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

The industrialised world of today are characterised by transformation and concepts such as downsizing, rightsizing and restructuring have become a reality. South Africa is not excluded from this worldwide phenomenon and economic and political changes, as well as the shrinking labour market, lead to increased job insecurity. After 1994 local governments were faced with the challenge of high demands for basic services in previously disadvantaged communities, while having limited resources. These organisations are also affected by the processes of restructuring and transformation, which, in turn, have led to understanding in most departments and, as such, may contribute to job stress. In this study, job insecurity is regarded as a stressor, and its possible relationship with burnout, work engagement and coping is explored. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The Job Insecurity Questionnaire, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and the COPE Questionnaire were administered together with biographical questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Low levels of job insecurity and burnout and high levels of engagement were found in the study population. Results also indicated that job insecurity is related to burnout, that burnout has a negative correlation with work engagement and coping, and that a positive relationship exists between work engagement and coping. Finally, a regression analysis showed that nine percent of variance in burnout, as measured by the OLBI, is predicted by total job insecurity. Job insecurity can thus partially be used in the prediction of burnout. Limitations in the research are identified and recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

The objective of this Study was to identify any relationships that may exist Main job insecurity, burnout and organisational armament. To determine the levels of job insecurity, burnout and organizational commitment, how different demographic p u p s experience different levels of job insecurity and whether job insecurity can predict burnout and orgauisational commitment. A -sectional w e y design was used. A random sample of human resource workers (N = 146) was used & on a financial institution in Gauteng. The Job Insecurity Survey Inventory (JISI), Maslach Bumout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) wae administered with a biographical questionnaire. The regression analyses indicated that 29, 8% of the total variance was explained by job insecurity on burnout and that 28, 7% of the total variance was explained by job insecurity on organisational commitment / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

The effect of globalisation and the changing world of work place demands on organisations for better performance and competitiveness. The result is large-scale workforce reductions, outsourcing and unemployment, which is taking its toll on the emotional well-being of employees. In an attempt to reduce costs, organisations put pressure on employees who remain at work to modify their jobs, accept alternative employment conditions/positions, or to relocate, all of which are strengthening job insecurity, and leads to employees working harder in order to keep their jobs (Biking, 1999). These factors will lead to tired employees. Shirom (1989) claims that exhaustion is the most important dimension regarding burnout. Internationally, the changing work environment is causing people to experience higher levels of job insecurity. In South Africa we do not only have the impact of globalisation, but our country has also gone through major political changes. Celebrating 10 years of democracy the workers at government organisations are faced with numerous challenges that have an impact on job insecurity, burnout, job engagement and psychological well-being. The primary objective of this research was to examine the relationship between job insecurity, burnout, job engagement and psychological well-being of workers at a government organisation. The measuring instruments that were used are the Job Insecurity Survey Inventory (JISI), the Oldenburg Bumout Inventory (OLBI), the Utrecht Work Job engagement Scale (UWES), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). A cross-sectional survey design was conducted among 500 employees of a government organisation. A response of 296 completed questionnaires was received Results demonstrated a practical significance between Job Insecurity and Job engagement as well as between Job Insecurity and General Health and between Job Insecurity and the exhaustion disengagement scale of the OLBI. It was found that increased job insecurity is associated with decreased work job engagement and poorer general health. Multiple regression analysis indicated that 22% of the variance in job engagement as measured by the OLBI was predicted by job insecurity and 8% of the variance in exhaustion as measured by the OLBI was explained by job insecurity. Further it indicated 14% of the variance in job engagement as measured by the UWES was predicted by job insecurity. A total of 17% of the variance in general health can be explained by job insecurity. Levels of job insecurity, as well as burnout were found to be average. Positive results for job engagement were found, measuring slightly above average. Results indicated good health as measured by this study. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

During the last few decades economic changes leading to transformations in the labour market have taken place in the industrialised world (Mauno & Kinnunen, 1999). These changes have had to be implemented as a result of economic recession, new information technology, industrial restructuring and accelerated global competition (Hartley, Jacobson, Klandermans & Van Vuuren, 199 1 ; Hellgren, Sverke & Isakson, 1999). South African organisations, to remain competitive in these harsh conditions, have been forced to improve organisational effectiveness and streamline operations (Human, Buitendach & Heyrnans, 2004). Many have had to engage in downsizing and restructuring in order to reduce labour costs and to improve competitiveness. These efforts usually result in the reduction of a large number of staff (Labuschagne, 2005). In addition to having adverse effects for those people who lose their jobs, it may also lead to increased stress among the survivors (Ashford, 1988; Ketz de Vries & Balazs, 1997). The primary objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between job insecurity, organisational citizenship behaviours and affective organisational commitment. Constructs were measured by means of the Job Insecurity Questionnaire (JIQ), the Organisational Citizenship Behaviours Questionnaire (OCB), the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OC) and a biographical questionnaire. A cross-sectional survey design was conducted among the 80 employees of a privately-owed franchise store of a large retail supermarket. A response of 66 completed questionnaires was received. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

In South Africa, organisations are exposed to economical, political, social, demographical and technological forces that encourage change. Tremendous pressure is placed on organisations to improve their performance and increase their global competitiveness in this continuously changing world of work. As organisations focus on competition and profit margins, workers are confronted with real or anticipated job loss, causing many to feel insecure about their jobs and future work life. Employees who consider themselves empowered, experience reduced emotional strain. Empowered employees thus derive a sense of meaning from their work, and these results in work engagement. The entire population of employees working at a government organisation in Gauteng was targeted for this research. The study population included workers from all levels, ranging from semi-skilled to professionals. A cross-sectional survey design was used to obtain the research objectives. Three standardised questionnaires were used in the empirical study, namely the Job Insecurity Inventory, the Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire and the Utrecht Work Engagement scale. Results indicated lower levels of job insecurity, psychological empowerment and work engagement compared to previous studies. No correlations were found between job insecurity and psychological empowerment or between job insecurity and work engagement. Psychological empowerment showed a positive correlation with work engagement. Regression analysis indicated that meaning did not show a significant predictive value towards cognitive job insecurity, but indicated significant predictive value towards affective job insecurity and towards work engagement. Cognitive job insecurity predicted work engagement significantly. Conclusions and limitations of the current research were discussed and recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

The world that is becoming more advanced and complex, induces acute competitiveness and immense challenges for organisations and employees. This, along with the increased demands from current operating economic conditions around the globe oblige organizations to embark on adaptive strategies such as downsizing, restructuring and temporary employment as a mechanism to sustain their continued existence in a hastened transformation era. Although these impetuses affect the content and structure of work directly, they also have indirect inherent effects as they create pressures of uncertainty and feelings ofjob insecurity. It is apparent that job insecurity may negatively affect employees' job satisfaction and affective organisational commitment. It is deemed important to identify the negative impacts of these changes on individual employees and devise change management and coping interventions to empower employees in lowering the stress that they may experience due to transformations within their organisations. Thus, the objectives of this research was to investigate the relationship between job insecurity, job satisfaction, affective organisational commitment and work locus of control and how demographic groups might differ in their experience of job insecurity among employees (N = 286) in a co-operation industry. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The constructs were measured by means of the Job Insecurity Scale (JIS), Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQAffective- subscale), Work Locus of Control Scale (WLCS) and a demographic questionnaire. The research method consists of a brief literature review and an empirical study. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the construct validity of the MSQ, OCQAffective, and WLCS. Alpha coefficients were also computed to assess the internal consistency of the scales. Descriptive statistics, Pearson-product moment correlation coefficients, MANOVA, and ANOVA were used to analyse the data. Multiple regression analyses were used to further examine the potential mediating effect of work locus of control in the job insecurity-outcomes relationships. Simple principal component analyses confirmed appropriate factor structures for the JIS. MSQ and OCQ. Although Spector proposed that the WLCS is a unidimensional scale, various previous studies have obtained evidence supporting a two-factor structure. In a similar vein, simple principle component analysis delivered a two-factor structure. All scales used demonstrated an adequate level of internal consistency. Job insecurity indicated a practically significant positive correlation with intrinsic job satisfaction, although the relationship between job insecurity and extrinsic job satisfaction was not statistically significant. A statically significant positive correlation was found between job insecurity and affective organisational commitment. Work locus of control demonstrated a practically significant correlation with job insecurity. Work locus of control demonstrated a practically significant positive correlation with affective organizational commitment, as well as both job satisfaction dimensions. Regression analyses indicated that work locus of control mediates the relationship between job insecurity and intrinsic job satisfaction. Work locus of control was also found to be a mediator of the relationship between job insecurity and affective organisational commitment. It was established that employees with tertiary qualifications such as degrees and postgraduate degrees experienced lower job insecurity as compared to employees with lower qualifications such as Grade 10 to Grade 12. No further significant differences were established in terms of gender, culture, age and tenure in the experience of job insecurity. Conclusions are made, limitations of the current research are discussed and recommendations for the organisation and future research are outlined. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

Due to constant changes and demands from external forces markets, today's employees are subjected to continuous change in the workplace in order for organisations to stay competitive. Changes include restructuring, downsizing, technological changes and so forth, which result in employees feeling less secure in their jobs compared to employees a few decades ago. This insecurity is a reality in the lives of employees and leads to a whole range of emotions and reactions toward these changes. The primary objectives of this research is to determine the nature of the relationship between job insecurity and affective organisational commitment, and also the nature of the relationship between job insecurity and the general health of employees in a specific petro-chemical organisation (N = 229). The final objective is to determine if work locus of control plays a mediating role in the above mentioned relationships. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. Constructs were measured using the following: the Job Insecurity Questionnaire (JIQ), the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) [where only the affective subscale was interpreted], the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Work Locus of Control Scale (WLCS) as well as a biographical questionnaire. Results indicated that a practically significant relationship of medium effect exists between job insecurity (both dimensions) and work locus of control, and also a practically significant negative relationship between job insecurity (cognitive subscale) and affective organizational commitment and between affective organisational commitment with work locus of control. No other practically significant relationships were found, although the relationship between the variables did prove to be statistically significant. Regression analysis confirmed that work locus of control fully mediate the relationship between affective job insecurity and affective organisational commitment and also between affective job insecurity with general health, whilst partial mediation by work locus of control was found between cognitive job insecurity and affective organisational commitment and cognitive job insecurity and general health. Conclusions and recommendations were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

Organisations are faced with challenges and opportunities due to the constantly changing world of work. These changes lead to organisational members to compete or survive in the dynamic world of work. Job Insecurity, Psychological Empowerment, Work Engagement as well as the employee's well-being are affected by these changes. The South African education environment has been changing since the beginning of the new political dispensation in 1994. The changes include the social, economic, technological and organisational environment. The unsuccessful implementation of the outcome based education and subsequent review has placed Educators under considerable pressure. The changes are being exacerbated by the unprecedented world economic down turn which has created further uncertainty in employment and has resulted in increased levels of Job Insecurity and employee disengagement. Employee engagement and job satisfaction become the key aspects that may contribute to high performance levels and the retention of motivated employees during this period of uncertainty. The schools that would engage their staff members are likely to retain their Educators whilst unengaged Educators will feel more insecure and are likely to look for other jobs elsewhere. The objective of this study was to establish the relationship between Job Insecurity, Psychological Empowerment, Work Engagement and General Health of Educators in the Sedibeng West District. A cross sectional survey design was used to collect data from an available sample of Educators in the specified district. A Job Insecurity Questionnaire (JIQ), Psychological Empowerment Questionnaire (PEQ), Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and General Health questionnaire (GHQ) as well as a Biographical Questionnaire were administered in this regard. Results indicated a statistically significant and negative relationship between Job Insecurity and Psychological Empowerment as measured by Influence and Attitude. Higher levels of Job Insecurity are therefore associated with lower levels of perceived Psychological Empowerment (as measured by Influence and Attitude). A statistically significant negative correlation was obtained between Job Insecurity and Work Engagement. Job Insecurity was found to be statistically significant associated with three dimensions of General Health (Somatic Symptoms, Social Dysfunction and Severe Depression). A practically significant correlation of medium effect was obtained between Influence and Work Engagement as measured by the UWES. Influence also showed statistically significant negative correlations with Somatic Symptoms, Social Dysfunction and Severe Depression. The Attitude factor obtained a practically significant correlation of large effect with Work Engagement and furthermore statistically negatively correlates with the three GHQ factors, being Somatic Symptoms, Social Dysfunction and Severe Depression. A practically significant negative correlation of medium effect was obtained between Work Engagement and Social Dysfunction. Somatic Symptoms and Severe Depression showed a statistically significant correlation with Work Engagement. Regression analysis indicated that Job Insecurity and Psychological Empowerment as measured by Attitude have a significant predictive value towards Work Engagement and General Health as measured by Somatic Symptoms, Social Dysfunction and Severe Depression. Based on the findings, limitations of the research followed by recommendations for the Department of Education and for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009

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.