With the accelerated process of political and socio-economic transformation in South Africa, revolutionary organisational change has become a given in contemporary South African business life (Human & Horwitz, 1992). For revolutionary organisational change to succeed in South Africa, middle managers who represent the 'cement' of the organisation, need to adjust at the individual level. However, the literature on organisational change remains curiously silent about individual adjustment (Ashford, 1988). The goals of the research were firstly, to recount the middle manager's perceptions and experiences of revolutionary organisational change. Secondly, to detail the psychological re-<lrientation and reidentification of middle managers within their 'changed' organisational context. Thirdly, to understand the relative success of middle managers' psychological adjustment. A single case study design was most appropriate as the study represented a unique case in that it was the most transformed public organisation in South Africa. An initial research group and two theoretically relevant sub-groups were created through theoretical sampling. The data collected through in-depth interviews, direct observation and documentation, and the analysis of this data were jointly undertaken. The results indicate that the respondents perceived a necessity for revolutionary organisational change due to the political changes within South Africa. However, the actual management of the change process was perceived to be poor as the respondent's experienced a lack of participation and a lack of communication. The traumatic 'side effects' of these experiences included feelings of powerlessness and uncertainty which increased the level of organisational stress. Specific individual differences proved largely ineffective in moderating the increased stress. This was attributed to the violation of the individual respondents' psychological contract and the subsequent shared psychological disorientation. The violation resulted in feelings of hurt, betrayal and resentment which shifted the respondents view of the employment relationship. The respondents were therefore unable to identify with the 'new' organisation. This was evident in their attitudinal and behavioural responses which included a lack of trust, lack of organisational commitment and a shift in work satisfaction as weU as ensuing 'offsetting' behaviour and a reluctance to engage in organisational citizenship behaviour. These attitudinal and behavioural responses strongly suggested that the respondents' psychological adjustment was predominantly ineffectual.

M.Com. (Industrial Psychology) / Orientation: An increasing number of women entering the workplace are experiencing inter-role conflict in their home and work domains. As a result, work-family conflict may occur. This may impact level of work engagement women experience. Research purpose: The study aimed to determine the effect of work-family conflict on work engagement amidst working mothers. In addition, the study investigated the moderating effect of the personality traits extraversion and agreeableness on the correlation between work engagement and work-family conflict. Motivation for the study: A narrow body of knowledge exists that explores the implications of work-family conflict in the South African context, particularly among working mothers. Research design, approach and method: The research design was quantitative and cross-sectional. The sample (n=326) encompassed working mothers. The data was collected by using the Work-to-Family Conflict questionnaire (Netemeyer, Boles & McMurrian, 1996), the Basic Traits Inventory (BTI) (Taylor & de Bruin, 2006) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) (Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá & Bakker, 2002). Main finding: This study found that work-family conflict predicts work engagement among working mothers. In addition, the personality traits extraversion and agreeableness predict work engagement but do not moderate the relationship between work-family conflict and work engagement within this sample. Practical/managerial implications: The results of this investigation contribute to the narrow amount of research conducted in the South African context with regard to work-family conflict and work engagement, especially among working mothers. In addition, organisations may gain insight into the effects of work-family conflict on work engagement. Organisations should therefore take measures to provide support to employees so as to decrease the level of iv work-family conflict they experience and consequently, increase work engagement. This study also demonstrates the effect of personality on work engagement.

This thesis is based on research aimed to develop and test a systematic framework to describe and analyse dysfunctions in underperforming schools in South Africa, the Explanatory Model of School Dysfunctions. The theoretical foundation of the model was created by synthesising the literature from various disciplines and conceptualising dysfunctions in relation to their antecedents, motivations, and consequences. The model was then applied and refined on three different data sets. The three data sets included data from principals, teachers, and learners. The principal data consisted of 80 essays written by principals or their representatives, the teacher data of 40 essays from teachers in the Gauteng area, and the learner data of 1,500 open-ended responses from recent high school graduates in South Africa. Content Configuration Analysis explored how school dysfunctions varied in degree, kind, and interconnectedness. Four groups of dysfunctions were identified: dysfunctions relating to rules and rule breaking, issues of competence, resources, and issues extrinsic to the school context. After application and refinement, the Explanatory Model of School Dysfunctions was found to be a suitable model to account for the problem sets experienced by these three actor groups. The goal of this model is to provide a theory-based approach to analyse dysfunctions within schools and to invite researchers to explore these and other problems within this framework. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Degree allta.rded with distinction on l June 199;. A research report submitted to the Faculty of Business . Administrat!on, Unfvet'sity of the ~1fitweJtersrand,Johannesburg in partial ffJffffinent of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management. 1992 / Trust is considered by some managementE!:xperts to be a -":'1 'ii critical element· in organisational ;relat,iori!ships. This factor is especially important in South A~rica where organisational rela·tionships are often mistrust * There has ,.;~~~(ill~;lelirtytle empirical rese\t~=Chcord'ired ~~ this topic. /[lhe literature reviewed p1\\pposed'!th) flt the '0 'v. ? ~\\ managerial benaviours .and a;ttitudes that. b~.ild subdic~tinate II. ,!': \ __ _ _,', _\'" _ _ __ -. ·'~\.F ,.',.: t,rus.t are those that relate 't\') the. managers.' ownleyt~l"of •.•. I' ~\ integri ty. 'l'he~e was almost no l~t~~rature ~railable '\hat }\ • . l' Ii,. ~ examinedthe .behaviours and attitu:~e, tihat; destroy trl.l~~. .. II·· 1 Ii -. The aim of the st.udy , t}'lerefore, ~~s to develop guidelines for managex:sby explo:ring the element of trust in the :-~\~" ma,nager-subordinate relationship •. It endeavoured to ident.ify Which managerial behaviours and att.itudes build \'.. t:, ,_~.) and which ones destroy subordinate trttst. It also distingu.ished differences in ,the perception and experience of subordinate 'trust between four identified jc;-h grade levels and three Sites. The ::esearch was conducted within three diverse manUfacturing sites of one company. The dana,was collected by means of the NominalGroupTechnique, which elicited a .. \~ broad set:. of v\?-e,'lS f~om employees within ~, disciplined '\1\ \J :'_;,\~ '. \'~ ;; , ~\" -, n \' /. ,_," . ,\ \i r: \i The" +e'search ~in~.fl!gs differed significantly from the \ Hte),,,ture reV:L!"i.\ The ll\anageria~ "peha,fiours th"t b~Ud \ sUbor<:\inate tru~t ",,",'those t)¥l.tJJempower the ,subordinate to ~.\ develop a.nCt grow. as ,~fell .,as reduce their dependency upon;;,\ _~" lj ')' ' \~" , ,,'\, (j t toanagers. i' WhereasI \'the :manage:es'·OlM lack of personal \ ,~il1tegl;'ity destroys sU~!.)ordinatet:rust.. Thus, managemenil •r\'1\tYle .. 'has .more. 0impa,c.~•o~~ destroying S.Ubordina~e trust than I\W. has on bUilcling',;it\:e,n WaS i~"ntU~ed that, tp,st ·1 \P~.ildin9 and :trust d~S.'·.tr~.;_ ..ng behaViou~sf. are not. rJ..arised. \ ~\\. .' '5; " t\ ',".... '\. .> \ \ " f! \ .' '\ ' \ ~.\ '\1 ',' . \\ . •r. ..~.I'. \, '\., • ' , ;i A\"raralJ_<\l'. be~we"n trus~\ buHd!.ng \~d';oUv~tion was ,'i id\~~tified., in th~t both ~f~)rOaCheSqsat\;Lsfy suborclinates t " \1 ne~p:s.. Tru7t IN'as\~iscovel1e~ ,to )lave a r~\c;:iprocq;.l i'lspe,ct t'b 1/1 :Lt.'\ ~rti's" cit" b~ bllilt \!\,:.~OU,g-che:rtao~n.'~t.ru~~ bU. il.d.tng 'I' \,." \\ !\ " \\ ~': ", " !. ,:\ '\ P'i] J.p .••e. h~~:iours.l ho'(Vevet;"the~e ~.;•lrlaviou:cs Wi~~ ,~o:wbJ: ef:Ee¢.clve \" \\ . \ \: II ...• i " III Mt"'!l" tru$t i~,,\ al'\7,:aclYp,;"'ie~t in the r!l>lationsl)j,'_', . " JI c IThe scope (If th~~stttdy t'las J~~ploratO:CYtand 'as such II ,// opened up many areas for fur:ther research. ili. 11i\ structure~ , \) nas o c o " ;_,)

A research report submitted to the Department of Social Work, School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Occupational Social Work, 2016 / The primary purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of occupational stress among social workers employed by the Department of Social Development in Mpumalanga Province, Ehlanzeni District. Mpumalanga Province is predominantly rural and the assumption is that work-related challenges for social workers in rural areas are different from urban areas. There are theoretical basis suggesting that people view and respond to stress differently thus their coping strategies even in identical situations are different. The study has therefore focused on the experiences of occupational stress among social workers, the contributory factors that led to occupational stress, the impact of occupational stress, the social workers’ coping strategies with occupational stress; and the availability and effectiveness of organisational support offered to employees experiencing occupational stress as perceived by social workers. The research used both qualitative and quantitative methods. The researcher utilised a questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions, together with the Work-Related Quality of Life scale consisting of closed questions that measured work stress, administered to 40 social workers employed at Ehlanzeni District offices. One year’s working experience as a social worker in the Department of Social Development was a qualifying criterion in the study. Thematic content analysis and descriptive statistical analysis were used to analyse data. The findings of the study suggested that unsatisfactory salaries, working conditions, high workload, lack of recognition and a lack of support were the main stressors for social workers in this study. The research concluded with recommendations that will hopefully assist in improving the quality of work-life of the sound workers and facilitate a balanced understanding between the employees and the employer. / GR2017

This thesis is based on research aimed to develop and test a systematic framework to describe and analyse dysfunctions in underperforming schools in South Africa, the Explanatory Model of School Dysfunctions. The theoretical foundation of the model was created by synthesising the literature from various disciplines and conceptualising dysfunctions in relation to their antecedents, motivations, and consequences. The model was then applied and refined on three different data sets. The three data sets included data from principals, teachers, and learners. The principal data consisted of 80 essays written by principals or their representatives, the teacher data of 40 essays from teachers in the Gauteng area, and the learner data of 1,500 open-ended responses from recent high school graduates in South Africa. Content Configuration Analysis explored how school dysfunctions varied in degree, kind, and interconnectedness. Four groups of dysfunctions were identified: dysfunctions relating to rules and rule breaking, issues of competence, resources, and issues extrinsic to the school context. After application and refinement, the Explanatory Model of School Dysfunctions was found to be a suitable model to account for the problem sets experienced by these three actor groups. The goal of this model is to provide a theory-based approach to analyse dysfunctions within schools and to invite researchers to explore these and other problems within this framework. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

The restructuring of the South African higher education system ranges widely across mergers and incorporations, the creation of new institutional forms, regional-level programme collaboration and rationalisation. The Council on Higher Education (CHE) calls for greater productivity and more cost-effective deployment of resources. Such changes need to be managed effectively in order for staff and managers to adapt and find new ways to operate effectively within the changing environment and to maintain job satisfaction. The aim of this study was to critically evaluate job satisfaction levels during the transitional period of merger in the case of Walter Sisulu University (WSU), as organisational excellence can be achieved when employees experience job satisfaction. The research method employed to gather data was that of quantitative design. The sample consisted of academics and non-academics of WSU employees from the former Border Technikon, Eastern Cape Technikon and University of Transkei. The instrument used to collect data was a modified version of the 1977 Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). Of the 130 respondents 69 were academics and 61 non-academics. Key findings of the study indicated that there are more factors that contribute to job dissatisfaction compared to those factors that contribute to job satisfaction dimension. The results also indicated that the majority of respondents were dissatisfied with most of the job satisfaction factors. The paper recommends that, during a transitional period, human capital issues should be accorded the proper attention and should be addressed early in order to maintain high staff morale (job satisfaction). This will create a smooth transition during which employees will feel valued and experience job satisfaction. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

The restructuring of the South African higher education system ranges widely across mergers and incorporations, the creation of new institutional forms, regional-level programme collaboration and rationalisation. The Council on Higher Education (CHE) calls for greater productivity and more cost-effective deployment of resources. Such changes need to be managed effectively in order for staff and managers to adapt and find new ways to operate effectively within the changing environment and to maintain job satisfaction. The aim of this study was to critically evaluate job satisfaction levels during the transitional period of merger in the case of Walter Sisulu University (WSU), as organisational excellence can be achieved when employees experience job satisfaction. The research method employed to gather data was that of quantitative design. The sample consisted of academics and non-academics of WSU employees from the former Border Technikon, Eastern Cape Technikon and University of Transkei. The instrument used to collect data was a modified version of the 1977 Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). Of the 130 respondents 69 were academics and 61 non-academics. Key findings of the study indicated that there are more factors that contribute to job dissatisfaction compared to those factors that contribute to job satisfaction dimension. The results also indicated that the majority of respondents were dissatisfied with most of the job satisfaction factors. The paper recommends that, during a transitional period, human capital issues should be accorded the proper attention and should be addressed early in order to maintain high staff morale (job satisfaction). This will create a smooth transition during which employees will feel valued and experience job satisfaction. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

This study investigated the impact of organisation restructuring on the psychological contract and the effects on employee engagement and organisational commitment. The study focused on employees from selected health care institutions. The sample consisted of 156 employees from the selected health care institutions. Results indicated positive relationships between employee engagement, psychological contract and organisational commitment. The researcher recommended a better understanding of the manner in which individuals interpret various inducements where would clearer prescriptions be provided. Therefore, employers were advised to be aware of employees’ values and attempt to address them as they are important

This dissertation investigates the relationship between work performance and the sense of coherence, using the salutogenesis approach and the influence of employees' biographical variables on work performance. The sense of coherence construct is discussed and conceptualised in terms of its comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. Similarly, work performance is discussed and conceptualised in terms of its dimensions and dynamics. The integration of the literature study characteristics such as the cognitive, affective, conative and interpersonal characteristics were discussed. The research was conducted among 80 employees at a banking institution. The quality of life questionnaire and performance appraisal ratings were used. The relationship between biographical variables such as age, marital status, gender, qualifications, tenure, functional department and work performance were investigated. The results confirmed the empirical investigation that there was not a significant relationship between work performance and SOC. However, a significant relationship was found between job category and work performance, and between age and work performance. Finally, recommendations made for future research included using a bigger sample size in order to improve the generalisation of the findings to other organisational environments, and to further determine the relationship between other aspects of work performance (not just the KPAs) such as the human attributes of work performance and SOC. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)