Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Individuals in South Africa are constantly confronted with career related
challenges. As a result of high unemployment, affirmative action, the
outsourcing of work and other changes in the economy, only the very best
employees with relevant skills and qualifications can survive in the
contemporary work place. Career self-management therefore cannot be
neglected or left to the employer, but should be undertaken by each individual
on a continuous basis.
An unavoidable question, with which any individual will be confronted at some
stage during the process of career management, is: 'Will career management
necessarily have a positive effect on job performance?"
The essential question of this study is whether there is a statistically
significant relation between career self-management and job performance. In
an effort to investigate and understand this relation more efficiently, a
literature study was first undertaken concerning both the independent
variable, namely career self-management, and the dependent variable,
namely job performance. This was followed by an empirical investigation.
Career self-management may be defined as the process by which individuals
take well considered, informed, suitable decisions about their working lives.
The process of career self-management consists of different components,
namely career exploration, career goal setting, the development of career
strategies and career evaluation.
Career exploration includes self-exploration as well as exploration of the
environment. Self-knowledge focuses on the acquisition of knowledge
regarding internal aspects such as values, personality, aptitude, interests,
weak points and strong points. Environment exploration, on the other hand,
includes the acquisition of knowledge and information about the working
environment. Career goal setting is the second component in the career self-management
process, and involves the setting of challenging but realistic career goals by
the individual for the short, medium and long term.
The individual develops career strategies in order to realise career goals.
Various types of career strategies may be distinguished, such as competence
in the current position, extended involvement at work, development of skills,
participation in organisational politics and the utilisation of opportunities by, for
example, the creation of networks, self-nomination and visibility.
After sufficient time has elapsed for the implementation of the strategies, the
individual has to compare the identified goals with achieved goals and adjust
the original career plan accordingly. These adjustments will in turn require
further career exploration and the process will be repeated.
The dependent variable, namely individual job performance, may be defined
as the way in which a job or task is executed by an individual, group or
organisation.
An individual's job performance mainly depends on two aspects, namely
ability and motivation (attempt). Ability refers to the individual's potential to
successfully complete a task or job. Motivation is an internal driving force
which moves an individual and which directs his/her behaviour in such a way
that goals may be achieved.
The empirical part of the study investigated the statistical relationship between
the two constructs on a test sample, consisting of 307 individuals from 5
different sectors (mining sector, real estate sector, health care sector, bank
sector, and production sector). The career self-management of these
individuals was tested by means of two questionnaires, namely the Career
Exploration Survey and the Career Strategies Inventory. Their job
performance was measured by the Job Performance Questionnaire, which
were handed to their managers/supervisors to complete.
Statistical analyses showed that no statistically significant relationship exists
between career self-management and job performance. Further statistical analyses also showed that there is no relation between any of the
components of career self-management (career exploration, career goal
setting, and development of career strategies) and job performance.
The research results suggest that career self-management does not
necessarily lead to improved job performance, even though an individual may
manage his/her career constructively. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Individue in Suid-Afrika word gereeld gekonfronteer met loopbaanverwante
uitdagings. Die hoë werkloosheidssyfer, regstellende aksie, uitkontraktering
en ander veranderinge in die ekonomie veroorsaak dat slegs die heel beste
werknemers met relevante vaardighede en kwalifikasies in vandag se
werkplek kan oorleef. Loopbaan-selfbestuur kan dus nie agterweë gelaat
word of oorgelaat word aan die organisasie nie, maar behoort deur elke
individu op 'n deurlopende basis gedoen te word.
'n Onvermydelike vraag waarmee enige individu op een of ander stadium
tydens die loopbaanbestuursproses gekonfronteer sal word, is: "Sal
loopbaanbestuur noodwendig 'n positiewe effek op werksprestasie hê?"
Hierdie vraag het die essensie van die studie gevorm, naamlik of daar 'n
statisties beduidende verband bestaan tussen loopbaan-selfbestuur en
werksprestasie. Ten einde hierdie verband beter te kon ondersoek en
verstaan, is 'n literatuurstudie eerstens oor beide die onafhanklike
veranderlike, loopbaan-selfbestuur, en die afhanklike veranderlike,
werksprestasie, gedoen, waarna die empiriese gedeelte van die navorsing
gevolg het.
Loopbaan-selfbestuur kan gedefinieer word as die proses waartydens
individue weldeurdagte, ingeligte, geskikte besluite neem aangaande hulle
werksiewens. Die proses van loopbaan-selfbestuur bestaan uit verskeie
komponente, naamlik loopbaanverkenning, loopbaandoelwitstelling, die
ontwikkeling van loopbaanstrategieë en loopbaanbeoordeling.
Loopbaanverkenning sluit self-verkenning sowel as verkenning van die
omgewing in. Selfkennis fokus op die verkryging van kennis met betrekking
tot interne aspekte soos waardes, persoonlikheid, aanleg, belangstellings,
swakpunte en sterkpunte, terwylomgewingsverkenning die verkryging van
kennis en informasie oor die werksomgewing insluit.
Loopbaandoelwitstelling is die tweede komponent in die loopbaan-selfbestuursproses
en behels dat die individu uitdagende, dog realistiese loopbaandoelwitte stel - vir die korttermyn, mediumtermyn sowel as die
langtermyn.
Ten einde loopbaandoelwitte te laat realiseer, ontwikkel die individu loopbaanstrategieë.
Verskeie tipes loopbaanstrategieë kan onderskei word, soos
byvoorbeeld bevoegdheid in die huidige pos, uitgebreide werksbetrokkenheid,
vaardigheidsontwikkeling, deelname aan organisasiepolitiek en die benutting
van geleenthede deur onder andere die vorming van netwerke, selfnominering
en sigbaarheid.
Nadat voldoende tyd verloop het waartydens die strategieë geïmplementeer
kon word, moet die individu die gestelde doelwitte met behaalde doelwitte
vergelyk en op grond daarvan aanpassings maak ten opsigte van die
aanvanklike loopbaanplan. Hierdie aanpassings sal weer verdere
loopbaanverkenning verg en die proses word herhaal.
Die afhanklike veranderlike, naamlik individuele werksprestasie, kan
gedefinieer word as die wyse waarop In werk of taak gedoen word deur In
individu, groep of organisasie.
In Individu se werksprestasie is hoofsaaklik afhanklik van twee aspekte,
naamlik vermoë en motivering (poging). Vermoë verwys na die individu se
potensiaal om In taak of werk suksesvol af te handel. Motivering is In interne
dryfkrag wat In individu beweeg en sy/haar gedrag rig sodat doelwitte behaal
kan word.
Die empiriese gedeelte van die studie het die statistiese verband tussen die
twee konstrukte op In steekproef, bestaande uit 307 individue afkomstig van
vyf verskillende sektore (mynsektor, eiendomsektor, gesondheidsorgsektor,
banksektor, vervaardigingsektor), ondersoek. Hierdie individue se loopbaanselfbestuur
is bepaal deur middel van twee vraelyste, naamlik die "Career
Exploration Survey" en die "Career Strategies Inventory". Hul werksprestasie
is gemeet deur middel van die "Job Performance Questionnaire", wat aan hul
bestuurders / toesighouers gegee is om te voltooi. Statistiese analises het getoon dat daar geen statisties beduidende verband
bestaan tussen loopbaan-selfbestuur en werksprestasie nie. Verdere
statistiese ontledings het ook getoon dat daar geen verband tussen enige van
die komponente van loopbaan-selfbestuur (loopbaanverkenning,
loopbaandoelwitstelling en ontwikkeling van loopbaanstrategieë) en
werksprestasie bestaan nie.
Die gevolgtrekking wat op grond van die navorsingsresultate gemaak kan
word, is dat, alhoewel 'n individu sy/haar loopbaan konstruktief mag bestuur,
dit nie noodwendig tot verbeterde werksprestasie sal lei nie.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51601 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Bredell, Deidre |
| Contributors | Vos, H. D., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 247 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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