Financial institutions are faced with many changes and challenges, especially after the global financial crisis; and look to their human capital to provide their competitive advantage. It is therefore important to investigate effective means of managing employees in a way that could foster work engagement. Strengths use and leader-member exchange (LMX) quality create an opportunity for organisations to manage and utilise their employees more effectively and finally promote work engagement. The objective of this research study was to investigate the mediating effects of LMX quality in the relationship between strengths use and work engagement. A questionnaire was compiled, utilising the Strengths-based Leadership Questionnaire, the LMX-7 and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. These measuring instruments were administered to a total of 213 (N = 213) individuals employed in the financial services industry. For the purpose of this research study the quality of the LMX relationship was measured from the perspective of the subordinates. Strengths use was positively related to LMX quality and LMX quality was positively related to work engagement. Additionally, LMX quality played a mediating role in the relationship between strengths use and work engagement. Therefore, organisations can, by promoting strengths use and high quality LMX, achieve higher levels of employee work engagement. This research study is the first to include strengths use, LMX quality and work engagement in one mediating model. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Although student enrolment in South African universities has significantly increased, the retention and graduation rates remain low. One reason for the low student success is the lack of engagement in their studies. It is therefore very important for universities to determine the various predictors of student engagement. The aim of this study is to establish whether proactive behaviour towards strengths use, proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement and fit with study course have an impact on engagement. Universities need to focus on creating an environment in which students can actively use their strengths and develop their weaknesses for improved study fit and enhanced levels of engagement. The general objective of this research study was to test a structural model of proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU), proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI), fit with study course and engagement amongst first-year students, and to test the mediating effect of study course between PBSU/PBDI and engagement. This study was conducted in order to gain more knowledge and a better understanding of the antecedents of engagement amongst first-year students in South African. The Mplus and SPSS programmes were utilised for the statistical analysis of the data. A cross-sectional research design was used with a sample of 692 first-year students of a higher education institution in South Africa. The hypothesised model was tested by performing structural equation modelling. The bootstrapping method was used to identify possible mediating effects of fit with study course. The results confirmed a significant positive relationship between PBDI and engagement but no direct significant relationship between PBSU and engagement (although the significant levels were close to 0.05). The results also indicated a significant positive relationship with PBDI and engagement. PBDI was also found to be positively related to engagement. Furthermore, fit with study course fully mediated the relationship between PBSU and engagement and partially mediated the relationship between PBDI and engagement. After conclusions for the study had been drawn recommendations for the institution, students, as well as for future research were made. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The management of human capital is becoming of great importance. Research on this topic is largely based on talent shortages. In South Africa, considerable attention has been given to the issue of skills shortages, which are also evident in the education environment. The government has exerted many efforts; however, despite these efforts, skills shortages are still prevalent. A definite need for reform and change is necessary, with emphasis on a more positive and combined approach, focusing on strengths use and deficit improvement, psychological empowerment, work engagement and intention to leave. Therefore, the retention of talented employees has been identified as the most important outcome of a positive organisation. The general objective of this study was to determine if the Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ) and Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire (MEQ) were reliable and valid to administer to educators in South Africa; and whether (a) psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU) and work engagement, and between perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI) and work engagement; and (b) whether work engagement mediated the relationship between psychological empowerment and turnover intention. The study furthermore contributed to positive psychology research, using a combined focus on strengths use and deficit improvement in relation to psychological empowerment in the education sector. A need existed to test the reliability and validity (construct and convergent) of the SUDIQ and the MEQ among educators in the Southern Cape region. A cross-sectional survey was used to reach the objectives of this study. Convenience samples were drawn from educators in the Southern Cape region (N = 271). The results revealed that the SUDIQ scale comprised four factors, namely perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU), perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI), proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU) and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI). In the same way, meaning, self-determination, competence and impact were revealed as the four distinct factors of the MEQ. In testing the relationships between the constructs, POSSU correlated practically significantly (medium effect) with all the MEQ constructs. PBSU correlated practically significantly (large effect) with meaning and competence, and practically significantly (medium effect) with self-determination and impact. POSDI, as a construct of the SUDIQ, showed to correlate practically significantly (medium effect) with meaning, competence, self-determination and impact. In the case of PBDI, practically significant correlations (medium effect) were aligned between PBDI and all the constructs of the MEQ. Through this study, it was revealed that POSSU significantly predicted psychological empowerment, but not work engagement. Significant and positive paths were found between POSDI and both psychological empowerment and work engagement. POSDI played a significant role in the prediction of psychological empowerment and work engagement. Furthermore, psychological empowerment played a significant predicting role in work engagement, but not with turnover intention. In the last instance, a significant and negative path was found between work engagement and turnover intention. In terms of the mediation analysis, POSSU indirectly impacted work engagement and intention to leave of educators in the Southern Cape region via psychological empowerment; and POSDI indirectly impacted work engagement and intention to leave of educators in the Southern Cape region via psychological empowerment. Lastly, work engagement was not revealed as a mediator in the relationship between psychological empowerment and intention to leave. A combined focus, incorporating both strengths use and deficit improvement, is a relative new concept and research field. Through this study educators could learn about the benefits of strengths use and deficit improvement and how those could be used to their advantage, especially in becoming more empowered in an education context. Also, this would indeed alert the schools and principals to the benefits of moving away from traditional approaches of focusing on only weaknesses or what was wrong with people, compared to a combined strengths and deficit focus. The results obtained would offer a valuable contribution to research and the limited literature available on this topic. In the South African context, it would be the first study in which the SUDIQ scale had been used in the education sector in the Southern Cape region, examining the extent to which strengths were used and deficits were developed by both employees and the organisation, and how it related to the well-being of educators. Recommendations were made for application and for future research. / MCom (Human Resource Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2015.

Financial institutions are faced with many changes and challenges, especially after the global financial crisis; and look to their human capital to provide their competitive advantage. It is therefore important to investigate effective means of managing employees in a way that could foster work engagement. Strengths use and leader-member exchange (LMX) quality create an opportunity for organisations to manage and utilise their employees more effectively and finally promote work engagement. The objective of this research study was to investigate the mediating effects of LMX quality in the relationship between strengths use and work engagement. A questionnaire was compiled, utilising the Strengths-based Leadership Questionnaire, the LMX-7 and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. These measuring instruments were administered to a total of 213 (N = 213) individuals employed in the financial services industry. For the purpose of this research study the quality of the LMX relationship was measured from the perspective of the subordinates. Strengths use was positively related to LMX quality and LMX quality was positively related to work engagement. Additionally, LMX quality played a mediating role in the relationship between strengths use and work engagement. Therefore, organisations can, by promoting strengths use and high quality LMX, achieve higher levels of employee work engagement. This research study is the first to include strengths use, LMX quality and work engagement in one mediating model. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Although student enrolment in South African universities has significantly increased, the retention and graduation rates remain low. One reason for the low student success is the lack of engagement in their studies. It is therefore very important for universities to determine the various predictors of student engagement. The aim of this study is to establish whether proactive behaviour towards strengths use, proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement and fit with study course have an impact on engagement. Universities need to focus on creating an environment in which students can actively use their strengths and develop their weaknesses for improved study fit and enhanced levels of engagement. The general objective of this research study was to test a structural model of proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU), proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI), fit with study course and engagement amongst first-year students, and to test the mediating effect of study course between PBSU/PBDI and engagement. This study was conducted in order to gain more knowledge and a better understanding of the antecedents of engagement amongst first-year students in South African. The Mplus and SPSS programmes were utilised for the statistical analysis of the data. A cross-sectional research design was used with a sample of 692 first-year students of a higher education institution in South Africa. The hypothesised model was tested by performing structural equation modelling. The bootstrapping method was used to identify possible mediating effects of fit with study course. The results confirmed a significant positive relationship between PBDI and engagement but no direct significant relationship between PBSU and engagement (although the significant levels were close to 0.05). The results also indicated a significant positive relationship with PBDI and engagement. PBDI was also found to be positively related to engagement. Furthermore, fit with study course fully mediated the relationship between PBSU and engagement and partially mediated the relationship between PBDI and engagement. After conclusions for the study had been drawn recommendations for the institution, students, as well as for future research were made. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The management of human capital is becoming of great importance. Research on this topic is largely based on talent shortages. In South Africa, considerable attention has been given to the issue of skills shortages, which are also evident in the education environment. The government has exerted many efforts; however, despite these efforts, skills shortages are still prevalent. A definite need for reform and change is necessary, with emphasis on a more positive and combined approach, focusing on strengths use and deficit improvement, psychological empowerment, work engagement and intention to leave. Therefore, the retention of talented employees has been identified as the most important outcome of a positive organisation. The general objective of this study was to determine if the Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ) and Measuring Empowerment Questionnaire (MEQ) were reliable and valid to administer to educators in South Africa; and whether (a) psychological empowerment mediated the relationship between perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU) and work engagement, and between perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI) and work engagement; and (b) whether work engagement mediated the relationship between psychological empowerment and turnover intention. The study furthermore contributed to positive psychology research, using a combined focus on strengths use and deficit improvement in relation to psychological empowerment in the education sector. A need existed to test the reliability and validity (construct and convergent) of the SUDIQ and the MEQ among educators in the Southern Cape region. A cross-sectional survey was used to reach the objectives of this study. Convenience samples were drawn from educators in the Southern Cape region (N = 271). The results revealed that the SUDIQ scale comprised four factors, namely perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU), perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI), proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU) and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI). In the same way, meaning, self-determination, competence and impact were revealed as the four distinct factors of the MEQ. In testing the relationships between the constructs, POSSU correlated practically significantly (medium effect) with all the MEQ constructs. PBSU correlated practically significantly (large effect) with meaning and competence, and practically significantly (medium effect) with self-determination and impact. POSDI, as a construct of the SUDIQ, showed to correlate practically significantly (medium effect) with meaning, competence, self-determination and impact. In the case of PBDI, practically significant correlations (medium effect) were aligned between PBDI and all the constructs of the MEQ. Through this study, it was revealed that POSSU significantly predicted psychological empowerment, but not work engagement. Significant and positive paths were found between POSDI and both psychological empowerment and work engagement. POSDI played a significant role in the prediction of psychological empowerment and work engagement. Furthermore, psychological empowerment played a significant predicting role in work engagement, but not with turnover intention. In the last instance, a significant and negative path was found between work engagement and turnover intention. In terms of the mediation analysis, POSSU indirectly impacted work engagement and intention to leave of educators in the Southern Cape region via psychological empowerment; and POSDI indirectly impacted work engagement and intention to leave of educators in the Southern Cape region via psychological empowerment. Lastly, work engagement was not revealed as a mediator in the relationship between psychological empowerment and intention to leave. A combined focus, incorporating both strengths use and deficit improvement, is a relative new concept and research field. Through this study educators could learn about the benefits of strengths use and deficit improvement and how those could be used to their advantage, especially in becoming more empowered in an education context. Also, this would indeed alert the schools and principals to the benefits of moving away from traditional approaches of focusing on only weaknesses or what was wrong with people, compared to a combined strengths and deficit focus. The results obtained would offer a valuable contribution to research and the limited literature available on this topic. In the South African context, it would be the first study in which the SUDIQ scale had been used in the education sector in the Southern Cape region, examining the extent to which strengths were used and deficits were developed by both employees and the organisation, and how it related to the well-being of educators. Recommendations were made for application and for future research. / MCom (Human Resource Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2015.

The emergence of the positive psychology movement has brought the attention to individuals’ strengths and their deficits. Specifically of interest within an organisational context is the extent to which employees’ strengths are used and their deficits are improved. Specifically, organisations may provide their support for employees’ strengths use and deficit improvement, and individuals themselves can also proactively seek opportunities to use their strengths and improve their deficits. However, little attention has been paid to strengths use and deficit improvement in empirical research. One reason for this may be a lack of a clear conceptualisation of organisational support for strengths use and deficit improvement and individuals’ proactive strengths use and deficit improvement. Furthermore, this lacking conceptualisation hinders research to empirically measure these constructs, since no measuring instrument exists to measure strengths use and deficit improvement by the organisation and the individual. In addition, no empirical research has been conducted to determine whether strengths use or deficit improvement, or possibly a combined approach focusing on both, may be more beneficial for the organisation in terms of work-related outcomes such as work engagement, learning, job satisfaction and turnover intention. Moreover, the relationship between work engagement (a well-established positive psychology construct) with organisational support for strengths use and deficit improvement and specifically individuals’ proactive strengths use and deficit improvement is unexplored. In light of the above gaps in the literature, the primary objectives of this study were: (a) To conceptualise a taxonomy of strengths use and deficit improvement and to develop and validate the Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ) that measures four constructs, namely perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU), perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI), proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU) and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI); (b) to examine the item bias, structural equivalence, measurement unit equivalence and scalar equivalence of the SUDIQ among South African ethnic groups; (c) to examine whether POSSU, POSDI or a combination of these two will lead to the best organisational outcomes (i.e. work engagement, learning, job satisfaction and turnover intention); and (d) to determine whether (1) work engagement mediates the relationship between POSSU and PBSU and between POSDI and PBDI, or (2) whether proactive behaviour (PBSU and PBDI) mediates the relationship between POSSU and POSDI with work engagement. The above research objectives were addressed in four empirical, quantitative research articles. For the purpose of research article 1, the Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Scale (SUDIQ) was developed by following the guidelines of DeVellis (2003). A pilot study was conducted among a heterogeneous sample (N = 241). The validation study was conducted among a heterogeneous sample (N = 699) in various industries in South Africa. For research article 2, the item bias, construct equivalence, measurement unit equivalence and scalar equivalence of the SUDIQ were assessed among a heterogeneous sample (N = 858) in various South African industries. For the purpose of article 3, the relationships between POSSU, POSDI and a combined approach with the outcomes, work engagement, learning, job satisfaction and turnover intention were examined among a sample of 266 public school teachers in the Western Cape. Finally, to determine the relationships between work engagement and PBSU and PBDI and also the mediation effect in a structural model, a sample of 378 employees in the financial industry was investigated. For the pilot study in article 1, an initial item pool of 33 items was generated. In the exploratory factor analysis of this pilot study, four distinct factors were extracted and were labelled perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU; eight items), perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI; eight items), proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU; nine items) and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI; eight items). The factorial validity was confirmed with a confirmatory factor analysis that confirmed the hypothesised four-factor structure of the SUDIQ. The POSSU and POSDI dimensions were positively related to autonomy and participation in decision-making, two job resources, and confirming the convergent validity of these two scales. The PBSU and PBDI scales were found to be positively related to self-efficacy, establishing the convergent validity of these two scales. The criterion-related validity was established through the positive correlation of the four SUDIQ dimensions with work engagement and the negative correlation with burnout. According to the results of the bias and equivalence analysis in article 2, the uniformly biased items included one POSSU item, two POSDI items, two PBSU items and three PBDI items. Three POSSU items were found to be non-uniformly biased. These items that were identified as having either uniform or non-uniform bias for black, white or coloured participants were discarded from further analyses. The results confirmed the SUDIQ to be equivalent across the three ethnic groups in terms of construct equivalence, measurement unit equivalence and scalar equivalence. The results of research article 3 indicate that both strengths use and deficit improvement are important predictors of work engagement, learning, job satisfaction and turnover intention. Learning was higher and turnover intention lower for individuals experiencing a combined approach compared to those believing that their school does not support them to either use their strengths or improve their deficits. Furthermore, a combined approach was associated with higher job satisfaction than a strengths-based approach, and a deficit-based approach was shown to be associated with higher levels of work engagement and turnover intentions compared to an environment where neither employees’ strengths nor deficits are addressed. Finally, in article 4, two competing models were tested where in model 1 work engagement was specified as a mediator in the relationship between POSSU and PBSU and between POSDI and PBDI. In model 2, proactive behaviour (PBSU and PBDI) was specified as a mediator in the relationship between POSSU and POSDI with work engagement. The results indicated that model 1 fitted the data better compared to model 2. Therefore, it was found that work engagement mediates the relationship between POSSU and PBSU and also between POSDI and PBDI. Recommendations were made for organisations and for future research. / PhD (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Traditionally, organisations have focused efforts in developing their people towards improving so-called areas of deficiency, identifying the flaws of employees and putting intervention structures in place to rectify and redress these areas. Limited efforts have seen the accentuation of employees‟ strengths as a means of developing those employees‟ full potential, as prescribed in the Positive Psychology. In a balanced organisational development approach, both areas of strength and deficit should be developed in order to harness optimum human potential and growth. This balanced approach is critical, as it provides for full spectrum development of the individual and creates opportunity for the attainment of positive work-related outcomes, such as work engagement. The objective of this research study was to test a structural model of job resources in the form of organisational strengths use and organisational deficit improvement; personal resources in the form of individual strengths use and individual deficit improvement; and work engagement; to relate the conceptualised job- and personal resources to established job- and personal resources in the nomological net and to investigate possible structural paths between job- and personal resources and work engagement. This study was conducted in order to gain more knowledge and a better understanding of the outcomes of following a balanced strengths use and deficit improvement approach (SDBA), both from an organisational (job resource) and individual (personal resource) perspective. Participants in the research were sport coaches from primary and secondary schools. The Mplus and SPSS programmes were utilised for purposes of statistical analysis. A cross-sectional research approach was used. An availability sample (N = 364) of teachers who act as sport coaches in Gauteng, North-West and Free State based schools was used. Competing measurement models were used to confirm factor structures for adapted versions of the Strengths use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ), as well as the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). These measurement models confirmed a four-factor and one-factor model structure for the adapted versions of the SUDIQ and UWES respectively. After factor structures had been confirmed, reliability of the adapted measures was assessed by means of Cronbach alpha coefficient values. The relation of the conceptualised job resources of organisational strengths use and organisational deficit improvement to established job resources was assessed by incorporating the job resources of opportunities for learning and independence at work into the study. In the case of the conceptualised personal resources, individual strengths use and individual deficit improvement were related to self-efficacy and self-esteem. This was done in order to theoretically relate these variables in the nomological net of other job resources and personal resources. Subsequently, structural equation modelling was used to investigate the relationship between the job resources of organisational strengths use and organisational deficit improvement, personal resources individual strengths use and individual deficit improvement; and work engagement. Through categorical estimation the research found individual strengths use to be the strongest predictor of work engagement, followed by individual deficit improvement and organisational strengths use. Organisational deficit improvement was proven as a statistically insignificant predictor of work engagement. After conclusions for the study were drawn, recommendations for the organisation, individual as well as for future research were made. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

The emergence of the positive psychology movement has brought the attention to individuals’ strengths and their deficits. Specifically of interest within an organisational context is the extent to which employees’ strengths are used and their deficits are improved. Specifically, organisations may provide their support for employees’ strengths use and deficit improvement, and individuals themselves can also proactively seek opportunities to use their strengths and improve their deficits. However, little attention has been paid to strengths use and deficit improvement in empirical research. One reason for this may be a lack of a clear conceptualisation of organisational support for strengths use and deficit improvement and individuals’ proactive strengths use and deficit improvement. Furthermore, this lacking conceptualisation hinders research to empirically measure these constructs, since no measuring instrument exists to measure strengths use and deficit improvement by the organisation and the individual. In addition, no empirical research has been conducted to determine whether strengths use or deficit improvement, or possibly a combined approach focusing on both, may be more beneficial for the organisation in terms of work-related outcomes such as work engagement, learning, job satisfaction and turnover intention. Moreover, the relationship between work engagement (a well-established positive psychology construct) with organisational support for strengths use and deficit improvement and specifically individuals’ proactive strengths use and deficit improvement is unexplored. In light of the above gaps in the literature, the primary objectives of this study were: (a) To conceptualise a taxonomy of strengths use and deficit improvement and to develop and validate the Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ) that measures four constructs, namely perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU), perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI), proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU) and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI); (b) to examine the item bias, structural equivalence, measurement unit equivalence and scalar equivalence of the SUDIQ among South African ethnic groups; (c) to examine whether POSSU, POSDI or a combination of these two will lead to the best organisational outcomes (i.e. work engagement, learning, job satisfaction and turnover intention); and (d) to determine whether (1) work engagement mediates the relationship between POSSU and PBSU and between POSDI and PBDI, or (2) whether proactive behaviour (PBSU and PBDI) mediates the relationship between POSSU and POSDI with work engagement. The above research objectives were addressed in four empirical, quantitative research articles. For the purpose of research article 1, the Strengths Use and Deficit Improvement Scale (SUDIQ) was developed by following the guidelines of DeVellis (2003). A pilot study was conducted among a heterogeneous sample (N = 241). The validation study was conducted among a heterogeneous sample (N = 699) in various industries in South Africa. For research article 2, the item bias, construct equivalence, measurement unit equivalence and scalar equivalence of the SUDIQ were assessed among a heterogeneous sample (N = 858) in various South African industries. For the purpose of article 3, the relationships between POSSU, POSDI and a combined approach with the outcomes, work engagement, learning, job satisfaction and turnover intention were examined among a sample of 266 public school teachers in the Western Cape. Finally, to determine the relationships between work engagement and PBSU and PBDI and also the mediation effect in a structural model, a sample of 378 employees in the financial industry was investigated. For the pilot study in article 1, an initial item pool of 33 items was generated. In the exploratory factor analysis of this pilot study, four distinct factors were extracted and were labelled perceived organisational support for strengths use (POSSU; eight items), perceived organisational support for deficit improvement (POSDI; eight items), proactive behaviour towards strengths use (PBSU; nine items) and proactive behaviour towards deficit improvement (PBDI; eight items). The factorial validity was confirmed with a confirmatory factor analysis that confirmed the hypothesised four-factor structure of the SUDIQ. The POSSU and POSDI dimensions were positively related to autonomy and participation in decision-making, two job resources, and confirming the convergent validity of these two scales. The PBSU and PBDI scales were found to be positively related to self-efficacy, establishing the convergent validity of these two scales. The criterion-related validity was established through the positive correlation of the four SUDIQ dimensions with work engagement and the negative correlation with burnout. According to the results of the bias and equivalence analysis in article 2, the uniformly biased items included one POSSU item, two POSDI items, two PBSU items and three PBDI items. Three POSSU items were found to be non-uniformly biased. These items that were identified as having either uniform or non-uniform bias for black, white or coloured participants were discarded from further analyses. The results confirmed the SUDIQ to be equivalent across the three ethnic groups in terms of construct equivalence, measurement unit equivalence and scalar equivalence. The results of research article 3 indicate that both strengths use and deficit improvement are important predictors of work engagement, learning, job satisfaction and turnover intention. Learning was higher and turnover intention lower for individuals experiencing a combined approach compared to those believing that their school does not support them to either use their strengths or improve their deficits. Furthermore, a combined approach was associated with higher job satisfaction than a strengths-based approach, and a deficit-based approach was shown to be associated with higher levels of work engagement and turnover intentions compared to an environment where neither employees’ strengths nor deficits are addressed. Finally, in article 4, two competing models were tested where in model 1 work engagement was specified as a mediator in the relationship between POSSU and PBSU and between POSDI and PBDI. In model 2, proactive behaviour (PBSU and PBDI) was specified as a mediator in the relationship between POSSU and POSDI with work engagement. The results indicated that model 1 fitted the data better compared to model 2. Therefore, it was found that work engagement mediates the relationship between POSSU and PBSU and also between POSDI and PBDI. Recommendations were made for organisations and for future research. / PhD (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Traditionally, organisations have focused efforts in developing their people towards improving so-called areas of deficiency, identifying the flaws of employees and putting intervention structures in place to rectify and redress these areas. Limited efforts have seen the accentuation of employees‟ strengths as a means of developing those employees‟ full potential, as prescribed in the Positive Psychology. In a balanced organisational development approach, both areas of strength and deficit should be developed in order to harness optimum human potential and growth. This balanced approach is critical, as it provides for full spectrum development of the individual and creates opportunity for the attainment of positive work-related outcomes, such as work engagement. The objective of this research study was to test a structural model of job resources in the form of organisational strengths use and organisational deficit improvement; personal resources in the form of individual strengths use and individual deficit improvement; and work engagement; to relate the conceptualised job- and personal resources to established job- and personal resources in the nomological net and to investigate possible structural paths between job- and personal resources and work engagement. This study was conducted in order to gain more knowledge and a better understanding of the outcomes of following a balanced strengths use and deficit improvement approach (SDBA), both from an organisational (job resource) and individual (personal resource) perspective. Participants in the research were sport coaches from primary and secondary schools. The Mplus and SPSS programmes were utilised for purposes of statistical analysis. A cross-sectional research approach was used. An availability sample (N = 364) of teachers who act as sport coaches in Gauteng, North-West and Free State based schools was used. Competing measurement models were used to confirm factor structures for adapted versions of the Strengths use and Deficit Improvement Questionnaire (SUDIQ), as well as the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). These measurement models confirmed a four-factor and one-factor model structure for the adapted versions of the SUDIQ and UWES respectively. After factor structures had been confirmed, reliability of the adapted measures was assessed by means of Cronbach alpha coefficient values. The relation of the conceptualised job resources of organisational strengths use and organisational deficit improvement to established job resources was assessed by incorporating the job resources of opportunities for learning and independence at work into the study. In the case of the conceptualised personal resources, individual strengths use and individual deficit improvement were related to self-efficacy and self-esteem. This was done in order to theoretically relate these variables in the nomological net of other job resources and personal resources. Subsequently, structural equation modelling was used to investigate the relationship between the job resources of organisational strengths use and organisational deficit improvement, personal resources individual strengths use and individual deficit improvement; and work engagement. Through categorical estimation the research found individual strengths use to be the strongest predictor of work engagement, followed by individual deficit improvement and organisational strengths use. Organisational deficit improvement was proven as a statistically insignificant predictor of work engagement. After conclusions for the study were drawn, recommendations for the organisation, individual as well as for future research were made. / MCom (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013