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Social and business culture are integrated constructs that determine how organisations function as a subsystem of the larger society in which it provides outputs or services (Katz & Kahn, 1978). In South Africa most organisations, including Mining organisations, are still conceptualised and structured in a Western/Eurocentric mould (Van der Wal & Ramotsehoa, 2001). The culture of organisations is dominated by these values (Du Plessis, 2012) and the fact that the largest proportion of the population/workforce is neither European nor American, but African, is largely ignored (Xiaoxing et al., 2008). In practice many employees cannot relate to these values and little congruence exists between organisational values and goals, and those of the general workforce (Du Plessis, 2012). Values are at the heart of culture and influence most, if not all motivated behaviour (Schwartz, 2006). Individuals function across multiple domains and over time to construct life stories that both shape and reflect the social structures of which they are part or have been part of during their life course (Kohn, 1989). The context of an individualâs life course facilitates values acquisition, which enables individuals to function in organisations where work occurs in lower or higher degrees of complexity, people communicate, and have access to each other, informed by the business/functional objectives of the organisation to perform a pattern of activities at incoherent levels of complexity, separated into a serious of steps or levels of work called organisational hierarchy. Using a non-experimental design and a convenience sampling approach to collect data, the data was analysed employing a broad scope of descriptive and inferential statistics, including Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Multi-dimensional Scaling. The existing theory on values as formulated by Schwartz was utilised to study value priorities at the various levels of work in the South African Mining Industry. The non-parametric analyses provided clear indication that significant differences in value priorities do exist between the various levels of work. Multiple independent variables, levels of work, required an extension of the non-parametric analyses to investigate the movement in the values priorities of the levels of work. These analyses assisted to confirm the hypotheses, but also provided an understanding of why the value priorities changed for the various levels of work.

Bibliography: leaves 135-145. / This research explored the relationship between fairness at work and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB). Fairness was measured using instruments representative of five constructs: trust, perceived organisational support, leader-memebr exchange procedural fairness and distributive justice. The blue-collar employees in the sample (N = 92), employed at a national retail organisation, were involved in exploratory initial focus groups which were followed by the distribution of a Likert-type survey. OCB was found to be a multidimensional construct consisting of six factors: courtesy, sportsmanship, civic virtue, altruism, consideration and attendence.

Bibliography: pages 224-231. / The purpose of this study was to develop a performance appraisal system for truck drivers in a wine manufacturing organization. One of the objectives of the system developed, was to improve the performance of the truck drivers. The sample involved in this study consisted of 80 truck drivers and six transport foremen. A preliminary study was done to determine the satisfaction of the drivers with the previous appraisal system. A need for a new performance appraisal system was established and it was therefore decided to develop a new performance appraisal system for the truck drivers in the Transport Department of the organization. A literature review indicated that the most suitable appraisal system for this specific situation was the behavioural observation scale (BOS). A job analysis of the truck driver's job was done, critical incidents were collected and behavioural dimensions were defined. This resulted in the final behavioural observation scale consisting of 37 behavioural items. The reliability of the appraisal instrument determined by Cronbach's coefficient alpha, was .98. An effort was made to achieve both content and face validity for the BOS. To determine whether the performance of the truck drivers did increase as a result of the new appraisal system, an experimental and control group were defined. Their performance was appraised three times at three-monthly intervals with the BOS. The experimental group received feedback on its performance, which included setting goals to be achieved by the next appraisal. The drivers in the control group were unaware of the fact that their performance was being appraised. To determine whether the performance of the drivers in the experimental group had improved, planned comparisons were done. There was a substantial improvement in performance amongst the experimental group, whilst the control group's performance remained unchanged. It was concluded that the intervention was successful. The use of a behavioural approach to performance linked with adequate feedback made a major contribution to the efficiency of these truck drivers as well as to their interaction with their supervisors, the transport foremen.

Thesis (MPhil (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The fact that patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) default scheduled drug pick-ups and clinic visits requires attention, because the long-term effect is non-adherence to prescribed regimens and the development of drug resistance, as indicated in the report of the Fourteenth Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections held in November 2007 in Los Angeles. A cross-sectional survey and observational qualitative study was done to identify key factors associated with the fact that patients on antiretroviral therapy fail to pick up drugs and keep scheduled clinic appointments, with a view to suggesting intervention measures. The study focused on Murchison Hospital in Ugu District, Kwa Zulu Natal Province. Data were collected from patient records, telephonic interviews with patients, or patients’ caregivers, treatment supporters and family members of a patient who did not return for follow-up at the clinic, as well as from face-to-face interviews with healthcare workers to understand the reason for default. Observation checklists were used to collect data from systems, structures and processes used in services provision. Thereafter data were analyzed through the various stages of coding and writing up of notes and reported. Of 638 defaulters identified, 205 were contactable, and only 95 patients were reached. The key factors associated with default identified were death (49.5%) and logistics and cost (15%). Other additional factors were travel and migration, religious beliefs, hospitalization, side effects, work schedules and commitments, imprisonment and visiting private practices. Poor relationships with healthcare workers, patients’ financial difficulties and termination of disability grants added to the problem.

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Variable remuneration is an integral part of the management process, utilised to motivate participants to achieve business objectives. Many employers are actively seeking ways of increasing the value of variable remuneration in the employment process for the perceived benefits it would have for the business and participants. Over the past decade variable remuneration has become a significant component of the employment offer that contributes to the attraction and retention of highly sought-after employees. It has grown in importance, but simultaneously has also become a major employment cost. In the absence of a validated generic methodology, the variable remuneration methodologies applied by employers are intuitive and most often lack any scientific basis. The purpose of the study was to design and validate a variable remuneration methodology that will allow managers, or scheme designers, to develop variable remuneration schemes that will be able to deliver outcomes that would be attributable to the variable remuneration scheme and not to factors outside the control of the scheme participants or within the greater organisational context. Based on a literature survey covering three bodies of knowledge; motivational theory, variable remuneration concepts, and the variable remuneration life cycle, propositions regarding variable remuneration were formulated. These propositions were converted into 99 items making up a questionnaire dealing with variable remuneration constructs. The questionnaire was applied to thirty different types of variable remuneration schemes in a bank assurance group. Six hundred and thirty two scheme participants completed the questionnaire that assessed the thirty schemes. Independently from the scheme assessments, scheme owners and/or designers evaluated scheme outcomes. First and second order factor analyses were performed on the variable remuneration scheme questionnaire that produced three adequately determined factors. The factors had highly acceptable internal reliabilities. These factors were: Congruency, Instrumentality and Performing. The respective relationships between the Independent Variables: Congruency, Instrumentality and Performing, the Moderator Variables: Scheme Type and Job Level and the Independent Variable: Scheme Outcome, were investigated by means of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), Analysis of Co-Variance (ANCOVA) as well as Multiple Regression Analysis. An empirically determined generic variable remuneration methodology was arrived at, consisting of three constructs and eleven dimensions, which explained 34,5% of the variance of variable remuneration scheme outcomes and is depicted in the figure below. / Prof. Theo Veldsman Prof. Gert Roodt

The notion of leadership has taxed the minds of philosophers, politicians, the military, religious thinkers and business for thousands of years. It is recognised that those who have the ability to influence the hearts, minds and behaviours of people, hold uncommon power and have the ability to change history. Generations in different parts of the world face different challenges which demand profound leadership; South Africa is no exception (Meyer & Boninelli, 2004). Despite the volume of literature that exists, clarity and understanding of leadership has not always followed and leadership, as a concept, continues to present major challenges to • practitioners and researchers. In particular: there are almost as many different definitions of leadership as there are people who have tried to define it; there are a number of theories that attempt to explain the nature of leadership; some of these theories achieve this by explaining leadership in terms of basic events or processes (psychological reductionism); each of the theories possess a different focus (leadership as a 'property' , leadership as a ' process' or leadership as a combination of 'property' and 'process' elements); many of the leadership theories have been developed and tested using specific population samples (American/European) and, as the requirements of leaders change to meet evolving business demands, so new concepts and theories emerge thereby creating additional confusion around which theory offers the best understanding. In addition to the challenges associated with leadership literature, a further challenge relates to the link between leadership theory, reality and the extent to which the theories adequately reflect leadership in practice. The aim of the research study is to address these challenges by: reviewing the leadership literature available and extracting the patterns that emerge with regards to effective leadership; determining what effective leadership looks like in a South African context by examining the perceptions, experiences and practices of effective South African leadership and investigating the extent to which the theoretical patterns identified reflect effective leadership practices in South African organisations. With regards to the findings, a number of patterns emerged from the literature review. In addition, a number of key leadership themes emerged from the discussions with the sample group. Themes such as Driving Results, Strategic Thinking, Leading Others and Delivering through People emerged as key capabilities that define effective leadership within a South African context. In reviewing the findings, the perceptions, experiences and practices of South African leadership appears to support the theoretical patterns identified, thereby suggesting that American and European leadership literature can be applied and does reflect effective leadership practices within a South African context. The implications of this include: these theories can be utilised to identify, develop and implement development interventions aimed at maximising leadership capability and effective leadership in the US/Europe appears to be the same as effective leadership in South Africa. In addition, the findings suggest that South African organisations (like their US/European counterparts) have responded to changes in traditional operating models (as a result of growing urbanisation; the explosion in information and communication technologies; the emergence of 'e-commerce' and increasing globalisation and consolidation of businesses) and the subsequent shift in leadership requirements, by producing leaders who are demonstrating the same skills, behaviours and capabilities associated with US/European leadership. The implication of this is that, despite the social, political and economic conditions that marred the South African landscape pre-1994 (the legacy of apartheid and the impact of industrial action, sanctions and international isolation), leadership within South Africa has, over the past 10 years, managed to transcend these environmental factors and evolve in the same manner as leadership in other parts of the world. With regard to these findings, it is important, however, to recognise that the size of the sample (10) and the organisations represented in this study (established corporate organisations employing over 500 hundred employees) may limit the extent to which the leadership capabilities identified offer a true reflection of South African leadership. Research with a larger sample and wider organisation representation (e.g. the small to medium enterprise sector. start up businesses, entrepreneurial enterprises) would allow a more comprehensive list of effective leadership skills and behaviours to be identified and thereby provide a more accurate reflection of South African leadership. In addition, it may lead to the identification of different leadership capabilities which do not match the patterns to emerge from the literature. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

<p> Openness to experience is one of the least useful personality predictors in the workplace. The present study tested the notion that openness to experience would be a more effective predictor of tenure and turnover intention if openness to experience was separated into two sub-factors. We used a total sample size of, <i>N</i> = 96, participants, which was analyzed both as a whole and separately, segmented by students (<i>n</i> = 51) and working adults (<i>n</i> = 45). </p><p> The present study was unable to show that the sub-factors of openness to experience were more effective predictors of turnover intention and tenure. Implications of the evidence in the present study are discussed with the conclusion that openness to experience, at the factor and the sub-factor levels, is a weak predictor in the workplace.</p>

<p> Law enforcement agencies face the difficult task of identifying suitable individuals to take on jobs that require certain skills and characteristics. Training new hires requires these agencies' resources, so an important aspect of the hiring process is maximizing these resources and ensuring that as many of these individuals as possible will succeed. Pre-employment screening tools can assist with hiring by identifying notable characteristics, pathology, and attitudes either related to, or vastly different from, the position. Many assessment exist that can contribute to the pre-employment screening process, such as the Law Enforcement Applicant Inventory (LEAI). </p><p> The goal of this study was to explore the relationships between scales on the LEAI to better understand how these different areas of interest correlate. Pearson's r statistics were compiled to identify the correlations between each of the eight LEAI scales, including the Honesty, Nonviolence, Drug Avoidance, Risk Avoidance, Safety, Stress Tolerance, Criminal Justice Orientation (CJO), and Candidate Potential Index (CPI) scales. The results showed that all of the LEAI scales were statistically significantly correlated, <i> p</i> &lt; .01, with large effect sizes, r² &lt; .14. A post-hoc power analysis was also run to further investigate these correlations. Each post-hoc analysis yielded a power = 1.00, which may have been affected by the large sample size. Additionally, this study focused on expanding the readily available reliability statistics for the LEAI. Reliability statistics were provided for the Honesty, Nonviolence, Drug Avoidance, Risk Avoidance, Safety, Stress Tolerance, and CJO scales in the form of Cronbach's alpha coefficient and split-half reliability.</p>