Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Department of Industrial Psychology / Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the current South African context the Government places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of adult training and development as a solution for addressing many social and economic problems. It is therefore important to investigate all aspects regarding the training context in order to optimise learning. The trainer plays an integral part within this system. Although literature regards the trainer as very important for training success, very little substantial research has been documented with regards to the influential factors on the training style orientation that trainers use when training adults. In order to investigate this problem, a study of the relevant literature is done. The following topics are examined for this purpose: The training system and the components thereof, andragogy and pedagogy as training style orientations, several trait theories of personality as the basis of the study, locus of control as a personality trait, and the influence of personality and more specifically locus of control within work-related settings. Three questionnaires were administered on a sample of 100 respondents, i.e. a Demographic questionnaire, the Training Style Inventory and the Locus of Control Inventory in order to generate data to investigate the research problem and hypotheses. The Demographic Questionnaire collected data regarding gender, age, qualifications, training experience, ethnicity, subject area of the training content, and type of organisation. The Training Style Inventory measured the training style orientation of the trainer respondents, and the Locus of Control Inventory was used to measure the locus of control of respondents. The results indicate support for the hypothesis that there is a statistical significant correlation between locus of control and training style orientation. More specifically, there is a statistically significant correlation between internal locus of control and the andragogical training style orientation, and also between external locus of control and the pedagogical training style orientation. The main objectives of this study were successfully achieved and documented. Conclusions and recommendations for further research are made. It is recommended that future research replicate the study with a greater and random sample of respondents, within the South African context. Also, investigating the effectiveness of the trainers as a result of their locus of control and training style orientation is an interesting possibility for future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering plaas groot klem op die belangrikheid van volwasse opleiding en ontwikkeling in die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse konteks as 'n moontlike oplossing vir etlike sosiale en ekonomiese probleme. In 'n poging om leer te optimeer, is dit dus noodsaaklik om alle aspekte binne die opleidingskonteks deeglik in oënskou te neem. Die opleier speel 'n baie belangrike rol in die sukses van die opleidingsintervensie. Alhoewel die opleier binne die literatuur wel as In belangrike rolspeler in die sukses van opleidingsintervensies geag word, is daar baie min navorsing gedokumenteer oor die faktore wat die opleidingstyl wat opleiers tydens intervensies gebruik, beïnvloed. 'n Studie van die beskikbare literatuur ondersoek hierdie probleem. Die volgende onderwerpe is vir die doelondersoek: Die opleidingstelsel en die komponente daarvan, andragogie en pedagogie as opleidingstyloriëntasies, verskeie persoonlikheidstrekteorieë as die grondslag van die studie, lokus van beheer as 'n persoonlikheidstrek, en die invloed van persoonlikheid en meer spesifiek lokus van beheer binne die werksplek. Die data wat nodig is om die navorsingsprobleem te ondersoek en die hipoteses te toets, is ingesamel deur 100 respondente elk drie vraelyste te laat voltooi, naamlik 'n Demografiese vraelys, 'n Opleidingstylvraelys en 'n Lokus van Beheer-vraelys. Die demografiese vraelys het inligting ingesamel ten opsigte van geslag, ouderdom, kwalifikasies, opleidingservaring, etnisiteit, onderwerp van die opleidingsinhoud en die tipe organisasie betrokke. Die Opleidingstylvraelys het die opleidingstyloriëntasie van die opleiers wat deelgeneem het aan die studie gemeet, en die Lokus van Beheer vraelys is gebruik om die lokus van beheer van respondente te bepaal. Die resultate bevestig die hipotese dat daar 'n statisties beduidende verband bestaan tussen lokus van beheer en opleidingstyloriëntasie. Daar bestaan verder 'n statisties beduidende verband tussen interne lokus van beheer en 'n andragogiese opleidingstyloriëntasie, en ook tussen eksterne lokus van beheer en 'n pedagogiese opleidingstyloriëntasie. Die hoofdoelwitte van hierdie studie is suksesvol bereik en gedokumenteer. Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing word ook gemaak. Die aanbeveling is dat toekomstige navorsing hierdie studie herhaal binne die Suid- Afrikaanse konteks. Die studie behoort ook 'n groter en ewekansige steekproef in te sluit. Die effektiwiteit van die opleiers as 'n resultaat van hul lokus van beheer en opleidingstyloriëntasie is ook 'n interessante moontlikheid vir verdere navorsing.