Individuals are affected by different biases and heuristics in different ways. This dissertation explores the two of these (underdog bias and self-rated performance) and their relationship with personal risk propensity in the South African investment professional community. To measure risk propensity in investment professionals, a new instrument was developed. This was tested against a risk measurement scale based on the original work in prospect theory. Both risk propensity measures found similar and comparable results in the investment professionals, and similar results when compared to other studies that studied risk propensity in a more general population and risk tolerance in investment professionals in Europe. Similarly, self-rated performance had comparable results to other studies on overconfidence bias and the better than average effect. Investment professionals, on average, think that they are better than their average peer. Underdog bias, or the headwinds/tailwinds asymmetry, had an unexpected result where the investment professionals felt they did not suffer from stronger headwinds and barriers compared to their peers. This was an unexpected result and may show that the South African investment industry feel more grateful than others to be where they are or, the sample may have triggered the boundary condition of underdog bias where individuals feel their personalised benefits more than their shared headwinds. Further testing is required in the same population as well as similar populations to confirm the boundary condition. The three constructs were tested to understand the relationship between them. In each of the three cases, there was no significant relationship between any of the constructs. The results were different to what was expected and, subject to further testing, may have found a blind spot in investment professionals where they believe that what when they are doing something they consider to be right, they do not perceive the increased risks associated with the action. These blind spots have an impact on how risk is managed investment firms and needs to be monitored to protect the overall firm. / Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

The primary purpose of this project was to investigate some relationships between workload and employee wellbeing. The necessary first stage was to formulate a theoretical framework � the JobLoad Model � to support a comprehensive and detailed investigation of the main factors that contribute to a job's workload. Building on the ergonomics concept of �workload�, this Model incorporates task- and job-level factors that have been identified within the research literatures of physical and cognitive ergonomics as important; additional constructs were added to take account of additional factors shown to be relevant to employee wellbeing, drawing on evidence from occupational health and organizational psychology literatures. Using this framework, available questionnaire-based measurement instruments for assessing workload and employee wellbeing were reviewed, new items were developed as required, and the JobLoad Index (JLI) was developed. The JLI was used to collect data from public servants in two different workplaces, with participation rates of 63% and 73% respectively. Relationships were determined between major task, job and organisational environment factors, self-perceived performance adequacy, and various aspects of employee wellbeing including job satisfaction, physical discomfort and psychological fatigue, stress and arousal. For a sub-sample of participants in one of the two workplaces, levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol were also measured from 24-hour urine collections. The factors measured by the JLI accounted for a very substantial proportion of variance in these various dimensions of work-related wellbeing. The results provide potentially very useful insights into the relative influences of a wide range of work- and job-related variables on people's perceived abilities to cope with their job demands, and on several aspects of their wellbeing. Further, the importance of measuring multiple dimensions of wellbeing, and differentiating their separate sets of work-related determinants, was well demonstrated. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, this study has identified the powerful role that self-perceived performance plays as an intervening variable between job demands and people's work-related wellbeing.

The primary purpose of this project was to investigate some relationships between workload and employee wellbeing. The necessary first stage was to formulate a theoretical framework � the JobLoad Model � to support a comprehensive and detailed investigation of the main factors that contribute to a job's workload. Building on the ergonomics concept of �workload�, this Model incorporates task- and job-level factors that have been identified within the research literatures of physical and cognitive ergonomics as important; additional constructs were added to take account of additional factors shown to be relevant to employee wellbeing, drawing on evidence from occupational health and organizational psychology literatures. Using this framework, available questionnaire-based measurement instruments for assessing workload and employee wellbeing were reviewed, new items were developed as required, and the JobLoad Index (JLI) was developed. The JLI was used to collect data from public servants in two different workplaces, with participation rates of 63% and 73% respectively. Relationships were determined between major task, job and organisational environment factors, self-perceived performance adequacy, and various aspects of employee wellbeing including job satisfaction, physical discomfort and psychological fatigue, stress and arousal. For a sub-sample of participants in one of the two workplaces, levels of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol were also measured from 24-hour urine collections. The factors measured by the JLI accounted for a very substantial proportion of variance in these various dimensions of work-related wellbeing. The results provide potentially very useful insights into the relative influences of a wide range of work- and job-related variables on people's perceived abilities to cope with their job demands, and on several aspects of their wellbeing. Further, the importance of measuring multiple dimensions of wellbeing, and differentiating their separate sets of work-related determinants, was well demonstrated. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, this study has identified the powerful role that self-perceived performance plays as an intervening variable between job demands and people's work-related wellbeing.