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The relationship between authentic leadership, optimism, self-efficacy and work engagement : an exploratory study

Thesis (MComm (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was rooted in the emerging positive psychology paradigm of a positive approach
to organisational behaviour. The assumption of this study was that certain variables
influence work engagement, and it was therefore important to gain an understanding of
these antecedents of work engagement. The aim of the study was to investigate the
respective relationships that exist between the positive organisational psychological
constructs, namely authentic leadership, optimism, self-efficacy and the influence of these
variables on work engagement. A study to obtain more clarity about these aspects was
therefore planned and executed. Based on the literature, a model depicting a sequential
process of interrelationships amongst the constructs was proposed in the study. Both
survey and statistical modeling methodologies were employed to guide the investigation.
In order to conduct this survey research, an electronic web-based questionnaire was used
as the method of data gathering. The questionnaire was programmed and posted for a
period of three weeks on the portal of the company where the survey was conducted. A
total of 781 e-questionnaires were sent out to the employees working in the particular
organisation (a large liquor producing company). A total of 407 (n=407) respondents who
work in this company and participated in the study completed four questionnaires –
comprising of one composite questionnaire they had to respond to electronically. The four
questionnaires constituting the composite questionnaire to obtain the responses from the
407 employees, were the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), Life Orientation Test
Revised (LOT-R), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and the Utrecht Work Engagement
Scale (UWES). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the proposed
theoretical structure of each of the constructs. Exploratory factor analysis was only
conducted to investigate the reasons where a poor fit was obtained from the confirmatory
factor analysis. The results of a Pearson correlation analysis, stepwise multiple regression
analysis, and the soft approach to structural equation modeling (SEM), indicated significant
relationships between authentic leadership and work engagement, authentic leadership
and optimism, optimism and self-efficacy, and self-efficacy and work engagement.
Relationships between the constructs authentic leadership and self-efficacy, and optimism
and work engagement, were found to be not significant. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige studie is gebaseer op die nuwe positiewe sielkunde paradigma, meer spesifiek
positiewe organisasiegedrag. Die aanname van die studie was dat sekere veranderlikes
werkstoewyding be nvloed. Dit was dus belangrik om insig te verwerf rakende die invloed
van sekere voorspellers van werkstoewyding. Die huidige studie het ten doel gehad om die
verwantskappe tussen veranderlikes binne positiewe organisasiegedrag, naamlik
outentieke leierskap, optimisme, selfbekwaamheid, en die invloed van hierdie veranderlikes
op werkstoewyding te ondersoek. ‘n Studie om meer duidelikheid oor hierdie aspekte te
verkry is dus beplan en uitgevoer. Op grond van die literatuur is ‘n model voorgestel wat ‘n
logiese en opeenvolgende volgorde daarstel van hoe die verskillende konstrukte aan
mekaar verwant is. Sowel opname- asook statistiese modelleringsmetodiek is in hierdie
studie gebruik.
Data vir hierdie opnamenavorsing is versamel deur middel van ‘n elektroniese
webgebaseerde-vraelys. Die vraelys is geprogrammeer en vir ‘n tydperk van drie weke op
die portaal van die organisasie geplaas waar die opname gedoen is. ‘n Totaal van 781 evraelyste
is uitgestuur na die werknemers wat in hierdie spesifieke organisasie werk (‘n
groot drankvervaardigingsmaatskappy). ‘n Totaal van 407 (n=407) respondente wat in die
betrokke organisasie werk en aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het, moes vier vraelyste – wat
deel uitgemaak het van een saamgestelde vraelys – elektronies voltooi. Die vier vraelyste
wat deel uitgemaak het van die saamgestelde vraelys en gedien het om die 407
werknemers se menings mee te verkry, het bestaan uit die Authentic Leadership
Questionnaire (ALQ), Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R), General Self-Efficacy Scale
(GSES), en die Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Bevestigende faktorontleding
was gebruik om die onderliggende teoretiese struktuur van al die konstrukte te evalueer.
Waar ‘n swak passing verkry was gedurende bevestigende faktorontleding, is
verkennende faktorontleding gebruik om die oorsaak te identifiseer. Die resultate van die
Pearson-korrelasie analise, stapsgewyse meervoudige regressie analise, en die sagte
benadering tot struktuurvergelykings-modellering (SVM), het aangedui dat daar
beduidende verwantskappe tussen outentieke leierskap en werkstoewyding, outentieke
leierkap en optimisme, optimisme en selfbekwaamheid, en selfbekwaamheid en
werkstoewyding bestaan.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2182
Date03 1900
CreatorsRoux, Shayne
ContributorsDannhauzer, Z., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
RightsUniversity of Stellenbosch

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