Beginner principals in South Africa and internationally are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the demands set to them. Inadequate preparation and support are the causes that many beginner principals cannot meet the challenges. The beginner school principal has to cope with the diversity in schools, socio-economic differences, language and discipline problems as well as departmental issues. Too many learners in a class, over-aged learners still at school and a lack of resources are part of the challenges of the beginner school principal. This study focused on the type of support beginner principals require, their opinions regarding mentorship as supportive tool, and their views on the characteristics and qualities of an effective mentorship programme. As a result of the interviews, beginner school principals admit that an academic qualification is not enough to support them. Furthermore they also claim that the support from the Department of Basic Education is inadequate. An experienced or even a retired principal as mentor will address the demands and challenges in an on-going nature and will be more suited to support them. Therefore the main question will be: How will effective mentorship support beginner school principals? A qualitative research approach within an interpretivistic paradigm was followed during the investigation. By applying purposive sampling, ten principals from different cultural and racial background were identified as participants. Data was collected from principals by means of individual interviews and two observations per principal. The discourse analysis that followed indicated that beginner principals find areas such as management skills, legal issues, human relations, communication and departmental instructions, the most difficult areas to manage. What emerged and came to the fore was a need for a mentor to support them in specific areas. A mentorship programme, that focuses on these areas, with clear guidelines containing theoretical and practical components, was developed as a result of the research. / Thesis (MEd (Education Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Beginner principals in South Africa and internationally are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the demands set to them. Inadequate preparation and support are the causes that many beginner principals cannot meet the challenges. The beginner school principal has to cope with the diversity in schools, socio-economic differences, language and discipline problems as well as departmental issues. Too many learners in a class, over-aged learners still at school and a lack of resources are part of the challenges of the beginner school principal. This study focused on the type of support beginner principals require, their opinions regarding mentorship as supportive tool, and their views on the characteristics and qualities of an effective mentorship programme. As a result of the interviews, beginner school principals admit that an academic qualification is not enough to support them. Furthermore they also claim that the support from the Department of Basic Education is inadequate. An experienced or even a retired principal as mentor will address the demands and challenges in an on-going nature and will be more suited to support them. Therefore the main question will be: How will effective mentorship support beginner school principals? A qualitative research approach within an interpretivistic paradigm was followed during the investigation. By applying purposive sampling, ten principals from different cultural and racial background were identified as participants. Data was collected from principals by means of individual interviews and two observations per principal. The discourse analysis that followed indicated that beginner principals find areas such as management skills, legal issues, human relations, communication and departmental instructions, the most difficult areas to manage. What emerged and came to the fore was a need for a mentor to support them in specific areas. A mentorship programme, that focuses on these areas, with clear guidelines containing theoretical and practical components, was developed as a result of the research. / Thesis (MEd (Education Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

In terms of section 186(1)(e) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 constructive dismissal occurs where an employee terminated a contract of employment with or without notice because the employer made continued employment intolerable. Work stress is becoming more and more imminent in the workplace. Some employees feel that the amount of work stress also makes their continued employment intolerable, and then they claim constructive dismissal. This raises the question whether the courts should apply the same tests they apply in constructive dismissal cases as well as in cases where the employee resigns because of work stress. But, if the same tests that are used to determine if there has been a constructive dismissal are used in a case where an employee resigns because of work stress, a real danger exists because then it can lead to the misuse of a claim of constructive dismissal by employees who cannot handle a minimum amount of work stress. Over the years the courts have indicated that they apply an objective test in cases of constructive dismissal. This leads to the argument whether subjectivity should play a role, and whether one should look at the subjective perspective of both the employer and the employee. This research looks at numerous court decisions, from both the South African legal system as well as the United Kingdom legal system, in order to determine which tests the South African courts need to apply when they are confronted with a constructive dismissal claim where the employee resigned due to work stress. Constructive dismissal – resignation – work stress – stress due to an excessive workload – work stress and employee wellness – stress based claims. / Thesis (LL.M. (Labour Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

In terms of section 186(1)(e) of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 constructive dismissal occurs where an employee terminated a contract of employment with or without notice because the employer made continued employment intolerable. Work stress is becoming more and more imminent in the workplace. Some employees feel that the amount of work stress also makes their continued employment intolerable, and then they claim constructive dismissal. This raises the question whether the courts should apply the same tests they apply in constructive dismissal cases as well as in cases where the employee resigns because of work stress. But, if the same tests that are used to determine if there has been a constructive dismissal are used in a case where an employee resigns because of work stress, a real danger exists because then it can lead to the misuse of a claim of constructive dismissal by employees who cannot handle a minimum amount of work stress. Over the years the courts have indicated that they apply an objective test in cases of constructive dismissal. This leads to the argument whether subjectivity should play a role, and whether one should look at the subjective perspective of both the employer and the employee. This research looks at numerous court decisions, from both the South African legal system as well as the United Kingdom legal system, in order to determine which tests the South African courts need to apply when they are confronted with a constructive dismissal claim where the employee resigned due to work stress. Constructive dismissal – resignation – work stress – stress due to an excessive workload – work stress and employee wellness – stress based claims. / Thesis (LL.M. (Labour Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

Emotional home demands, cognitive home demands, home pressure, development possibilities, autonomy, social support, nonwork–work interference, spouse–work interference, parent–work interference, religion/spiritual–work interference, domestic–work interference, health, exhaustion, cognitive weariness, life satisfaction, dual earner parents Dual earner parents have become the norm in today’s workplace (Weigel, Weigel, Berger, Cook, & Delcampo, 1995). Dual earner parents face many challenging roles that they have to try to balance; these include being a parent, spouse, employee, being involved in religious practices and juggling domestic responsibilities. According to Duxbury and Higgins (1991), it is very difficult for such parents to balance their various roles and multiple demands. All these challenging demands (home characteristics) can cause nonwork–interference which can, in turn, lead to well–being problems (Magnus & Viswesvaran, 2005). The general objective of this study is to investigate the home characteristics, nonwork–work interference and well–being of a sample of dual earner parents. A convenience sample of dual earner parents (N=207) was taken in the Vaal Triangle area in Gauteng. The following scales was used within this study: the Home Demands Scale (Peeters et al., 2005), Home Resources Scale (Demerouti et al., 2010); the Work–nonwork Interference Scale (Koekemoer, Mostert, & Rothmann, 2010); the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) (Goldberg, & Williams, 1988); and the OLBI (Oldenburg Burnout Inventory) Scale measuring exhaustion, Cognitive weariness (Van Horn et al., 2004); and life satisfaction (Diener et al., 1985). Descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, product moment correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data. The results indicated that emotional home demands and lack of autonomy significantly predict physical ill health; emotional home demands and spouse–work interference significantly predict anxiety; and emotional home demands significantly predict depression. Gender, home pressure, developmental possibilities and parent–work interference were, in turn, significant predictors of exhaustion. Recommendations were made for future research and also, on a more practical level, for dual earner parents. One of the recommendations is that one needs to investigate the possible cross–over and spillover effects of work–nonwork interference between wives and husbands. Another is to investigate the positive side of work–nonwork interference. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Emotional home demands, cognitive home demands, home pressure, development possibilities, autonomy, social support, nonwork–work interference, spouse–work interference, parent–work interference, religion/spiritual–work interference, domestic–work interference, health, exhaustion, cognitive weariness, life satisfaction, dual earner parents Dual earner parents have become the norm in today’s workplace (Weigel, Weigel, Berger, Cook, & Delcampo, 1995). Dual earner parents face many challenging roles that they have to try to balance; these include being a parent, spouse, employee, being involved in religious practices and juggling domestic responsibilities. According to Duxbury and Higgins (1991), it is very difficult for such parents to balance their various roles and multiple demands. All these challenging demands (home characteristics) can cause nonwork–interference which can, in turn, lead to well–being problems (Magnus & Viswesvaran, 2005). The general objective of this study is to investigate the home characteristics, nonwork–work interference and well–being of a sample of dual earner parents. A convenience sample of dual earner parents (N=207) was taken in the Vaal Triangle area in Gauteng. The following scales was used within this study: the Home Demands Scale (Peeters et al., 2005), Home Resources Scale (Demerouti et al., 2010); the Work–nonwork Interference Scale (Koekemoer, Mostert, & Rothmann, 2010); the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) (Goldberg, & Williams, 1988); and the OLBI (Oldenburg Burnout Inventory) Scale measuring exhaustion, Cognitive weariness (Van Horn et al., 2004); and life satisfaction (Diener et al., 1985). Descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, product moment correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data. The results indicated that emotional home demands and lack of autonomy significantly predict physical ill health; emotional home demands and spouse–work interference significantly predict anxiety; and emotional home demands significantly predict depression. Gender, home pressure, developmental possibilities and parent–work interference were, in turn, significant predictors of exhaustion. Recommendations were made for future research and also, on a more practical level, for dual earner parents. One of the recommendations is that one needs to investigate the possible cross–over and spillover effects of work–nonwork interference between wives and husbands. Another is to investigate the positive side of work–nonwork interference. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.