O presente estudo percorre questões que envolvem o homem no trabalho: práticas de desenvolvimento humano em Recursos Humanos, Gestão de Pessoas e Psicologia. Aponta para a necessidade de pesquisar aqueles que se submetem ao coaching, o que foi possibilitado por narrativas de executivos em situação de internacionalização de suas carreiras, permitindo pensar coaching no âmbito da globalização atual. Lança luzes, ainda a compreender a prática do coaching através da experiência do ser humano/trabalhador, pelas percepções reveladas pelos próprios executivos durante entrevistas de coaching com eles realizadas. Interessa poder resgatá-la como um meio pelo qual os executivo/trabalhadores possam estar encontrando modos outros de ação ao nível gerencial. Nessa direção, estaria sendo proposta uma leitura de coaching numa perspectiva fenomenológica existencial. Ao buscar a historicidade do coaching, via etimologia, aflorou-se a necessidade de direcionar o coaching para dirigir-se como cuidado ao trabalhador, considerado factível via Psicologia Social Clínica. Pela análise das narrativas foi possível compreender o coaching como prática psicológica, via Aconselhamento, possibilitando aos trabalhadores ressignificar sua experiência no trabalho, percebendo-se humanos afetados, contextualizados e demandantes por atenção e cuidado, para dirigem-se ao desenvolvimento profissional e coletivo em organizações. Assim, coaching se apresentaria como facilitação para o sujeito social repensar sua carreira, autorizando-se a encontrar sentido ao projeto profissional por demanda própria e não da organização ou empresa: uma prática para gestão de carreira mais eticamente orientada. / The present study deals with questions concerning the man in his work: human development practice in Human Resources, Management of Persons and Psychology. It points to a need to research how coaching is perceived by those who were submitted to it during a situation for internationalizations of their careers at the globalization world. Executives\' narratives allowed thinking coaching as a practice through the human worker\'s experience. Executives\' perceptions were revealed during coaching interviews and process realized with them. The purpose is to re-signify it as a means by which the executives/workers may find other ways for management actions. It is proposed other comprehension for coaching, base on a phenomenological existential perspective. By etymologically re-visiting the historicity of coaching, it appeared to direct coaching practice as care toward the worker, factitive through the Social Clinical Psychology. The narrative analysis allows to comprehend coaching as a Counseling Psychology practice, by which the workers could re-signify their experience at work. Perceived as affected human beings, contextualized and demanding for attention and care, they may direct themselves to a professional and collective development in organizations. Thus, coaching would present itself as facilitation for the social subject to reflect about his careers, authorizing himself to find a sense for his professional project by his proper demand and not by the organization: a more ethical oriented practice for career management.

Este estudo tem por objetivo delinear as condições de vida, as trajetórias de trabalho e os modos de "estar" e "ser" catador de papel. Para tanto, desenvolvemos um estudo qualitativo, mediante acompanhamento do trabalho de catadores e entrevistas semi-estruturadas, na cidade de Curitiba (PR). Identificamos que as trajetórias são orientadas por múltiplas motivações, sustentadas em tentativas de inserção no mercado formal de trabalho bem como na avaliação desses trabalhadores sobre as chances e vantagens no mercado formal e informal de trabalho. Apresentamos os modos de "estar" e "ser" catador. Sob estes aspectos apresentam-se como relevantes: sentirem-se percebidos pela população como estorvo, como marginais e como sujos. Por outro lado, identificam algumas vantagens em ser catador, como por exemplo, os rendimentos, a maior autonomia na definição da organização do trabalho e a ausência da figura do chefe. Verificamos que há formas de "estar" catador, como por exemplo, os "profissionais", os que têm a "visão empresarial", os que têm a atividade como "bico", dentre outros. Evidenciamos que, embora o trabalho realizado pelos catadores de papel tenha grande relevância no ciclo produtivo da reciclagem de materiais, suas condições de vida e de trabalho são bastante precárias. / This work delineates the life conditions, labor history and the different manners of existence of the rag picker. It is developed a qualitative research by acompaniment of the workers and semi-structured interviews, in the city of Curitiba (PR). The results pointed out that the workers are headed for attempts to include themselves on the labor market as well as for their evaluation about opportunities and advantages of stay in a formal job or in a informal work. It is presented different manners of be (existence) a rag picker. It is important the feeling of be noticed as an obstacle, a marginal or a dirty person. On the other hand it is pointed some advantages like the earnings or the larger autonomy to arrange the work itself without a boss. There are different ways of being a rag picker. The “professionals", the ones that have the managerial view and the workers that regard this job as a possibility for a complementary earnings. It is evidenced that the life and work conditions of the rag picker are quite precarious, despite the great relevance of their role in the recyclable materials business.

O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de investigar o papel da difusão da Tecnologia da Informação (TI) na vida cotidiana do indivíduo contemporâneo no contexto do Brasil. Visa ainda averiguar se a utilização dos meios digitais aproxima vida particular e vida profissional e dos indivíduos. O avanço técnico dos meios digitais propiciou que as mais variadas tarefas fossem realizadas com o auxílio das TIs. Dessa forma as TIs penetraram praticamente todos os âmbitos da sociedade: desde o cotidiano nas relações sociais e no trabalho até contextos mais amplos como o econômico e cultural. As possibilidades comunicativas foram potencializadas vertiginosamente configurando a chamada TI. Essa difusão massiva faz com que a utilização dos meios digitais passe a se naturalizar na sociedade. Dessa forma os mecanismos que subjazem essa utilização são incorporados de forma orgânica aos indivíduos que os sustentam. Este trabalho investiga esses mecanismos de forma geral e em especial os que dizem respeito à relação entre vida particular e vida profissional. O estudo empírico se baseou na teoria que tem o senso-comum como seu objeto, o conceito de representações sociais de Serge Moscovici. A partir da investigação do senso comum de trabalhadores da área de TI foi possível averiguar o conteúdo das representações sociais que esses indivíduos sustentavam, seus sentimentos em relação a elas e alguns dos mecanismos que as representações configuravam. Para a análise do material coletado foram consideradas também o processo de individualização que permeia a sociedade e as estruturas estratégicas que se sustentam no contexto econômico e consequentemente no mundo do trabalho. Os primeiros contatos dos sujeitos com os meios digitais influenciaram sua relação com esses meios posteriormente e os indivíduos que tiveram contato com esses meios mais cedo em suas vidas aceitam com maior naturalidade sua dinâmica. Foi concluído também que os meios digitais têm um papel importante na aproximação entre os âmbitos profissional e pessoal da vida dos sujeitos assim como do âmbito dos relacionamentos afetivos. A existência da estrutura estratégica foi confirmada na forma de queixas dos sujeitos em relação à cobrança excessiva pelo desempenho nas tarefas de forma urgente. O processo de individualização ficou evidente ao se constatar uma constante busca por auto-verificação dentro e fora do contexto profissional e pela diversidade de sentimentos encontrados em relação às mesmas representações sociais em diferentes sujeitos. Foi encontrado também um tipo de desejo de participação na forma de necessidade ou dependência em relação aos meios digitais. A natureza desse sentimento merece ser investigada em profundidade em pesquisas futuras / This study aims at investigating both the influence of the wide diffusion of information technology (IT) in the everyday life of the contemporary individual in the Brazilian context and the impact the daily use of digital media in the integration of individuals private and professional lives. Technical advancement of digital media enabled many tasks to be performed through IT. Following that, TIs penetrated virtually all spheres of society, i.e., the everyday social relationships, the work setting and the wider context such as the economic and cultural activities. The possibilities of new ways of communication and data processing were enhanced dramatically by ITs potentialities and development. This wide use of digital media made ITs a naturalized means of action and interaction. As a consequence, the mechanisms underlying their appliance were incorporated in an organic way into individuals lives. This work investigates these mechanisms and their relationships with both private and professional lives. An empirical research was planned and carried out grounded in the Serge Moscovicis social representation theory. Through the investigation of the common sense of IT workers their social representations were scanned to expose their feelings towards that emerging working and life condition as well as the mechanisms implied in the wide use of ITs. The analysis of the gathered data was enriched by both the process of individualization that permeates society and the strategic frameworks within which the world of work is considered. The findings revealed that the first contacts of individuals with digital media influenced the way they relate their social and work lives. Besides that, they revealed that digital media have an important role in the interface between the professional and personal life chiefly in the widening of scope of their relationships. The influence of the strategic frameworks was confirmed as evidenced in the complaints regarding overcharging of work and the pressure for general urgency. The individualization process was evident when individuals look for a constant self-cross check inside and outside the professional context. Finally, it was also found a type of \"desire to participate\" hidden in the need of and dependence on digital media. The nature and reach of this desire should be investigated in future research

Esta pesquisa teve como ponto de partida o reconhecimento da existência de parcelas da população que sempre tiveram que recorrer ao mercado informal de trabalho para garantir sua sobrevivência. No Brasil, o emprego nunca foi pleno, diferentemente da Europa, onde houve, de fato, a construção de um Estado de bem-estar social. A partir da década de 1980, a reestruturação produtiva e a intensificação liberal provocaram não somente a diminuição de postos de trabalho formais, mas também crescente flexibilização das relações de trabalho e degradação das condições de trabalho. Desde então, um número cada vez maior de trabalhadores não consegue encontrar uma vaga no mercado formal de trabalho e, assim, acessar os direitos do trabalho. Este estudo teve como objetivo compreender como os trabalhadores articulam o trabalho, o emprego e o desemprego nas suas trajetórias de trabalho. As questões que se pretendeu responder foram: como as pessoas \"se viram\" diante da impossibilidade de ter acesso à proteção social garantida pelo vínculo empregatício? Que valores orientam essas trajetórias? Que lugar o emprego, enquanto símbolo e garantia de acesso aos direitos sociais, e o trabalho no mercado informal assumem na vida desses trabalhadores? Quais vantagens e desvantagens são atribuídas ao emprego e ao trabalho no mercado informal? Qual é o papel desempenhado pela rede de sociabilidade nas trajetórias de trabalho dos entrevistados? Para tanto, foram analisadas individualmente as trajetórias de sete trabalhadores de classes pobres que realizam atividades no mercado informal. As trajetórias de trabalho analisadas nesta pesquisa demonstram a complexidade e a diversidade da questão do trabalho no mercado informal. São muitas as articulações possíveis entre o emprego e o trabalho no mercado informal nos percursos dos trabalhadores. Também são muitos os arranjos encontrados para gerar renda e garantir a própria sobrevivência e a de suas famílias. Pudemos, neste trabalho, testemunhar a grande flexibilidade e inventividade com que as pessoas de classes pobres conseguem transformar as mais diversas situações em oportunidade de geração de renda, o que revela que os trabalhadores encontram formas de superar as situações de dificuldade que experimentam. As redes de sociabilidade, a dádiva e os valores da ética do trabalho e/ ou da ética do provedor constituíram-se em elementos fundamentais em nossas análises. Esses elementos aparecem de diferentes maneiras nas trajetórias de trabalho e as combinações entre eles produzem não apenas diversificadas articulações entre o trabalho no mercado informal e o emprego, mas também distintas compreensões a respeito desses conceitos por parte dos entrevistados. As narrativas dos trabalhadores mostraram que o trabalho inicialmente denominado precário e o emprego possuem outras dimensões além daquelas que usualmente os acompanham. As vantagens e desvantagens percebidas em cada uma dessas modalidades de inserção no mercado de trabalho denotaram que o trabalho no mercado informal não é percebido e vivido apenas como precariedade (trabalho precário) e também o emprego não apareceu apenas como vínculo seguro e desejável. / This research was started by recognizing the existence of parts of the population who always had to turn to the informal work market in order to survive. In Brazil, employment never reached the whole population, unlike Europe, where there was in fact the constitution of welfare states. Since the 1980s, the productive restructuring, along with the intensification of the liberal economy, resulted not only in the reduction of the number of formal jobs available, but also in the increasing of the flexibility of work relations and the debasing of working conditions. Since then, a greater amount of workers cannot find jobs in the formal work market, becoming obstructed to access work rights. This study\'s goal was to understand how workers articulate work, employment and unemployment in their work trajectories. The questions intended to answer were: how do workers \"make do\" with the impossibility of having access to social protections that are guaranteed by the employment? Which values guide these work trajectories? How does employment, as a symbol and guarantee of the access to social rights, take place in these workers lives? And how does the work in the informal market take place in their lives? Which advantages and disadvantages are attributed to formal employment and to informal work market? What is the importance of the social networks in these work trajectories? In order to answer these questions, the trajectories of seven working class people, somehow involved in the informal work market, were analyzed. The work trajectories analyzed in this research show the complexity and the diversity present in the informal work market issue. There are many possible articulations between employment and informal work market in these trajectories. There are also many possible life sets to earn any income and guarantee their own surviving, as well as their families\'. It was possible, in this research, to witness the great inventivity and flexibility these workers have to transform several and different situations in opportunities to earn income. This fact reveals that workers find their ways to overcome the difficulties experienced. The social networks, the gift, the values related to the (protestant) work ethic and to the provider ethic were extremely important elements in our analysis. These elements appear in different ways in their work trajectories. The combinations between them result not only in diverse articulations between the informal work market and employment, but also in different comprehensions of the workers about these concepts. The narratives of the workers showed that the work initially called precarious and employment have other dimensions beyond those that usually go along with them. The advantages and disadvantages perceived in each of these types of insertion in the work market showed that work in the informal market is not experienced as precarious exclusively; furthermore, employment did not arrear only as a wished and safe situation.

This research paper aimed to investigate the factors influencing career choice and development among previously disadvantaged individuals, specifically focusing on MBA students. The core aim was to analyse and better understand the factors that have played a key role in shaping the careers of people of colour within the South African context, taking into consideration the political, social and economic climate and its impact on previously disadvantaged individuals from a career perspective. The research group comprised of both male and female South Africans of colour, namely Indian or African or Coloured. These participants ranged in terms of age from thirty to forty one years old. Participants were sourced from a business school in Kwa Zulu - Natal and were all in the process of completing their MBA (Master of Business Administration) degrees. Participants were interviewed using semi- structured, in depth interviews that ran for approximately forty five minutes each. Each interview was recorded. This information was then transcribed and analysed using Inductive Thematic Analysis. This approach to data interpretation ensured that the rich wealth of information was analysed effectively by the researcher and more importantly, made sense of. Seven key themes emerged from the data. Themes such as the impact of circumstance, parental and family life, culture and society, and context and the environment emerged and were discussed further. Other key themes emerging from the data included identity and self awareness, interests versus goals, and drive and self belief. Factors Influencing Career Choice 8 Findings indicated that the careers of previously disadvantaged individuals were impacted by unique circumstances experienced by these individuals. The political, social and economic climate had a profound role to play in shaping the paths taken by these individuals and also significantly impacted their development within organisations thereafter. Findings indicated mixed reactions to the pro transformation policies and unveiled thought provoking feedback from participants on their experiences and opinions with regards to the above. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

The Human Resources department, through the policies and practices that it develops, stands as a steering function for the rest of the organisation. Human Resource policies and practices, dealing with issues that most often directly affect every employee, set out the guidelines which govern the behaviour, thinking and action of all members of the organisation. The extensive influence of these policies, therefore, make it an interesting subject of research to explore the process that is conducted to develop these policies, the individuals involved and the personal impact of practitioners from the Human Resource department who are often the leaders of this policy development process. Through face to face interviews, coupled with short, factual questionnaires, subjects from information-rich organisations were questioned regarding the nature of their policy development process and the role that individual Human Resource practitioners play in this process. It has been determined through the results of the study that Human Resource practitioners primarily influence the development of policies, with some input from management and very little, if any, participation by employees. Essentially, these practitioners draw up the policies themselves and suggestions are then given and the policies ratified by top management before being implemented in the organisation. In most cases, no involvement of employees is permitted although in some instances, partial participation through representatives is allowed. The theoretical basis of the study rests primarily on systems theory which identifies how changes in one part of the organisation system, such as Human Resource policies and practices, has an effect on every other part of the system, in other words, every employee. This is important when considering that only a small group of individuals, and primarily one Human Resource practitioner, develop policies that affect an entire organisation. The competing values approach also impacts on the study here where it must be identified that the values of one, or a group, of individuals should not dominate an entire organisation where individuals are guided by different values and goals. The research addresses this issue by examining the impact that the personal values, beliefs and opinions of the Human Resource practitioner, who predominantly has the main influence on the process, has on the policies developed. The study reveals that when developing policies, practitioners are in fact guided by a balance between their personal values and the values and beliefs of the organisation. This means that they try to remain neutral in the process, not allowing either their personal values or those of the organisation to dominate the policies. This means that practitioners do not allow their own personal values and opinions to guide the way they influence the process and develop policies which affect the entire organisation. This study, therefore, is an exploration aimed at the discovery of the current practices that dominate South African organisations, with the focus on the Durban region, concerning Human Resource policy development. The study then extends beyond the South African borders to consider the first world situation in the United Kingdom, allowing a comparison between the first world and South African third world policy development process. This allows an opportunity to identify where the first world and third world differ regarding this process and whether there may be anything that can be learnt from the United Kingdom which could be adapted to the South African situation. The results of the study reveal, however, that although differences could be identified, these were neither suitable nor viable to be transferred to the South African situation. Therefore, through the use of current literature, past research and the exploratory interviews, this study has gathered a picture of how the process of Human Resource policy development functions in South African organisations today. Although the focus has been on the Durban region, the results can be generalised, both between industries and nationally. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

Assessment Centres within the South African Workplace: Relationship between a Situational Judgement Test and Ability and Personality Measures.This research investigates the relationship of a specific situational judgement test, Scenarios, to that of ability and personality measures through a discriminant validation study. The Scenarios Test was developed in order to assess the construct of Managerial Judgement within the work context. Despite the fact that this instrument has demonstrated reliability and validity evidence, this has been primarily obtained within a European context. Therefore, this study will contribute towards the growing body of evidence supporting the psychometric integrity of the use of Scenarios within a South African context. Moreover, this research aims to determine whether or not a situational judgement test of Managerial Judgement provides information relating to constructs which are not sufficiently measured by ability tests and personality questionnaires. The results indicate that there is significant inter-correlation between the scales of Scenarios, but not between Scenarios and the other instruments used (cognitive ability tests and a trait personality measure). This may support the hypothesis that SJTs could measure a broader underlying construct, such as tacit knowledge, as well as the fact that they may provide unique information relating to candidates‟ potential job performance which is not provided by tests of ability and personality. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

The aim of the present study was to compare the values and achievement motivation of managerial and non-managerial female employees within the banking industry in South Africa.This research investigation was primarily aimed at determining whether there is a difference between these two groups in terms of their values and their achievement motivation and, if there is such a difference, whether this is a key to an understanding of upward mobility in women. One hundred and twenty-one female subjects were selected from four different financial institutions in the banking industry to participate in the project. The Values Questionnaire and the Achievement Motivation Questionnaire were administered to the subjects under controlled conditions. The values include sense of belonging, security, self-respect, warm relationships with others, fun and enjoyment in life, being well respected, sense of accomplishment, self-fulfilment and excitement. The achievement motivation factors include goal directedness which comprises persistence, awareness of time and action orientation, and personal excellence comprising aspiration level and personal causation. After the data was statistically analysed using intercorrelation, a number of significant relationships were found between the values for the total sample, the managerial and the non-managerial subject group, and between the achievement motivation factors for each of these three groups. When the t-test was applied, no significant differences were found between the managerial and the non-managerial groups in terms of their values, but when considering their achievement motivation, a significant difference emerged in terms of aspiration level. Correlations revealed a number of significant relationships between the values and the achievement motivation factors for both the managerial and the non-managerial subjects. Finally, using analysis of variance (ANOVA), significant relationships were found between a number of the biographical variables and the values both of the managerial and the non-managerial groups, and between the biographical variables and the achievement motivation both of the managerial and the non-managerial groups. Various tentative explanations for these findings have been provided. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1995.

Throughout history the discipline of psychology has been dominated by the study of mental illness as opposed to mental wellness. The introduction of positive psychology has caused a shift from the bias towards mental illness to a focus on psychological wellbeing. The aim of positive psychology is to begin to catalyse a change in the focus of psychology from preoccupation only with repairing the worst in life to building positive qualities. This has resulted in an increase of studies on positive traits and feelings. In light of this, work engagement has become a focus area particularly given that research has shown that disengagement or alienation at the workplace is central to the problem of employees’ lack of commitment and motivation. It is therefore important to understand why some employees stay engaged at work even whilst facing challenges with constant change and why others disengage at work. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between three psychological conditions namely psychological meaningfulness, psychological safety, and psychological; availability; job characteristics; and work engagement. Furthermore, the study sought to investigate the mediating effects of psychological conditions on the relationship between work engagement and job characteristics. A survey design was used with a questionnaire as a data gathering instrument. The sample consisted of 150 employees of a university. Descriptive statistics (e.g. mean and standard deviations), Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and multiple regressions were used to analyse the data. The results showed that psychological meaningfulness was the strongest predictor of work engagement and that it fully mediated the relationship between job characteristics (job enrichment, work role fit and rewarding co-worker relations). Psychological availability did not predict work engagement but indicated a statistically significant correlation with cognitive, emotional and psychical resources. Limitations in this research are identified and recommendations are made for future research. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Orientation: Teachers have a vital role to play within any society. Of late, it can be seen that, generally, teachers within South African schools are becoming increasingly unhappy and dissatisfied with their work. This can be seen as a result of the various strikes and protests over the recent years. Since the South African education system is still very much fragmented and unequal, a legacy of the apartheid era, teachers working within former model C schools, in particular, can be seen as having numerous job demands placed on them in spite of low levels of job resources with which to cope. It is thus important to determine the impact that certain job resources and job demands have on the levels of work engagement and organisational commitment of teachers working within former model C schools in particular. Research Purpose: The purpose of this research was three-fold. Firstly, to determine the relationship between work engagement, organisational commitment, job resources and job demands. Secondly, to determine whether a differentiated approach to job demands (challenge demands and hindrance demands) impacted on positive organisational outcomes, such as work engagement. Thirdly, to determine the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between certain job resources and organisational commitment; and between challenge job demands and organisational commitment. Motivation for the Study: This study was aimed at enabling an identification of the relationship between work engagement, organisational commitment, job resources and job demands. Further, the study was aimed at identifying the impacting role that specific job resources and job demands have on positive organisational outcomes, such as work engagement and organisational commitment. Research Design, Approach and Method: A cross-sectional survey design was used. A sample (n= 117) was taken from teachers working at former model C high schools in Durban North, KwaZulu-Natal. A demographic questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) and Job Demands-Resources Scale (JDRS) were used to collect data from the sample. Main Findings: The findings of the study suggest that job resources are positively related to work engagement. The differentiated classification of job demands within the study was tested in terms of its relationship with work engagement. Interestingly it was found that overload (a challenge job demand) was both statistically as well as practically significantly related to work engagement; while job insecurity (a hindrance job demand) was not. Further, it was found that the job resources of organisational support and growth opportunities held predictive value for work engagement. Lastly, findings suggested that work engagement mediated the relationship between job resources and the positive organisational outcome of organisational commitment. The hypothesised mediating role that work engagement could play in the relationship between overload (a challenge job demand) and organisational commitment could not be tested in the present study. Practical/Managerial Implications: Job resources play a vital role in harnessing positive organisational outcomes such as work engagement and organisational commitment. Further, some job demands are positively related to work engagement. Therefore, managers and heads of schools need to look seriously at evaluating the state of the job demands and resources that are available to their teaching staff, and implement interventions that could increase various job resources and decrease major hindrance demands faced by teachers. These interventions could go a great way in developing more work-engaged as well as organisationally committed teachers. Contribution/Value-Add: The present research study contributes greatly to the knowledge pertaining to teachers working within former model C high schools within South Africa. Further the present study can be seen to extend the existing literature with regards to the Job Demands-Resource Model by adopting a differentiated approach to job demands and thus consequently investigating the positive relationships that certain job demands may have in terms of organisational outcomes. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.