Magister Commercii - MCom / Consent for the research study was obtained from the divisional executive of the financial services division being researched and all ethical factors were clarified. All potential participants were engaged in a divisional communication session where participation was advised to be voluntary and anonymity and confidentiality was assured. The results of the study revealed that there was no statically significant relationship between intention to quit and organisational commitment but a statically significant relationship between organisational commitment and age, tenure, marital status and staff with dependants respectively were revealed. Further to that, a statistically significant relationship between intention to quit and age, tenure, marital status was also revealed. Therefore, based on the understanding gained, and the relationship it had with respect to the biographical factors used in the study, it presents organisations with the insight and opportunity to better retain staff. Clear understandings of the limitations of the findings presented are also discussed and additional recommendations for future research are also provided. / South Africa

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS) / The South African employment industry is facing exhaustion as the demand for talented workers is higher than supply (Bakos, 2005) and it has become imperative that the employer no longer simply focus on the commitment of employees, but more so on the extra efforts that are exerted by these employees in order to ensure their sustainability (Netswera, Rankhumise & Mavundla, 2005). Extensive research has been conducted on organisational commitment because of its importance in predicting individuals' behaviour outcomes such as absenteeism and turnover (Popoola, 2005). Findings of studies conducted by Bolon (1997) and Maharaj (2006) indicate that there is a positive relationship between organisational commitment (OC) and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB). Bolino and Turnley (2003) posit that it is important for organisations and managers to have a better understanding of the factors that make employees willing to go the extra mile in order to enhance organisational performance and sustain a competitive edge. The alms of the study are to investigate the relationship between organisational commitment, organisational citizenship behaviour and turnover intentions. Furthermore, it also investigated the relationship between biographical variables (namely, gender, age, tenure and race) and organisational commitment as well as that of organisational citizenship of human resource professionals A sample of 138 human resource professionals employed at a retail organisation completed a self-developed biographical questionnaire, the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire, the Citizenship Behaviour Questionnaire and the Turnover Intention Questionnaire. Results of the study indicate the existence of a significant relationship between organisational commitment and organisational citizenship and turnover intentions for human resource professionals. The statistical analysis suggests that organisational commitment has a significant relationship with organisational citizenship, whilst turnover intentions did not have a significant impact on organisational commitment. The biographical variables (namely, gender, age, tenure and race) appear to have a significant impact on organisational commitment, with gender having the strongest relationship with organisational commitment. The biographical variables (namely, gender, age, tenure and race) appear to have a significant impact on organisational citizenship behaviour, whilst race appeared to be unrelated to citizenship behaviour. Previous studies were reviewed to support the findings of the current study. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research were put forth in addition to recommendations for the organisation.

The primary objectives of the study were as follows: (1) to explore the relationship between career anchors (as measured by the Career Orientations Inventory), organisational commitment (as measured by the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire) and turnover intention (as measured by a three-item questionnaire, developed by Mobley, Horner, and Hollingsworth, 1978); and (2) to determine whether employees from different gender, race, employment positions and age groups differ significantly in their career anchors, organisational commitment and turnover intention. A quantitative survey was conducted on a non-probability sample of 343 employed adults at managerial and general staff levels in the South African retail sector. The results of this study suggest that there was a significant but weak relationship between employees‟ career anchors and their organisational commitment. Career anchors were also found to be significantly related to organisational commitment and turnover intention; with entrepreneurial creativity, lifestyle and service/dedication to a cause career anchors being the best predictors of these two variables. The relationship between organisational commitment and turnover intention was significant and negative, with affectively and normatively committed participants being more likely to remain with the organisation (i.e. having lower turnover intentions). In addition, the findings indicate that although gender has no relationship with turnover intention, race, employment position and age do. African, general staff and 30 years and younger participants indicated higher intentions to leave the organisation. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Sustainability has become an important topic in many parts of society. However, companies struggle to translate it into their processes. If an individual values sustainability but is not able to fulfill these values an individual may feel a discrepancy; it may force individuals to feel an (in)congruence in their identity, leading to the question, How does sustainability identity (dis)congruence affect commitment? To answer the question a theoretical model was developed from different nuances of identity theory and organizational commitment. A mixed-method was used to capture the data. The results indicate that dependent on commitment style, the organization may override their personal sustainability identities. Our observations indicate that affective committed individuals choose to justify both personal and organizational actions in order to mitigate value incongruent behaviors. The thesis ends with a chapter of managerial recommendations. / <p><strong>Grade</strong>: Pass with distinction (VG)</p>

This research explores the relationship between sense of coherence, work engagement and organisational commitment in an automotive development institution in South Africa. The study was conducted through quantitative research. The study used the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) to measure sense of coherence, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) to measure work engagement and the Organisational Commitment Scale (OCS) to measure organisational commitment. A biographical questionnaire was also used. The questionnaires were administered to a sample of 46 employees, 37 of whom were based in the company’s Pretoria office and nine at their Eastern Cape office. In view of the fact that the sample was small, 100 % of the population was included in the study. A theoretical relationship between the constructs was determined and an empirical study provided evidence of the degree of relationship that existed between them. The results reveal significant relationships to exist between some sub-scales, however, statistical significance could not be reached for some correlations. / Psychology / M. Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between perceived career mobility, career mobility preference, job satisfaction and organisational commitment. A secondary objective was to determine whether various age, gender, tenure, marital status and race groups differed significantly regarding their perceived career mobility, career mobility preference, job satisfaction and organisational commitment. A perceived career mobility scale and career mobility preference scale, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (short form) and the Organisational Commitment Scale, were applied to a non-probability convenience sample consisting of 82 South African accountants, auditors and financial staff members. Significant relationships were observed between the variables. Significant differences were found between age and race groups‟ perceived career mobility, gender and tenure groups‟ career mobility preference, and age and tenure groups‟ organisational commitment. The findings contribute valuable new knowledge that may be used to inform retention practices in the financial sector. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial & Organisational Psychology)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van hierdie verkennende studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die prestasiewaardes onderliggend aan Affektiewe, Kontinulteits- en Normatiewe organisasieverbintenis van werknemers binne die motorywerheid in Suid-Afrika. 'n Steekproef van 113 werknemers is uit verskillende motorhandelaars geselekteer. Daarna is ondersoek ingestel na watter prestasiewaardes betekenisvolle voorspellers van organisasieverbintenis is. Daar is bevind dat die prestasiewaardes mededinging en materiele welvaart betekenisvolle voorspellers van affektiewe organisasieverbintenis is, en dat die prestasiewaardes materiele welvaart en strewe na uitmuntendheid betekenisvolle voorspellers van kontinuiteitsorganisasieverbintenis is, maar dat geeneen van die prestasiewaardes wat huidig wereldwyd erken word, betekenisvolle voorspellers van normatiewe organisasieverbintenis in die motomywerheid is nie. Dit het verreikende irnplikasies vir die Suid-Afrikaanse motorhandelaar. Hierbenewens is dit ook duidelik uit die navorsingsresultate dat die prestasiewaardes mededinging, materiele welvaart en strewe na uitmuntendheid hulself daartoe leen om op 'n geintegreerde wyse deur bestuur van motorhandelaars aangewend te word ten einde hul kumulatiewe invloed op organisasieverbintenis optimaal te kan benut. / The objective of this exploratory study was to investigate the performance values subjacent to affective, continuity and normative organisation commitment of employees in the motor industry in South Africa. A sample of 113 employees was selected from different dealerships. Thereafter an investigation was done to establish which performance values were meaningful predictors of organisation commitment. It was found that the performance values competition and material gain were meaningful predictors of affective organisation commitment, and the performance values material gain and excellence were meaningful predictors of continuity organisation commitment, but that none of the performance values which are contemporarily recognised world-wide were meaningful predictors of normative organisation commitment. This has far-reaching implications for South African motor dealers. It was also apparent from the results that the performance values competition, material gain and excellence can be utilized in an integrated way by management of motor dealers in order to ensure optimal utilization of their cumulative impact on organisation commitment. / Industrial psychology / M.Com. (Industrial Psychology)

Cette thèse vise à étudier conjointement deux thèmes de recherche habituellement traités séparés par la littérature académique : les caractéristiques des directeurs généraux et l'engagement des employés au travail. La problématique peut se définir ainsi : quel est l'impact des caractéristiques des dirigeants sur leur engagement au travail ? ou autrement dit, comment les caractéristiques managériales influencent la nature et le degré d'implication des dirigeants au travail? Les dirigeants dans notre travail de recherche seront les dirigeants des banques au Liban : on va essayer de leur créer une typologie. / Organizational commitment has been studied comprehensively along with varied professional groups. The concept that commitment is essential for the apprehension of organizational and professional goals mainly in the Banking organizations has remained unexploited by researchers. The study of employee commitment should be important to Banking organizations receiving large amounts of community savings and playing an important role in the development of the economical sector as a whole.No previous studies have tackled the Lebanese bank managers’ subject in relevance to their organizational commitment and its relation with their biographical traits and their Job perforamance; therefore the study of organizational commitment will particularly be relevant to Lebanese bank managers, as those represent the leading power for the future of the Lebanese banking sector.

Makt samt organisatoriskt commitment är två väsentliga begrepp gällande ett företags ledarskap och deras anställda. Ledarskapets kärna utgörs av den influens ledargestalten har över sina underordnade och begreppet makt ska för ledaren fungera som ett drivmedel gällande hens influens. Det gäller således för ledargestalter att tillämpa makten i syfte att influera sina anställda mot organisationens uppsatta mål. För att lyckas få de anställda att sträva efter samma mål som organisationen satt upp samtidigt som de ska arbeta för att få kompetent arbetskraft att stanna krävs det av ledaren att hen kan främja organisatoriskt commitment bland de anställda. Syftet med studien är därmed att utifrån positioneringsmakt och kunskapsmakt analysera hur ledare för ett konsultföretag skapar affektivt, kalkylerande och eller normativt commitment hos sina anställda. Då studien avser att inge en djup och grundlig förståelse gällande dess syfte tillämpas en fallstudiedesign med en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi samt en deduktiv ansats. Vidare ämnar studien undersöka ett specifikt fallföretag utifrån vilket studiens primärdata samlats in via tio intervjuer. Intervjuerna har fördelats på åtta av Crabats anställda konsulter, företagets VD samt företagets ägare. För att på ett djupare plan kunna presentera studiens problematisering har en teoretisk referensram utformats vilken behandlar studiens huvudbegrepp samt beskriver övriga relevanta begrepp inom ämnet. Det går inte genom studiens slutsatser att urskiljer vilken form av maktbas som främjar vilket commitment i fallföretaget. Dock går det att konstatera att fallföretaget tillämpar två maktbaser, kunskapsmakt samt positioneringsmakt, vilka i valt fallföretag sammantaget gynnar tre former av commitment, affektivt, normativt samt kalkylerande commitment. Då fallföretaget utgörs av majoriteten män hade det varit intressant om vidare forskning undersökte om ovannämnda maktbaser främjar andra former av commitment i en konsultverksamhet med en majoritet kvinnor. / Power and organisational commitment are two essential concepts regarding a corporation’s leadership and workforce. The core of leadership consists of the influence the leader has over the workforce and the concept of power is to work as a propellant regarding his or hers influence. It thus applies that the leader utilise the power to influence the workforce to work towards the organisation's goals. For the leader to achieve the above and at the same time strive to retain proficient labour it is vital that he or she can enable organisational commitment among the employees. The aim of the study is therefore to analyse how a leader within a consulting firm uses his or her power in order to generate organisational commitment. The study is intended to convey a deep and thorough understanding regarding its aim, therefore we applied a case study design with a qualitative research strategy and a deductive approach. Furthermore, the study intends to examine a specific case company from which the study's primary data has been obtained through interviews with the company’s employees, the company's president and the owner. To be able to present the reader with a deeper understanding regarding the study’s problem discussion a theoretical framework, which addresses the study's main concepts and describes other relevant concepts appropriate to the subject has been developed. We could not based on the study’s conclusions distinguish between which powerbase that benefits which form of organisational commitment. However, it is clear that the case company applies two forms of power bases, knowledge - and the positioning base of power which, in the selected case company collectively promotes three forms of commitment, affective, normative and calculating commitment. Since the case company’s employees are comprised by a majority of men, it would be interesting if further research investigated whether the above-mentioned power bases promotes other forms of commitment in a consultancy with a majority of women employed.

This research explores the relationship between sense of coherence, work engagement and organisational commitment in an automotive development institution in South Africa. The study was conducted through quantitative research. The study used the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) to measure sense of coherence, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) to measure work engagement and the Organisational Commitment Scale (OCS) to measure organisational commitment. A biographical questionnaire was also used. The questionnaires were administered to a sample of 46 employees, 37 of whom were based in the company’s Pretoria office and nine at their Eastern Cape office. In view of the fact that the sample was small, 100 % of the population was included in the study. A theoretical relationship between the constructs was determined and an empirical study provided evidence of the degree of relationship that existed between them. The results reveal significant relationships to exist between some sub-scales, however, statistical significance could not be reached for some correlations. / Psychology / M. Admin. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)