Proactive behaviors are defined as employees’ future-oriented, agentic behaviors that aim to improve workplace conditions. Recent research alludes that employee perceptions of whether they have permission to act proactively may influence their actions. With these ideas in mind, this dissertation introduces the concept of proactivity permission, which is defined as the perception of the extent to which an employee is allowed to perform proactive actions at work. Using a multilevel research design with 501 employees from 112 work groups, I examined the effects of employee and supervisor personality characteristics, relational factors, and contextual factors on proactivity permission. Findings indicate that employee personality characteristics (i.e., psychological entitlement and psychological reactance) positively influence employee proactivity permission beliefs, whereas supervisor personality characteristics (i.e., social dominance orientation and rule-based reasoning) negatively influence proactivity permission judgments of supervisors. The quality of relationships (LMX) between a focal employee and his/her supervisor positively affects both employee proactivity permission and supervisor proactivity permission judgments, while workplace contextual factors (e.g., organizational rule formalization, rule consistency, and normative tightness) are relatively distal to, and play a minor role in, proactivity permission. Additionally, this dissertation finds that employees who believe they have permission to act proactively engage in proactive behaviors to a greater extent, and that supervisors are more supportive toward the proactive behaviors of those employees who they perceive to have greater permission to act proactively. In all, this dissertation offers important contributions to theory and research on employee proactivity and suggests several practical recommendations for managers and organizations who are interested in fostering greater proactivity in the workplace. / Business Administration/Human Resource Management

The aim of the study was to investigate coaches’ experiences of their own as well as their clubs’work with safeguarding children in Swedish sport. The study was carried out through qualitative interviews with five experienced coaches. The material was analyzed through a thematic analysis. The theoretical perspectives used to analyze the results were Systems theory and Learning theory. The results show some deficiencies in the proactive work and a certain lack of discussions about the subject in the clubs. The coaches showed individuals were prioritized higher than results, but identified flaws in sports in general. Results indicate that there has been a lack of coverage regarding abuse in the education coaches have received and they claimed that sexual abuse was particularly difficult to discover. Despite the lack of plans of action, the coaches were prepared to confront situations that might occur. The authors argue that Swedish sports is heading in the right direction, but that there is still a lot of work to be done. / Studiens syfte var att undersöka idrottsledares uppfattning om sitt samt sin förenings arbete med att skydda barn från att fara illa inom svensk idrott. Studien utfördes genom kvalitativa intervjuer med fem erfarna tränare. Materialet analyserades genom en tematisk analys. De teoretiska perspektiv som användes för att analysera resultaten var systemteori och inlärningsteori. Resultaten visar på vissa brister i det förebyggande arbetet och viss brist på diskussioner kring ämnet inom föreningarna. Idrottsledarna visade att individer var prioriterade högre än resultat, men identifierade brister allmänt inom idrottsvärlden. Resultaten indikerar att det funnits vissa brister kring ämnet övergrepp i utbildningar idrottsledarna fått och de menar att sexuella övergrepp är särskilt svåra att upptäcka. Trots brist på handlingsplaner var idrottsledarna beredda att ta tag i situationer som kan uppstå. Författarna argumenterar för att svensk idrott går i rätt riktning, men att det fortfarande finns mycket arbete att göra.

MCom (Human Resource Management) / Department of human Resource Management and Labour Relations / Technological advancement and, social and economic issues affecting businesses present a multitude of opportunities and challenges to organisations, leaders and employees. These factors have prompted organisational role players to take responsibility in ensuring organisations’ survival. The study sought to determine the influence of the leaders’ emotional intelligence, role-breath self-efficacy and organisational climate on proactive work behaviour at selected customs clearing companies at the Beitbridge Border Post, Zimbabwe. A selfadministered questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 204 participants, using the simple random sampling technique. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to perform descriptive and inferential statistics. The intercorrelation results showed that leaders’ emotional intelligence, role breadth self-efficacy and the organisational climate were positively and significantly correlated to proactive work behaviour. The following represent the intercorrelation results, leaders’ emotional intelligence (r = 0.34; p < 0.01), role breadth-self efficacy (r = 0.45; p< 0.01) and organisational climate (r= 0.31; p < 0.01). Furthermore, the stepwise multiple regression analysis identified six models in the prediction of proactive work behaviour. Of all the six models identified, the most significant predictor of proactive work behaviour was role breadth self-efficacy (β = 0.46, p < 0.001) with a contribution of 20.7% on proactive work behaviour. The findings were discussed in line with the literature, and the study concludes that employee proactivity at work may differ, based on the leaders’ emotional intelligence, the employees’ role breadth self-efficacy and the organisational climate. The study, therefore, recommends that organisations should take into consideration the factors which influence their employees’ proactivity at work, hence develop programmes to assist the enhancement of such proactiveness. / NRF

The research topic is: Tools for the revision of a maintenance strategy for an explosives manufacturing plant, using asset management principles. This research has specific reference to the SASOL Prillan plant based in SASOL, Sasolburg. The purpose of this research is to identify tools for the revision of a maintenance strategy for an explosives manufacturing plant, using asset management principles. These tools must be aimed to increase the proactive work capacity index, Figure 3, and to identify and/or develop tools that can be used by the engineering team of this explosives manufacturing plant to increase equipment reliability and performance. In this research assets include people. The meaning and application of asset management principles were researched and the tools needed to combine existing efforts and future needs are discussed. The human element to ensure the successful implementation of an asset management culture was researched and attributes of leaders and a change model is presented. This research was done into the wider engineering management discipline and not only maintenance. The method used to gather data was by means of interviews of a sample group within this organization. As this manufacturing unit makes use of subject matter experts, these support functions and plant personnel that were not interviewed, were issued with questionnaires to ensure that the sample group is a fair representation of the total manufacturing facility. To obtain a holistic view of potential shortcomings within the current maintenance strategy, all disciplines and levels within this operation were interviewed and commonalities of various asset management models were determined and used to define existing problem areas. This data was used to determine statistical correlations. The case study presented in Chapter 1 indicates that there is a case for change that can improve the proactive work capacity index of the engineering team. The results of this research confirm that there is in fact a real requirement to increase spares accuracy, improve on technical training as well as a need to establish visual performance indicators (dashboard) to measure overall equipment efficiency with the goal toTools for the revision of a maintenance strategy for an explosives manufacturing plant, using asset management principles increase equipment reliability and performance. The technical training referred to in this research reflects on training of people on equipment after investment in new technology. The current spares holding strategy is lacking equipment description accuracy. Furthermore, it is recommended that the implementation of career paths and development plans for individuals must be developed to create an environment of learning. The use of user status information captured on the computerized maintenance management system (SAP R/3) can add to the management of works orders and indicate where the focus must be to complete overdue work orders. Open work orders should be used to manage expenditure, to measure planning efficiency and to manage the cash flow of the business. The use of overall equipment efficiency and engineering efficiency measures is recommended and must be visually displayed on a “dashboard”. It was recommended that the engineering and operations personnel of this manufacturing plant be trained in asset management principles and that balanced scorecards are developed to ensure that the strategies of the various departments are aligned with the business strategy. Diagram 1 best illustrates the thinking and process flow of this research. The flow diagram shows five distinct stages and the appropriate objectives and/ or elements that were considered. The dissertation is also structured in this manner. All abbreviations, acronyms and definitions used in this document were listed in APPENDIX B / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The research topic is: Tools for the revision of a maintenance strategy for an explosives manufacturing plant, using asset management principles. This research has specific reference to the SASOL Prillan plant based in SASOL, Sasolburg. The purpose of this research is to identify tools for the revision of a maintenance strategy for an explosives manufacturing plant, using asset management principles. These tools must be aimed to increase the proactive work capacity index, Figure 3, and to identify and/or develop tools that can be used by the engineering team of this explosives manufacturing plant to increase equipment reliability and performance. In this research assets include people. The meaning and application of asset management principles were researched and the tools needed to combine existing efforts and future needs are discussed. The human element to ensure the successful implementation of an asset management culture was researched and attributes of leaders and a change model is presented. This research was done into the wider engineering management discipline and not only maintenance. The method used to gather data was by means of interviews of a sample group within this organization. As this manufacturing unit makes use of subject matter experts, these support functions and plant personnel that were not interviewed, were issued with questionnaires to ensure that the sample group is a fair representation of the total manufacturing facility. To obtain a holistic view of potential shortcomings within the current maintenance strategy, all disciplines and levels within this operation were interviewed and commonalities of various asset management models were determined and used to define existing problem areas. This data was used to determine statistical correlations. The case study presented in Chapter 1 indicates that there is a case for change that can improve the proactive work capacity index of the engineering team. The results of this research confirm that there is in fact a real requirement to increase spares accuracy, improve on technical training as well as a need to establish visual performance indicators (dashboard) to measure overall equipment efficiency with the goal toTools for the revision of a maintenance strategy for an explosives manufacturing plant, using asset management principles increase equipment reliability and performance. The technical training referred to in this research reflects on training of people on equipment after investment in new technology. The current spares holding strategy is lacking equipment description accuracy. Furthermore, it is recommended that the implementation of career paths and development plans for individuals must be developed to create an environment of learning. The use of user status information captured on the computerized maintenance management system (SAP R/3) can add to the management of works orders and indicate where the focus must be to complete overdue work orders. Open work orders should be used to manage expenditure, to measure planning efficiency and to manage the cash flow of the business. The use of overall equipment efficiency and engineering efficiency measures is recommended and must be visually displayed on a “dashboard”. It was recommended that the engineering and operations personnel of this manufacturing plant be trained in asset management principles and that balanced scorecards are developed to ensure that the strategies of the various departments are aligned with the business strategy. Diagram 1 best illustrates the thinking and process flow of this research. The flow diagram shows five distinct stages and the appropriate objectives and/ or elements that were considered. The dissertation is also structured in this manner. All abbreviations, acronyms and definitions used in this document were listed in APPENDIX B / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Denna studie har ett tvådelat syfte. Huvudsyftet är att bidra med kunskap om hur kompetensen hos speciallärare med specialisering mot matematikutveckling används för att garantera tidigt stöd i matematik. Syftet är dessutom att undersöka vilka typer av insatser som görs mot de tidiga skolåren och se om dessa skiljer sig åt beroende på i vilken årskurs de sätts in. Bakgrunden till studien är att matematikresultaten på nationella och internationella undersökningar legat lågt under många år. Regeringen har därför gjort en förändring i skollagen om en ”läs-skriva-räkna-garanti” för att säkerställa att alla elever tidigt får de stödinsatser de är i behov av. Studien har en kvantitativ ansats med kvalitativa inslag. En enkätundersökning med både slutna och öppna frågor genomfördes med 35 respondenter. Samtliga respondenter var utbildade speciallärare med matematikinriktning (några under utbildning) och arbetade som speciallärare mot f-3 helt eller delvis. Studiens teoretiska ramverk och analysverktyg utgår från systemteorin tillsammans med de specialpedagogiska perspektiven relationellt och kompensatoriskt. Av studiens resultat framgår att speciallärares kompetens inte används i den omfattning som förespråkas av Skolverket vid arbetet med de obligatoriska kartläggningmaterialen i förskoleklass och årskurs 1. Vidare visade studien att betydligt fler insatser görs efter det att eleverna börjat grundskolan än i förskoleklass och att dessa insatser i princip är konstanta under hela lågstadiet. Studien visar även att speciallärare lägger mycket tid på reaktivt arbete i form av kartläggning och arbete med enskilda elever eller elever i liten grupp. Detta i jämförelse med proaktivt arbete i form av matematikutveckling och planering med pedagoger inför nya arbetsområden. Studiens resultat indikerar att skolor kan öka elevers måluppfyllelse i matematik genom att använda speciallärare i mer proaktivt arbete. Skolor kan även prioritera insatser i förskoleklass och årskurs 1-2 i högre grad eftersom forskning visar ett tydligt samband mellan tidiga kunskaper och senare matematikframgång. / This study has a two part aim. The main aim is to contribute knowledge about how the competence of special teachers with specialization in mathematics development is used to guarantee early support in mathematics. The aim is also to find out what types of efforts are made against the early school years and see whether these differ depending on the grade they are used in. The background to the study is that the mathematical results on national and international surveys have been low for many years. The Government has therefore made a change in the Education Act, a "read-write-count guarantee" to ensure that all pupils early receive the support they need. The study has a quantitative approach with qualitative elements. A survey with both closed and open questions was conducted with 35 respondents. All respondents were educated special teachers with a mathematics specialization (some under educating) and works as special teachers with f-3 completely or partially. The study's theoretical framework and analytical tools are based on the system theory together with the special educational perspectives relational and compensatory. The results of the study show that special teachers' competence is not utilized to the extent advocated by the National Agency for Education in the work with the compulsory mapping materials in preschoolclass and year 1. Furthermore, the study showed that significantly more efforts are made after students have started Primary School than in preschool class, and that these efforts in principle is constant through the third grade. The study also shows that special education teachers spend a lot of time on reactive work in the form of mapping and work with individual students or students in a small group. This compared to proactive work in the form of mathematical development and planning with pedagogues for new work areas. The study's results indicate that schools can increase students' goal achievement in mathematics by using special teachers in more proactive work. They can also increase by prioritizing efforts in preschool class and grades 1-2 to a higher degree as research shows a clear connection between early knowledge and mathematical success later on.

L’objectif de la recherche (dans le cadre de trois études empiriques) est d’expliquer comment la perception du contexte organisationnel politique peut être mobilisée pour améliorer la performance et la pro-activité des employés et pour réduire leurs intentions de démissionner. Notre approche théorique s’inscrit dans la théorie de l’auto-détermination (Deci & Ryan, 2000) et s’appuie sur la théorie de la conservation des ressources (Hobfoll, 2002) ainsi la théorie dite de « Human Agency » (Bandura, 2006), et la science de la psychologie positive (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). Une étude quantitative est menée au Pakistan pour évaluer les conceptualisations formulées. Nos résultats révèlent que les employés ayant un capital psychologique élevé développent de manière durable des comportements conduisant à la performance et qu’ils demeurent proactifs dans des contextes organisationnels perçus comme fortement politiques. En même temps, ces employés subissent une vulnérabilité psychologique qui les pousse à démissionner. A l’opposé, la perception d’un contexte organisationnel politique offre aux employés politiquement doués une source d’opportunités qui satisfait leurs besoins psychologiques tout en maintenant leurs proactivités. Enfin, en prenant en compte les effets motivationnels du contexte organisationnel politique, nous avons trouvé que ce dernier gêne l’intériorisation de la motivation extrinsèque au travail. En conclusion, l’idée que les jeux politiques ne peuvent pas être éliminés dans les organisations, nous suggérons aux managers d’équiper les employés de ressources psychologiques et sociales afin d’obtenir un fonctionnement optimal à tous les niveaux / This dissertation (in a series of three empirical studies) seeks to explicate how perceived politics in organizations can be used for accomplishing effective employee performance and proactivity, and to lower employees’ intentions to quit. We ground our theoretical frameworks in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) and also borrow support from conservation of resource theory (Hobfoll, 2002), human agency (Bandura, 2006), and the science of positive psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). A quantitative survey was conducted in Pakistan to assess the proposed conceptualizations. Our findings reveal interesting patterns of relationships. We find employees with high psychological capital hold a sustainability demeanor in their performance and proactive behavior, when encountering high perceived politics. At the same time, they experience a psychological vulnerability that drives them to quit. On the contrary, perceived politics presents politically skilled employees an opportunistic / challenging turf that satisfies their innate psychological needs and uphold their proactive activities. Lastly, with regard to the motivational effects of perceived politics, we find that perceived politics hinders the internalization of extrinsic motivation at work. We conclude that employees are an integral part of an organization constituency and their well-being implies an organization’s sustainability. Since, politics cannot be eliminated we suggest managers to equip employees with psychological and social resources for the sake of optimal functioning at all levels