Organisations are constantly undergoing major changes. These changes can have negative consequences on organisational functioning and employee well-being. It is therefore vital for organisations to focus on the elements of a healthy organisation so that a positive organisation can be built and the negative consequences avoided. A healthy organisation pays attention to six intenelated dimensions namely; organisational attributes, organizational climate, job design, job future, psychological work adjustment and negative outcomes (like that of turnover, absenteeism, alcohol and substance abuse, self-reported health, and psychological health). The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between leader empowering behaviour, role clarity, psychological empowerment, work engagement and intention to leave. A business unit consisting of managers, specialists, supervisors and administrative staff participated in this research. A cross-sectional design was used to attain the research objectives. The Leader Empowering Behaviour Questionnaire (LEBQ), the Measures of Role Conflict and Ambiguity Questionnaire (MRCAQ), Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire (MEQ), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (U\VES), and Intention to Leave Scale (ILS) were administered for the study. The statistical analysis was carried out by utilising the SPSS program. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a three factor structure for LEBQ, a two factor structure for MRCAQ, a four factor structure for MEQ, a three factor structure for UWES and since ILS only consists of two items a factor analysis was not necessary. All the scales showed acceptable reliabilities. The results showed that leader empowering behaviour, role clarity and psychological empowerment predict engagement. Moderation effects showed that role clarity interacted with competence and meaning to affect employees' dedication, and role clarity interacted with the developing of employees (as a facet of leader empowering behaviour) to affect absorption. Finally, a regression analysis showed that work engagement predicts employees intention to leave. Once conclusions for the study were drawn, recommendations for the organisation as well as for future research were made. / Thesis (M.Comm. (Industrial Psychology)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

Organisations of today demand efficiency, rationality and personal sacrifice to achieve company goals and profit margins. The integral part that leader relations play in organisations is becoming more evident in the current economic climate. It is therefore vital that organisations focus on good relations in order to achieve engagement, resulting in lower levels of turnover intention. Organisations can be viewed as positive when leaders focus on the importance of people to enhance performance and employee wellness. The general objective of this study was to determine the relationship between leader member-exchange, role clarity, psychological empowerment, engagement and turnover intention. A specific financial institution within the Gauteng province was selected and regional managers, branch managers and consultants participated in the research. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data. The Leader-Member Exchange questionnaire, Role Conflict and Ambiguity Questionnaire, Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire, Engagement Questionnaire and Intention to- leave Scale were administered. Statistical analysis was carried out by means of SPSS and AMOS. Factor analysis indicated a one factor structure for LMX7, MRCAQ, WEQ, TIS and a four factors structure for MEQ. The scales all showed acceptable reliabilities. The results showed that LMX, role clarity, psychological empowerment, work engagement, and turnover intention were related. Role clarity mediated the relationship between LMX and psychological empowerment, while psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between role clarity and work engagement as well as turnover intention. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

No description available.

Role clarity for any individual leads to more successful implementation of his or her job expectations. In a school, there are many individuals with various roles to fill. The Instructional Technology Resource Teacher (ITRT) has multiple roles within a school including: training teachers, designing integrated curriculum, managing learning resources, modeling instructional strategies, acting as a technology resource, assisting content specialists, and preview and recommending software. This study found that stakeholders in schools consistently recognize the ITRT as both a trainer and designer of integrated lessons. Other instructional support roles are recognized only by some stakeholders in schools. When a greater emphasis is placed on 21st Century skills throughout the school, there is greater consistency in the perceptions of the roles of the ITRT by stakeholders.

The purposes of this study was to examine what effects a specific team intervention program had on the ice-hockey players’ perceptions of their roles and the teams’ task cohesion. Further the purpose was to examine the benefits from having clear roles and strategies to develop role clarity. It was an intervention study with experimental design and a mixed method approach. Participants were two Swedish male junior ice hockey teams including one experimental team (n=14) and one control team (n=16). The intervention took place during competitive season and was based on communication training, mutual sharing and role development. The results showed that the role clarity decreased in both teams during the time of the intervention. The players in the intervention team felt significant more appreciated than the players in the control team. Overall did the intervention team have more positive trends than the control team. Perceived benefits from role clarity were good cooperation, communication, self-confidence and determination. Suggested strategies to develop role clarity were to communicate with team mates and coach, practice and adjust to the team. Positive effects from the intervention were improved communication, positive attitude, self-confidence, calmness, cohesion and openness. / Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilka effekter ett specifikt laginterventionsprogram hade på spelarnas upplevelse av sina roller och lagets uppgiftsinriktade lagsammanhållning. Vidare var syftet att  undersöka de fördelar som kommer med att ha en klar roll och vilka strategier som används för att skapa rollklarhet. Studien var en interventionsstudie med experimentell design med ett mixat tillvägagångssätt. Deltagare I studien var två juniorishockeylag; ett experimentlag (n=14) och ett kontrollag (n=16). Interventionen pågick under tävlingssäsong och baserades på communikationsträning, ömsesidigt utbyte och rollteori. Resultatet visade att rollklarheten minskade under interventionstiden. Spelarna i interventionslaget upplevde sig sifnifikant mer uppskattade än spelarna i kontrollaget. Överlag hade interventionslaget mer positiva trender i fler variabler än kontrollaget. Upplevda fördelar med klara roller var bra samarbete, kommunikation, självförtroende och beslutsamhet. Föreslagna strategier för utvecklande av rollklarhet var att kommunisera med lagkamrater och tränare, träna och anpassa sig till laget. Positiva effekter av interventionen var förbättrad kommunikation, positiv attityd, självförtroende, lugn, lagsammanhållning och öppenhet.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: New and innovative work structures are being employed in organisations today, especially in the way in which work is approached (Rico & Cohen, 2005). This experimentation has arisen because organisations are seeking better ways of achieving productivity targets and addressing customer demand (Arnold, Barling & Kelloway, 2001). These new work structures are team-based structures, which are widely purported to be the ideal, since teams can respond rapidly because of their multiplicity of skills (Kogler Hill, 2010). Furthermore, high performing teams with this multiplicity of skills should display certain characteristics or behaviours required to achieve results. This study suggests four team characteristics that are necessary for team success, namely shared vision, cohesion, role clarity and mutual trust. This study furthermore explores the role of the team leader in nurturing the above-mentioned characteristics at a team level, since current thinking on leadership suggests that a leader should be able to inspire, motivate and be a role model for his/her team members (Bass & Avolio, 1994), all of which are behaviours characteristic of a transformational leader; thus transformational leadership is the focal point in this study. To determine the effect of transformational leadership on team characteristics, a convenience sample (N = 73) consisting of various nursing wards within a large public sector hospital was used in this study. The measurement model used in the present study fitted the data satisfactorily, RMSEA = .077 (p > .05, 95% CI [.024, .12]). The hypothesised structural model — where transformational leadership affects all four team characteristics directly, without latent interrelationships between team characteristics — was then fitted to the data, showing poor fit, χ2 (df 50, N = 73) = 213.49, p < .05. Despite the poor initial structural model fit, the subsequent results indicated that the hypothesised relationships between transformational leadership and team characteristics (hypothesis 2 through to hypothesis 5) were all significant (p < .05). The modification indices were then investigated for indications of possible model improvement and it was indicated that three additional  paths (i.e. a link between shared vision and cohesion; a link between trust and shared vision; and a link between shared vision and role clarity) were to be considered for addition. The modification indices, in addition, also illustrated that two  paths (i.e. the link between transformational leadership and cohesion and the link between transformational leadership and shared vision) were to be considered for deletion. The structural model was respecified based on modification indices and expected Δ χ2 statistics, and fitted to the data, leading to acceptable fit, RMSEA = .079 (p > .05, 95% CI [.048, .670]). This indicated an improvement over the unmodified model. However, further research based on a larger sample would be needed to verify these suggested path additions and deletions. Overall, the results of the study support the key role that transformational leadership plays on desirable team characteristics. The limitations and implications of the findings of this study are discussed and recommendations for future research are also highlighted. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nuwe en innoverende werkstrukture word toenemend gebruik in kontemporêre organisasies, veral met betrekking tot die manier waarop werk benader word (Rico & Cohen, 2005). Organisasies ondersoek voortdurend wyses om die bereiking van produktiwiteitsteikens en bevrediging van kliënte te maksimeer (Arnold, Barling & Kelloway, 2001). Moderne werkstrukture is toenemend spangebaseerd, aangesien spanne vinnig kan reageer op verandering weens die veelvuldigheid van spanvaardighede (Kogler Hill, 2010). Verder kan verwag word dat hoëverrigtingspanne met ‘n wye verskeidenheid van vaardighede ook oor sekere kerneienskappe sal beskik. Die huidige studie veronderstel vier spaneienskappe wat kritiek is vir spansukses, nl. gedeelde visie, kohesie, rolduidelikheid en onderlinge vertroue. Die studie verken verder die rol van die spanleier om hierdie spaneienskappe te kweek, aangesien onlangse leierskapteorie veronderstel dat ‘n suksesvolle leier vaardig behoort te wees om sy/haar span te inspireer, motiveer en ook ‘n rolmodel moet wees vir die span. Die laasgenoemde is eienskappe kenmerkend van transformasionele leiers (Bass & Avolio, 1994); aldus die fokus van die bestaande studie op transformasionele leierskap. Ten einde die effek van transformasionele leierskap op spaneienskappe te ondersoek, is ‘n nie-ewekansige steekproef (N = 73) van verplegingseenhede binne ‘n groot publieke sektor hospitaal gebruik in die huidige studie. Die metingsmodel vir die studie het bevredigende passing getoon, RMSEA = .077 (p > .05, 95% VI [.024, .12]). Die veronderstelde strukturele model — waar transformasionele leierskap direkte invloede uitoefen op al vier spaneienskappe, in die afwesigheid van onderlinge latente interkorrelasies tussen spaneienskappe — was gevolglik gepas op die navorsingsdata, met swak passing, χ2 (df 50, N = 73) = 213.49, p < .05. Ten spyte van die swak strukturele modelpassing het daaropvolgende resultate getoon dat die alternatiewe hipoteses rakende verwantskappe tussen transformasionele leierskap en spaneienskappe (hipoteses 2 tot 5) almal ondersteun was (p < .05). As volgende stap, is die aanpassingsindekse (MI) verder verken vir moontlike aanduidings van modelverbetering; drie addisionele  roetes (nl., tussen gedeelde visie en kohesie; tussen vertroue en gedeelde visie; en tussen gedeelde visie en rolduidelikheid) is oorweeg vir verdere byvoeging. Die aanpassingsindekse het verder getoon dat twee  roetes (nl., tussen transformasionele leierskap en kohesie, asook tussen transformasionele leierskap en gedeelde visie) oorweeg behoort te word ter verbetering van die strukturele model. Die strukturele model is herspesifiseer, gebaseer op die aanpassingsindekse en verwagte Δ χ2 statistiek, en gevolglik gepas op die data. Die resultate het gedui op bevredigende passing, RMSEA = .079 (p > .05, 95% VI [.048, .670]) — ‘n duidelike verbetering op die aanvanklike strukturele model. Verdere navorsing is egter nodig om hierdie voorgestelde aanpassings aan die strukturele model te verifieer in ‘n groter steekproef. In die geheel gesien, dui die studie se resultate op die sleutelrol wat transformasionele leierskap speel in die ontwikkeling en handhawing van gewenste spaneienskappe. Beperkinge en implikasies van die bevindinge word bespreek, en aanbevelings word gemaak vir verdere navorsing.

abstract: The three essays in this dissertation each examine how aspects of contemporary administrative structure within American research universities affect faculty outcomes. Specific aspects of administrative structure tested in this dissertation include the introduction of new administrative roles, administrative intensity (i.e. relative size of university administration), and competing roles between faculty, administrators, and staff. Using quantitative statistical methods these aspects of administrative structure are tested for their effects on academic grant productivity, faculty job stress, and faculty job satisfaction. Administrative datasets and large scale national surveys make up the data for these studies and quantitative statistical methods confirm most of the hypothesized relationships. In the first essay, findings from statistical modeling using instrumental variables suggest that academic researchers who receive administrative support for grant writing and management obtain fewer grants and have a lower success rate. However, the findings also suggest that the grants these researchers do receive are much larger in terms of dollars. The results indicate that administrative support is particularly beneficial in academic grant situations of high-risk, high-reward. In the second essay, ordered logit models reveal a statistically significant and stronger relationship between staff intensity (i.e., the ratio of faculty to staff workers) and faculty stress than the relationship between executive intensity (i.e., the ratio faculty to executive and managerial workers) and faculty job stress. These findings confirm theory that the work of faculty is more loosely coupled with the work of executives than it is with staff workers. A possible explanation is the increase in administrative work faculty must take on as there are fewer staff workers to take on administrative tasks. And finally, in the third essay results from multi-level modeling confirm that both role clarity and institutional support positively affect both a global measure of faculty job satisfaction and faculty satisfaction with how their work time is allocated. Understanding the effects that administrative structure has on faculty outcomes will aid universities as faculty administrative burdens ebb and flow in reaction to macro trends in higher education, such as unbundling of faculty roles, unbundling of services, neoliberalism, liberal arts decline, and administrative bloat. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Public Administration and Policy 2017

No description available.

There is currently no legislation counteracting the impact of workplace bullying on South African employees, consequently generating an open invitation for all perpetrators in the organisation. The significance of bullying by superiors and bullying by colleagues is explored in this regard. Workplace bullying refers to behaviour which harasses, offends, excludes and affects the employees’ work tasks. This behaviour occurs repeatedly, frequently and over a period of time. As a result, the impact of bullying on employees has massive consequences on the absenteeism, profitability, turnover intention and the compensation claims of the organisation. The most common solution of workplace bullying results in resignation. Thus, this study also explores perceived organisational support (POS), acting as a moderator, to counteract workplace bullying in this regard. POS is defined by employees experiencing: role clarity, participation in decision–making, colleagues’ support, having sufficient job information and good supervisory relationships. This will not necessarily put an end to this phenomenon but creates awareness in the South African context. Many international researchers focused on defining bullying, exploring different perpetrators and identifying characteristics associated with targets of bullying. Nationally, research is still in its infancy, hence, this research explores workplace bullying in general, by focusing on different sectors across South Africa. This research addresses the main perpetrators, the impact on turnover intention and explores POS acting as a moderator in the relationship between workplace bullying and turnover intention. The objectives of this research was 1) to determine how workplace bullying, perceived organisational support and turnover intention are conceptualised according to the literature; 2) to determine the relationships between workplace bullying by superiors/colleagues, the sub–facets of perceived organisational support (role clarity, job information, participation in decision–making, colleague support and supervisory relationships) and turnover intention; 3) to determine the moderating role of the sub–facets of perceived organisational support (role clarity, job information, participation in decision–making, colleague support and supervisory relationships) in the relationship between workplace bullying (superiors and colleagues) and turnover intention. An availability sample of N =13911 participants were gathered over a spectrum of 9 provinces and 5 sectors. Hierarchical regression analyses was conducted in order to determine if POS acts as a moderator in the relationship between workplace bullying (either by superiors or by colleagues) and turnover intention. Results highlighted the prevalence of workplace bullying in the South African context. The statistical analysis revealed that workplace bullying by superiors and by colleagues has a negative relationship with all the sub–facets of POS. This implies that when bullying by superiors or colleagues increases, the sub–facets of POS will decrease. The intention to leave the organisation correlated negatively with the sub–facets of POS. This suggests that when POS exists in organisations employees will be retained. There is a positive relationship between both bullying by superiors and bullying by colleagues and the propensity to leave the organisation. In practice, this implies that when bullying increases (by either superiors or colleagues) more targets of bullying will be inclined to leave the organisation. According to the empirical results, POS, role clarity, participation in decision–making and supervisory relationships, was the only facets which acted as moderators in the relationship between workplace bullying by superiors and turnover intention, whereas no moderation was found with bullying by colleagues. Recommendations were made for the organisation and future research. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

There is currently no legislation counteracting the impact of workplace bullying on South African employees, consequently generating an open invitation for all perpetrators in the organisation. The significance of bullying by superiors and bullying by colleagues is explored in this regard. Workplace bullying refers to behaviour which harasses, offends, excludes and affects the employees’ work tasks. This behaviour occurs repeatedly, frequently and over a period of time. As a result, the impact of bullying on employees has massive consequences on the absenteeism, profitability, turnover intention and the compensation claims of the organisation. The most common solution of workplace bullying results in resignation. Thus, this study also explores perceived organisational support (POS), acting as a moderator, to counteract workplace bullying in this regard. POS is defined by employees experiencing: role clarity, participation in decision–making, colleagues’ support, having sufficient job information and good supervisory relationships. This will not necessarily put an end to this phenomenon but creates awareness in the South African context. Many international researchers focused on defining bullying, exploring different perpetrators and identifying characteristics associated with targets of bullying. Nationally, research is still in its infancy, hence, this research explores workplace bullying in general, by focusing on different sectors across South Africa. This research addresses the main perpetrators, the impact on turnover intention and explores POS acting as a moderator in the relationship between workplace bullying and turnover intention. The objectives of this research was 1) to determine how workplace bullying, perceived organisational support and turnover intention are conceptualised according to the literature; 2) to determine the relationships between workplace bullying by superiors/colleagues, the sub–facets of perceived organisational support (role clarity, job information, participation in decision–making, colleague support and supervisory relationships) and turnover intention; 3) to determine the moderating role of the sub–facets of perceived organisational support (role clarity, job information, participation in decision–making, colleague support and supervisory relationships) in the relationship between workplace bullying (superiors and colleagues) and turnover intention. An availability sample of N =13911 participants were gathered over a spectrum of 9 provinces and 5 sectors. Hierarchical regression analyses was conducted in order to determine if POS acts as a moderator in the relationship between workplace bullying (either by superiors or by colleagues) and turnover intention. Results highlighted the prevalence of workplace bullying in the South African context. The statistical analysis revealed that workplace bullying by superiors and by colleagues has a negative relationship with all the sub–facets of POS. This implies that when bullying by superiors or colleagues increases, the sub–facets of POS will decrease. The intention to leave the organisation correlated negatively with the sub–facets of POS. This suggests that when POS exists in organisations employees will be retained. There is a positive relationship between both bullying by superiors and bullying by colleagues and the propensity to leave the organisation. In practice, this implies that when bullying increases (by either superiors or colleagues) more targets of bullying will be inclined to leave the organisation. According to the empirical results, POS, role clarity, participation in decision–making and supervisory relationships, was the only facets which acted as moderators in the relationship between workplace bullying by superiors and turnover intention, whereas no moderation was found with bullying by colleagues. Recommendations were made for the organisation and future research. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.