M.Cur. / The overall objective of this study is to measure the level of work satisfaction among nurses at Athlone, Lobatse Mental and Scottish Livingstone hospitals, and develop guidelines for the nursing service manager to facilitate work satisfaction. The nursing service manager is responsible and accountable for quality personnel management. Personnel management involves the adequate provision and utilisation of personnel as well as the retention and development of personnel. In view of existing problems such as high turnover rates, too much work and the public's concerns about the standard of nursing, there is need to regularly evaluate the level of work satisfaction among nurses. Hence the study address the formulation of guidelines for the nursing service manager to facilitate work satisfaction and empower nurses. Emanating from the above the following questions are relevant: What is the level of work satisfaction among nurses in the three government hospitals ? What measures need to be put in place in order to increase work satisfaction among nurses ?

M.A. / Ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church are also exposed to work stress, which can lead to burnout, as well as job dissatisfaction. The study (under consideration) was undertaken to examine the connection between Sense of Coherence, burnout, job satisfaction and intentions to resign from their positions as ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church. The participants were 91 ministers of the Synod of Southern Transvaal. Sense of Coherence was measured by using the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (Antonovsky, 1987); burnout by using the Aangepaste iltgaslach Burnout Inventory (Odendal, 1984); and job satisfaction by using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (Weiss, Dawes, England & Lofquist, 1967). The unique relationship between variables was clarified by doing a route analysis. The results indicate that: (a) ministers with a low Sense of Coherence are more inclined to suffer from burnout than those with a high Sense of Coherence; (b) when controlled for burnout there is no strong or statistically significant connection between Sense of Coherence and job satisfaction; (c) . burnout has a strong and statistically significant negative relationship with job satisfaction, and (d) burnout is a good predictor of pastors intension to resign. Because of its influence on burnout, Sense of Coherence indirectly has a mildly strong influence on ministers' intention to resign. According to this, pastors with a high Sense of Coherence are less prone to burnout and therefore also less inclined to resign. Similarly, Sense of Coherence (via its influence on burnout) has a mildly strong positive influence on job satisfaction. Accordingly ministers with a high Sense of Coherence have higher levels of job satisfaction because this high Sense of Coherence protects them from burnout.

Exploratory studies in the area of job satisfaction for school psychologists have pointed to a number of variables that predict job satisfaction, but research has not yet attempted to test a model of job satisfaction consistent with theory and previous research. The presented study developed and tested a theoretical model of the influences on job satisfaction for North Carolina school psychology practitioners. Effects of boundary role activities and role diversity, activities that extend beyond the traditional role of psychodiagnostician, were of particular interest. North Carolina school psychologists were surveyed by mail. Data collection addressed personal variables (e.g., age, current degree status, and years of experience), static system variables (e.g., urban vs. rural communities, student—to—psychologist ratio, salary per month, and characteristics of supervision), fluid system variables (e.g., opportunity to engage in boundary role activities and role diversity) and job satisfaction measured by the modified Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MMSQ). Two hundred and sixty-two of the 463 North Carolina school psychologists surveyed reported their primary role designation as practitioner and were included in the initial path analyses. Boundary role activities had a direct effect on job satisfaction, and characteristics of supervision had a smaller direct effect. Role diversity influenced boundary role activities which in turn affected job satisfaction. After reviewing demographic data, delivery models used in North Carolina, job titles, and job descriptions, the sample was redefined and Charlotte/Mecklenburg Student Services Specialists were excluded. Path analyses conducted on the redefined sample found direct effects for boundary role activities and salary per month with smaller direct effects for characteristics of supervision and role diversity. Indirect effects were also found for urban vs. rural communities and role diversity. / Ed. D.

In this dissertation, I investigated job satisfaction from a dynamic perspective. Specifically, I integrated the momentum model of job satisfaction with the affective shift model and crossover theory in an effort to move beyond traditional, static conceptions of job satisfaction and other constructs. Recent research and theoretical development has focused on the meaning of job satisfaction change for workers and how such change impacts their decisions to leave an organization. To extend this line of inquiry, I posited hypotheses pertaining to: (a) job satisfaction change with respect to positive work behavior (i.e., organizational citizenship behavior, family-supportive supervisor behavior); (b) the potential moderating effect of changes in negative work events (i.e., job demands, interpersonal conflict) on the relation between job satisfaction change and turnover intentions change and positive work behavior; and (c) the crossover of job satisfaction change from managers to employees and the potential underlying behavioral mechanisms. An archival dataset collected by the Work, Family & Health Network was used to investigate the aforementioned phenomena. Data were collected at two time points with a six-month interval via face-to-face computer-assisted personal interviews from individuals working at 30 facilities from a U.S. extended-healthcare organization. In total, data from 184 managers and 1,524 of their employees were used to test hypotheses. Data were analyzed using multilevel structural equation modeling. In an extension of the momentum model, I found that managers’ job satisfaction change positively related to changes in employee reports of their FSSB; in addition, I replicated prior findings in which job satisfaction change negatively related to turnover intentions change. Furthermore, based on my integration of the momentum model and the affective shift model, I tested the proposition that changes in negative work events (i.e., job demands, interpersonal conflict) would moderate the relationship between changes in job satisfaction and focal outcomes. For certain operationalizations of negative work events, hypothesis testing revealed significant interactions with respect to changes in all three outcomes: turnover intentions, OCB, and FSSB. The form of the interactions, however, deviated from my predictions for models including changes in turnover intentions and OCB, although my predictions were supported for models including changes in FSSB. In my integration of the momentum model and crossover theory, the associated hypotheses were met with very limited support. Specifically, the relationship between managers' job satisfaction change and employees' job satisfaction change approached significance, but the relationship between managers' level of job satisfaction and their employees' subsequent level of job satisfaction did not receive support. Similarly, the proposed mediational mechanisms (i.e., managers' OCB and FSSB) of these crossover relations went unsupported. In sum, while my contributions to the momentum model and the affective shift model were notable, my proposed integration of the momentum model and crossover theory was met with limited support. Overall, findings from this dissertation yield important implications for both theory and practice, as they may draw more attention to changes in job satisfaction, as well as the potentially beneficial role of changes in perceived negative work events.

M.A. / Questions regarding the possible interrelations of work-related constructs of person-environment congruence, job satisfaction and job involvement were posed in this dissertation. These constructs were defined in terms of three separate theoretical frameworks, namely Holland's (1985b) vocational choice theory, the Theory of Work Adjustment (Lofquist & Dawis, 1984), and Kanungo's (1982b) conceptualisation of job involvement, respectively. In accordance with these theories, the Self-Directed Search questionnaire, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Job Involvement Questionnaire were used to operationalise these variables for the 114 psychologists and 44 optometrists who participated in the study. The person-environment congruence scores were computed by means of the Congruence Index (Brown & Gore, 1994). A secondary aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of environmental codes (one of the components of person-environment congruence) as have been provided by The South African Dictionary of Occupations (1987) for samples of psychologists and optometrists in the South African context. Different research designs were used to accommodate the diversity of the research objectives and hypotheses. A factorial research design was used to determine the potentiality of influences of person-environment congruence and job involvement on overall job satisfaction, intrinsic job satisfaction and extrinsic job satisfaction. Possible differences between the samples of psychologists and optometrists, and males and females were built into the general linear models encompassed by this design. Similarly, this design was used to determine whether job involvement is a function of personenvironment congruence, overall job satisfaction, intrinsic job satisfaction, extrinsic job satisfaction, gender and occupational group. Possible divergent effects of the samples and gender were further probed by means of generalised linear models (regression). Gender and sample-specific differences in terms of the variables of the study separately were examined through inferential statistics (t-tests). The possibility of a significant effect of job involvement on the relationship between person-environment congruence and job satisfaction assumed by Holland (1985b), was investigated by means of correlational analyses to conclude the examination of the relations among these variables. For the secondary aim of this study, the Environment Assessment Technique (Holland, 1985b) was used to calculate the respective environment codes of this sample of optometrists, and samples from four categories of registration of psychologists, namely clinical, counselling, educational and industrial psychologists, and then compared to the codes for these vocations listed in The South African Dictionary of Occupations (1987). The results of this study revealed significant effects of job involvement on overall job satisfaction and intrinsic job satisfaction, but nonsignificant effects of occupational group (or sample) and gender. Of the independent variables, only person-environment congruence had moderately significant effects on extrinsic job satisfaction. When job involvement served as dependent variable, only overall job satisfaction or intrinsic job satisfaction and the occupational group had any significant influence on it. The effect of the psychologist sample on job involvement was greater than that of the optometrist sample. No gender differences were found in terms of these linear models, or in terms of the variables of the study separately. Further findings revealed that job involvement does not have any significant effect on the hypothesised congruence-job satisfaction, congruence-intrinsic job satisfaction, or congruence-extrinsic job satisfaction relationships. When the environmental codes of the various samples were compared to the proposed Holland ISE (investigative-social-enterprising) environment code, vast discrepancies were found. A predominantly social environment code was obtained for clinical, counselling and educational psychologists, but an enterprising code for industrial psychologists. Although the optometrists obtained a predominately investigative code, their environment's subtypes could not be characterised as social and enterprising, but rather as enterprising and realistic. Suggestions were made that research employing sample-specific environmental codes in studies of person-environment congruence and its possible covariates is warranted. A need for empirical examinations of environmental codes of other vocational populations in South Africa was also identified. It was further recommended that the job involvement construct should be included in theories describing the antecedents, correlates and consequences of job satisfaction. This study was then evaluated in terms of criterion validity and external validity requirements, and the conclusion was drawn that within the limitations of the study, the research questions had been answered.

M.A. / Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) can be defined as programs, sponsored by management and labor, that are specifically designed to identify and assist employees and their families with various difficulties that impair personal and occupational functioning. Adventist Community Services (ACS) is a welfare organization that identified the need within the organization for such a program. A needs assessment to determine the specific needs of employees and volunteers with regard to such a program is however necessary before it can be designed. The aim of this study is therefore to conduct an exploratory investigation into the needs of ACS employees and volunteers with regards to an EAP. The objectives of the study were firstly to determine the level of social functioning of respondents by using 25 subscales of the Multi-Problem Screening Inventory. From the analysis of the data gained through this instrument areas of concern (for example, self-esteem, depression, partner relationships, etc.)were identified that are to be incorporated in an EAP for the organization. Secondly, the Index of Job Satisfaction was administered in order to establish the level of job satisfaction of respondents. The majority of respondents reported a clinically significant level of job dissatisfaction, which provides a base line measurement for later evaluation of the EAP to be designed, as well as an indication of the necessity of such a program. The last objective of this study was to give clear guidelines for the development of an EAP for ACS,. including the structure and content of such a program. An inhouse model providing a comprehensive range of services is recommended and specific areas of emphasis were identified (for example, time management and productivity, etc.). The literature review that was embarked on for this study served as a theoretical basis for the study as well as for the designing of an additional questionnaire. This questionnaire was used to gather demographic information and practical details about the implementation of an EAP.

M.A. / The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between job involvement and job satisfaction between the traffic officers and bus drivers of the Germiston Transitional Local Council. The following research questions were addressed: What are the levels of job involvement and job satisfaction that traffic officers and bus drivers experience? How does job involvement and job satisfaction of traffic officers and bus drivers compare? What is the relationship between job involvement and job satisfaction? Since this is a quantitative quasi-experimental investigation, the following hypotheses have been formulated, namely; Hypothesis 1. There is no statistically significant differences between the mean test scores of traffic officers and bus drivers in respect of job involvement and job satisfaction. Hypothesis 2: There is no statistically significant correlations between job involvement -- --and -job satisfaction, satisfaztion-and-extrinsit -satisfactioa of traffi -c--. officers - - bus drivers. In order to test the above mentioned hypotheses, the two group comparison and the popular Job Involvement Scale and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire have been utilized as measurement instruments. The results of this study supported hypothesis one because there was no statistically significant difference between the mean test score of traffic officers and bus drivers in respect of job involvement and job satisfaction. With reference to hypothesis two, the results indicated that there is no correlation between job involvement and job satisfaction (including the sub components). The results indicated a correlation between job satisfaction, intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction. The results of this study have demonstrated that the traffic officers and bus drivers are able to distinguish the extent to which they like their job (satisfaction), the degree to which they are absorbed in or preoccupied with their job, and the degree of attachment of loyalty they feel toward their employing organization. Finally, there is a need to replicate these findings. The use of a single local authority as the research site is a potential limitation in terms of validity and reliability of the results.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In order to help individuals feel more engaged within work organizations and more satisfied with their jobs, employers have started to administer stay interviews within organizations, with the end goal being to retain organizational members. Stay interviews have become a proactive solution to the retention problem and have been seen as an alternative to the exit interview. This study proposes that through the use of stay interviews, organizational members will feel more engaged, satisfied, and committed to an organization, which will ultimately result in the retention of organizational members.

This thesis explores and describes the relationship between emotional intelligence, job satisfaction and job self-efficacy. The sample was collected between 2007 and 2010 and consists of 1336 South Africans within the workplace. Trait emotional intelligence was assessed using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue), while job satisfaction and job self-efficacy were assessed from the biographical questions asked during the TEIQue assessment process. The first hypothesis investigated whether there is a statistically significant relationship between job satisfaction and trait emotional intelligence. A relationship was found that is statistically, but not practically, significant. The second hypothesis centred on the relationship between job self-efficacy and emotional intelligence, with statistically significant results (p<0.001), and a weaker relationship than the one found between job satisfaction and scores on the TEIQue. The third hypothesis, investigating a possible interaction effect between job satisfaction and job self-efficacy, was rejected. In addition to the study’s three hypotheses, exploratory IRT analysis was conducted on a section of the TEIQue items in order to further explore the functioning of the test within the South African context. Findings suggest that there is a relationship between the constructs within the study, but that this relationship is more complex than first assumed, being affected by issues such as social desirability and central tendency bias. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

This thesis explores and describes the relationship between emotional intelligence, job satisfaction and job self-efficacy. The sample was collected between 2007 and 2010 and consists of 1336 South Africans within the workplace. Trait emotional intelligence was assessed using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue), while job satisfaction and job self-efficacy were assessed from the biographical questions asked during the TEIQue assessment process. The first hypothesis investigated whether there is a statistically significant relationship between job satisfaction and trait emotional intelligence. A relationship was found that is statistically, but not practically, significant. The second hypothesis centred on the relationship between job self-efficacy and emotional intelligence, with statistically significant results (p<0.001), and a weaker relationship than the one found between job satisfaction and scores on the TEIQue. The third hypothesis, investigating a possible interaction effect between job satisfaction and job self-efficacy, was rejected. In addition to the study’s three hypotheses, exploratory IRT analysis was conducted on a section of the TEIQue items in order to further explore the functioning of the test within the South African context. Findings suggest that there is a relationship between the constructs within the study, but that this relationship is more complex than first assumed, being affected by issues such as social desirability and central tendency bias. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)