Contents: Leader empowering behaviour -- Organisational commitment -- Turnover intention -- Work performance -- Productivity / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This thesis was an examination of my own practice in critical literacy teaching for social justice in Language Arts. The intention was to evaluate the effectiveness of a teacher inquiry process in improving social justice based instructional practice. Particularly, developing critical literacy skills with students was a focus. Emphasis was placed on the role of “text analyzer”, who “understands that texts are not neutral, that they represent particular views and perspectives, that other views and perspectives may be missing, and that the design of messages of texts can be critiqued and alternatives considered” (Freebody & Luke, 1990). By examining perspectives and points of view in text, students moved toward understanding agency, oppression and empowerment. Learnings included identifying an operational framework for developing a social justice orientation to teaching and integrating social justice teaching across a variety of curriculum areas.

This thesis was an examination of my own practice in critical literacy teaching for social justice in Language Arts. The intention was to evaluate the effectiveness of a teacher inquiry process in improving social justice based instructional practice. Particularly, developing critical literacy skills with students was a focus. Emphasis was placed on the role of “text analyzer”, who “understands that texts are not neutral, that they represent particular views and perspectives, that other views and perspectives may be missing, and that the design of messages of texts can be critiqued and alternatives considered” (Freebody & Luke, 1990). By examining perspectives and points of view in text, students moved toward understanding agency, oppression and empowerment. Learnings included identifying an operational framework for developing a social justice orientation to teaching and integrating social justice teaching across a variety of curriculum areas.

In response to increasing global economic competition, many companies have undergone dramatic structural changes. To improve the overall flexibility and efficiency of their organizations, many companies have replaced their traditional hierarchical management structure with empowered (semi-autonomous or self-managing) work teams. The purpose of this research is finding the relationship between empowering leader behavior, psychological empowerment, job performance, and job characteristic. In this research empowering leader behavior is independent variables, job performance is dependent variables, the psychological empowerment is a mediator variables, job characteristic is intervening variable. The findings of this thesis can be summarized as follows: 1. Accountability leadership behavior impacts the meaning of psychological positively; Self-Directed Decisions Making leader behavior impacts the Self-Determination of psychological positively. 2. Competence of psychological impacts IRB, OCBI & OCBO; Impact of psychological impacts IRB. 3. Psychological empowerment has not mediating effect between Empowering Leader Behaviors and Performance. 4. Task Variability cause intervention on Competence, Self-determination and OCBI,

After the Mexican-American war, the educational experience of Mexican and Mexican -American students was one of segregation, discrimination, and inequalities. Latina/o histories and funds of knowledge have not been historically part of the classroom curriculum. Although scholars, educators, and social movements have challenged such inequalities, they still persist. Students became objects of the educational process. New theories and educational practices, such as critical pedagogy, have helped empowered students to become aware of their situation and encouraged students to become social agents of change. Literature circles, an educational practice of critical pedagogy, enable educators to provide students with an educational experience where they become the Subjects of their own learning; thus, transforming their educational experiences. / text

The mining industry has been under enormous pressure in the past few years. particularly with issues around production and costs. As far as human capital is concerned. the gold industry has seen a high degree of shrinkage in personnel. In order to be able to cope with the continuous challenges faced by the mining industry, mining organisations need leaders of the highest standards. Due to the challenge of increasing productivity levels, empowerment is required within the gold mining industry. The correct application of empowerment may increase efficiency and effectiveness inside an organisation. Having employees with the appropriate levels of organisational commitment facilitates the change management process and ensures its successful implementation. Organisations value commitment among their employees because it is typically assumed to reduce withdrawal behaviours, such as lateness, absenteeism and turnover. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between leader empowering behaviour, organisational commitment and turnover intention within the mining industry. The research method consists of a literature review and an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect the data. An availability sample (N = 388) was taken from mining employees. The Leader Empowering Behaviour Questionnaire (LEBQ), Affective Organisational Commitment Scale (AOC), Turnover Intention Scale (Tl) and a biographical questionnaire were administered. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of the SPSS program as well as the AMOS program. / Contents: Leader empowering behaviour -- Organisational commitment -- Turnover intention -- Work performance -- Productivity / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007

Vaidos Ivanovaitės magistriniame darbe „Įgalinančių paslaugų rizikos grupės jaunimui kūrimo patirtis“ nagrinėjamos trys pagrindinės, per tiriamųjų patirtį atsiskleidusios, temos: rizikos grupės jaunimas, jį įgalinančios paslaugos, bei įgalinančių paslaugų rizikos grupės jaunimui kūrimo procesas. Tyrimo tikslas yra atskleisti įgalinančių paslaugų rizikos grupės jaunimui kūrimo Lietuvoje patirtį. Taikant fenomenologinį tyrimo metodą, atskleidžiamas kitoks tyrimo dalyvių, asmenų, kuriančių įgalinančias paslaugas rizikos grupės jaunimui, požiūris į rizikos grupės jaunimą. Į jaunimą žvelgiama ne kaip į potencialius socialinio darbo klientus, iš visuomenės iškritusius asmenis, bet kaip į ekspertus, žinančius, kokių paslaugų jiems reikia, kaip į žmones, pajėgius daryti pokyčius savo gyvenime. Darbuotojai, naudodami savo bei aplinkoje esančius išteklius, kuria įgalinančias paslaugas, kurios padėtų mažinti jaunimo rizikos laipsnį, padėtų jaunuoliams tapti pozityviais visuomenės nariais. Paslaugų kūrimas pirmiausia orientuojamas į jaunimo poreikius, yra nuolat kintantis procesas, kaip ir įgalinimas. / There are three main topics analyzed in Vaida‘s Ivanovaite‘s master theses: youth with less opportunities, empowering services and development of empowering services, for youngster at risk. Those topics were uncovered according the experience of the participants of the research. The main aim of the research is the experience of the empowering services development for youngsters with fewer opportunities. A different research participants attitude to the youngsters with less opportunities was uncovered using qualitative research methods. They look at the youngster‘s not as to the potential social workers clients, who are excluded from the society, but as to those who knows which services fits for them the best, and those who are able to make changes in their lives. Workers using the resources of their environment , are developing empowering services, which would increase their possibilities to become a positive members of the society. The development of empowering services is orientated to the needs of the youngsters and is the constantly changing process the same as empowerment itself.

Disertacijoje analizuojamas darbuotojų psichologinis įgalinimas – būsena, apimanti meistrystės (sugebėjimo atlikti darbus) ir energijos, skatinančios atlikti darbus, patyrimą. Šiai būsenai vertinti sudarytas lietuviškas psichologinio įgalinimo klausimynas. Analizuojama, kas yra būdinga darbuotojo psichologinio įgalinimo būsenai, kokioms sąlygoms esant darbuotojai tampa stipriai psichologiškai įgalinti, kokį vaidmenį psichologinis įgalinimas atlieka darbuotojų nuostatoms ir darbinei elgsenai, kokie yra specialistų ir vadovų psichologinio įgalinimo ypatumai. Lietuvoje šis tyrimas yra vienas pirmųjų psichologinio įgalinimo tyrimų. Tyrimo eigoje buvo išanalizuoti bei patvirtinti šie ginamieji teiginiai: a) psichologinio įgalinimo būseną charakterizuoja penkios dimensijos: prasmė, entuziazmas, sprendimų priėmimas, autonomija ir pasitikėjimas kompetencija, b) svarbiausi darbuotojo psichologinį įgalinimą prognozuojantys veiksniai yra įgalinantis tiesioginio vadovo elgesys, organizacijos lygmens veiksniai ir kognityviniai darbo reikalavimai, c) darbuotojai, kurie jaučiasi labiau psichologiškai įgalinti, yra labiau patenkinti darbu, rodo daugiau iniciatyvos, jų darbo atlikimas yra geresnis, d) ir specialistai, ir vadovai jaučiasi labiau psichologiškai įgalinti, jei dirba iššūkius keliantį darbą, kur tenka panaudoti visas turimas žinias ir įgyti naujų. / Psychological empowerment of employees (state of mastery and energy to do one‘s job) is analyzed in this dissertational research. In order to evaluate this state a Lithuanian psychological empowerment questionnaire was created. The characteristics of psychological empowerment, the antecedents of psychological empowerment, the role of psychological empowerment, and the characteristics of managers’ and specialists’ psychological empowerment were analyzed. This research is one of few pioneering studies of psychological empowerment in Lithuania. While implementing the dissertational research, main statements to be defended were explored and confirmed as well: i) the state of psychological empowerment is characterized by five dimensions: meaning, enthusiasm, decision making, autonomy, and confidence in one’s competence, ii) empowering leader behavior, structural empowerment, and cognitive job demands are the main antecedents of psychological empowerment, iii) state of psychological empowerment predicts greater job satisfaction, job performance, and demonstrating effort at work, iv) both managers’ and specialists’ psychological empowerment is predicted by challenging work, that is ability to use current and gain new skills.

Disertacijoje analizuojamas darbuotojų psichologinis įgalinimas – būsena, apimanti meistrystės (sugebėjimo atlikti darbus) ir energijos, skatinančios atlikti darbus, patyrimą. Šiai būsenai vertinti sudarytas lietuviškas psichologinio įgalinimo klausimynas. Analizuojama, kas yra būdinga darbuotojo psichologinio įgalinimo būsenai, kokioms sąlygoms esant darbuotojai tampa stipriai psichologiškai įgalinti, kokį vaidmenį psichologinis įgalinimas atlieka darbuotojų nuostatoms ir darbinei elgsenai, kokie yra specialistų ir vadovų psichologinio įgalinimo ypatumai. Lietuvoje šis tyrimas yra vienas pirmųjų psichologinio įgalinimo tyrimų. Tyrimo eigoje buvo išanalizuoti bei patvirtinti šie ginamieji teiginiai: a) psichologinio įgalinimo būseną charakterizuoja penkios dimensijos: prasmė, entuziazmas, sprendimų priėmimas, autonomija ir pasitikėjimas kompetencija, b) svarbiausi darbuotojo psichologinį įgalinimą prognozuojantys veiksniai yra įgalinantis tiesioginio vadovo elgesys, organizacijos lygmens veiksniai ir kognityviniai darbo reikalavimai, c) darbuotojai, kurie jaučiasi labiau psichologiškai įgalinti, yra labiau patenkinti darbu, rodo daugiau iniciatyvos, jų darbo atlikimas yra geresnis, d) ir specialistai, ir vadovai jaučiasi labiau psichologiškai įgalinti, jei dirba iššūkius keliantį darbą, kur tenka panaudoti visas turimas žinias ir įgyti naujų. / Psychological empowerment of employees (state of mastery and energy to do one‘s job) is analyzed in this dissertational research. In order to evaluate this state a Lithuanian psychological empowerment questionnaire was created. The characteristics of psychological empowerment, the antecedents of psychological empowerment, the role of psychological empowerment, and the characteristics of managers’ and specialists’ psychological empowerment were analyzed. This research is one of few pioneering studies of psychological empowerment in Lithuania. While implementing the dissertational research, main statements to be defended were explored and confirmed as well: i) the state of psychological empowerment is characterized by five dimensions: meaning, enthusiasm, decision making, autonomy, and confidence in one’s competence, ii) empowering leader behavior, structural empowerment, and cognitive job demands are the main antecedents of psychological empowerment, iii) state of psychological empowerment predicts greater job satisfaction, job performance, and demonstrating effort at work, iv) both managers’ and specialists’ psychological empowerment is predicted by challenging work, that is ability to use current and gain new skills.

The mining industry has been under enormous pressure in the past few years. particularly with issues around production and costs. As far as human capital is concerned. the gold industry has seen a high degree of shrinkage in personnel. In order to be able to cope with the continuous challenges faced by the mining industry, mining organisations need leaders of the highest standards. Due to the challenge of increasing productivity levels, empowerment is required within the gold mining industry. The correct application of empowerment may increase efficiency and effectiveness inside an organisation. Having employees with the appropriate levels of organisational commitment facilitates the change management process and ensures its successful implementation. Organisations value commitment among their employees because it is typically assumed to reduce withdrawal behaviours, such as lateness, absenteeism and turnover. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between leader empowering behaviour, organisational commitment and turnover intention within the mining industry. The research method consists of a literature review and an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect the data. An availability sample (N = 388) was taken from mining employees. The Leader Empowering Behaviour Questionnaire (LEBQ), Affective Organisational Commitment Scale (AOC), Turnover Intention Scale (Tl) and a biographical questionnaire were administered. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of the SPSS program as well as the AMOS program. / Contents: Leader empowering behaviour -- Organisational commitment -- Turnover intention -- Work performance -- Productivity / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007