In this quantitative study, undertaken in a South African information and communications technology (ICT) company, dimensions of organisational culture (measured by the South African Culture Instrument) were correlated with the dimensions of work engagement (measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Survey), to determine whether employees’ perceptions of organisational culture are related to their levels of work engagement. Structural equation modelling confirmed the factorial model of both measuring instruments, with most fit indices indicating the data to be a good or acceptable fit to the hypothesised model. Correlational analyses revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between each of the dimensions of organisational culture and work engagement respectively. Regression analyses showed that leadership, management processes, and goals and objectives make the strongest statistically unique contribution in predicting the dimensions of work engagement. Since work engagement has been shown to relate to several positive work outcomes, it makes sense for organisations to increase levels of work engagement by improving their organisational culture. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / MCom (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The primary objectives of the study were as follows: (1) to explore the relationship between career anchors (as measured by the Career Orientations Inventory), organisational commitment (as measured by the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire) and turnover intention (as measured by a three-item questionnaire, developed by Mobley, Horner, and Hollingsworth, 1978); and (2) to determine whether employees from different gender, race, employment positions and age groups differ significantly in their career anchors, organisational commitment and turnover intention. A quantitative survey was conducted on a non-probability sample of 343 employed adults at managerial and general staff levels in the South African retail sector. The results of this study suggest that there was a significant but weak relationship between employees‟ career anchors and their organisational commitment. Career anchors were also found to be significantly related to organisational commitment and turnover intention; with entrepreneurial creativity, lifestyle and service/dedication to a cause career anchors being the best predictors of these two variables. The relationship between organisational commitment and turnover intention was significant and negative, with affectively and normatively committed participants being more likely to remain with the organisation (i.e. having lower turnover intentions). In addition, the findings indicate that although gender has no relationship with turnover intention, race, employment position and age do. African, general staff and 30 years and younger participants indicated higher intentions to leave the organisation. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M. Comm. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The modern world of business has accepted the fact that true organisational competitive ability lies hidden in the depths of individual human beings and their commitment to deliver super standard outputs. The secret to outperforming competitors has become increasingly dependent on the levels of performance delivered by an organisation’s employees, and an age old burning question has yet again risen to the fore: What are the factors that influence employee work performance? This study presents the background to this question by clearly defining the problem and the relevant definitions of concepts and terms generally used in the arena of employee work performance. An overview of employee work performance is introduced by applying a suitable model to explain job performance where after the measurement of employee work performance is investigated. Consideration is given to the different types of performance measurement, the people responsible for measuring employee work performance as well as the reasons for measuring performance. Upon clearly establishing a proper frame of reference with regard to employee work performance, the factors influencing performance are discussed under the topics of motivation and rewards. Motivation and its influence on employee work performance is approached from a top down perspective considering in the first place the different groupings or categorisation of motivational theories, where after those motivational theories under consideration are discussed in more detail. Rewards, as a factor influencing employee work performance, is considered to be applied in the form of remunerative compensation and relational rewards, while constantly applying the concept of total rewards and it’s ability to influence employee work performance as a more recent approach to reward management. Remunerative compensation is first considered as applied by three theories of motivation upon which follows a more detailed discussion on the details of remunerative compensation rewards. Relational rewards are considered in different categories or groups with special emphasis on their role as applied to the total rewards approach. The study concludes by summarising the findings with regard to employee performance, employee motivation and rewards, and finally presents a discussion on different trends pertaining to reward management. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die moderne besigheidswêreld het reeds aanvaar dat die ware vermoë van ‘n maatskappy om te kompeteer in die diepte van individuele mense en hul toewyding tot bo-gemiddelde uitsette rus. ‘n Maatskappy se vermoë om suksesvol te kompeteer word meer-en-meer afhanklik van die vlakke van prestasie van die maatskappy se werknemers, en die oer-oue vraag kom daagliks weer na vore: Watter faktore beϊnvloed ‘n werknemer se werksprestasie? Die studie lewer die agtergrond tot hierdie vraag deur die probleem duidelik te identifiseer asook die relevante definisies van algemeen gebruikte konsepte en terme wat betrekking het op werknemer werksprestasie. ‘n Oorsig van werknemer werksprestasie word voorgestel deur die toepassing van ‘n gepaste model om werksprestasie te verduidelik waarna die meting van werksprestasie ondersoek word. Verskillende tipes prestasie-meting, die mense wat verantwoordelik is vir die meting van werknemer werksprestasie asook die redes vir die meting van werksprestasie word oorweeg. Nadat ‘n duidelike verwysingsraamwerk met betrekking tot werknemer werksprestasie daargestel is, word die faktore wat werksprestasie beϊnvloed onder die hoofde van motivering en vergoeding bespreek. Die invloed van motivering op werknemer werksprestasie word benader vanuit ‘n oorhoofse perspektief deur eers die verskillende groeperings en kategorieë van motiveringsteorieë te oorweeg, waarna die spesifieke motiveringsteorieë wat betrekking het op hierdie studie in meer detail bespreek word. Vergoeding, as ‘n faktor wat werknemer werksprestasie beϊnvloed, word beskou in die vorm van geldelike vergoeding asook verhoudings-vergoeding, terwyl die konsep van totale of algehele vergoeding en die invloed wat dit op werknemer werksprestasie het, deurentyd toegepas word as ‘n meer moderne benadering tot vergoedingsbestuur. Geldelike vergoeding word eerstens beskou uit die standpunt waar drie motiveringsteorieë respektiewelik daarop toegepas word, waarna ‘n meer gedetaileerde bepreking aangaande geldelike vergoeding volg. Verhoudingsvergoeding word beskou soos toegepas in verskillende groepe of kategorieë met spesiale fokus op die rol wat gespeel word in die totale of algehele vergoedingsbenadering. Die studie volstrek deur die bevindinge met betrekking tot werknemer werksprestasie, werknemers motivering en vergoeding op te som, waarna met ‘n finale bespreking van verskillende toekomspatrone met betrekking tot vergoedingsbestuur afgesluit word.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The alignment of Sanlam Life with the transformation process of Sanlam, as a national financial services group, necessitated the implementation of an improved service delivery model in 1998. The vision to be world class, brought forward some challenges in terms of cost, service levels as well as the type of service channel. Strategically, it was decided that Sanlam Life should centralise its services, which had enormous implications for Sanlam Life's staff as well as its clients. This resulted in the establishment of a more "impersonal" service channel, which could, at the same time, deliver a more effective service in terms of speed and quality. Decentralised walk-in centres thus, had to make place for two, centralised, client contact centres and a personal, face-to-face, service was replaced with a technologically effective call and correspondence centre. After a period of approximately two years of operational functioning, it was decided by Sanlam Life Exco to do a thorough diagnosis of the overall functioning of the Client Contact Centre (CCC).The specific aims of this diagnosis can be summarised as follows: • To gain insight into the level of employee satisfaction and morale. • To identify the factors which contribute to employee satisfaction and morale. • To evaluate the efficiency of the service delivery processes. • To ascertain what the current culture is within the CCC, in order to decide if it is the type of culture that should be vested in the rest of Sanlam Life. In preparation to the diagnostic survey and with the aim to improve the effectiveness of the CCC, the principles of organisational diagnosis will be discussed in this study, and will include the following: • The importance of a diagnostic model, which is central to the diagnostic process as well as further action plans. • A description of the diagnostic process and the importance of feedback and action planning in order to ensure organisational improvement. The results of the diagnostic survey of the Sanlam Life CCC, indicated the work climate can primarily be described as negative, and that improvement of especially the work processes and management behaviour, is required. The negative perception of the CCC staff around their service delivery, however does not correlate with the experience of the Sanlam Advisors regarding CCC service. This finding is contradictory to that of previous research, which indicated a positive relationship between employee and client satisfaction. This finding should thus be investigated to a greater extent. Organisation diagnosis is a sensitive process, which can create the expectation with employees that something will be done with the information. The greatest challenge therefore does not only lie in the diagnosis itself, but in the utilisation of the information for continuous improvement. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die belyning van Sanlam Lewens met die transformasieproses van Sanlam, as nasionale finansiële dienstegroep, het die implementering van 'n verbeterde diensleweringmodel in 1998 genoodsaak. Die visie om wêreldklas te wees, het sekere uitdagings gestel op die gebied van koste, diensvlakke asook die tipe dienskanaal. Strategies is besluit dat Sanlam Lewens moet sentraliseer, wat enorme implikasies ingehou het vir Sanlam Lewens se personeel asook hul kliënte. Dit het gelei tot die totstandkoming van 'n meer "onpersoonlike" dienskanaal wat terselfdertyd meer effektiewe diens in terme van spoed en kwaliteit tot gevolg sou hê. Gedesentraliseerde instapkantore moes dus plek maak vir twee, gesentraliseerde, kliëntekontaksentrums en persoonlike, aangesig-tot-aangesig, dienslewering is vervang deur 'n tegnologies effektiewe inbel- en korrespondensiesentrum. Na 'n tydperk van ongeveer twee jaar van operasionele funksionering, het die uitvoerende bestuur van Sanlam Lewens besluit dat 'n deeglike diagnose na die algehele funksionering van die Kliëntekontaksentrum (KKS) gedoen moet word. Die spesifieke doelwitte van die diagnose kan as volg opgesom word: • Om insig te verkry ten opsigte van die vlak van werknemertevredenheid en moraal. • Om die faktore wat bydra tot werknemertevredenheid en moraal te identifiseer. • Om die effektiwiteit van die diensleweringsprosesse te bepaal. • Om te bepaal wat die huidige kultuur binne die KKS is, sodat daar besluit kan word of dit die tipe kultuur is wat in die res van Sanlam Lewens gevestig moet word. As voorbereiding tot die diagnostiese ondersoek in die Sanlam Lewens KKS en ook met die doel om die effektiwiteit van die KKS te verbeter, word die beginsels van organisasiediagnose in hierdie studie bespreek, en bestaan uit die volgende: Die vestiging van 'n begrip van organisasie-effektiwiteit en die bydrae wat organisasiediagnose kan lewer tot volgehoue organisasieverbetering. • Die belang van 'n diagnostiese model, wat sentraal staan tot die diagnostiese proses asook verdere aksieplanne. • 'n Omskrywing van die diagnostiese proses en die belang van terugvoer en aksiebeplanning ten einde organisasieverbetering te verseker. Die resultate van die diagnostiese ondersoek na die funksionering van die Sanlam Lewens KKS het aangedui dat die werksklimaat in die KKS hoofsaaklik as negatief beskou kan word en dat verbetering ten opsigte van veral werksprosesse en bestuursgedrag nodig is. Die negatiewe persepsie wat by KKS personeel bestaan ten opsigte van hul dienslewering korreleer egter nie met die ervaring van Sanlam Adviseurs ten opsigte van KKS diens nie. Hierdie bevinding is teenstrydig met vorige navorsing, wat 'n positiewe verband gevind het tussen werknemer- en kliëntetevredenheid, en moet dus verder ondersoek word. Organisasiediagnose is 'n sensitiewe proses wat die verwagting by werknemers skep dat iets met die inligting gedoen gaan word. Die grootste uitdaging lê dus nie net in die diagnose nie, maar in die gebruik van die inligting vir volgehoue verbetering.

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model (Bakker and colleagues) has received increasing attention in recent years, yet there is a distinct literature gap regarding its utility and value towards the international work context. In line with this, understanding how to design jobs representing enhanced climates of work engagement for internationally operating staff alludes practitioners. This thesis therefore aims to substantiate the claim that previous research applying the JD-R model has neglected the international work context and evaluate whether the model has potential to be used as a framework for managing burnout, work engagement and related outcomes beyond the use in solely national contexts. In order to do so, two review studies (systematic and meta-analytic) and two empirical studies (qualitative and quantitative) are conducted of the JD-R model in the international work context. Findings suggest: that existing JD-R literature does not consider the international work context, highlighting a distinct literature gap requiring attention, in order to achieve a holistic understanding of the model and its applicability; strong meta-analytic support for the JD-R model and the impact of variation in the international work context represented by dimensions of national culture; the JD-R model has potential for responding to the management of burnout and work engagement for international business travelers but may benefit from theoretical amendments that focus the models utility and direct scholarly research and practitioner approaches; that the model may not be as valuable as assumed for the international business traveler context, yet it is worth considering the findings in light of relevant literature and possible limitations. Overall, the findings suggest a distinct need for more research examining the JD-R model in the international work context. A number of potential theoretical amendments are suggested in a conceptual internationalized JD-R model that can be used as a foundation for future empirical work to establish the boundaries of the model and its utility. From a practitioner perspective, until more research is conducted, JD-R principles should be applied with caution. As a whole, this thesis encompasses theoretical, empirical and practical contributions relevant for scholarly and practitioner communities which can be built upon over time with regards to the proposed conceptual model.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Increasingly, organisations are realising that they have to establish an equitable balance between the employee&rsquo / s contribution to the organisation and the organisation&rsquo / s contribution to the employee. Establishing this balance is one of the main reasons to reward and recognise employees. Organisations that follow a strategic approach to creating this balance focus on the three main components of a reward system, which includes, compensation, benefits and recognition (Deeprose, 1994). Studies that have been conducted on the topic indicates that the most common problem in organisations today is that they miss the important component of recognition, which is the low-cost, high-return ingredient to a well-balanced reward system. A key focus of recognition is to make employees feel appreciated and valued (Sarvadi, 2005). Research has proven that employees who get recognised tend to have higher self-esteem, more confidence, more willingness to take on new challenges and more eagerness to be innovative (Mason, 2001). The aim of this study is to investigate whether rewards and recognition has an impact on employee motivation. A biographical and Work Motivation Questionnaire was administered to respondents (De Beer, 1987). The sample group (N= 184) consists of male and female employees on post-grade levels 5 to 12. The results of the research indicated that there is a positive relationship between rewards, recognition and motivation. The results also revealed that women, and employees from non-white racial backgrounds experienced lower levels of rewards, recognition and motivation. Future research on the latter issues could yield interesting insights into the different factors that motivate employees. Notwithstanding the insights derived from the current research, results need to be interpreted with caution since a convenience sample was used, thereby restricting the generalisability to the wider population.

<p>The South African social, political and economic landscape has been characterized by profound changes during the past several years. Many organizations and their management are faced with inter alia, downsizing decisions, affirmative action policies to be implemented and a overabundance of other factors which could sway motivation and morale, attitudes and views of employees. The general research aim was to measure work motivation amongst employees in a government department in the Provincial Government Western Cape. Research has shown that motivated and satisfied employees are more productive and there is an improvement in service delivery.</p>

Thesis (M.B.A.)-Business Studies Unit, Durban University of Technology, 2006 xii, 117 leaves / In 2005, Masonite (Africa) Ltd embarked on a level 1 learnership program, in line with the National Skills Development Strategy. Within a few months, it became apparent that there was a need to investigate the job satisfaction of the level 1 learners (learners) in the work component of their learnership program. To investigate their job satisfaction, a study was conducted which was guided by three objectives. These were: firstly to determine the general job satisfaction of the learners; secondly, to assess the satisfaction of the learners according to twenty dimensions of the job, as measured by the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and thirdly, to investigate the relationship between the job satisfaction of the learners and their demographic variables gender, age, work experience and level of education. / M

The objectives of the study were (1) to determine the relationship between career adaptability (measured by the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale) and employee engagement (measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale), and (2) to determine whether age, race, gender and tenure groups differ significantly regarding career adaptability and employee engagement. A quantitative survey was conducted on a convenience sample (N = 131) of employees within a business unit of a large insurance company in South Africa. Correlational and inferential statistical analyses revealed significant relationships between career adaptability and employee engagement as well as significant differences between age and race groups on some dimensions of the constructs. These findings contribute valuable insight and knowledge to the field of Organisational Psychology and Career Psychology that can be applied in engagement strategies as well as in career guidance and counselling. The study concluded with recommendations for future research and practice. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)