scholarly journals Enhancing the well-being of support services staff in higher education: The power of appreciation

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurika Van Straaten ◽  
Annelize Du Plessis ◽  
S.P. Fanus Van Tonder
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Job Security ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add

Orientation: A literature search for studies on the well-being of support staff of higher education institutions (HEIs) produced very little results. Appreciation was then used to identify elements that might enhance the well-being of a selected HEI’s support staff.Research purpose: The aim was to explore the strengths of a selected HEI that might serve as driving forces for enhancing its support staff’s well-being.Motivation for the study: The lack of research on the well-being of support staff motivated the study. A need was identified to explore driving forces that might enhance their well-being.Research design, approach and method: A literature review guided by theoretical perspectives and theories on staff well-being was conducted. Subsequently, a qualitative action research design involving an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) workshop with support staff of an institution was followed.Main findings: The following strengths that might serve as driving forces for enhancing the well-being of the institution’s support services staff were identified: hard-working and dedicated support staff, positive relations among colleagues, a willingness to adapt to change,good remuneration and benefits, job security and a supportive work environment. Appreciative Inquiry was found to be well suited for identifying such strengths, as opposed to methods that focus on identifying problems or weaknesses of an organisation. As a result of this study, the relevant institution might react and build on these identified strengths towards promoting the well-being of its support staff.Practical/managerial implications: Institutions should make an effort to enhance staff well being. The results of the study could also be used to encourage HEIs to use AI to establish optimal staff well-being.Contribution/value add: The study confirmed the power of appreciation to identify the strengths that might serve as driving forces for enhancing the well-being of support staff of an HEI.

scholarly journals Transformative consumer research: Its origins and possible enrichment of the field of consumer research in South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leona M. Ungerer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Consumer Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Traditional Research ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Additional Approach ◽  
Value Add ◽  
Transformative Consumer Research

Orientation: This article provides a rationale for considering transformative consumer research as a research approach for investigating the relationship between consumption and consumers’ well-being in South Africa.Research purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the principles underlying transformative consumer research, including how it differs from traditional research methods and pointing out some established research areas in this field.Motivation for the study: Apart from pointing to a lack of literature, this article highlights the relevance of this approach for emerging countries by investigating the principles and practices embedded in transformative consumer research. It provides some indication of how an investigation of these areas may contribute to enhancing the relevance of consumer research to its various stakeholders.Research design, approach and method: The author used a literature review to conduct the study.Main findings: It appears that consumer research currently lacks external and internal relevance. A transformative consumer-research approach may address some of the fundamental problems in the way consumer psychologists plan and conduct their research, contributing to this lack of relevance.Practical/managerial implications: Most stages of the traditional research approach may need to be adapted for transformative research purposes. Some approaches appear particularly suited to transformative consumer research, including revelatory, incendiary, policy, participatory and coalition research. Contribution/value-add: This study’s primary contribution stems from suggesting a rather novel additional approach to enhance the relevance of consumer research in South Africa, pointing out some established practices in the field of transformative consumer research and suggesting how they may augment consumer research in South Africa.

scholarly journals ‘The fact that she just looked at me…’ – Narrations on shame in South African workplaces

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claude-Hélène Mayer ◽  
Rian Viviers ◽  
Louise Tonelli
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Work Context ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Health And Well Being

Orientation: Shame has been internationally researched in various cultural and societal contexts as well as across cultures in the workplace, schools and institutions of higher education. It is an emotional signal that refers to experienced incongruence of identity goals and the judgement of others.Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to focus on experiences of shame in the South African (SA) workplace, to provide emic, in-depth insights into the experiences of shame of employees.Motivation for the study: Shame in the workplace often occurs and might impact negatively on mental health and well-being, capability, freedom and human rights. This article aims at gaining some in-depth understanding of shame experiences in SA workplaces. Building on this understanding the aim is to develop awareness in Industrial and Organisational Psychologists (IOPs), employees and organisations to cope with shame constructively in addition to add to the apparent void in the body of knowledge on shame in SA workplaces.Research design, approach and method: An interpretative hermeneutical research paradigm, based on Dilthey’s modern hermeneutics was applied. Data were collected through semistructured interviews of 11 employees narrating their experiences from various workplaces, including the military, consulting organisations and higher education institutions. Content analysis was used for data analysis and interpretation.Main findings: The major themes around which shameful experiences evolved included loss of face, mistreatment by others, low work quality, exclusion, lifestyle and internalised shame on failure in the workplace. Shame is experienced as a disturbing emotion that impacts negatively on the self within the work context. It is also experienced as reducing mental health and well-being at work.Practical/managerial implications: SA organisations need to be more aware of shame in the workplace, to address the potential negative effects of shame on employees, particularly if they are not prepared to reframe shame into a constructively and positively used emotion. Safe spaces should be made available to talk about shame. Strategies should be applied to deal with shame constructively.Contribution/value-add: This article expands an in-depth understanding of shame from emic and culture-specific perspectives within SA workplaces. The findings are beneficial to IOPs and organisations to understand what shame is from the perspective of SA employees across cultural groups. The article thereby adds value to theory and practice, offering IOPs a deeper understanding of shame in the work context.

scholarly journals The Job Demands–Resources model: Challenges for future research

2011 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangelia Demerouti ◽  
Arnold B. Bakker
Keyword(s):  
Safety Climate ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add ◽  
And Performance

Motivation: The motivation of this overview is to present the state of the art of Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) model whilst integrating the various contributions to the special issue.Research purpose: To provide an overview of the JD–R model, which incorporates many possible working conditions and focuses on both negative and positive indicators of employee well-being. Moreover, the studies of the special issue were introduced.Research design: Qualitative and quantitative studies on the JD–R model were reviewed to enlighten the health and motivational processes suggested by the model.Main findings: Next to the confirmation of the two suggested processes of the JD–R model, the studies of the special issue showed that the model can be used to predict work-place bullying, incidences of upper respiratory track infection, work-based identity, and early retirement intentions. Moreover, whilst psychological safety climate could be considered as a hypothetical precursor of job demands and resources, compassion satisfaction moderated the health process of the model.Contribution/value-add: The findings of previous studies and the studies of the special issue were integrated in the JD–R model that can be used to predict well-being and performance at work. New avenues for future research were suggested.Practical/managerial implications: The JD–R model is a framework that can be used for organisations to improve employee health and motivation, whilst simultaneously improving various organisational outcomes.

scholarly journals Perceptions of effective relationships in an institutional care setting for older people

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Roos ◽  
Frans Du Toit
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Institutional Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Interpersonal Contact ◽  
Care Managers ◽  
Effective Relationships ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add ◽  
Relational Qualities

Orientation: The relocation of older people to residential facilities has implications for their relationships.Research purpose: This article reports older residents’ perceptions of effective relationships.Motivation for the study: Effective relationships protect against loneliness and depression and contribute to well-being. The facility was identified by a social worker as a showcase for effective relationships, but it was not clear what these consist of.Research approach, design and method: The World Café, a qualitative, participatory action research method, was applied to an economically deprived, urban facility caring for older people in Gauteng, South Africa. Three positively framed questions elicited perceptions from participants (nine men, ten women, aged 65–89). Visual and textual data were obtained and thematically analysed until saturation had been achieved. Themes were then subjected to deductive direct content analysis in terms of Self-Interactional Group Theory (SIGT).Main findings: Older residents perceive care managers as friendly and trustworthy and co-residents as caring. Care managers were seen as flexible, empathetic and congruent leaders and they confirmed residents. Relationships between residents were parallel-defined with relational qualities such as empathy and unconditional acceptance. Residents’ needs for privacy were honoured and they felt confirmed. Group dynamics were underpinned by caring and a stimulating environment provided opportunities for engagement.Practical/managerial implications: Relationships between managers and consumers are facilitated by flexibility, empathy, congruence and unconditional acceptance. Supportive group dynamics develop when people confirm and accept one another. A stimulating environment that encourages continuous and close interpersonal contact contributes to effective relationships.Contribution/value-add: Effective relationships should be understood on different levels.

Developing a measure for student perspectives on institutional effectiveness in higher education

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter T. Ayuk ◽  
Gerrie J. Jacobs
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Educational Outcomes ◽  
Institutional Effectiveness ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Structural Validity ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analyses ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add

Orientation: This study outlines institutional effectiveness (IE) in higher education (HE) and interrogates its underlying elements from a student perspective. Following a review of contemporary perspectives on student educational outcomes, the study identifies and explores the importance of four pertinent indicators of IE in the context of a South African (SA) higher education institution (HEI). Research purpose: This study aimed to explore the structural validity and reliability of the Student Educational Outcomes Effectiveness Questionnaire (SEEQ), administered to students at an SA HEI, collecting data on their perceptions of IE. Motivation for the study: Institutional effectiveness is a contested concept in HE and several approaches to define it, using various sets of underpinning elements, can be found. The conceptualisation and measuring of IE within the SA HE sector is a hugely neglected area of research. This study therefore attempted to delineate and to gauge IE, utilising the perceptions and preferences of students at an SA HEI. Research design, approach and method: Data for this study were collected using a self-selection sample (N = 807) of students from four schools at the selected HEI. Reliability and exploratory factor analyses were performed to explore the internal consistency and structural validity of the above-mentioned SEEQ. Main findings: The reliability of SEEQ is deemed to be acceptable and the validity of the four theoretical constructs (or dimensions) hypothesised in respect of IE from a student perspective were supported. Practical/managerial implications: Preliminary empirical evidence suggests that SEEQ could be employed in a cautious manner by HEIs (especially in SA), with a view to gauge IE, as well as to promoting the scholarship and management of institutional performance and student success. Contribution or value-add: This article presents a multidimensional approach to the depiction and measurement of IE from a student perspective. It makes a handy initial contribution to a grossly under-researched phenomenon in the SA HE sector.

scholarly journals Exploring the internal antecedents that prompt consumers’ impulsive behaviour in experiential retail contexts

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam-Miri Retief ◽  
Alet C. Erasmus ◽  
Daniel J. Petzer
Keyword(s):  
Driving Forces ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Significant Finding ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Impulsive Behaviour ◽  
Retrospective Assessment ◽  
Brick And Mortar ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add ◽  
Fierce Competition

Orientation: Experiential settings are becoming more popular to differentiate conventional brick-and-mortar retailing which now faces fierce competition from multiple other retail platforms.Research purpose: The study aims to identify and explain the internal driving forces that positively predict consumers’ impulsive behaviour in experiential retail settings.Research design, approach and method: This quantitative investigation entailed a retrospective assessment of consumers’ experiences at diverse experiential retailers. An electronic survey approach enabled the collection of 402 usable questionnaires based on a purposive sampling technique whereby a heterogeneous sample of consumers 18 years and above who have visited one of the identified experiential retailers were recruited. Stepwise regression analyses were conducted to test the hypothesised relationships between the independent and dependent variables.Main findings: Results suggest that consumers’ mood and emotions, adventure, gratification and social shopping motives as well as their desire for recreation are conducive to certain impulsive behavioural outcomes, namely irresistible desire creation, impulsive purchases and impulsive participation. A significant finding is that impulsive actions are not necessarily preceded by an irresistible urge. However, the urge to act on impulse is regarded a separate impulsive behavioural outcome.Practical/managerial implications: Impulsive behaviour should be regarded as a valuable outcome in terms of an understanding of consumers’ behaviour in experiential retail contexts. Not only does it offer retailers competitive advantage possibilities but it also constitutes more satisfying experiences for consumers.Contribution/value-add: A theoretical contribution is made in terms of an integration of literature on experiential retail and impulsive behaviour.

scholarly journals Impact of demographic variables on emotional intelligence levels amongst a sample of early career academics at a South African higher education institution

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Marembo ◽  
Willie T. Chinyamurindi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Online Data ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Consistent Performance ◽  
Value Add

Orientation: Emotional intelligence (EI) is highlighted by the literature as an important attribute that enables an individual to cope with changes and pressures in the work environment and subsequently yields consistent performance. However, some scholars debate the role of demographic diversities and their impact on levels of EI amongst individuals.Research purpose: This study examined the influence of demographic variables on EI levels amongst early career academics (ECAs).Motivation for the study: The study interrogates demographic variables and EI, two issues important in the 21st-century workforce setting. The relationship between the two may be of value to the debate surrounding the success of early career professionals in the higher education sector. The success of ECAs should be of importance to institutions of higher learning.Research approach/design and method: A quantitative approach was followed in conducting the study. Data were collected from a sample of 220 ECAs in a selected university in South Africa. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to the participants using SurveyMonkey online data collection tool. EI was measured using the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale.Main findings: Significant EI level differences were observed based on the participants’ ethnic background. However, no significant differences in EI levels could be found based on the respondents’ gender, age and work experience.Practical/managerial implications: The findings may be relevant to career management and human resources forecasting.Contribution/value-add: The study adds to the literature on EI and career success of early career professionals.

scholarly journals Factors and effects of work-related stress and burnout on the well-being of social workers in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jabulani G. Kheswa
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Work Related Stress ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Value Add

Orientation:Work-related stress and burnout among social workers are on the rise because of extensive workload, job dissatisfaction and exposure to traumatic situations. Therefore, one should determine how they impact the well-being.Research purpose: This study determined the factors and effects of work-related stress and burnout on the well-being of social workers.Motivation for the study: An alarming number of social workers show no compassion towards the clients owing to burnout. Therefore, more research is needed for social workers to enhance their purpose and work engagement.Research approach/design and method: This qualitative study was designed from an interpretivist perspective. Fourteen social workers, aged 35–59 years, from two Department of Social Development and Welfare offices (Alice and King Williams Town) selected through purposive sampling participated in the study. Data were gathered by means of focus group interviews and grounded theory was applied for data analysis.Main findings: The study results confirmed that social workers attributed their work-related stress to lack of resources such as transport, computers and inadequate emotional support from their supervisors. Thus, they demonstrated impaired personal strength and poor human relations.Practical/managerial implications: To achieve commitment and optimism, there should be recruitment of new staff and salary increase for social workers.Contribution/value-add: The study results should provide coping strategies for social workers when faced with secondary traumatic stress.

scholarly journals Depressed, not depressed or unsure: Prevalence and the relation to well-being across sectors in South Africa

2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christa Welthagen ◽  
Crizelle Els
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add ◽  
Proactive Measures ◽  
The Relationship

Orientation: Work engagement, burnout and stress-related ill health levels of individuals, suffering from depression, who are unsure whether or not they suffer from depression, or who do not suffer from depression, have not been investigated in South Africa.Research purpose: The main objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of depression amongst employees in South African organisations and the relationship of depression with specific well-being constructs.Motivation for the study: Organisations should know about the prevalence of depression and the effects this could have on specific well-being constructs.Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional design was followed. The availability sample (n = 15 664) included participants from diverse demographics. The South African Employee Health and Wellness Survey was followed to measure constructs.Main findings: The results showed that 18.3% of the population currently receive treatment for depression, 16.7% are unsure whether or not they suffer from depression and 65% do not suffer from depression. Depression significantly affects the levels of work engagement, burnout and the occurrence of stress-related ill health symptoms.Practical/managerial implications: This study makes organisations aware of the relationship between depression and employee work-related well-being. Proactive measures to promote the work-related well-being of employees, and to support employees suffering from depression, should be considered.Contribution/value-add: This study provides insight into the prevalence of depression and well-being differences that exist between individuals, suffering from depression, who are unsure whether or not they suffer from depression, and who do not suffer from depression. 

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