The 21'' century business environment can be described in terms of globalisation, intensified competitiveness on a global level, and ever-increasing customer expectations. In the changing nature of the world of work, with its increasing complexity, competition and accelerated pace, the issue of leadership development is critical. Executives are pressured to continuously improve their performance, skills and contribution to the organisation. In the mining industry, executives are experiencing ongoing skill shortage, increased job stress, increased job dissatisfaction and the need to redress social imbalances via affirmative action and accelerated career development. This highlights the need to find effective ways of developing executives. In South Africa more traditional forms of executive development, such as prescribed training programmes, courses and business schools are used. Training programmes, courses and business schools do not address specific individual needs but tend to be more generic in content. Over the course of the last 10 years, executive coaching, an oneon- one intervention with middle and senior managers for the purpose of improving or enhancing management skills has become widely adopted by the corporate community. Executive coaching is one of the fastest growing executive development processes in adult learning. Recent literature in the field of coaching purports the advantages of coaching such as increased performance, job satisfaction, team effectiveness, self awareness, decreased job stress, higher optimism and change management. The objectives of this study were to develop an executive coaching programme and to determine the effect of this programme on the general wellbeing, job characteristics, coping strategies, personality characteristics (both pervasive and situational), work-related wellness, as well as the performance of executives in the mining industry in South Africa. A longitudinal design was used. The participants (n = 29) consisted of General Managers, Mine Overseers and Production Managers from one area in a large mining company in South Africa. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the Life Orientation Test - Revised (LOT-R), the Job Characteristics Survey - Mining (JCM), the Learned Optimism Scale (LOS), the ituational Sense of Coherence Scale (SSOC), the Perceived Wellness Scale (PWS) and a 360" Performance Evaluation Measurement (PEM) were used. The results showed that the xecutive Coaching Programme developed for this study increased the general wellbeing, job characteristics, performance and coping strategies of the executives in the mining industry. The study also found an increase in the situational personality characteristics (situational sense of coherence and learned optimism) after the completion of the coaching programme. Furthermore, the results showed an increase in the positive affective evaluation of work (engagement) (vigour and professional efficacy), as well as a decrease in the negative affective evaluation of work (burnout) (exhaustion and cynicism). In terms of coping strategies passive coping decreased, while problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping increased. Interestingly, the findings showed an increase in pervasive personality characteristics and a decrease in absorption of executives after completion of the coaching programme. The qualitative results from the dairy study showed very positive reports in relation to the executives' experiences of the performance evaluation process and the executive coaching programme in relation to their development. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

The 21'' century business environment can be described in terms of globalisation, intensified competitiveness on a global level, and ever-increasing customer expectations. In the changing nature of the world of work, with its increasing complexity, competition and accelerated pace, the issue of leadership development is critical. Executives are pressured to continuously improve their performance, skills and contribution to the organisation. In the mining industry, executives are experiencing ongoing skill shortage, increased job stress, increased job dissatisfaction and the need to redress social imbalances via affirmative action and accelerated career development. This highlights the need to find effective ways of developing executives. In South Africa more traditional forms of executive development, such as prescribed training programmes, courses and business schools are used. Training programmes, courses and business schools do not address specific individual needs but tend to be more generic in content. Over the course of the last 10 years, executive coaching, an oneon- one intervention with middle and senior managers for the purpose of improving or enhancing management skills has become widely adopted by the corporate community. Executive coaching is one of the fastest growing executive development processes in adult learning. Recent literature in the field of coaching purports the advantages of coaching such as increased performance, job satisfaction, team effectiveness, self awareness, decreased job stress, higher optimism and change management. The objectives of this study were to develop an executive coaching programme and to determine the effect of this programme on the general wellbeing, job characteristics, coping strategies, personality characteristics (both pervasive and situational), work-related wellness, as well as the performance of executives in the mining industry in South Africa. A longitudinal design was used. The participants (n = 29) consisted of General Managers, Mine Overseers and Production Managers from one area in a large mining company in South Africa. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the Life Orientation Test - Revised (LOT-R), the Job Characteristics Survey - Mining (JCM), the Learned Optimism Scale (LOS), the ituational Sense of Coherence Scale (SSOC), the Perceived Wellness Scale (PWS) and a 360" Performance Evaluation Measurement (PEM) were used. The results showed that the xecutive Coaching Programme developed for this study increased the general wellbeing, job characteristics, performance and coping strategies of the executives in the mining industry. The study also found an increase in the situational personality characteristics (situational sense of coherence and learned optimism) after the completion of the coaching programme. Furthermore, the results showed an increase in the positive affective evaluation of work (engagement) (vigour and professional efficacy), as well as a decrease in the negative affective evaluation of work (burnout) (exhaustion and cynicism). In terms of coping strategies passive coping decreased, while problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping increased. Interestingly, the findings showed an increase in pervasive personality characteristics and a decrease in absorption of executives after completion of the coaching programme. The qualitative results from the dairy study showed very positive reports in relation to the executives' experiences of the performance evaluation process and the executive coaching programme in relation to their development. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

The work environment of today is synonymous with stress, fatigue and exhaustion. As a result, the incidence of workplace injury and disease is increasingly commonplace. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is the most common form of work–related ill–health. If the symptoms are not recognised and addressed early, serious and more chronic manifestations of the symptoms can emerge, subsequently affecting the quality and duration of a persons' working life. RSI also has significant implications for organisations in terms of lost productivity, drops in work quality and costly compensation claims. Although there is ongoing international research available concerning workplace injury and disease to inform business and the employee, there is less comprehensive and regularly updated research within the South African context. Considering employers can be held accountable for diseases that have arisen out of and in the course of an individual's employment, this research adds value in ascertaining the magnitude of RSI in South Africa. Bearing in mind international research has expanded its focus to include the potential influence of ergonomic and psychosocial factors in the development of RSI, it has become necessary to consider additional factors that may play a role in the development and maintenance of RSI. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the frequency of RSI experienced amongst South African employees; 2) examine the frequency of RSI across three well–being groups; and 3) identify whether there are significant differences across the three well–being groups. An availability sample (N = 15 664) was utilised to determine the frequency of experience of RSI in a sample of South African employees. Frequencies were used to determine the incidence of RSI symptoms for the total sample. Participants were then selected into groups based on their experience of vitality, work devotion and exhaustion (n = 4 411) in order to determine the frequency of RSI experienced for three well–being groups. ANOVA was used to determine if there were significant RSI differences between these three well–being groups. The results of this study highlight that RSI is prevalent amongst the South African population. Of those participants who responded 'sometimes' and 'frequently' (experiencing RSI), 47% indicated experiencing neck, shoulder and back discomfort, followed by 42% reporting eyestrain, and 24% muscle stiffness. These results are comparable with international statistics, indicating that a relatively large percentage of South African employees experience RSI. The results further showed that the frequency of experience of RSI symptoms does differ across the three well–being groups. It is evident that RSI is more prevalent in the well–being group that demonstrates vital exhaustion when compared to those who are work engaged yet exhausted, and those who are truly work engaged. Secondly, the results clearly revealed statistically significant differences between all of these groups. Thus, those individuals who are vitally exhausted experience significantly greater RSI symptoms than those who are truly work engaged or engaged with exhaustion. In addition, those individuals who are work engaged with exhaustion demonstrate significantly more RSI symptoms than those who are truly work engaged. Thus, this study suggests the potential role of exhaustion in the development of RSI. Recommendations were made for the organisation and for future research. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This study has developed a tool for explaining why employees fail to speak up with regard to work related criticism; there is a hidden policy of silence that teaches employees to remain silent. This hidden policy is here designated as the "Curriculum Silentium" and is described in detail on the basis of empirical and theoretical data. After identifying a gap between the intentionally and experienced policy for employees freedom of speech in organizations I suggest that there are on-going unofficial, partially hidden learning processes in the organizations. The overall research question is; How does the Curriculum Silentium; the hidden policy of silence among employees, look like?  I make an analytic construction of the hidden policy as if it were planned policy, using the didactic categories applicable to organizations. These didactic categories are: goals, content, teaching strategies and the motivation of employees. The empirical data was collected in three different organizations: an elementary school, a home for the elderly and a factory in the process industry, using qualitative methods such as interviews and observation. The theoretical foundation of the study is taken from existing theory within the field of work life research and educational science. The study is not a comparative study of the three organizations, but does involve a comparison of whether and how the Curriculum Silentium is expressed in three such different organizations. The challenge of examining hidden relationships in organizations was met through the development of guidelines for an analytical approach called a critical didactic relations analysis. The study concludes that a hidden policy of silence resembling that presented here exists in organizations where employees fail to voice working life related criticism.

Le but de notre travail était d’évaluer l’impact des rythmes biologiques et psychologiques sur l’activité opérationnelle des sapeurs-pompiers (SP). La 1ère partie de notre étude se base sur une analyse des bases de données opérationnelles du SDIS 71. Le profil circadien du lag time (LT), durée existante entre l’appel et le départ du véhicule de secours pour arrêt cardiaque extra hospitalier (ACEH), ainsi que le profil horaire du risque relatif des accidents en intervention des SP (AIRR, tenant compte du nb de SP par intervention et par unité de temps), ont été étudiés sur 4ans. Une variation circadienne montrant un pic nocturne a été validée pour le LTACEH ainsi que pour l’AIRR. La stabilité du LTACEH et sa faible corrélation avec le rythme des ACEH favorisent l’hypothèse d’une origine endogène. De plus, pour une seule et même population de SP, le profil circadien du LTACEH est corrélé positivement à celui des AIRR: l’hypothèse d’une variation de performance corrélée à celle des accidents semblait donc validée. La 2ème partie s’est intéressée aux différences individuelles entre les τ de 16 rythmes de 30 SP du SDIS 71, de moyenne d’âge, de BMI, de chronotype, et d’expériences comparables. Les mesures ont été recueillies pendant 8j en hiver et en été. Le taux de désynchronisation (TD = nb variable τ≠24.0h / nb variables étudiées x100) a servi à confirmer la coexistence d’oscillateurs circadiens souples et robustes, dont le gradient définit les différences interindividuelles dans le TD des SP. Ces différences sont cohérentes avec l’hypothèse d’une origine héritée de la propension à la désynchronisation des SP. Elles pointent également le fait que, malgré les creux nocturnes d’AIRR et du LTACEH, les rythmes de la performance sont inexistants pour la majeure partie des SP étudiés, réfutant l’hypothèse d’un lien unique existant entre rythme de la performance et rythme des accidents. Ces résultats mettent en perspective de nouvelles explications du phénomène du black time. Ici, le pattern circadien d’AIRR semble plus fortement lié aux rythmes de la fatigue et du sommeil. D’autres explications possibles – la suppression de l’expression des rythmes circadiens et/ou le déverrouillage de celle des rythmes ultradiens de la performance cognitive en situation stressante, compétitive ou revêtant un enjeu vital – sont également envisagées. Dans son ensemble, notre étude permet de considérer de nouvelles pistes en matière de chronoprévention des risques chez les SP, basées sur l’étude des rythmes biologiques, psychologiques et sociaux. Cette recherche a bénéficié du soutien du SDIS 71, du Fond National de Prévention de la CNRACL et a été approuvée par le Comité de Protection des Personnes Est 1 / The aim of this study was to assess the impact of biological and psychological rhythms on the firefighters (FF) activity. The 1st part of our study was performed on FF’s interventions databases. 24-h pattern of lag time (LT), duration in min between a call and departure of service vehicle for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), and 24 pattern of relative risk of work-related injuries (WRIRR) of FF (which takes into account the number of at-risk FF/unit time), were assessed on a 4y span.. This analysis revealed a 24-h variation in LTOHCA and in WRIRR, with both a nocturnal peak. The stability of the LTOHCA rhythm between years and seasons and its weak relationship with the OHCA 24-h pattern favored the hypothesis of an endogenous component or origin. Moreover, for the same FF population, LTOHCA and WRIRR patterns were positively correlated : the hypothesis of a common mechanism linking performance and accidents seemed to be validated. The 2cd part assessed the differences in τ, of 16 coexisting rhythms of 30 healthy FF of mostly comparable average age, body mass index, career duration, chronotype—morningness/eveningness. Data of the self-assessed 16 circadian rhythms were gathered continuously throughout two 8-d spans, in winter and in summer. The desynchronization ratio (DR: nb of variables with τ≠24.0h/nb of variables x100) served to ascertain coexistence of rather strong and weak circadian oscillators, fro which the gradient reflects interindividual differences in FF’s DR. These différences are consistent with the hypothesis of an inherited origin of a differential propensity to circadian desynchronization. It pointed also the fact that, although a nocturnal trough of WRIRR and LTOHCA was confirmed, the rhythms of performance were inexistants for most of the FF of our study, refuting the classical hypothesis of a standalone link between variations of performance and accidents. These results also put into perspective new possible explanations of black time. We propose the 24 h pattern of WRIRR, particularly of FFs and other highly skilled self-selected cohorts, is more strongly linked to circadian rhythms of fatigue and sleepiness than cognitive performance. Other possible explanations –suppressed expression of circadian rhythms and/or unmasking of ultradian periodicities in cognitive performance in specific circumstances, e.g., highly stressful work, competitive, or life-threatening settings, are also discussed. Furthermore, the whole study allows to consider new paths in chronoprevention of risks in the FF profession, based upon the study of biological, psychological and social rhythms. This study was supported by the Fire Departement of Saône et Loire (France), the French National Fund for the Prevention of Occupational Accidents and Diseases of the French National Pension Fund for Administrative Division Officials, and was approoved by a regular ethics comittee

This dissertation was focused on burnout syndrome among the staff of direct service care. The degree of burnout was estimated using Copenhagen Burnout Inventory questionnaire which was completed by the respondents from six Prague homes for seniors. The burnout incidence in this group was 30-45 %, whereas it was only 18-32 % among Czech Army employees who were studied for comparison. The staff of direct service care had significantly higher degree of personal, work-related, client-related and total burnout than army employees. Further aim was to verify whether supervision leads to lowered incidence of burnout symptoms. However, this study did not reveal any improvement of burnout degree in homes for seniors in which supervision was installed. When searching for most frequent reasons of profession change among the staff of direct service care, it was demonstrated that respondents with higher burnout degree were looking especially for less stressing work. Practice length was only of borderline importance for the severity of burnout syndrome, while age or education had no significant influence on this syndrome among the staff of direct service care. In conclusion, this study confirmed the importance of respondent relation to their job, which was inversely proportional to their burnout degree. The respondents looking for less stressing work had higher degree of burnout than those who searched for other qualities of their future job. This important difference was demonstrated in all groups examined. On the contrary, those who found their realization in their work were less burned out than those who did not consider work as their mission. These findings are in agreement with the idea that the pronounced job engagement represents a definite protection against work exhaustion and burnout.

p. 1-139 / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2013-05-07T19:43:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 77777777777777777.pdf: 470605 bytes, checksum: 42c7b8fcfbe706088e35e96446ead2fc (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Creuza Silva(mariakreuza@yahoo.com.br) on 2013-05-13T13:46:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 77777777777777777.pdf: 470605 bytes, checksum: 42c7b8fcfbe706088e35e96446ead2fc (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-05-13T13:46:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 77777777777777777.pdf: 470605 bytes, checksum: 42c7b8fcfbe706088e35e96446ead2fc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / A violência, em suas diversas especificidades, configura-se como uma importante questão para diversas áreas de conhecimento e práticas de intervenção social. Em especial, no âmbito do trabalho, o aumento de situações de violência vem se constituindo um importante problema de Saúde Pública, que impacta na saúde, dignidade e qualidade de vida dos trabalhadores. Diante desse cenário, a presente Tese de Doutorado tem como objetivo geral compreender signos, significados e práticas associados à violência relacionada ao trabalho entre trabalhadores da construção civil. Buscou-se problematizar o fenômeno da violência, referenciando-o ao setor saúde e discutindo suas interfaces com o conceito de poder. A partir dessa discussão, aborda-se a faceta da violência concernente ao trabalho, culminando com a elaboração do conceito de violência relacionada ao trabalho, mediante o qual se buscou abarcar a diversidade e a complexidade da relação entre trabalho e violência, além de criar uma definição suficientemente abrangente para incorporar a riqueza das discussões acumuladas no campo, sem perder a possibilidade de ser operativo. Realizou-se, também, uma discussão téorico-metodológica acerca dos caminhos trilhados na implementação do projeto de Tese, o qual foi inspirado no modelo metodológico dos Sistemas de signos, significados e práticas – S/ssp, que propõe partir do relato de comportamentos concretos de indivíduos para identificar suas lógicas conceituais subjacentes. Assim, foram descritas as peculiares do contexto abordado, as dificuldades encontradas e as estratégias criadas para superar os obstáculos. Essa discussão contribui para o desenvolvimento da Saúde do Trabalhador à medida que agrega uma reflexão metodológica crítica, a partir de uma experiência concreta, delineando modos particulares de engajamento com seu objeto de estudo: a relação trabalho-saúde. Por fim, são apresentados os resultados da análise dos dados empíricos produzidos na implementação do projeto de Tese, sendo debatidos os signos e significados usados no cotidiano por trabalhadores da construção civil e as práticas constituídas a respeito da violência relacionada ao trabalho. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 16 trabalhadores com diferentes contratos de trabalho. A análise dos discursos foi orientada por uma proposta hermenêutica de leitura etnocrítica, que busca trazer as contribuições da semiologia para a leitura de dados etnográficos. Os resultados apontam os signos desrespeito, deslealdade, discriminação e intolerância como associados à violência relacionada ao trabalho na construção civil, revelando que os trabalhadores da construção civil vivenciam desde “velhas violências”, a exemplo dos acidentes de trabalho, a “novas violências”, de cunho psicológico e simbólico, que tomam corpo a partir de situações de humilhação e privação de direitos. Coloca-se como desafio para a Saúde do Trabalhador viabilizar alternativas de humanização do trabalho mediante saberes e práticas desenvolvidos pelos trabalhadores. / Salvador

Continuous change and competition in the working environment necessitate increased efficiency and productivity which require different and enhanced skills and abilities. It is therefore important that the right people with the right skills are selected and employees are developed to enable them to meet the organisational and national demands of the future. This dissertation investigates the relationship between learning potential, English language proficiency and work-related training test results to establish why some production employees perform better on work-related training test results than others. The results indicate that there is no significant relationship between the work-related training test results and either learning potential or English language proficiency. There is, however, a significant correlation between learning potential and English language proficiency. It might be worthwhile exploring the availability and adequacy of assessors as well as the motivational level of the production employees as factors that influence the progress made with work-related training test results. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCOM (Industrial Psychology)

1 online resource (122 leaves : ill.) / Educator stress is a grave problem. The aim of this research is to understand female secondary school educators' personality awareness in relation to work related stress, with particular reference to an independent school in Witbank, Mpumalanga, South Africa. In the literature study I determined the nature of work related stress in educators' lives and investigated personality awareness. My empirical research established the level of work related stress experienced by female educators and how an awareness of different personalities may influence the person's experience of work related stress. The research methods were qualitative in nature and included an interview as well as focus group observations. Findings suggested that all the educators were stressed to a lesser or greater degree, but the critical fact was that what is stressful to one person may not be stressful to another. Based on the findings, recommendations were made for improvements to help alleviate educator stress. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (specialisation in Guidance and Councelling)

This study examines the impact of gender on the coping mechanisms employed to manage work-related stress. The aim of the investigation was to determine whether male and female professionals differ in terms of the coping mechanisms that they employ in managing work-related stress. In order to achieve this aim an assessment battery containing a Biographical Checklist, the Coping Checklist, the Hassles Scale and the Daily Uplifts Scale was distributed to a sample of professional men and women. The fmdings indicate that male and female professionals differ significantly in only two of the six coping mechanisms measured, namely social support and symptom management; that men and women do not differ significantly in terms of coping repertoire; and that women cope more effectively than their male counterparts with work-related· stress. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)