Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Owing to the dramatic change in the South African political and economic environment during the last few years, it seems more important than ever for upper level management in organizations to be aware of the sources which encourage and discourage their middle level managers to strive to implement the organizational goals. The focus of this study is on male and female middle level managers, and as no documented South African study based on such a sample group could be found, the study is largely investigativeby nature. The general aim of the study is to investigate the different attitudes and perceptions of men and women with regard to sources of job satisfaction, sources which contribute to job dissatisfaction, and job stress. In this regard it was decided to make use of triangulation by which qualitative and quantitative research methods are used. Thematic analysis is used on the qualitative level to identify the possible sources of job satisfaction, dissatisfaction and job stress. This method is quantitatively supported by a determination of the frequencies and percentages of subject responses by means of semi structured interviews. Although certain limitations are identified in the study, significant differences were found in the quantitative data with regard to the causes of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction between men and women. The causes of job stress seems to be similar for both sexes. On a qualitative level it was found that the experience of success is rated as the most important source of job satisfaction and that interpersonal relationships are the most significant source of job dissatisfaction. Further it seems that work expectations / demands are the major source of job stress for the subjects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Omdat die Suid-Afrikaanse politieke- en ekonomiese omgewing die afgelope paar jaar geweldig verander het, blyk dit noodsaakliker as ooit te wees dat die topbestuur van organisasies bewus sal wees wat hul werkers - in die besonder middelvlakbestuurders- aanmoedig, maar ook ontmoedig om organisatoriese doelwitte na te streef en te implementeer. Die fokus van hierdie studie is op manlike en vroulike middelvlakbestuurders. Aangesien daar geen gedokumenteerde studies rakende die bronne van werksatisfaksie én werkstres by middelvlakbestuurders in die bedryf onderneem is nie, is die studie tot 'n groot mate ondersoekend van aard. Die algemene doelstelling van die studie is om ondersoek in te stel na die verskillende houdings en persepsies van mans en dames rakende werksatisfaksie, bronne wat bydra dat werksatisfaksie nie ervaar word nie, en werkstres. In dié verband is besluit om van triangulasie gebruik te maak, dit wil sê van kwalitatiewe- en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes. Op die kwalitatiewe vlak word tematiese analise gebruik om potensiële bronne van werksatisfaksie, dissatisfaksie en werkstres te identifiseer. Hierdie metode word verder kwantitatief ondersteun deur 'n bepaling van frekwensies en persentasies van subjekte se response wat uit semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude verkry is. Alhoewel daar heelwat beperkings in die studie geïdentifiseer is, is daar uit die kwantitatiewe data gevind dat daar 'n verskil is in die bronne van werksatisfaksie en dissatisfaksie by mans en dames. Die bronne van werkstres is egter dieselfde vir beide geslagte. Op 'n meer kwalitatiewe vlak blyk dit dat die ervaring van sukses die grootste bron van ....werksatisfaksie is en dat interpersoonlike verhoudings die bron is wat die meeste bydra tot dissatisfaksie. Verder blyk dit dat werksverwagtinge / -eise die grootste bron van werkstres vir die subjekte is.

Thesis (MA--Stellenbosch University, 1981. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: No abstract available / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming

published_or_final_version / abstract / Sociology / Master / Master of Philosophy

The purposes of this study are to (1) determine the extent of bias in elementary textbooks in terms of frequency of reference to various work modes, and (2) to determine if qualitative bias exists in the portrayal of work modes.

Team-based management is a popular contemporary method of redesigning jobs in order to more effectively utilize the human potential of employees. The use of such management techniques should result in increased satisfaction and team commitment; however, many research studies have failed to demonstrate increases in affective outcomes on the part of the employee. The research question examined in this study is, "What specific job dimensions and situational factors result in higher levels of satisfaction and team commitment?" The Job Characteristics Model (Hackman & Oldham, 1975) provided a basis for this study. The model was designed for individual contributors and has not been extensively used in team research. As expected it was found that within a team-based environment higher levels of the five core job dimensions of skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and job feedback were associated with increased satisfaction and team commitment. Organization-based self-esteem was found to mediate the relationship between the five core job dimensions and the affective outcome variables. Contrary to expectations, however, it was found that consultative team members experienced higher levels of satisfaction and commitment than substantive team members. In addition, consultative team members reported higher levels of two core job dimensions, skill variety and task significance, and on the overall Job Diagnostic Survey than did substantive team members. These findings have significant implications for companies undergoing organizational redesign and questions whether those companies should implement advanced levels of employee involvement activities if the organizational goal is to increase satisfaction and commitment. The study employed a survey research design in which data was collected using a self-report questionnaire. A heterogeneous sample of 183 team members participating in either a consultative and substantive team from four different companies in nine locations provided the data for this field survey. Multivariate analyses, including hierarchial set regression, were used to test the hypotheses.

Due to high levels of globalization and outsourcing of employment an important aspect emerges which is the concept of decent work. This concept is important in that the struggle for many companies to stay afloat under global competition requires the cutting of costs. The cost which is the most easy to manipulate is that of labour. Through global competitiveness companies often increase working hours, decrease wages and decrease benefits for employees. This has caused increased attention to the idea and concept of decent work. This leads to the problem of providing and assuring decent work on a global scale. Decent work is an objective of the International Labour Organization (ILO) which aims to provide equitable employment to people of all spheres. This goal is wide and deals with nine indicators which are quantitative in nature. However these aspects do not deal with the subjective measures which pertain to employment. These subjective measures are as important as the quantitative measures. To better attain the goal of decent work this report argues that there is a need for the incorporation of these subjective measures when determining the level of decent employment. For the purposes of this research report the subjective measures are collectively termed job satisfaction. However while this combination of objective and subjective indicators better reflects working conditions, there is a need for more comprehensive concepts in understanding vulnerable work. In order to develop this deeper understanding of vulnerable work. This research report utilizes various literature in in the sociology of work . The restaurant industry in Gauteng is used as the site for this research report as a means of illustrating the pitfalls to the narrowly defined concepts of decent work and job satisfaction. This industry is particularly interesting as it is very different from other sectors as it is marked by interactive service work that involves high levels of emotional labour. Tips play a large role in supplementing the workers income. Tips , the report argues, is a means of workers consenting to servitude as they actively participate in their exploitation through conforming to the enterprises interests. This is not merely done through the system of tipping but also through their performance of emotional labour which is often increased in order to play these “games “which allow for higher tips. Consenting to servitude is not only the acceptance of exploitation but also the creation of a submissive and subservient work force. The notion of consenting to servitude is what lacks in both concepts. Exploitation plays a large role in whether a job is deemed decent or not but it is largely ignored within both the concepts of decent work and job satisfaction. Instead it is necessary to go beyond these two concepts and draw on the body of social theory on the world of work such as Burawoy and Foucault, if one wants to explain the nature of work and workers responses in the hospitality industry in Gauteng. This illustrates that every workplace is different and requires differing sets of indicators. The concepts of job satisfaction and decent work although incomplete on their own carry various advantages and cannot merely be dismissed.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment for the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts. / The present research aimed to illustrate a link between the two domains of work and abuse. It was an investigation into "the various relationships which exist between spouse abuse and intrapersonal and alternative interpersonal coping resources in employed women.The intrapersonal coping resources identified in past literature and currently examined included self-esteem and level of depression. Alternative interpersonal resources provided by the work sphere were also included for investigation; namely work social support and value-rich work. Amixed quantitative-qual itative research design yielded measures on the five variables of spouse abuse, self-esteem, depression, work social support, and value-rich work; as well as on the two dimensions of physical and non-physical violence, and an additional variable of work support obtained from counselling programmes.The final sample consisted of 106 female employees from a variety of occupational groups. A content analysis of information regarding workplace counselling programmes and its effect on self-esteem and depression generated insignificant results. However, quantitative analyses via Pearson's Product MomentCorrelation Coefficients, one-way ANOVA's and multiple moderated regressions, illustrated very strong support for the remaining hypotheses. This implied that significant relationships did exist between abuse and the coping resources of self-esteem, depression. work support and value-rich work.

In this study, positive and negative sex role identities of 412 employees from organisations in South Africa were compared with regards to conflict management styles and psychological wellbeing. Three self- report questionnaires were administered to employees to measure the variables of positive and negative sex role identities, conflict management styles and psychological wellbeing. The self- report questionnaires included the 57- Item Revised Extended Personality Attributes Questionnaire (EPAQ-R), the Thomas- Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, and the Warwick- Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale. The results of the present study demonstrated overall significant differences among sex role identities and conflict management styles, sex role identities and psychological wellbeing, as well as conflict management styles and psychological wellbeing. In particular, the results were consistent with the proposed hypotheses in relation to sex role identities and conflict management styles. The results specified that the positively androgynous individual favoured the compromising conflict management style, the negatively androgynous individual preferred to avoid, the positively feminine sex role identity favoured the accommodating conflict management style, whereas the negatively feminine sex role identity preferred to avoid, and both the positively and negatively masculine sex role identities favoured the competing conflict management style. In relation to conflict management styles and psychological wellbeing, significant differences were found between compromising and accommodating, collaborating and accommodating, and avoiding and accommodating conflict management styles. In terms of sex role identity and psychological wellbeing, significant differences occurred between all the positive sex role identities and negative femininity, as well as between positive androgyny and the negative sex role identities. Unexpected findings relating to sex role identities and psychological wellbeing pertains to the significant difference between negative androgyny and negative femininity, as well as the undifferentiated sex role identity and negative femininity. Therefore, these results have provided support for the Differentiated Androgynous Model indicating that positive sex role identities are more socially equipped in terms of psychological adjustment in relation to the negative sex role identities. Non- significant results were obtained when investigating the interrelationship among all three variables.

Personal wellness and burnout have been common themes in research studies regarding professional satisfaction and career success. Personality characteristics in relation to job and career success among professionals have also been included in countless studies. However, Bateman and Crant (1993) defined and began research on the specific construct of the proactive personality and how it related to personal achievement, satisfaction, and success among executives. This dissertation study is an extension of their research in that the relationship between proactive personality, job satisfaction and levels of burnout among Licensed Mental Health Counselors in Florida specifically, is being examined. While proactive personality positively and significantly related to job satisfaction and satisfaction with being a counselor among the participants in this study, it did not significantly relate to feelings of emotional exhaustion or feelings of depersonalization toward clients. When age, salary, years licensed, and proactive personality in relation to job satisfaction and levels of burnout were included in the statistical analysis, proactive personality and salary positively related to job satisfaction, personal accomplishment, and satisfaction with being a counselor, but the relationships were not significant. Hence, the results of this study provides useful information regarding proactive personality and how it relates to the overall job satisfaction, levels of burnout among clinicians, and to assist in the development of wellness programs, burnout prevention, and in the empowerment of mental health professionals in this demanding field. / by Pamela F. Spina. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between wellness and burnout among novice counselors. This research was carried out in order to gain a better understanding of the experience of the novice counselor as well as to gain insight into the effects of wellness and burnout on these experiences. The significance of this research lies in the need to understand the novice counselor's journey, the factors that can contribute to or prevent burnout, and the potential prevention and intervention strategies that can be employed in response to burnout. The data of a final sample of 144 participants' scores on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), The Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle (5F-Wel), and a demographic questionnaire were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences in order to explore the relationships between wellness and burnout. The researcher found significant relationships between demographic factors of the novice counselor, including age, years of experience, and number of hours delivering counseling services, and both the MBI and the 5F-Wel. The researcher also found a relationship between all factors of wellness and the three subscales of burnout. A particularly important finding was the significance of the Coping Self, Physical Self, and Creative Self subscales of wellness to the subscales of burnout. The implications of the findings include the development of specific intervention and prevention strategies for novice counselors. Limitations of this research include the relatively small sample size, potential bias among the participants who chose to complete the survey, and the limited generalizability. / by Jennifer Bilot. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of Access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.