Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS) / Working students encounter challenges and responsibilities at university and work. In attempting to study the books and chapters assigned, meet assignment deadlines, take part in extracurricular activities and function at work, working students may be overwhelmed sensing inadequate time to complete all their responsibilities. These may lead to certain negative outcomes for the working student, such as languishing, poor grades, taking longer than the expected time to complete studies or, in the worse scenario, quitting their studies. The primary aim of this study was to examine and understand the influence of non-cognitive factors (including PsyCap, time management, and grit) on flourishing and the working students’ intention to quit employing correlational and hierarchical regression analysis. The secondary objective was to make recommendations to universities and organisations on how to aid working students to develop or increase non-cognitive factors to ensure their flourishing and a reduced intention-to-quit studies. A non-probability sampling technique indicating, convenience sampling and purposive sampling were employed to recruit respondents. Respondents had to be working students (part-time students). The sample included 194 respondents (n = 194) from a university in the Western Cape. The survey instrument included a biographical questionnaire, the academic PsyCap questionnaire, mental health continuum - short form (MHC-SF) questionnaire, Grit-Perseverance of effort subscale, the time management short-range planning subscale, and a self-developed intention-to-quit questionnaire. Numerous studies confirmed the validity and reliability of these instruments. The relationship amongst the non-cognitive variables (PsyCap, grit and time management), flourishing and intention-to-quit studies were assessed through Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analysis. The non-cognitive variables had a positive relationship with flourishing and a negative relationship with intention-to-quit studies. PsyCap was established to explain the largest proportion of the variance in flourishing and intention-to-quit studies. This is consistent with the findings of studies with similar variables. Recommendations were made for lecturers, counsellors, and university officials to collaborate to incorporate programmes that will aid in developing these non-cognitive variables into the university’s curriculum.

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This study examined whether the quality of the sibling relationship can alter the negative impact of stress on child well being. Participants were of 311 families (236 two parent families and 75 single parent families) with an adolescent child (M age of child at Time 1 = 11.25, SD = .99, 51% female) who took part in the Flourishing Families Project. Data were assessed using both a multiple time point cross-section and a two wave longitudinal design. Hierarchal linear regression suggested that when assessing the direct effects of sibling on well being, sibling affection is a better predictor of well being, but when assessing indirect effects, sibling conflict is a better predictor. Little evidence was found to support the idea that siblings moderate the impact of stress by buffering or decreasing the negative impact of stress. Results did indicate that sibling conflict was a salient moderator of stress in that conflict exacerbates the already negative impact of stress. Results from this study also suggest that when assessing the buffering or exacerbating impact of siblings, cross-sectional data produces better explanatory power than when these constructs are assessed longitudinally. However a single time point, cross-sectional design does not account for dynamic changes over time in either the sibling relationship, the level of stress or well being. Research designs such as multiple time, point cross-sectional studies or growth curve analyses are recommended.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Organisations worldwide are experiencing an explosion of knowledge in the current technological information age as well as a serious skills shortage. The fast-paced aggressive and highly cyclical nature of the profession which often does not provide employees with the necessary resources and support causes employees in the information technology (IT) industry to show high turnover intent which is extremely costly and detrimental to organisational success. IT specialists are becoming a scarce commodity in a highly competitive environment where financial gain is very important and employee well-being is not necessarily a prerogative. Employers are faced with additional obligations than just paying equitable salaries, such as creating an environment that is conducive towards well-being. Efforts to promote flourishing and optimal functioning of employees will affect individual and organisational outcomes. Flourishing and languishing are opposite end points on a continuum of mental health indicating the emotional, psychological and social well-being of individuals. An individual who feels well (emotional well-being) is more likely to function well (psychological and social well-being) which means meeting the criteria for positive mental health as flourishing. Investments in the well-being of employees lay the basis for positive employment relations. The aim of this study was to investigate the flourishing of employees in the information technology industry and to determine the antecedents and outcomes thereof. A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather data regarding the flourishing of IT professionals and its outcomes. A convenience sample (N = 205) was taken of employees in information technology organisations in South Africa. The measuring instruments used were the Mental Health Continuum Short Form, Job Satisfaction Scale, Work Engagement Scale, Work-related Basic Need Satisfaction Scale, Work Role Fit Scale, Psychological Contract Inventory, Violations of PC Questionnaire, Organisational Commitment Scale, Turnover Intention Scale and Counterproductive Work Behaviour measures. The results of study 1 showed that 58.5% of the IT professionals were neither languishing nor flourishing, while 3.9% were languishing. Flourishing strongly impacted job satisfaction and had minor to moderate direct and indirect effects on organisational citizenship behaviour and organisational commitment. Job satisfaction impacted directly and positively on organisational commitment and negatively on turnover intention; and moderately negatively on counterproductive behaviour. Flourishing had both a direct and positive effect, and an indirect and negative effect (via organisational commitment) on turnover intention. Study 2 showed that psychological contract breach and violation strongly and negatively impacted flourishing at work and in life. The results provided support for a model in which psychological contract breach and violation had both direct and indirect effects via satisfaction of psychological needs on job satisfaction, work engagement, turnover intention and flourishing of IT professionals. Study 3 showed that work role fit and the availability of resources were strong predictors of flourishing at work and in life. Work role fit, the availability of resources, and supervisor relations impacted job satisfaction and social well-being indirectly through autonomy satisfaction. The availability of resources impacted work engagement and psychological well-being indirectly via competence satisfaction. Furthermore, work role fit, the availability of resources, and supervisor relations impacted psychological well-being indirectly through relatedness. Recommendations for future research were made. / PhD, Labour relations management, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

The happiness of managers is an important research theme for several reasons. Managers spend most of their working day with people, are constantly interacting with various social systems and are role models for happiness in organisations. Furthermore, happiness (in terms of feeling and functioning well) is associated with mental health and positive organisational outcomes. The prevalence of positive mental health is relatively low, with less than a third of the population experiencing high mental health. Research about happiness is necessary given that gains in mental health predict declines in mental illness. Two conceptualisations of happiness, namely authentic happiness (Seligman, 2002), and flourishing (Keyes, 2005) include dimensions of feeling and functioning well. No studies have been conducted regarding the happiness of managers in South Africa. Therefore, research is necessary to investigate the factors associated with happiness, as well as the pathways to managers’ happiness. Psychological need satisfaction is an important pathway through which social-contextual variables impact happiness of people. The aim of this research was to investigate the state of, antecedents and outcomes of happiness of managers in the agricultural sector in South Africa. A cross-sectional design with managers in the South African agricultural sector (N = 507) was used. The Orientations to Happiness Questionnaire, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale, Organisational Commitment Scale, Antecedents Scale, Work-related Basic Need Satisfaction Scale, Work Engagement Scale, Mental Health Continuum Short Form, Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well-being, Work-role Fit Scale, Work-Life Questionnaire and Turnover Intention Scale were utilised. Cronbach alpha coefficients, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlations, multiple regression analysis, descriptive statistics and mediational analysis (Omnibus procedure) were applied. Structural equation modelling was used to test a structural model of orientations to happiness and its relation to various organisational outcomes. The results of study 1 showed that orientations to happiness (i.e. pleasure, meaning and engagement) had strong direct effects on subjective well-being, job satisfaction and organisational citizenship behaviour. Orientations to happiness impacted job satisfaction indirectly through subjective well-being. Subjective well-being had a strong direct and positive effect on job satisfaction. Orientations to happiness and subjective well-being affected organisational commitment indirectly through their effects on job satisfaction. Concerning happiness as flourishing at work, the results of study 2 showed that 3% of the managers were languishing, 48.5% were moderately flourishing, while 48.5% were flourishing. Task characteristics, supervisor relations, availability of resources impacted job satisfaction, emotional and psychological well-being of managers. Remuneration was associated with job satisfaction, emotional and social well-being. Task characteristics, supervisor relations, personal resources and remuneration satisfied the psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, which impacted job satisfaction, work engagement and flourishing of managers positively. The results of study 3 showed that factors contributing to meaningful work (work role fit, good co-worker relations, meaningful tasks and work beliefs) had direct effects on psychological need satisfaction, purpose and meaning in life, organisational citizenship behaviour and turnover intention. Work role fit, co-worker relations, task characteristics and career orientation (as a work belief) impacted meaning and purpose in life indirectly through competence satisfaction. Purpose in life impacted turnover intention negatively via psychological need satisfaction, while meaning in life impacted organisational citizenship behaviour and turnover intention via competence and relatedness satisfaction. Recommendations for future research were made. / PhD, Industrial Psychology, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

Organisations worldwide are experiencing an explosion of knowledge in the current technological information age as well as a serious skills shortage. The fast-paced aggressive and highly cyclical nature of the profession which often does not provide employees with the necessary resources and support causes employees in the information technology (IT) industry to show high turnover intent which is extremely costly and detrimental to organisational success. IT specialists are becoming a scarce commodity in a highly competitive environment where financial gain is very important and employee well-being is not necessarily a prerogative. Employers are faced with additional obligations than just paying equitable salaries, such as creating an environment that is conducive towards well-being. Efforts to promote flourishing and optimal functioning of employees will affect individual and organisational outcomes. Flourishing and languishing are opposite end points on a continuum of mental health indicating the emotional, psychological and social well-being of individuals. An individual who feels well (emotional well-being) is more likely to function well (psychological and social well-being) which means meeting the criteria for positive mental health as flourishing. Investments in the well-being of employees lay the basis for positive employment relations. The aim of this study was to investigate the flourishing of employees in the information technology industry and to determine the antecedents and outcomes thereof. A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather data regarding the flourishing of IT professionals and its outcomes. A convenience sample (N = 205) was taken of employees in information technology organisations in South Africa. The measuring instruments used were the Mental Health Continuum Short Form, Job Satisfaction Scale, Work Engagement Scale, Work-related Basic Need Satisfaction Scale, Work Role Fit Scale, Psychological Contract Inventory, Violations of PC Questionnaire, Organisational Commitment Scale, Turnover Intention Scale and Counterproductive Work Behaviour measures. The results of study 1 showed that 58.5% of the IT professionals were neither languishing nor flourishing, while 3.9% were languishing. Flourishing strongly impacted job satisfaction and had minor to moderate direct and indirect effects on organisational citizenship behaviour and organisational commitment. Job satisfaction impacted directly and positively on organisational commitment and negatively on turnover intention; and moderately negatively on counterproductive behaviour. Flourishing had both a direct and positive effect, and an indirect and negative effect (via organisational commitment) on turnover intention. Study 2 showed that psychological contract breach and violation strongly and negatively impacted flourishing at work and in life. The results provided support for a model in which psychological contract breach and violation had both direct and indirect effects via satisfaction of psychological needs on job satisfaction, work engagement, turnover intention and flourishing of IT professionals. Study 3 showed that work role fit and the availability of resources were strong predictors of flourishing at work and in life. Work role fit, the availability of resources, and supervisor relations impacted job satisfaction and social well-being indirectly through autonomy satisfaction. The availability of resources impacted work engagement and psychological well-being indirectly via competence satisfaction. Furthermore, work role fit, the availability of resources, and supervisor relations impacted psychological well-being indirectly through relatedness. Recommendations for future research were made. / PhD, Labour relations management, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

The happiness of managers is an important research theme for several reasons. Managers spend most of their working day with people, are constantly interacting with various social systems and are role models for happiness in organisations. Furthermore, happiness (in terms of feeling and functioning well) is associated with mental health and positive organisational outcomes. The prevalence of positive mental health is relatively low, with less than a third of the population experiencing high mental health. Research about happiness is necessary given that gains in mental health predict declines in mental illness. Two conceptualisations of happiness, namely authentic happiness (Seligman, 2002), and flourishing (Keyes, 2005) include dimensions of feeling and functioning well. No studies have been conducted regarding the happiness of managers in South Africa. Therefore, research is necessary to investigate the factors associated with happiness, as well as the pathways to managers’ happiness. Psychological need satisfaction is an important pathway through which social-contextual variables impact happiness of people. The aim of this research was to investigate the state of, antecedents and outcomes of happiness of managers in the agricultural sector in South Africa. A cross-sectional design with managers in the South African agricultural sector (N = 507) was used. The Orientations to Happiness Questionnaire, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale, Organisational Commitment Scale, Antecedents Scale, Work-related Basic Need Satisfaction Scale, Work Engagement Scale, Mental Health Continuum Short Form, Questionnaire for Eudaimonic Well-being, Work-role Fit Scale, Work-Life Questionnaire and Turnover Intention Scale were utilised. Cronbach alpha coefficients, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlations, multiple regression analysis, descriptive statistics and mediational analysis (Omnibus procedure) were applied. Structural equation modelling was used to test a structural model of orientations to happiness and its relation to various organisational outcomes. The results of study 1 showed that orientations to happiness (i.e. pleasure, meaning and engagement) had strong direct effects on subjective well-being, job satisfaction and organisational citizenship behaviour. Orientations to happiness impacted job satisfaction indirectly through subjective well-being. Subjective well-being had a strong direct and positive effect on job satisfaction. Orientations to happiness and subjective well-being affected organisational commitment indirectly through their effects on job satisfaction. Concerning happiness as flourishing at work, the results of study 2 showed that 3% of the managers were languishing, 48.5% were moderately flourishing, while 48.5% were flourishing. Task characteristics, supervisor relations, availability of resources impacted job satisfaction, emotional and psychological well-being of managers. Remuneration was associated with job satisfaction, emotional and social well-being. Task characteristics, supervisor relations, personal resources and remuneration satisfied the psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, which impacted job satisfaction, work engagement and flourishing of managers positively. The results of study 3 showed that factors contributing to meaningful work (work role fit, good co-worker relations, meaningful tasks and work beliefs) had direct effects on psychological need satisfaction, purpose and meaning in life, organisational citizenship behaviour and turnover intention. Work role fit, co-worker relations, task characteristics and career orientation (as a work belief) impacted meaning and purpose in life indirectly through competence satisfaction. Purpose in life impacted turnover intention negatively via psychological need satisfaction, while meaning in life impacted organisational citizenship behaviour and turnover intention via competence and relatedness satisfaction. Recommendations for future research were made. / PhD, Industrial Psychology, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012