Several factors have contributed to employment relations gradually becoming more uncertain
in the last decades. In South Africa, as well as in other industrialised economies all over the
world, organisations had to adjust to the pressures imposed by an intensified global
competition. The transformation of working life has brought the topic of insecure working
conditions to the forefront. Job insecurity are of vital importance in modern working life. A
growing number of employees face the risk of losing their jobs as a consequence of
organisational restructuring and layoffs. Job insecurity affects the well-being of individuals.
In this sense, job insecurity is a significant stressor with consequences for the individual.
However, the consequences are not limited to just the individual. The situation is often such
that individuals experiencing job insecurity also tend to react to the dissatisfying
circumstances in ways that affect the organisation as well. Several studies have found a
negative association between job insecurity and job satisfaction. Job insecurity s also
associated with lower levels of organisational commitment.
The empirical objectives of this thesis were firstly to validate the Job Insecurity
Questionnaire (JIQ) and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) for employees in
selected organisations in South Africa; secondly to determine its construct equivalence for
different cultural groups; thirdly, to determine differences between the job insecurity and job
satisfaction levels of various demographic groups, fourthly to assess the relationship between
job insecurity, job satisfaction and organisational commitment, and lastly to determine
whether job insecurity can predict job satisfaction and organisational commitment.
A cross-sectional survey design with a random sample (N = 834) of employees in selected
organisations in South Africa was used. The Job Insecurity Questionnaire, the Minnesota Job
Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire, and a
biographical questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the
measuring instruments in terms of mean, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis.
Cronbach alpha coefficients were used to describe the reliability of the measuring
instruments. Construct (structural) equivalence was computed to compare the factor structure
for the different culture groups included in this study. Exploratory factor analysis with a
Procrustean target rotation was used to determine the construct equivalence of the JIQ and
MSQ for the different culture groups. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to determine
the relationship between the measuring instruments. Regression analyses were used to
determine whether organisational commitment can be predicted by the independent variables
namely, affective job insecurity; cognitive job insecurity; extrinsic job satisfaction; intrinsic
job satisfaction; age; gender, and qualification.
The results confirmed a two-factor model of job insecurity, consisting of affective and
cognitive job insecurity. The scales showed acceptable internal consistencies. Exploratory
factor analysis with target rotations confirmed the construct equivalence of scales for white
and black participants. Practically significant differences were found between the levels of
job insecurity of employees in terms of age groups and qualification levels.
Furthermore, the results confirmed a two-factor model of job satisfaction, consisting of
extrinsic job satisfaction and intrinsic job satisfaction. Exploratory factor analysis with target
rotations confirmed the construct equivalence of scales for the black and white groups. The
results obtained from comparing job satisfaction levels of various demographic groups
showed that practically significant differences existed between the job satisfaction of
different age and race groups. Results revealed significant relationships between job
insecurity and job satisfaction. The multiple regression analysis indicated that 24% of the
variance in organisational commitment was explained by affective job insecurity, cognitive
job insecurity; extrinsic job satisfaction; intrinsic job satisfaction; age; gender and
qualification.
Limitations of the research are discussed, followed by recommendations for the
selected organisations and for future research / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nwu/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/715 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Buitendach, Johanna Hendrina |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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