The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the working conditions on the productivity of the nursing staff in the Midwife&Obstetrical Unit of Pretoria West Hospital. It was important to establish the working conditions prevailing within the unit and further to determine which factors related to the working conditions that influence productivity of the nursing staff. The findings of the research are intended to provide guidance to the management in dealing with issues regarding working conditions so as to improve the productivity of the nursing staff in the unit. A combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches was used, specifically the dominant-less-dominant model. The research approach was predominantly quantitative with lesser qualitative components incorporated for respondents to give recommendations intended for management so that improvement in their working conditions could be implemented Applied research was relevant in this study as the knowledge gained, can be utilised to address productivity problems emanating from working conditions. The aspects of working conditions that impact on productivity were explored and discussed in the literature study. The literature study also included a discussion on the cost of work stress on individuals and organizations. The section concluded with a discussion on the role of Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) in an organization. A self-developed questionnaire was used as a research tool to collect data from the respondents. No sampling was done because of the small size of the population, hence all members of the population were included in the study. The findings of the study were based on thirty-four questionnaires that were returned by the respondents. The findings were analysed and presented using tables and graphs which were then interpreted in words. The study revealed that the majority of the nursing staff in the Midwife Obstetrical Unit of Pretoria West Hospital perceives their working conditions as being stressful. The working conditions are negatively impacting on their well-being and job performance. The study also revealed that EAP has been implemented at the hospital, but the services of the programme are not being utilised by the majority of the nurses in the unit. Based on the findings of the study conclusions and recommendations were made regarding strategies to improve working conditions and to increase productivity. The important limitation of the study was that through reflections of some of the respondents’ views regarding sensitive issues were not obtained. Participants were given a choice of three responses which included remaining neutral. Unfortunately some respondents chose this option rather than taking a firm stand. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Stress is no new phenomenon, but became one of the leading causes of personnel turnover and increasing production cost in the twentieth century. A very large amount of studies have done on stress to create a deeper understanding of the causes, as well as the effects of stress. The purpose of this study therefore is to gain knowledge as to the nature and scope of stress experienced by members of the South African Police Service Dog unit in Durban. The South African Police Service have undergone 'n total change and this change, as any other, has not gone without problems. It is natural human nature to avoid change, and this has led to the fact that certain members have found the changes quite easy to adapt to, but others have not adapted to the new ways. Said changes have also taken place in the Dog unit in Durban. This specialized unit within the South African Police Service supply a service which is of cardinal importance and it is therefore necessary to take note of the stress experienced by members of this unit. The study not only focused on how the members experience stress, but also on the causes and effects of said experience. Furthermore, special attention was given to certain personality traits which members have displayed. The literature study preceding the results will help to understand and relate the results. The number of respondents experiencing high to very high levels of stress are greater than those experiencing normal levels of stress. This is due to work related aspects such as job characteristics inherent to the job, remuneration, added benefits, and personnel policy as well as career opportunities. Furthermore, specific personality traits / characteristics were identified which identify respondents experiencing very high levels of stress. Knowledge gained regarding the levels of stress experienced by members, as well as the nature and scope of stress, can be used to produce aids to assist in the recruitment of members for the unit. It is clear that members wanting to work in the unit needs to be emotionally, psychologically and physically well and it is clear that results from this study can further the process to ensure this. Lastly, due to the results of this study, specialized stress management workshops can be developed for the unit. / Thesis (MCom (Human Resources Management))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

This dissertation attempts to understand the causes and levels of work stress and burnout in a department of the South African Public Service, by using three quantitative questionnaires, namely the ‘Work Experience Life Questionnaire’, ‘Maslach Burnout's Questionnaire’, and a ‘Biographical Questionnaire’. A qualitative questionnaire was administered to illicit in-depth responses in relation to the quantitative aspects of the study. The sample constituted of 341 senior officials whose positions ranged from Assistant Director to the Director-General. 231 quantitative questionnaires were completed, pointing to an acceptable response rate of 67.7%, which accounts for more than two thirds of the total study population. Qualitative questionnaires were emailed to 20 individuals, resulting in a returned response rate of 50%. A cross-sectional approach was adopted. The literature review was followed by an empirical investigation. The quantitativequalitative research approach, with a focus on Creswell's dominant-less-dominant model was used, where the quantitative phases were the dominant approach. A non-experimental approach was followed in the form of a cross-sectional study to examine the relationship between job stress and burnout in a specific time of study, by using the experience of Work and Life Circumstances Questionnaire (WLQ) and Maslach's Burnout (MBI-General Survey). In order to address the gaps with regards to the above-mentioned two questionnaires, a qualitative investigation was also conducted, where semi-structured questionnaires were sent to a number of officials. The qualitative survey was carried out to give an in-depth meaning to the quantitative data. It also extensively addressed the issues of organizational politics. / Hierdie verhandeling se hoof fokus is om die vlakke en oorsake van bestuurder stres en –uitbranding in ʼn departement van die Suid-Afrikaanse staatsdiens te ondersoek, deur gebruik te maak van 3 kwantitatiewe vraelyste (Ervaring van Werk en Lewens vraelys, Maslach se Uitbrandings vraelys, en ʼn biografiese vraelys), sowel as ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsings gedeelte. Vanuit ʼn populasie van 341 senior amptenare in poste vanaf assistentdirekteur tot Direkteur-generaal het 231 die vraelyste voltooi (67.7%). ʼn Kruis-seksionele benadering is toegepas. Hierdie studie voorsien ʼn in-diepte, en uitgebreide teoretiese perspektief en bespreking oor stres, werk stres, en werk uitbranding in die staatsdiens. In hoofstuk drie is ʼn in-diepte uiteensetting gegee oor die rol wat organisasie politiek in die werk organisasie speel. Meer spesifiek dui die literatuur oorsig aan dat daar ʼn sterk verhouding tussen organisasie politiek, werk stres en –uitbranding bestaan. ʼn Belangrike tekortkoming in hierdie oorsig is dat daar nie baie literatuur oor die onderwerp beskikbaar is nie en dat van die bronne ook baie verouderd is. Die literatuur studies, internasionaal en plaaslik, in hoofstuk vier, dui aan dat hoë vlakke van stres lei tot gesondheidsprobleme, wat dan ook kan lei tot hoë vlakke van personeelomset en –uitbranding in vroulike en manlike werknemers. Die literatuurstudie is opgevolg deur ʼn empiriese ondersoek. Die kwantitatiefkwalitatiewe navorsing benaderings, met ʼn fokus op Creswell se dominant-less-dominant model, waar die kwantitatiewe fases as oorheersende benadering gebruik is. ʼn Nieeksperimentele benadering is gevolg in die vorm van ʼn kruis-seksionele studie om die verhouding tussen werk stres en -uitbranding op een spesifieke tyd te bestudeer deur gebruik te maak van die ervaring van Werk- en Lewensomstandighede vraelys (WLV) en Maslach se Uitbrandings vraelys (MBI- Algemene Opname). Om die behoeftes van die twee vraelyste aan te spreek is ʼn kwalitatiewe ondersoek uitgevoer waar semi-gestruktureerde vraelyste aan ʼn aantal amptenare gestuur is. Die kwalitatiewe opname is uitgevoer om ʼn in-diepte betekenis aan die kwantitatiewe data te gee. Verder het dit ook die kwessies van organisasie politiek breedvoerig aangespreek. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Psychology / Unrestricted

Die oorhoofse doelstelling van die navorsing is om behoeftebepalings onder personeel van dienssentrums vir bejaardes sowel as afgetrede vrywilligers te doen ten einde ’n effektiewe bemagtigingsprogram vir beide groepe te kan saamstel. Daar is vasgestel wat die effektiefste kenmerke van ’n personeellid van ’n dienssentrum is. Die studie beoog verder om ’n bemagtigingsprogram vir beide personeel en afgetrede vrywilligers te ontwikkel, aan te bied en te evalueer ten einde afgetrede vrywilligers meer sinvol en effektief tot voordeel van beide die organisasie en ouer persoon self te benut. Die proefskrif bestaan uit vyf afdelings: AFDELING A: Hierdie afdeling bevat onder meer die probleemstelling, navorsingsvrae, navorsingsdoelstelling en doelwitte, die sentraal teoretiese stelling, teoretiese benadering, maatskaplike groepwerk, tydperk van ondersoek, navorsingsmetodologie, beperkings van die studie, omskrywing van begrippe en die keuse en struktuur van die navorsingsverslag. Ten einde die doelstelling te kon bereik, is die volgende doelwitte nagestreef: Doelwit 1 Om ’n behoeftebepaling onder personeel van dienssentrums vir bejaardes te doen ten einde vas te stel of hulle van afgetrede vrywilligers se dienste gebruik maak en watter stremmings hulle ervaar ten opsigte van die benutting van vrywilligers. Doelwit 2 Om ’n behoeftebepaling onder afgetrede vrywilligers betrokke by dienssentrums vir bejaardes te doen ten einde vas te stel wat hulle verwagtinge van die dienssentrum en sy personeel is. Doelwit 3 Om vas te stel hoe die profiel van personeellede lyk wat met die afgetrede vrywilligers werk. bladsyiv Doelwit 4 Om ’n bemagtigingsprogram vir personeel van dienssentrums vir bejaardes te ontwikkel en toe te pas ten einde personeel meer kennis oor afgetrede vrywilligers te gee en met vaardighede toe te rus sodat hulle meer effektief met vrywilligers kan werk. Doelwit 5 Om ’n bemagtigingsprogram vir afgetrede vrywilligers van dienssentrums vir bejaardes te ontwikkel en aan te bied ten einde hulle in te skakel by die dienssentrum waar hulle met volle oorgawe effektief kan funksioneer. Doelwit 6 Om die bemagtigingsprogramme na afloop van die aanbieding daarvan te evalueer ten einde vas te stel of die ontwikkelde bemagtigingsprogramme vir personeel en afgetrede vrywilligers positiewe groei en vordering by die groepe meegebring het ten einde die programme bekend te kan stel aan al die dienssentrums. AFDELING B: Afdeling B bevat die ses artikels waarin verslag gelewer is oor die uitkomste van die navorsing. Artikel 1 het betrekking op die manier waarop die personeel van dienssentrums die afgetrede vrywilligers benut. Artikel 2 handel oor afgetrede vrywilligers se verwagtinge van die dienssentrum en sy personeel. Artikel 3 bevat die profiel van personeel wat met afgetrede vrywilligers werk. Artikel 4 dek die inhoud van ’n bemagtigingsprogram vir personeel wat met afgetrede vrywilligers werk. Artikel 5 behels die inhoud van ’n bemagti–gingsprogram vir afgetrede vrywilligers. Artikel 6 behandel die evaluering van die bemagti–gingsprogramme vir personeel en afgetrede vrywilligers betrokke by ’n dienssentrum vir bejaardes. AFDELING C: Hierdie afdeling is die samevatting van die vernaamste bevindings en gevolgtrekkings ten opsigte van die ondersoek in die geheel. Daarbenewens is aanbevelings gedoen en die bydra van die ondersoek uitgelig. AFDELING D: Die bylaes tot die navorsingsverslag, byvoorbeeld die verskillende meet–instrumente en vraelyste word hier vervat. A FDELING E: Hierdie afdeling sluit die proefskrif af met ’n samevattende bibliografie. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Die oorhoofse doelstelling van die navorsing is om behoeftebepalings onder personeel van dienssentrums vir bejaardes sowel as afgetrede vrywilligers te doen ten einde ’n effektiewe bemagtigingsprogram vir beide groepe te kan saamstel. Daar is vasgestel wat die effektiefste kenmerke van ’n personeellid van ’n dienssentrum is. Die studie beoog verder om ’n bemagtigingsprogram vir beide personeel en afgetrede vrywilligers te ontwikkel, aan te bied en te evalueer ten einde afgetrede vrywilligers meer sinvol en effektief tot voordeel van beide die organisasie en ouer persoon self te benut. Die proefskrif bestaan uit vyf afdelings: AFDELING A: Hierdie afdeling bevat onder meer die probleemstelling, navorsingsvrae, navorsingsdoelstelling en doelwitte, die sentraal teoretiese stelling, teoretiese benadering, maatskaplike groepwerk, tydperk van ondersoek, navorsingsmetodologie, beperkings van die studie, omskrywing van begrippe en die keuse en struktuur van die navorsingsverslag. Ten einde die doelstelling te kon bereik, is die volgende doelwitte nagestreef: Doelwit 1 Om ’n behoeftebepaling onder personeel van dienssentrums vir bejaardes te doen ten einde vas te stel of hulle van afgetrede vrywilligers se dienste gebruik maak en watter stremmings hulle ervaar ten opsigte van die benutting van vrywilligers. Doelwit 2 Om ’n behoeftebepaling onder afgetrede vrywilligers betrokke by dienssentrums vir bejaardes te doen ten einde vas te stel wat hulle verwagtinge van die dienssentrum en sy personeel is. Doelwit 3 Om vas te stel hoe die profiel van personeellede lyk wat met die afgetrede vrywilligers werk. bladsyiv Doelwit 4 Om ’n bemagtigingsprogram vir personeel van dienssentrums vir bejaardes te ontwikkel en toe te pas ten einde personeel meer kennis oor afgetrede vrywilligers te gee en met vaardighede toe te rus sodat hulle meer effektief met vrywilligers kan werk. Doelwit 5 Om ’n bemagtigingsprogram vir afgetrede vrywilligers van dienssentrums vir bejaardes te ontwikkel en aan te bied ten einde hulle in te skakel by die dienssentrum waar hulle met volle oorgawe effektief kan funksioneer. Doelwit 6 Om die bemagtigingsprogramme na afloop van die aanbieding daarvan te evalueer ten einde vas te stel of die ontwikkelde bemagtigingsprogramme vir personeel en afgetrede vrywilligers positiewe groei en vordering by die groepe meegebring het ten einde die programme bekend te kan stel aan al die dienssentrums. AFDELING B: Afdeling B bevat die ses artikels waarin verslag gelewer is oor die uitkomste van die navorsing. Artikel 1 het betrekking op die manier waarop die personeel van dienssentrums die afgetrede vrywilligers benut. Artikel 2 handel oor afgetrede vrywilligers se verwagtinge van die dienssentrum en sy personeel. Artikel 3 bevat die profiel van personeel wat met afgetrede vrywilligers werk. Artikel 4 dek die inhoud van ’n bemagtigingsprogram vir personeel wat met afgetrede vrywilligers werk. Artikel 5 behels die inhoud van ’n bemagti–gingsprogram vir afgetrede vrywilligers. Artikel 6 behandel die evaluering van die bemagti–gingsprogramme vir personeel en afgetrede vrywilligers betrokke by ’n dienssentrum vir bejaardes. AFDELING C: Hierdie afdeling is die samevatting van die vernaamste bevindings en gevolgtrekkings ten opsigte van die ondersoek in die geheel. Daarbenewens is aanbevelings gedoen en die bydra van die ondersoek uitgelig. AFDELING D: Die bylaes tot die navorsingsverslag, byvoorbeeld die verskillende meet–instrumente en vraelyste word hier vervat. A FDELING E: Hierdie afdeling sluit die proefskrif af met ’n samevattende bibliografie. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa / Critical thinking competencies are not only seen as crucial for success in higher education, but also for future personal and workplace success. These competencies are commonly cited as a graduate attribute or goal of higher education, and resulting research has tended to focus on exploring and measuring the development of critical thinking competencies in students within higher education. However, few researchers have explored the curriculum and practice of academic staff within higher education in relation to their influence on developing critical thinking competencies in students, or how they theorise about the development of these competencies as part of their professional practice. Within the South African context, there is a perception of a decline in the development of critical thinking competencies within the secondary school system. This has informed policy imperatives to improve access and success in South African higher education through additional support for students, as well as through research into the first-year experience. Within a constructivist paradigm, and adopting a qualitative approach, this study takes the first year of higher education as its context in order to explore the curriculum, assessment, pedagogical and andragogical practices of academic staff designed to develop critical thinking competencies in first-year students. The aim is to explore how academic staff construct their theory and practice in order to contribute to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in South African Higher Education. Phenomenological case study research methods, which draw on data collection through semi-structured interviews and document analysis, enabled a better understanding of the lived experience of academic staff within private higher education. Academic staff, as research participants, were able to describe deliberate actions taken in their teaching practices to facilitate the development and assessment of critical thinking competencies. The findings revealed that academic staff – while having no coherent, well-articulated construction of critical thinking competencies – feel that such competencies are essential for academic and future life success. This not only affirmed previous research reviewed, but aligned to the inclusion of explicit and implicit references to critical thinking competencies found in the curriculum and assessment documents. Recommendations for professional development responded specifically to these findings. / Kritiese denkvaardighede word nie net as wesentlik vir sukses in hoër onderwys beskou nie, maar ook vir toekomstige sukses, op persoonlike vlak en in die werkplek. Hierdie bevoegdhede word algemeen aanvaar as dié van ‘n gegradueerde of as oogmerk in hoër onderwys. Gevolglik was ondersoeke geneig om te fokus op die verkenning en meting van die ontwikkeling van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede by studente binne die hoër onderwys. Min navorsers het egter die kurrikulum en praktyk van akademiese personeel binne die hoër onderwys met betrekking tot hul invloed op die ontwikkeling van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede in studente verken nie, of hoe hulle teoretiseer oor die ontwikkeling van hierdie bevoegdhede as deel van hul professionele praktyk. Binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks is die persepsie dat die ontwikkeling van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede binne die sekondêreskoolstelsel afneem. Dit het bygedra tot beleidsimperatiewe om toegang en sukses in die Suid-Afrikaanse hoër onderwys te verbeter deur bykomende ondersteuning aan studente te gee, asook deur die eerstejaarervaring te ondersoek. Binne ‘n konstruktivistiese paradigma, en deur gebruik te maak van ‘n kwalitatiewe benadering, neem hierdie studie die eerste jaar van hoër onderwys as konteks ten einde die kurrikulum, assessering, pedagogiese en andragogiese praktyke van akademiese personeel wat ontwerp is om kritiekedenkbevoegdhede by eerstejaarstudente te verken. Die doel is om na te volg hoe akademiese personeel hul teorie en praktyk saamstel ten einde by te dra tot die Kundigheid in Onderrig en Leer in Suid-Afrika se Hoër Onderwys. Fenomenologiese gevallestudienavorsingsmetodes wat steun op die inwin van data deur middel van semigestruktureerde onderhoude en dokumentontleding, het gelei tot beter begrip van die geleefde ervaring van akademiese personeel binne privaat hoër onderwys. Akademiese personeel, as navorsingsgenote, kon optrede beskryf wat doelbewus in hul onderrigpraktyke geneem word om die ontwikkeling en assessering van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede te fasiliteer. Die bevindinge het getoon dat akademiese personeel – sonder koherente, goed geartikuleerde konstruksie van kritiekedenkbevoegdhede – voel dat sulke vaardighede wesentlik is vir akademiese en toekomstige sukses in die lewe. Dit het nie net vorige navorsing bevestig nie, maar gestrook met die insluiting van eksplisiete en implisiete verwysings na kritiekedenkbevoegdhede binne die kurrikulum- en assesseringsdokumente. Aanbevelings vir professionele ontwikkeling het spesifiek op hierdie bevindinge reageer. / Ubuchule bokucinga nzulu abubonwa kuphela njengecebo elibalulekileyo lokuphumelela kwimfundo ephakamileyo, bukwabonwa njengecebo lokuphumelela komntu kwizinto zakhe nakwindawo axelenga kuyo. Obu buchule bukholisa ukuchazwa njengenjongo yemfundo ephakamileyo, kwaye uphando lweziphumo luthande ukugxininisa ekuqwalaseleni nasekulinganiseleni ukuphuhliseka kwezakhono zokucinga nzulu kubafundi bemfundo ephakamileyo. Noxa kunjalo, bambalwa abaphandi bolwazi abakhe baqwalasela ukusetyenziswa kwekharityhulam ngabahlohli bemfundo ephakamileyo malunga nefuthe ekuphuhliseni izakhono zokucinga nzulu kubafundi, okanye iingcingane zophuhliso lokuphuhliseka kwezi zakhono njengenxalenye yomsebenzi wabo. Kwimeko yoMzantsi Afrika kukho imbono yokuba ziyaphelelwa izakhono zokucinga nzulu kwinkqubo yemfundo yezikolo zeesekondari. Oku kukhokelele ekusekeni iinkqubo zempumelelo kwimfundo ephakamileyo ngokunika inkxaso eyongezelelekileyo kubafundi, nangokuphanda ngamava abafundi abakunyaka wokuqala. Ngokujonga kwinkalo ethi imfundo yinkqubo yokusebenza, nangokusebenzisa indlela yophando lomgangatho, esi sifundo sithatha unyaka wokuqala wemfundo ephakamileyo njengemeko nendawo yokuqwalasela ukusetyenziswa kwekharityhulam, uhlolo, ukufundiswa kolutsha nasebekhulile ngabahlohli ekuphuhliseni izakhono zokucinga nzulu kubafundi bonyaka wokuqala. Injongo kukuqwalasela ukuba abahlohli bayiqulunqa njani ingcingane nokusebenza ukuze kuncediswe kubungcali bokufundisa nokufunda kwimfundo ephakamileyo yoMzantsi Afrika. Iindlela zophando zeemeko ezithile, ezifumana iinkcukacha zolwazi ngokuqhuba udliwano ndlebe oluphantse lwangqongqo, nangokuphengulula imibhalo, kwanceda ukuba kuqondakale ngcono amava abahlohli bemfundo ephakamileyo yabucala. Abahlohli abangabathathi nxaxheba kuphando baye bakwazi ukuchaza izenzo ezingqalileyo ezenzelwe ukuphuhlisa nokuhlola izakhono zokucinga nzulu. Okufunyanisiweyo kwadulisa ukuba abahlohli – lo gama bengenasakhelo sibambekayo nesinokuchazwa gca sezakhono zokucinga nzulu – bayaqonda ukuba ezi zakhono zingundoqo kwimpumelelo kwezemfundo nakubomi obuzayo. Oku akwanelanga nje ukungqina okuvezwe luphando lwangaphambili, koko kongeze kosele kuthethwa ngqo okanye mayana, kwimibhalo yekharityhulam nohlolo, malunga nezakhono zokucinga nzulu. Iingcebiso zophuhliso zisabele ngqo koko kufunyanisiweyo. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Phil.(Education in the subject Curriculum Studies)