The research at hand focuses on job satisfaction as a moderator of the relationship between work-family conflict and stress among female civil service managers in the Department of Education in the King William’s Town District. Samples of 100 employees were used in the study. The data was collected by means of a questionnaire which consisted of the following sections: (i) a biographical and occupational data questionnaire,(ii) Eum, Lee, and Paek’s (2007) Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire, (iii) Bedenia, Burke, and Moffat’s (1998) Short-form Work-family Conflict questionnaire, and (iv) Halpern’s (1966) Job Satisfaction questionnaire. The data were analyzed by means of Pearson’s Correlation Technique, Multiple Regression Analysis, and Analysis of Variance. The results showed that job satisfaction does not moderate the relationship between work-family conflict and occupational stress. The study also found a significant positive correlation between work-family conflict and occupational stress and between work-family conflict and job satisfaction. It also showed that both work-family conflict and job satisfaction respectively accounted for a significant proportion of variance in occupational stress. The thesis ends with several recommendations for future research and for future professional or managerial practice.

D.Litt. et Phil. / This research focuses on self-concept improvement for adults. A self-image enhancement programme has been developed and its impact tested with regard to shortand medium term developments. Various training approaches have been compared to establish whether massed or spaced sessions training is more effective, and whether individual follow-up after the programme is of advantage. Self-image enhancement is seen as central to a person's functioning and psychological well-being. Self-management and the improvement of the self have taken an important role in today's society where a lot of emphasis is placed on personal achievement and self-actualisation. The background to the research is the question of self-enhancement versus selfconsistency. The self-enhancement thinking promotes the possibility for adult change, while the consistency theories emphasise resistance to change. While an integrated view that places self-image change within the frame of a stable personality becomes necessary, this research aims at establishing the positive changes expected to take place after the self-image enhancement programme. The theories and therapy approaches underlying the design of the self-image enhancement programme include rational-emotive therapy, self-efficacy theory, locus of control theory, and the concept of learned helplessness and learned optimism. The main and subhypotheses were formulated regarding the improvement of the following variables: Total self-concept, physical and personal self, acceptance of others, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-control, nervousness, sociability, formal relations, and self-efficacy. Self-criticism and external locus of control were expected to decrease. The subjects that made up the sample were drawn from companies in Johannesburg and consisted of 133 participants. They were tested before the intervention started, at the end of the course, and again five months later. The self-image enhancement programme was administered to groups of 10 to 12 people. The measurement instruments included the short version of the MMPI, used as the screening device, Vrey's Adolescent Self-Concept Scale, Acceptance of Others Scale, the PHSF Questionnaire, Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale, and a self efficacy scale. The latter measurement instrument had to be adjusted from another selfefficacy questionnaire and an item analysis was completed. The statistical results show that the self-image enhancement programme is effective in achieving improvement of most of the self-concept variables for all experimental groups taken together. The achieved change was maintained over the medium term except for the self-efficacy and self-control variables. The variables that remained unchanged were acceptance of others, sociability and formal relations, although, based on the literature, an improved self-image is expected to occur with an improved acceptance of others. More research is required regarding interpersonal aspects and self-image enhancement. Regarding the effectiveness of various types of training groups, previous research has not been conclusive. It has also not been established through this study that massed training sessions differ in their effectiveness from spaced sessions, but further research is indicated. The same applies to the role of individual feedback sessions after a training programme. An encouraging finding has been that the self-image enhancement programme is also helping individuals with psychological problems to better their self-image and self- perceptions. This has been shown through the improved results of the MIN PI rejected group and relates to the subhypotheses formulated for this research. This research has confirmed that self-concept improvement during adulthood can be achieved and should in fact be seen as part of ongoing self-development and selfmanagement.

Organisations are always confronted with the need to transform in order to adapt to environmental changes and have a competitive advantage. The concern is that when an organisation embarks on a transformation process, its individual employees are affected either positively or negatively. Employees can respond to transformation change by either being satisfied or dissatisfied in the organisation. The main aim of this research was to develop a diagnostic model for measuring employee satisfaction during organisational transformation. The first construct of organisational transformation was conceptualised using the open system paradigm, theoretical definitions and models of organisational change. In this study, organisational transformation is second order and drastic in the sense that it alters the way in which the organisation functions and relates to the external environment focusing on the vision, processes, systems, structure and culture. It is the fundamental and constant change at all levels of the organisation caused by external factors posing as risks for organisational survival. vi The second construct of employee satisfaction was conceptualised focusing on the humanistic paradigm, theoretical definitions and models. Employee satisfaction in this study is the individual’s positive emotional state of contentment stemming from the organisation’s ability to meet his or her needs and expectations based on his or her experience and evaluation of various organisational processes and practices. It influences employees’ performance and commitment to the organisation. A theoretical model was developed as a framework to enable organisations to diagnose or assess their employees’ satisfaction during organisational transformation. The model highlighted dimensions essential to diagnose employee satisfaction such as organisational strategy, policies and processes and outcomes, in order to determine employees’ contentment and fulfilment in the organisation. The main aim of the empirical research was to conduct a three year longitudinal study of employee satisfaction during organisational transformation; to operationalise the conceptually developed diagnostic model of employee satisfaction during transformation; and develop a structural equation model (SEM) in order to test the theoretical model. The Employee Satisfaction Survey (ESS) was used in 2003, 2007 and 2008 to measure employee satisfaction. The initial year of the study (2003) comprised 1 140 participants who voluntarily completed the measuring instrument. The second year of the study (2007) involved 920 participants, while the final year of the study (2008) included 759 participants. In terms of the reliability and validity of the ESS, it was determined that in the three years of the study, most of the dimensions had acceptable internal consistency reliability based on the results of the Cronbach alpha test. The SEM investigated the impact of organisational strategy, policies and procedures and outcomes as the three domains of employee satisfaction during organisational transformation. The confirmatory factor analysis of the latent variables was conducted, and the path coefficients of the latent variables of organisational strategy, policies and processes and outcomes indicated a satisfactory fit for all these variables. The goodness-of-fit measure of the model indicated both absolute and incremental goodness-of-fit. The SEM confirmed the causal relationships between the latent and manifest variables, indicating that the latent variables, organisational vii strategy, policies and procedures and outcomes are the main indicators of employee satisfaction. This research adds to the field of organisational behaviour by proposing a model of employee satisfaction during organisational transformation. The domains of this model should enable organisations to identify developmental areas based on employees’ dissatisfaction or areas of strengths based on employees’ satisfaction. The diagnostic model will also enable organisations and practitioners to initiative interventions aimed at addressing areas of dissatisfaction as developmental areas and to leverage on its strengths as areas of satisfaction in the organisation. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology

Bakgrund: Den traditionella rekryteringsprocessen har i takt med digitaliseringens utveckling både utmanats och kompletterats. En önskan från organisationer att skapa en mer kompetensbaserad matchning till en specifik position har bidragit till implementeringen av digitala arbetspsykologiska tester i samband med rekryteringsprocessen. Digitala tester kan ge en indikation på en kandidats arbetsprestanda, vilket kan bidra till bättre anställningsbeslut samt att undvika kostsamma felrekryteringar. Vidare berör studien huruvida digitala tester bidrar till mångfald på en arbetsplats samt belysa den kritik mot digitala tester som finns i dagsläget. Det är av intresse att studera de styrkor som digitala tester bidrar med för att komplettera den traditionella rekryteringsprocessen samt reducera eller eliminera dess svagheter. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att skapa en större förståelse för hur digitala arbetspsykologiska tester kompletterar samt utmanar den traditionella rekryteringsprocessen utifrån ett organisatoriskt perspektiv. Vidare är syftet med studien att belysa huruvida digitala arbetspsykologiska tester bidrar till mångfald på arbetsplatsen. Metod: Vi har genomfört en fallstudie då detta gett oss en möjlighet att upprätta en realistisk beskrivning av organisationens utveckling samt möjligheten att studera vårt fall och dess specifika förutsättningar på djupet. Vi har valt att använda oss av en kvalitativ metod i form av sju intervjuer samt fyra datakällor som komplement. Slutsats: Studiens resultat indikerar att implementeringen av digitala arbetspsykologiska tester har bidragit till en positiv påverkan på organisationens rekryteringsprocess. De svagheter som den traditionella rekryteringsprocessen besitter skapar ett större behov för organisationer att komplettera med ett digitalt verktyg som kan skapa en mer kompetensbaserad rekrytering. Digitala tester möjliggör även till objektivitet vid ett urvalsbeslut då beslut grundas på de egenskaper samt kvaliteter som är av värde, istället för rekryterarens personliga åsikter och intressen. Det empiriska resultatet indikerar att digitala tester bidrar till mångfald på arbetsplatsen då dessa medför att rekryteringsprocessen blir mer objektiv, oavsett i vilket stadie testerna utförs. Komplementet bidrar till att rekryterare kan fokusera på att hitta den mest passande kandidaten för positionen och inte påverkas av medvetna eller omedvetna personliga värderingar. / Background: The traditional recruitment process, in association with the development of digitalisation, has been both challenged and complemented. A desire by organizations to create a more competency-based match for a specific position has contributed to the implement of digital work psychological tests in connection with the recruitment process. Digital tests can give an indication of a candidate's work performance, which can contribute to better hiring decisions and to avoid expensive cost of restarting the recruitment process. Furthermore, the study focus on whether digital testing can contribute to diversity in the workplace and highlight the criticism of digital testing. It is of interest to study the strengths of digital testing that can complement and, in some cases, eliminate the weaknesses of the traditional recruitment process. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to create a bigger understanding of how digital work psychological tests complement and challenge the traditional recruitment process from an organizational perspective. Furthermore, the purpose of the study is to clarify whether digital tests contribute to diversity in the workplace. Method: This study is a case study because it gives us an opportunity to create a realistic description of the development of the organization. This also gives us a opportunity to study our case in depth and its specific conditions. We have chosen to use a qualitative method in the form of seven interviews and four data sources as a complement. Conclusion: The study results show that the implementation of digital work psychological tests has contributed to a positive impact on the organisation's recruitment process. The weaknesses of the traditional recruitment process create a greater need for organizations to complement with a digital tool that can create a more competency-based recruitment. Digital testing also allows for objectivity in a selection decision when decisions are based on the characteristics and qualities that are of value, rather than the recruiter's personal opinions and interests. The empirical result shows that digital tests contribute to diversity in the workplace as the tests generates that the recruitment process becomes more objective, regardless of when the test takes place. The complement helps recruiters to focus on finding the most suitable candidate for the position and not being affected by conscious or unconscious personal values.

This research aimed to qualititavely identify any new dimensions of job satsfaction , gender differences among black middle level managers as well as the impact of afrocentric values. Content and process theories provided the theoretical framework in the identification of determinants of job satsfaction. Semi-structured interviews were administered to eight employees in the educational and finacial sector. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse the data. The results indicated that no 'new' dimensions of job satisfaction were identified in the selected sample. Behaviour, perceptions and actions, however, manifested against the background of the South African political and socio-economic history, as well as highlighting the process of acculturation. Findings referred to the importance of social needs against the background of ubuntu. The role of the supervisor and the necessity of open communication in the workplace were emphasised. Language issues were highlighted as significant in the perception of exclusion in the workplace. The need for recognition of qualifications and skills against the background of affirmitive action policies was clear. Participants suggested the significance of personal development as manifested in their need for self-actualisation and self-efficacy. Gender differences were prevalent in all determinants of job satisfaction bar recognition of qualifications in the work environment. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / With an increased interest in work-family conflict, researchers have recently turned much of their attention to understanding what puts people at risk of experiencing higher levels of work-family conflict. The purpose of this paper is to examine how gender might influence work-family conflict (WFC) experienced. While past research has explored this topic, results have remained inconclusive. Although some research indicates that women experience more conflict, other research indicates that men experience more conflict, while still other research indicates no gender difference. It is proposed here that these mixed results indicate other factors may be present which moderate the effect of gender on work-family conflict. Drawing on the theory of work-family conflict and role congruity theory, this paper looks specifically at how the gender-type of a job moderates the relationship between gender and experienced levels of work-family conflict. Data from alumni from a large Midwestern University were analyzed using hierarchical regression. Job gender-type (i.e., femininity) was found to moderate the relationship between gender and work-family conflict such that women in jobs that were less stereotypically feminine reported higher levels of time based-conflict than women working in jobs that were more stereotypically feminine. Men reported similar levels of WFC regardless of their job type. Directions for future research on gender and WFC are discussed.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Change has become a prevalent feature of today’s organizations, resulting in an increased demand for workers who are able to adapt to the dynamic nature of the environment. Recently, many have suggested that traditional models of job performance should be expanded to include an adaptive performance dimension. Research in this relatively new domain has focused on defining adaptive performance and understanding how it may be predicted. This study contributes to these efforts by testing the personality trait of conscientiousness as a predictor of adaptive performance, with both constructs being studied at their domain and facet levels. The incremental validity of conscientiousness over cognitive ability is also examined, and autonomy is investigated as a moderator of the conscientiousness-adaptive performance relationships. A sample of 212 undergraduate students who work at least 20 hours per week participated in the study by completing an online survey and a cognitive ability assessment. Conscientiousness was supported as a good predictor of adaptive performance overall. However, the predictor-outcome results did vary over the domain and facet levels, emphasizing the importance of studying both levels. At the two-facet level of conscientiousness, the achievement motivation facet was shown to have stronger relationships with the adaptive performance dimensions compared to the dependability facet. At the six-facet level of conscientiousness, the three achievement motivation facets and one dependability facet (i.e., dutifulness) were significantly related to all eight performance dimensions, but the other two dependability facets (i.e., orderliness and cautiousness) were not significantly related to all of the adaptive performance dimensions. Conscientiousness did provide significant incremental validity over cognitive ability at the domain level and for almost all of the facet-level relationships, but cognitive ability was not related to adaptive performance or any other study variables. Autonomy was supported as a moderator with 16 significant interactions uncovered at the facet level. However, these significant interactions only involved three (i.e., interpersonal, learning, and cultural) of the eight adaptive performance dimensions. Overall, these results supported the conscientiousness-adaptive performance relationship and contributed new findings to the adaptive performance domain that have implications for employee selection and performance management.

Despite the feminisation of the workplace as one of the key developments of this domain, the meaning of work for women is little understood. A phenomenological approach was adopted in this study to gain in-depth understanding of the meaning ascribed to work by a sample of ten South African, women graduates. Literature was used to generate three models - a male-centred, stereotyped and contemporary conceptualisation. Unstructured interviews were conducted and the protocols analysed using the modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method (Creswell, 1998; Stones, 1985; 1986). Themes illustrated that the meaning of work for women is multifaceted and comprises a number of components including sense of identity and self-worth, meeting instrumental needs, social relatedness, serving others, intrinsic satisfaction and the exercise of power and authority. Findings suggested that the meaning women ascribe to work changes when they experience autonomy. Recommendations were made for future research and organisational practices. / Indust & Org Psychology / MA(IND AND ORG PSYCHOLOGY)

OPSOMMING Die doel van die navorsingstudie is om die voorkoms en hantering van werksres by maatskaplike werkers in die Paarl-omgewing te ondersoek ten einde aanbevelings aan die bestuur van welsynsorganisasies te maak met die oog op die bevordering van effektiewe stresbestuur by maatskaplike werkers. Elf welsynsorganisasies in die Paarl-omgewing is in die ondersoek betrek en twintig maatskaplike werkers het aan die ondersoek deelgeneem. Na aanleiding van die empiriese ondersoek is daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat maatskaplike werkers in die Paarl-omgewing wel werkstres ervaar en dat die meerderheid welsynsorganisasies in die Paarl-omgewing nie oor programme vir streshantering vir hul maatskaplike werkers beskik nie. Daar word onder meer aanbeveel dat beide die maatskaplike werker en die bestuur van die welsynsorganisasie mede-verantwoordelikheid moet neem vir die maatskaplike werker se effektiewe stresbestuur deur middel van individuele- en organisatoriese streshanteringstrategieë. SUMMARY The purpose of this research study is to investigate the occurrence and management of work stress by social workers in the Paarl-vicinity in order to make recommendations to the management of welfare organisations regarding the promotion of effective stress management of social workers. Eleven welfare organisations in the Paarl-vicinity were involved in the investigation while twenty social workers participated in the investigation. With reference to the empirical study, it was concluded that social workers in the Paarl-vicinity do experience work stress and that the majority of the welfare organisations in the Paarl-vicinity do not have programmes for stress management available for their social workers. Based on these conclusions it was recommended that both the social worker and the organisations must take co-responsibility for the social workers effective stress management by utilizing individual- and organisational stress management strategies. / Social work / M.Diac.

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the perceived leadership style, employee participation, and positive psychology functioning. Such functioning includes a sense of coherence, engagement in work and avoiding burnout. The Leader Behavior Descriptive Questionnaire, the Employee Participation Survey, the Orientation to Life Questionnaire the Utrecht Work Engagement Survey and Maslash Burnout Inventory General Survey were applied to a sample of 200 permanent employees of the manufacturing. The results indicate significant relationships between all the variables and the way in which employee participation is predicted by perceived leadership style, sense of coherence, and work engagement. Significant differences were found between perceived leadership style and educational levels, and functional department; employee participation and educational level, and functional department; sense of coherence and educational level; work engagement and age, and educational level; burnout and age, and educational level.The study has contributed valuable new knowledge that may be used to inform human resources practitioners and psychologist in the development and coaching of leaders and employees in manufacturing companies. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Admin (Industrial & Organisational Psychology)