Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math fields (STEM), especially in higher levels. Researchers term this phenomenon "the leaky pipeline." While the issue is well-documented in the literature, little is known about its antecedents. The current study offers insight into factors that relate to career choice and contribute to the lack of diversity in STEM fields by investigating how sense of belonging and psychological capital (PsyCap) influence important psychological, academic, and career outcomes for women in these fields. Female undergraduate STEM majors were recruited for participation at two times during the fall academic semester (N=182 at time one, N=86 at time two) and data were analyzed using correlation and regression. Results provide support for the influence of both sense of belonging and PsyCap as important correlates of an individual's academic and career making decisions. Specifically, PsyCap mediated the relationship between belonging and well-being and belonging and career outcomes of engagement and participants' intentions to apply to graduate programs in an unrelated major. In addition, PsyCap moderated the relationship between sense of belonging and participants' intentions to switch majors and intentions to apply to graduate programs in a field unrelated to their current major. An increased understanding of the factors that contribute to the leaky pipeline in STEM will serve as a basis for developing further research questions and targeting interventions.

L’objectif de la recherche (dans le cadre de trois études empiriques) est d’expliquer comment la perception du contexte organisationnel politique peut être mobilisée pour améliorer la performance et la pro-activité des employés et pour réduire leurs intentions de démissionner. Notre approche théorique s’inscrit dans la théorie de l’auto-détermination (Deci & Ryan, 2000) et s’appuie sur la théorie de la conservation des ressources (Hobfoll, 2002) ainsi la théorie dite de « Human Agency » (Bandura, 2006), et la science de la psychologie positive (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). Une étude quantitative est menée au Pakistan pour évaluer les conceptualisations formulées. Nos résultats révèlent que les employés ayant un capital psychologique élevé développent de manière durable des comportements conduisant à la performance et qu’ils demeurent proactifs dans des contextes organisationnels perçus comme fortement politiques. En même temps, ces employés subissent une vulnérabilité psychologique qui les pousse à démissionner. A l’opposé, la perception d’un contexte organisationnel politique offre aux employés politiquement doués une source d’opportunités qui satisfait leurs besoins psychologiques tout en maintenant leurs proactivités. Enfin, en prenant en compte les effets motivationnels du contexte organisationnel politique, nous avons trouvé que ce dernier gêne l’intériorisation de la motivation extrinsèque au travail. En conclusion, l’idée que les jeux politiques ne peuvent pas être éliminés dans les organisations, nous suggérons aux managers d’équiper les employés de ressources psychologiques et sociales afin d’obtenir un fonctionnement optimal à tous les niveaux / This dissertation (in a series of three empirical studies) seeks to explicate how perceived politics in organizations can be used for accomplishing effective employee performance and proactivity, and to lower employees’ intentions to quit. We ground our theoretical frameworks in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) and also borrow support from conservation of resource theory (Hobfoll, 2002), human agency (Bandura, 2006), and the science of positive psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). A quantitative survey was conducted in Pakistan to assess the proposed conceptualizations. Our findings reveal interesting patterns of relationships. We find employees with high psychological capital hold a sustainability demeanor in their performance and proactive behavior, when encountering high perceived politics. At the same time, they experience a psychological vulnerability that drives them to quit. On the contrary, perceived politics presents politically skilled employees an opportunistic / challenging turf that satisfies their innate psychological needs and uphold their proactive activities. Lastly, with regard to the motivational effects of perceived politics, we find that perceived politics hinders the internalization of extrinsic motivation at work. We conclude that employees are an integral part of an organization constituency and their well-being implies an organization’s sustainability. Since, politics cannot be eliminated we suggest managers to equip employees with psychological and social resources for the sake of optimal functioning at all levels

This research explores the relationship between personality traits, Psychological Capital and job performance amongst sales employees within an Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) sector in South Africa. The study was conducted through quantitative research. The study used the Basic Traits Inventory short form (BTI) to measure personality traits; the Psychological Capital questionnaire (PCQ) to measure the Psychological Capital; and the Job Performance questionnaire (JBQ) to measure individual performance. A biographical questionnaire was also used. The questionnaires were administered to a population of 145 sales employees, 85 of whom were based in the company’s Johannesburg office, with the rest dispersed in the company’s Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, wider Free State and Mpumalanga offices. 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. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The research was conducted from the perspective of a positive psychological paradigm and investigated the interrelationship dynamics between the psychological constructs of resistance to change, work engagement and psychological capital which have been under-researched in the rapidly changing open distance learning work environment of academics. A quantitative survey was conducted on a probability sample of 423 (N=423) academics at a South African open distance learning higher education institution. Confirmatory- and exploratory factor analysis, in the absence of goodness of fit, revealed a four-construct measurement model for resistance to change, a two-factor measurement model for work engagement and a four-construct measurement model for psychological capital. A correlational analysis revealed significant relationships between resistance to change, work engagement and psychological capital and structural equation modelling indicated an adequate fit of the conceptual structural model. Tests for statistically significant mean differences revealed no differences between male and female academics, or between the educational levels of groups of academics, with regard to levels of resistance to change, work engagement and psychological capital. At a theoretical level, the research provided insight into the different concepts and theoretical models that lead to the development of positive psychological functioning, such as understanding of the notion of resistance to change in the work environment. At an empirical level, the new knowledge and insights derived from the results may add to a broader perspective on interrelationships between the psychological behavioural constructs of resistance to change, work engagement and psychological capital. This research has also added to the body of knowledge on how academics’ positive psychological behaviour can contribute to a positive organisation as well as to individual well-being in a changing open distance learning work environment. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The study set out to assess the impact of organisational restructuring (OR), the independent variable on organisational behaviour (OB), the dependent variable, in private and public sector organisations as well as state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa. OB, for the purposes of this study, consists of turnover intention, resistance to change, commitment to change and job security. It further aimed to evaluate whether the various types and magnitude of OR impact on employees in the different sectors. OR was delineated into three factors, that being Restructuring (Type), Restructuring (Leadership) and Restructuring (Frequency), before being further regressed into sub-factors, that being Restructuring (Type_Count), Restructuring (Leadership_Count) and Restructuring (Frequency_Count), for the purposes of using it as categorical variables and indexing it. The study assessed whether effective change management (ECM) mediated the relationship between OR and OB, across sectors. ECM is underpinned by effective change management processes, leader-member exchange (LMX) and perceived organisational support (POS). Finally, it aimed to assess whether employees’ psychological capital (PC), comprised of self-efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience, moderated the relationship between ECM and OB. The study found that OR does, indeed, impact on the OB of employees in different sectors. It has also confirmed the mediating role of ECM and that PC moderated the relationship between ECM and OB. The study assessed whether effective change management (ECM) mediated the relationship between OR and OB, across sectors. ECM is underpinned by effective change management processes, leader-member exchange (LMX) and perceived organisational support (POS). Finally, it aimed to assess whether employees’ psychological capital (PC), comprised of self-efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience, moderated the relationship between ECM and OB. The study found that OR does, indeed, impact on the OB of employees in different sectors. It has also confirmed the mediating role of ECM and that PC moderated the relationship between ECM and OB. The study found that the unidimensional construct, effective change management, coupled with PC, another unidimensional construct, has indeed been able attenuate the impact of OR on OB. In the case of this study, it was primarily the employees of large organisations, such as SOEs, which are affected, while employees of private and public organisations were also affected. Recommendations to organisational leaders and practitioners are provided, with the aim of assisting with the successful implementation of organisational change and restructuring initiatives, while at the same time reducing the impact thereof on the organisational behaviour of employees / Business Management / DBL (Business Leadership)