Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

The 21'' century business environment can be described in terms of globalisation, intensified competitiveness on a global level, and ever-increasing customer expectations. In the changing nature of the world of work, with its increasing complexity, competition and accelerated pace, the issue of leadership development is critical. Executives are pressured to continuously improve their performance, skills and contribution to the organisation. In the mining industry, executives are experiencing ongoing skill shortage, increased job stress, increased job dissatisfaction and the need to redress social imbalances via affirmative action and accelerated career development. This highlights the need to find effective ways of developing executives. In South Africa more traditional forms of executive development, such as prescribed training programmes, courses and business schools are used. Training programmes, courses and business schools do not address specific individual needs but tend to be more generic in content. Over the course of the last 10 years, executive coaching, an oneon- one intervention with middle and senior managers for the purpose of improving or enhancing management skills has become widely adopted by the corporate community. Executive coaching is one of the fastest growing executive development processes in adult learning. Recent literature in the field of coaching purports the advantages of coaching such as increased performance, job satisfaction, team effectiveness, self awareness, decreased job stress, higher optimism and change management. The objectives of this study were to develop an executive coaching programme and to determine the effect of this programme on the general wellbeing, job characteristics, coping strategies, personality characteristics (both pervasive and situational), work-related wellness, as well as the performance of executives in the mining industry in South Africa. A longitudinal design was used. The participants (n = 29) consisted of General Managers, Mine Overseers and Production Managers from one area in a large mining company in South Africa. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the Life Orientation Test - Revised (LOT-R), the Job Characteristics Survey - Mining (JCM), the Learned Optimism Scale (LOS), the ituational Sense of Coherence Scale (SSOC), the Perceived Wellness Scale (PWS) and a 360" Performance Evaluation Measurement (PEM) were used. The results showed that the xecutive Coaching Programme developed for this study increased the general wellbeing, job characteristics, performance and coping strategies of the executives in the mining industry. The study also found an increase in the situational personality characteristics (situational sense of coherence and learned optimism) after the completion of the coaching programme. Furthermore, the results showed an increase in the positive affective evaluation of work (engagement) (vigour and professional efficacy), as well as a decrease in the negative affective evaluation of work (burnout) (exhaustion and cynicism). In terms of coping strategies passive coping decreased, while problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping increased. Interestingly, the findings showed an increase in pervasive personality characteristics and a decrease in absorption of executives after completion of the coaching programme. The qualitative results from the dairy study showed very positive reports in relation to the executives' experiences of the performance evaluation process and the executive coaching programme in relation to their development. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

The 21'' century business environment can be described in terms of globalisation, intensified competitiveness on a global level, and ever-increasing customer expectations. In the changing nature of the world of work, with its increasing complexity, competition and accelerated pace, the issue of leadership development is critical. Executives are pressured to continuously improve their performance, skills and contribution to the organisation. In the mining industry, executives are experiencing ongoing skill shortage, increased job stress, increased job dissatisfaction and the need to redress social imbalances via affirmative action and accelerated career development. This highlights the need to find effective ways of developing executives. In South Africa more traditional forms of executive development, such as prescribed training programmes, courses and business schools are used. Training programmes, courses and business schools do not address specific individual needs but tend to be more generic in content. Over the course of the last 10 years, executive coaching, an oneon- one intervention with middle and senior managers for the purpose of improving or enhancing management skills has become widely adopted by the corporate community. Executive coaching is one of the fastest growing executive development processes in adult learning. Recent literature in the field of coaching purports the advantages of coaching such as increased performance, job satisfaction, team effectiveness, self awareness, decreased job stress, higher optimism and change management. The objectives of this study were to develop an executive coaching programme and to determine the effect of this programme on the general wellbeing, job characteristics, coping strategies, personality characteristics (both pervasive and situational), work-related wellness, as well as the performance of executives in the mining industry in South Africa. A longitudinal design was used. The participants (n = 29) consisted of General Managers, Mine Overseers and Production Managers from one area in a large mining company in South Africa. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the Life Orientation Test - Revised (LOT-R), the Job Characteristics Survey - Mining (JCM), the Learned Optimism Scale (LOS), the ituational Sense of Coherence Scale (SSOC), the Perceived Wellness Scale (PWS) and a 360" Performance Evaluation Measurement (PEM) were used. The results showed that the xecutive Coaching Programme developed for this study increased the general wellbeing, job characteristics, performance and coping strategies of the executives in the mining industry. The study also found an increase in the situational personality characteristics (situational sense of coherence and learned optimism) after the completion of the coaching programme. Furthermore, the results showed an increase in the positive affective evaluation of work (engagement) (vigour and professional efficacy), as well as a decrease in the negative affective evaluation of work (burnout) (exhaustion and cynicism). In terms of coping strategies passive coping decreased, while problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping increased. Interestingly, the findings showed an increase in pervasive personality characteristics and a decrease in absorption of executives after completion of the coaching programme. The qualitative results from the dairy study showed very positive reports in relation to the executives' experiences of the performance evaluation process and the executive coaching programme in relation to their development. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

The information technology industry is considered to be one of the most demanding industries, with significant social, physical and psychological consequences for the wellbeing of the information technology professional. Work wellness and general psychological well-being plays an important role in the well-being of the information technology professional. The measurement of work-related wellness requires valid, reliable and culturally fair measuring instruments. However research on work wellness and occupational well-being in South Africa is lacking, especially in the information technology context. A lack of norms for work-related wellness in South Africa makes the identification of work-related wellness in the information technology industry difficult. Consequently, investigating the reliability, validity, equivalence and bias of work-related well-being measuring instruments would result in the standardisation of work wellness (consisting of burnout and engagement) and occupational well-being, suitable for use in the multicultural information technology industry setting. Moreover, the operationalisation of work wellness, as well as an inclusive model regarding the work-related wellness of information technology professionals that includes work wellness and occupational wellbeing are lacking in the South African literature. The objectives of this research were to standardise the measurement of work wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa, to develop and test a model of occupational well-being for information technology professionals in South Africa, to develop and test a comprehensive model of work-related wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa (consisting of work wellness and occupational well-being), and to test for moderating effects of affectivity in the experience of mark related well-being of information technology professionals in South Africa. The research consists of three separate articles, each consisting of a brief literature overview and an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey design with a snowball sample (n = 214) of information technology professionals in South Africa was used. Adapted versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS) and Gtrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), as well as the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Affectometer 2 (AFM-2), Life Orientation Test - Revised (LOT-R), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OC-Q), Information Technology Job Characteristics Inventory (ITJCI), as well as the Health scale of the Organisational Screening Evaluation Tool (ASSET) and a biographical questionnaire were used. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, correlations, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a two-factor model for the MBI-GS consisting of a combined Burnout factor and Professional Efficacy, while a one-factor model was found for the UWES, namely Engagement, with acceptable internal consistencies. Exploratory second-order factor analysis confirmed a two-factor, culturally fair model of work wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa, consisting of burnout and work engagement. Item bias analysis revealed no evidence of bias for the MBI-GS, while uniform bias was found for two items (Items 7 and 12) of the UWES. Construct equivalence in terms of work wellness was obtained for the different language groups in the sample. The results confirmed a four-factor model of occupational well-being for information technology professionals in South Africa, namely negative and positive work wellness, organisational commitment and general psychological well-being. The model of occupational well-being was found to be equivalent across language groups, except for general psychological well-being, which seemed to differ for the non-mother-tongue English language speakers. In terms of work-related wellness, a model consisting of work wellness and occupational well-being was constructed and uccessfully tested. Structural equation analysis confirmed main effects for negative affectivity in terms of burnout and engagement, while main effects were confirmed for burnout, ill-health and engagement in terms of positive affectivity. Interaction effects for affectivity were not confirmed in the model of work-related wellness of information technology professionals in South Africa. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

The information technology industry is considered to be one of the most demanding industries, with significant social, physical and psychological consequences for the wellbeing of the information technology professional. Work wellness and general psychological well-being plays an important role in the well-being of the information technology professional. The measurement of work-related wellness requires valid, reliable and culturally fair measuring instruments. However research on work wellness and occupational well-being in South Africa is lacking, especially in the information technology context. A lack of norms for work-related wellness in South Africa makes the identification of work-related wellness in the information technology industry difficult. Consequently, investigating the reliability, validity, equivalence and bias of work-related well-being measuring instruments would result in the standardisation of work wellness (consisting of burnout and engagement) and occupational well-being, suitable for use in the multicultural information technology industry setting. Moreover, the operationalisation of work wellness, as well as an inclusive model regarding the work-related wellness of information technology professionals that includes work wellness and occupational wellbeing are lacking in the South African literature. The objectives of this research were to standardise the measurement of work wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa, to develop and test a model of occupational well-being for information technology professionals in South Africa, to develop and test a comprehensive model of work-related wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa (consisting of work wellness and occupational well-being), and to test for moderating effects of affectivity in the experience of mark related well-being of information technology professionals in South Africa. The research consists of three separate articles, each consisting of a brief literature overview and an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey design with a snowball sample (n = 214) of information technology professionals in South Africa was used. Adapted versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS) and Gtrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), as well as the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Affectometer 2 (AFM-2), Life Orientation Test - Revised (LOT-R), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OC-Q), Information Technology Job Characteristics Inventory (ITJCI), as well as the Health scale of the Organisational Screening Evaluation Tool (ASSET) and a biographical questionnaire were used. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, correlations, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a two-factor model for the MBI-GS consisting of a combined Burnout factor and Professional Efficacy, while a one-factor model was found for the UWES, namely Engagement, with acceptable internal consistencies. Exploratory second-order factor analysis confirmed a two-factor, culturally fair model of work wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa, consisting of burnout and work engagement. Item bias analysis revealed no evidence of bias for the MBI-GS, while uniform bias was found for two items (Items 7 and 12) of the UWES. Construct equivalence in terms of work wellness was obtained for the different language groups in the sample. The results confirmed a four-factor model of occupational well-being for information technology professionals in South Africa, namely negative and positive work wellness, organisational commitment and general psychological well-being. The model of occupational well-being was found to be equivalent across language groups, except for general psychological well-being, which seemed to differ for the non-mother-tongue English language speakers. In terms of work-related wellness, a model consisting of work wellness and occupational well-being was constructed and uccessfully tested. Structural equation analysis confirmed main effects for negative affectivity in terms of burnout and engagement, while main effects were confirmed for burnout, ill-health and engagement in terms of positive affectivity. Interaction effects for affectivity were not confirmed in the model of work-related wellness of information technology professionals in South Africa. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.