Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

This dissertation examines whether auditors' job stress, job satisfaction, and performance are affected by the congruence (or fit) between auditors' personality and characteristics of the work environment they face. The personality measure used in this study is locus of control, which classifies individuals as either "internals" or "externals." The work environment is measured by using auditor assessments of role stress and imposed control and by noting whether the auditors work for a more or less structured auditing firm. Locus of control theory and prior research suggest that internals adapt better to environments that impose relatively little control on the individual or that are high in role stress. Conversely, externals adapt better to environments that impose high levels of control or that are low in role stress. In order to obtain the necessary data, a questionnaire was distributed to staff and senior-level auditors from four of the "Big 6" accounting firms (the two most structured and the two most unstructured as defined by prior research). The principal results can be summarized as follows. First, auditors' job stress was affected by the congruence between their locus of control and the amount of role conflict they perceived. Internals reported less job stress than externals when role conflict was high, and externals reported less job stress than internals when role conflict was low. Second, auditors' job satisfaction was affected by the congruence between (1) their locus of control and the amount of role ambiguity they perceived and (2) their locus of control and the amount of role conflict they perceived. In each case, internals reported higher job satisfaction than externals when role stress was high. On the other hand, when role stress was low, internals and externals reported similar levels of job satisfaction. Finally, auditors' self-reported performance was affected by the interaction between auditors' locus of control and audit firm structure. At relatively unstructured firms, internals reported higher performance than externals; at relatively structured firms, internals and externals reported similar performance levels. The interaction also reveals that internals reported higher performance at unstructured firms than at structured firms and that externals reported higher performance at structured firms than at unstructured firms.

<p> This study examined the effect of locus of control on the relationship between school psychologists' perception of school climate and their overall level of job satisfaction. Public schools can be a difficult working environment. The climate in public schools has long been a topic of interest among researchers (Collie, Shapka &amp; Perry, 2012), as has the resulting job dissatisfaction of teachers (Cohen et al., 2009; Skaalvik &amp; Skaalvik, 2009). Unfortunately, there is a void in previous research to examine this relationship amongst school psychology professionals, who play an invaluable role in today's educational system. Personal characteristics, (i.e.- locus of control, age, degree, etc.), in combination with the perceived environment (i.e. school climate) have an impact on emotions (i.e. job satisfaction). In this study, participants' job satisfaction, perception of school climate and locus of control were assessed using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, short form (MSQ-sf), the School Climate Survey, Staff Version Revised (SCS), and Rotter's Internal External Scale (I-E). The relationship between the resulting scores were examined and compared.</p>

Behavior management of employee performance is becoming more prevalent; however, few systems have been implemented in service-industry settings. This experiment compared two behavior management systems for improving one critical service, providing adequate care to laboratory animals. One utilized goal setting + performance feedback and the other, self-recording + goal setting + feedback. It was hypothesized that both systems would increase performance, but the latter would be the more effective of the two because prompts indicating those tasks that were to be performed could not be ignored. / Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) in the Florida State University was the site of the experiment and the technicians who performed the animal-care services were the subjects. Behavioral criteria for task completion and a system that accurately measured performance of tasks were developed. Following a baseline period, goal setting + feedback was implemented in one animal-housing unit and goal setting + feedback + self-recording was implemented in the other in a multiple-baseline design. / Throughout the study, the experimenter assessed percent completion of daily scheduled tasks. On a weekly basis, LAR management inspected the units, assessed task completion and assigned performance rating based on the findings. Feedback to the technicians about management's findings was delivered weekly. / Baseline results showed that approximately 39 percent of tasks in one unit and 55 percent in the other were performed as scheduled and no areas received "satisfactory" ratings. The intervention in each unit increased daily task completion to about 80 percent and approximately 50 percent of the areas in both units received "satisfactory" ratings each week. / These results indicated that either behavior management system significantly increased employee performance; however, the similarity of results indicated that self-recording did not enhance performance above goal setting + feedback alone. Peak performance was obtained by employees who self-recorded faster than by those who did not, thus, self-recording may assist in the acquisition of behavior; however, performance was maintained after self-recording was no longer required. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-04, Section: B, page: 1289. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.

A program which attempted to increase automobile seat belt utilization among state government employees through the use of prompting, stimulus control, and a response-cost intervention was evaluated. A multiple baseline design was used to assess the effects of dashboard stickers and signature sheets which informed the occupants of state owned vehicles of the rule/law requiring seat belt use and the consequences of a 25 percent reduction in benefits for non-compliance if the driver was involved in an accident. A third agency was included in the study to assess the effects of dashboard stickers alone. The results indicate that seat belt use did significantly increase during the intervention phase in all three agencies and maintained consistently high levels throughout the duration of the study, which was five months in the longest condition. Agency-1 and Agency-2 (Stickers + Signature Sheets) achieved relative increases of 527% and 500% over baseline, respectively. Agency-3 (Stickers Only) achieved an increase of 392% over baseline. No generalization to private vehicle use was observed. Arguements in favor of the maintanence of the effects, a cost-effective analysis, contributions to the field, and directions for future research are presented. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-01, Section: B, page: 0337. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.

Purpose. The primary purpose of this study was to utilize a person-environment (P-E) fit framework to explore relationships among mid-life working women's Type A personality, perceived job characteristics and feelings of job tension. A secondary purpose was to explore the potential moderating effects of Type A personality on job characteristics/job tension relationships. / Method. The subjects were 161 female state workers, aged 35 to 55, employed by a large state agency in Florida. A Women's Work Questionnaire (WWQ), consisting of (a) Sales Type A Personality Index (STAPI short form) to determine Type A behavior; (b) Job Characteristics Inventory (JCI) to determine perceived job characteristics of: variety, autonomy, feedback, significance, identity, challenge, dealing with others, and friendship opportunities; (c) Job-Related Tension Index (JRTI) to determine perceived job tension; and (d) several items to describe demographic and other work-related factors, was used to collect the data. / Results. Findings of multiple and hierarchical regression analyses, discussed in relation to previous research and theory were: (1) A significant linear relationship existed between job tension, and a linear combination of Type A personality and all eight job characteristics measured by the JCI. (2) A significant linear relationship existed between job tension and the following variables, singularly: Type A personality, job characteristics of autonomy, feedback, significance, and friendship opportunities. (3) No significant linear relationships were found between job tension and the following variables, singularly: perceived job characteristics of variety, challenge, identity, dealing with others. (4) No significant moderating effects of Type A personality on job characteristic/job tension relationships were found. (5) Descriptive data from subgroup analyses performed by trichotomizing the total sample of women according to the distribution of their Type A raw scores, suggested that negative relationships existed between job tension and the job characteristics of autonomy, feedback, significance, and friendship opportunities for Type B subgroups only. Based upon the findings of this study, suggestions for future research and implications for prevention of job stress were explicated. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-12, Section: B, page: 4184. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.

A typical supervisor feedback intervention was compared to a more comprehensive multi-level performance management package. The procedures were implemented on 28 residential wards and 7 administrative areas of a large mental health facility. Throughout all conditions measurements were made of the cleanliness of the areas, implementation of independent variables and completion of other major job functions. During the supervisor feedback phase, supervisors completed a weekly performance checklist in each area, then gave vocal and graphic feedback to the custodial worker. The multi-level system procedures included all aspects of the supervisor feedback intervention remained plus weekly reliability checks with supervisors, public posting of group cleanliness scores and supervisory performance, feedback to supervisors on implementation of the feedback procedures and social reinforcement from upper level administrators. / The supervisor feedback technique led to only slight mean increases in cleanliness. Implementation of the multi-level system led to more substantial improvements and closer correspondence between the observers' and supervisors' scores. Data collected on supervisor job duties indicate generally high performance even though no procedures were in effect for these behaviors. / The multi-level system was associated with higher, but still nominal, costs for materials and printing, and required the expenditure of more department head time. Measurements of staff satisfaction indicated supervisors felt more positively about the system than did custodial workers, but there was no change in overall job satisfaction for either group. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-12, Section: B, page: 6138. / Major Professor: Jon S. Bailey. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 32-11, Section: B, page: 6708. / Thesis (D.B.A.)--The Florida State University, 1971.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 35-10, Section: B, page: 5170. / Thesis (D.B.A.)--The Florida State University, 1974.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 39-03, Section: B, page: 1527. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1978.