The study analyses the value of freedom in literature and the questions of literary engagement in J.-P. Satre’s book Words. In this work the elations between the concept of existential freedom and “obligation” to act, to continuously complete the culture. The individual is free and he/she is identical to self when chooses (“form”) his/her essential traits, creates his/her future, but at the same time he/she represents certain order and relation to the surrounding environment. “Engagement” is related to the necessity to express clearly perceptible and enlightened things in consciousness in literature (especially in prose). The theoretical analysis of the work are the principles of existential outlook formed in J.-P. Satre's philosophy and his essay “What is Literature?”. Words is existentially open work. The freedom and engagement of literature can be interpreted in many ways. The depth of text’s meaning is great. Epic, psychological and symbolic codes hide one below another. The main problem lines can be seen in the autobiographical plot. Engagement directs us to the source and freedom and its form: the individual’s formation. The respective plot attempts to tell the reader “something” what could not be named in the narrative time, but constantly emerged in later periods of life. Childhood (adolescence) experience is in consciousness images and recollections which are independent from will and desires. The child’s world in Words is the world of people close to the narrator... [to full text]

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Higher education institutions are continuously called upon by society to prepare students to be engaged citizens. Leadership is a core component to an individual being an actively engaged citizen. How do college students learn and develop leadership skills? How do college students learn and become civically engaged during their collegiate years? The purpose of this study was to identify campus environmental factors perceived to influence student leadership development and civic engagement that resulted in students’ perceived capacity to create positive social change. The study was conducted at a public four-year comprehensive higher education institution regionally located in the south central region of the United States. This qualitative study examined undergraduate students’ perceptions of personal leadership, influences on personal leadership development, and experiences with leadership and civic engagement. Following a naturalistic qualitative research method, interviews were conducted with ten undergraduate participants. Hoy and Miskel (2001) higher education organizations social system model and A Social Change Model of Leadership Development by the Higher Education Research Institute (1996) was used as conceptual frameworks for the study. The researcher determined from participant responses that peer and mentor relationships, community identity, personal identity, and democratic experiences were key environmental factors influencing student leadership development and civic engagement. Collegiate relationships with peers and faculty/staff mentors were a primary influential factor to participants’ university experiences resulting in their perceived knowledge of leadership and value for civic engagement. Identity as a campus community member and local community member was an environmental factor influencing participants’ commitment to civic engagement. Participants who were engaged in their personal cultural heritage articulated a deeper understanding of leadership and had a greater commitment to engaging with ethnically diverse populations. Participants who experienced the tenants of Democratic values in their academic and co-curricular experiences had a deeper sense of empowerment to create positive social change. The conclusions drawn from the researcher’s findings indicate the depth to which campus environmental factors influence student leadership development and civic engagement result in the level students’ build their leadership knowledge and capacity. The intent of the study was to gain an understanding of a campus environment through the constructed reality of individuals within the environment in order to determine factors that can be enhanced to improve leadership development and civic engagement.

The aim of this research was to explore the mechanisms involved for engaging Māori whānau in their child’s education during a key transitional period. This objective was achieved through conducting semi-structured interviews with five Māori parents of year nine and ten students from two suburban high schools in Christchurch, New Zealand. Through framing the research within kaupapa Māori methodology and employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, four superordinate themes were identified: Rangatiratanga (advocacy, leadership and commitment); Kotahitanga (working together with whānau); Whanaungatanga (maintaining connections with whānau); and Manaakitanga (caring for Māori students’ learning and potential). These findings closely align with a Māori worldview (Ritchie, 1992), and Macfarlane’s educultural wheel (2004). They have the potential to inform school policy and facilitate engagement with whānau as well as positively impact on Māori student achievement.

One of the most valuable assets in any organisation is the employees, although a small percent of employees in organisations are truly motivated and energised. It is essential for organisations to look into the engagement of its employees. This mini-dissertation focuses on a comparative study of the occupational wellness between lecturers and the technical IT support staff of an academic institution of the North West province in South Africa. The objectives were to determine and compare the engagement of employees in the categories mentioned above. Thereafter a comparison was made with specific aspects of the work and work environment. Literary research was done in order to discuss and conceptualise terms such as wellness and health, occupational stress and occupational wellness. Thereafter the burnout and engagement concepts were discussed. Empirical research was done by using questionnaires that were disseminated among the two different employee groups identified for the study. Firstly, the Work and Well-being questionnaire was used to determine the work engagement levels of the different groups. This questionnaire focussed on the vigour, absorption and dedication dimensions of the study sample. In this survey the reliability indicated that all the dimensions of engagement were accepted and that employees of the IT support staff group have an overall higher level of work engagement than the lecturer group. Secondly, the Job Resources questionnaire was used to evaluate how specific aspects of the work and work environment are experienced by both IT personnel and lecturing personnel. Results gained from the Cronbach‟s alpha coefficient method indicated that the questionnaire regarding factors like emotional overload, achievement, collegiality, supervision, information regarding performance and satisfaction with pay were indicated as reliable and accurate. The results from the Job Resources questionnaire indicated that emotional overload and feelings of achievement in the work environment is higher in the IT group than for lecturers. The rest of the factors tested were significantly equal for both groups. The final chapter takes the information from the previous chapters to reach a conclusion. The key finding was that the IT sample has a higher level of absorption and dedication of engagement than the lecturer sample. Secondly, the findings were that the emotional overload and achievement for the sample population is higher for the IT staff than the lecturing staff. The collegiality, supervision, information regarding performance and satisfaction with pay were at the same level for both the IT group and lecturer group. Limitations were identified along with recommendations to the organisation and future research possibilities. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010

The environment in which medical practitioners in South Africa and elsewhere in the world currently function demands more of them than did any previous period. Medical practitioners have to cope with the demands that arise from fulfilling various roles - often with limited resources. Tracking and addressing their effectiveness in coping with new demands and stimulating their growth in areas that could possibly impact on individual well-being and organisational efficiency and effectiveness are therefore crucial. Burnout and engagement of medical practitioners are specific focus areas for research and intervention in this regard. The objectives of this study were to conceptualise burnout and engagement from the literature and to determine the association between job stress, burnout and engagement. A survey design was used to reach the research objectives. The specific design is the cross-sectional design, whereby a sample of medical practitioners was drawn from a population at one time. An accidental sample (n = 68) was taken from medical practitioners in South Africa. Three questionnaires were used in this study, namely the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Job Stress Indicator (JSS). Descriptive and multivariate statistics were used to analyse the data. Effect sizes were used to determine the significance of findings. The results showed that there is a correlation between vigour and personal accomplishment. The medical practitioners tested proved to be absorbed in their work and have high levels of vigour. It shows that stress because of a lack of resources and high job demands leads to emotional exhaustion. Medical practitioners who do not have relevant resources seem to become negative, callous and cynical. It also concluded that if medical practitioners do not have relevant resources and high job demands, the results can be lower energy levels and a lack of enthusiasm, inspiration and pride in their work. There was a practically significant relationship between burnout and engagement. Recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

In order to survive and to prosper in a continuously changing environment, organisations need energetic and motivated employees, i.e. employees who are psychologically well. Burnout and work engagement are important focus areas for research regarding the wellness of employees. In order to ensure work wellness (i.e. low burnout and high work engagement), it is necessary to assess the current level thereof. This assessment should be done on an individual level, and scores should also be aggregated to study patterns in specific occupations, sections, units, and organisations. However, before the levels of wellness can be assessed, a valid and reliable measuring instrument is needed. The objectives of the study were to to investigate the construct validity and reliability of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for train drivers, and to test assess the relationship between burnout and work engagement. A cross-sectional survey design was used, whereby a sample (JV= 332) was drawn from train drivers in Spoornet. The measuring instruments utilised in this study were The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Cognitive Weariness Scale (CWS). Principal components extraction was used prior to principal factor extraction to estimate the number of factors, presence of outliers and factorability of correlation matrices. Structural equation modelling was used to test the relationship between the constructs. The results showed that burnout consisted of four factors, namely Exhaustion, Cognitive Weariness, Professional Efficacy and Cynicism. Work Engagement showed a one-factor structure. Structural equation modelling showed that work wellness consists of two factors, namely energy (including Exhaustion, Cognitive Weariness, and Cynicism), and motivation (Work Engagement and Professional Efficacy). The results also showed that Exhaustion is practically significantly and positively related to Cynicism (large effect) and Cognitive Weariness (medium effect). Exhaustion is also practically significantly and negatively related to Work Engagement (large effect) and Professional Efficacy (medium effect). Cynicism is practically significantly and positively related to Cognitive Weariness (medium effect) and negatively related to Work Engagement (larger effect) and Professional Efficacy (medium effect). Work Engagement is practically significantly and positively related to Professional Efficacy (large effect). The sten scores of the train drivers were low average on Exhaustion (4,02) and on Cynicism (4,38%). The sten scores were above average on Vigour (7,48%) and on Dedication (7,96%). About 52,l%o of the train drivers reported low on Exhaustion and 42,5% reported low on Cynicism. As as far as Vigour and Dedication are concerned, 57% showed high scores on Vigour and 63,9% of train drivers showed high scores on dedication. The structure of well-being was equivalent for Afrikaans and African language groups. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Small archives are essential for understanding the historical context of social groups and geographic communities by those who live in them or study them. Using a multiple case study of eight archives serving in Nova Scotia, this study delves into the factors that influence the sustainability of these institutions and employs qualitative methodologies of expert interviews and an online questionnaire. These case studies show that sustainability can be strengthened through the support of their socio-geographic, religious, or ethno-cultural communities, strong leadership able to make strategic alliances with neighboring community institutions, and continued professional relationships with regional archival councils and national associations.

Nous observons depuis plusieurs décennies, un désintérêt généralisé pour la politique, qui est particulièrement marqué chez les jeunes (Bakker & de Vreese, 2011; Pasek, Kenski, Romer & Jamieson, 2006; Putnam, 2000; Yang, 2009) et qui se traduit, dans le contexte canadien, notamment par la diminution du taux de participation aux élections canadiennes (Hudon, Poirier & Yates, 2008; Statistique Canada, 2011). Notre recherche s’inscrit dans un cadre théorique soutenant que les industries culturelles tendent à détourner les citoyens des enjeux civiques et politiques qu’exige toute vie en société. En effet, il est permis de penser que les émissions de téléréalité, comme formes relativement nouvelles d’industries culturelles, du moins dans leur composante interactive (Dupont, 2007a; Ruel, 2008), sont au cœur de la problématique du désintérêt marqué des jeunes pour la vie politique, désintérêt qui se traduit par un désengagement. La réflexion est d’autant plus pertinente que certaines émissions de téléréalité sous-tendent justement des modèles de participation (par vote), et ce sont précisément ces dernières qui seront ciblées dans le cadre de cette recherche. Ce faisant, le but de la présente recherche est de déterminer s’il existe un lien de concomitance entre la fréquence de consommation des émissions de téléréalité (exigeant un mode de participation) et le désengagement politique des jeunes universitaires, âgés de 18 à 29 ans. Pour ce faire, nous avons procédé par voie de questionnaires auto-administrés à des étudiants universitaires, sélectionnés de manière aléatoire (par grappes). Un total de 138 participants ont complété le questionnaire et les résultats d’analyses statistiques révèlent que le désengagement politique chez les universitaires n’est pas significativement lié à leur consommation d’émissions de téléréalité, mais, par exemple, que le champ d’étude est lié à l’aspect des conversations politiques. Ces résultats sont discutés dans leur implication pratique comme théorique.

In order to survive and to prosper in a continuously changing environment, organisations need energetic and motivated employees, i.e. employees who are psychologically well. Burnout and work engagement are important focus areas for research regarding the wellness of employees. In order to ensure work wellness (i.e. low burnout and high work engagement), it is necessary to assess the current level thereof. This assessment should be done on an individual level, and scores should also be aggregated to study patterns in specific occupations, sections, units, and organisations. However, before the levels of wellness can be assessed, a valid and reliable measuring instrument is needed. The objectives of the study were to to investigate the construct validity and reliability of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for train drivers, and to test assess the relationship between burnout and work engagement. A cross-sectional survey design was used, whereby a sample (JV= 332) was drawn from train drivers in Spoornet. The measuring instruments utilised in this study were The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Cognitive Weariness Scale (CWS). Principal components extraction was used prior to principal factor extraction to estimate the number of factors, presence of outliers and factorability of correlation matrices. Structural equation modelling was used to test the relationship between the constructs. The results showed that burnout consisted of four factors, namely Exhaustion, Cognitive Weariness, Professional Efficacy and Cynicism. Work Engagement showed a one-factor structure. Structural equation modelling showed that work wellness consists of two factors, namely energy (including Exhaustion, Cognitive Weariness, and Cynicism), and motivation (Work Engagement and Professional Efficacy). The results also showed that Exhaustion is practically significantly and positively related to Cynicism (large effect) and Cognitive Weariness (medium effect). Exhaustion is also practically significantly and negatively related to Work Engagement (large effect) and Professional Efficacy (medium effect). Cynicism is practically significantly and positively related to Cognitive Weariness (medium effect) and negatively related to Work Engagement (larger effect) and Professional Efficacy (medium effect). Work Engagement is practically significantly and positively related to Professional Efficacy (large effect). The sten scores of the train drivers were low average on Exhaustion (4,02) and on Cynicism (4,38%). The sten scores were above average on Vigour (7,48%) and on Dedication (7,96%). About 52,l%o of the train drivers reported low on Exhaustion and 42,5% reported low on Cynicism. As as far as Vigour and Dedication are concerned, 57% showed high scores on Vigour and 63,9% of train drivers showed high scores on dedication. The structure of well-being was equivalent for Afrikaans and African language groups. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.