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)

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A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Diversity Studies). March 2014 / Despite the end of apartheid, South Africa remains a grossly unequal society. This has meant that the current social order must again be challenged. One of the tasks faced in post-apartheid South Africa is the philosophical and moral interrogation of white privilege. This research investigates the ways of speaking of Argentine immigrants living in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed by making use of Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory as well as Melissa Steyn’s characteristics of “white talk”. It was found that Argentine immigrants living in South Africa aligned themselves with the ways of speaking of white South Africans. These are largely informed by and embedded in Eurocentric discourses; in particular liberal ideology. In line with the agenda of Critical Whiteness studies, this positionality was exposed and theoretically interrogated. Keywords: whiteness, immigrants, discourse, Laclau and Mouffe discourse theory, white talk, racism, identity, liberalism

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 research investigated students‘ views on the inclusion of multicultural perspectives into the psychology curriculum at two South African universities.54 students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and a university in the Gauteng province participated in the research. The age of the participants ranged from 20-40 years. Purposive sampling was used to collect the data. Using a competency scale adjusted to suit a South African context participants were asked their views on a) the practice and supervision of psychology b) diversity in student representation c) students were also asked to rate how competent they were in multicultural issues d) research considerations e) if the physical environment reflected diversity. The students were of the view that South African universities have not adequately incorporated multicultural issues, African perspectives in particular, into the curriculum. The recommendations for future research, including curriculum transformation, are highlighted. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

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M.A. / Die doel van hierdie studie was tweeledig van aard. Die eerste doelstelling was om 'n behoeftebepaling te doen ten einde vas te stel wat die pasiente se algemene behoeftes is ten opsigte van narkose. Die tweede doelstelling was om 'n streshanteringsprogram te ontwikkel, toe te pas op toepaslike proefpersone, en te evalueer aan die hand van vier afhanklike veranderlikes, naamlik angsvlak, pynvlak, irrasionele kognisies en lokus van kontrole. Hierdie streshanteringsprogram is ontwikkel om prakties uitvoerbaar en pasi ntvriendelik gerig te wees sodat die effektiwiteit. vir toekomstige volgehoue gebruik getoets kon word.

D.Litt. et Phil. / Endometriosis is among the most common gynaecological maladies affecting women's reproductive health and is also known to be associated with infertility. The pathogenesis of endometriosis is however not well understood. Altered immunity has been indicated in the pathophysiology of this puzzling disease. Over the last decade or more the research evidence suggesting that stress might play a role in the pathogenesis of various illnesses has grown significantly. According to certain tenets of psychoneuroimmunology, behaviour and cognitive therapy, by changing an individual's reaction to stress and increasing the ability to cope with stress, thereby altering immune function, may have an effect on the proliferation of a specific illness, in the case of this study, endometriosis. Various behaviour patterns used by individuals to deal with personal and environmental stressors, have been identified. The incessant struggle to overcome real and imagined obstacles imposed by events, time and the actions of other people typifies the Type A behaviour pattern. The aims of this study were to detemine, whether there were, in a randomly chosen group of patients with endometriosis, persons with high indices of Type A behaviour; to determine whether the modification of Type A behaviour in these patients had a positive effect on their biopsychosocial functioning and finally, whether the modification of Type A behaviour had a positive effect on these patients' endometriosis-related infertility. Endometriosis patients being treated at an infertility clinic were invited to participate in the study. Forty-two subjects were recruited. A psychometric test battery was administered to all the participants. Based on the results of the Videotaped Structured Interview, the subjects were equally divided into three groups: a low index Type A group, a high index Type A group and a middle group. Experimental groups 1 and 2 received counseling aimed at reducing Type A behaviour, using the revised version of the SARCPP, which was originally used with coronary heart disease patients. The test battery was again administered after the intervention. It was found that a subset of endometriosis patients did show higher indices of Type A behaviour. Furthermore an intervention that was found to be successful in reducing the Type A behaviour intensity and frequency in subjects with coronary heart disease was also found to be similarly successful in a subset of women with endometriosis. The most significant finding was the increase in pregnancies among the group of subjects who had been exposed to the treatment. Type A behaviour modification was indeed found to be effective in the treatment of infertility in couples where the female experienced endometriosis-related infertility.

M.A. / The prospective and observed changes in South-Africa, with respect to the mobilisation of human skills, bring unique challenges to the fore where the career development of the individual is concerned. Scheepers (1996) and Quinn (1994) state that psycho-educational programmes can be implemented to foster the successful transfer of career development skills. A number of career development programmes were therefore designed and developed. However, the necessity of further development and extension of such programmes are crucial and in accordance with the experienced rapid changes of the target group's needs. In the light of the above mentioned statements, a study was conducted to evaluate the impact of an existing career development programme, by using standard programme development requirements. A further objective of the study was to make an existing programme more goal orientated and user friendly, by ensuring a more effective transfer of the skills contained in the programme. The method used was the developmental research model as introduced by Rothman and Thomas (1994). The choice of this model presents various advantages to the researcher, through the generation of both qualitative and quantitative results. The quantitative measure instruments that were used in this study are the Career Development Questionnaire of Langley and the Career information Questionnaire of Heidema. The qualitative evaluation made by direct observation and also the feedback of the tests. It was endeavoured to establish a theoretical foundation for the identified problem by using the theories of important career development researchers. The structural-interactive model of Holland was mainly focused upon in this regard. A career workbook, namely the SNUG was presented at various intervals to a group RAUCALL students during this research. Three groups were chosen at random and this ensured the progressive development of the programme. The first group was introduced to the original SNUG and owing to observation certain useful amendments were made to the presentation. This tentative improvements were presented to the second group whereafter further amendments were brought forth. The third and last group were exposed to the resultant improved SNUG. The focus of the improvements that were implemented fell on the visual changes and was not based on the contents. Statistical significant differences between the three groups in terms of the five sub tests of the Career Development Questionnaire were reported and no significant differences with reference to the results of the Career Information Questionnaire were noted. However the scores still refer to inefficient career development skills when a realistic career decision is to be made. A correlation between the third sub test of the Career Development Questionnaire namely Career Information and the Career Information Questionnaire of Heidema was noted.

M.A. / This study was conducted to ascertain whether there is a significant relationship between, parental pressure, stress levels and athletic performance in high school track and field athletes. The question can be asked whether parental pressure will result in increased stress levels in the athlete and therefore poorer performance? Sixty-six high school track and field athletes, between the ages of 13 and 18 years, were selected for the study. The athletes were taken from training groups and an Afrikaans high school to Provide a sample that included both elite and social athletes. The IPAT-Anxiety Scale, Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT), SASOL junior tables and three self-designed questionnaires were used to determine the athletes' stress levels, amount of parental pressure and performance measurements. Significant relationships were found between parental pressure, increased stress levels and poorer performance. The more parental pressure experienced by the athlete the higher his stress levels and consequently the poorer his performance.