The management of human capital is becoming of great importance. Research on this topic is largely based on talent shortages. In South Africa, considerable attention has been given to the issue of skills shortages, which are also evident in the education environment. The government has exerted many efforts; however, despite these efforts, skills shortages are still prevalent. A definite need for reform and change is necessary, with emphasis on a more positive and combined approach, focusing on strengths use and deficit improvement, psychological empowerment, work engagement and intention to leave. Therefore, the retention of talented employees has been identified as the most important outcome of a positive organisation. The general objective of this study was to determine if the Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ) and Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire (MEQ) were reliable and valid to administer to educators in South Africa; and whether (a) psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU) and work engagement, and between perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI) and work engagement; and (b) whether work engagement mediated the relationship between psychological empowerment and turnover intention. The study furthermore contributed to positive psychology research, using a combined focus on strengths use and deficit improvement in relation to psychological empowerment in the education sector. A need existed to test the reliability and validity (construct and convergent) of the SUDIQ and the MEQ among educators in the Southern Cape region. A cross-sectional survey was used to reach the objectives of this study. Convenience samples were drawn from educators in the Southern Cape region (N = 271). The results revealed that the SUDIQ scale comprised four factors, namely perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU), perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI), proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU) and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI). In the same way, meaning, self-determination, competence and impact were revealed as the four distinct factors of the MEQ. In testing the relationships between the constructs, POSSU correlated practically significantly (medium effect) with all the MEQ constructs. PBSU correlated practically significantly (large effect) with meaning and competence, and practically significantly (medium effect) with self-determination and impact. POSDI, as a construct of the SUDIQ, showed to correlate practically significantly (medium effect) with meaning, competence, self-determination and impact. In the case of PBDI, practically significant correlations (medium effect) were aligned between PBDI and all the constructs of the MEQ. Through this study, it was revealed that POSSU significantly predicted psychological empowerment, but not work engagement. Significant and positive paths were found between POSDI and both psychological empowerment and work engagement. POSDI played a significant role in the prediction of psychological empowerment and work engagement. Furthermore, psychological empowerment played a significant predicting role in work engagement, but not with turnover intention. In the last instance, a significant and negative path was found between work engagement and turnover intention. In terms of the mediation analysis, POSSU indirectly impacted work engagement and intention to leave of educators in the Southern Cape region via psychological empowerment; and POSDI indirectly impacted work engagement and intention to leave of educators in the Southern Cape region via psychological empowerment. Lastly, work engagement was not revealed as a mediator in the relationship between psychological empowerment and intention to leave. A combined focus, incorporating both strengths use and deficit improvement, is a relative new concept and research field. Through this study educators could learn about the benefits of strengths use and deficit improvement and how those could be used to their advantage, especially in becoming more empowered in an education context. Also, this would indeed alert the schools and principals to the benefits of moving away from traditional approaches of focusing on only weaknesses or what was wrong with people, compared to a combined strengths and deficit focus. The results obtained would offer a valuable contribution to research and the limited literature available on this topic. In the South African context, it would be the first study in which the SUDIQ scale had been used in the education sector in the Southern Cape region, examining the extent to which strengths were used and deficits were developed by both employees and the organisation, and how it related to the well-being of educators. Recommendations were made for application and for future research. / MCom (Human Resource Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2015.

The management of human capital is becoming of great importance. Research on this topic is largely based on talent shortages. In South Africa, considerable attention has been given to the issue of skills shortages, which are also evident in the education environment. The government has exerted many efforts; however, despite these efforts, skills shortages are still prevalent. A definite need for reform and change is necessary, with emphasis on a more positive and combined approach, focusing on strengths use and deficit improvement, psychological empowerment, work engagement and intention to leave. Therefore, the retention of talented employees has been identified as the most important outcome of a positive organisation. The general objective of this study was to determine if the Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ) and Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire (MEQ) were reliable and valid to administer to educators in South Africa; and whether (a) psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU) and work engagement, and between perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI) and work engagement; and (b) whether work engagement mediated the relationship between psychological empowerment and turnover intention. The study furthermore contributed to positive psychology research, using a combined focus on strengths use and deficit improvement in relation to psychological empowerment in the education sector. A need existed to test the reliability and validity (construct and convergent) of the SUDIQ and the MEQ among educators in the Southern Cape region. A cross-sectional survey was used to reach the objectives of this study. Convenience samples were drawn from educators in the Southern Cape region (N = 271). The results revealed that the SUDIQ scale comprised four factors, namely perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU), perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI), proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU) and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI). In the same way, meaning, self-determination, competence and impact were revealed as the four distinct factors of the MEQ. In testing the relationships between the constructs, POSSU correlated practically significantly (medium effect) with all the MEQ constructs. PBSU correlated practically significantly (large effect) with meaning and competence, and practically significantly (medium effect) with self-determination and impact. POSDI, as a construct of the SUDIQ, showed to correlate practically significantly (medium effect) with meaning, competence, self-determination and impact. In the case of PBDI, practically significant correlations (medium effect) were aligned between PBDI and all the constructs of the MEQ. Through this study, it was revealed that POSSU significantly predicted psychological empowerment, but not work engagement. Significant and positive paths were found between POSDI and both psychological empowerment and work engagement. POSDI played a significant role in the prediction of psychological empowerment and work engagement. Furthermore, psychological empowerment played a significant predicting role in work engagement, but not with turnover intention. In the last instance, a significant and negative path was found between work engagement and turnover intention. In terms of the mediation analysis, POSSU indirectly impacted work engagement and intention to leave of educators in the Southern Cape region via psychological empowerment; and POSDI indirectly impacted work engagement and intention to leave of educators in the Southern Cape region via psychological empowerment. Lastly, work engagement was not revealed as a mediator in the relationship between psychological empowerment and intention to leave. A combined focus, incorporating both strengths use and deficit improvement, is a relative new concept and research field. Through this study educators could learn about the benefits of strengths use and deficit improvement and how those could be used to their advantage, especially in becoming more empowered in an education context. Also, this would indeed alert the schools and principals to the benefits of moving away from traditional approaches of focusing on only weaknesses or what was wrong with people, compared to a combined strengths and deficit focus. The results obtained would offer a valuable contribution to research and the limited literature available on this topic. In the South African context, it would be the first study in which the SUDIQ scale had been used in the education sector in the Southern Cape region, examining the extent to which strengths were used and deficits were developed by both employees and the organisation, and how it related to the well-being of educators. Recommendations were made for application and for future research. / MCom (Human Resource Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2015.

Education is essential in providing future human capital that is much needed to build a sustainable, competitive economy. However, the importance of a quality education is often underestimated. In order to enhance working conditions of educators, it seems essential to investigate the role of the positive psychology paradigm by means of developing teachers’ areas of deficiencies and capitalising on their strengths in order for them to reach their full potential and flourish. The current study aimed to adapt and validate the recently developed Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ) in an attempt to make it suitable for educators. The general objective of this research study was to establish the psychometric properties of the SUDIQ by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent, discriminant and empirical validity. A cross-sectional field survey design and a convenience sample of educators from several educational institutions in the Gauteng Province (N = 502) was utilised to gather the data. CFA was used to test the factorial validity of the adapted SUDIQ scale. In order to prove convergent and discriminant validity, the relationships between the SUDIQ dimensions and similar theoretical constructs (job resources, strengths use, psychological capital, proactive behaviour and person-job fit) as well as constructs postulated to be unrelated to the SUDIQ dimensions (age and education) were determined. Finally, the relationship between the SUDIQ dimensions with vigour, dedication, emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation was determined by using multiple regression analysis. The results confirmed that the SUDIQ comprised a four-factor structure. These four factors were perceived organisational support for strengths use, perceived organisational support for deficit improvement, proactive behaviour towards strengths use and proactive behaviour towards deficits improvement. These dimensions were positively related to the scales such as the strengths use scale, autonomy, supervisor and colleague support, psychological capital, proactive behaviour, and person-job fit. Anticipated perceived organisational support for deficit improvement and proactive behaviour towards strengths use and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement were unrelated to age. The scales were also relatively weakly related to education. Furthermore, the results revealed that perceived organisational support for strengths use, proactive behaviour towards strengths use and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement were significant predictors of both vigour and dedication. However, it was found that the only SUDIQ dimension that predicted emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation was proactive behaviour toward strengths use. Recommendations were made to be applied in practice, as well as for future research. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Education is essential in providing future human capital that is much needed to build a sustainable, competitive economy. However, the importance of a quality education is often underestimated. In order to enhance working conditions of educators, it seems essential to investigate the role of the positive psychology paradigm by means of developing teachers’ areas of deficiencies and capitalising on their strengths in order for them to reach their full potential and flourish. The current study aimed to adapt and validate the recently developed Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ) in an attempt to make it suitable for educators. The general objective of this research study was to establish the psychometric properties of the SUDIQ by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent, discriminant and empirical validity. A cross-sectional field survey design and a convenience sample of educators from several educational institutions in the Gauteng Province (N = 502) was utilised to gather the data. CFA was used to test the factorial validity of the adapted SUDIQ scale. In order to prove convergent and discriminant validity, the relationships between the SUDIQ dimensions and similar theoretical constructs (job resources, strengths use, psychological capital, proactive behaviour and person-job fit) as well as constructs postulated to be unrelated to the SUDIQ dimensions (age and education) were determined. Finally, the relationship between the SUDIQ dimensions with vigour, dedication, emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation was determined by using multiple regression analysis. The results confirmed that the SUDIQ comprised a four-factor structure. These four factors were perceived organisational support for strengths use, perceived organisational support for deficit improvement, proactive behaviour towards strengths use and proactive behaviour towards deficits improvement. These dimensions were positively related to the scales such as the strengths use scale, autonomy, supervisor and colleague support, psychological capital, proactive behaviour, and person-job fit. Anticipated perceived organisational support for deficit improvement and proactive behaviour towards strengths use and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement were unrelated to age. The scales were also relatively weakly related to education. Furthermore, the results revealed that perceived organisational support for strengths use, proactive behaviour towards strengths use and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement were significant predictors of both vigour and dedication. However, it was found that the only SUDIQ dimension that predicted emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation was proactive behaviour toward strengths use. Recommendations were made to be applied in practice, as well as for future research. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014