Contemporary South African higher education institutions have undergone many drastic changes in recent years with regard to the demographic composition of students and organisational structures. Huge demands in terms of transformation have been placed on these institutions while they have simultaneously been transforming from former Technikons to Universities of Technology. This causes staff to be faced with major changes which affect all aspects of the institution. The objective of this research was to investigate whether role overload, job satisfaction and locus of control could be used to predict turnover intention of employees in a higher education institution. Further objectives included empirically determining whether locus of control had a mediating effect between role overload, job satisfaction and turnover intention. A cross-sectional survey design was used and an availability sample was taken from a South African higher education institution («=210). Five measuring instruments were administered as part of a larger questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data and a series of regressions was used to test for the hypothesised mediating effect. The reliability coefficients obtained for the scales indicated that the Cronbach Alpha coefficients for qualitative role overload, job satisfaction and turnover intention were acceptable; however, those for quantitative role overload and locus of control were below the recommended cut-off mark. The results showed that there was a strong relationship between the dimensions of overload, indicating that the feeling of having too much to do in the time available is accompanied by the feeling that individuals do not have the skills to complete their required tasks. Furthermore, it was found that if employees feel that they have too much to do and that they do not possess the skills to complete tasks, they will be dissatisfied with their jobs. Both quantitative and qualitative role overload contributed to the participant's thoughts of leaving the institution and it was concluded that a satisfied employee is less likely to think of leaving the organisation. Locus of control had minimal relationships with quantitative and qualitative role overload, as well as with turnover intention. Locus of control was, however, found to be related to job satisfaction. Locus of control was found to be a poor predictor of turnover intention and did not mediate the relationship between role overload and job satisfaction on the one hand, and turnover intention on the other. It was concluded that job satisfaction was the strongest predictor of turnover intention. By way of conclusion, recommendations were made both for the organisation and for future research. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Purpose: Using the basic framework of the service profit chain, this study aims to develop an integrated model that explains the relationships among role overload (RO), customer orientation (CO), service interaction quality (IQ), customer satisfaction (CS) and sales performance. Design/methodology/approach: A large-scale survey of 872 customers and 530 frontline employees across 50 branches of a major retail bank in New Zealand serves as the study setting. Findings: The results indicate that RO has a significant negative effect on IQ. Nevertheless, CO mitigates the negative outcome of RO on IQ. IQ fully mediates the relationship between RO and CS. Additionally, the effect of IQ on branch sales is fully mediated by CS. Research limitations/implications: The cross-sectional nature of the current survey does not permit causal inferences. Thus, future studies should adopt longitudinal designs. Also, future studies should explore the roles of other variables (e.g. job crafting, work-related self-efficacy) as possible moderators. Practical implications: Results suggest that service managers should create a balance between the role requirements and organizational resources to mitigate the adverse effects of employee RO. To enhance IQ and CS, bank managers should coach employees about work overload and train them in CO while prioritizing the tasks. Originality/value: Empirical research pertaining to employee–customer interaction through a nested framework accommodating data from customers, employees and firm performance is scarce. This study fills in the void.

No description available.

The mining environment is one of the largest contributors to the South African economy and provides employment and a livelihood to many South African households. However; the mining environment is one of the most hazardous and production-driven environments in South Africa and worldwide, often leaving households without their primary provider, as a result of accidents. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between work stressors, job insecurity, union support, job satisfaction and safety motivation and -behaviour, also to determine whether the levels of job satisfaction mediate the relationship between work stressors, job insecurity, union support and safety motivation and -behaviour. The role conflict scale (Rizzo, House, & Lirtzman, 1970), role overload (qualitative and quantitative) scale (Beehr, Walsh, & Taber, 1976; Sverke, Hellgren, & Öhrming, 1999), job insecurity scale (Hellgren, Sverke, & Isaksson, 1999), union support scale (Shore, Tetrick, Sinclair, & Newton, 1994), job satisfaction scale (Hellgren, Sjöberg & Sverke, 1997), safety motivation scale (Neal, Griffin, & Hart, 2000), safety behaviour scale (Neal et al., 2000) and a biographical questionnaire were administered to employees (N = 260) from the mining industry. A cross-sectional survey design was utilised. The scales demonstrated acceptable levels of internal consistency. Increased levels of work stressors and job insecurity were found to be associated with decreased levels of job satisfaction. Also, increased levels of perceived union support were associated with increased levels of job satisfaction and safety motivation and -behaviour. Finally, it was found that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between union support and safety motivation and -behaviour. Recommendations were made to be applied in practice, as well as for future research. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The mining environment is one of the largest contributors to the South African economy and provides employment and a livelihood to many South African households. However; the mining environment is one of the most hazardous and production-driven environments in South Africa and worldwide, often leaving households without their primary provider, as a result of accidents. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between work stressors, job insecurity, union support, job satisfaction and safety motivation and -behaviour, also to determine whether the levels of job satisfaction mediate the relationship between work stressors, job insecurity, union support and safety motivation and -behaviour. The role conflict scale (Rizzo, House, & Lirtzman, 1970), role overload (qualitative and quantitative) scale (Beehr, Walsh, & Taber, 1976; Sverke, Hellgren, & Öhrming, 1999), job insecurity scale (Hellgren, Sverke, & Isaksson, 1999), union support scale (Shore, Tetrick, Sinclair, & Newton, 1994), job satisfaction scale (Hellgren, Sjöberg & Sverke, 1997), safety motivation scale (Neal, Griffin, & Hart, 2000), safety behaviour scale (Neal et al., 2000) and a biographical questionnaire were administered to employees (N = 260) from the mining industry. A cross-sectional survey design was utilised. The scales demonstrated acceptable levels of internal consistency. Increased levels of work stressors and job insecurity were found to be associated with decreased levels of job satisfaction. Also, increased levels of perceived union support were associated with increased levels of job satisfaction and safety motivation and -behaviour. Finally, it was found that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between union support and safety motivation and -behaviour. Recommendations were made to be applied in practice, as well as for future research. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Employees in the Occupational Risk Division (ORD) of a large petrochemical company experience many difficult situations on a regular basis. This division of the company comprises the emergency services, the security and the occupational health divisions of the company. Even though every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of employees in the company, accidents and incidents do happen. The employees of the ORD are confronted with gruesome accidents, dangerous accident scenes where they have to enter when everyone else is evacuated, and security breeches where they may have to enter and resolve serious conflict situations. The possibility that their work climate may contributed to their mental health status is suggested. It is suspected that the stress of the job affects the mental health of the employees of the OCD, and ways need to be found to reduce these effects. The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between core self-evaluations, role overload, powerlessness and health indicators of employees in the ORD of a large petro-chemical company and to determine whether core self-evaluations act as a moderator in the relationship between role overload and powerlessness on the one hand and health indicators on the other hand. A cross-sectional design was used. The sample consisted of 299 employees from the Occupational Risk Division of the organization. Age, gender and level of education were included as control variables. A comprehensive survey containing the measuring instruments was administrated. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Results obtained indicated that some of the scales were not reliable. Powerlessness was dropped from the analysis and qualitative and quantitative role overload were collapsed into a total overload measure. The results showed that a negative relationship exists between role overload and core self-evaluations. A positive relationship exists between role overload and neuroticism, poor health and depression. Self-esteem, self-efficacy and locus of control are negatively related to neuroticism and health, and neuroticism is positively related to poor health. Depression was predicted by experiences of overload, levels of self-efficacy, locus of control and negative affect (Neuroticism). General health was predicted by experiences of overload, locus of control, neuroticism and the interaction between overload and self-esteem. None of the scales predict medication use to a significant degree. Results further indicated that only self-esteem acts as a moderator in the relationship between role overload and general health, but none of the variables of core self-evaluations act as a moderator between role overload and depression or between role overload and the use of medication. By way of conclusion, recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Employees in the Occupational Risk Division (ORD) of a large petrochemical company experience many difficult situations on a regular basis. This division of the company comprises the emergency services, the security and the occupational health divisions of the company. Even though every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of employees in the company, accidents and incidents do happen. The employees of the ORD are confronted with gruesome accidents, dangerous accident scenes where they have to enter when everyone else is evacuated, and security breeches where they may have to enter and resolve serious conflict situations. The possibility that their work climate may contributed to their mental health status is suggested. It is suspected that the stress of the job affects the mental health of the employees of the OCD, and ways need to be found to reduce these effects. The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between core self-evaluations, role overload, powerlessness and health indicators of employees in the ORD of a large petro-chemical company and to determine whether core self-evaluations act as a moderator in the relationship between role overload and powerlessness on the one hand and health indicators on the other hand. A cross-sectional design was used. The sample consisted of 299 employees from the Occupational Risk Division of the organization. Age, gender and level of education were included as control variables. A comprehensive survey containing the measuring instruments was administrated. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Results obtained indicated that some of the scales were not reliable. Powerlessness was dropped from the analysis and qualitative and quantitative role overload were collapsed into a total overload measure. The results showed that a negative relationship exists between role overload and core self-evaluations. A positive relationship exists between role overload and neuroticism, poor health and depression. Self-esteem, self-efficacy and locus of control are negatively related to neuroticism and health, and neuroticism is positively related to poor health. Depression was predicted by experiences of overload, levels of self-efficacy, locus of control and negative affect (Neuroticism). General health was predicted by experiences of overload, locus of control, neuroticism and the interaction between overload and self-esteem. None of the scales predict medication use to a significant degree. Results further indicated that only self-esteem acts as a moderator in the relationship between role overload and general health, but none of the variables of core self-evaluations act as a moderator between role overload and depression or between role overload and the use of medication. By way of conclusion, recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

<p>The call centre industry has been one of the fastest growing industries in South Africa. Call centres have for most companies become a basic business requirement for servicing customers. Zapf, Isic, Bechtoldt and Blau (2003: 311) argue that there are high levels of stress amongst employees in call centres, which they believe to be the result of both the work tasks and the interactions with customers. The aim of this study was to establish whether call centre work design and structure contributed to role stress amongst client service representatives (CSRs). It was also the aim of this study to establish whether role stress affected the CSRs‟ levels of job satisfaction and their intentions to quit from their jobs.</p>

Tertiary institutions in South Africa have experienced radical changes in the past decades, especially due to the change from technikons to universities of technology. These changes created new mental and emotional demands for academic staff and placed them under additional pressure. Problems experienced by tertiary institutions include constantly changing systems, students from underprivileged backgrounds and decreased subsidies from the state. These factors could lead to role overload and role conflict. The objective of this research was to examine the relationships between individual indicators of work climate (job challenge demand, role overload and role conflict, job satisfaction and pay satisfaction and social support) and turnover intention. Further objectives included empirically determining if these indicators of work climate can be used to predict turnover intention and to determine if social support plays a moderating role in the translation of work climate in turnover intention. A cross-sectional survey design was used. A convenience sample was taken from a South African university of technology. Measuring instruments for all the variables of interest were administered. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Finally, a structural equation model was developed to explain the relations between the variables. The results obtained for the scales proved that four of the seven specific measuring instruments are reliable in terms of their specific use for employees in a South African tertiary institution. Job challenge demand, quantitative role overload and role conflict were less reliable. Results showed that when an employee feels that he/she has too much to do in too little time, or if the task is too difficult to complete, he/she will experience lower levels of job satisfaction which in turn may lead to higher levels of turnover intention. Social support from the supervisor and colleagues increase job satisfaction. A moderating effect for social support between work climate (role characteristics and satisfaction) and turnover intention was demonstrated. By way of conclusion, recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

<p>The call centre industry has been one of the fastest growing industries in South Africa. Call centres have for most companies become a basic business requirement for servicing customers. Zapf, Isic, Bechtoldt and Blau (2003: 311) argue that there are high levels of stress amongst employees in call centres, which they believe to be the result of both the work tasks and the interactions with customers. The aim of this study was to establish whether call centre work design and structure contributed to role stress amongst client service representatives (CSRs). It was also the aim of this study to establish whether role stress affected the CSRs‟ levels of job satisfaction and their intentions to quit from their jobs.</p>