The aim of this study is to investigate the validity of an assessment centre as a predictor of managerial training results. For this purpose, the assessment ratings of 77 white, male, middle managers, who had taken part in a Middle Management Assessment Centre (MMAC) in a South African service organisation, were compared to the results they achieved on a Senior Management Training Course. From the statistical analyses conducted, correlation coefficients, corrected for restriction of range, of -0, 03, 0,32 and 0,22 were obtained between the Overall Assessment Rating and a theoretical, practical and total grade criterion respectively. These results indicated that the MMAC was a valid predictor of practical and total course grades, but an invalid predictor of theoretical course grades. Explanations for the results obtained are provided and three recommendations are made concerning the use of the MMAC to predict training results. Directions for possible future research are also provided. / Die doel van hierdie studie is om die geldigheid van 'n takseersentrum as 'n voorspeller van bestuursopleiding resultate te ondersoek. Vir hierdie doel is die takseeraanslae van 77 blanke, manlike bestuurders, wat aan 'n takseersentrum vir middelbestuur in 'n Suid-Afrikaanse diensorganisasie deelgeneem het, met die resul tate wat hulle tydens 'n Senior Bestuur Opleidingskursus behaal het, vergelyk. Die statistiese ontleding wat uitgevoer is het korrelasiekoeffisiente, na regstelling vir die beperking van verspreiding (correction for restriction of range), van -0,03, 0,32 en 0,22 tussen die Totale Punt Beoordeling van die takseersentrum en drie opleidingskriteria opgelewer. Hierdie drie opleidingskriteria was 'n teoretiese-, praktiese-, en totale opleidingspunt onderskeidelik. Verduidelikkings vir die resultate wat behaal is word verskaf en drie aanbevelings word gemaak met betrekking tot die gebruik van die takseersentrum om opleidingsresultate te voorspel. Rigtings vir moontlike toekomstige navorsing word ook aangedui. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

A management training course was' evaluated for effectiveness by using two specially compiled in-basket exercises equivalent in complexity. Outcome evaluation was performed so as to determine whether learning transfer took place, ie whether management skills in the application of the management dimensions planning, organising and control do manifest in the work context afterwards. Significant differences were found between the experimental group and the control group in the application of the management dimensions planning, organising and control. These differences were investigated by means of the "Univariate procedure ... A management training course can therefore be effectively measured with the behaviour assessment approach by using two groups, where only one group is exposed to a management training course. It can thus be ascertained whether a change in management behaviour has taken place as a result of learning transfer. / Die effektiwiteit van 'n bestuursopleidingskursus is geevalueer deur twee spesiaal saamgestelde posmandjies van dieselfde moeilikheidsgraad te gebruik. Uitkomsevaluering is gedoen om te bepaal of leeroordrag plaasgevind het, met ander woorde of die nuut aangeleerde bestuursvaardighede in die toepassing van die bestuursdimensies beplanning, organisering en beheer wei na die tyd in die konteks van werksgedrag manifesteer. Beduidende verskille tussen die eksperimentele en die kontrolegroep is gevind in die toe passing van die bestuursdimensies beplanning, organisering en beheer. Die verskille is ondersoek met behulp van die "univariate procedure". 'n Bestuursopleidingskursus kan dus effektief vanuit die gedragsbeoordelingsbenadering gemeet word deur van twee groepe gebruik te maak waarvan slegs die een groep aan 'n bestuursopleidingskursus blootgestel word. Daar kan dus bepaal word of 'n verandering in bestuursgedrag plaasgevind het as 'n gevolg van leeroordrag. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / When the new South African Government was elected to power in 1994 it had a special mandate to provide appropriate services to all the people of the country. This was, still is and will continue to be a massive responsibility of government and one that requires total commitment by people at all levels of government. However, the negative effects of the legacy of the past apartheid education and training system cannot be over emphasised in this regard. The need for redress and re-skilling of public servants as a result of the changing and ever-increasing demands for quality service delivery puts a lot of emphasis on further development and underscores and further supports the issue of lifelong learning in the Public Service. However, far more complex are the people leadership and shifts in management mind-set that must happen. Yet, unless people in the government sector change how they think and work, service delivery outcomes will fall short of what the poorest and most vulnerable citizens need. The legislative frameworks seek to transform a culture of Public Service delivery from prescribing service packages to citizens, to putting citizens at the centre of service delivery through the Batho Pele (“meaning” the People First) Principles. In giving credence to the above and the enormity of the challenge of quality service delivery, the researcher of this research report narrowed down the scope of the research to the Provincial Government Western Cape. The “new” Provincial Government Western Cape (PGWC), after the 2009 national democratic elections, has embarked on a process termed “modernisation” The modernisation project spans across all activities that are under the control of the PGWC. The human resource development function of the province is one such function that is being repositioned in terms of the modernisation project objectives. This, therefore, means by implication that the training and development aspects of the human resources development were reassessed. This was re-enforced by the following statement from a provincial document titled blueprint- provincial training (2010) – “One of the major causes of poor service delivery is the fact that employees are not adequately skilled or that skills have become out-dated”. This brings into focus the rational for the topic of this research report: Exploring the need and use for management coaching to develop senior management competencies within The Provincial Government Western Cape, v and the stated aim of this research report: Exploring the need and use of management coaching to develop the management competencies of the Senior Management Service (SMS) employee component within the Provincial Government Western Cape (PGWC) and furthermore, make recommendations based on the findings of the study as to the need and application of management coaching within the PGWC. This research is exploratory and used qualitative research techniques. The study is undertaken as not much actual literature is available on the topic that is being researched. This in essence justifies why the research is exploratory as qualitative methods are particularly well suited to studies which canvas a variety of opinions and stakeholders (Ebrahim, 2008). The data analysis method used is content analysis which is defined as a systematic, research method for analysing textual information in a standardised way that allows evaluators to make inferences about that information. The research followed the steps in using content analysis as the method to analyse the results from semi-structured, open-ended interviews conducted with 14 individuals identified as the stakeholder group. To assert that the research result based on content analysis is valid is to assert that the results do not depend upon or are generalisable beyond the specific data, method or measure of a particular study.

The post-modern economy has altered the career landscape – career trajectories are now far more fluid and unpredictable, punctuated by multiple occupational changes, increased job mobility and more frequent and increasingly difficult job transitions. Leaders are frequently ill-prepared for the changing world of work that is progressively dominated by self-managed careers. Taking on a new role is fraught with complexity - for the “chosen one” and for organisations. The implications of successful, failed or derailed job transitions can have strategic and other ramifications for organisations and individuals alike. This study explores the career transition experiences of and the usefulness of career transition executive coaching for eleven individual leaders from various South African organisations. It is a descriptive, explanatory and exploratory qualitative study, employing the systems psychodynamic paradigm, chosen because it focuses on depth psychology and is a developmentally oriented, psycho-educational organisational theory. The study adopted an interpretive stance for understanding leaders’ systemic conscious and unconscious behaviour. The ACIBART model helped to interpret the experiences of leaders in transition. These transitions involve the taking and making of a role, implying the loss which attends leaving a previous role, and adjustment to and being authorised in a new, unfamiliar role, including a liminal period of being “in between”. This inevitably produces an inner drama in which internalised past figures, possibly related to the new role, are brought back to life, and perhaps even amplified in the present. These “unconscious echoes” explain the powerful emotions that frequently attend transitions, especially at the so-called mid-life, and which in turn activate various defence mechanisms. The systems psychodynamic approach to career transition coaching was particularly useful in helping the participants identify personal patterns and link these to their past and thereby develop personal awareness and insight. The “coaching space” thus became a containing, “transitional space” where the participants could safely do the work required to make the adjustment to their new roles. Finally, recommendations to various stakeholders regarding the provision of systems psychodynamic coaching for leaders in career transition are made. / Psychology / D. Phil. (Psychology)

Text in English, summary in English and Afrikaans / The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of a performance management training programme on the attitudes of managers towards performance management. The research question was whether a performance management training intervention would change managers' attitude towards performance management. The respondent group consisted of 101 managers who responded to an advertisement and willingly participated in a performance management training programme. A quasi-experimental research design was used in which a pre-test and post-test was applied to the respondent group. The managers in the respondent group completed the same assessment instrument (or questionnaire) before and six months after the performance management training. The results of the empirical analysis indicated that female managers felt less positive about performance management than their male counterparts. No statistically significant change in the attitude and competency of managers towards performance management was found after they had attended the performance management training programme. / Die doel van die studie was om die impak van 'n prestasiebestuuropleidingsprogram op die houdings van bestuurders ten opsigte van prestasiebestuur te ondersoek. Die navorsingsvraag was of 'n opleidingsintervensie in prestasiebestuur, bestuurders se houdings ten opsigte van prestasiebestuur sou verander. Die respondentegroep het uit 101 bestuurders bestaan wat op 'n advertensie gereageer het en vrywillig deelgeneem het aan 'n prestasiebestuuropleidingsprogram. 'n Kwasie-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp is gebruik waartydens 'n voor- en na-toets op die respondente toegepas is. Die bestuurders in die respondentegroep het dieselfde evalueringsinstrument voor en ses maande na die prestasiebestuuropleiding ingevul. Die resultate van die empiriese ontleding het getoon dat vroulike bestuurders minder positief oor prestasiebestuur gevoel het as hul manlike kollegas. Geen betekenisvolle statistiese verandering in die houdings en vaardighede van bestuurders ten opsigte van prestasiebestuur is gevind nadat hulle die prestasiebestuurprogram bygewoon het nie. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

The aim of this study is to investigate the validity of an assessment centre as a predictor of managerial training results. For this purpose, the assessment ratings of 77 white, male, middle managers, who had taken part in a Middle Management Assessment Centre (MMAC) in a South African service organisation, were compared to the results they achieved on a Senior Management Training Course. From the statistical analyses conducted, correlation coefficients, corrected for restriction of range, of -0, 03, 0,32 and 0,22 were obtained between the Overall Assessment Rating and a theoretical, practical and total grade criterion respectively. These results indicated that the MMAC was a valid predictor of practical and total course grades, but an invalid predictor of theoretical course grades. Explanations for the results obtained are provided and three recommendations are made concerning the use of the MMAC to predict training results. Directions for possible future research are also provided. / Die doel van hierdie studie is om die geldigheid van 'n takseersentrum as 'n voorspeller van bestuursopleiding resultate te ondersoek. Vir hierdie doel is die takseeraanslae van 77 blanke, manlike bestuurders, wat aan 'n takseersentrum vir middelbestuur in 'n Suid-Afrikaanse diensorganisasie deelgeneem het, met die resul tate wat hulle tydens 'n Senior Bestuur Opleidingskursus behaal het, vergelyk. Die statistiese ontleding wat uitgevoer is het korrelasiekoeffisiente, na regstelling vir die beperking van verspreiding (correction for restriction of range), van -0,03, 0,32 en 0,22 tussen die Totale Punt Beoordeling van die takseersentrum en drie opleidingskriteria opgelewer. Hierdie drie opleidingskriteria was 'n teoretiese-, praktiese-, en totale opleidingspunt onderskeidelik. Verduidelikkings vir die resultate wat behaal is word verskaf en drie aanbevelings word gemaak met betrekking tot die gebruik van die takseersentrum om opleidingsresultate te voorspel. Rigtings vir moontlike toekomstige navorsing word ook aangedui. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

A management training course was' evaluated for effectiveness by using two specially compiled in-basket exercises equivalent in complexity. Outcome evaluation was performed so as to determine whether learning transfer took place, ie whether management skills in the application of the management dimensions planning, organising and control do manifest in the work context afterwards. Significant differences were found between the experimental group and the control group in the application of the management dimensions planning, organising and control. These differences were investigated by means of the "Univariate procedure ... A management training course can therefore be effectively measured with the behaviour assessment approach by using two groups, where only one group is exposed to a management training course. It can thus be ascertained whether a change in management behaviour has taken place as a result of learning transfer. / Die effektiwiteit van 'n bestuursopleidingskursus is geevalueer deur twee spesiaal saamgestelde posmandjies van dieselfde moeilikheidsgraad te gebruik. Uitkomsevaluering is gedoen om te bepaal of leeroordrag plaasgevind het, met ander woorde of die nuut aangeleerde bestuursvaardighede in die toepassing van die bestuursdimensies beplanning, organisering en beheer wei na die tyd in die konteks van werksgedrag manifesteer. Beduidende verskille tussen die eksperimentele en die kontrolegroep is gevind in die toe passing van die bestuursdimensies beplanning, organisering en beheer. Die verskille is ondersoek met behulp van die "univariate procedure". 'n Bestuursopleidingskursus kan dus effektief vanuit die gedragsbeoordelingsbenadering gemeet word deur van twee groepe gebruik te maak waarvan slegs die een groep aan 'n bestuursopleidingskursus blootgestel word. Daar kan dus bepaal word of 'n verandering in bestuursgedrag plaasgevind het as 'n gevolg van leeroordrag. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The association between leadership, influence and power is well developed in the literature. However, there is a notable lack of research on youth leadership development, especially as it pertains to their exercise of influence. This paper was borne out of the need to explore how youth - emerging adults’ males in particular - exercise influence as a leadership competency within their voluntary leadership positions. Using semi-structured face-to-face interviews and the Critical Incident Technique (CIT), the research primarily focused on influence tactics and how they were employed. This included assessing the related power bases and principles of influence that were manifest, as well as the learning and development that occurred when reflecting on the outcome of the influence process. Data was analysed using an open coding procedure. Incidents explored in the study were primarily interpersonal in nature. This was reminiscent of lateral influence that characterised the peer to peer contextual environment of the study. The study found that in their influence pursuits, emerging adults followed a rational approach to influence. The distinguishable power bases and their relative importance in application were context dependent (Krause and Kearney, 2006:59-86). In addition, various proactive influence tactics were employed with a leaning towards those perceived as positive, honest and non-manipulative in application, which was congruent with Head Student role expectations and the culture of the organization. The utilization of social media as a communication platform from which various tactics could be launched was a novel and notable finding. Consequently, the results were presented primarily under two themes, exploring how tactics of influence are used face to face and via the social media platform. In addition, the study emphasised the ethical implications of the exercise of influence in both of these platforms and related to this, the challenge of influencing friends or close associates, without undermining leadership integrity. Overall, the various influence incidents presented and their outcomes, evidently shaped leadership development by reinforcing tactics which worked and stimulating continuous reflection and learning, adaptive strategies and the development of new means to deal with resistance and non-compliance. All of these are critical to shaping future influence behaviour. Primary recommendations include the need for a proactive approach to educating youth on leadership and influence through formal programmes, if they were to be empowered with tools to develop and maximize their leadership potential. Equally, practitioners need to be sensitized to the significance of their role as catalysts in nurturing youth leadership development. In addition, the novel use of social media as a leadership influence platform was recognised as significant and as such, a candidate for further research. Beyond the limited scope of this study, other angles worthy of further research include, factoring in elements such as gender, cross-cultural differences and the aspect of voluntary versus incentivised (or paid) leadership positions. The research is presented in an academic paper format, and is structured in three sections. These sections are written up as relatively independent sections, but are complementary in covering the full scope of the research. Section One, which is essentially a paper in a format of an academic journal article, represent the primary section and covers the results of the study, together with discussions and recommendations. This is followed by a literature review (i.e. Section Two), which delves into all the relevant literature explored. Section Three covers the methodology, research design and research procedure pursued. As part of the addendum, a comprehensive summary of the incidents explored is presented. This gives insight into the nature of the various incidents, the influence tactics preferred, power bases and influence principles manifested, together with the outcomes of the incidents. Furthermore, lessons drawn in reflection are noted, which participants viewed as critical, in that they shaped the way they now intend to exercise influence and thereby reflects their personal leadership development.

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing handel oor selfaktualisering as voorspeller van bestuursukses. In die literatuuroorsig is bestuursukses as afhanklike veranderlike en selfaktualisering as onafhanklike veranderlike binne die humanistiese paradigma gekonseptualiseer en geoperasionaliseer. Die persoonlikheidskenmerke verwant aan die veranderlikes is bepaal en geintegreer. Die empiriese ondersoek is binne die funksionalistiese paradigma aangebied. Die gekose meetinstrumente, naamlik die Bestuursvaardigheidsinventaris vir die meet van bestuursukses en die Persoonlike Orientasie-inventaris vir die meet van selfaktualisering is op 'n ewekansige steekproef van 51 middelvlakbestuurders afgeneem. Die betroubaarheid van die Bestuursvaardigheids- inventaris is met behulp van die "Cronbach Alpha Coeffisient"- metode bepaal. Om te bepaal of selfaktualisering 'n voorspeller van bestuursukses is, is stapsgewyse regressieontledings gedoen. Die resultate dui daarop dat die ondersteuningsratio (innerlike orientasie) bestuursukses beduidend voorspel, sowel as 12 van die 18 kenmerke eie aan bestuursukses onderskeidelik. / This research deals with self-actualization as predictor of management success. In the literature review, management success as the dependent variable and self-actualization as independent variable, is conceptualized and operationalized within the humanistic paradigm. The personality chracteristics inhirent in the variables were determined and integrated. The empirical investigation is presented within the functionalistic paradigm. The chosen measuring instruments, namely the Management Skills Inventory for the measurement of management success and the Personal Orientation Inventory for the measurement of self-actualization were administrated by means of random sampling to 51 middle level managers. The reliability qf the Management Skills Inventory was determined by means of the "Cronbach Alpha CoEHfisient"- method. To determine if selfactualization is a predictor of Management Success, stepwise regression analysis was done. The results indicate that the support ratio (inner directedness) predicts management success significantly, as well as 12 of the 18 personality characteristics inherent in management success, respectively. / Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie navorsing handel oor selfaktualisering as voorspeller van bestuursukses. In die literatuuroorsig is bestuursukses as afhanklike veranderlike en selfaktualisering as onafhanklike veranderlike binne die humanistiese paradigma gekonseptualiseer en geoperasionaliseer. Die persoonlikheidskenmerke verwant aan die veranderlikes is bepaal en geintegreer. Die empiriese ondersoek is binne die funksionalistiese paradigma aangebied. Die gekose meetinstrumente, naamlik die Bestuursvaardigheidsinventaris vir die meet van bestuursukses en die Persoonlike Orientasie-inventaris vir die meet van selfaktualisering is op 'n ewekansige steekproef van 51 middelvlakbestuurders afgeneem. Die betroubaarheid van die Bestuursvaardigheids- inventaris is met behulp van die "Cronbach Alpha Coeffisient"- metode bepaal. Om te bepaal of selfaktualisering 'n voorspeller van bestuursukses is, is stapsgewyse regressieontledings gedoen. Die resultate dui daarop dat die ondersteuningsratio (innerlike orientasie) bestuursukses beduidend voorspel, sowel as 12 van die 18 kenmerke eie aan bestuursukses onderskeidelik. / This research deals with self-actualization as predictor of management success. In the literature review, management success as the dependent variable and self-actualization as independent variable, is conceptualized and operationalized within the humanistic paradigm. The personality chracteristics inhirent in the variables were determined and integrated. The empirical investigation is presented within the functionalistic paradigm. The chosen measuring instruments, namely the Management Skills Inventory for the measurement of management success and the Personal Orientation Inventory for the measurement of self-actualization were administrated by means of random sampling to 51 middle level managers. The reliability qf the Management Skills Inventory was determined by means of the "Cronbach Alpha CoEHfisient"- method. To determine if selfactualization is a predictor of Management Success, stepwise regression analysis was done. The results indicate that the support ratio (inner directedness) predicts management success significantly, as well as 12 of the 18 personality characteristics inherent in management success, respectively. / Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)