Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The need for the wise employee in modern organisations can,
especially in the light of technological advancement and global
competition, not be denied. The current work environment is dynamic
and poses numerous challenges to employees. Attributes such as
insight, good judgement and decision-making are required; attributes
that correlate with wisdom. Certain personality attributes such as
maturity, tranquility, flexibility and empathy are often being used in
the description of wise individuals and are also being set as
requirements for the modern employee. Research and studies with
regard to wisdom are limited. As limited and contradictory results exist
with regard to the Industrial Psychological enquiry into wisdom, a
need exists for further research, especially with regard to the
circumstances and factors that are applicable to the South African
business organisation.
As a potential relationship between wisdom and personality traits
exists, it has been set as the subject of investigation for this study.
Certain personality traits grant possible access to or might faseilltate
the development of wisdom. If the wise employee can be identified by
means of a personality test, it can be of significant value in for
example the selection process.
Wisdom, for the purpose of this study, refers to expert knowledge with
regard to insight, good advice and judgement for complicated life
problems. The concept of personality is for the purpose of the study, based on the trait approach where the second order factors of the 16
PF-questionnaire, namely extroversion, anxiety, tough mindedness,
independence and compulsivity, serve as the structural components of
personality.
The sample comprises 67 employees who are employed at the central
office of a big South African retail company. A wisdom knowledge
instrument has been used for the measurement of wisdom knowledge
where participants advise on three difficult life problems. The
adjusted evaluation instrument of Hira and Faulkender (1997), based
on Smith and Baltes' definition of wisdom (1995) as an expert
knowledge system, has been used by two evaluators for the
evaluation of the responses. The biographical questionnaire was
specifically developed to comply with the requirements of the
investigation.
The results of this investigation shows that a significant correlation
between wisdom knowledge and the second order personality factors
(-traits) of the 16PF exists, namely anxiety and independence. No
significant correlation has been found between wisdom knowledge and
the other three second-order factors, namely extroversion, tough
mindedness and compulsivity. The personality traits have also
indicated a low, but significant variance of the wisdom counts.
Personality nevertheless shows a correlation with wisdom, in this
study.
Biographical variables that show a significant positive correlation with
wisdom knowledge counts are sex and level of training. Male
participants have performed significantly better than female
participants. It is evident from the study that age does not have a
significant influence on wisdom knowledge performance.
It is also evident from the results that the measuring instrument
reflects a valid measurement of wisdom performance and that the two
evaluators' evaluations show a positive correlation with each other. Conclusions and suggestions for future research are made in
accordance with the results of the investigation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die behoefte aan die wyse werknemer in hedendaagse organisasies
kan, veral in die lig van snelle tegnologiese verandering en globale
kompetisie, nie meer ontken word nie. Die hedendaagse
werksomgewing is vinnigveranderend en stel talle uitdagings aan
werknemers. Eienskappe soos insig, goeie oordeel en besluitneming
word vereis, eienskappe wat met wysheid verband hou. Sekere
persoonlikheidseienskappe soos volwassenheid, rustigheid,
buigsaamheid en empatie word dikwels in die beskrywing van wyse
persone gebruik en word ook as vereistes vir die hedendaagse
werknemer gestel. Navorsing en studies ten opsigte van wysheid is
beperk. Aangesien beperkte en teenstrydige resultate bestaan ten
opsigte van die Bedryfsielkundige ondersoek na wysheid, bestaan daar
'n behoefte aan verdere navorsing, veral ten opsigte van die
omstandighede en faktore wat van toepassing is op die Suid-
Afrikaanse besigheidsorganisasie.
Aangesien daar 'n potensiële verband tussen wysheid en
persoonlikheidstrekke bestaan, is dit as die onderwerp van ondersoek
vir hierdie studie gestel. Sekere persoonlikheids- eienskappe verleen
moontlik toegang tot of fasiliteer die ont- wikkeling van wysheid.
Indien die wyse werknemer deur middel van 'n persoonlikheidstoets
geïdentifiseer kan word, kan dit van belangrike waarde wees in onder
andere die keuringsproses.
Wysheid verwys vir die doel van hierdie studie na ekspert kennis ten
opsigte van insig, goeie raad en oordeel tot ingewikkelde lewensprobleme. Die begrip van persoonlikheid is vir die doel van die
studie op die trekbenadering gebaseer waar die tweede-orde faktore
van die 16 PF-vraelys; naamlik ekstroversie, angs, geharde ewewig,
onafhanklikheid en kompulsiwiteit, as die strukturele komponente van
persoonlikheid dien.
Die steekproef bestaan uit 67 werknemers wat by die sentrale kantoor
van 'n groot Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelsmaatskappy werksaam is. Vir
die meting van wysheidskennis is 'n wysheidskennis- instrument
gebruik waar deelnemers advies moet verskaf ten opsigte van drie
moeilike lewensprobleme. Die aangepaste nasieninstrument van Hira
en Faulkender (1997), wat op Smith en Baltes (1995) se definisie van
wysheid as 'n ekspert kennissisteem gebaseer is, is deur twee
evalueerders gebruik in die evaluering van die response. Die
biografiese vraelys is ontwikkelom spesifiek aan die vereistes van die
ondersoek te voldoen.
Die resultate van hierdie ondersoek toon dat daar slegs beduidende
korrelasies tussen wysheidskennis en die tweede-orde
persoonlikheidsfaktore (-trekke) van die 16 PF angs en
onafhanklikheid bestaan. Geen beduidende korrelasies tussen
wysheidskennis en die ander drie tweede-orde faktore naamlik
ekstroversie, geharde ewewig en kompulsiwiteit is gevind nie. Die
persoonlikheidstrekke het ook 'n lae, maar beduidende variansie van
die wysheidstellings getoon. Persoonlikheid toon dus wel 'n verband
met wysheid in hierdie studie.
Biografiese veranderlikes wat 'n beduidende positiewe verband met
wysheidskennistellings toon, is geslag en vlak van opleiding. Manlike
deelnemers het beduidend beter presteer as die vroulike deelnemers.
Uit die studie blyk dit dat ouderdom nie 'n beduidende invloed op
wysheids- kennisprestasie uitoefen nie.
Dit blyk ook vanuit die resultate dat die metingsinstrument 'n geldige
meting van wysheidsprestasie weergee en dat die twee evalueerders se evaluasies 'n positiewe korrelasie met mekaar toon.
Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings vir toe- komstige navorsing word op
grond van die resultate van die ondersoek gemaak.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52797 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Conradie, Madeleine |
| Contributors | Du Preez, R., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 175 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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