Downsizing is one of the most common organisational reactions to organisational change. The effects of global competition, mergers, and the privatisation of public sector companies, among others, are forcing organisations in South Africa to resort to workforce reduction. The purpose of the present study was to address the lack of research on the impact of downsizing on survivors. Specifically, the study examined the interactive effects of job insecurity, locus of control and sense of coherence on the organisational commitment of survivors.

Text in Afrikaans / Hoë werkloosheid het 'n permanente kenmerk van die moderne samelweing geword en daarom word daar huidiglik baie aandag geskenk aan die psigologiese impak van werkloosheid op die werklose persoon en sy gesin. Die teoretiese benadering van hierdie studie is dat werksverlies 'n stresvolle lewensgebeurtenis is waarvan die impak binne 'n sistemiese benadering bestudeer is. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gevolg. Die navorsingsresultate is verkry deur in-diepte onderhoude te voer met agt blanke getroude pare. Die resultate van die onderhoude is vergelyk met bestaande navorsing oor die impak van onwillekeurige werksverlies op die individu en sy gesin. Resultate dui daarop dat werksverlies 'n verpletterende ervaring is vir sommige pare terwyl dit in ander huwelikke lei tot groter intimiteit en persoonlike groei. Veranderlikes wat vir hierdie verskille verantwoordelik is, word geidentifiseer. Implikasies vir toekomstige navorsing word bespreek. / High unemployment has become a permanent feature of modern-day society. As a result there has been an increased interest in the psychological impact of involuntary job loss on the individual and his family. The theoretical appraoch of this study is that job loss is a stressful life event which is studies within the subsystem of the family. The research design is the qualitative method that was executed by conducting depth interviews with eight white couples. The results of the interviews were compared with those of previous research relating to the impact of involuntary job loss on the individual and his family. Results show that job loss is a devastating experience for some couples while other couples experience it as a opportunity for personal growth and increased intimacy in the relationship. Factors that account for these differences are identified. Implications for future research are discussed. / Psychology / M.A. (Sielkundige Navorsing)

The focus of this study was to investigate the employment difficulties faced by individuals who had been retrenched from the insurance industry during the years 2000 to 2013 in order to develop an understanding of the continuity in the specialist type of work after their retrenchment. The study also aimed to investigate the actual and perceived barriers that need to be addressed in the South African small business environment and the specific soft skills and business skills of small business owners and non-small business owners. The research design of this exploratory study entailed a positivist research philosophy using a deductive research approach. This quantitative research was conducted by means of a survey questionnaire. A questionnaire was designed and used to determine the level of importance and the level of own skills for small business owners and non-small business owners respectively in terms of predetermined soft and business management skills. The answers provided on these questions were then analysed to determine whether there was a gap between the level of importance assigned to these skills and their own skill ratings. This research determined the barriers faced by small businesses in South Africa as well as the level of agreement regarding the predetermined actual and perceived barriers pertaining to the small business environment. Notable findings of this study include that there was a distinct lack of continuity in the specialist type of work by the small business owner respondents in the insurance industry. There was a marked difference between the level of portance and own skill ratings assigned to the predetermined soft skills and business management skills with non-small business owner respondents mostly rating themselves as better skilled than small business owners did. However, the fact that these non-small business owner respondents did not start their own small businesses points towards higher risk aversion. This study also found that small businesses in South Africa are facing pronounced barriers within the small business environment. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Text in Afrikaans / Hoë werkloosheid het 'n permanente kenmerk van die moderne samelweing geword en daarom word daar huidiglik baie aandag geskenk aan die psigologiese impak van werkloosheid op die werklose persoon en sy gesin. Die teoretiese benadering van hierdie studie is dat werksverlies 'n stresvolle lewensgebeurtenis is waarvan die impak binne 'n sistemiese benadering bestudeer is. Die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gevolg. Die navorsingsresultate is verkry deur in-diepte onderhoude te voer met agt blanke getroude pare. Die resultate van die onderhoude is vergelyk met bestaande navorsing oor die impak van onwillekeurige werksverlies op die individu en sy gesin. Resultate dui daarop dat werksverlies 'n verpletterende ervaring is vir sommige pare terwyl dit in ander huwelikke lei tot groter intimiteit en persoonlike groei. Veranderlikes wat vir hierdie verskille verantwoordelik is, word geidentifiseer. Implikasies vir toekomstige navorsing word bespreek. / High unemployment has become a permanent feature of modern-day society. As a result there has been an increased interest in the psychological impact of involuntary job loss on the individual and his family. The theoretical appraoch of this study is that job loss is a stressful life event which is studies within the subsystem of the family. The research design is the qualitative method that was executed by conducting depth interviews with eight white couples. The results of the interviews were compared with those of previous research relating to the impact of involuntary job loss on the individual and his family. Results show that job loss is a devastating experience for some couples while other couples experience it as a opportunity for personal growth and increased intimacy in the relationship. Factors that account for these differences are identified. Implications for future research are discussed. / Psychology / M.A. (Sielkundige Navorsing)