Existing literature indicates that job characteristics, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behavior are very important for effective organizational functioning. Previous research on citizenship behaviors made limited contribution to the literature, since it ignored the relationships between job characteristics and citizenship behaviors together with the influences of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The present study attempted to test a new integrative model of the relationships among job characteristics, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behaviors. The main purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of job characteristics on organizational citizenship behaviors. While examining the role of job characteristics, the mediating roles of job satisfaction and organizational commitment were taken into account in order to better understand how job characteristics affect the exhibition of citizenship behaviors. The secondary purpose was to investigate the effects of job characteristics on job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and the effects of job satisfaction and organizational commitment on citizenship behaviors. A sample of 300 employees from 60 companies was selected. The data was collected at the location of the firms by using a survey instrument. The employees rated the items that measured task characteristics, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Later, the information on organizational citizenship behavior of employees was collected from the employees&rsquo / supervisors. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed on the data. In general, the findings showed that some job characteristics might be the antecedents of job satisfaction and the aggregate variable job scope was positively associated with organizational commitment, and these work attiudes predicted organizational citizenship behaviors positively. Specifically, in line with the expectations, the job characteristics of task identity, autonomy, and aggregate job scope were positively associated with the work attitude of job satisfaction. The aggregate job scope was positively associated with the work attitude of organizational commitment although no single job characteristic was significantly associated with organizational commitment. In turn, job satisfaction and organizational commitment were positively associated with the citizenship dimensions of courtesy and sportsmanship. In addition to these, organizational commitment was positively associated with the citizenship dimension of conscientiousness and aggregate citizenship behavior. However, no significant direct association was found between job characteristics and citizenship behaviors. Therefore it was not possible to test the intervening effects of work attitudes on the relationships between job characteristics and citizenship behaviors. The study&rsquo / s results are discussed together with the implications, strengths and limitations. Some suggestions for future research are made.

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has been an important and growing area of research for past two decades. Numerous empirical research have identified consequences and antecedents of this extra

There is an apparent lack of in-depth knowledge about the processes that may underlie the interaction between work and home life, and their relationships with employee health and well-being. Work and home has traditionally been considered as separate domains, but during the past decade of democracy, transformation developments (eg, Affirmative Action, Employment Equity) changed the nature of the labour market and economy. This facilitated the increase in the number of working single-parent, dual-earner families, and of women participating in the workforce, which in turned influenced the work-home interaction of employed individuals. Furthermore, various researchers regard burnout and engagement as important constructs to consider in the well-being of employees. The level of a person's wellbeing subsequently affects his/her functionality in both the work and home spheres. Thus, there is a need to identify ways which both the individual and the organisation can apply to increase personal well-being and the balance between work and home life. South Africa has 11 different national languages, and only 8,3% of the population actually speak English at home. Language differences should therefore be taken into account when administering questionnaires. Studies in South Africa generally report race, education, language, and understanding of English as the main factors which impact on construct and item comparability of psychometric tests. There is consequently an obvious need to translate research instruments before they are administered to individuals from different language groups. If language differences are not taken into account, invalid conclusions regarding the constructs under study could be made, with serious implications for culturally diverse settings such as in South Africa. The objectives of this research were to translate the Survey Work-Home Interaction Nijmegen (SWING), Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and Utrecth Work Engagement Scale (UWES) into Afrikaans and Setswana, and to investigate the construct validity, construct equivalence and reliability of these instruments. Furthermore, differences between demographic groups regarding work-home interaction and well-being were investigated. Finally, a structural model was tested, which included job characteristics, negative and positive work-home interference (WHI) and well-being (burnout and engagement). A cross-sectional survey design was used. Random samples (N = 685) were taken from police stations in the North West province. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to determine the construct validity and equivalence of the measuring instruments and to test the structural model. The results indicated that work-home interaction can be described as a four-dimensional construct consisting of negative WHI, positive WHI, negative home-work interference (HWI), and positive HWI. This factor structure was equivalent across all three language groups and all the scales were reliable. A four-factor model was confirmed for burnout and included exhaustion, cognitive weariness, cynicism and professional efficacy. A one-factor model was found for engagement. Both translated instruments were found to be equivalent for the three language groups. Furthermore, a second order factor analysis revealed that the underlying structure of well-being consists of two negatively related and equivalent factors, namely burnout (exhaustion, cognitive weariness and cynicism) and an enlarged engagement construct (engagement and professional efficacy). Members reported more negative WHI than negative HWI, and more positive HWI than positive WHI. Statistically significant differences exist between demographic groups regarding work-home interaction based on language, gender, marital status. parental status and education. Statistically significant differences of wellness exist between demographic groups based on language and educational level. The results of the structural equation modelling revealed that job demands were directly and positively associated with negative WHI and burnout, while job resources were directly and positively associated with positive WHI and work engagement. This also indicates the partial mediating effect of WHI between job characteristics and wellness. In addition, a lack ofjob resources was associated with higher levels of burnout. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Major changes that emphasise the importance of a balanced work and family life have occurred within organisations. Inability to manage this integration between the work and home domains can affect the performance of organisations and the wellbeing of their employees. In order to measure work-home interaction and wellbeing, it is important to use valid, equivalent and reliable instruments. However, there is a lack of empirical research when investigating work-home interaction, burnout and work engagement in the earthmoving equipment industry in South Africa. Furthermore, the earthmoving equipment industry is a multicultural environment and construct equivalence across subgroups therefore becomes important when measuring work-home interaction, burnout and work engagement across different cultural or language groups. It also seems relevant to consider differences in the work-home interaction and work wellness levels between important demographic groups in the earthmoving equipment industry. It appears as if burnout and engagement can be seen as part of the total wellness continuum; and that job characteristics may be related to burnout and engagement through negative and positive work-home interaction. However, little information was found that included these factors in a structural model for the earthmoving equipment industry. The objectives of this research were to test the psychometric properties of the Survey Work- Home Interaction - Nijmegen (SWING), the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES); to determine if various demographic groups differ with regard to work-home interaction and wellbeing; and to test a structural model that includes job characteristics, work-home interaction and wellbeing for employees in the earthmoving industry. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Random samples (n = 528) were taken from employees in the earthmoving equipment industry in Gauteng, the Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and the North West Province. Structural equation modelling confirmed a four-factor model of work-home interaction which measures negative work-home interference, positive work-home interference, negative homework interference and positive home-work interference. This factor structure was equivalent across language, ethnicity, gender, education, marital status and parental status. All four factors were reliable. The participants reported more negative WHI than negative HWI, and more positive HWI than positive WHI. It was found that statistically significant differences that are based on age, gender, language, ethnicity, a partner's contribution to household income and the different business units exist between the demographic groups. The results confirmed a four-factor structure of burnout (exhaustion, cognitive weariness, cynicism and professional efficacy) and a two-factor structure of work engagement (including vigour and dedication). These structures were equivalent across language and education groups, and all scales were reliable. SEM analyses supported a two-factor structure for the wellness construct, consisting of burnout (exhaustion, cognitive weariness and cynicism) and engagement (vigour, dedication and professional efficacy), which was equivalent for the language and education groups. Statistically significant differences that are based on age, gender, language and the different business units were found between the demographic groups. Structural equation modelling showed that job demands are associated with negative WHI and consequently with burnout, providing support for a full-mediation effect of negative WHI. Job resources were associated with negative WHI and consequently with burnout, providing support for partial mediation of negative WHI between job resources and burnout. Job resources were also associated with positive WHI and consequently with engagement, providing support for partial mediation of positive WHI between job resources and engagement. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the current recessive times, in which the war for talent is rife, organisations and researchers are increasingly taking interest in how not only to retain their talent, but also to optimise their leadership and engagement practices to maximise organisational outcomes through their talent. However, research on the dynamics of the relationships between specific leadership behaviours, employee engagement, work-related factors and employee intention to quit is limited to investigating single constructs, or only the relationships between two constructs. This study attempted to gain some insights into the relationships between perceived leader behaviour, employee engagement, job characteristics and employee intention to quit by testing a conceptual model of hypothesised relationships derived from research on the body of literature relating to these constructs. A non-experimental quantitative research design was applied using a sample of managers in a local JSE-listed manufacturing organisation (n = 185). Participants completed a questionnaire that measured the perceived presence of the transformational leadership style, experienced work engagement, perceived motivating potential of work and employee intention to quit. Reliability analysis was done to assess the measurement properties of the respective measures, and all scales showed adequate reliability. Univariate relationships between the measured ordinal variables, using Spearman correlations, corroborated all hypothesised relationships between the respective constructs. The results indicate that there are significant positive relationships between transformational leadership and employee engagement, the motivating potential of a job and employee engagement, and transformational leadership and the motivating potential of a job. Also significant negative relationships exist between transformational leadership and intention to quit, and employee engagement and intention to quit. The mediating effects of employee engagement, as measured using Sobel’s test, confirm engagement to be a mediator of the relationship between transformational leadership and intention to quit, as well as of the relationship between the motivating potential of a job and intention to quit. This study adds to existing literature on intention to quit, transformational leadership, employee engagement and job characteristics (motivating potential of a job) by providing insights into the strength and directions of relationships among these constructs. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights into the mediating effects of the engagement construct. The findings of this study provide valuable information to consider in business practice for the development of interventions aimed at mitigating turnover behaviour and maximising organisational outcomes through an engaged workforce. The limitations and recommendations of the study provide insights into possibilities that could be explored in future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die huidige tyd van resessie is organisasies in gedurige stryd om hul talent te behou. Navorsers en organisasies is dus toenemend besig om te ondersoek hoe om hul leierskap en menslike hulpbronne sodanig aan te wend om optimale resultate vir die organisasie te verseker. Die navorsing verwant aan die dinamika tussen leierskapsgedrag, betrokkenheid, taakeienskappe en intensies tot bedanking is beperk tot ondersoeke ingestel op slegs enkele konstrukte, of op die verhouding tussen twee van hierdie konstrukte. Die doel van hierdie studie was om nuwe insae te bied oor die verhoudings tussen hierdie konstrukte. Dit is bereik deur ondersoek in te stel na die hipotese wat opgestel is in die vorm van ‘n konseptuele model oor hierdie verhoudings op grond van die inligting wat deur die literatuurstudie gelewer is. ‘n Nie-eksperimentele kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is toegepas op ‘n steekproef (n = 185) bestaande uit bestuurdersin ‘n vervaardigingsmaatskappy wat op die JSE gelys is. Deelnemers aan hierdie studie het ‘n vraelys voltooi wat die transformasionele leierskapstyl, betrokkenheid, waargenome motiveringspotensiaal van werk (taakeienskappe) en intensies tot bedanking gemeet het. Die betroubaarheidsanalise gedoen op die verwante meetinstrumente het voldoende betroubaarheid gelewer. Eenvariantverhoudings tussen die ordinale veranderlikes is met Spearman korrelasies gemeet en die resultate het alle hipoteses oor die verwante verhoudings tussen hierdie konstrukte bevestig. Die uitslae het getoon dat daar beduidende positiewe verhoudings bestaan tussen transformasionele leierskapsgedrag en betrokkenheid; die motiversingspotensiaal van werk (taakeienskappe) en betrokkenheid; en transformasionele leierskapsgedrag en die motiversingspotensiaal van werk . Dit het verder ook aangedui dat daar beduidend negatiewe verhoudings bestaan tussen transformasionele leierskapsgedrag en intensies tot bedanking, asook tussen betrokkenheid en intensies tot bedanking. Die modererende gedrag van die betrokkenheidskonstruk is deur die Sobel toets gemeet en het bevestig dat hierdie konstruk ‘n bemiddelaar is in die verhouding tussen transformasionele leierskapsgedrag en intensies tot bedanking, asook in die verhouding tussen die motiveringspotensiaal van werk (taakeienskappe) en intensies tot bedanking. Hierdie studie dra by tot die bestaande literatuur oor intensies tot bedanking, transformasionele leierskapsgedrag, betrokkenheid en die motiveringspotensiaal van werk (taakeienskappe) deurdat dit insae lewer oor die sterkte en rigting van verhoudings tussen hierdie konstrukte. Verder dra dit by tot waardevolle insigte in die invloed van die betrokkenheidskonstruk op die werknemer se bedoeling om te bedank. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie gee waardevolle inligting om in aanmerking te neem in besigheidspraktyke gemik op die versagting van omsetgedrag in organisasies, en om optimale betrokkenheidsgedrag te verseker vir optimale uitkomstes vir die organisasie. Die beperkings en aanbevelings van die studie bied insigte en moontlikhede wat vir toekomstige navorsing aangewend kan word.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Job Characteristics Model (JCM) is one of the most widely used and researched models in the field of Industrial Psychology. It has provided industry with useful solutions for its people-related business problems through the rearranging of the physical and psychological characteristics of jobs in order to address demotivation, dissatisfaction and marginal performance. The JCM has also endured a fair amount of criticism, however, specifically pertaining to the mediating role of the psychological state variables. Research findings on the model are divided into two camps. Some researchers argue that the model is empirically sound; while others believe the model should be discarded or adjusted. These studies were done circa 1990, however, when most of the advanced statistical analysis techniques utilised today were not available. Research related to the JCM has been decreasing steadily since then, and it seems that no final verdict was reached regarding the utility and validity of the model. The overarching objective of this study is to provide closure regarding this discourse by testing the three major theoretical postulations of the JCM in the South African context on a sample of 881 students with an ex post facto correlational research design. This was achieved by utilising structural equation modelling via LISREL. Three separate structural models were fitted and compared. The first model was a simplified version of the original model (Hackman & Oldham, 1980). The second model excluded the mediating psychological states proposed by Boonzaier, Ficker and Rust (2001). The final model had the same basic structure as the first model, but more causal paths were included between the job characteristics and the psychological states. The results show that more variance in the outcomes is explained with the inclusion of the psychological state variables. The psychological states are therefore a crucial component of the model. Although these findings corroborated the original model, the third model displayed superiority in terms of accounting for significant amounts of outcome variance in the dependent variables. These findings indicate that the job characteristics predict the psychological states in a more comprehensive manner than originally proposed in the literature. Job design interventions thus remain a useful tool and industry should utilise the suggested interventions. Furthermore, this study proposes preliminary equations (a Motivating Potential Score and resource allocation) that may be used to determine the relative importance attached to each job characteristic in the world of work. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Taakeienskappe Model (Job Characteristics Model, JCM) is een van die Bedryfsielkunde-modelle wat die meeste gebruik en nagevors word. Dit het aan die bedryf bruikbare oplossings vir mensverwante besigheidsprobleme verskaf deur die herrangskikking van die fisiese en sielkundige eienskappe van werk om probleme soos demotivering, ontevredenheid en marginale prestasie aan te spreek. Die JCM is egter ook al baie gekritiseer, spesifiek rondom die bemiddelende rol van die sielkundige toestand veranderlikes. Navorsingsbevindinge oor die model word in twee groepe verdeel. Die een groep argumenteer dat die model empiries foutvry is, terwyl die ander groep glo dat dit weggedoen of aangepas moet word. Hierdie studies is egter in die 1990’s gedoen, toe die meeste van die gevorderde statistiese tegnieke wat vandag gebruik word, nie bestaan het nie. Navorsing oor die JCM het sedertdien stadig maar seker afgeneem, en geen finale besluit oor die bruikbaarheid en geldigheid van die model is al geneem nie. Die oorkoepelende doel van hierdie navorsing was om van die bogenoemde probleme te probeer oplos deur drie vername teoretiese uitgangspunte oor die JCM in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks te toets deur middel van ‘n steekproef van 881 studente. Dit is met behulp van struktuurvergelykingsmodellering deur middel van LISREL gedoen. ‘n “Ex post facto” korrelasionele navorsings ontwerp is benut. Drie aparte strukturele modelle is gepas en vergelyk. Die eerste model was ’n vereenvoudigde weergawe van die oorspronklike een (Hackman & Oldham, 1980). Die tweede model het die bemiddelende sielkundige toestande uitgelaat wat deur Boonzaier, Ficker en Rust (2001) voorgestel is. Die finale model het dieselfde basiese struktuur as die eerste een gehad, maar nuwe oorsaaklike weë is tussen die werkseienskappe en sielkundige toestande ingesluit. Die resultate toon dat meer variansie in die uitkomstes verduidelik word wanneer die sielkundige toestand veranderlikes wel ingesluit word. Die sielkundige toestande is dus ’n kritieke komponent van die model. Hoewel hierdie bevindinge die oorspronklike model staaf, het die derde model die noemenswaardige variansie in uitkomstes van die afhanklike veranderlikes beter verklaar. Hierdie bevindinge dui daarop dat die werkseienskappe die sielkundige toestande meer omvattend voorspel as wat aanvanklik in die literatuur voorgestel is. Werksontwerp-intervensies is dus nog steeds ’n bruikbare hulpmiddel en die bedryf moet die voorgestelde intervensies gebruik. Hierdie studie stel ook voorlopige vergelykings voor (Motiverings Potensiaal Telling en hulpbrontoewysing) wat gebruik kan word om die relatiewe belangrikheid van elke werkskenmerk in die wêreld van werk te bepaal.

Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBibl / The study examines job satisfaction among research librarians in selected research libraries situated in the Western Cape region. Many studies worldwide have been done on job satisfaction in various subject fields including librarianship. The theoretical framework for this study refers however only on the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) (1976) of Hackman and Oldham. The reason why this model was chosen was because this model was the most appropriate model given the nature of the study, even though there are other models available. A brief overview of the other theoretical models namely; Maslow's (1943) hierarchy of needs and Herzberg's (1954) two factor theory of motivation are discussed as a starting point of this research study. Research librarians work under stressful conditions given the need to produce successful end results.

Thesis deals with motivation potential of work in a selected organisation, identification of presence of job characteristics according to Hackman and Oldham Job Characteristics Model, their perception of intensity and importace for employee. Furthermore proposing improvements of job characteristics and enrichment of employees' job. Another goal is to find satisfaction with current motivation program and in case of deficiencies to propose changes. Data were obtained by using questionary, this data were processing by descriptive statistics. In conclusion, were proposed possibles changes in case of job characteristics or in case of motivation program if enrichment of job characteristics was not suffice.

面臨創新不斷的產業趨勢與組織轉型，日漸成為職場主力的Y世代員工之人力資源需求亦走向複雜。本研究藉由與臺灣六家企業的人力資源主管作深度訪談，探討企業對Y世代員工的特性觀點，以及其就相應特性與資源制訂的人資專案，了解現行措施的關鍵推行與障礙因素，以期作為日後Y世代員工管理之參考。 本研究發現，Y世代員工於科技生活中發展出追求挑戰、工作意義，以及工作與生活平衡的獨特思維，形成了高人才流動率的問題；而Y世代員工措施會因資源與利害關係人之支持而受限，故企業應作工作系統與授權之革新，以利Y世代員工發揮資訊力；另外，人資部若採以適切的溝通與完善的培訓規劃，則能強化組織文化與非財務誘因，達成跨世代對相關措施的共識，以利人資部推行之。 / The facing of industry trends and innovative organization has gradually made the main force of the Generation Y’s workplace human resource needs become increasingly complex. In this study, six human resources managers of Taiwanese enterprises were subjected to in-depth interviews discussing the characteristics of the enterprise viewpoint of Generation Y, as well as their respective characteristics and resources on the development of human resource projects and the understanding of the implementation of existing measures and key obstacles in order for the considerations of future management for Generation Y. The study found that, the development of Generation Y in not only pursuit of scientific and technological challenges of life, but also the meaning of work, thinking and unique work-life balance, all formed a high turnover of personnel issues. Additionally, Generation Y measures was limited by resources and by support for the interested party, so companies should adopt a working system and authorization of innovation for the benefit of Generation Y’s information ability. In addition, if the human resources sector adopts an appropriate communication and comprehensive training plan, it can strengthen organizational culture and non-financial incentives, aiding to reach an intergenerational consensus across generations of related measures to facilitate human resource implementation.

<p>The increasing use of temporary and part-time employment in recent decades was initially expected to lead to negative effects for the individual. The empirical evidence, however, has been equivocal and the consequences are therefore still unclear. This thesis adopts a psychological approach to alternative employment by investigating how heterogeneity in employment contracts together with individual differences associate with work attitudes and subjective well-being. It comprises four studies in which questionnaire data is used to study differences among temporary workers (Study I & II) and differences in the alternative workforce (fixed-term, on-call, and part-time workers) compared to permanent full-time workers (Study III & IV), in order to analyze the impact of different types of contracts together with individual differences. Study I found that attitudes, role stress, and health varied across different patterns in individuals’ backgrounds and contract forms. Study II demonstrated that distinct patterns of voluntary and involuntary contract motives and of work involvement associated with differences in reported work-related and general well-being. Study III showed that well-being and organizational attitudes were related to individuals’ job and contract preferences and, to some degree, heterogeneity in contract types. Study IV revealed that individuals’ perceptions of job conditions (control, demands, and job insecurity) predicted well-being, whereas type of employment contract was found to be less important. Employment contract forms, however, interacted with individual diversity in Study III and IV. The thesis concludes that differences among individuals are important for understanding the implications of different types of alternative employment contracts. Future research should focus on these interactive mechanisms to better understand the consequences of alternative employment forms.</p>