A concepção de carreira e a relação das pessoas com o trabalho foram modificadas em decorrência das transformações econômicas e sociais ocorridas ao longo das últimas décadas. A idéia de uma carreira estável e duradoura por meio do emprego em organizações deixou de existir, impulsionando as pessoas a procurarem alternativas para a construção de suas trajetórias profissionais. Muitos encontraram no empreendedorismo uma possibilidade para o desenvolvimento de suas carreiras. Os empreendedores, caracterizados pela disposição para correr riscos, por transformar idéias em realizações e pela capacidade de inovação, constroem suas trajetórias por meio da criação de um negócio. O modo como o empreendedor desenvolve essa trajetória é o foco desta pesquisa. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório de enfoque qualitativo, que teve por objetivo investigar como o empreendedor desenvolve sua carreira. Para tanto, foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas, em que os participantes foram convidados a narrar suas histórias de vida profissionais e a discorrer sobre aspectos relacionados ao desenvolvimento de suas carreiras. Participaram da pesquisa 16 empresários do estado de Goiás que revelaram possuir características empreendedoras. A análise do material gerado a partir da transcrição das entrevistas foi realizada por meio do método de análise de conteúdo. Foram realizadas a codificação e a categorização das mensagens contidas nas entrevistas e as informações resultantes desses procedimentos serviram como base para a interpretação dos resultados. Os empreendedores revelaram que o desenvolvimento de suas carreiras está baseado no aprendizado adquirido em suas experiências; em suas redes de relacionamento e no esforço e na dedicação que empregam no trabalho. Para construir sua carreira, o empreendedor precisa desenvolver as habilidades de gestão de pessoas, de visão de oportunidades e de realizar inovações. O desenvolvimento da carreira vincula-se ao desempenho do negócio e a maior parte dos objetivos profissionais do empreendedor é direcionada para a organização. A família ocupa um papel central na carreira do empreendedor, fornecendo ajuda financeira e psicológica e representando um ponto de apoio em suas vidas. Em decorrência dos resultados obtidos, foram formuladas algumas hipóteses, que podem servir como orientações a futuros estudos sobre este tema. As reflexões sobre os resultados converteram-se na proposição de um modelo que visa apresentar o desenvolvimento da carreira do empreendedor, por meio da perspectiva de estágios relacionados à variável tempo e ao crescimento do empreendimento. / The concept of career and relationship of people with their jobs had been modified due to the economic and social changes over recent decades. The idea of a stable and lasting career through the jobs in organizations ceased to exist, driving people to seek alternatives to the construction of their professional careers. Many find on entrepreneurship a chance to develop their careers. Entrepreneurs are characterized by the predisposition to take risks, the capability to convert ideas into accomplishments and the ability to innovate. They build their careers through the creation of an enterprise. The way that the entrepreneur develops his path, is the focus of this research. This is an exploratory study of qualitative approach, which aimed to investigate how the entrepreneur develops his career. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted where participants were asked to do a narrative of their professional life stories and discourse about issues related to the development of their careers. The participants were 16 businessmen of the state of Goias that revealed entrepreneurial characteristics. The material generated from the interview transcript was analysed using the method of content analysis. Were executed the coding and the categorization of the messages contained in the interviews and the information proceeding from these procedures were the basis for the interpretation of results. Entrepreneurs revealed that the development of their careers is based on knowledge acquired from their experiences, on their networks and on the effort and the dedication that devote at work. To build his career, the entrepreneur must to develop the skills of people management, vision of opportunities and capability of innovation. Career development is tied to the performance of the business and most of the professional goals of the entrepreneur are directed to the organization. The family occupies a central role in the career of the entrepreneur, providing financial and psychological assistance and representing a foothold in their lives. Due to the results, some hypotheses were formulated, which can be used as guidelines for future studies about this topic. Reflections about the results have generated the proposition of a model that aims to present the development of the entrepreneur career, through the perspective of stages related to the variable time and the growth of the enterprise.

D.Litt. et Phil. / The rampant and unpredictable changes in the world of work have recently become a particular point of concern. Organisations worldwide require career agents who are more adaptable to respond appropriately to these challenges. The study aimed to firstly assemble a viable empirical career adjustment model to address these challenges. Secondly, the study differentiated and profiled four career agent groups which utilise this model in different and dynamic ways. These career agent profiles provided an exploratory and contextual platform for the third aim, to uncover a narrative of the adaptable career in the South African context. A convenience sample (n = 427) mostly representing engineers (38%), financial professions (22%) and technicians (15%) responded to three instruments which operationalised the dimensions of the proposed career adjustment model. The dimensions included in the model were the (i) Protean and Boundaryless career attitude, (ii) Emotional Intelligence and (iii) Work-Stressor experience. These dimensions were operationalised by (i) the Protean (Self-Directed Career Management and Values Driven scale) and Boundaryless (Organisationally Mobile and Boundaryless Mindset scale) career attitude scales, (ii) the BarOn EQ-i composite scales (Intrapersonal EQ, Interpersonal EQ, Adaptability, Stress Management and General Mood) and (iii) selected scales from the Sources of Work Stress Inventory (Lack of Autonomy and Workload). These instruments were tested for reliability and validity which provided acceptable results in terms of Cronbach alphas and EFA. The Protean and Boundaryless career attitude (PBca) instrument showed less reliable results with the Values Driven scale (α = .65). The SDCM scale produced more reliable results (α = .74). The BM and OM scales rendered the most reliable results (α = .86 and α = .87 respectively). The other instruments reflect excellent alpha iii coefficients ranging from α = .80 to α = .92 for the SWSI and from α = .81 to α = .96 for the BarOn EQ-i composite scales. The EFA of the PBca was primarily guided by the theoretical structure to extract four factors. A similar process followed for the SWSI rendered excellent factor loadings for General Work Stress (GWS), LA and WL. In the empirical construction of the career adjustment model both the use of correlations and hierarchical multiple regression rendered statistically significant results for the intercorrelations between the proposed dimensions of the model. The correlation results (within and between the dimensions) were as expected except for Organisational Mobility and Self-Directed Career Management which did not correlate significantly. Together the three dimensions predicted approximately 32% to 33% of the explained variance in GWS (i.e. the dependent variable chosen to represent a subjective experience of career adjustment). Overall, the findings supported the proposition that the model could be utilised as a viable career adjustment model. The non-hierarchical clustering analysis provided four significantly different clusters based on the PBca scales which were labelled the Protean (P), the Non- Protean (NP), the Organisationally Mobile Protean (OMp) and the Boundaryless Minded Protean (BMp). The Protean clusters all shared the Self-Directed Career Management and Values-Driven scale. These clusters were distinctly different after considering their attributes which originated from the BarOn EQ-i composites and SWSI scales. The most significant factors (attributes) revealed after conducting Descriptive Discriminant Analysis (DDA) where AD, RA, SM, GM and LA. The DDA procedure rendered Lack of Autonomy (SWSI) and Adaptability (EQ-i) as the most significant discriminators. This lead to the profiling of career agent types, namely the Protean Career Architect, the Conglomerate Citizen (study specific), the Solid Citizen and the Traditionalist. With these career agent profiles as basis an attempt was made to explore how their careers can unfold in the South African context.

D.Comm. / The aim of this study is to develop an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of life balance in the lives of South African professional women, and to develop a Life Balance Questionnaire to measure this phenomenon. The study was approached qualitatively, applying the Grounded Theory method, with a systematic set of procedures to develop and derive at a theory inductively. The purposeful sampling method was used in combination with the chain reference sampling technique. In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty four selected participants, then a group session was held to confirm identified themes and concepts and to form a theoretical framework. The literature review reveals that professional women in the 21 st century face an exceptional challenge in balancing the multiple tasks associated with their homemaker and work roles. The phenomenon of life balance therefore seems to become an important consideration in the lives of professional women. The main findings in this study indicate that South African professional women of different cultural backgrounds experience similar pressures and challenges. The findings also indicate that, to define the phenomenon of life balance, all roles performed by an individual throughout her life need to be considered, as what constitutes life balance for one person might not apply to another. Selfawareness is identified as the main point of departure for achieving life balance. This implies that it is important to accept "who you are" and "what is important to you", and to take responsibility for the choices you make. It is concluded that life balance is cyclical, so it is important to be aware of it as a process, rather than an end, and as a tool for achieving personal growth. Life balance is, therefore, not defined as "one, single ultimate experience", but as individual experiences over time, or, rather, as "life balance moments". The final conclusion is that two main types of factors influence and support life balance, namely internal or influential factors and external or supporting factors. Internal factors include self-awareness, the ability to know and understand oneself, to take responsibility for decisions and life choices, to understand and deal with personal fears, the application of proactive coping strategies, a positive attitude towards life and chosen demands, and trust in others for assistance and support. External variables include situational conditions, societal views and attitudes, support structures, organisational values and support, and literature and training programmes. To illustrate and confirm the conclusions of this study, two Life Balance Models are developed to represent a definitional and process approach to the theme. The study concludes with a proposed "Life Balance Questionnaire" aimed at measuring life balance in the lives of professional women. The testing and validation of the "Life Balance Questionnaire" do not form part of the study.

This sociological study investigates how the process of vertical occupational segregation by sex is maintained at the end of the 20th century. It explores the secretarial role and opportunities for career advancement beyond this "pink-collar" occupation within four organizations in England that were self-identified as promoting equal opportunities. The evidence stems from case studies conducted at the BBC in 1992 and at the BBC, Channel Four, Rank Xerox, and Unilever in 1994. Data were collected in three forms: (i) semi-structured interviews; 18 with mid- to senior-level secretaries, 10 with managers, and 13 with personnel representatives; (ii) office observations; and (iii) materials related to the individual companies, Opportunity 2000, and the European Community. Secretaries' opportunities for advancement were found to be rare. A pink-collar wall, rather than a glass ceiling, was discovered, due to a combination of structural constraints and the actions, or agency, of secretaries. This research extends the dual-systems model of occupational segregation by using the case study methodology and by including women's experiences and behaviour within the theoretical framework. This study expands current knowledge about the lives of ordinary working women and the persistent phenomenon of occupational segregation.

By examining trends in intra-organizational and inter-organizational job transition probabilities among professional and managerial employees in Germany, we test the applicability of mainstream career theory to a specific context and challenge its implied change assumption. Drawing on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), we apply linear probability models to show the influence of time, economic cycle and age on the probability of job transitions between 1984 and 2010. Results indicate a slight negative trend in the frequency of job transitions during the analyzed time span, owing to a pronounced decrease in intra-organizational transitions, which is only partly offset by a comparatively weaker positive trend towards increased inter-organizational transitions. The latter is strongly influenced by fluctuations in the economic cycle. Finally, the probability of job transitions keeps declining steadily through the course of one's working life. In contrast to inter-organizational transitions, however, this age effect for intra-organizational transitions has decreased over time. (authors' abstract)

M.Com. / At present the macro business milieu in South Africa is prevailed by a climate which, more than ever, imposes high demands upon employers and employees. It is evident that organizational effectiveness and the occupational success of individuals are increasingly dependent upon a purposeful intervention, by which the establishment of optimal interfaces can be facilitated. These interfaces have a specific bearing on the imbalance which often exists between the needs and expectations of individuals and those of the organizations by which they are employed. In this regard, it must be stated that the behavioural sciences, and in particular occupational psychology, can fulfil an important function in the establishment of the above-mentioned interfaces. A special type of problem occurs as a manifestation of the imbalance referred to above. This problem is created in circumstances of a high demand for management staff, when professionals are promoted to managerial positions outside their fields of specialization, and irrespective of the nature of their managerial training, experience and aspirations. An occupational group which is especially characterized by this phenomenon is the accounting profession. This problem gave rise to the objective of the present study and it was consequently decided to gather information on accounting persons in the early career stage against a frame of reference pertaining to the behavioural sciences. The approach adopted for this purpose was the determination of the career orientation(s) of early career stage individuals in different phases of involvement in the accounting profession. A literature study undertaken consisted mainly of life cycle theory, the career anchor and -orientation model as proposed by Schein (1975), and the nature and effect of professional occupations. Against this theoretical background the Career Orientation Inventory was administered to persons in the accounting profession. The sample consisted of the following groups: 1) full-time first year accounting students; 2) part-time honours students in accounting; and 3) Chartered Accountants in auditing and other firms. The empirical study yielded the conclusion that managerial skill featured as the most prominent career orientation of accounting persons in the early career stage. It was also evident that respondents who had had occupational experience measured highest on the same orientation, that is managerial skill, irrespective of their phases within the early career stage. Furthermore, there were indications that career orientation differentiation increased in accordance with occupational experience. From the study it appeared that knowledge concerning career orientation may be conducive to occupational counselling and guidance processes. A resultant implication of this may then be the creation of more realistic expectations which could enhance the establishment of optimal interfaces between the respective needs of individuals and organizations. In conclusion, it can be stated that a need was identified for further research regarding the career orientations of other occupational groups. However, a prerequisite of such research efforts is the use of structured interviews in order to determine the career anchors of respondents, rather than merely the career orientations.

M.Com. (Industrial Psychology) / Work engagement is defined as “a positive, fulfilling, work related state of mind that is characterized by vigour, dedication, and absorption” (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2010; Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá, & Bakker, 2002, p. 74). It is therefore critical for organisations to pay careful attention to the effect that total rewards have on engagement to ensure the highest level of work engagement within the organisation. Previous studies have shown that very little research has been conducted in the South African context to examine total reward strategies and how these programmes specifically relate to work engagement. The overall purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between total rewards and work engagement and to further determine which reward category predicts work engagement. The model proposed by Nienaber (2010) includes all the core dimensions under rewards and was therefore used for this study. Total rewards for the purpose of this study include: Base Pay, Performance, Career Management, Contingency Pay, Quality Work Environment, Benefits and Work-Home Integration. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and The Rewards Preferences Questionnaire were administered to a random sample (N = 318) of South African employees in various different divisions and positions within several organisations. The results indicated that Total Rewards explained 14% of the variance within Work Engagement. Furthermore, only Performance and Career Management, and Work- Home Integration were significant predictors of Work Engagement. In relation to the gender and age as moderating variables, it was found that these two constructs did not act as moderators between total rewards and work engagement.

No description available.

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS) / Career maturity is an essential requirement in human existence. Super (1979) identified five stages which highlight the level of maturity an individual should have achieved at a certain age. However, increasingly, it is being recognised that individuals are not at the level of career maturity where they ought to be. In order to address the matter relating to career maturity, the current research investigated the nature thereof amongst first year university students. The prevalence of specific aspects of career maturity (namely, self-information, decision-making, career information, integration of self-information and career information, and career planning) were investigated. In addition, the correlations between the aspects of career maturity and certain biographical variables such as age, gender and race were examined.

Bakgrund: Teorier kring den gränslösa karriären har vuxit fram för att förklara de karriärer som är icke-linjära samt ej utspelar sig inom en och samma organisation genom hela karriären. Den stora skillnaden i den nya teorin är att individen har tagit över ansvaret för sin karriärutveckling från organisationen. Inom dessa teorier finns begreppet anställningsbarhet som beskriver den potentiella förmåga eller möjlighet en individ har att ta en ny riktning i karriären. Syfte: Syftet med vår studie var att undersöka hur individer som innehar en gränslös karriär upplever anställningsbarheten. Då majoriteten av den forskning som har gjorts inom fältet är av en organisatorisk utgångspunkt anser vi att det är motiverat att genomföra studien ur ett individperspektiv för att på så sätt täcka de kunskapsluckor som återfinns inom fältet. Metod: I studien använde vi oss av en kvalitativ metod, via intervjuer där respondenternas subjektiva upplevelse stod i centrum. Totalt genomfördes fyra intervjuer i studien med individer med karriärer som faller under definitionen för en gränslös karriär med hjälp av ett bekvämlighetsurval. Slutsats: Respondenterna ser enbart två av dimensionerna inom anställningsbarhet som delaktiga i deras egen anställningsbarhet, humankapital samt karriärsidentitet. Vidare kan förmågan att få en potentiell anställning delas upp i två processer: möjlighetsrealiserande & möjlighetsskapande. De dimensionerna som de tolkar som anställningsbarhet faller under båda processerna, medan det sociala kapitalet endast ses som en möjlighetsskapande process. Vi har även funnit att begreppet anställningsbarhet är bristfälligt i förhållande till teorin. Begreppet bör tydligare inkludera dels den möjlighetsskapande processen och dels förmågan att bibehålla en nuvarande anställning. / Background: Theories regarding the boundaryless career emerged to explain career paths that are not linear or confined to a single organisation throughout an individual’s career. The big difference within this new theory is that the individual takes responsibility for their career development instead of the organisation. The central term within these theories is employability, which describes the potential ability an individual has to change their career path. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate how the individuals within a boundaryless career perceive their employability. Since most of the research within this area is conducted from an organisational point of view, there is a lack of research from an individual’s perspective and our aim is to increase understanding in this area. Method: We used a qualitative research approach in the study to capture the respondent’s subjective opinions about employability through the use of interviews. In total four interviews were conducted with individuals who fall within the definition of a boundaryless career, by use of a convenience sample. Conclusion: The respondent’s view two dimensions that affect employability and these are career identity and human capital. The ability to secure employment can be divided into two processes; opportunity creation and opportunity realisation. Respondent’s regard human capital and career identity as important for both opportunity and realisation processes, but view social capital as only affecting opportunity creation with no effect on realisation. We have concluded that the term employability has shortcomings compared to its theoretical basis. The term should include the process of opportunity creation as well as the ability to keep your current employment status.