This study has examined organizational commitment among employees at a small office belonging to a larger auditing firm that is not part of the Big Four, and the role this commitment plays in the decision to stay or to resign. The industry is characterized by a high overall turnover rate, with a large portion of employees leaving within three years. This creates problems in the form of skill shortages, high workloads, and the risk of stress and burnout. Research indicates that engaged employees are more likely to stay with their employer, making it interesting to investigate how employees express their commitment. This has been done using organizational commitment theory and its components: affective, continuance, and normative commitment. By conducting five semi-structured interviews with employees, data for analysis was collected. The results show that the different components play different roles at different times, but it appears that affective commitment is the primary factor that makes them stay. The affective component is also something the employer can work to promote among employees through various activities, such as implementing a mentor and ensuring that employees develop and feel trusted by the organization, which this organization has managed well. Continuance and normative commitment seem to be more prominent according to different situations and individuals. / Detta arbete har undersökt organisatoriskt engagemang hos medarbetare på ett mindre kontor tillhörande en större revisionsbyrå som inte tillhör Big Four, och vilken roll detta engagemang har i beslutet att stanna kvar eller säga upp sig. Branschen präglas av en hög generell personalomsättning där en stor del av personalen slutar inom tre år. Det skapar problem i form av kompetensbrist, hög arbetsbelastning och risk för stress och utbrändhet. Det finns forskning som pekar på att engagerad personal stannar hos sin arbetsgivare i högre utsträckning, vilket gör det intressant att undersöka hur anställda uttrycker sitt engagemang. Detta har gjorts med hjälp av organisatorisk engagemangsteori och dess komponenter: affektivt, kontinuerligt och normativt engagemang. Genom att hålla fem stycken semistrukturerade intervjuer med anställda har underlag för analys insamlats. Resultatet visar att de olika komponenterna spelar olika roller vid olika tillfällen, men det framstår att det affektiva engagemanget är den främsta komponenten som får dem att stanna kvar. Den affektiva komponenten är även något arbetsgivaren kan arbeta för att främja hos medarbetare genom att bland annat implementera en handledare samt se till att medarbetarna utvecklas och känner ett förtroende från organisationen, vilket är något denna arbetsgivare har lyckats bra med. Det kontinuerliga och normativa engagemanget ter sig vara mer framträdande efter olika situationer och individer.

The De Witte (2000) Job Insecurity Scale (JIS) claims to measure the cognitive and affective dimensionalities of job insecurity. However, there is a concern as to whether this is in fact a true reflection of the individual, owing to the possibility that the JIS may rather measure the negative and positive dimensionalities of job insecurity instead. This research article aims to investigate whether a revised version of the JIS measures the cognitive and affective dimensionalities of job insecurity, or alternatively, other dimensionalities of the revised JIS after additional items have been added to the scale. Furthermore, it is aimed at determining whether the constructs of the revised JIS prove to be invariant across gender, age and educational level, and to determine whether the psychometric properties of a revised version of the JIS is a valid and reliable instrument. Furthermore, this research article aims at determining if the revised version of the JIS is a more accurate indicator of job insecurity and its relation with organisational outcomes (job satisfaction and organisational commitment), as well as its equivalence across various demographic variables (i.e. gender, age and educational level). A quantitative research approach was used. This approach was utilised to statistically reflect the psychometric properties of the revised version of the JIS, using large amounts of data relating to job insecurity. A cross-sectional design was used for the purpose of this study. The sample consisted of employees working in the mining sector (n = 262) and manufacturing industries (n = 208), constituting a total sample of 470 (n = 470). Non-probability quota sampling was used to adequately divide the population according to its sector in the economy, and further according to the industry. The results showed that the revised JIS consists of a two-factor model, namely job security and job insecurity. Furthermore, it was found that the revised JIS is valid in providing relationships with organisational outcomes (job satisfaction and organisational commitment). The study indicated that job insecurity has a negative relationship with job satisfaction, as well as a predictive positive relationship with organisational commitment. The revised JIS proved to have discriminant validity in that it does not relate to an unrelated construct (physical tiredness during work). Lastly, the revised JIS can be deemed valid across different demographic groups (gender, age and educational level). Recommendations are made to be applied in practice, as well as for future research. / MA (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The aim of this study was to identify how organisational support, diversity, burnout and work engagement influence organisational commitment and turnover intention, and if perceived organisational support and diversity act as moderators to influence the outcomes of these relationships. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Data (N = 4,658) was gathered from a survey data archive that contains responses to survey questions as well as the demographical data regarding the respondents that was completed during wellness audits. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey (SAEHWS©) was used during the gathering of the data (Rothmann & Rothmann, 2006). Statistical analysis was done by means of descriptive statistics and relationships were determined by means of the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients (Clark & Watson, 1995). Regressions were used to predict the outcome variables of turnover intention and organisational commitment and the interaction effects were plotted, using organisational support and diversity as moderators on burnout as well as engagement. Burnout shows a strong inverse relationship with both organisational support and commitment. A strong direct relationship exists between burnout and turnover intention. On the other hand, a strong inverse relationship was found between turnover intention and organisational commitment. It was found that engagement relates positively to enhanced commitment and support, as well as decreased turnover intention. Diversity is a statistically significant predictor but does not moderate any relationship. It thus directly influences turnover intention as well as organisational commitment. However, diversity problems were also found to be positively linked with symptoms of burnout as well as an increased turnover intention A strong inverse relationship exists between diversity problems and work engagement. Organisational support was found to moderate the effect of burnout and engagement on both turnover intention and organisational commitment and seems to negate diversity problems. As conclusion, recommendations for future research are made. / MA (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The De Witte (2000) Job Insecurity Scale (JIS) claims to measure the cognitive and affective dimensionalities of job insecurity. However, there is a concern as to whether this is in fact a true reflection of the individual, owing to the possibility that the JIS may rather measure the negative and positive dimensionalities of job insecurity instead. This research article aims to investigate whether a revised version of the JIS measures the cognitive and affective dimensionalities of job insecurity, or alternatively, other dimensionalities of the revised JIS after additional items have been added to the scale. Furthermore, it is aimed at determining whether the constructs of the revised JIS prove to be invariant across gender, age and educational level, and to determine whether the psychometric properties of a revised version of the JIS is a valid and reliable instrument. Furthermore, this research article aims at determining if the revised version of the JIS is a more accurate indicator of job insecurity and its relation with organisational outcomes (job satisfaction and organisational commitment), as well as its equivalence across various demographic variables (i.e. gender, age and educational level). A quantitative research approach was used. This approach was utilised to statistically reflect the psychometric properties of the revised version of the JIS, using large amounts of data relating to job insecurity. A cross-sectional design was used for the purpose of this study. The sample consisted of employees working in the mining sector (n = 262) and manufacturing industries (n = 208), constituting a total sample of 470 (n = 470). Non-probability quota sampling was used to adequately divide the population according to its sector in the economy, and further according to the industry. The results showed that the revised JIS consists of a two-factor model, namely job security and job insecurity. Furthermore, it was found that the revised JIS is valid in providing relationships with organisational outcomes (job satisfaction and organisational commitment). The study indicated that job insecurity has a negative relationship with job satisfaction, as well as a predictive positive relationship with organisational commitment. The revised JIS proved to have discriminant validity in that it does not relate to an unrelated construct (physical tiredness during work). Lastly, the revised JIS can be deemed valid across different demographic groups (gender, age and educational level). Recommendations are made to be applied in practice, as well as for future research. / MA (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The aim of this study was to identify how organisational support, diversity, burnout and work engagement influence organisational commitment and turnover intention, and if perceived organisational support and diversity act as moderators to influence the outcomes of these relationships. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Data (N = 4,658) was gathered from a survey data archive that contains responses to survey questions as well as the demographical data regarding the respondents that was completed during wellness audits. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey (SAEHWS©) was used during the gathering of the data (Rothmann & Rothmann, 2006). Statistical analysis was done by means of descriptive statistics and relationships were determined by means of the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients (Clark & Watson, 1995). Regressions were used to predict the outcome variables of turnover intention and organisational commitment and the interaction effects were plotted, using organisational support and diversity as moderators on burnout as well as engagement. Burnout shows a strong inverse relationship with both organisational support and commitment. A strong direct relationship exists between burnout and turnover intention. On the other hand, a strong inverse relationship was found between turnover intention and organisational commitment. It was found that engagement relates positively to enhanced commitment and support, as well as decreased turnover intention. Diversity is a statistically significant predictor but does not moderate any relationship. It thus directly influences turnover intention as well as organisational commitment. However, diversity problems were also found to be positively linked with symptoms of burnout as well as an increased turnover intention A strong inverse relationship exists between diversity problems and work engagement. Organisational support was found to moderate the effect of burnout and engagement on both turnover intention and organisational commitment and seems to negate diversity problems. As conclusion, recommendations for future research are made. / MA (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The present study aimed to investigate the relationships between, personal meaning, sense of coherence, organisational commitment and selected biographical variables, specifically age, tenure and occupational level. It was found that mostly significant positive relationships exist between personal meaning and sense of coherence. Personal meaning and sense of coherence exhibit predictive value for organisational commitment. It was established that self-transcendence plays a significant role in the development of affective and normative organisational commitment. Some significant differences were found between management and non-management employees in the manifestation of personal meaning. Management approximate more personal meaning to achievement, self-acceptance, and fair treatment. On sense of coherence and organisational commitment there were no significant differences between management and non-management employees. It was recommended that the relationship between personal meaning and other positive psychology variables be researched in order to determine the significance of such relationships so as to add to this relatively new body of research. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Comm.

This study investigates whether a relationship exists between two constructs, namely sense of coherence (SOC) and organisational commitment, and their relationship with specific biographical attributes of consultants working in the enterprise resource and planning (ERP) industry. The results of the study indicate that, overall, a relationship at a significant level could not be established between the two constructs. However, some of the correlations in this study showed that a few relationships could be established at a significant level between age and tenure and some of the subscales of the two constructs. On the basis of the results of the study, recommendations could be made that apply in the ERP industry. Suggestions were also made for possible further research in other areas such as recruitment, employee development, employee reward, compensation and recognition, employee retention, succession planning, employee wellbeing and talent management. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This research explores the relationship between job insecurity, organisational commitment and work engagement amongst staff in a tertiary institution. The research was conducted through computer-aided telephone interviews and self-completion techniques. Of the total population (N=4460), a proportion of survey participants (n=260) were selected using a two-stage stratified probability sampling technique, proportional to size, across the different departments. Three instruments were administered among the survey participants, namely the Job Insecurity Scale (JIS), the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). On the basis of the outcome of the study, a theoretical relationship was determined between job insecurity (JIS), organisational commitment (OCQ) and work engagement (UWES). An empirical study provided evidence on the relationship that exists between the three concepts. The results revealed that a statistically significant relationship exists between JIS and OQC as well as UWES, although the relationship is positive and weak (r=.286** for OCQ; r=.270** for UWES). These results are incongruent with previous studies and might suggest that previous studies failed to examine whether the nature and strength of the relationships between job security and its outcomes are different in situations with different levels of insecurity or threat. However, further analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between some of the subscales. For instance, a positive statistically significant relationship was observed between perceived powerlessness and affective commitment (r=.304**), vigour (r=.346**), dedication (r=.350**) and absorption (r=.279**). The results imply that as participants feel insecure about the various job features and the job as a whole, they simultaneously express their commitment and energy as well as dedication to their work responsibilities and the organisation. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial & Organisational Psychology)

The research focused on constructing a psychological career profile for staff retention practices by investigating the relationship between employees’ psychological career meta-competencies (psychological career resources, career adaptability and hardiness) and their retention-related dispositions (job embeddedness and organisational commitment). A quantitative survey was conducted on a convenience sample of employed adults (N = 355) at managerial and staff levels in the human resource management field. A canonical correlation analysis indicated a significant overall relationship between the psychological career meta-competencies and the retention-related dispositions. Multiple regression analyses indicated the psychological career meta-competencies as significant predictors of the retention-related dispositions variables. Structural equation modelling indicated a good fit of the data with the canonical correlation-derived measurement model. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses showed that gender and marital status significantly moderated the relationship between the participants’ psychological career meta-competencies and the retention-related disposition job-embedded fit. Tests for mean differences revealed that males and females differed significantly regarding their self/other skills and hardy-commitment while the marital status groups differed signifcantly regarding their behavioural adaptability and hardiness. On a theoretical level, the study deepened understanding of the cognitive, affective, conative and interpersonal behavioural dimensions of the hypothesized psychological career profile. On an empirical level, the study produced an empirically tested psychological career profile in terms of the various behavioural dimensions. On a practical level, organisational staff retention practices in terms of the behavioural dimensions of the psychological career profile were recommended. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / D.Com.(Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: My study aims to ascertain whether interpersonal staff relationships have a role to play in the healthy development of a school as an organisation. My specific focus is on how educators experience these relationships, and how they impact on the educators' commitment to a particular school. My research design consisted of three case studies. I used a semi-structured questionnaire with each case and at a later date had a group discussion. My analysis of the questionnaires' data provided tentative themes for inclusion and further exploration in the group discussion. The combination of two data production phases resulted in the confirmation and expansion of the data. My study shows that various factors impact on interpersonal staff relationships within a school. These interpersonal staff relationships have a bearing on the continuance, moral and alienative dimensions of commitment, and impact on staff retention and job performance. They also impact directly on the health of the educators. Thus interpersonal staff relationships would seem to have an important role to play in the development of healthy schools. I conclude by acknowledging the limitations of this study, and recommending further research.