A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing. Johannesburg, 2017 / Background and objectives: The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the economic and social wellbeing and aspirations of professional nurses in selected provinces of South Africa. The objectives of the study were: to explore the existing evidence on the nature and meaning of aspirations and their impact on wellbeing, to formulate an aspiration questionnaire based on existing evidence, to explore and describe the economic and social wellbeing and aspirations of professional nurses in selected provinces of South Africa, to determine if there is any difference between the economic and social wellbeing and the aspirations of professional nurses in urban and rural provinces and to formulate recommendations for addressing the economic and social wellbeing and aspirations of professional nurses in South Africa. Method: An exploratory, sequential mixed method design was used. The study was conducted in four phases (scoping review, Delphi study, a survey and formulation of recommendations with the assistance of experts through a focus group and follow up verification. The results of qualitative phase were used to build onto the quantitative phase. One thousand, one hundred and thirty-eight (1138) professional nurses participated in the study. The data from all phases of the research was integrated prior to the formulation of recommendations which were organized according to the Walt & Gilson framework (1994) in order to answer the research question. Results: Important lessons were learned in terms of professional nurses’ aspirations for job satisfaction, possessions, financial success, self-acceptance income and status and power. The quantitative data revealed that professional nurses as a group are mainly mature (the majority >40 years old) unmarried females, working irregular hours, highly indebted and who carry the financial and social burden of caring for extended families. They value education, both for themselves and their children, but are part of the ‘missing middle’ as far as accommodation is concerned as they earn too much to qualify for grants and too little to qualify for housing mortgages. Overall, professional nurses’ have aspirations that are not met which impacts on their economic and social wellbeing. There is no significant difference between the economic and social wellbeing of urban and rural participants. Conclusion: Recommendations aimed at addressing the aspirations, economic and social wellbeing of professional nurses in South Africa were formulated. However, it is clear that an inter-sectoral and inter-departmental approach is required to address the aspirations, economic and social wellbeing of nurses if a positive impact is to be made. Keywords: professional nurses, aspirations, economic wellbeing, social wellbeing, wellbeing. / LG2018

This thesis is mainly concerned with how equality is related to social and individual wellbeing. It is widely believed that inequalities are both necessary and beneficial for society. This has been repudiated by recent studies claiming the opposite. This thesis will first elaborate on the concept of equality before investigating the relation between inequalities and different components of wellbeing with the use of a literature review. It finds that several adverse effects are correlated with inequalities and that competition might be an explanation for- as well as an amplifier of the adverse effects. Based on these findings, the thesis presents some guidelines for incorporating equality within a set of policy-areas. It concludes that the main points of importance are to avoid connecting the ability and merit of a person to the value of that person as well as to achieve material equality: both these working as a foundation for a subjective feeling of equality in value.

In our paper, we introduced employee wellbeing through physical, psychological and social dimensions. We discuss employee wellbeing in the context of project-based organization (PBO). Meanwhile we summarize features of project-based organizations and this kind of work settings brings some negative effects to employee wellbeing. We figure out some human resource management (HRM) policies and practices for improving employee wellbeing in PBO based on our case study results and theoretical research. These HRM policies and practices can be concluded that performance evaluation and appraisal in PBO should be dynamic and autonomic; employees in PBO should be more involved in work process; trainings and development should include basic skills, broad knowledge and deep technical excellence.

The Fast Moving Consumable Goods industry is characterized by competitiveness, on going change and high turnover. To stay competitive, retain talent and keep up with these fast paced systems, organisations have to capitalise on the potential of their workforce to outperform the rest. Giving the increasing demand on both employer and employee regarding innovation, creativity and shared knowledge, increased importance of employee well-being being viewed as sources of “prosperity” for organisations, are critical. Organisations must find a way to enable their employees to flourish. Flourishing refers to high levels of wellbeing in terms of feeling well and functioning well (Keyes, 2007). Subjective well-being refers to the levels of positive and negative affect and the overall satisfaction with life. Psychological well-being consists of individuals’ positive functioning in life. Social wellbeing relates to individuals’ evaluation of their functioning on a public and social level. Individuals spend a large part of their adult life at work in organisational environments that are dynamic and ever-changing. The domain of work is a critical part of existence and plays a dynamic role in the development, expression and maintenance of well-being. Globally the workplace is recognised as a key setting for focusing on improving the well-being of employees due to its compelling impact on a variety of organisational outcomes. Flourishing is thus not only relevant in everyday life, but also occurs in the work and organisational environment. Limited studies regarding flourishing in work and organisational contexts exist and central to studying, understanding, and explaining flourishing at work, are valid and reliable instruments. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a multidimensional scale that measures work flourishing. Furthermore, to investigate the impact of various factors in the work and organisational environment on flourishing in the FMCG industry. A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather data regarding the flourishing of employees in the FMCG industry in South Africa. A stratified random sample (N = 779) was iv taken of employees in an alcoholic beverage company in South Africa. The measuring instruments used were the self-developed Flourishing-at-Work Scale, Flourishing-at-Work Scale Short Form, parts of the Job-Demand-Recourse Scale, Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), and a Biographical Questionnaire. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, regression analysis and latent class analysis were applied. Structural equation modelling was used to test a structural model of work flourishing and its relation to organisational antecedents and outcomes. The results of study 1 showed the validity of a multidimensional scale that measures flourishing in work and organisational context. The FAWS (Flourishing-at-Work Scale) includes the three dimensions of emotional well-being, psychological well-being, and social well-being, as suggested by Rothmann (2013). This supports the work of Keyes (2005, 2007) regarding integrating the models of hedonic (Diener, 1984), eudaimonic (Ryff, 1989), and social well-being (Keyes, 1998) into a unified structure. The results of the latent class analysis also showed that different classes of well-being were evident due to the interplay between the various dimensions. Study 2 showed that work-related antecedents impact on work flourishing. A short form of the FAWS (Flourishing-at-Work Scale) was developed and found to be valid. The results confirm that career advancement, authentic leadership and work-life interference predict work flourishing. Advancement and authentic leadership positively relate to flourishing while negative work-life interference impacts flourishing negatively. The Conservation of Resources (COR) framework (Hobfoll, 1989), which suggests that the well-being of an individual is dependent on the maintenance or gain of resources, is therefore supported. The job demands workload and job insecurity did not predict flourishing in the organisational environment. Study 3 showed that positive organisational practices (positive emotions, support, and inspiration) predict work flourishing. Furthermore, career advancement was a positive predictor of flourishing in the work and organisational context.

The Fast Moving Consumable Goods industry is characterized by competitiveness, on going change and high turnover. To stay competitive, retain talent and keep up with these fast paced systems, organisations have to capitalise on the potential of their workforce to outperform the rest. Giving the increasing demand on both employer and employee regarding innovation, creativity and shared knowledge, increased importance of employee well-being being viewed as sources of “prosperity” for organisations, are critical. Organisations must find a way to enable their employees to flourish. Flourishing refers to high levels of wellbeing in terms of feeling well and functioning well (Keyes, 2007). Subjective well-being refers to the levels of positive and negative affect and the overall satisfaction with life. Psychological well-being consists of individuals’ positive functioning in life. Social wellbeing relates to individuals’ evaluation of their functioning on a public and social level. Individuals spend a large part of their adult life at work in organisational environments that are dynamic and ever-changing. The domain of work is a critical part of existence and plays a dynamic role in the development, expression and maintenance of well-being. Globally the workplace is recognised as a key setting for focusing on improving the well-being of employees due to its compelling impact on a variety of organisational outcomes. Flourishing is thus not only relevant in everyday life, but also occurs in the work and organisational environment. Limited studies regarding flourishing in work and organisational contexts exist and central to studying, understanding, and explaining flourishing at work, are valid and reliable instruments. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a multidimensional scale that measures work flourishing. Furthermore, to investigate the impact of various factors in the work and organisational environment on flourishing in the FMCG industry. A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather data regarding the flourishing of employees in the FMCG industry in South Africa. A stratified random sample (N = 779) was iv taken of employees in an alcoholic beverage company in South Africa. The measuring instruments used were the self-developed Flourishing-at-Work Scale, Flourishing-at-Work Scale Short Form, parts of the Job-Demand-Recourse Scale, Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), and a Biographical Questionnaire. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, regression analysis and latent class analysis were applied. Structural equation modelling was used to test a structural model of work flourishing and its relation to organisational antecedents and outcomes. The results of study 1 showed the validity of a multidimensional scale that measures flourishing in work and organisational context. The FAWS (Flourishing-at-Work Scale) includes the three dimensions of emotional well-being, psychological well-being, and social well-being, as suggested by Rothmann (2013). This supports the work of Keyes (2005, 2007) regarding integrating the models of hedonic (Diener, 1984), eudaimonic (Ryff, 1989), and social well-being (Keyes, 1998) into a unified structure. The results of the latent class analysis also showed that different classes of well-being were evident due to the interplay between the various dimensions. Study 2 showed that work-related antecedents impact on work flourishing. A short form of the FAWS (Flourishing-at-Work Scale) was developed and found to be valid. The results confirm that career advancement, authentic leadership and work-life interference predict work flourishing. Advancement and authentic leadership positively relate to flourishing while negative work-life interference impacts flourishing negatively. The Conservation of Resources (COR) framework (Hobfoll, 1989), which suggests that the well-being of an individual is dependent on the maintenance or gain of resources, is therefore supported. The job demands workload and job insecurity did not predict flourishing in the organisational environment. Study 3 showed that positive organisational practices (positive emotions, support, and inspiration) predict work flourishing. Furthermore, career advancement was a positive predictor of flourishing in the work and organisational context.

This thesis is an anthropological study of local understandings of economic development in a small regional town in far North Queensland, Australia. How do preferences regarding lifestyle and social wellbeing impact on those living in the community? The study takes a particular interest in the aspirations, values and choices of the residents and their desires for the future and the future of their town. Throughout this thesis I argue that social wellbeing and lifestyle are important factors in Cardwell residents' choices and feature predominantly in their approaches to economic development. I contextualise this study through a comparative analysis of the effects of economic development on the wellbeing and lifestyle of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the Cardwell region of north Australia. This comparison arises firstly from an anthropological interest in the circumstances of Australian Aboriginal people as a significant minority in regional towns. Explicit attention is directed toward the Aboriginal people of the Cardwell region as they constitute a socially and culturally distinct sector of the local population. Secondly, my study explores ways in which comparative work of this kind may be instructive on cultural issues relevant to economic development. This is a study of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, who live in similar circumstances, and who, I propose, regard factors other than economic development as important. It is argued that while the Cardwell region does not provide ample nor a variety of economic opportunities, outward migration remains undesirable to many residents.

Small-scale fishing communities along Cambodia’s coast have relied on marine resources as a mainstay of their livelihood for decades. However, in the last ten to fifteen years, a confluence of shocks such as increased fishing pressure, the rapid rise of commercial fisheries in the Gulf of Thailand, illegal, underreported and unregulated fishing, climate change and, more recently, sand mining, have contributed to a progressive decline in catch. Such challenges demand that fishers harness social traits of adaptability, responsiveness, persistence, planning, inter alia. In other words, there is a need for fishers and their households to demonstrate resilience in the face of such challenges. Though a contested term, scholars working within human-environment relations have adopted the concept of social-ecological resilience, acknowledging that the social aspects of resilience have been relatively under-addressed. Relatedly, studies on fishers and fishing communities have shown the important contribution fishing plays in fulfilling social and psychological needs, i.e. wellbeing, and how fishing is more than ‘just’ a livelihood. While evidence for this connection between fishing and wellbeing has been shown across different regions, the nature of this relationship is not as clear for coastal communities in Cambodia. Meanwhile, Cambodia has exhibited rapid economic growth (and foreign direct investment) over the past decade. Part of this has been through the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) across the country. The creation of the SEZs and thus, the resultant labour demand has catalyzed migration of Cambodians to secondary cities and to the capital, Phnom Penh. Unlike other parts of the country, the experience of the lives of people on the move from the coastal regions of Cambodia remains less understood. Through qualitative work done among three coastal fishing villages in Koh Kong province in southwest Cambodia, I aim to contribute to a better understanding of the social dimensions of resilience by using a multidimensional (material, subjective, and relational) social wellbeing framework to not only better understand how migration affects the wellbeing of those who leave and those who stay, but also the implications on fishing as ‘a way of life’. My research focuses on understanding the role fishing plays, and the degree to which it impacts the wellbeing of fishers and their households in coastal Cambodia, in the context of migration. My empirical findings problematize the notion that fishing as a way of life supplants other dimensions (e.g. material/income) as observed elsewhere by considering outmigration of villagers from the fishing village. I find that the draw of alternative economic opportunities outside the coastal village has resulted in shifting values and opinions towards fishing as a livelihood particularly by younger villagers and has catalyzed their out migration. As a livelihood strategy, migration plays a crucial role in supplementing income from fishing and, in some cases, forms a critical lifeline for the poorest households. I also show how life in the coastal fishing village is filled with trade-offs and difficult choices people must navigate and negotiate, including tensions between various aspects within subjective dimensions of wellbeing. My thesis reveals the important, and sometimes dominant, influence of subjective and psycho-social factors on coastal villagers’ resilience and how this changes the way some view fishing itself. As such this research shows that adopting a social wellbeing lens can not only result in a better understanding of the impact of migration on coastal fishing communities in Cambodia but also broaden understanding of social resilience, for villagers and migrants who are facing a sea of environmental and economic change.

No description available.

Community resilience (CR) has been studied as an indicator to measure how well a given community copes with a given disaster and provides policy directions on what aspects of the community should be improved with high priority. Although the impact of the COVID-19 has been serious all over the world and every aspect of our daily life, some countries have handled this disaster better than others. In this thesis, I aim to assess the effect of various news and Tweets collected during the COVID-19 pandemic on community functionality and resilience. First, we measure the community resilience (CR) in five different countries using Tweeter data and investigated how each country shows different trends of the CR, which is measured based on real or fake Tweets. We use Tweets generated in Australia (AUS), Singapore (SG), Republic of Korea (ROK), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) for Mar.-Nov. 2020 and measured the CR of each country and associated attributes for analyzing the overall trends. In the next step, we scrap and manually clean 4,952 full-text news articles from Jan. 2020 to Jun. 2021 and classify them into real, mixed, and fake news by fact-checking. Then we retrieve Tweets from 42,877,312 Tweets IDs from the same period and classify them into real, mixed, and fake Tweets using machine learning classifiers. We compare CR measured from news articles and Tweets based on three categories, namely, real, mixed, and fake. Based on the news articles and Tweets collected, we quantify CR based on two key factors, community wellbeing and resource distribution. We evaluate community wellbeing by assessing mental wellbeing and physical wellbeing while evaluating resource distribution by assessing economic resilience, infrastructural resilience, institutional resilience, and community capital. Based on the estimates of these two factors, we quantify CR from both news articles and Tweets and analyze the extent to which CR measured from the news articles can reflect the actual state of CR measured from Tweets. / M.S. / The COVID-19 pandemic has severely harmed every aspect of our daily lives, resulting in a slew of social problems. It is critical to accurately assess the current state of community functionality and resilience under this pandemic to recover from it successfully. To accomplish this, various types of social sensing techniques, such as Tweeting and publicly released news, have been employed to understand individuals’ and communities’ thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some portions of the released news are fake and can easily mislead the community to respond improperly to disasters like COVID-19. In this thesis, I aim to assess the effect of various news and Tweets collected during the COVID-19 pandemic on community functionality and resilience. First, we measure the community resilience (CR) in five different countries, i.e., Australia (AUS), Singapore (SG), Republic of Korea (ROK), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US), for Mar.-Nov. 2020 and measured the CR of each country and associated attributes for analyzing the overall trends. In the next step, we compare CR measured from news articles and Tweets based on three categories, namely, real, mixed, and fake. We quantify CR based on two key factors, community wellbeing and resource distribution. We evaluate community wellbeing by assessing mental wellbeing and physical wellbeing while evaluating resource distribution by assessing economic resilience, infrastructural resilience, institutional resilience, and community capital.

在1946至1964年之間出生的戰後嬰兒潮,奉獻了大半輩子在於工作,因此擁有較 高的收入以及較充裕的自由時間。毫無疑問地,他們是最有資格也最值得去追求 幸福的族群了。 這篇論文基於PERMA這個模型對於幸福所提出的五個元素,針對其中的“社交 關係”進行研究。並以社會資本來當作研究的核心,近而探討線上以及線下的行 為對於社會資本所造成的影響。 在這篇論文中,我們會透過所設計的機制,來量化個體的社會資本。並利用活動 導向的推薦來增加以及最佳化個體的社會資本。更希望可以透過人與人之間的強 弱連結,使彼此之間互相影響,共同創造更大的社會資本以及更好的社交關係。 透過我們的機制,系統可以了解嬰兒潮顧客的社交情形,並推薦適合他們從事的 社交活動。 長期來看,我們認為微觀的社會資本可以影響到宏觀的社會資本。如同個體可以 影響到其所在的群體一樣。研究最後的目標是幫助嬰兒潮顧客達到社會幸福,並 創造一個使用者可以共同創造價值的生態系。 / Baby boomers, which mean people who were born between 1946 and 1964, devoted most of their life at work. Because of the high income and free time they have, they undoubtedly are the most capable but also the most worthy to pursue wellbeing. This paper will focus on one of the elements of wellbeing, which is the relationship part of PERMA model. The core of this research is on social capital that is related to user's behaviors online and offline. In this research, we want to quantify each user’s social capital, and then increase and maximize it through our particularly devised mechanism. By the strong or weak ties between users, they could co-create higher social capital and better relationships. Through our mechanism, we can understand baby boomers’ social situation and improve it by recommending virtual and physical activities. In the long term, we thought micro social capital can affect macro social capital, as a person can affect others. The final goal of this research is helping baby boomers achieve social wellbeing and create an ecosystem for users to co-create value in relationships.