Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1979 R67 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 A425 / Master of Science

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 M36 / Master of Science

Interest in effectively publishing academic articles stems from involvement in statistical research support provided to academic researchers conducting their research. In the context of this study research output (RO) is defined as the publication of research findings (articles) in academic journals accredited with the South African Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET). The vantage point of this research is that of research support statisticians. New knowledge is continually required to drive decision making, policy formulation, industry, economies, regulation, development, innovation and progress (SESCES 2015:9; Pullinger 2014). Quality published research serves as a reliable source of new information. Therefore measures are globally and nationally implemented to stimulate article publication. Such measures and incentives include measurement of publication rate; journal impact ratings; government funding of research based on research output; acknowledgement as research-intensive institutions, promotion opportunities linked to publication rate and more. Although the literature reports on aspects of the production and publication of research findings, limited research is reported on research output productivity (ROP) viewed from the perspective of the statistical community that support research within the research process. Therefore a theoretical framework for ROP had to be developed. Classic grounded theory (GT) proved to be an appropriate methodology for this research based on its theory-develop properties. The literature, responses to an open- and closed-ended questionnaire, observational field notes of this researcher and informal discussion notes were inter alia used as data bases in the cycles of data-collection-analysis-and-comparison that characterise GT implementation. Theoretical components (‘categories’) that emerged in the research include the research process as central concept (the ‘core category’), a research practice component; role players in the research process; the attitude of researchers; knowledge of researchers; skills and attributes of researchers; research resources and research resource centres; and the research climate of the researcher environment. These components constitute the factors that impact ROP. Relational links - which forms the second leg of a developing theory - between these components are explained quantitatively in terms of multivariate linear regression equations; a profile of researcher-type (discriminant analysis) and qualitatively by means of the literature and field notes of this researcher. The emerged theoretical model indicates that knowledge and skills of academic researchers, as well as researcher-type directly impact on the research process and therefore on ROP. Furthermore attitude forms a discriminatory attribute of academic researchers. The objective with the development of the model of ROP was to identify important components of RO delivery and propose grassroots recommendations to promote ROP. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Blue-collar workers should be seen as the most valuable asset of any organization, as they normally constitute the majority of employees within South African companies. Therefor cognisance should be taken to enhance the performance and productivity levels of these employees through coaching. In the past, it seemed, as if the emphasis was more on coaching the higher echelons of employees than on the coaching of blue-collar workers. The current South African crisis within the mining industry has highlighted the need for organisations to adopt a new vision in dealing with blue-collar workers. The integration of coaching into the existing employee assistance frameworks can create the necessary impetus for building sustainable changes within these ranks. An extensive literature review investigated the possibility of coaching blue-collar workers as well as the inclusion of coaching into existing employee assistance programs. It was evident that little research was done on coaching of blue-collar workers. By using a qualitative approach and through exploratory research, coaching sessions were done with the aim of improved performance for these workers. This research outlines a framework for blue-collar coaching that enhances performance and effectiveness of these workers. These improvements in performance could be seen as a catalyst for improved production for mining houses and other corporate businesses. The participants in this research either referred themselves to the employee assistance program (EAP) or they were referred by their manager for a performance or work related problem. This could be an indication that EAPs will have to look at a more integrated approach to incorporate a wider range of services, such as coaching. This research could therefore be a uniquely useful tool for organisations endeavouring to purchase EAPs in future. This research further explored the coachability of blue-collar workers with relation to their level on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as well as exploring their ability to transfer this learning back to their respective places of work. Furthermore recommendations were made in this study for future research, for blue-collar coaches as well as for existing EAP service providers.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Flourishing employees are happier, more creative, better at problem solving, take less sick days and stay at companies for longer. Considering all the successful business outcomes if employees are flourishing, management should actively measure and promote subjective well-being. This research explored the concept of happiness and the features of subjective well-being. It further measured the levels of subjective well-being and compared this with staff turnover and sick leave at a law firm in Johannesburg. The research found a strong link between high levels of well-being, considered as flourishing, and productivity. The results also revealed a strong inverse relationship between flourishing and loneliness, validating the adage that we are social creatures. Lastly, the research found that healthy employees consider themselves happier than unhealthy employees do.

published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Master / Master of Science in Construction Project Management

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Pay satisfaction is an essential aim in any company’s reward system, since various studies indicate that it affects employee job performance. With limited resources and restricted capacity to increase pay, firms require a better understanding of how employee pay satisfaction develops and how employee work-related behaviour is affected by pay satisfaction. The purpose of this study was threefold: First, to investigate the relationship between actual pay and pay satisfaction, and second, to explore the effect that pay motivation dimensions derived from expectancy theory (Vroom, 1964) — pay valence and pay instrumentality — have on this relationship. Lastly, the study aimed to explore the relative effects of these objective (pay) and subjective (pay perceptions) variables on employee job performance. Self-report survey data of managerial employees (N = 177) from a South African retail organisation were collected, along with supervisor ratings of job performance and objective actual pay data, for each participant. The Pay Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ) and a selfdeveloped Pay Valence and Instrumentality Questionnaire (PVIQ) were administered through an intranet-based survey. Data were analysed with a variety of statistical techniques. Descriptive statistics were used to assess underlying assumptions of the multivariate analysis techniques used to analyse the research data, and to describe the central tendency and dispersion of study variables. Pearson product moment correlations were calculated to assess bivariate relationships. Standard multiple regression analysis was utilised to assess the joint relationship between IVs and DVs, and relative weights analysis (RWA) to assess the relative importance of IVs within respective regression models. Moderated multiple regression (MMR) analysis was used to examine possible moderator effects. To determine whether mediating (indirect) influences were present, normal theory and bootstrap estimates of indirect effects were obtained. In this research, selected antecedents and consequences of pay satisfaction were investigated. Regarding antecedents of pay satisfaction, the results suggested that actual pay had a small but significant effect on pay satisfaction, but not pay valence, nor pay instrumentality. Pay motivation perceptions (pay valence and pay instrumentality) neither moderated, nor mediated, the relationship between pay and pay satisfaction. The consequences of pay perceptions, in conjunction with actual pay, were also assessed. Pay satisfaction had no statistically significant relationship with job performance (p > .05), although actual pay had a moderate association with job performance. Although pay perceptions slightly incremented the validity of predicting performance from actual pay itself, this increment was not statistically significant (p < .05). In summary, the present research highlights the central role of actual pay in influencing pay satisfaction and job performance, but questions still remain about the way in which performance results from pay, since pay satisfaction did not mediate this relationship. The implications for future research are discussed and recommendations for research are made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vergoedingstevredenheid is noodsaaklike doelwit in maatskappy se vergoedingsisteem en verskeie studies toon hoe dit werksprestasie van werknemers positief beïnvloed. Aangesien maatskappye oor beperkte hulpbronne en kapasiteit beskik om vergoeding te verhoog, word ‘n beter begrip vereis oor hoe werknemers se gedrag deur vergoedingstevredenheid beïnvloed word. Die doel van hierdie studie was drieledig: eerstens, om die verband tussen werklike vergoeding en vergoedingstevredenheid te ondersoek, en tweedens, om die effek van vergoedingsmotiveringsdimensies — afgelei van die verwagtingsteorie (Vroom, 1964), naamlik betalingsvalensie en betalingsinstrumentaliteit — en die verband te ondersoek. Derdens, om die invloed van hierdie objektiewe (vergoeding) en subjektiewe (vergoedingspersepsies) veranderlikes op werknemerprestasie te ondersoek. Die data is in Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelsonderneming versamel. Die volgende inligting is bekom van deelnemers: selfrapporteringsdata vanaf werknemers in bestuursposte (N = 177), werksprestasiebeoordelings deur hul onderskeie toesighouers, asook objektiewe werklike vergoedingsvlakke vir elke respondent. Die Vergoedingstevredenheidsvraelys en die selfontwikkelde Betalingsvalensie- en Instrumentaliteitvraelys is deur intranetopname geadministreer. Die data is met behulp van verskeidenheid statistiese tegnieke ontleed. Beskrywende statistiek is gebruik om die onderliggende aannames van meerveranderlike analise in die navorsingsdata te evalueer, en die sentrale neiging en verspreiding van die studieveranderlikes te beskryf. Pearsonprodukkorrelasiestatistiek is gebruik om die beduidendheid van die hipoteses rakende tweeveranderlike korrelasies te evalueer. Standaard meervoudige regressie-analise is gebruik om die gesamentlike verwantskap tussen onafhanklike veranderlikes en afhanklike veranderlikes te evalueer. Relatiewegewigte-analise (RWA) was gebruik om die relatiewe belangrikheid van onafhanklike veranderlikes, binne die onderskeie modelle, te evalueer. Gemodereerde meervoudige regressie-(MMR)-analise is gebruik om die moontlike bemiddelende uitwerking van veranderlikes te ondersoek. Normale teorie en “bootstrap”-raming van die indirekte invloede van veranderlikes is verkry om die moontlike mediëring van verbandskappe te evalueer. In hierdie navorsing is die voorafgaande faktore, sowel as die gevolge van, vergoedingstevredenheid ondersoek. Wat die oorsake van vergoedingstevredenheid betref, het die resultate aangedui dat werklike vergoedingsvlakke klein, maar wel statisties beduidende uitwerking het op vergoedingstevredenheid, terwyl betalingsvalensie en betalingsinstrumentaliteit geen beduidende uitwerking getoon het nie. Verder toon die resultate dat die verband tussen betaling en vergoedingstevredenheid word nie deur vergoedingsmotiveringspersepsies (betalingsvalensie en betalingsinstrumentaliteit) bemiddel of medieër nie. Die nagevolge van vergoedingspersepsies is onderling met werklike betaling ondersoek. Vergoedingstevredenheid het geen statistiese beduidende verband met werksprestasie getoon nie, tog het werklike betaling matige verband met werksprestasie getoon. Alhoewel betalingspersepsies die geldigheid van die voorspelling van werksprestasie vanaf werklike betaling inkrementeer, toon dit nie beduidende effek (p < .05) nie. Die huidige navorsing beklemtoon die sentrale rol wat werklike betaling steeds in die beïnvloeding van vergoedingstevredenheid en werksprestasie speel, hoewel die rede vir die verband tussen werklike betaling en prestasie steeds nie ten volle begryp word nie, aangesien vergoedingstevredenheid nie hierdie verband medieër nie. Beperkinge van die navorsing, asook die implikasies vir vergoedingspraktyk en toekomstige navorsing word bespreek.

Dans la mesure où les ressources humaines et la productivité du personnel sontun facteur-clé de la production de l’organisation et de son fonctionnementéconomique, disposer d’un personnel compétent et motivé, susceptible demettre en oeuvre les responsabilités qu’on lui confie, est un atout précieux quiapporte des avantages économiques considérables à toute les organisation. C’estpour cette raison que celles-ci investissement dans le développementprofessionnel et dans les compétences de leurs salariés et consacrent dessommes importantes à la mise en place de démarches de formation. Pourtant, lesresponsables d’entreprise se sont toujours demandés si les ressources utiliséespour la formation ont l’efficacité souhaitée ou non.Le choix d’un modèle d’évaluation de l’impact de la formation, aussi bien laformation spécifique que la formation générale, sur la productivité desressources humaines est donc important et constitue le fondement de cetterecherche. Pour étudier cette question et déterminer l’effet de la formation, laprésente recherche a mobilisé une approche quantitative basée sur des résultatsde panel. Dans la mesure où deux types de modélisation ont été utilisés dans lalittérature, les douze hypothèses de cette recherche ont fait l’objet de l’étude de24 modèles destinés à relier les variables de l’étude.Les résultats montrent que le coût total de la formation et le coût par personneont un impact significatif sur la productivité des ressources humaines dans lesentreprises pharmaceutiques iraniennes. Sur la base du travail réalisé dans cetterecherche, il est apparu que la formation générale a en général un impact nonsignificatif sur la productivité, alors que la formation spécifique a en général unimpact positif sur la productivité. Ces résultats sont présentés et discutés. / Since human resources and its productivity is the main and key factor inproductivity of the whole organization and its economic operation, possessingeffective human resources who bear appropriate and adequate knowledge, skilland attitude to perform the delegated responsibilities in appropriate quality andquantity, is considered as a valuable capital and will bring considerableeconomic benefits for the organization. For this reason, various organizationsinvest on developing their labors capabilities and expend considerable financialresources in addition to the lost working opportunities related to the staffsinvolved in the training process which have its own special costs. Theorganization managers always have questioned whether the expended resourcesand investments to train the staffs (which include various costs especially thelost opportunity cost and separating from the staffs in different job levels) havehad the required and expected effectiveness or not.For this reason, selecting appropriate model and approach to evaluate the effectof implemented trainings, including specific and general trainings, on the laborproductivity in an organization is very important and essential which is thepurpose of this research.To research on this issue and to determine the relation and effect of training onlabor productivity, this research was performed in quantitative method usingpanel data technique. Since two types of production function has been utilizedto evaluate the effect of training on labor productivity, the research 12hypotheses have been analyzed two times and for this reason, 24 models andrelations between the variables have been defined, examined and analyzed.The findings showed that total training cost variable and per-capita capitalvariable have significant effect on labor productivity in Iran pharmaceuticalcorporations.According to the research results regarding the effect of various trainings on thelabor productivity in different pharmaceutical corporations and in case ofselecting linear model to explain the relation between training and productivity,the following issues are notable:5- General trainings have mainly and insignificant effect on the laborproductivity in different corporations. This result is identical to the resultsderived using panel model for all corporations.- Specific trainings in general have positive and significant effecton the labor productivity in different corporations. This result is identical tothe results derived for all corporationsIf the Cobb-Douglas production function is used to explain the relationbetween various trainings and labor productivity, the following results can bepresented:- General trainings have insignificant effect on the labor productivityin corporations under study, and even this relation in some corporation isestimated negative.- The relation between specific trainings and labor productivity has beenestimated positive and significant in all corporations under study.