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Factors influencing managers' attitudes towards performance appraisalDu Plessis, Elizabeth Susan Catherina 02 1900 (has links)
An increasing number of reports indicate that managers are opposed to performance appraisal. It is important to understand why managers have favourable or unfavourable attitudes towards performance appraisal and it is necessary to investigate the causing factors of these attitudes. The aim of this research was therefore to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence managers’ attitudes towards performance appraisal. This study was conducted within the interpretive research paradigm and situated in a medium-sized organisation within the financial services industry. The sample was purposefully selected and the data were collected through in-depth interviews and naïve sketches. The data were analysed applying Tesch’s descriptive analysis method.
The main findings indicated that managers who needed to conduct performance appraisals perceived and experienced performance appraisal as an uncomfortable and emotional process that might cause them to become defensive. Moreover, it was revealed that the managers experienced uncertainties about aspects of performance appraisal, such as the purpose of performance appraisal, what must be measured and frequency of performance appraisal. As a result of such uncertainties, managers might not always have the ability or readiness to conduct performance appraisals, especially when the performance appraisal contains negative performance feedback. Furthermore, the organisational context might put managers in an undesirable situation to distort performance ratings of employees in order to achieve organisational goals or the manager’s personal goals, which in turn
influence the attitude of the manager. The findings of the study can assist organisations in influencing managers’ attitudes more positively and in enhancing the overall performance appraisal process. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)
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The impact of senior management on middle management's experience of integrityVan Niekerk, Annelize 02 1900 (has links)
A rise in the number of high-profile cases of management failure and leadership
misconduct increased the awareness of one of the core challenges of management,
namely to lead responsibly and with integrity. The environment which senior managers
create and within which middle managers need to function seems to have a direct bearing
on the moral behaviour and integrity of the middle manager. The aim of this research was
therefore to gain a better understanding of how middle managers view the impact of senior
managers on their experience of integrity. There is an increasing need in organisations for
responsible leadership, leadership with integrity and leadership towards developing the
integrity of the follower. This study was conducted within the interpretive research
paradigm. Sampling was directed by criterion-based guidelines, focusing on current middle
managers from different industries in the private sector. In-depth interviews were
conducted and the data was analysed using a grounded theory method.
The main findings indicated that senior managers should engage in two debates with
middle managers in the organisation. Firstly, integrity is not something that is
demonstrated but rather means that leaders can be differentiated from other leaders when
they lead with integrity. Secondly, defining integrity and linking it to personal standards and
values, as well as aligning these standards and values to the organisational strategy,
vision and mission, are important. The findings of this study can assist senior managers
with decreasing unethical behaviour and increasing integrity in the organisation. The
research provided a basic framework that can assist in creating a positive context for the
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relationship between senior managers and middle managers within which to function, in
order to decrease unethical employee activity and increase integrity. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)
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The impact of senior management on middle management's experience of integrityVan Niekerk, Annelize 02 1900 (has links)
A rise in the number of high-profile cases of management failure and leadership
misconduct increased the awareness of one of the core challenges of management,
namely to lead responsibly and with integrity. The environment which senior managers
create and within which middle managers need to function seems to have a direct bearing
on the moral behaviour and integrity of the middle manager. The aim of this research was
therefore to gain a better understanding of how middle managers view the impact of senior
managers on their experience of integrity. There is an increasing need in organisations for
responsible leadership, leadership with integrity and leadership towards developing the
integrity of the follower. This study was conducted within the interpretive research
paradigm. Sampling was directed by criterion-based guidelines, focusing on current middle
managers from different industries in the private sector. In-depth interviews were
conducted and the data was analysed using a grounded theory method.
The main findings indicated that senior managers should engage in two debates with
middle managers in the organisation. Firstly, integrity is not something that is
demonstrated but rather means that leaders can be differentiated from other leaders when
they lead with integrity. Secondly, defining integrity and linking it to personal standards and
values, as well as aligning these standards and values to the organisational strategy,
vision and mission, are important. The findings of this study can assist senior managers
with decreasing unethical behaviour and increasing integrity in the organisation. The
research provided a basic framework that can assist in creating a positive context for the
viii
relationship between senior managers and middle managers within which to function, in
order to decrease unethical employee activity and increase integrity. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)
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Exploring the role of spirituality in coping of traffic officersJacobs, Rochelle Dorothy 06 1900 (has links)
The main purpose of this study is to explore the role spirituality plays in the coping of traffic officers within the South African Traffic Services. A sample of ten traffic officers participated in the study, and data was obtained by means of open-ended questions during in-depth and semi-structured interviews. The literature review aimed to conceptualise spirituality, to conceptualise coping, and to theoretically explore the role of spirituality in the coping of traffic officers. Specific aims for the empirical study were: to gain a better understanding of how traffic officers experience the role of spirituality in coping with their role within the South African context; to provide a framework that can assist with creating an understanding of the role spirituality plays in coping as a traffic officer; and to formulate recommendations for possible future research that explores the role of spirituality in the coping of traffic officers within the discipline of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, more specifically in employee and organisational wellness, and career counselling.
The research findings showed that traffic officers in the sample all utilised spirituality in the workplace to various extents, and that they exhibited adaptive coping abilities when doing so. They associated less spirituality or a lack of spirituality with weaker coping abilities. It was found that spirituality in the traffic officers is informed by a foundation of spirituality or religion, purpose to their work and life, their connection to their spiritual source, and the fruits of spirituality. Their coping ability was influenced by upbringing and background, by stressors from their work environment and by coping mechanisms. The role of spirituality in the coping of traffic officers culminated in their ability to interpret the meaning of spirituality, and then to implement spirituality in order to cope. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)
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Mobile Payment Use and Mobile Payment Transactions by Older Adults : A Qualitative StudyKolaki, Maria January 2017 (has links)
The research outlined in this thesis focuses on the effects of implementation and use of mobile payments as experienced by older adults aged 55-75, as qualitatively examined through research interviewees (hereafter participants of this study) made up of individuals with varying cultural and technological backgrounds, who are acclimated to Greece’s culture and have lived within the country for at least a decade. Their own perception and reception of the practice allows for a more comprehensive look into the practical application of the technology within the country. No empirical studies are available on the aforementioned topic, despite the high importance and need for such study. Therefore, this research is carried out through a literature review. It then analyzes two models namely technology acceptance model (TAM) and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. It applies a phenomenological research method and provides us with a more concise, contextualized background into the widespread application of m-payment and m-commerce within the country. This research contributes new knowledge to m-payment and m-commerce through theoretical and empirical research and benefits the interpretation of a recently emerging phenomenon. The research results are useful to various groups associated with mpayments and m-commerce. Future research directions concerning this phenomenon involve the reception and enhancement of m-payment methods by older adults.
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An analysis of teachers' experiences in Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement implementation in intermediate and senior phase primary schools : Vhembe districtPhaiphai, Thanyani 08 May 2020 (has links)
This thesis explored teachers’ experiences in curriculum implementation in primary schools in the Vhembe district. Curriculum implementation prompts thinking and learning of new things in the teachers’ day-to-day workplace. Primary school teachers are pillars of strength in contributing to the children’s future success. The thesis presents a contribution to the knowledge of curriculum implementation at the school level through a case study and a qualitative research approach as it aimed to comprehend and describe teachers’ practices and experiences on the implementation of the curriculum, which is a social phenomenon that includes ideas, thoughts, and actions. The thesis takes an appropriate starting point in arguing that curriculum implementation prompts thinking and learning of new things in the teachers’ day-to-day workplace. The context of the argument is primary school teachers’ lived experiences in South Africa in the face of curriculum change. The researcher critically argues that South Africa is amongst many countries that experienced curriculum challenges and resorted to change and one of the changes was in the form of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) which signalled a shift in teaching approaches. In this new way of teaching, teachers seem lost and therefore apply traditional teaching methods. Teachers are expected to apply curriculum changes and develop new skills through qualification improvement, but it is questionable whether the challenges that the teachers themselves recognise as important are taken into cognisance.
The researcher elaborated eight recommendations in relation to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. Some of the recommendations are summarily as that education curriculum advisors from the Limpopo Department of Education be appointed to visit all schools to aid and assess the implementation. It is also recommended that the Department of Basic Education must retrain all primary school teachers for a week during school vacation. These recommendations are of paramount importance and the Limpopo Department of Education should consider them as a priority. As the government can intervene by funding the implementation of the CAPS in the training and reskilling of teachers. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / Ph. D. (Curriculum and Instructional Studies)
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Using information to provide safe care for neonatal care unit patients : Medical staff interprets their use of information and communication technologies / Informationsanvändning för att tillhandahålla säker vård för patienter vid neonatalavdelning : Medicinsk personal tolkar sin användning av informations- och kommunikationsteknikStjerndorff Gröhn, Pia January 2020 (has links)
2017 became the beginning of the Childbirth Crisis of Sweden, as a result of underbudgeting and understaffing, creating an environment where patient safety and availability was questioned. Additionally, information and communication technology rapidly take a larger role in the field of healthcare, nourishing new solutions for old processes. This explorative research was conducted to answer how information and communication technologies, and communication techniques, are used and could be used to provide safe care for patients. This study was conducted with 10 participants working as medical staff at a Swedish neonatal care unit. The medical staff who participated consisted of registered nurses, certified pediatric nurses, pediatric nursing assistants, and one nursing assistant. The approach of this research was through system thinking in the tradition of soft systems thinking. The data collection was performed with a combination of semi-structured interviews and card sorting. The collected data were processed, organized, and interpreted with the three c’s of analysis and thematic analysis. The results of this study are complemented by rich pictures. The empirical findings of this study describe a neonatal care unit known at its hospital to be the one unit holding the largest number of different devices. The medical staff at the researched NCU are using information and communication technology in a combination together with specific communication techniques, to create an understanding of their patients’ conditions. The study connects a state of safe care to the training and knowledge of the information and communication technologies, and communication techniques used at the neonatal care unit. The combination of the information and communication technologies, and communication techniques used at the NCU are vital tools, conclusive to the medical staff when providing safe care for patients. This study provides an insight into one Swedish neonatal care unit, based on the interpretations of its medical staff.
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