This article focuses on the development of guidelines to empower parents with adolescent children to have a better relationship with their adolescent children. A qualitative research method within the context of intervention research was followed to develop the guidelines. Three major themes and some sub-themes were identified from two focus groups with the parents and two focus groups with the adolescents. The main themes are parent-adolescent relationships, conflict and communication. Sub-themes include characteristics of a good relationship, time spend together, times of crisis, reasons for conflict, resolving conflict, effectiveness of conflict, aspects of good communication, coping with sensitive issues and dealing with unacceptable friendships. Empowerment involves the process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals, families and communities can take action to improve their situations. The Strengths perspective subscribes to the notion that people have a reserve of abilities that can be expressed. When this reserve of inner power is enhanced, individuals, families or communities develop their potential, mastery and self-actualization. To empower the parents with adolescent children it is necessary for a practitioner helping the family to understand how to focus on the present and to incorporate a vision of the future in the guideline developed for parents with adolescent children. The integration of empowerment mandates parents with adolescent children, to move towards emphasizing strengths and to create solutions that incorporate elements of social action to improve their situations. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

The South African work situation is continuously changing due to globalisation, and most organisations embark on strategies that are geared to ensure survival. The political economical, social and demographical situation of the country encourages the changing work environment to be aligned with the international community. Strategies and tactics such as structuring down sizing, re-organisation, and technological changes are deployed by most organisations with the hope of profit making, survival and to remain competitive in this changing world of work. While organisations embark on these strategies, employees are facing massive job loss, which results in employees experiencing feelings of job insecurity. Employees, who feel psychologically empowered through leadership empowering behaviour, endue a sense of job security and thus contribute towards a healthy work organisation. Employees from four business units in a steel-manufacturing organisation were targeted. The study population included employees the managerial and non-managerial categories. A cross-sectional survey design was used to obtain the research objectives. Three standardised questionnaires were used in the empirical study, namely Leader Empowering Behaviour Questionnaire, Job Insecurity Inventory and the Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire. The results indicated average mean scores on the scales of leader empowering behaviour, job insecurity and psychological empowerment when compared to previous studies. Strong negative correlations were found between leader empowering behaviour and job insecurity and between job insecurity and psychological empowerment. Strong positive correlation was found between leader empowering behaviour and psychological empowerment. Regression analyses showed that leader empowering behaviour predicts job insecurity and psychological empowerment. It was also found that job insecurity predicted psychological empowerment. This research indicates that leadership has a positive impact on employees' feelings of security and empowerment. Based on the results recommendations were made and can be implemented by this organisation. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

Parental involvement in education is accepted as an important aspect of learner academic achievement. In fact, there is research evidence that associates high learner achievement with high rates of parental involvement. However, judging by the poor levels of achievement attained by learners in, for instance, areas like reading, writing and numeracy in primary school grades, the question rises as to whether parental involvement is consciously promoted in primary schools. This empirical research intended to investigate how parental involvement is currently promoted in primary schools. The literature review revealed the basic obligations of schools and parents as expressed in Epstein's six typologies of parental involvement, which form the basis of all endeavours towards enhancing parental involvement. Consequently, it is concluded that strategies or programmes aimed at promoting parental involvement, must embody parenting, communication, volunteering, learning at home, participation in decision-making and collaboration with the community. In this regard, the child's environment should be regarded as an ecology consisting of the school, home and community. The main empirical research finding indicates generally, that the meaning attached to parental involvement falls short of its essence, and focuses on response activities from both school staff and parents. The main recommendation, therefore, is advocacy that begins with empowering all stakeholders with regard to the essence of parental involvement. In this regard, the Empowerment Approach to Parental Involvement (EAPI) recommended in this research, proposes a model that empowers individual schools and the community, through a school-based and cluster-based focus. The EAPI model presents a series of actions leading to a modus operandi that recognises the power of zenzele (do it yourself) for schools and parents, and masakhane (doing it for ourselves together) for school clusters and the community. Both concepts utilise principles based on ubuntu and express the adage: "it takes a village to raise a child." / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

While innovation, individualisation, human rights and quality of life are acknowledged and valued by modern society, changes in the workplace such as a focus on efficiency, globalisation, restructuring, downsizing, acquisitions and merges impact, often negatively, on a workforce. A better understanding ofthese forces, as well as understanding the deeper needs of employees in organisations, should be pursued in order to optimise the workplace. South Africa is currently experiencing a skills shortage while the unemployment figures are well above 40 percent. As it is often said, the distinguishing economic resource in the twenty-first century is not commodities, but the human resource that organisations need to attract, develop and motivate in order to retain the correct type of employees. An approach is needed where both positive outcomes for the individual worker and the organisation may be achieved, including organisational performance, effective management of change, greater employee engagement and commitment, and effective talent management. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify any relationship that might exist between psychological empowerment, job satisfaction and work engagement and to determine whether psychological empowerment may predict job satisfaction and work engagement. A cross-sectional survey design was used in the study. One-hundred-and-fifty- three (N = 153) employees participated in the study in a surface coatings manufacturing organisation in Gauteng. The Psychological Empowerment Scale (MEQ), Revised Job Satisfaction Scale (JSQ), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) were used. The results indicated that a statistically significant positive correlation between intrinsic motivation and work engagement (practically significant, medium effect) and meaning, correlated positively (practically significant, medium effect) with intrinsic motivation and work engagement. Extrinsic motivation correlated statistically significantly (practically significant, large effect) with work engagement. VI The regresslOn analysis indicated that 34 percent of the variance explained in work engagement is predicted by psychological empowerment (i.e. influence (impact and self-detennination), meaning, and competence) and job satisfaction (i.e. extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation). No statistically significant differences regarding psychological empowerment could be found between tenure and educational levels. However, statistically significant differences were found for gender and language groups. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

The South African work situation is continuously changing due to globalisation, and most organisations embark on strategies that are geared to ensure survival. The political economical, social and demographical situation of the country encourages the changing work environment to be aligned with the international community. Strategies and tactics such as structuring down sizing, re-organisation, and technological changes are deployed by most organisations with the hope of profit making, survival and to remain competitive in this changing world of work. While organisations embark on these strategies, employees are facing massive job loss, which results in employees experiencing feelings of job insecurity. Employees, who feel psychologically empowered through leadership empowering behaviour, endue a sense of job security and thus contribute towards a healthy work organisation. Employees from four business units in a steel-manufacturing organisation were targeted. The study population included employees the managerial and non-managerial categories. A cross-sectional survey design was used to obtain the research objectives. Three standardised questionnaires were used in the empirical study, namely Leader Empowering Behaviour Questionnaire, Job Insecurity Inventory and the Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire. The results indicated average mean scores on the scales of leader empowering behaviour, job insecurity and psychological empowerment when compared to previous studies. Strong negative correlations were found between leader empowering behaviour and job insecurity and between job insecurity and psychological empowerment. Strong positive correlation was found between leader empowering behaviour and psychological empowerment. Regression analyses showed that leader empowering behaviour predicts job insecurity and psychological empowerment. It was also found that job insecurity predicted psychological empowerment. This research indicates that leadership has a positive impact on employees' feelings of security and empowerment. Based on the results recommendations were made and can be implemented by this organisation. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

Parental involvement in education is accepted as an important aspect of learner academic achievement. In fact, there is research evidence that associates high learner achievement with high rates of parental involvement. However, judging by the poor levels of achievement attained by learners in, for instance, areas like reading, writing and numeracy in primary school grades, the question rises as to whether parental involvement is consciously promoted in primary schools. This empirical research intended to investigate how parental involvement is currently promoted in primary schools. The literature review revealed the basic obligations of schools and parents as expressed in Epstein's six typologies of parental involvement, which form the basis of all endeavours towards enhancing parental involvement. Consequently, it is concluded that strategies or programmes aimed at promoting parental involvement, must embody parenting, communication, volunteering, learning at home, participation in decision-making and collaboration with the community. In this regard, the child's environment should be regarded as an ecology consisting of the school, home and community. The main empirical research finding indicates generally, that the meaning attached to parental involvement falls short of its essence, and focuses on response activities from both school staff and parents. The main recommendation, therefore, is advocacy that begins with empowering all stakeholders with regard to the essence of parental involvement. In this regard, the Empowerment Approach to Parental Involvement (EAPI) recommended in this research, proposes a model that empowers individual schools and the community, through a school-based and cluster-based focus. The EAPI model presents a series of actions leading to a modus operandi that recognises the power of zenzele (do it yourself) for schools and parents, and masakhane (doing it for ourselves together) for school clusters and the community. Both concepts utilise principles based on ubuntu and express the adage: "it takes a village to raise a child." / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Problem discussion: That empowerment and autonomy can lead to desirable effects on employees is clear. Previous research has found correlations between empowerment and e.g. motivation, job satisfaction, productivity, loyalty and commitment. However, a control problem arises when employees have more freedom in decision-making which could potentially lead to undesirable outcomes. It thus becomes a type of dilemma for management and managers where you have to try to balance a restrictive use of the control system (to maintain control) and an enabling use (to promote empowerment). Purpose: The purpose of this study is therefore to identify how a company can use its control system in order to achieve empowerment while maintaining acceptable levels of control. It also examines the effects that management uses have on the staff and the factors that contribute to their reactions towards the manner of use. Method: In order to collect the necessary and current empirical data adapted to the purpose of the study a qualitative approach has been taken including semi-structured interviews, observation and document review as collection methods. The data collection was carried out in the store that is the research site of this case study. Conclusions: Since the use of control systems is an elusive concept there are inevitably some disagreements in previous research relating to conceptualizing a framework for the mechanisms that can be included in a management control system. The study clarifies doubts about cultural controls, which can be used both constraining and enabling and also how the incentive system includes both rewards and punishments where you can also reward compliance of constraining mechanisms (e.g. rules and guidelines). When it comes to why the staff mostly experienced management’s use of the control system as a positive a closer examination of potential factors is made where interactivity appears to have a crucial role and can influence other parts of the system that might otherwise be perceived negatively. / Problemdiskussion: Att empowerment och autonomi kan leda till önskvärda effekter på personalen är tydligt. Tidigare forskning har funnit korrelation mellan empowerment och t.ex. motivation, arbetstillfredsställelse, produktivitet, lojalitet och engagemang. Emellertid uppstår ett kontrollproblem när anställda får större frihet i beslutsfattande vilket potentiellt kan leda till negativa konsekvenser. Det blir således en typ av dilemma för ledning och chefer där man måste försöka balansera ett begränsande användningssätt av styrsystemet (för att behålla kontroll) och ett möjliggörande användningssätt (för att främja empowerment). Syfte: Avsikten med den här studien är därför att kartlägga hur ett företag kan använda sitt styrsystem i syfte att uppnå empowerment men samtidigt behålla acceptabel kontroll. Dessutom undersöks de effekter som ledningens användningssätt har på personalen och vilka faktorer som bidrar till att de reagerar som de gör på användningssättet. Metod: För att samla in nödvändig och aktuell empirisk data som anpassats till studiens syfte har en kvalitativ utgångspunkt tagits med semistrukturerade intervjuer, observationer och dokumentgenomgång som insamlingsmetoder. Datainsamlingen genomfördes i butiken som är undersökningsplatsen för den här fallstudien. Slutsatser: Eftersom användning av styrsystem är ett svårfångat begrepp finns oundvikligen en del oenighet i tidigare forskning avseende att konceptualisera ett ramverk för vilka styrmekanismer ett system kan innefatta. Studien tydliggör tveksamheter kring kulturstyrningen, som kan användas både begränsande och möjliggörande, samt hur incitamentsystemet innehåller både belöningar och bestraffningar där man också kan belöna efterlevnad av begränsande mekanismer (t.ex. regler och riktlinjer). När det kommer till varför personalen mestadels upplever ledningens användning av styrsystemet som positiv undersöks potentiella faktorer närmare där interaktivitet ser ut att ha en avgörande roll och kan influera andra delar av systemet som annars kan uppfattas negativt.

A review of research specific to the active participation of mental health consumers in mental health research indicates that consumers have little input into mental health services program development or evaluation. Participatory action research, which is strengths-based and action-oriented, offers a process through which people utilizing mental health services and social work researchers can work together to develop evaluation and assessment tools that are both more relevant to program outcomes and empowering to the people whose progress they measure. Congruent with basic social work values of empowerment and social justice, participatory research assists in breaking down long-standing power imbalances between consumers and workers / researchers in the field of mental health. The primary intervention involved the practicum student working collaboratively with a group of mental health consumers to design and complete a research project, where the topic was chosen by the consumer researchers. The student prepared educational sessions so that knowledge of the research process was transferred to the consumer researchers. The consumer researchers progressed through each phase of the project, ultimately completing the project and publishing the research findings. The practicum student learned how to facilitate a participatory action research project, as well as learning the skills associated with working with self-help organizations and their members. Learning goals included increased proficiency in project management skills, research management skills, and research team coordination. Facilitation of a participatory action research project differs from others in its emphasis on shared decision-making and ongoing examination of power relationships. The student’s progress was evaluated by using the following methods: a student supervision form, a post-intervention interview with organizational representatives, and the student’s progress journal. Findings indicated growth in the areas of project management (organizational and facilitation skills), research management (teaching research methodology), and research team coordination (support and accommodation). Areas of continued possible growth were also identified. The practicum intervention was evaluated by using the following methods: A Consumer Constructed Empowerment Scale (CCES) was used to measure pre and post-test indicators of consumer researchers’ empowerment (quantitative), consumer skill logbooks, post-intervention interviews with consumer researchers, and post-intervention interviews with organizational representatives. Empowerment was measured at the individual, group, and organizational levels. Qualitative findings indicated increased perceptions of empowerment at all levels. Findings from the CCES indicated positive trends toward empowerment in one subscale, minimal change in four subscales, and a significant change in the overall empowerment score.

Under vuxenlivets tidiga perioder förväntas ungdomar ta sina första självständiga beslut, något som innebär en stor förändring i mångas liv. Unga vuxna med psykisk ohälsa och/eller utanförskap är vid denna tidpunkt ofta i behov av stöd från olika samhällsaktörer. Denna uppsats undersöker hur Tierps kommun har tagit sig an denna utmaning genom att studera Tierpsmodellen 2.0, ett samverkansprojekt mellan ett flertal av stadens samhällsaktörer. Uppsatsen undersöker om (och i sådana fall, hur) deltagarnas upplevelser inom ramen för projektet kan uppfattas i termer av empowerment. Resultaten från fem djupgående intervjuer med deltagare i Tierpsmodellen 2.0 visar att projektet har upplevts som en bidragande faktor till en ökad självkänsla, något som sedan har kommit till uttryck genom en ökad vilja till att skapa ordning i livet. Respondenterna upplever att uttryck för denna empowerment syns i deras nyvunna förmåga till att söka efter sysselsättning men även inom en rad andra livsdimensioner. Bland dessa dimensioner framgår det att deltagarna också har utvecklat empowerment inom aspekter som vardagen, fritiden, hälsan och sociala relationer. Belysandet av empowerment och dess påverkan på flera livsdimensioner hos unga vuxna med psykisk ohälsa och/eller utanförskap utgör ett bidrag till tidigare forskning som mestadels har fokuserat på aspekter som sysselsättning.

This thesis includes two stand-alone articles with the overall purpose of critically exploring experiences related to sport-for-development from the program participants’ perspective on the one hand, and from the practitioners’ perspective on the other. After outlining the research objectives and present a review of literature, theoretical framework, epistemology, methodology, methods, and analysis, the first article focuses on the YLP participants’ experiences with a particular interest on empowerment processes. Specifically, I employed a Critical Youth Empowerment (CYE) framework in relation to youth experiences and larger community involvement with youth programming (Jennings et al., 2006). Photovoice was conducted and supplemented with eleven semi-structured interviews, one focus group and a month-long participant observation. The above-mentioned research was juxtaposed with a second article presenting an autoethnographic account of my own experiences as a practitioner and researcher. My autoethnography mixes theory, methodology, and methods throughout the narrative. My hope was to produce a theoretically rich and reflexive account of the experiences that led me to conceptualize sport-for-development differently. This self-critical piece aims at providing an opportunity for readers to reflect upon and hopefully challenge their own practices, knowledge production, and research orthodoxy.