Globally, workplace bullying is a growing phenomenon which affects millions of employees. It is characterised by frequency of incidence, duration and reaction on the side of both the perpetrator and victim, ultimately caused by power struggles in ineffective working environments. The impact on both the Company and employee is significant and there is a negative impact on the employment relationship. It may lead to reduced performance and productivity, individual health problems, impact on job satisfaction and foster intentions to quit. The primary objective of this research was to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying in a South African Information Technology (IT) company, and determine the impact of this construct on job satisfaction and intention to quit. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The constructs were measured by means of a biographical questionnaire, the Negative Acts Questionnaire Revised, a Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and an Intention to Quit Questionnaire. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients were used to assess the validity and reliability of the measuring instruments. The phi-coefficient was used to determine effect size and power of the chi-square tests for independence (Aron, Elliot, & Aaron, 2011). The research method for the articles consisted of a literature review and an empirical study. The statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS 20.0 programme (SPSS 2012). Article 1 focuses on the prevalence and measurement of workplace bullying in an IT company. Descriptive statistics (frequencies) and cross tabulations were used to describe the data. Significant relations were found in constructs within the negative acts, and also between the negative acts and biographical information. Article 2 focuses on the relation between workplace bullying, job satisfaction and the intention to quit in an IT company. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, standard deviations, skewness and kurtosis) were determined to describe the data, principal component analysis was used and an Oblimin rotation was performed to determine the constructs for analysis. Pearson’s correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between these constructs. Significant relations and difference are found between the various individual constructs and the scores of the negatives acts, job satisfaction and intention to quit. Conclusions are made for the current research, limitations discussed and recommendations for future research are put forward. / Thesis (MCom (Labour relations management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Globally, workplace bullying is a growing phenomenon which affects millions of employees. It is characterised by frequency of incidence, duration and reaction on the side of both the perpetrator and victim, ultimately caused by power struggles in ineffective working environments. The impact on both the Company and employee is significant and there is a negative impact on the employment relationship. It may lead to reduced performance and productivity, individual health problems, impact on job satisfaction and foster intentions to quit. The primary objective of this research was to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying in a South African Information Technology (IT) company, and determine the impact of this construct on job satisfaction and intention to quit. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The constructs were measured by means of a biographical questionnaire, the Negative Acts Questionnaire Revised, a Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and an Intention to Quit Questionnaire. Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients were used to assess the validity and reliability of the measuring instruments. The phi-coefficient was used to determine effect size and power of the chi-square tests for independence (Aron, Elliot, & Aaron, 2011). The research method for the articles consisted of a literature review and an empirical study. The statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS 20.0 programme (SPSS 2012). Article 1 focuses on the prevalence and measurement of workplace bullying in an IT company. Descriptive statistics (frequencies) and cross tabulations were used to describe the data. Significant relations were found in constructs within the negative acts, and also between the negative acts and biographical information. Article 2 focuses on the relation between workplace bullying, job satisfaction and the intention to quit in an IT company. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, standard deviations, skewness and kurtosis) were determined to describe the data, principal component analysis was used and an Oblimin rotation was performed to determine the constructs for analysis. Pearson’s correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between these constructs. Significant relations and difference are found between the various individual constructs and the scores of the negatives acts, job satisfaction and intention to quit. Conclusions are made for the current research, limitations discussed and recommendations for future research are put forward. / Thesis (MCom (Labour relations management))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

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The writings of this thesis will expose the recent account of an actor's journey while working as a writer, director, & actress. Historical facts, journal entries, personal cast photos, an excerpt of the WDQ script, highlights of the first excerpt premiere of Winners Don't Quit, and so much more are just a few features this thesis uncovers while relating to the actress process as she discovers her artistic voice. Instead of finding an acting opportunity she's created one for herself, and other aspiring artists. The scope of the research was done on a local and national level featuring a collection of material in support to the main thesis.

BACKGROUND: Since the initial report on the negative effects of smoking by the Surgeon General's Advisory Committee, the components of cigarettes and tobacco smoke and the mechanisms by which these cause disease have been studied extensively. Despite the well-documented health consequences associated with tobacco use, nearly 70 million Americans over the age of 12 actively use tobacco products, with 57.5 million of these (22.1% of the U.S. population in this age range) actively smoking cigarettes. Understanding how nicotine addiction develops and reinforces itself is important context for understanding the high prevalence of quit interest among smokers and the high relapse rates associated with quit attempts. While the increased availability of different, clinically proven tobacco cessation aids should lower the barrier associated with tobacco abstinence, the prevalence of quit aid use still remains low among those attempting to quit smoking. This study examines quit interest in active smokers, the quit attempts attempted by current and former smokers, the prevalence of tobacco cessation aid use in these quit attempts, and the perceived efficacy of certain quit aids. METHODS: This study was conducted in the Emergency Departments of ten hospitals nationwide by the National Association of Research Associates Programs in 2012. This study utilized trained research staff to enroll non-emergent patients and visitors over the age of 18 years old, obtaining demographical information and a detailed history of tobacco use from the participant. This included such information as current tobacco use status, how many cigarettes were consumed during a typical day, how many times they had attempted to abstain from tobacco use in the past, if they had used any tobacco cessation aids during those quit attempts, and, if so, how effective they believed these aids were. Participants were also asked to rate their readiness to quit smoking and intent to quit smoking, markers this study used to analyze quit interest. RESULTS: Of those approached, 10,303 study participants were selected for inclusion in this study, reporting tobacco use for longer than one month at any point in their life. 50.5% reported current tobacco use, while 46.8% reported current abstention from smoking. A majority of active smokers expressed interest in initiating tobacco cessation, with 55.2% reporting they were ready to quit smoking, though a smaller majority (51.9%) of active smokers reported that they intended to quit smoking. Most smokers reported at least 1 quit attempt in the past, with 76.5% of former smokers reporting that they quit within 1 to 5 attempts. Only 30.7% of study participants reported ever using some form of tobacco cessation aid in previous quit attempts, with nicotine replacement therapy use being the most commonly reported, and with pharmacological interventions more commonly reported than counseling-based cessation interventions. A majority of participants who reported using nicotine replacement gum and lozenges (57.8% and 49.5%, respectfully) reported that they were not helpful in aiding their cessation attempts, with only 30.1% of gum and 38.7% of lozenge users reporting a positive effect. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that among active smokers, smokers that reported smoking less (only some days or fewer cigarettes per day) were more likely to express interest (readiness and intent) in initiating tobacco cessation than those that reported smoking more (every day or more cigarettes per day). Quit interest also appeared to be lowest in 18-25 year olds, with this age group also reporting the lowest proportion of quit attempts, a finding that differed from another national tobacco survey. The prevalence of quit aid use in our study was comparable to another national tobacco survey, but our findings for the prevalence of unassisted quit attempts did not coincide with results found in other studies. These results also indicated that cessation aid use increased with increased number of quit attempts. Though we found that former smokers were more likely to indicate that NRT products were helpful than active smokers were, we were unable to fully analyze the perceived effects of cessation aid use due to the loss of some of this data. In light of the limitations of this study, further study needs to be conducted to better understand the perceived effect of tobacco cessation aids and how this might differ from the efficacy values found in clinical trials. In order to make findings more comparable to other tobacco surveys, future studies should also be designed around clear and common definitions for active tobacco use and quit interest, and a focus on quit attempts should be modulated by some degree of recency (e.g., quit attempts made within the previous year or two years).

Employees across the world experience change in the workplace due to a fast-fluctuating environment in which organisations operate. According to Maumo and Kinnunen (1999) a transformation has taken place in the industrialised world of work over the last few decades. Downsizing, right-sizing or restructuring have become familiar terms in difficult economic conditions and implies that rationalising of jobs are inevitable. Organisations attempt to reduce costs, which in turn places pressure on employees to modify their jobs, seek alternative employment (intention to quit) and relocate, all of which are likely to fuel job insecurity (Hartley, Jacobson, Klandermans & Van Vuuren, 1991; Iyo & Brotheridge, 2004). The unemployment rate in South Africa is one of the highest in the world with 36% of its citizens being unemployed in 1999 (Kingdon & Knight, 2001). What's more is that, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, 4.1 million people in South Africa were classified as unemployed in 2009. Frequent reorganisation and statements regarding flexibi lity are signals that one's job security is not secure. Even vague signals of downsizing or change may encourage employees to have intention to quit (Iyo & Brotheridge, 2004). When organisations start to downsize, some people may expect to become unemployed. Sverke, Hellgren and Naswall (2002) state that organisational change is an antecedent to job security. Mauna and Kunnunen (1999) agrees that objective circumstances of an insecure job situation can be defined as the experience of job insecurity, while according to De Witte (1999) the growing emphasis on more flexible employment contracts also intensify feelings of job insecurity. Job insecurity has been found to predict stronger intention to quit within the organisation (Ashford, Lee & Bobko, 1989). This means that a flexible, multiskilled, knowledgeable, interchangeable and adaptable workforce are exposed to new management techniques as well as altered labour relations/human resource policies and activities, which in turn influence employers' obligations, employees' obligations, the state of the psychological contract, job insecurity and employees' intention to quit (Ekkerd, 2005). The primary objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between the psychological contract, individual characteristics, job insecurity and the intention to quit of security employees (N=217) in the Vaal Triangle. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Constructs were measured by means of the psychological contract (employer obligations, employee obligations and the state of the psychological contract), an "individual characteristics" questionnaire, a job insecurity questionnaire and an intention to quit questionnaire. The research method for each of the two articles consists of a brief literature review and an empirical study. Factor analyses, as well as Cronbach alpha coefficients were computed to assess the reliability. Validity of the different product moment correlation coefficients, and regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the constructs employed in this research. Significant differences are found between various individual characteristics and the scores of the psychological contract (employer obligations scale, employee obligations scale and the state of the psychological contract scale), the individual characteristics questionnaire, job insecurity scale and the employee's intention to quit scale. A practically significant correlation was found with a small effect between the state of the psychological contract, employer obligations and employee obligations. Results demonstrate a significant relationship between the psychological contract, type of contract, gender and tenure. No significant relationship was found between the psychological contract and age and qualification of the employees. Multiple regression analysis indicates that employee obligations predicted negative intention to quit. Job insecurity predicted positive intention to quit. Conclusions are made, limitations of the current research are discussed and recommendations for future research are put forward. / MCom. Industrial Psychology, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

Employees across the world experience change in the workplace due to a fast-fluctuating environment in which organisations operate. According to Maumo and Kinnunen (1999) a transformation has taken place in the industrialised world of work over the last few decades. Downsizing, right-sizing or restructuring have become familiar terms in difficult economic conditions and implies that rationalising of jobs are inevitable. Organisations attempt to reduce costs, which in turn places pressure on employees to modify their jobs, seek alternative employment (intention to quit) and relocate, all of which are likely to fuel job insecurity (Hartley, Jacobson, Klandermans & Van Vuuren, 1991; Iyo & Brotheridge, 2004). The unemployment rate in South Africa is one of the highest in the world with 36% of its citizens being unemployed in 1999 (Kingdon & Knight, 2001). What's more is that, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, 4.1 million people in South Africa were classified as unemployed in 2009. Frequent reorganisation and statements regarding flexibi lity are signals that one's job security is not secure. Even vague signals of downsizing or change may encourage employees to have intention to quit (Iyo & Brotheridge, 2004). When organisations start to downsize, some people may expect to become unemployed. Sverke, Hellgren and Naswall (2002) state that organisational change is an antecedent to job security. Mauna and Kunnunen (1999) agrees that objective circumstances of an insecure job situation can be defined as the experience of job insecurity, while according to De Witte (1999) the growing emphasis on more flexible employment contracts also intensify feelings of job insecurity. Job insecurity has been found to predict stronger intention to quit within the organisation (Ashford, Lee & Bobko, 1989). This means that a flexible, multiskilled, knowledgeable, interchangeable and adaptable workforce are exposed to new management techniques as well as altered labour relations/human resource policies and activities, which in turn influence employers' obligations, employees' obligations, the state of the psychological contract, job insecurity and employees' intention to quit (Ekkerd, 2005). The primary objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between the psychological contract, individual characteristics, job insecurity and the intention to quit of security employees (N=217) in the Vaal Triangle. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Constructs were measured by means of the psychological contract (employer obligations, employee obligations and the state of the psychological contract), an "individual characteristics" questionnaire, a job insecurity questionnaire and an intention to quit questionnaire. The research method for each of the two articles consists of a brief literature review and an empirical study. Factor analyses, as well as Cronbach alpha coefficients were computed to assess the reliability. Validity of the different product moment correlation coefficients, and regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the constructs employed in this research. Significant differences are found between various individual characteristics and the scores of the psychological contract (employer obligations scale, employee obligations scale and the state of the psychological contract scale), the individual characteristics questionnaire, job insecurity scale and the employee's intention to quit scale. A practically significant correlation was found with a small effect between the state of the psychological contract, employer obligations and employee obligations. Results demonstrate a significant relationship between the psychological contract, type of contract, gender and tenure. No significant relationship was found between the psychological contract and age and qualification of the employees. Multiple regression analysis indicates that employee obligations predicted negative intention to quit. Job insecurity predicted positive intention to quit. Conclusions are made, limitations of the current research are discussed and recommendations for future research are put forward. / MCom. Industrial Psychology, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

For the past quarter century, the public has been educated and warned about the dangers of smoking, and both smokers and health researchers have been in search of cost-effective, smoking cessation programs that will lead to long-term cessation. This study used a randomized experimental design to investigate the effectiveness of adding Web-based support materials to a nationally sponsored self-help smoking intervention. There was no significant increase in abstinence rates nor progression through the stages of change by those participants who had access to the Web site. However, there were some overall significant trends that suggested these self-help interventions were successful at decreasing daily rates of smoking and nicotine dependency, as well as tended to encourage repeated quit attempts. Although Web-based supports did not appear to increase the effectiveness of the nationally sponsored self-help intervention, this study demonstrated overall 12 week follow-up abstinence rates of 30-32%--greater than what might be expected, given average success rates of other self-help interventions. This study also supports the notion that women may face additional barriers to smoking cessation. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

Canada is challenged with a perceived nursing shortage. Better understanding of the factors that influence satisfaction and turnover may help to formulate improved strategies for retention of the nursing workforce. Our analysis revealed that satisfaction levels in both the job and the nursing profession are high in the Canadian nursing workforce corresponding to relatively high retention rates in the workforce. We found that dissatisfaction with the job and nursing are distinct concepts that are intrinsically associated. Dissatisfaction in the job significantly increased the likelihood of dissatisfaction with being a nurse and vice versa for RNs. Also, nurses were more likely to express intentions to switch jobs than intentions to leave nursing. Job dissatisfaction was the strongest predictor for both the intentions to leave nursing and switch jobs. The findings suggest that targeting both the job structures and the profession’s role would help to maintain and improve retention rates for nurses.

Canada is challenged with a perceived nursing shortage. Better understanding of the factors that influence satisfaction and turnover may help to formulate improved strategies for retention of the nursing workforce. Our analysis revealed that satisfaction levels in both the job and the nursing profession are high in the Canadian nursing workforce corresponding to relatively high retention rates in the workforce. We found that dissatisfaction with the job and nursing are distinct concepts that are intrinsically associated. Dissatisfaction in the job significantly increased the likelihood of dissatisfaction with being a nurse and vice versa for RNs. Also, nurses were more likely to express intentions to switch jobs than intentions to leave nursing. Job dissatisfaction was the strongest predictor for both the intentions to leave nursing and switch jobs. The findings suggest that targeting both the job structures and the profession’s role would help to maintain and improve retention rates for nurses.