Thesis (MComm (Industrial Psychology))--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organisations in open market economic systems aspire to optimally utilize the scarce resources at their disposal so as to maximize profits. To achieve this goal, the human resources function is tasked with the responsibility to acquire and maintain a competent and motivated workforce in a manner that would add value to the bottom-line. Selection thereby becomes a critical human resources management intervention in any organisation in as far as it regulates human capital movement into and through the organisation. To be able to make informed selection decisions, industrial-organisational psychologists and human resources practitioners need valid and reliable information on predictor constructs to allow them to make accurate predictions of the criterion construct. This provides the essential justification for the primary objective of this study which was to undertake a factor analytic investigation of the first-order factor structure of the Fifteen Factor Questionnaire Plus (15FQ+) on a sample of Black South African managers. The data used in this study was drawn from the database of Psymetric (Pty) Ltd with the permission of Psytech SA. The sample comprised 241 Black managers assessed by Psymetric (Pty) Ltd between 2002 and 2006. Item- and dimensionality analyses were performed on the 15FQ+ subscales to assess the success with which they represented the underlying personality constructs. The outcome of both the item and dimensionality analyses showed that although the items in each of the subscales seemed to be representing the underlying personality construct, they were not without problems. A spectrum of goodness-of-fit statistics was used to assess the measurement model fit. The model‟s overall fit was found to be good. The model parameter estimates, however, gave some reason for concern. The results of the confirmatory factor analyses suggest that the claim made by the 15FQ+ authors that the items included in each subscale reflect specific personality dimensions is tenable. The magnitude of the estimated model parameters, however, suggests that the items generally do not reflect the latent personality dimensions they were designated to reflect with a great degree of success. The items are reasonably noisy measures of the latent variables they represent. Based on these findings, this instrument should be used with caution, particularly on groups different from the UK samples on which it was originally developed and standardised. This study expands our understanding of this measure. Its findings should guide future research on a larger, more representative sample from the same target population to give credence to, or to refute these findings. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Organisasies in „n vrye-mark ekonomiese stelsel streef daarna om die skaars hulpbronne tot hul beskikking optimal aan te wend ten einde wins te maksimeer. Om hierdie doel te bereik word die menslike hulpbronfunksie getaak met die verantwoordelikheid om ‟n bevoegde en gemotiveerde werksmag te verkry en in stand te hou op ‟n wyse wat waarde tot die onderneming voeg. Keuring word daardeur ‟n kritieke menslike hulpbronintervensie in enige organisasie in so verre dit die beweging van menskapitaal in en deur die organisasie reguleer. Ten einde ingeligte keuringsbesluite te kan neem, benodig bedryfsielkundiges en menslike hulpbronpraktisyns betroubare en geldige inligting oor voorspellerkonstrukte om hul in staat te stel om akkurate voorspellings van die kriteriumkonstruk te maak. Dit bied wesenlik die regverdiging vir die primêre oogmerk van hierdie studie, naamlik om „n faktoranalitiese ondersoek van die eerste-orde faktorstruktuur van die Fifteen Factor Questionnaire Plus (15FQ+) op „n steekproef swart Suid Afrikaanse bestuurders te onderneem. Die data wat in die studie gebruik is, is verkry uit die databasis van Psymetric (Pty) Ltd met die toestemming van Psytech SA. Die steekproef het bestaan uit 241 swart bestuurders wat tussen 2002 en 2006 deur Psymetric (Pty) Ltd getoets is. Item- en dimensionaliteitontledings is op die 15FQ+ subskale uitgevoer ten einde die sukses vas te stel waarmee hul die onderliggende persoonlikheidskonstrukte verteenwoordig. Die resultate van beide die item- en die dimensionaliteitontledings het aangedui dat ofskoon die items van elke subskaal die onderliggende persoonlikheidskonstruk skyn te verteenwoordig, was hulle nogtans nie sonder probleme nie. ‟n Spektrum passingsmaatstawwe is gebruik om die pasgehalte van die metingsmodel te beoordeel. Die model se algehele passing was goed. Die skattings van die model parameters het egter wel rede tot kommer gegee. Die resultate van die bevestigende faktorontleding dui daarop dat die aanspraak van die ontwikkelaars van die 15FQ+ dat die items wat in elke subskaal ingesluit is spesifieke persoonlikheidsdimensies reflekteer, wel houbaar is. Die grootte-orde van die geskatte modelparameters dui egter daarop dat die items oor die algemeen nie die persoonlikheidsdimensies wat hul ontwerp is om te reflekteer met groot sukses reflekteer nie. Die items is redelik raserige metings van die latente veranderlikes wat hul verteenwoordig. Gebaseer op hierdie bevindinge behoort hierdie instrument met omsigtigheid gebruik te word, veral op groepe wat verskil van die VK steekproewe waarop die instrument ontwikkel en gestandaardiseer is. Die study dra by tot ons begrip van die instrument. Die bevindinge van die studie behoort toekomstige navorsingop 'n groter, meer verteenwoordigende steekproef uit dieselfde teikenpopulasie te rig ten einde die onderhawige bevindinge te steun of te weerlê.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary objective of this study was to establish if the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile questionnaire (AASP) could be used as a recruitment tool in selecting contact centre agents with a higher predictability for success and hence higher productivity. Contact centres around the globe face the challenge of high staff turnover and absenteeism, reducing profitability. It seems that work performance related to the way in which adults process sensory input has not been well researched. A model was developed by Dunn (Brown et al., 2001) based on the intersection of a neurological threshold continuum and a behavioural continuum and yielding four quadrants: Quadrant 1, Low Registration (of stimuli); Quadrant 2, Sensation Seeking; Quadrant 3, Sensory Sensitivity, and Quadrant 4, Sensation Avoiding. Forty-eight contact centre agents employed by Liberty Life were selected and assessed on the AASP. Performance data for each contact centre agent were collected: available time, auxiliary time, log-in time, quality assurance, absenteeism and length of service. Spearman rank correlations were conducted to test if relationships exist between any of the four quadrants and the performance measures. As an additional investigation, a Suitability Score (based on clustering of scores with a percent assigned) was derived for each contact centre agent and also correlated with the above performance measures. Significant relationships were found between Quadrant 2 scores and three of the performance measurement criteria. As the Quadrant 2 scores increase, the average available time of the agents will decrease and their average log-in time will increase. Absenteeism increased as well, which is expected to have a negative effect on the productivity of the contact centre. The Quadrant also had a high predictability for Suitability Ratings indicating that as the Quadrant 2 score increases, the suitability of the contact centre agents increases as well. Regarding Quadrant 3 (sensory sensitivity) scores, quality assessment, total days of absenteeism and average absenteeism relate negatively. It seems that contact centre agents with high sensory sensitivity are less suitable for the job. As the score increases the quality assessment scores decrease, which is not what is required in terms of quality standards. A negative relationship exists between Quadrant 3 scores and the Suitability Rating scores, indicating that the higher the quadrant scores the less suitable the contact centre agents are to work in the contact centre environment. Quadrant 4 (sensation avoiding) has a negative relationship with Suitability Rating scores, which indicates that the higher the quadrant score the less suitable the contact centre agent is to work in the contact centre environment. No significant relationships were recorded between the performance measurements and Quadrant 1 (low registration) and Quadrant 4 (sensation avoiding), even though, logically, one would expect agents with less distraction to be more productive. Further studies are recommended before the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile questionnaire is used as a recruitment tool. Future studies could categorise the quadrant scores into clusters and then test for relationships with the set performance measurements. The Suitability Rating was used in a first attempt to match individuals in a specific job according to specific sensory profiles. This measure has not yet been tested for validity and reliability, which must be done prior to further study using it. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primêre doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel of die Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP) vraelys gebruik kan word as ‘n hulpmiddel vir die werwing en seleksie van kontaksentrum agente, met ‘n hoër waarskynlikheid van sukses en, dus, hoër produktiwiteit. Kontaksentrums op elke vasteland kom te staan voor die probleem van hoë personeelomset en werksafwesigheid wat winsgewendheid verlaag. Die manier waardeur volwasse mense hul sensoriese insette verwerk, in verband met werkprestasie, is nog nie goed ondersoek nie. ‘n Model is deur Dunn (Brown et al., 2001) ontwikkel wat gebasseer is op die kruispunt van ‘n neurologiese drumpel kontinuum en ‘n gedragskontinuum wat tot vier kwadrante lei: Kwadrant 1, Lae Registrasie (van stimuli); Kwadrant 2, Sensasie Soekend; Kwadrant 3, Sensoriese Sensitiwiteit, en Kwadrant 4, Vermyding van Sensasie. Agt-en-veertig kontaksentrum agente wat in diens van Liberty Life is, is geselekteer en beoordeel volgens die AASP. Prestasiedata is saamgestel vir elke kontaksentrum agent: beskikbare tyd, oortollige tyd, teenwoordige tyd, kwaliteitsversekering, werksafwesigheid en jare diensplig. Spearman rang korrelasies is onderneem om te toets of daar verbande bestaan tussen enige van die vier kwadrante en die prestasiemaatstaf. In ‘n addisionele ondersoek is ‘n geskiktheidsmaatstaf ontwikkel wat gebasseer is op trosvorming van tellings met ‘n toegekende persentasie. Dit is gedoen vir elke kontaksentrum agent en hierdie tellings is ook gekorreleer met bogenoemde prestasiemaatstawwe. Statisties-beduidende positiewe verbande is gevind tussen Kwadrant 2 (sensasie soekend) tellings en drie van die prestasiemetingskriteria. As die telling van Kwadrant 2 toeneem, neem die gemiddelde beskikbare tyd af en die teenwoordige tyd van agente toe. Werksafwesigheid het ook toegeneem, wat moontlik negatief kan inwerk op die produktiwiteit van die kontaksentrum. Die kwadrant het ook ‘n hoë waarskynlikheid openbaar in die geval van die Gekiktheidsmaatstaf, wat aandui dat, namate die Kwadrant 2 telling toeneem, die gekiktheid van die kontaksentrum agent ook toeneem. Wat Kwadrant 3 (sensoriese sensitiwiteit) tellings betref, bestaan daar ‘n negatiewe verband tussen kwaliteitsversekering, totale aantal dae van werksafwesigheid en gemiddelde werksafwesigheid. Dit blyk dat kontaksentrum agente met hoë sensoriese sensitiwiteit dalk minder geskik is vir die pos. Soos wat die telling vir sensoriese sensitiwiteit toeneem, neem die telling vir kwaliteitsversekering af, wat nie in terme van kwaliteitstandaarde aanvaarbaar is nie. Daar bestaan ‘n negatiewe verband tussen Kwadrant 4 (sensasie vermyding) tellings en die tellings vir die Geskiktheidsmaatstaf, wat aandui dat hoe hoër die kwadrant telling, hoe minder geskik is die agent. Geen statisties-beduidende verbande is gevind tussen die prestasietellings van Kwadrant 1 (lae registrasie) en Kwadrant 4 (sensasie vermyding) nie. Normaalweg sou mens verwag dat agente met minder afleiding, meer produktief sou wees. Daar word voorgestel dat verdere studies onderneem word voordat die Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile as ‘n werwingsmaatstaf gebruik word. Toekomstige studies kan die kwadrant tellings saamvoeg in trosse en dan toets vir verbande met die vooropgestelde prestasiemaatstawwe. Die Geskiktheidsmaatstaf is gebruik as ‘n eerste poging om individue saam te voeg in ‘n spesifieke pos, volgens ‘n spesifieke sensoriese profiel. Hierdie maatstaf moet vir toepaslikheid en betroubaarheid in verdere studie getoets word, voordat dit gebruik kan word.

The sample comprised 92 candidates who have completed the Ground School Phase of the trainee pilot training programme. The independent variables are Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Test, the Blox Test and the Vienna Determination Test. The dependent variable is the candidates' results after the Ground School Phase of their training. The results indicated that only the Advanced Ravens test and the Vienna Determination test (Phase 3} correlate positively with the Ground School Phase results of the candidates. The current battery emphasises cognitive abilities and psycho-motor functioning and does not cover personality traits of prospective candidates. It is recommended that new instruments are included (to cover the measurement of personality traits), that the sample size should be increased by promoting pilot training among previously disadvantaged students and that the current pilot profile should be updated as a matter of urgency. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The sample comprised 92 candidates who have completed the Ground School Phase of the trainee pilot training programme. The independent variables are Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices Test, the Blox Test and the Vienna Determination Test. The dependent variable is the candidates' results after the Ground School Phase of their training. The results indicated that only the Advanced Ravens test and the Vienna Determination test (Phase 3} correlate positively with the Ground School Phase results of the candidates. The current battery emphasises cognitive abilities and psycho-motor functioning and does not cover personality traits of prospective candidates. It is recommended that new instruments are included (to cover the measurement of personality traits), that the sample size should be increased by promoting pilot training among previously disadvantaged students and that the current pilot profile should be updated as a matter of urgency. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)