede beskou wat hulle van potensiële opgeleide werknemers verwag. Werkgewers het aangedui dat indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede in die huis, in skole en deur beroepsopleidingsentrums ontwikkel kan word. Hulle het voorgestel dat opleiding in indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede in die eerste jaar van opleiding by die beroepsopleidingsentrums vanaf vlak 1 aangebied behoort te word. Verdere bevinding was dat die assessering van kwekelinge se portefeuljes, waarneming en praktiese assessering geloofwaardige benadering tot die assessering van indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede is en dat dit binne die konteks van die werklike lewe gedoen behoort te word. Daar word op grond van die bevindinge onder meer aanbeveel dat beleidsraamwerk vir die ontwikkeling van indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede in die Namibiese beroepsonderwys en .. opleidingstelsel ontwikkel en geïmplementeer word. Spesifieke aanbevelings word gemaak ten opsigte van die tipes indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede, wie se verantwoordelikheid dit is om hierdie vaardighede te ontwikkel, op watter opleidingsvlak die indiensnemingsvaardighede geïmplementeer behoort te word, hoe dit ten beste aangeleer kan word, en hoe die leerproses met betrekking tot indiensneembaarheidsvaardighede geassesseer kan word.

La notion de Sentiment d’Employabilité est imbriqué dans le concept de l’employabilité et est peu évoquée au niveau des pratiques managériales modernes. Les travaux académiques sur le sujet sont limités à l’heure où les individus, évoluant sur le secteur privé, connaissent des difficultés de repositionnement en avançant dans l’âge. Cette situation se vérifie aussi pour les cadres. Une revue de littérature étayée des concepts permet de livrer une conceptualisation en lien, à la fois, avec l’individu, les variables socio-démographiques et le marché du travail. Une étude qualitative a été menée auprès de plus d’une trentaine d’acteurs. Ensuite, sur la base de plusieurs échelles validées portant sur l’employabilité et la perception individuelle de l’employabilité (et de nouveaux items issus de la recherche exploratoire), nous avons bâti un questionnaire. L’étude quantitative a ainsi permis d’opérationnaliser le Sentiment d’Employabilité comme un construit avec six dimensions : Compétence, Formation Continue, Sentiment d’Efficacité Personnelle, Réseau , Techniques de Recherche d'Emploi, Connaissance de la Réalité du Marché. L' outil montre l’influence du Sentiment d’Employabilité sur la situation professionnelle. Le modèle montre que le fait d’être en activité a aussi une influence sur ce sentiment. Cette étude a vocation à être transposée à d’autres publics (les juniors) et à d’autres contextes culturels / Self-perceived employability as an integrated element of employability…nor has it been really mentioned in modern-day managerial practices. Academic research on the topic is quite limited. It’s almost non-existent when individuals are confronted with difficulties in changing jobs: a tricky context when they get older. An extensive literature review backs up these concepts and delivers an operationalization of the idea linked to the individuals versus socio-demographic variables and employment status. The suggested results are from a qualitative study carried out on more than 30 people. The results then led to a quantitative research on the operationalization of Self-perceived employability. Based on several confirmed scaled (with items linked to employability, and to a lesser extent, Self-perceived employability…and new items from the exploratory research), we built a questionnaire keeping in mind that this way could contribute to a new and innovative measurement of employability. The streamlined scale leads to a new construct with six statistical dimensions: Skills, Training, Sense of Self Efficacy, Networking (internal and external), Job Search Tools and realistic knowledge of the job market. All in all, the research offers a way which could forecast professional situations and allows a realistic evaluation of Self-perceived employability. This study also suggests that self-employability is linked to professional status (ie to be hired). This research could be used for other vulnerable groups (like junior workers) and also on different cultural contexts

The general aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the graduateness, employability and satisfaction with retention factors of individuals and whether graduateness moderates the relationship between employability and satisfaction. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional research design on a purposive, non-probability sample (N = 100) of predominant black (93%), male (49%) and female (51%) trainees between the ages of 17-29 years (early career). Presenting/applying information skills significantly and negatively predicted compensation while ethical/responsible behaviour significantly and positively predicted satisfaction with job characteristics and organisational commitment. Graduateness related positively to self-perceived general employability. General employability did not significantly predict the participants’ satisfaction with retention factors. Graduate skills and attributes did not significantly moderate the relationship between self-perceived employability and satisfaction with retention factors. Males had significantly stronger perceptions of employability compared to females while females had higher levels of work–life balance satisfaction compared to males. Overall, the results suggest that general self-perceived employability is more a function of graduateness than of retention, while graduateness positively relates to retention factors. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This research focuses on the relationship between self-esteem, graduateness skills and attributes and career adaptability among young adults in the school-to-work transition phase to assist them in dealing with the transitions they are faced with during the school-to-work transition phase in the hopes of making them more career adaptable and employable. A cross-sectional quantitative research approach was followed, and a non-probability convenience sample (N = 332) of undergraduate black (98.5%) and female (62%) young emerging adults (18 to 29 years) at a Further Education and Training (FET) college in South Africa participated in the study. A canonical correlation analysis indicated a significant overall relationship between the graduateness/self-esteem canonical variate and the career adaptability canonical variate. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the relationship between graduateness skills and attributes and career adaptability was moderated by self-esteem. Tests for mean differences revealed that males and females differed significantly regarding their personal self-esteem and lie items. Recommendations are suggested for use by human resource professionals in terms of career development practices. / Human Resource Management / M. Com. (Human Resource Management)

M. Tech. (Department of Information and Communication Technology, Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The work-integrated learning (WIL) concept was introduced to enhance the employability of students completing their IT qualification at universities of Technology (UoTs) in South Africa. Employability is defined as a combination of characteristics that make a person a useful and thereby desirable employee. WIL is defined as a component of a curriculum to improve the value of student learning by integrating academic training and practical workplace exposure. However, a large cohort of students registered for the IT qualification at UoTs do not find company placement for WIL, resulting in these students having to complete this final qualifying module of their qualification by undertaking a group project on campus. The group project entails developing a software system for a client. The overall sentiment expressed by employers, lecturers and students in this study is that students who remain on campus for the group project are not as well-prepared as those who find placement at a company for their in-service training. This study aimed to develop and propose an approach to a creative pedagogy in the form of a simulated working environment on campus within a tertiary educational setting to contribute towards enhancing the learner-content relation of WIL students, in order to improve the employability of students by providing the on-campus project students with an equal opportunity to those going into industry for their in-service training. The philosophy adopted for this research is interpretivism, with the Vaal University of Technology as the case of the research. The investigation adopted a mixed-method approach where respondents were requested to complete questionnaires focusing on their perceptions of on-campus group work vs. in-service training at companies for the WIL component of the IT qualification. Five respondent groups were identified for participation in the study, namely: i) In-service training students, i.e. WIL students who found placement in a company; ii) Project students, i.e. WIL students who remained on campus to do a group project; iii) Graduates, i.e. students who already completed WIL and graduated; iv) Employers of WIL students who found placement at a company; and v) Lecturers involved in WIL training on campus. The responses of the various respondent groups were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Comparisons of the perceptions of the respective groups were made to explore the possibility of a viable solution to the on-campus group work challenges that were identified. Based on reviewing recent literature, analysing the data collected from the completed to questionnaires by different role players, and adapting and the institutional strategy framework for WIL developed by Jacobs in 2015, an approach to a creative pedagogy in the form of a virtual company on campus for WIL students is presented to provide students who cannot find placement in industry for their in-service training with an equal experience to the in-service training company students. The proposed pedagogical approach incorporates the five standards defined by Tharp in 2018 as requirements for an effective and successful curriculum in the development of the actual virtual company. These include: contextualisation, challenging activities, joint productive activity, intellectual conversation and language development. The proposed approach adopts a three-layered approach to a creative pedagogy, with the aim of improving the employability of on-campus WIL students. The first layer lays the basis for implementing a virtual company on campus and includes aspects such as the objective for a simulated working environment on campus, employer preferences, and the skills set students should possess for employers to offer them a placement in their company for in-service training. The second layer focuses on the details that should be in place for a virtual company to be successfully implemented. This practical layer in the implementation of the virtual company focuses on infrastructure, Finance, HR, legislative approval, and appropriate assessments. The third layer only follows when the second layer has been put into place. This layer deals with how academic content can be included in the proposed pedagogical approach. The study also revealed that in addition to adopting the concept of a virtual company on campus for WIL students, a substantial focus should be on soft skills training. The exit level outcomes (ELOs) related to a simulated working environment for the WIL module of the IT are specified in the HEQF (Higher Education Qualifications Framework) document as set out by the South African Qualifications Authority.

English, Afrikaans and Northern Sotho summaries / Die algemene doel van hierdie navorsing was om ’n loopbaantevredenheids- en indiensneembaarheidsprofiel vir kenniswerkers saam te stel, gebaseer op die verhoudingsdinamika tussen individue se biografiese eienskappe (ouderdom, ras en indiensnemingstatus), loopbaankognisies (loopbaanaanpasbaarheid en psigososiale loopbaanpreokkupasies as voorgangers), hulle psigososiale loopbaanhulpbronne (indiensneembaarheidskenmerke, loopbaanankers en loopbaanwaardes as moderators) en hulle loopbaantevredenheid en selfwaargenome indiensneembaarheid (gevolge of uitkomste). Die einddoel van die navorsing was om gevolgtrekkings te maak oor die verhoudingsdinamika (omvang en rigting) tussen die konsepte ten einde organisatoriese loopbaanontwikkelingspraktyke vir die kenniswerker voor te stel. ’n Kwantitatiewe deursneenavorsingsbenadering is gevolg en het ’n steekproef van N = 404 kenniswerkers behels wat by professionele Suid-Afrikaanse liggame geregistreer is. Beskrywende, korrelasie- en meerveranderlike inferensiële statistiek is ingespan. Aanvullend tot die kanoniese korrelasieresultate, het regressie and strukturele vergelykingsmodellering ontledings aangetoon dat die loopbaantevredenheidsprofiel unieke beïnvloedingsfaktore het terwyl die selfwaargenome indiensneembaarheidsprofiel ook oor sy eie unieke beïnvloedingsfaktore beskik. Moderering regressie-ontleding het gewys dat individue se loopbaankognisies (dit is die vlakke van loopbaanaanpasbaarheid en loopbaanpreokkupasies) nie voorwaardelik ten opsigte van hulle psigososiale loopbaanhulpbronne was (dit is, indiensneembaarheidseienskappe, loopbaanankers en loopbaanwaardes) om hulle vlakke van loopbaantevredenheid en selfwaargenome indiensneembaarheid te verduidelik nie. Die loopbaankognisies en psigososiale loopbaanhulpbronne het individuele, bepaalde hoofgevolge om te oorweeg ten einde kenniswerkers se loopbaantevredenheid en selfwaargenome indiensneembaarheid te verstaan. Stapsgewyse regressie en hiërargies-moderering regressie-ontleding het gewys dat ouderdom, ras en indiensnemingstatus belangrike oorwegings was wat betref die loopbaantevredenheidsprofiel van kenniswerkers. Ras in die besonder het geblyk belangrik te wees om in aanmerking te neem ooreenkomstig hulle selfwaargenome indiensneembaarheid. Verskille tussen die biografiese groepe het ook aan die hand gedoen dat unieke loopbaanontwikkeling oorweeg moet word in multikulterele, diverse werkskontekste. Die loopbaantevredenheid en indiensneembaarheidsprofiel is saamgestel, gebaseer op die belangrikste insigte wat uit die essensiële, betekenisvolle bevindings bekom is. Loopbaantevredenheid en indiensneembaarheidsteorie is in hierdie navorsing uitgebrei. Aanbevelings vir organisatoriese loopbaanontwikkelingondersteuningspraktyke is gemaak, gebaseer op die voorgestelde profiel vir die professionele kenniswerker. / Maikemisetsomagolo a dinyakisiso e bile go go hlama phrofaele ye e kgotsofatsago mosomo le go thwalega mosomong go basomi ba tsa tsebo go lebeletswe seemo sa dikamano magareng ga dipharologantsi tsa dipalopalo ka ga batho (e lego mengwaga, bong, mohlobo le maemo a mosomo), go kwesisa ka ga mesomo (go tlwaela mosomo le seemo sa menagano ya setshaba ka ga mesomo bjalo ka dilo tseo di tlago peleng), methopo ya bona mosomo mabapi le menagano ya setshaba (dikokwane tsa go kgona go thwalega mesomong, dihlohleletsi tsa go hwetsa mesomo le maitshwaro a mesomong bjalo ka dilo tseo di lekolago mesomo) le go kgotsofatsa ga dinyakwa tsa mesomo le go ipona bjalo ka yo a thwalegago (seo se tlago ka moragonyana goba bjalo ka poelo). Maikemisetso ao a nepilwego a dinyakisiso e bile go tla ka dipheto mabapi le seemo sa dikamano (bogolo bja tsona le fao di lebilego gona) magareng ga kago ya maikemisetso a go sisinya ditiro tsa tlhabollo ya basomi ka dikhamphaning go mosomi yo a somago ka menagano. Mokgwa wa dinyakisiso wa bontsi wa mafapha a mantis o dirisitswe gomme sampole ya N = 404 ya basomi ba tsa tsebo o dirisitswe le go akaretsa mekgatlo ya sephrofesenale ya ka Afrika Borwa. Dipalopalo tsa go hlatholla, tsa papetso le tsa tshupetso ya makala a mantsi di dirilwe. Dipoelo tsa papetso tsa tatelano di laeditse gore go phrofaele ya go kgotsofatsa mosomo e na le dintlha tsa khuetso tsa go swana di nnosi mola e le gore phrofaele ya go ipona bjalo ka yo a thwalegago le yona e na le dintlha tsa khuetso tsa go swana di nnosi. Tshekatsheko ya poelomorago yeo e hlokometswego e laeditse gore dikwesiso tsa batho ka ga mosomo (ke gore, maemo a tsinkelo mosomong le go tlwaelo go phethagatsa mosomo) ga se tsa lebana le seemo sa methopo ya go phethagatsa mosomo wa mabapi le menagano ya setshaba (ke gore, dipharologantshi tsa go thwalega mesomong, dihlohleletsi tsa mesomo le maitshwaro a mesomong) go hlalosa maemo a bona a go kgotsofatsa phethagatso ya mesomo le go ipona o thwalega mosomong. Dikwesiso ka ga mesomo le methopo ya mesomo mabapi le menagano ya setshaba di bile le diabe tse itsego go batho tseo di swanetsego go hlokomelwa gore re kwesise go kgotsofatsa ga mesomo ka basomi ba tsa tsebo le go ipona ba thwalega mesomong. Tshekatsheko ya poelomorago ka dikgato tse mmalwa le ya poelomorago ya basomi go ya ka tatelano ya bona di laeditse gore mengwaga, morafe le maemo a mosomo di bile bohlokwa go di hlokomela mabapi le phrofaele ya go kgotsofatsa mesomo ga basomi ba tsa tsebo. Morafe o bonagala o tloga o le bohlokwa kudu go hlokomela mabapi le go ipona ba thwalega mesomong. Diphapano magareng ga dihlopha tsa merafe le mehlobo le tsona di sisintse gore go hlokega tlohabollo ya ka mesomong ye e swanago e nnosi yeo e swanetsego go dirwa ka seemong sa mesomo fao go somago batho ba ditso tse di fapafapanego. Phrofaele ya tlhabollo ya basomi le go thwalega mesomong go hlamilwe go lebeletswe tsebo ye bohlokwa ye e hweditswego go dikutollo tsa motheo tse bohlokwa. Dinyakisiso di katolositse teori ya mabapi le tlhabollo ya basomi le ya go thwalega mesomong. Go dirilwe ditshisinyo mabapi le ditiro tsa thekgo ya tlhabollo ya basomi ka dikhamphaning ka ga phrofaele ye e sisintswego ya mosomi wa tsa tsebo wa sephrofesenale. / The general aim of the research was to construct a career satisfaction and employability profile for the knowledge worker based on the relationship dynamics among individuals’ biographical characteristics (age, gender, race and employment status), career cognitions (career adaptability and psychosocial career preoccupations as antecedents), their psychosocial career resources (employability attributes, career anchors and career values as moderators) and their career satisfaction and self-perceived employability (consequences or outcomes). The end goal of the research was to draw conclusions on the relationship dynamics (magnitude and direction) between the constructs for the purpose of proposing organisational career development practices for the knowledge worker. A quantitative cross-sectional research approach was followed and involved a sample of N = 404 knowledge workers registered with South African professional bodies. Descriptive, correlation and multivariate inferential statistics were performed. Supplementary to the canonical correlation analysis, regression and structural equation modelling analysis indicated that the career satisfaction profile has unique influencing factors while the self-perceived employability profile also has its unique influencing factors. Moderated regression analysis showed that individuals’ career cognitions (i.e. levels of career adaptability and psychosocial career preoccupations) were not conditional upon their psychosocial career resources (i.e. employability attributes, career anchors and career values) in explaining their levels of career satisfaction and self-perceived employability. The career cognitions and psychosocial career resources had individually specific main effects to consider in understanding knowledge workers’ career satisfaction and self-perceived employability. Stepwise regression and the hierarchical moderated regression analysis showed that age, race and employment status were important to consider in terms of the career satisfaction profile of knowledge workers. Race seemed especially important to consider in terms of their self-perceived employability. Differences among the biographical groups also suggested unique career development needs to consider in multi-culturally diverse work contexts. The career satisfaction and employability profile was constructed based on the key insights derived from the core significant findings. The research extended career satisfaction and employability theory. Recommendations for organisational career development support practice were made based on the proposed profile for the professional knowledge worker. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)

The purpose of the research was to determine whether personality and measures of ability would significantly predict job performance of call centre operators in a South African communications company. The Customer Contact Styles Questionnaire (CCSQ7.2), the Basic Checking (CP7.1) ability test and the Audio Checking (CP8.1) ability test were completed by operators as the predictors. Supervisors completed the Customer Contact Competency Inventory (CCCI) for 140 operators as a measure of job performance. Performance statistics were obtained for the sample as additional criterion data. Correlations and multiple regression analysis revealed statistically significant small to moderate correlations between the criteria and the predictors. The research was conducted from a concurrent validity perspective. Further research from a predictive validity perspective is suggested in order to substantiate the findings and to improve the generalisability thereof. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

This study investigated whether skills development learning programmes specifically internship programme in the public service sector are effective in improving interns’ emotional intelligence competences. A convenience sample of 66 interns was obtained. The interns, two peers and a mentor assessed the intern’s emotional intelligence competencies twice, at the beginning and towards the end of the internship programme with the aid the 360° Emotional and Social Intelligence Inventory (ESCI). A total of 264 participants completed the inventory. Mean competency ratings were compared to determine if there were differences between the first and the second assessments. There were statistically significant differences for Organisational Awareness, Adaptability, Influence, Teamwork, Empathy, Emotional Self Awareness, Conflict Management and Inspirational Leadership. No statistically significant differences were found in the overall development of emotional intelligence based on gender. However, female interns improved more in Emotional Self-Awareness while males improved more in Inspirational Leadership and Coaching. Skills development internship learning programme in the public service appear to be effective in furthering interns’ emotional intelligence competencies at work. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology with Specialisation in Research Consultation)