Organisations are faced with the reality of a constantly changing environment surrounding them. This brings about the need for changes and adaptations to the changing world around them (Rothmann, 2003). These changes are implemented in the form of restructuring, downsizing, mergers, evolving governmental policies and organisational change initiatives, which can result in high costs, lower productions and poor employee wellness (Van Tonder,2005). In South Africa, the organisations have to cope with change and adaptations to the global world which brings about the need for innovation, competitiveness, customer satisfaction and service quality to remain ahead in the industry which can bring strain on employees and the organisation as a whole (Malhotra & Mukherjee, 2003). ln education institutions, teachers have certain demands to cope with which include syllabus changes and growth, personnel shortages, higher student numbers, multi-lingual teaching and increased specialization (Jackson & Rothmann, 2006) The primary objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between job insecurity, job satisfaction, affective organisational commitment and sense of coherence. Contructs were measured by means of the Job Insecurity Questionnaire (JIQ), the Revised Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (JSQ), the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ), the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) and a biographical questionnaire. A cross-sectional survey design was conducted among the 546 employees of various educational institutions in the Sedibeng District of Gauteng. A response rate of 315 completed questionnaires was received. No statistically significant relationship was found between job insecurity and job satisfaction, job insecurity and affective organisational commitment, and job insecurity and sense of coherence. There was a practically significant relationship found between job satisfaction, affective organisational commitment, and sense of coherence. Sense of coherence was also found to have no moderating effect on job insecurity and job satisfaction, and job insecurity and affective organisational commitment. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

The current economic situation has reconfirmed the importance of researching job insecurity and the impact it has on the individual as well as the organisation. An individual outcome which is normally negatively affected is general health. Engagement, although an experience on individual level, is an organisational outcome affected by job insecurity. With the introduction of positive psychology, emotions in the workplace created new research grounds. It seems that hope and happiness have a positive influence on negative consequences, which can assist managers in finding a competitive advantage in their human capital. The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between job insecurity, general health, work engagement, hope and happiness of employees (N = 286) of a co-operation in the North-West Province by using a cross-sectional survey design. The measuring instruments used were Job Insecurity Scale (JIS), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Hope Scale (HS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWL), and a biographical questionnaire. The measuring instruments were translated into Afrikaans which is the language mostly used by the target population. Four articles explained the study through a brief literature review and empirical study in each. Factor analyses were done to determine construct validity, and Cronbach's alphas and inter-item correlation coefficients assessed the internal consistency of the instruments. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data and Pearson product moment correlation coefficient as well as regressions, MANOVA and ANOVA was done to determine relationships between variables. Hierarchical regression was performed to test for moderation and mediation. JIS, GHQ, HS and SWLS confirmed their structural models and proved good internal consistencies. Gender, cultural group and qualification were found to have statistically significant influence on job insecurity. Females regarded the importance of job features and importance of changes to total job higher than their male colleagues. The cultural group 'other' indicated higher levels of job insecurity with regard to likelihood to loose a job feature. This fear was also experienced by participants with a qualification Grade 7 and lower as well as likelihood to changes in total job. No correlation was found between job insecurity and general health, but job insecurity did show correlations with engagement and hope. Hope and happiness were also positively correlated and hope was found to predict happiness. Hope did not moderate the job insecurity general health relationship, but did moderate the relationship between job insecurity and engagement. Hope explained 7% of the variance in general health and 14% of the variance in engagement. Happiness moderated the effect of job insecurity on general health but not of job insecurity on engagement. Happiness also showed a main effect of 13% on general health and predicted 10% of the variance in engagement. When tested, a partial mediation of happiness on the relationship between job insecurity and engagement was found. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

Social networking sites (SNSs) are designed to cure loneliness and fill a void left by the lack of face-to-face communication in this digital age. Given the rapid growth rate and extensive popularity of social networking sites, my research aims to investigate the validity of widespread claims indicating that members of the millennial generation who have grown up on SNSs are increasingly narcissistic and self-obsessed because of their involvement on these sites. To address these claims, I turn to key insights borrowed from computer sciences and social psychology, inspired by the exemplary work of Sherry Turkle and ideas from Michel Foucault. I find that the digital subject is caught in a vicious circle of narcissistic attachment and panic insecurity, driven to constant self-surveillance and examination in a digital form of the modern panopticon where cybercitizens can be left feeling alienated and alone despite continuous connection to others online. / Graduate / 0723 / 0451 / 0615 / naomikoit@gmail.com

Perceived job insecurity is receiving increasing recognition as an important determinant of employee work outcomes. Empirical research consistently shows that job insecurity perceptions are associated with adverse reactions by employees, in terms of reduced psychological well-being (De Witte, 1999), job satisfaction (O'Quin & LoTempio, 1998), and organisational commitment (Rosenblatt & Ruvio, 1996). Turnover intentions for the job-insecure are higher (Tivendell & Bourbonnai, 2000) as well. It is therefore important to understand what may increase or decrease such detrimental effects of job insecurity. Even so, it was not until the late 1990s that much academic literature was published in the field (De Witte & Näswall, 2003). Employees not only worry about their assessment of the likelihood of job loss, but also about the consequences of such an occurrence (Burchell, 2002). This dissertation argues that perceived job insecurity is a function of what an individual believes is an acceptable risk of job loss given their individual circumstances. Based on the literature, a model is developed proposing a number of moderators of the effects of job insecurity. One of those moderators is temporary job status. Little research is available that examines how job insecurity influences the work attitudes and behaviours of temporaries (De Witte, 1999; Kinnuen & Nätti, 1994; Sloboda, 1999). Few studies compare temporaries' reactions to those of traditional, permanent employees. Study one examined whether temporaries had higher job insecurity than permanents in a sample of three hundred and ninety-one employees (122 temporary and 269 permanent) in low to medium level non-academic positions at two Australian universities. No significant differences were found. However, temporaries and permanents reacted differently to job insecurity when a number of individual differences were also considered. The temporary employment literature consistently shows that individuals that prefer temporary work have more positive work outcomes (Feldman, 1990, 1995). Thus the extent of choice temporaries had in their job status was chosen as a potential moderator of job insecurity relationships. Findings indicate that choice in job status differentially influenced the contextual performance, continuance commitment, and turnover intentions of temporaries and permanents, as predicted. For example, when temporaries preferred temporary work and felt secure, they had similar turnover intentions to permanents. Explanations why individuals involuntarily accept temporary work include a lack of job alternatives. Thus another moderator tested was employability, concerning perceptions about finding comparable employment in the event of job loss. Employability influenced the continuance commitment and intention to change job status of temporaries and permanents differently. In particular, the findings suggest that the negative effects of job insecurity worsened for highly employable temporaries, decreasing their continuance commitment, since when secure, highly employable temporaries and permanents had similar continuance commitment levels. Subjective job dependency, as a moderator of job insecurity, affected temporaries and permanents in the same way. Specifically, the more insecure and the less dependent the employee was the lower was their contextual performance. Two sources of social support were also tested in study one. One source, social support from supervisors and co-workers was shown to differentially influence the contextual performance of temporaries and permanents. Specifically, the negative effects of job insecurity were alleviated for temporaries with high organisational social support, such that their contextual performance was higher than that of permanents. Family social support and temporary job status also moderated the relationship between job insecurity and job satisfaction, though not as predicted. For temporaries, the level of family social support did not influence the effects of job insecurity on job satisfaction. For permanents though, family social support alleviated the effects of job insecurity, such that the more family social support experienced the higher the job satisfaction. A follow-up study (n = 116) was conducted one year later. The longitudinal effects of job insecurity were examined. Of the work outcomes assessed, only continuance commitment was predicted by Time 1 job insecurity, once prior levels of the outcome variables were controlled. A second purpose of study two was to test job embeddedness - a measure of employee retention - as a moderator of the relationship between job insecurity and work outcomes. The results indicate that the negative effects of job insecurity were exacerbated when employees perceived their organisation-related sacrifices to be great, lessening both their affective commitment and contextual performance contributions. Theoretical and practical implications of the results of both studies are discussed. For instance, these findings suggest that temporary job status should not be used as a proxy measure of job insecurity. Finally, directions for future research are proposed.

Thesis (M.A. (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references: leaves 158-164

Emotional intelligence and job insecurity are important to study because they can have an impact both on an individual’s professional and personal life; however, research on emotional intelligence and job insecurity is contradictory. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there were gender differences in emotional intelligence and job insecurity in employees in a Swedish sample. The aim was also to investigate if emotional intelligence moderated gender differences in job insecurity. The sample consisted of 109 employees, with 33 males (30.30%) and 76 females (69.70%), from four different organizations both from public and private sector. The research question was: “Are there differences in emotional intelligence and job insecurity between female and male employees?” Two questionnaires were used: The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) and The Job Insecurity Measure. Correlation analysis was performed between emotional intelligence and job insecurity and a medium, negative relationship was found. Gender differences in emotional intelligence and job insecurity were tested with independent samples t-tests. The results indicated no gender differences. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to investigate if emotional intelligence moderated gender differences in job insecurity; however, the results were non-significant. The present study shows that emotional intelligence and job insecurity are negatively correlated, and since job insecurity is regarded as an environmental stressor and part of job stress, the relationship between emotional intelligence and job stress is also confirmed by this negative correlation.

This thesis examines how informal mediation is practiced in Brazil’s urban periphery communities, which are often associated with high levels of violence and insecurity. Based on ethnographic data from low-income neighborhoods in Florianópolis, my analysis of local people’s interventions offers insight into the way that non-state, unarmed actors exercise mediative agency in the midst of everyday violence and insecurity. While a growing body of research shows that state and non-state actors are guided by diverse conceptions, intentions and approaches when they attempt to mediate public and private conflict amongst residents, less attention has been paid to the symbiotic relationship between, or the social impact of, conflict intervention and the reproduction of violence. This thesis argues that interveners use their interactions with antagonists in a particular territory in order to cultivate nondominant power, which serves to obstruct and interrupt the way that violence reproduces and transmits into residents’ lives. As such, it suggests that mediators can enable social change because they have a very particular relationship with the different and interdependent types of violence present in the periphery. Interveners develop and deploy a repertoire of social mediative tactics in order to contend with the complexity of local tensions and the erosion of democratic citizenship that these tensions produce. Defining mediative practices as a source of power invites discussion into community mediation’s strategic potential in the project of urban peacebuilding and violence reduction, positing new directions for applied practices in Brazil and beyond.

BACKGROUND: Food insecurity and alcohol consumption are prevalent and have health consequences among people living with HIV infection or AIDS (PLWHA). Food insecurity could be associated with unhealthy alcohol use via hunger or other mechanisms. However, it is not well-known whether the two (food insecurity and unhealthy alcohol use) are associated. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine an association between food insecurity and unhealthy alcohol use in people with HIV/AIDS and substance use disorder. It was hypothesized that food insecurity, compared to food security, would be associated with unhealthy alcohol use in this population. METHODS: This study is a cross sectional analysis of data collected from adults with HIV infection and current alcohol or other drug dependence or ever injection drug use, who were participants in a cohort study known as the Boston Alcohol Research Collaboration on HIV/AIDS (ARCH) study. Food insecurity, the independent variable, was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Assessment Scale (HFIAS) questionnaire (defined as a dichotomized measure of food insecure (mild, moderate, severe) versus food secure). Unhealthy alcohol use, the dependent variable, was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test – Consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire (defined as a score greater than 3 in males and a score greater than 2 in females). Participants were assessed at two time points 12 months apart. In generalized estimating equations, we studied the association between food insecurity and unhealthy alcohol use at each time point. Covariates adjusted for included age, sex, race, HIV viral load, CD4 cell count, physical health, mental health, number of people the individual spent time with who were heavy or problem drinkers, homelessness, if the participant had someone to turn to in a time of need, and drug dependence. RESULTS: Of the 250 participants enrolled in the Boston ARCH cohort, 233 completed the HFIAS and the AUDIT-C questionnaires at either or both time points. There were 100 participants who completed the questionnaires at time point 1 only, 67 at time point 2 only, and 66 at both time points resulting in a total of 299 data points. The mean age of our sample was in the 6th decade and the majority were Black/African American and identified as male. The majority (80%) had an HIV viral load under 200 and over half of the sample also had a CD4 cell count greater than or equal to 500. Unhealthy alcohol use was common (40%) and 44% had food insecurity. In unadjusted analysis, food insecurity was associated (p=0.08) with unhealthy alcohol use [OR=1.58 (CI 95%: 0.95, 2.62)]; however, this association disappeared in adjusted analysis [OR: 1.06 (CI 95%: 0.59, 1.87), p=0.85]. / 2018-07-11T00:00:00Z

This thesis explores how the mining of bauxite and diamonds enabled the coexistence of regime stability and social insecurity in Guinea under the regimes of Presidents Sékou Touré (1958- 1984) and Lansana Conté (1984-2008). Expanding on Soares de Oliviera’s (2007) analytical framework of the ‘successful failed state’ and the ‘social contract’ as developed by Nugent (2010), this thesis examines how the Republic of Guinea, despite decades of political repression and the mismanagement of its mineral resources, has so far not fallen victim to the extreme consequences of the so-called ‘resource curse’. The thesis shows that Touré and Conté avoided large-scale armed conflict by using mineral resources to strengthen their regimes, which in turn facilitated the emergence of different forms of ‘social contracts’. Despite the coercive nature of both regimes, the presence of mineral resources also opened up a space for bargaining amongst actors involved in the sector including the state, local communities and private mining companies. As a result, a variety of ‘social contracts’ emerged in Guinea. Whilst artisanal mining became a key source of income for the rural population, industrial mining catered to the revenue needs of the regime in power. The thesis focuses specifically on bauxite and diamond mining in Guinea and how they contributed to the coexistence of regime stability and social insecurity in Guinea. While some studies have been undertaken on bauxite, there have not been detailed studies of the role of diamond mining in Guinea’s post independence political history. The thesis makes an original contribution in comparing and contrasting the contribution of bauxite and diamond mining to larger political dynamics. The thesis offers a clearer understanding of issues that contribute to regime stability and how the presence of mineral resources facilitates the emergence of different ‘social contracts’.