Do White South African Managers Suffer from Exceptional Levels of Job Stress?

1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 130-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J.W. Strümpfer
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
South African ◽  
White Male ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Role Clarity ◽  
The South ◽  
The Usa ◽  
High Level ◽  
African Sample

A sample of 163 white, male, English-speaking managers from a diversity of disciplines, functional areas and kinds of business and industry completed self-report scales on job demands, role stressors and social support. Their scores were compared with those of comparable samples from elsewhere, mainly from the USA, for whom data were obtained from published sources. The South African mean of 48,9 hours worked per week was similar to those of comparable groups. On a variety of job demands the South African sample showed a trend towards higher demands, which was interpreted in terms of a shortage of high-level human resources, due to over-utilization of whites and under-utilization of blacks. The trend was towards greater role clarity in the South African sample and no greater role conflict was found. More social support was reported than in the case of Dutch samples but less than in USA samples. A generally positive interpretation was given, with an element of eustress also being present.

Measuring Meaning in Life in South Africa: Validation of an Instrument Developed in the USA

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremias J. de Klerk ◽  
Adré B. Boshoff ◽  
René van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Covariance Structure ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The South ◽  
Psychometric Instruments ◽  
The Usa ◽  
African Sample

Investigations into the construct of meaning in life is an important focus area of psychological research. Research has consistently shown a sense of meaning in life to be a significant correlate of mental health and well-being. Most of this research on meaning in life is conducted worldwide with instruments developed in North America. However, inter-cultural measurement of psychological constructs is a concern, as psychometric instruments in one culture are not necessarily transferable to different cultures. In this case study, we examine whether the Life Regard Index (LRI), developed in the USA and a popular scale for measuring meaning in life, is transferable to a sample from South Africa. The results confirm the construct validity of the LRI, but indicate that the LRI's factor structure has changed and two of the original 28 items were not part of the covariance structure. From these results, we conclude that the LRI is transferable to the South African sample, but not irrespectively and without adjustments. It should be used as a one-dimensional instrument with only 26 items before applying it to the South African sample. The study provides evidence that LRI, which was developed in the USA and became a popular instrument for measuring meaning in life, cannot be transferred indiscriminately to a South African sample. This insight contributes to the quality of future research studies in South Africa, not only on the important aspect of life meaning, but also when applying other psychometric instruments developed elsewhere.

scholarly journals Bibliometric analysis of the development of nanoscience research in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 113 (11/12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xolani Makhoba ◽  
Anastassios Pouris
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Institutional Profile ◽  
High Level ◽  
The University

Nanotechnology is a fast-growing scientific research area internationally and is classified as an important emerging research area. In response to this importance, South African researchers and institutions have also increased their efforts in this area. A bibliometric study of articles as indexed in the Web of Science considered the development in this field with respect to the growth in literature, collaboration profile and the research areas that are more within the country’s context. We also looked at public institutions that are more active in this arena, including government policy considerations as guided by the National Nanotechnology Strategy launched in 2005. We found that the number of nanotechnology publications have shown a remarkable growth ever since the launch of the strategy. Articles on nanotechnology have been published in numerous journals, with Electrochimica Acta publishing the most, followed by Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. These publications fall within the traditional domains of chemistry and physics. In terms of the institutional profile and based on publication outputs over the period reviewed, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research is a leading producer of publications in nanotechnology, followed by the University of the Witwatersrand – institutions that are both based in the Gauteng Province. There is a high level of international collaboration with different countries within this field – the most productive collaboration is with India, followed by the USA and China, as measured through co-authorship.

scholarly journals The competitive status of the South African Wheat Industry

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 651-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Van der Merwe ◽  
Philippus Cloete ◽  
Herman Van Schalkwyk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
South African ◽  
Wheat Flour ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
The South ◽  
Wheat Market ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Trade Partners

This article investigates the competitiveness of the South African wheat industry and compares it to its major trade partners. Since 1997, the wheat-to-bread value chain has been characterised by concentration of ownership and regulation. This led to concerns that the local wheat market is losing international competitiveness. The competitive status of the wheat industry, and its sub-sectors, is determined through the estimation of the relative trade advantage (RTA). The results revealed declining competitiveness of local wheat producers. Compared to the major global wheat producers, such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany and the USA, South Africa’s unprocessed wheat industry is uncompetitive. At the same time, South Africa has a competitive advantage in semi-processed wheat, especially wheat flour. The institutional environment enables the importation of raw wheat at lower prices and exports processed wheat flour competitively to the rest of Africa.

Adult ADHD in the South African workplace: the usefulness of a self-report screening measure and preliminary prevalence estimates

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 262-273
Author(s):  
Charles H Van Wijk
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
South African ◽  
Predictive Validity ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Adult Adhd ◽  
Self Report ◽  
The South ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
Prevalence Estimates ◽  
Interpretation Systems

In the South African context, resource constraints often preclude the comprehensive assessment of large numbers of people for the likelihood of Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Primary screening through a self-report measure may be useful to stream at-risk individuals towards diagnostic assessment services, as well as being useful in population and workplace based research. The present study set out, first, to investigate the usefulness of a self-report ADHD scale to identify at-risk individuals, and, second, to provide preliminary prevalence estimates for Adult ADHD, guided by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) criteria, in a South African workplace sample. Workers in full-time skilled employment ( N = 1,917), aged 18–44, completed a self-report Adult ADHD scale, and participated in an interview with a psychologist. Their scale data, using three different scoring and interpretation systems, were subjected to statistical analysis. Favourable internal reliability and positive predictive validity were found. Different interpretation systems provided different prevalence estimations: using DSM-5 criteria, a total prevalence estimate of 3.3 % was calculated (attention deficit subtype = 0.9%, hyperactivity-impulsivity subtype = 1.0%, and combined subtype = 1.4%). The positive predictive validity found with this sample suggests that this scale can be used constructively in research or screening contexts to identify at-risk individuals. Furthermore, preliminary prevalence estimates for Adult ADHD, guided by DSM-5 criteria, are now available for a South African workplace sample.

scholarly journals Far Away, So Close? The Role of Destructive Leadership in the Job Demands–Resources and Recovery Model in Emergency Telework

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Dolce ◽  
Emilie Vayre ◽  
Monica Molino ◽  
Chiara Ghislieri
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Destructive Leadership ◽  
Recovery Model ◽  
Cognitive Demands ◽  
Remote Workers ◽  
The Relationship

During the Covid-19 pandemic, people started teleworking intensively, which has led to some benefits in terms of economic continuity, but also some complaints. International teams of scholars have pointed out the new work-related challenges, underlining leaders’ role in successfully managing them. This study aimed at investigating the role of destructive leadership in the job demands–resources and recovery model during the Covid-19 pandemic. In detail, this study intended to assess (1) whether destructive leadership is positively associated with off-work-hours technology-assisted job demand (off-TAJD) and cognitive demands, as well as whether it decreases autonomy, (2) whether two demands—off-TAJD and cognitive demands—and two resources—social support and autonomy—are respectively negatively and positively related to recovery, and (3) whether recovery mediates the relationship between demands, resources, and exhaustion. A total of 716 French remote workers (61% were women) took part in this study. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire. A multi-group structural equation model was used to test the hypotheses. The findings confirmed a significant association between destructive leadership, the two job demands, and autonomy; furthermore, all three variables mediated the relationship between destructive leadership and recovery. The findings showed the key role played by recovery as a mediator between, on one hand, off-TAJD, cognitive demands, autonomy, and social support, and, on the other hand, exhaustion. This study highlighted the role of destructive leadership, job resources, job demands, and recovery as determinants of exhaustion, illustrating their relationships in a sample of remote workers. Practical implications are discussed.

Effects of workaholism on satisfaction among US managerial and professional women

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 635-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele V Levy
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Professional Women ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Enjoyment ◽  
High Drive ◽  
The Usa

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate relationships between workaholism and satisfaction outcomes with job, career and life overall among managerial and professional women and explore the moderating role of social support in these associations. Design/methodology/approach – Self-report measures collected online from 350 alumnae from top-ranked business schools currently in the US labor force were analyzed through hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Findings – Workaholism components explained significant amounts of variance in job, career and life satisfaction. Specifically, lower levels of work enjoyment were consistently associated with detrimental outcomes and high drive impacted both job and life satisfaction negatively. Social support moderated the relationship between job satisfaction and workaholism through work enjoyment, with women with greater social support demonstrating higher job satisfaction at equivalent work enjoyment levels versus those with low social support. Research limitations/implications – This paper shares methodological weaknesses involving the nature of the sample and self-report methods of measurement common to workaholism research. Practical implications – In the context of today’s competitive workplaces, results provide a cautionary message of the harmful effects of workaholic dispositions for a certain segment of professional women. It emphasizes the importance of work enjoyment and positive intrinsic motivation, while suggesting that job designs that reflect the work involvement predispositions of each woman can be beneficial. Originality/value – This paper extends the understanding of workaholism correlates to female MBA graduates from top management schools in the USA and investigates, for the first time, the role of social support in those relationships.

scholarly journals What are the indicators of a successful business rescue in South Africa? Ask the business rescue practitioners

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaneen Conradie ◽  
Christiaan Lamprecht
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
The South ◽  
Consistent Manner ◽  
Actual Outcome ◽  
Successful Business ◽  
High Level ◽  
Delphi Research ◽  
Indicators Of Success

Background: Business rescue, in terms of Chapter 6 of the Companies Act No 71 of 2008, is still relatively new to the South African business environment. The need for a successful business rescue regime is beyond doubt. However, a consistent manner to measure the success of the regime has not been determined. Previous research into possible indicators of business rescue success was based on a review of international business rescue regimes that share the same underlying philosophy as the South African business rescue regime. Aim and Setting: This study extends previous research efforts by soliciting the opinions of 16 South African, senior business rescue practitioners on the indicators of business rescue success. Method: The researchers used a qualitative research approach. The Delphi research technique was used to gather qualitative and quantitative empirical data from business rescue practitioners. Results: The experts reached a high level of consensus on various indicators of a successful business rescue. Most notable are that business rescue should save as many jobs as possible and that the actual outcome should be compared to that estimated in the business rescue plan. A novel indicator of success is the business rescue points saved or rescued, when using the public interest score. Conclusion: The study makes a valuable contribution to the debate on what constitutes a successful business rescue by adding the considered opinion on indicators of success by one group of experts in the field of business rescue, namely senior business rescue practitioners.

scholarly journals Sonder verhale vaar niemand wel

2004 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
I.J.J. Spangenberg
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Religious Education ◽  
Book Market ◽  
The South ◽  
Small Children ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Religious Book

Without stories the lifeboat sinksThe article addresses the issue of religious education for small children. These days the South African religious book market is flooded with publications from the USA. Some of these have been translated into Afrikaans. A large number of the publications meant for small children are written from a fundamentalistic viewpoint. In this article it is argued that parents should play a more prominent role in the education of their children. They need to tell their children stories so as to help them to become well-balanced adults. A child who grows up without stories – including religious stories – is all the poorer for it.

scholarly journals Suicide Ideation in the South African Police Service

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacobus Pienaar ◽  
Sebastiaan Rothmann
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
The South ◽  
Medical Problems ◽  
Police Service ◽  
South African Police Service ◽  
South African Police ◽  
High Level

Little information exists regarding the suicide ideation of uniformed members of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The objectives of this study were to determine the level of suicide ideation of police members and to determine the differences between the suicide ideation of various demographic groups. Across-sectional survey design was used. Stratified random samples ( N = 1781) were taken of police members of eight provinces in South Africa. The Adult Suicide Ideation Questionnaire and a biographical questionnaire were administered. The results indicated that 8.30% of the sample showed a high level of suicide ideation. Multiway frequency analyses showed that the observed frequencies of high suicide ideation (compared with low suicide ideation), statistically, were significantly higher than the expected frequencies in groups based on race, rank, gender, province, alcohol consumption, educational qualifications, medical problems and previous suicide attempts.

scholarly journals Exploring the role of the business rescue practitioner in rescuing a financially distressed company

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
Kudzai Mpofu ◽  
Anthony O. Nwafor ◽  
Koboro J. Selala
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Objective Assessment ◽  
The South ◽  
Breach Of Duty ◽  
Financially Distressed ◽  
Judicial Scrutiny ◽  
High Level

The emphasis on corporate sustainability as against liquidation in the South African Companies Act 71 of 2008 creates an important figure in the person of the business rescue practitioner. The practitioner in that capacity supplants the board and is insulated from the relevant elements of shareholder control in the discharge of the task of rescuing the financially distressed company. The article interrogates, through doctrinal approach, the efficacy of the statutory provisions relating to the role of the business rescue practitioner in the business rescue process and argues against the disqualification of juristic persons from appointment as business rescue practitioners. While respecting the subjective decision of the practitioner in the preparation of the rescue plan, the paper considers that such subjective decision should withstand some level of objective assessment to enjoy credibility, just as the practitioner should conform to a high level of judicial scrutiny as an officer of the court to be absolved from any liability arising from a breach of duty.

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