scholarly journals A psychometric assessment of the LPME scale for the South African skills development context.

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 255-266
Author(s):  
Maelekanyo Christopher Tshilongamulenzhe
Keyword(s):  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
South African ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Computer Software ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Psychometric Assessment ◽  
Measurement Scales ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Development Context

A thorough examination of psychometric properties of measurement scales is necessary to ensure that these scales comply with the existing scientific conventions. This article assesses the psychometric properties of the Learning Programme Management and Evaluation (LPME) scale. A quantitative, non-experimental cross-sectional survey design was used. Data were collected from a sample of 652 respondents comprising skills development practitioners and learners/apprentices. Data were analyzed using Winsteps, SPSS and AMOS computer software. The findings show that the LPME scale meets the psychometric expectations and complies with the established scientific conventions in terms of validity, reliability, fit and unidimensionality.

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 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 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 Performance Appraisal as an Antecedent to Innovation: an Analysis of Its Relative Importance

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Navin Gazanchand Matookchund ◽  
Renier Steyn
Keyword(s):  
Performance Appraisal ◽  
South African ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
African Context ◽  
Broad Cross Section ◽  
The Impact

Literature suggests that performance appraisal (PA) contributes to innovation. However, the absolute and relative importance of PA to innovation, the different aspects of PA which drive innovation, as well as PA as a precursor among other antecedents to innovation, has not been adequately described. The aim of the study is to provide clarity on the drivers of innovation, specifically contextualising the impact of PA within the South African context. This study used a cross-sectional survey design, where only quantitative data was collected from full-time employees across private sector, parastatal, and government organisations. The respondents represented a broad cross-section of South African employees. PA and three other known antecedents to innovation, as well as innovation itself, were measured. It was found that PA (as a single variable) was responsible for 5.7% of the variance in innovation. Items in the PA scale with a clear link to innovation were identified, and thematically integrated. It was further found that, when PA was combined with other antecedents of innovation, leading to 26.6% of the variance in innovation being explained, the role of PA was significant, though mostly secondary. Proactive personality was the most dominant predictor of innovation. The importance and relative importance of PA as an antecedent to innovation in the workplace has thus been established. The outcomes of this study may assist managers and human resource practitioners to focus on appropriate, evidence-based information when attempting to enhance innovation.

scholarly journals An approach for evaluating early and long term mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) in low and middle income countries: a South African experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra J. Jackson ◽  
Thu-Ha Dinh ◽  
Carl J. Lombard ◽  
Gayle G. Sherman ◽  
Ameena E. Goga
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Mother To Child Transmission ◽  
Child Transmission ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mother To Child

Abstract Background Eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV is a global public health target. Robust, feasible methodologies to measure population level impact of programmes to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) are needed in high HIV prevalence settings. We present a summary of the protocol of the South African PMTCT Evaluation (SAPMTCTE) with its revision over three repeated rounds of the survey, 2010–2014. Methods Three cross sectional surveys (2010, 2011–2012 and 2012–2013) were conducted in 580 primary health care immunisation service points randomly selected after stratified multistage probability proportional to size sampling. All infants aged 4–8 weeks receiving their six-week immunisation at a sampled facility on the day of the visit were eligible to participate. Trained research nurses conducted interviews and took infant dried blood spot (iDBS) samples for HIV enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and total nucleic acid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Interviews were conducted using mobile phones and iDBS were sent to the National Health Laboratory for testing. All findings were adjusted for study design, non-response, and weighted for number of South African live-birth in each study round. In 2012 a national closed cohort of these 4 to 8-week old infants testing EIA positive (HIV Exposed Infants) from the 2012–2013 cross-sectional survey was established to estimate longer-term PMTCT impact to 18 months. Follow-up analyses were to estimate weighted cumulative MTCT until 18 months, postnatal MTCT from 6 weeks until 18 months and a combined outcome of MTCT-or-death, using a competing risks model, with death as a competing risk. HIV-free survival was defined as a child surviving and HIV-negative up to 18 months or last visit seen. A weighted cumulative incidence analysis was conducted, adjusting for survey design effects. Discussion In the absence of robust high-quality routine medical recording systems, in the context of a generalised HIV epidemic, national surveys can be used to monitor PMTCT effectiveness; however, monitoring long-term outcomes nationally is difficult due to poor retention in care.

scholarly journals Work–home interference: Examining socio-demographic predictors in the South African context

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marissa De Klerk ◽  
Karina Mostert
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Positive Interaction ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Demographic Predictors ◽  
Home Work ◽  
Positive Work

Orientation: The focus of this study was to investigate the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and the work–home interaction in different occupational groups in South Africa.Research purpose: The main research aim of the study was to investigate the socio-demographic predictors of negative and positive work–home interaction of South African employees.Motivation for the study: Little information is known about the prevalence of work–home interaction within groups. This study is aimed at enabling the researcher and organisations to identify those groups that are at risk of negative interference and which are prone to positive interaction, to allow for the development of appropriate strategies and intervention programmes.Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used in the study. A sample (N = 2040) was taken from four South African industries (i.e. the police service, the earthmoving equipment industry, mining and nursing). A socio-demographic questionnaire and the Survey Work–Home Interaction-Nijmegen (SWING) were used.Main findings: The results indicated that robust predictors included occupation, gender and language for negative work–home interference; occupation, age and language for positive work–home interference; occupation and language for negative home–work interference; and occupation, age, education and language for positive home–work interference.Practical/managerial implications: The implications of the study are that negative and positive work–home interaction is uniquely associated with socio-demographic characteristics. Work–life balance initiatives should, therefore, be carefully tailored to address the needs of each socio-demographic group.Contribution/value-add: The findings of the study suggest answers to the management of the work–home interaction among various socio-demographic groups in organisations.

scholarly journals Testing measurement invariance of the learning programme management and evaluation (LPME) scale across gender using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-131
Author(s):  
Maelekanyo C. Tshilongamulenzhe
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
South African ◽  
Factor Loading ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Development Context ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Occupational Learning

The purpose of this study was to test measurement invariance of the LPME scale across gender using multi-group CFA. The LPME scale was developed to measure the effectiveness of management and evaluation practices pertaining to occupational learning programmes in the South African skills development context. A non-experimental cross-sectional survey was conducted with 389 human resource practitioners and apprentices/learners. The results indicate that the LPME scale is invariant between males and females at the levels of configural, metric and strong invariance. The number of factors/constructs, pattern of item factor loading, latent constructs variances and covariances, and the reliability of the LPME scale and its dimensions are equivalent between males and females.

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 The psychometric properties of the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale

2008 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cara S. Jonker ◽  
Christel Vosloo
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Intelligence Scale ◽  
Emotional Management ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Cross Sectional Design

the objective of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (SEiS). the psychometric soundness of the SEiS was tested. A cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. A sample (n = 341) was taken from Economical Science students from a higher-education institution. The results obtained using the cross-sectional design supported a six- dimensional factor structure of the SEiS. the six factors are Positive Affect, Emotion-Others, happy Emotions, Emotions-Own, Non-verbal Emotions and Emotional Management. A multi-analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine differences in terms of biographical data. the results indicated signifcant differences between gender and language groups.

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