Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The central idea developed in this thesis is that meaningful work provides the normative standard of what work should be for all human beings, based on the normative idea that being human entails a realization of one’s potential and the expression of one’s intellect and creativity as a necessary part of living a full and flourishing life. Thus the key ethical foundation upon which my argument was built rests primarily upon classic Aristotelian ethical theory as well as more contemporary adaptations thereof. In reality, however, research reveals that up to eighty percent of people engage in work that is not meaningful in the sense that they are unable to experience both excellence and enjoyment through their work. This problem has been labeled as “employee disengagement” and has been acknowledged by organizations as a disturbingly growing trend particularly because of the financial cost it carries through lost productivity. My objective in this thesis was to outline the scope of the problem, and to make a strong case for the recognition of employee disengagement as a moral problem, and not simply as an economic one. Thus a major focus of this thesis was to unpack the concept of meaningful work and to argue for its moral value. Throughout my thesis, the importance of understanding meaningful work as a balance between both the subjective and objective elements that make work meaningful for the individual was emphasized. Having established employee disengagement as a moral problem, my attention then turned towards analyzing the potential causes of the problem at a systemic, organizational and individual level. My primary conclusion was that the modern paradigm facilitated a certain way of organizing business activity as well as a certain way of construing the relationship between work and life that has ultimately had a deep seated causal effect upon the absence of meaningful work. Thus addressing the problem entails a detachment from this paradigm and challenging some of the basic assumptions about organizational life. Finally, I proposed a business model that serves as a framework for a new way of working which has the capacity to be more fulfilling to the human spirit. This model assumes the tenets of virtue ethics as its core. In this model, individual employees, the organization as a community and leaders in the business all have specific roles and responsibilities to bring the model to life, and thus the quest for meaningful work has to be undertaken as a collaborative effort. The field of business ethics, with a refreshed Aristotelian mindset, has a lot of value to add in offering much needed ethical guidance to help steer this radical, yet exciting workplace transformation process in the right direction. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kerngedagte van hierdie tesis is dat betekenisvolle arbeid die normatiewe standaard sou skep van wat werk vandonderstel is om vir die mensdom te beteken. Dit berus op die veronderstelling dat menswees meebring dat die individu se volle potensiaal, intelligensie en kreatiwiteit sal lei tot ‘n betekenisvolle bestaan. Die sleutelargument steun primêr die klassieke Aristoteliese etiese teorie asook hendendaagse aanpassings daarvan. Navorsing bewys egter dat tot 80% van die arbeidsmag betrokke is in betekenislose (sinlose) arbeid in die sin dat hulle geen genot of uitnemendheid ervaar nie. Die probleem word geetiketteer as “werknemersonttrekking” en word deur maatskappye beskou as ‘n onstellende tendens ten opsigte van die finansiële impak en die gepaardgaande verlies van produktiwiteit. Die oogmerk van die tesis is om die omvang van die probleem uit te lig en om redes aan te voer dat werknemers onttrekking as ‘n morele vraagstuk aangespreek moet word en nie net gesien sal word as ‘n finansiële dilemma nie. Die beweegrede van die tesis is om die begrip van betekenisvolle arbeid te ondersoek en om die morele aspek daarvan te debatteer. Die belangrikheid van die begrip, betekenisvolle arbeid, as ‘n balans tussen beide die subjektiewe en objektiewe beginsels word deurgaans onderstreep. Aangesien “werknemersonttrekking” as ‘n morele probleem beskou word is die oogmerk om die oorsake van die probleem te analiseer, op ‘n sistematiese, organisatoriese en individuele vlak. Die gevolgtrekking is dan dat die moderne paradigma ‘n sekere invloed het op die organisasie se besigheidsaktiwiteite en is ook ‘n metode om die verhouding tussen werk en bestaan te bepaal, wat uiteindelik ‘n diepgesete redegewende invloed het in die afwesigheid van sinvolle arbeid. ‘n Skeiding van die voorbeeld en die basiese veronderstelling van georganiseerde bestaan word benodig om begenoemde begrip te bevraagteken. Laastens is daar ‘n besigheidsmodel wat dien as ‘n raamwerk vir ‘n nuwe manier van werk, wat sal meebring dat werk meer vervulling aan die menslike gees sal bied. Díe model, veronderstel die beginsel van eerbare etiek as die grondslag. Werknemers van organisasies, die organisasie as ‘n gemeenskap en besigheidsleiers het spesifieke rolle en verantwoordelikhede, om lewe te gee aan die model. Daarvolgens moet die soeke na sinvolle arbied as ‘n kollektiewe poging beskou word. Die gebied van besigheidsetiek , met ‘n vernuwende Aristoteliese denkwyse, het tot voordeel , ‘n waardevolle bydrae tot ‘n onmisbare etiese leiding, om hierdie radikale maar opwindende transformasie in die werkplek mee te bring.

Cette thèse a pour but d‟analyser la relation entre la proactivité au travail, la qualité de vie au travail (QVT), le comportement innovant et la performance au travail des cadres hospitaliers. En premier lieu, nous proposons une synthèse de la revue de la littérature sur le concept de la proactivité au travail. Par la suite, nous présentons les trois études empiriques réalisées. Dans l‟étude 1, nous analysons la relation entre les caractéristiques du travail et les processus cognitifs motivationnels dans l‟activation du comportement proactif au travail. Puis, nous examinons la relation entre le comportement proactif et la performance au travail ainsi que le comportement d‟innovation au travail. Les résultats de cette étude soulignent l‟existence d‟une double médiation entre les caractéristiques du travail et le comportement d‟innovation au travail ainsi que la performance au travail via l‟habilitation psychologique et la proactivité au travail. Dans l‟étude 2, nous étudions le rôle des processus cognitifs motivationnels dans l‟activation du comportement proactif au travail. Puis nous analysons les effets du comportement proactif sur des indicateurs de QVT et d‟efficacité au travail après une période de six mois. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent qu‟il n‟y a pas de relation entre le comportement proactif au travail et la QVT ainsi que la performance au travail après six mois, mais les résultats mettent en évidence la présence d‟une relation positive entre le comportement proactif au travail et le comportement d‟innovation au travail après une période de six mois. Par ailleurs, les résultats montrent que le comportement proactif au travail joue un rôle médiateur dans la relation entre les processus cognitifs motivationnels (sentiment de capabilité, émotions positives) et le comportement d‟innovation. Dans l‟étude 3, nous analysons la relation entre le comportement proactif au travail et la QVT. Les résultats obtenus montrent que le sentiment de capabilité contribue à activer le comportement proactif au travail et que la proactivité à son tour a des effets positifs sur les indicateurs de QVT. Les résultats soulignent la médiation totale du comportement proactif dans la relation entre le sentiment de capabilité et l‟engagement affectif organisationnel. Dans une étude complémentaire, nous étudions les effets de la qualité des échanges avec le supérieur (leader-member exchange) en tant que modérateur dans la relation entre le comportement proactif au travail et l‟engagement affectif à l‟égard de l‟organisation. Les résultats indiquent que l‟interaction entre la proactivité au travail et la qualité des échanges avec le supérieur contribue à renforcer l‟engagement affectif à l‟égard de l‟organisation. Les résultats de ces études contribuent à clarifier le rôle des processus cognitifs motivationnels dans l‟activation du comportement proactif au travail et permettent d‟alimenter la réflexion sur la relation entre le comportement proactif au travail, la QVT, le comportement d‟innovation et la performance au travail des cadres hospitaliers. / This thesis aims to analyse the relationship between hospital middle managers‟ proactivity at work, quality of work life, innovative behaviour, and job performance. First, literature on the concept of proactivity is reviewed. Next, three empirical studies are conducted. Study 1 analyses the role of job characteristics and the role of cognitive motivational states in the activation of proactive work behaviour. Then, the effects of proactive work behaviour on job performance and on innovative work behaviour are analysed. Results from this study highlight the existence of a double mediation between job characteristics and innovative behaviour as well as job performance through psychological empowerment and proactive work behaviour. Study 2 examines the role of cognitive motivational states in the activation of proactive work behaviour. Then, the effects of proactive work behaviour on indicators of quality of work life (QWL) and indicators of job effectiveness after a period of six months are analysed. The results of this study show no relationship between proactive work behaviour and QWL indicators and job performance after six months, but the findings reveal the existence of a positive relationship between proactive behaviour at work and innovative behaviour after a period of six months. Furthermore, the results also indicate the existence of an indirect effect between cognitive motivational states (i.e., feeling capable, positive emotions) and innovative work behaviour through proactive work behaviour. Study 3 investigates the relationship between proactive work behaviour and QWL. Results suggest that feeling capable contributes to activate proactive work behaviour, which in turn has positive effects on QWL indicators. The mediating role of proactive work behaviour in the relationship between feeling capable and affective organizational commitment is also highlighted. A final complementary study proposes and shows that high-quality leader–member exchange as moderator strengthens the relationship between proactive work behaviour and affective organizational commitment. Results from these studies help to clarify the role of cognitive motivational processes in the activation of proactive work behaviour and contribute to reflection on the relationship between proactive work behaviour, QWL, innovative work behaviour, and job performance of hospital middle managers.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T18:39:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcos Torres Mendes.pdf: 1866302 bytes, checksum: 66ef3b587c80c4d4910d7c02e440e786 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-05-12 / This work aims to generate knowledge directed to the accounting classification of the quality of work-life program (QWL) of interest to the entities that have chosen the programs. Original from Wellness (Miller-2005) in the aspects of physical, psychological health, relations and personal beliefs, extended to the relation between employees and employers Limongi-France (2010). Qualitative approach with interpretation based on QWL indicators and quantitative by the analysis of the financial statements of the companies that have won the National Quality Award and are registered in BMF&BOVESPA. Regarding the goals, exploratory work to provide larger familiarity with the accounting theory with aims to turn it, more explicit for future researches. The QWL administration, usually concentrated on multi-functional teams, Lombardi (2007) with aggregated functions of informing and explaining, and in this context, the programs are presented as Investment; How about to the financial report readers, how is it presented? The accounting systemic approach and the flexibility to supply differentiated information Iudícibus (2006) will assist us to fulfill this gap and to understand the theme QWL. Investment or expense? Work developed by the construction of framework models for accounting classification by the classifications Chapman (2006). In the searched companies QWL Indicators in the compulsory financial statements were not observed, probable absence and an informational asymmetry and other indicators are in the Social Balance. Observing budgetary factors, income return expectation and QWL evaluation proven in the proposed model, these programs didn t present characteristics of investment, possibly being classified as expense or intangible assets / Esta dissertação objetiva gerar conhecimento dirigido à classificação contábil dos Programas de Qualidade de Vida no Trabalho (PQVT) de interesse das entidades optantes pelos programas. Originária do Wellness (Miller, 2005) no conjunto dos aspectos de saúde física, psicológica, relações e crenças pessoais, extensivos à relação de empregados e empregadores (Limongi-França, 2010). Abordagem qualitativa com interpretação a partir de indicadores dos PQVT e quantitativo pela análise das demonstrações financeiras (DF) das empresas ganhadoras do Prêmio Nacional da Qualidade e registradas na BMF&BOVESPA. Quanto aos objetivos, trabalho exploratório para proporcionar maior familiaridade com a teoria contábil com vistas a torná-la mais explícita para futuras pesquisas. A administração dos PQVT, geralmente concentrada em equipes multifuncionais (Lombardi. 2007), com funções agregadas de informar e explicar e, neste contexto, os programas são apresentados como Investimento; e para os leitores dos balanços financeiros, como são apresentados? A abordagem sistêmica da contabilidade e a flexibilidade para fornecer informações diferenciadas (Iudícibus,2006) nos auxiliarão a preencher esta lacuna e entender o tema PQVT. Investimento ou Despesa?. Trabalho desenvolvido pela construção de quadros modelos para classificação contábil a partir das classificações Chapman (2006). Nas empresas pesquisadas não se observaram indicadores dos PQVT nas demonstrações financeiras obrigatórias, por ausência provável de assimetria informacional e outros indicadores constam do Balanço Social. Considerando-se fatores orçamentários, expectativa de retorno e avaliação dos PQVT demonstrados no modelo proposto, estes programas não apresentaram características de investimento, podendo ser classificados como despesa ou ativo intangível

Drawing upon case studies of three organisations operating six call centres in Australia, this thesis explores the manifestations and interplay of employee resistance and accommodation in response to five facets of employer control: electronic monitoring; repetitious work; emotional control; the built environment; and workplace flexibility. Accommodation refers to the ways workers protect themselves from and adapt to the pressures that make up their day-to-day experiences of work. Accommodation, unlike resistance, which implies opposition to control, may superficially resemble consent to control. I argue that resistance and accommodation are not polar opposites; rather they are both reflections of the conflict and tensions that lie at the heart of the employment relationship. At the study sites, employees utilised resistance and accommodation both separately and concurrently. An explanation of these seemingly contradictory responses and of the links among accommodation individual resistance and collective resistance lies in the concept of ???self???. In this thesis, ???self??? refers to workers??? perceptions of fairness, dignity and autonomy. I examine how these notions frame worker discontent and promote employee solidarity. ???Everyday resistance???, a concept first developed by Scott (1985) in relation to peasant struggles, is employed to highlight the existence of subterranean struggles in workplaces that otherwise appear to be harmonious. At the study sites, everyday resistance was a multi-faceted, widely employed strategy whose strength lay primarily in its immediate impact. There was, however, no necessary sequential development from accommodation, through everyday resistance to overt, formal forms of conflict. What was evident was that multiple responses to employer control could co-exist and inhibit or promote one another. But it was through organised collective resistance that more formalised gains were made and widely held grievances addressed. I suggest that, although everyday resistance may lay the groundwork for more formal struggles, one should not conclude that traditional collective resistance is ???genuine??? resistance and everyday resistance is simply a second-best prelude to it. Although conflict is always present, its intensity differs. If we are to understand the complexity of worker responses to managerial control, we need to expand the theoretical frameworks within which we analyse and interpret conflict.

The work environment in financial institutions where deadlines, budgets, routine work and performance issues are common can compromise most people’s sense of happiness. Therefore happiness in the workplace rarely manifests without significant effort from employees. Successful organisations need employees that will do more than their job requirements and go beyond expectations i.e. perform organisational citizenship behaviours (OCB). In light of the increasing interest in positive psychology the study aimed to focus on happiness and psychological capital (PsyCap) to find ways to enhance employees’ positive psychological states to achieve positive organisational outcomes such as OCB. The study therefore aimed to determine whether a relationship exists between happiness, PsyCap and OCB amongst employees in financial institutions. The study also sought to determine the predictive value of happiness and PsyCap in predicting OCB. Furthermore the moderating effect of PsyCap was assessed to determine the extent to which PsyCap moderated the relationship between happiness and OCB. A cross-sectional research design was used in the study. The researcher used a sample of 185 (N = 185) employees from a financial institution in Durban, South Africa. The researcher used five questionnaires in the study. A biographical questionnaire created by the researcher, the Orientations to Happiness Scale (OHS) used as the first measure of happiness, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) used as the second measure of happiness, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ), and the Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Questionnaire (OCBQ). The main findings of the study indicated that there were practically and statistically significant relationships between happiness (measured by the OHS), PsyCap and OCB. More specifically relationships were found to exist between happiness, the two PsyCap factors (hopeful-confidence and positive outlook) and the OCB factors (altruism, courtesy, sportsmanship and civic virtue). A significant finding was that happiness measured by SWL showed no significant relationships with OCB or the OCB factors thus indicating that happiness measured by orientations to happiness was a better measure of happiness for the employees in the financial institution. Happiness and the PsyCap factors were found to hold predictive value for some of the OCB factors. In determining the moderating effect of PsyCap it was found that only positive outlook significantly moderated the relationship between happiness and one of the OCB factors, civic virtue. The study has focused on happiness in the workplace and its relationship to organisational constructs such as PsyCap and OCB. The results of the study can therefore be deemed to be beneficial to managers in financial institutions and employees themselves. The study has made a significant contribution by highlighting that employees in a financial institution consider orientations to happiness (pleasure, meaning, and engagement) to be a more compelling measure of happiness in determining the likelihood to performing OCBs at work as opposed to satisfaction with life as a measure of happiness. Thus the orientations to happiness were concluded as being a more appropriate measure of happiness for employees in a financial institution in relation to OCBs. By focussing on employee’s level of happiness, how employees conceptualise happiness and the benefits of happy employees to the organisation, this information can provide organisations with a better understanding of employees and suggest to organisations to consider finding means to enhance happiness in the workplace. Happiness and PsyCap have shown to be related to positive organisational outcomes such as OCB which lead to organisational effectiveness and success. Therefore of specific relevance is enhancing the PsyCap of employees to achieve desired outcomes such as OCB. The findings can be used to prompt and encourage organisations to develop interventions that increase employee’s PsyCap and to focus on employee well-being and happiness. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

The current study aimed to explore the positive aspects of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) and attempted to explain how the psychological resources inherent in PsyCap can aid against the negative effects of Burnout in educators in the Umlazi Region of Kwa-Zulu Natal. The general objective of this research study was to explore the relationship between PsyCap, Subjective Wellbeing, Burnout and Job Satisfaction. The study used a quantitative research design and was conducted using the Positive Psychology framework. This study made use of the Conservation of Resources Theory as its theoretical framework. Convenience samples (n=103) were taken of educators across four educational institutions in the Umlazi Region. The Psychological Capital Questionnaire; Satisfaction with Life Scale; Oldenburg Burnout Inventory; and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (short form) were administered to the participants. The results confirmed that there were statistically and practically significant relationships between PsyCap, Subjective Wellbeing, Burnout and Job Satisfaction. The results revealed that Subjective Wellbeing was a statistically significant predictor of PsyCap. It also indicated that PsyCap and Subjective Wellbeing were both statistically significant predictors of Burnout. The results confirmed that the relationship between Subjective Wellbeing and Burnout was mediated by Psychological Capital (PsyCap). / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Workplace misbehaviour is seen to be a neglected feature of organizational study (Ackroyd and Thompson; Vardi and Weitz, 2004). Where research has been undertaken into misbehaviour the emphasis tends fall into two broad categories. First of all, organizational behaviour theorists use the term misbehaviour as a means to highlight how the ‘negative’ behaviour of employees gets in the way of formal organizational goals. Secondly, radical sociologists tend to use the term misbehaviour as a means to critique Foucauldian labour process theory. Here an argument is made that suggests the disciplinary affects of new management practices associated with human resource management and total quality management have been overstated. Furthermore, radical sociologists also use the term misbehaviour as means to critique organizational behaviour accounts, which are believed to paint overly optimistic accounts of organizational life. However, on further examination it was discovered that neither a radical sociological approach, nor a traditional organizational behaviour approach, sufficiently addresses the current deficit in our understandings and explanations for workplace misbehaviour. Hence, one of the main themes of this thesis was to design a theoretical and methodological framework to address the deficit in our understandings and explanations. As such, a view was taken of how a radical sociological approach (orthodox labour process analysis) combined with an emerging social psychological perspective (a social identity approach (Haslam, 2001)) could help overcome previous theoretical problems associated with researching misbehaviour. Empirical support for this approach is provided by the detailed examination of the objective and subjective working conditions of four different sets of low status workers. The findings are based on longitudinal covert participant observations, as well as covert interviews and the covert gathering of company documents. The findings depart from previous insights into workplace misbehaviour in stressing the importance of acknowledging and investigating both the organizational and sub-group social identities of low status workers, in relation to such activities. As such, a great deal of the misbehaviour noted in the findings can be attributed to the poor treatment of low status workers by management, yet misbehaviour is equally if not more attributable to the empowering or inhibitive qualities of the many psychological groups that worker can associate with or disassociate themselves from. Recommendations are made about the direction of future research into workplace misbehaviour. There are many suggestions made and include examining misbehaviour in a wider range of settings, sectors and levels of organizations.

Drawing upon case studies of three organisations operating six call centres in Australia, this thesis explores the manifestations and interplay of employee resistance and accommodation in response to five facets of employer control: electronic monitoring; repetitious work; emotional control; the built environment; and workplace flexibility. Accommodation refers to the ways workers protect themselves from and adapt to the pressures that make up their day-to-day experiences of work. Accommodation, unlike resistance, which implies opposition to control, may superficially resemble consent to control. I argue that resistance and accommodation are not polar opposites; rather they are both reflections of the conflict and tensions that lie at the heart of the employment relationship. At the study sites, employees utilised resistance and accommodation both separately and concurrently. An explanation of these seemingly contradictory responses and of the links among accommodation individual resistance and collective resistance lies in the concept of ???self???. In this thesis, ???self??? refers to workers??? perceptions of fairness, dignity and autonomy. I examine how these notions frame worker discontent and promote employee solidarity. ???Everyday resistance???, a concept first developed by Scott (1985) in relation to peasant struggles, is employed to highlight the existence of subterranean struggles in workplaces that otherwise appear to be harmonious. At the study sites, everyday resistance was a multi-faceted, widely employed strategy whose strength lay primarily in its immediate impact. There was, however, no necessary sequential development from accommodation, through everyday resistance to overt, formal forms of conflict. What was evident was that multiple responses to employer control could co-exist and inhibit or promote one another. But it was through organised collective resistance that more formalised gains were made and widely held grievances addressed. I suggest that, although everyday resistance may lay the groundwork for more formal struggles, one should not conclude that traditional collective resistance is ???genuine??? resistance and everyday resistance is simply a second-best prelude to it. Although conflict is always present, its intensity differs. If we are to understand the complexity of worker responses to managerial control, we need to expand the theoretical frameworks within which we analyse and interpret conflict.

In contemporary society, work and home represent the two most significant domains in the life of working individuals. South Africa’s socioeconomic, political, and societal circumstances will influence employees’ experiences of work-life balance differently, compared to that of employees in other countries, suggesting that the construction of work-life balance amongst different race and cultural groups may differ. The present study used in-depth qualitative interviews with ten black women and men employed in a customer care environment, to explore their construction of work-life balance. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data and identify themes. This study suggests that work-life balance is a unique experience for individuals, which varies over time and in different situations. The study confirmed that attaining work-life balance is a process of balancing ever-changing experiences over time, and in different life stages. The results of this study are also discussed in relation to the relevant literature. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between perceived career mobility, career mobility preference, job satisfaction and organisational commitment. A secondary objective was to determine whether various age, gender, tenure, marital status and race groups differed significantly regarding their perceived career mobility, career mobility preference, job satisfaction and organisational commitment. A perceived career mobility scale and career mobility preference scale, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (short form) and the Organisational Commitment Scale, were applied to a non-probability convenience sample consisting of 82 South African accountants, auditors and financial staff members. Significant relationships were observed between the variables. Significant differences were found between age and race groups‟ perceived career mobility, gender and tenure groups‟ career mobility preference, and age and tenure groups‟ organisational commitment. The findings contribute valuable new knowledge that may be used to inform retention practices in the financial sector. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial & Organisational Psychology)