This thesis studies the role of new firms in the labour market and uses Swedish data to analyze labour mobility in new firms, including both transitions of workers into and from new firms. In particular, it focuses on employees’ wages in new firms and post-new firm employment labour market outcomes as transitions into long-term employment and entrepreneurship.  This thesis consists of four essays. The first two essays concern labour mobility into new firms. The last two essays focus on post-new firm employment mobility. The first essay explores the role of new firms as an entry point into the labour market for individuals with little (or no) labour market experience. The findings show that the wage penalty found in previous research, which includes more heterogeneous groups of employees, decreases once the focus is solely on labour market entrants.  The second essay investigates whether there is a wage penalty for being employed at a new firm if the individual employee’s experience and status in the labour market are taken into account; this essay focuses on individuals who decide to switch jobs. The findings show that there is a wage penalty for being employed at a new firm; however, considering a random selection into new firms may underestimate the wage differentials. The third essay studies the role that new firms play for the career path of their employees. In particular, this paper analyzes whether short-term employment in new firms (employment lasting less than one year) may serve as a stepping stone toward long-term employment (at least two years of employment with the same employer) for non-employed individuals. The findings indicate that short-term employment in new firms may serve as a stepping stone toward long-term employment. The fourth paper examines the new firm effect on entrepreneurship, which the findings indicate is positive and statistically significant; this effect remains even after controlling for a worker's ability and shows that employees with both high and low levels of ability may transition to entrepreneurship. / <p>QC 20160916</p>

Emotional intelligence is a relatively new and growing area of behavioural research, which stimulated the imagination of the general public, the commercial world and the scientific community. Only a few studies have been done on the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of emotional intelligence, optimism, life satisfaction and self-efficacy, as well as the validity and reliability of these measures on a sample of university students. Further objectives included conceptualising emotional intelligence, optimism, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, wellbeing and academic performance and determining the validity and reliability of the 33-item measurement of emotional intelligence (SEIS) for a sample of potential future employees in economical sciences professions. The results obtained from this study will help organisations determine the level of emotional intelligence and well-being of their future workforce, in order to implement certain interventions to improve it. A cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. A sample of 341 students was used for this study, but only 324 of the responses could be utilised. The participants (N = 324) were students within the field of economics. 1 17 Students were from the Vanderbijlpark Campus and 207 students were from the Potchefstroom Campus. The Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale, Life Orientation Test Revised, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the General Perceived Self- Efficacy Scale were administered. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the statistical data. The results obtained from the SEIS proved this measuring instrument to be valid and reliable. By using the multiple linear regression analysis approach, a six dimensional factor structure for emotional intelligence among students emerged, which supported earlier conceptions in this regard. The results showed that Interpersonal factors consisted of Positive Affect, Emotions-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions and Emotional Control. Intrapersonal factors consisted of Self-Efficacy, Life Satisfaction and Optimism. Self-efficacy, Life satisfaction, Optimism, Pessimism, Positive Affect, Emotion-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotion-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions and Emotional Control, predict 16% of the variance in Academic Performance. Significant predictors of Academic Performance are Life Satisfaction, Optimism, Pessimism and Emotions-Others. A second order factor analysis was done on the factors of the SEIS, LOT-R, GPSES, and the SWLS. Two factors were extracted explaining 50,95% of the variance. These factors were called Interpersonal Factors and Intrapersonal Factors. On the Intrapersonal Factor, the following factors loaded: Emotions-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own and Non-Verbal Emotions. Self-Efficacy, Life Satisfaction and Optimism, Positive Affect and Emotional Control loaded on the Interpersonal Factor. It is evident from the above that psychological well-being consisted out of two dimensions namely Interpersonal and Intrapersonal aspects. Positive Affect is significantly positively related (large effect) to Optimism and Self-Efficacy and significantly positive related (medium effect) to Emotions-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions and Emotional Control. Emotions-Others is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own and Self-Efficacy. Happy Emotions is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Emotions-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions, Emotional Control, Optimism and Self-Efficacy. Emotions-Own is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Non-verbal Emotions, Emotional Control, Optimism and Self-Efficacy. Non-verbal Emotions significantly positively related (medium effect) to Emotional Control and Self-Efficacy. Emotional Control significantly positively related (large effect) to Self-Efficacy and significantly positively related (medium effect) to Optimism and Life Satisfaction. Optimism significantly positively related (medium effect) to Life Satisfaction and Self-Efficacy. Pessimism is significantly negatively related (medium effect) to Life Satisfaction and Self- Efficacy. Life satisfaction is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Self-Efficacy and Academic Performance. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Emotional intelligence is a relatively new and growing area of behavioural research, which stimulated the imagination of the general public, the commercial world and the scientific community. Only a few studies have been done on the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of emotional intelligence, optimism, life satisfaction and self-efficacy, as well as the validity and reliability of these measures on a sample of university students. Further objectives included conceptualising emotional intelligence, optimism, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, wellbeing and academic performance and determining the validity and reliability of the 33-item measurement of emotional intelligence (SEIS) for a sample of potential future employees in economical sciences professions. The results obtained from this study will help organisations determine the level of emotional intelligence and well-being of their future workforce, in order to implement certain interventions to improve it. A cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. A sample of 341 students was used for this study, but only 324 of the responses could be utilised. The participants (N = 324) were students within the field of economics. 1 17 Students were from the Vanderbijlpark Campus and 207 students were from the Potchefstroom Campus. The Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale, Life Orientation Test Revised, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the General Perceived Self- Efficacy Scale were administered. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the statistical data. The results obtained from the SEIS proved this measuring instrument to be valid and reliable. By using the multiple linear regression analysis approach, a six dimensional factor structure for emotional intelligence among students emerged, which supported earlier conceptions in this regard. The results showed that Interpersonal factors consisted of Positive Affect, Emotions-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions and Emotional Control. Intrapersonal factors consisted of Self-Efficacy, Life Satisfaction and Optimism. Self-efficacy, Life satisfaction, Optimism, Pessimism, Positive Affect, Emotion-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotion-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions and Emotional Control, predict 16% of the variance in Academic Performance. Significant predictors of Academic Performance are Life Satisfaction, Optimism, Pessimism and Emotions-Others. A second order factor analysis was done on the factors of the SEIS, LOT-R, GPSES, and the SWLS. Two factors were extracted explaining 50,95% of the variance. These factors were called Interpersonal Factors and Intrapersonal Factors. On the Intrapersonal Factor, the following factors loaded: Emotions-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own and Non-Verbal Emotions. Self-Efficacy, Life Satisfaction and Optimism, Positive Affect and Emotional Control loaded on the Interpersonal Factor. It is evident from the above that psychological well-being consisted out of two dimensions namely Interpersonal and Intrapersonal aspects. Positive Affect is significantly positively related (large effect) to Optimism and Self-Efficacy and significantly positive related (medium effect) to Emotions-Others, Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions and Emotional Control. Emotions-Others is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Happy Emotions, Emotions-Own and Self-Efficacy. Happy Emotions is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Emotions-Own, Non-Verbal Emotions, Emotional Control, Optimism and Self-Efficacy. Emotions-Own is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Non-verbal Emotions, Emotional Control, Optimism and Self-Efficacy. Non-verbal Emotions significantly positively related (medium effect) to Emotional Control and Self-Efficacy. Emotional Control significantly positively related (large effect) to Self-Efficacy and significantly positively related (medium effect) to Optimism and Life Satisfaction. Optimism significantly positively related (medium effect) to Life Satisfaction and Self-Efficacy. Pessimism is significantly negatively related (medium effect) to Life Satisfaction and Self- Efficacy. Life satisfaction is significantly positively related (medium effect) to Self-Efficacy and Academic Performance. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.