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.

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To achieve efficacy in the work place, employees need to perform at optimal levels. Researching and implementing strategies to improve job performance are fundamentally important to the development of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector in South Africa. However, scant research had been performed in this area. This study sought to present exploratory research in this emergent, rapidly expanding sector of the South African economy. Its primary aim was to investigate which affective factors exhibited an influence on job performance of workers in this sector. Mixed methods research was employed to analyse factors contributing to the five independent variables of demographics, skills and education, job satisfaction, motivation and experience, by investigating their influence on the dependent variable of job performance. The five independent variables were presented within a proposed conceptual framework of related and grouped affective factors. An online survey was constructed to collect data and perceptions from individuals currently employed in any capacity, in the ICT sector in South Africa. Ninety-nine suitable responses were received. The simple statistical technique of chi-square testing for independence was used to test the hypothesised relationships between the above-mentioned independent variables and the dependent variable of job performance. The empirical results revealed that many of the affective factors influencing the job performance of employees in the ICT sector in South Africa, are those that contribute to job satisfaction and motivation. These include aspects such as fair remuneration; transparent and clear organisational communication; managerial support and guidance; access to educational and career opportunities; and pleasant workplaces. In view of these findings, the study concluded that organisations that wish to improve their employees’ job performance, or attract and retain high-performing individuals, should formulate and implement policies and strategies that take into account these significant factors.

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the career development of African-American male athletes and non-athletes. The study utilizes Gottfredson’s circumscription and compromise model of career development as a framework for understanding the way individuals go about selecting different career paths based on various contextual variables and career development processes. A sample of 71 African-American male college students completed self-report questionnaires measuring different aspects of their background make-up, relevant career development processes, and career development outcome variables. Results of the study suggest that non-athlete students have a more developmentally appropriate approach to careers. Results also suggest that perceived career barriers and career locus of control mediate the relationship between athletic status and maturity surrounding careers. Career development is a complicated process and further study on this population is very important, especially when considering athletes. Implications for the findings are discussed as are suggestions for directions of new research concerning African-American career development.

This qualitative study was designed to explore the career development of Black female chief nurse executives. Although a small proportion of Black female nurses have achieved positions at the nurse executive level, there remains a paucity of Black female nurse executives in this crucial position which raised the question of what factors contributed to this lack of advancement, but, more important, what factors have contributed to the success of the few who have achieved such level of success in healthcare organizations. The purpose of the study was to explore the career paths of Black female chief nurse executives with a view of understanding the factors which both facilitate and hinder the career development of these leaders in healthcare organizations. The guiding research question was, How do Black female nurse executives in this sample describe their career development? The participants in this study were Black female chief nurse executives located throughout the United States who, for the most part, were raised in segregation with a strong family foundation. To collect data, semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with 10 Black female chief nurse executives throughout the United States. The transcripts from the interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed. Using Super’s (1990, 1996), and Gottfredson’s (1981, 1996, 2002, 2005) career development theories and critical race theory (Crenshaw, 1995; Delgado, 2000) as the theoretical framework, the researcher found that the participants’ career development was influenced by (a) strong support system, (b) guidance, (c) influence of diversity, and (d) servant leadership. The findings help us understand the factors that have contributed to their successes as Black chief nurse executives. With the increasingly diverse population and concurrent increasing diversity in nursing and concerns about healthcare disparities, it is imperative that organizations attract, hire, develop, retain, and advance qualified Black nurses. Future studies addressing not only the career development of Black nurses but nurses in general might be informed by the present study’s findings. Recommendations are offered for nursing practice, education, and organizational policy.

A dissertation submitted to the FACULTY OF EDUCATION at the UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION in the Department of Educational Planning and Administration, 1999. / Staff supervision is central to the improvement of the quality of teaching in a school and if educators are well supervised and are aware of the benefits inherent in supervision, they need to be amenable to supervision. Yet educators are not, and they use every trick in the book to avoid or resist supervision. On the other hand, the principal struggles to persuade educators to understand the value of the exercise. Some resort to threats which may lead to animosity and resentment. The bottom line is that the principal is not able to play his/her role to encourage staff development, and as a result, the quality of teaching may drop. This study sought to assess the principal's understanding of his/her role in staff development. Secondly, it sought to ascertain the extent to which principals' supervision strategies enhanced educators' professional development. Lastly, the study aimed to obtain an understanding of educators' perceptions regarding supervisors as an aspect of staff development. Review of relevant literature of supervision and staff development was undertaken for the conceptual framework upon which the problem could be analysed. An interview schedule was administered in principals with an aim to soliciting information that would reveal the approach that they used to supervise their staff. Questionnaires were adrriinistered to educators with an aim of obtaining information from them about the perceptions that they had regarding supervision and staff development. The study established that principals have the desire to play a constructive role in the professional development of their teaching staff, but they unfortunately lack the capacity to do so. Secondly that principals' supervision strategies as currently employed do not enhance the educator's professional development. Lastly that educators do not have a clear understanding of supervision as an aspect of staff development. They seem to understand the role that the principal can play but they have problems in implementing that role.

Internships are a great way for college students to gain real-world work experience. Students who participate in an internship should learn valuable skills, build a network and gain professional confidence. Employers want to see prior, relevant work experience when deciding who to hire and an internship can provide that. This quantitative research study examined the impacts on career outcomes and starting salaries for college graduates who participated in a paid internship, unpaid internship or no internship and in a structured internship program for which they receive college credit, a non-credit internship and no internship. The results clearly showed that students who completed any type of internship were employed at a higher rate than those who did not complete an internship. There was also a substantial impact on higher starting salaries for those who completed a paid internship.

Subjects in this study were 5,523 respondents from a survey which was sent to households throughout the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine two basic components of career orientation: career indecision and career insight. Correlational analyses found relationships between career indecision and average job tenure, industry leaving intentions, industry staying intentions, and job satisfaction. Correlational analyses found relationships between career insight, industry staying intentions and job satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses were run using both career indecision and career insight as independent variables found that they had useful levels of incremental validity in predicting industry leaving intentions and job satisfaction. Potential uses of the two-dimensional career indecision - career insight model are discussed.