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Conceptualisation and measurement of the empowerment of workers : an educational perspective

Annexure is transcription of in-depth interviews. / Dissertation (DPhil) -- Stellenbosch University, 2000. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the era of globalisation, demands for increased productivity and multiple skills present
challenges to adult educators in their role of facilitating empowerment in individuals. The
proposed link between productivity and empowerment has stimulated interest in the concept
by management and there has to be accountability to ensure that the needs of individuals and
organisations are balanced.
The aim of designing a standardised measuring instrument comprised the first phase of this
research. The questionnaire was compiled based on the outcomes of empowerment identified
in the literature on three levels (Micro-level, Interface level and Macro-level). After
exploratory testing, the summated ratings method was applied in order to reduce and
standardise the questionnaire. This instrument was tested for validity and the questionnaire of
61 statements was retained for the experiment.
The experiment was conducted in the second phase to measure the effects of an intervention
on the empowerment of workers. The questionnaire was applied in the Pre-, Post- and Postpost-
test design in eight companies in the Western Cape where the life-skills training
programme FREE TO GROW was implemented. Qualitative data collected identified the
outcomes of empowerment and also validated the measuring instrument. Statistical
procedures applied identified the patterns of empowerment in respondents. The respondents
in the experiment were mainly females and the mean age was 33.9 years. The majority were
Afrikaans and most classified themselves as part of the Coloured ethnic group.
The FREE TO GROW training programme succeeded in achieving the objective of
empowerment because it was found that there was a statistically significant improvement in
the empowerment status of workers both in the short and long term. Most of the total group
was empowered on the Interface level prior to the course and on the Micro-level after the
course and in the long term. The males were more empowered on the Macro-level before the
course, but had increased sustained Interface-level empowerment. The females benefited most
on the Micro-level directly after the course and in the long term. Before the course the
Coloured group was more empowered on the Micro-level compared to the whites, but they benefited most on the Interface level directly after the course. The Coloured group and
females had statistically significant higher scores on the Interface level in the long term.
In terms of the patterns of empowerment, it was found that the Micro-level issues were
dominant prior to the course with a greater spread of perception of the other aspects of
empowerment over time. Before the course, the respondents tended to react to personal and
family issues where no action was needed. They were motivated to achieve their goals and
had a desire for control over aspects affecting them. Directly after the course they had a more
positive view of life, a sense of personal responsibility, and an ability to cope. They were
prepared to take the initiative, were more ambitious and felt confident of their abilities in the
workplace. In the long term their experience of empowerment was more balanced and they
felt good about themselves, were more assertive, able to think critically and more involved in
issues external to themselves.
The measuring instrument designed in this study measured the outcomes of empowerment on
three levels and helped to identify the patterns that emerged over the course of an
intervention. A standardised empowerment questionnaire can increase accountability, assist
in balancing the needs of individuals and management, and can provide insights to
educationalists seeking to empower adults. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:In die era van globalisering stel die vraag na verhoogde produktiwiteit en veelvuldige
vaardighede groot uitdagings aan opvoedkundiges betrokke by volwassene-onderrig in hul rol
as fasiliteerders van bemagtiging by individue. Die voorgestelde verb and tussen
produktiwiteit en bemagtiging het bestuur se belangstelling in die konsep aangewakker en
toerekenbaarheid is noodsaaklik ten einde te verseker dat die behoeftes van individue en
organisasies in balans is.
Die eerste fase van hierdie navorsing het die ontwerp van 'n gestandaardiseerde
meetinstrument ten doel gehad. Die vraelys is saamgestel op grond van die uitkomste van
bemagtiging op drie vlakke (Mikrovlak, Interpersoonlike-vlak en Makrovlak) soos in die
literatuur geYdentifiseer. Na ondersoekende toetsing is die vraelys verkort en
gestandaardiseer. Hierdie instrument is vir geldigheid getoets en die vraelys van 61 stellings
is vir die eksperiment behou.
In die tweede fase is die eksperiment uitgevoer om die uitwerking van 'n intervensie op die
bemagtiging van werkers te meet. Die vraelys is in die voor- en na-toets en mi die na-toets in
agt maatskappye in die Wes-Kaap toegepas waar die opleidingsprogram In
lewensvaardighede, "FREE TO GROW', geYmplementeer is. Kwalitatiewe data wat
ingesamel is het die resultate van bemagtiging geYdentifiseer en ook die geldigheid van die
meetinstrument bekragtig. Statistiese prosedures wat toegepas is het die bemagtigingspatrone
by respondente geYdentifiseer. Die respondente in die eksperiment was hoofsaaklik vroue en
die gemiddelde ouderdom was 33.9 jaar. Die meeste was Afrikaanssprekend en het hulself as
lede van die Kleurling etniese groep geklassifiseer.
Die "FREE TO GROW' opleidingsprogram het daarin geslaag om die doelwit van
bemagtiging te bereik, omdat daar op kort- en lang termyn 'n statisties beduidende
verbetering in die bemagtigingstatus van werkers gevind is. Die meeste van die totale groep
is voor die kursus op die Interpersoonlike-vlak bemagtig en na die kursus en op die lang
termyn op die Mikrovlak. Die mans is voor die kursus meer op die Makrovlak bemagtig,
maar het groter volgehoue Interpersoonlike-vlak bemagtiging getoon. Die vroue het
onmiddellik na die kursus en op die lang termyn die meeste op die Mikrovlak gebaat. Voor die kursus was die Kleurlinggroep meer op die Mikrovlak bemagtig in vergelyking met die
blankes, maar hulle het onmiddellik na die kursus die meeste op die Interpersoonlike-vlak
gebaat. Die Kleurlinggroep en die vroue het op lang termyn statisties beduidend hoer tellings
op die Interpersoonlike-vlak behaal.
Wat bemagtigingpatrone betref, is bevind dat die Mikrovlak-kwessies voor die kursus
oorheersend was, met 'n groter verspreiding van persepsie van die ander aspekte van
bemagtiging oor tyd. Voor die kursus was die respondente geneig om op persoonlike en
gesinsaangeleenthede te reageer wat geen aksies vereis het nie. Hulle was gemotiveer om hul
doelwitte te bereik en het beheer verlang oor aspekte wat hulle geraak het. Onmiddellik na
die kursus het hulle 'n meer positiewe uitkyk op die lewe en 'n persoonlike
verantwoordelikheidsin gehad, en getoon dat hulle probleme kon hanteer. Hulle was bereid
om die insiatief te neem, was meer ambisieus en het vertroue gehad in hul vermoens in die
werkplek. Op die lang termyn was hul ervaring van bemagtiging meer gebalanseerd en hulle
het goed gevoel oor hulself, was meer assertief, in staat tot kritiese denke en meer betrokke by
aangeleenthede buite hulself.
Die meetinstrument wat in hierdie studie ontwerp is, het die uitkoms van bemagtiging op drie
vlakke gemeet en gehelp om die patrone wat oor die verloop van 'n intervensie na yore
gekom het, te identifiseer. 'n Gestandaardiseerde bemagtigingsvraelys kan toerekenbaarheid
verhoog, help om die behoeftes van individue en bestuur te balanseer, en insig bied aan
opvoedkundiges wat poog om volwassenes te bemagtig.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51662
Date12 1900
CreatorsAlbertyn, Ruth Meriel
ContributorsKapp C. A., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format255 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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