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Clara Yuen Weun To. / Questionnaire in Chinese. / Year shown on spine: 1997. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-58).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH / Bibliography: leaves 264-265. / by William Charles Ronco. / Ph.D.

This thesis contributes to engagement literature by clarifying what engagement is for employees in a large Australian travel retail organisation, how it can be measured, and the expected benefits for both employees and the organisation. With claims that disengagement costs the Australian economy over $30 billion annually (Hooper, 2006), the focus on engagement, particularity within the practitioner community, has grown exponentially. However, there is a lack of empirical research providing construct definition and measurement, ensuring credibility of this construct (Saks, 2006). The two main purposes of this study aimed to address this research gap by firstly producing a valid engagement survey which measured engagement and its predictors, and secondly producing a statistically tested engagement model which explained engagement, its antecedents, and consequences. The study was conducted using a mixed methods sequential design involving three projects. Project one involved the collection and analysis of 3 forms of qualitative data from which 12 main engagement themes were established and survey items generated. Document analysis, participant observation, and interviews (26) of current and former employees all served to identify themes and contextualize engagement within the organisation under study. Project two involved the development and testing of the initial engagement survey. Survey items were refined through a pilot study. The remaining items were reviewed by an expert panel, before being administered company wide returning 419 completed surveys. Exploratory factor analysis was used to refine the survey items and identify the engagement construct structure. Project three involved the validation of the engagement survey and confirmation of the engagement model. Structural equation modelling was used for this purpose. The engagement survey, which included eight driver subscales and an engagement subscale, was validated. Factors measured within the survey were similar to others cited in the literature signalling potential survey generalizability. The engagement model which included causal links between engagement, its drivers (antecedents), and outcomes (consequences) was confirmed. As anticipated, all eight engagement drivers (senior leadership, team leadership, work demands, work support, employee empowerment, continuation, customer focus and financial rewards) functioned as positive predictors of engagement. However, mixed results were found concerning engagement outcome variables. Engagement showed a positive causal relationship with personal outcomes (continuance commitment), but a negative casual relationship with organisational outcomes (customer satisfaction, and company financials). Such results question an overwhelming theme within the literature which claims a positive casual effect of engagement for both personal and organisational outcomes. Further investigation is recommended to clarify these results and explore the possibility of other variable influences. The research of this thesis incorporated both consultancy and academic literature, marrying both perspectives to produce a measure and model relevant to each orientation.

Bibliography: leaves 261-276. Electronic publication; full text available in PDF format; abstract in HTML format. This thesis is about the role that shop floor workers play in organisational change. In particular, it investigates the manner in which a distinct group of worker-level leaders and change agents affected the generation and implementation of change and helped to shape the change process in an organisation undergoing planned change. The data for the thesis were obtained from a three-year, longitudinal case-study of organisational change in a medium-sized automotive components manufacturer, Moving Metals Limited (MML). Electronic reproduction.[Australia] :Australian Digital Theses Program,2001.

This thesis is about the role that shop floor workers play in organisational change. In particular, it investigates the manner in which a distinct group of worker-level leaders and change agents affected the generation and implementation of change and helped to shape the change process in an organisation undergoing planned change. The data for the thesis were obtained from a three-year, longitudinal case-study of organisational change in a medium-sized automotive components manufacturer, Moving Metals Limited (MML). Data were collected at MML during a move from traditional mass production to lean production and the research was conducted using processual action research, while the researcher adopted the dual roles of researcher and consultant to the company. The research identified a distinct group of workers, with no supervisory capacity, who were able to shape the change process in the organisation. These workers are referred to as workers of influence. This group of workers emerged as central characters in the process of organisational change and as leaders and change agents in the organisation. Drawn from the empirical data, criteria for identifying workers of influence are developed in this thesis, based on the authority vested in them by the workforce and their access to management decision-making. A taxonomy of workers of influence is developed in this thesis using these criteria, as well as the duration of tenure of influence. In much of the literature, shop floor workers are portrayed as either passive participants in, or active resistors of organisational change. This research provides evidence of some workers acting as leaders and change agents in an active and influential manner. The research examines issues of power, influence, autonomy and control and their impact on workers' capacity to participate in change. In so doing, this research identifies and opens up an important area of study with implications for organisational theory, literature and the implementation of planned interventions in organisations. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Department of Social Inquiry, 2000.

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This research on Sappi Kraft (Pty) Ltd, focuses on the Health and Safety Programme that is in implementation. The programme is expected to entrench the Health and Safety Culture by encouraging acceptable Behaviour Based Safety, continuous staff Training, encouraging interactive communication and housekeeping to be adopted by all employees. The documented study is based on the participation of the staff and management influence to ensure organisation behavioural changes to Safety are challenged. To verify the impact of the analysis, a questionnaire was distributed to the shop floor staff. Interview sessions were conducted on Sappi Management members. Analytical tools such as SPSS and Excel spreadsheet were used to demonstrate the research trends. The analysis findings are detailed in Chapter 5. The study considers the Health and Safety of employees as crucial. In this instance, the secondary recorded statistical data serve as a trigger to further research to the cause of increasing Lost Time Injuries and a proportional increase in serious injuries sustained. This record became a trigger for Sappi Management to implement initiatives to reduce the number of serious injuries being sustained. Such initiatives are implemented to avoid high loss control, continual losses of life and Safety Disasters. The disasters that occurred at Foskor, formerly known as Indian Ocean Fertilizers and Chrome Chemicals in Merebank, are still fresh in industrial news. Sappi Kraft management's commitment to the programme emphasizes the cultural change and acknowledgement of the conditions under which it operates, for the manufacturing of different paper grades. Management takes Safety objectives seriously with the understanding that attributes such as improved health; safety and production performance would be sustained. It must be noted that previous strategies and measures have been implemented to improve safety. The major challenges for Sappi Kraft to the recent strategy are to improve safety through staff participation in continuous risk assessment training, behaviour based safety and interactive communication. The research study period is limited to report on the full objectives to be fulfilled, but the progress towards success is documented. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

Many organizations are using ergonomic principles and its applications to improve and optimize the current levels of productivity, safety and health. This can be achieved by carefully examining the current management and work practices with the view of finding alternative ways to perform these tasks. In view of the above this research examines the current management and work practices of three small manufacturing engineers, with the purpose of providing inputs, to improve their current status through the application of ergonomic principles. The study is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on the review of current literature on ergonomics and specifically discusses issues such as anthropometry, cumulative trauma disorders, manual material handling, and ergonomic based management systems. The second part focuses on an assessment and identification of existing problems and areas of weaknesses in the workplace. This was accomplished through in depth interviews, observation and questionnaires. The final part presents the research findings followed by the discussion and proposed recommendations. The study has revealed that there is a fundamental lack of knowledge of ergonomics and its relationship to productivity, safety and health. Currently most work practices are guided by what has been learnt and internalized over the years. The researcher proposes that in order to successfully implement an ergonomics programme, ergonomic awareness, training and education, self help training, management commitment and work force participation are essential. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.