scholarly journals Self-perceived employability among undergraduate students at a South African university

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doret Botha
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
The Self ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Perceived Employability ◽  
Managerial Implications

Orientation: South Africa has been suffering from persistently high levels of unemployment since 2008. The youth is regarded as the most at-risk group in the South African labour market and unemployment amongst the youth is considered one of the most critical socio-economic problems in South Africa. Increasing one’s employability is essential to securing employment and enhancing one’s well-being.Research purpose: This study aimed to explore the self-perceived employability of undergraduate students at a South African university.Motivation for the study: Currently, there is a scarcity of published research on the self-perceived employability amongst undergraduate students at higher education institutions in South Africa.Research approach/design and method: The study was conducted within a positivistic research paradigm. A quantitative-based cross-sectional survey design was used. Convenience sampling was used to select the students who were included in the survey. Data were collected through a web-based survey, using a standardised coded questionnaire that consisted of a five-point Likert-type scale.Main findings: The results indicated that the respondents were relatively confident about their internal employability, but they were less confident about their opportunities in the external labour market.Practical/managerial implications: Understanding one’s employability and the accompanied issues creates awareness of one’s potential, skills and knowledge to become a successful citizen and employee.Contribution/value-add: The study shed light on the self-perceived employability of undergraduate students at a South African university and consequently contributes to the existing literature on employability in the South African context.

scholarly journals A temperature reading of COVID-19 pandemic employee agility and resilience in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristy Leask ◽  
Shaun Ruggunan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Temperature Reading ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
African Context ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
Value Add

Orientation: Employee agility and resilience are central to the flourishing of employee and organisational life. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic amplified stressors and added new challenges for employees in South Africa. The study reported here provides a temperature reading of the agility and resilience of South African employees in the context of the pandemic.Research purpose: The aim of this study was to engage in a temperature reading of South African employees’ agility and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.Motivation for the study: The study was motivated by the need to understand how South African employees fare in terms of their agility and resilience levels in the context of profound social and economic disruptive events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used employing quantitative methodologies. A total of 185 permanently employed respondents from South Africa were conveniently sampled. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data.Main findings: Whilst respondents reported high resilience and agility capacity, the findings also suggest that respondents’ gender, age, upskilling intentions, size of employer, organisational communication and individual renewal strategies influence their resilience and agility behaviours.Practical/managerial implications: The study prompts a discussion on how practitioners can better serve the wellness agenda of organisational life during sustained periods of organisational stress.Contribution/value-add: This study extends the theoretical and practical debate on employee agility and resilience in South African context.

scholarly journals SASS: South African Simulation Survey – a review of simulation-based education

2019 ◽  
pp. 12-20
Author(s):  
R Swart ◽  
R Duys ◽  
ND Hauser
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
The Impact

Background: Simulation-based education (SBE) has been shown to be an effective and reproducible learning tool. SBE is used widely internationally. The current state of SBE in South Africa is unknown. To the best of our knowledge this is the first survey that describes the use and attitudes towards SBE within South Africa. Methods: An online survey tool was distributed by email to: i) the South African Society of Anaesthesiologists (SASA) members; and ii) known simulation education providers in South Africa. The respondents were grouped into anaesthesia and non-anaesthesia participants. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Ethics approval was obtained: HREC REF 157/2017. Results: The majority of the respondents provide SBE and integrate it into formal teaching programmes. There is a will amongst respondents to grow SBE in South Africa, with it being recognised as a valuable educational tool. The user groups mainly targeted by SBE, were undergraduate students, medical interns, registrars and nurses. Learning objectives targeted include practical skills, medical knowledge, critical thinking and integrated management. Amongst anaesthesia respondents: the tool most commonly used to assess the quality of learner performance during SBE, for summative assessment, was ‘expert opinion’ (33%); the most frequent methods of evaluating SBE quality were participant feedback (42%) and peer evaluation (22%); the impact of SBE was most frequently assessed by informal discussion (42%) and learner feedback (39%). In anaesthesia SBE largely takes place within dedicated simulation facilities on site (47%). Most respondents report access to a range of SBE equipment. The main reported barriers to SBE were: finance, lack of trained educators, lack of equipment and lack of protected time. A limited number of respondents report engaging in SBE research. There is a willingness in both anaesthesia and non-anaesthesia groups (96% and 89% respectively) to collaborate with other centres. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge this publication provides us with the first cross-sectional survey of SBE in anaesthesia and a selection of non-anaesthetic respondents within South Africa. The majority of respondents indicate that SBE is a valuable education tool. A number of barriers have been identified that limit the growth of SBE within South Africa. It is hoped that with a commitment to ongoing SBE research and evaluation, SBE can be grown in South Africa.

scholarly journals A rasch analysis of a measure of stakeholders inputs for the South African occupational learning context

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 94-103
Author(s):  
Maelekanyo Christopher Tshilongamulenzhe
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Rasch Analysis ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Good Person ◽  
Trait Measurement ◽  
Occupational Learning

This study assesses the psychometric properties of the Stakeholders Inputs (SI) scale which is designed for the South African occupational learning context. A quantitative, non-experimental cross-sectional survey design was used and data were collected from a sample of 652 respondents. Data were analysed using SPSS and Winsteps software. The findings reveal that the SI scale is a psychometrically robust instrument suitable for application in the South African occupational learning context. The measure shows a good person and item separation indices and no evidence of item misfit. All items contribute to a single trait measurement.

scholarly journals Developing And Validating A Measure Of Monitoring And Evaluation For The South Africa Skills Development Context

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-238
Author(s):  
Maelekanyo Christopher Tshilongamulenzhe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
The South ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Development Context ◽  
Skills Shortages

Abstract As nations around the world grapple with the deepening challenge of skills crunch, policies, strategies and interventions are being devised to develop and retain a competitive workforce. South Africa is not spared from the global talent war, and the persistence of skills shortages across most economic sectors makes the country vulnerable economically and socially. Legislative instruments and strategies were formulated and implemented to ameliorate the situation, but scientific evidence suggests a looming crisis due to poor monitoring and evaluation systems regarding the success of these instruments and strategies. This study develops and validates a monitoring and evaluation (ME) scale for the South African skills development context. A quantitative nonexperimental cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from 557 participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software (version 23.0). The findings show that the ME scale is scientifically valid and reliable and can be used with confidence in the South African skills development context. The findings provide scope for a validation study on an independent sample, and an evaluation of structural invariance of the ME scale across sample subgroups.

scholarly journals Coping strategies in the South African police service

2003 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Pienaar ◽  
S. Rothmann
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
South African ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Police Service ◽  
South African Police Service ◽  
Structural Equivalence ◽  
South African Police

The objective of this study was to determine the internal consistency, construct validity, structural equivalence and item bias of the COPE, and to determine the differences between coping strategies of various demographic groups in the South African Police Service. A cross-sectional survey design was used. A random, stratified sample (N = 1431) was taken of police members in eight South African provinces. The COPE and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Four internally consistent factors were extracted, namely Approach Coping, Avoidance, Seeking Emotional Support and Turning to Religion. These factors showed structural equivalence for police members of all race groups and no items were biased. Differences in coping strategies were found for different ranks and races.Opsomming Die doelstelling van hierdie studie was om die interne konsekwentheid, konstrukgeldigheid, strukturele ekwivalensie en itemsydigheid van die COPE-vraelys te bepaal en om verskille tussen die coping-strategieë van verskillende demografiese groepe in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens te bepaal. ’n Dwarssnee opname-ontwerp is gebruik. ’n Ewekansige gestratifiseerde steekproef (N = 1431) is van polisielede in agt provinsies van Suid-Afrika geneem. Die COPE en ’n biografiese vraelys is afgeneem. Vier intern konsekwente faktore, naamlik Benaderings-coping, Vermyding, Soeke na Emosionele Ondersteuning en Keer-na-Religie is onttrek. Hierdie faktore het strukturele ekwivalensie vir alle rassegroepe getoon en geen items was sydig nie. Verskille rakende coping-strategieë is vir verskillende rang en rasse gevind.

scholarly journals The validation of a measure of organisational energy in the South African context

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Derman ◽  
Nicolene Barkhuizen ◽  
Karel Stanz
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Financial Institution ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
African Context

Orientation: Previous research has highlighted the need to examine the relationship between people and organisations. This perspective facilitates the study of organisational energy.Research purpose: The purpose of this research was to validate a measure of organisational energy in the South African context and to investigate whether there are differences in organisational energy as perceived by employees based on their demographic characteristics and lifestyle variables.Motivation for the study: Managing energy in organisations is important as it drives motivation, powers teamwork, fosters creativity and gives organisations a competitive edge (Schiuma, Mason & Kennerley, 2007). Limited empirical research currently exists on the phenomenon of energy in organisations.Research design/approach method: The researchers used a cross-sectional survey design, with a convenience sample (N = 520) of employees in a South African financial institution. The researchers administered the EnergyScapes Profile.Main findings: Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a one-factor structure for the EnergyScapes Profile. The scale, labelled organisational energy, showed acceptable internal consistency. The researchers found statistically significant differences in the organisational energy levels of employees based on age, tenure, geographical region, relaxation, hypertension and diabetes, depression or psychosis.Practical/managerial implications: The research provides valuable insight for practicing managers about understanding the concept of organisational energy and encourages leaders to question the energy of their employees.Contribution/value-add: The insight the researchers gained by studying the concept of organisational energy contributed in a unique way and showed the importance of considering organisations as dynamic and interactive with the people that work for them.

scholarly journals Assessing cultural intelligence, personality and identity amongst young white Afrikaans-speaking students: A preliminary study

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Nel ◽  
J. Alewyn Nel ◽  
Byron G. Adams ◽  
Leon T. De Beer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
South African ◽  
Religious Identity ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Managerial Implications

Orientation: Cultural intelligence (CQ) is a relatively new construct to academia that has recently gained increasing attention. Its relevance in a multicultural context like South Africa is apparent since cultural interaction between different ethnic groups is unavoidable.Research purpose: The objective of this research is to determine the relationship between personality, identity and CQ amongst young Afrikaans-speaking South Africans.Research approach, design and method: A quantitative research design was used in this study. This study was cross-sectional in nature. For the purpose of this study, a sample of young South African university students (N = 252) was used. The personal identity subscale from the Erickson Psychosocial Stage Inventory, the Multi-Ethnic Identity Measure, the Religious Identity Short Scale, the South African Personality Inventory questionnaire and the Four Factor Model of Cultural Intelligence Scale were applied as the measuring instruments.Main findings: Religious identity and ethnic identity have a relationship with cognitive CQ. Soft-heartedness and conscientiousness have a relationship with behavioural CQ. Also, soft-heartedness, facilitating, extroversion and religious identity have a relationship with motivational CQ.Practical/managerial implications: Organisations within South Africa will gain a better understanding of CQ and the benefits of having a culturally intelligent workforce as a strengths-based approach. Culturally intelligent employees will be able to adjust to working with co-workers from another culture, not feel threatened when interacting with co-workers and clients and be able to transfer knowledge from one culture to another, which will aid the organisation in completing overseas assignments, cross-cultural decision-making, leadership in multicultural environments and managing international careers.Contribution/value-add: CQ is a relatively new concept and empirical research on positive subjects is still very limited. Research on personality, identity and CQ within the South African context is still very limited. Therefore, this study will contribute to literature on positive psychology and cultural intelligence.

scholarly journals A Rasch analysis of the fear of coronavirus-19 scale in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio L. Peral ◽  
Brandon Morgan ◽  
Kleinjan Redelinghuys
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
South African ◽  
Internal Validity ◽  
Partial Credit Model ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
African Context

Orientation: Investigating the psychological aspects associated with the coronavirus disease might be important for psychological interventions. The fear of coronavirus-19 scale (FCV-19S) has emerged as a popular measure of coronavirus-19-related fear. However, its psychometric properties remain unknown in South Africa.Research purpose: This study set out to investigate the internal validity of the FCV-19S in the South African context using the Rasch measurement model.Motivation for the study: There have been some mixed findings on the psychometric properties of the FCV-19S in international research and its psychometric properties are yet to be investigated in South Africa. Investigating these psychometric properties can provide psychometric information to practitioners who wish to use this instrument in the South African context.Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional survey research design was used. The FCV-19S was administered to 159 adults. The Rasch partial credit model was applied to the item responses to investigate the measurement quality of the FCV-19S.Main findings: The FCV-19S showed somewhat satisfactory internal validity in the South African context within the boundaries of the current sample, and clarity was obtained on the mixed findings obtained in the previous research. Potential shortcomings of the scale were identified that might reduce its applicability to the South African context.Practical/managerial implications: Our results provide tentative support for the internal validity of the FCV-19S in South Africa. Suggestions for the improvement of the scale are made.Contribution/value-add: This is one of the first studies to investigate the internal validity of the FCV-19S in South Africa. Our results hold important implications for the continued use of this scale and have helped to clarify some of the mixed findings obtained in previous research.

scholarly journals Developing and testing items for the South African Personality Inventory (SAPI)

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carin Hill ◽  
Jan Alewyn Nel ◽  
Fons J.R. Van de Vijver ◽  
Deon Meiring ◽  
Velichko H. Valchev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Personality Assessment ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Personality Inventory ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Managerial Implications

Orientation: A multicultural country like South Africa needs fair cross-cultural psychometric instruments.Research purpose: This article reports on the process of identifying items for, and provides a quantitative evaluation of, the South African Personality Inventory (SAPI) items.Motivation for the study: The study intended to develop an indigenous and psychometrically sound personality instrument that adheres to the requirements of South African legislation and excludes cultural bias.Research design, approach and method: The authors used a cross-sectional design. They measured the nine SAPI clusters identified in the qualitative stage of the SAPI project in 11 separate quantitative studies. Convenience sampling yielded 6735 participants. Statistical analysis focused on the construct validity and reliability of items. The authors eliminated items that showed poor performance, based on common psychometric criteria, and selected the best performing items to form part of the final version of the SAPI.Main findings: The authors developed 2573 items from the nine SAPI clusters. Of these, 2268 items were valid and reliable representations of the SAPI facets.Practical/managerial implications: The authors developed a large item pool. It measures personality in South Africa. Researchers can refine it for the SAPI. Furthermore, the project illustrates an approach that researchers can use in projects that aim to develop culturally-informed psychological measures.Contribution/value-add: Personality assessment is important for recruiting, selecting and developing employees. This study contributes to the current knowledge about the early processes researchers follow when they develop a personality instrument that measures personality fairly in different cultural groups, as the SAPI does.

scholarly journals Preliminary development of the Higher Education Hindrance Demands Scale amongst academics in the South African context

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelesh Dhanpat ◽  
Roslyn De Braine ◽  
Madelyn Geldenhuys
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
African Context

Orientation: Over the past two decades, since the advent of democracy in South Africa, the country has undergone transformation in virtually all sectors of society. Education is no exception, with higher education institutions (HEIs) also experiencing change. The transformation of HEIs has brought about many new challenges, demands and stresses that may hinder the work performance of academics.Research purpose: This study seeks to determine the ‘hindrance demands’ unique to the South African context by developing and validating the Higher Education Hindrance Demands Scale (HEHDS). This scale includes a set of demands placed on academics’ experiences in this context.Research approach, design and method: Data were collected from 184 academic staff members from HEIs based on a quantitative research design using a cross-sectional survey. Data were analysed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), while the reliability of the scale was obtained through Cronbach’s coefficient alpha.Main findings: The results produced, as anticipated, a six-factor model consisting of: (1) workload, (2) higher education unrest, (3) change management, (4) decolonisation, (5) online teaching and learning and (6) psychological safety. The findings indicated excellent reliability, ranging between 0.74 and 0.90.Practical and managerial implications: Taking into consideration the context in which HEIs operate in South Africa, it is noteworthy that the recommendations in this article will assist in identifying the hindrance demands placed on academic staff. Researchers in the field are therefore called to validate the instrument developed through the use of confirmatory factor analysis.Contributions or value-add: This study adds to the limited research on hindrance demands placed on staff in HEIs.

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