The main objective is to discuss whether the rewards/incentives schemes provided to the employees to improve and enhance performance within the Department. The discussions will be done on employee satisfaction on the rewards/incentives schemes offered in the Department. The study will cover both the theoretical and practical approach to the topic of Incentives/ rewards that can improve performance of employee and service delivery to communities. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data for this study. The samples were selected from employees of the Department of Health and Social Development, North West Province. A questionnaire consisting of three parts has been used in the survey. / Thesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2010

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Deborah D. Canter / Despite the enormous amount of research about job satisfaction and intent to leave, few studies have focused on Registered Dietitians (RDs) with management responsibilities. Even less is known about the level of career satisfaction or intent to leave the dietetics profession. This study examined job and career satisfaction among members of four dietetic practice groups (DPGs). An online questionnaire included 36 items of the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), career satisfaction and intent to leave measures. Data were analyzed from 966 dietitians in management and clinical practice using traditional statistical procedures. Management dietitians had significantly higher composite scores for six out of nine facets of job satisfaction than dietitians in non-managerial positions. Overall satisfaction scores for management dietitians (M = 153.75 ± 26.68) were also significantly higher compared to non-management dietitians (M = 140.79 ± 30.26, t = 4.368, p < 0.001). Overall satisfaction scores also differed significantly across seven groups of management dietitians, F (6, 844) = 4.41, p < 0.001. The majority of dietitians in this study did not intend to seek other jobs or leave their current jobs. Overall, management dietitians were satisfied with their careers (19.82 ± 3.73). In contrast, non-management dietitians were closer to neutral and significantly less satisfied with their careers (16.44 ± 5.06, t = 6.907, p < 0.001). Career satisfaction scores also differed significantly across seven job titles of managers, F (6, 839) = 5.69, p < 0.001. Intent to leave the profession was not observed for the majority of dietitians in this study. Additional results, implications for the dietetics profession and recommendations for future research are discussed.

The purpose of the research is to investigate the impact of constant change on the motivation and satisfaction of employees involved in a strategic alliance environment. The conclusions highlighted that employees wholly understand the need for the organisation to change; however, employees note that employee involvement, communication and effective leadership were poorly implemented during the change process. Furthermore, the existence of various sub-cultures led to cultural differences that had an impact on the success of the change initiatives. Despite these challenges, the results showed the motivation and job satisfaction levels of employees were high and employee commitment to the organisation was positive. Employees considered the following as crucial to their support, namely, strong, consistent and inspiring leadership, urgency around decision-making, and honest and frequent communication. The report is concluded with recommendations to assist the organisation in managing future changes. It is recommended the organisation change its culture to one more conducive to change in the strategic direction of the organisation. It is further recommended future organisational change be preceded by explicit and ongoing communication. It is critical managers be fully equipped to handle change management and able to provide strong, inspiring leadership amidst the uncertainties and insecurities that arise when change is implemented.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Business Administration, Business Studies Unit, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / This paper examines the issue of job satisfaction within a freight forwarding company. The widespread dissatisfaction coupled with high staff turnover has necessitated a study of this nature. Due to the broad nature of this topic, this study focused specifically on company factors with the intention of determining which of these factors, if at all, were primarily responsible for the dissatisfaction that was prevalent. Company factors, upon which the study was based, were identified to try to assist management understand the full extent of the dissatisfaction. The intention was to identify the specific company factors that were contributing to the dissatisfaction in order to help curb the high level of staff turnover within the company. The study was conducted as staff were leaving at an alarming rate without the necessary steps being taken to address the problem. The methodology that was used was to send out a questionnaire to a broad section of the staff where the company factors were outlined and staff had to rate their level of satisfaction. The results that were obtained outlined which of these company factors contributed to the dissatisfaction that was prevalent. It zoned in on the important issues that needed to be addressed as opposed to addressing issues that were not as important. There were some distinct patterns that were found in the data. None of the factors investigated scored ratings of 4 or 5 (satisfied or highly satisfied) and the results showed a general dissatisfaction within the company. This research is an invaluable source of information not only to this company, but to other freight forwarding companies to prepare them for similar problems that they may encounter within their companies. It is envisaged that companies who take heed of the findings will not experience high levels of dissatisfaction as well as high staff turnover but they would retain their personnel especially their skilled workforce.

Job satisfaction has effects that touch both the employee and employer, these effects include career success, work-family facilitation, turnover intentions, engagement, absenteeism, and quality of work. Having work flexibility measures in the work place can lead to improved job satisfaction. In this dissertation, we study the relationship between work flexibility and job satisfaction through investigating the mediating role of employee empowerment. Building on extant theories, a partial least square structural model is developed to study the relationships between work flexibility, empowerment, and job satisfaction. Perceptions of pay and turnover intentions are included in the model as dependent constructs. The model shows strong links between work flexibility and job satisfaction. Also, it is concluded that empowerment plays an important role in mediating the relationship between work flexibility and job satisfaction. It is observed that empowerment leads to improved perceptions of pay and that improved perceptions of pay together with job satisfaction lead to lower turnover intentions.

Research has illuminated high levels of burnout among stockbrokers and has identified significant correlations between elevated burnout levels and decreased work productivity, mental health, and quality of life (Cass, 2000; Millward, 2001). Though correlations between personality and job-related outcomes have been demonstrated with various professions, research on stockbrokers is noticeably lacking. One of the aims of the present study was to gain a better understanding of the individuals in this profession. Additionally, the study examined the income, job burnout, and job satisfaction levels of South Florida stockbrokers and the relationships between these job-related outcomes and personality characteristics. Forty male stockbrokers between the ages of 22 and 34 participated in the study and completed the California Psychological Inventory, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Abridged Job Descriptive Index, and a demographic questionnaire. Hypothesis testing utilized seven personality subscales: Dominance, Capacity for Status, Social Presence, Sociability, Self-control, Responsibility and Femininity/Masculinity. Results revealed partial support for study hypotheses: stockbrokers differed significantly from business executives on Responsibility and Self-control. Income was significantly correlated with Dominance, Social Presence, Sociability, Self-control, and Femininity/Masculinity and modestly correlated with Responsibility. Job satisfaction was modestly correlated with Dominance and Social Presence. However, burnout was not significantly correlated with any of the personality subscales. Stepwise multiple regression analysis utilizing the seven personality subscales to predict income revealed the best-fitting model to include Self-control and Dominance. The model containing Dominance, Capacity for Status, and Sociability was significantly predictive of satisfaction. However, no significant model emerged to predict burnout. When examining the interrelationships between job-related outcomes, satisfaction was positively correlated with income and negatively correlated with burnout; however, income and burnout were not significantly correlated. This study offers partial support for Cass (2000) and Millward (2001): high levels of burnout were found among the stockbrokers, though no significant relationship was found between Depersonalization and income. Additionally, the current study found Personal Accomplishment to be positively correlated with income. Like previous research that has identified self-esteem as important to job performance and offsetting negative work environments, this study found that more confident stockbrokers earned higher incomes and endorsed higher satisfaction levels.

Application of low hierarchy structures are becoming increasingly popular by enhancing job satisfaction and productivity of employees. On the other hand formation of hierarchy appears to be natural and beneficial in many cases. This study explores how low hierarchies could become and where the boundaries regarding job satisfaction lie as well as how these differ depending on formal position of employees. The inquiry is undertaken with a focus is on medium-sized companies in manufacturing industry in Germany where job satisfaction and productivity via such applications is vital. Extensive qualitative data was collected with a single-case approach; analysis was conducted qualitatively likewise. The lower limits of hierarchy are discovered to lie in various aspects mainly relating to supervision, recognition of good performance and promotion opportunities and to differ significantly with formal position. The study is believed to be unique and assist in shedding light into the area of beneficial and practical low hierarchy applications.

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose of the present research was to determine the association of intellectual styles, personality traits, and learning environment with academic achievement and career satisfaction among Chinese adult learners. The two main objectives of the research were 1) to determine the predictive relationships of intellectual styles, personality traits, and learning environment to academic achievement and career satisfaction, and 2) to investigate the mediating effects of intellectual styles in the predictive relationships of learning environment and personality traits to academic achievement and career satisfaction. To achieve the above objectives, two studies were carried out. A pilot study was conducted to test the instruments and explore various relationships. The study was conducted among 304 part-time adult learners taking evening continuing education courses in a Hong Kong institution. Acceptable reliability and validity data were obtained for most of the instruments. Most of the demographic variables were found to be significantly related to intellectual styles and career satisfaction. Personality traits were stronger in predicting career satisfaction than were intellectual styles. It was also found that personality traits had statistically significant predictive power with respect to different types of intellectual styles. The main study was a longitudinal experimental study in which a revised questionnaire, based on the results of the pilot study, was administered to a sample of 459 part-time adult learners in both control and experimental groups in the first (pre-test) and the last (post-test) lessons. A student-centered teaching style, which has been shown to facilitate creativity-generating learning styles, was adopted in the experimental group as an intervention. Data analyses focused on comparing the differences and associations between the afore-mentioned variables in the pre-test and the post-test, the differences between the control group and the experimental group, and the mediating function of styles in the predictive relationships of personality traits and perceived teaching styles to career satisfaction and academic achievement. Follow-up interviews with 15 students who showed greatest changes in intellectual styles provided qualitative data. Results of the present research generally supported the research hypotheses. First, intellectual styles (thinking styles and career personality types) were malleable and were shaped by both personality traits and environmental factors to various degrees. Second, all three types of intellectual styles (particularly Type I styles) were positively associated with higher Type I academic achievement scores and greater career satisfaction. Third, the two style constructs, thinking styles and career personality types, overlapped to some extent, although each possessed its own unique features. Fourth, both thinking styles and career personality types mediated the relationships between personality traits and career satisfaction, and between perceived teaching styles and career satisfaction. In other words, personality traits and perceived teaching styles influenced learners’ career satisfaction, mainly through the influence of learners’ Type I and Type III styles. This is the first research to measure perceived teaching styles and to investigate the intellectual styles of Chinese adult learners. Equally importantly, the present research contributes theoretically to the literature in three ways: 1) by further clarifying controversial issues concerning intellectual styles; 2) by providing empirical support for Biggs’ (1990) 3P model; and 3) by modifying and validating the inventories for further use in relevant research. In addition to enriching the literature and research on styles, the present research has practical implications for educational and vocational purposes. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Education

No description available.