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.

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 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 Navigating on the precursors of work readiness amongst students in Johannesburg, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khensani Magagula ◽  
Eugine T. Maziriri ◽  
Musawenkosi D. Saurombe
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Work Readiness ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
African Context ◽  
The Impact

Orientation: Research has been conducted regarding work readiness in a various contexts. However, there are deficiencies in studies that have focused on the precursors of work readiness in an African context.Research purpose: The primary objective of this study was to determine the impact of career self-efficacy (CSE), career exploration (CE) and self-perceived employability (SPE) on work readiness (WR) of students in the South African context, particularly in the Gauteng Province.Motivation for the study: There is an unequivocal gap between what educational institutions teach as well as what the South African labour market requires, highlighting a misalignment and one of many reasons graduates struggle to find work.Research approach/design and method: To close the research gap, the current study used a quantitative approach using the cross-sectional survey research design. A structured questionnaire was administered to 254 randomly selected students. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling.Main findings: The hypotheses testing results revealed that the WR was influenced significantly and positively by CSE, CE and SPE.Practical/managerial implications: The present research provides implications from which managers of institutions of higher learning can benefit. For instance, ensuring that experiential learning is involved in all the programmes. This will be more advantageous to students who would like to evaluate themselves to determine if they are work ready.Contribution/value-add: This study adds fresh understanding regarding the precursors that stimulate work readiness among students in a South African context.

scholarly journals Management of employee wellness in South Africa: Employer, service provider and union perspectives

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Sieberhagen ◽  
Jaco Pienaar ◽  
Crizelle Els
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Employee Wellness ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Labour Unions ◽  
Role Players ◽  
African Context

Orientation: This article focuses on how South African organisations manage their employees’ wellness through their Employee Wellness Programmes (EWPs). Research purpose: The objective of this research is to describe employee wellness in South Africa by investigating the types, foci and perceived success of EWPs.Motivation for the study: Despite the growing awareness of the importance of EWPs in South Africa, the nature, content, context, participants, role-players and anticipated benefits as well as the possible drawbacks of these programmes in the South African context are unclear.Research design, approach and method: The researchers used a cross-sectional design. The first author developed the Employee Wellness Survey, consisting of quantitative and qualitative questions, to collect data from 16 organisations, four service providers and seven labour unions in South Africa.Main findings: The results showed that organisations, service providers and labour unions define employee wellness differently and that these role players give different reasons for introducing EWPs. Almost half of the participating organisations have no baseline measurement with which to compare the effectiveness of their EWPs. Generally, all the organisations present the results of their programmes reasonably. However, the programmes involve little overall expenditure to the organisations.Practical/managerial implications: Organisations should monitor the state of their employees’ wellness in order to manage it effectively. This will only become possible when information about employee wellness improves.Contribution/value-add: This study provides new information about the nature, content, context, participants, role-players, anticipated benefits and possible drawbacks of EWPs in the South-African context.

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.

Decently transgressing: expressions of female heterosexuality and the discourses of (hetero)sexual pleasure in South Africa

Sexualities ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 136346072110374
Author(s):  
Letitia Smuts
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Middle Class ◽  
South African ◽  
Sexual Pleasure ◽  
Sexual Agency ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Heterosexual Women ◽  
White Middle Class ◽  
African Context

This article explores sexual agency and pleasure among heterosexual women in South Africa. By focussing on Tupperware-style sex-toy parties, this article offers a glimpse into a ‘hidden’ world of white, middle-class women living in Johannesburg. What is revealed in this ethnographic account is that these gatherings promise women new ways of enjoying sex, while remaining within the boundaries of heteronormative notions of (hetero)sex. I use the term ‘decently transgressing’ to capture the ways in which the women in this study make sense of their (hetero)sexual selves and how they negotiate their (hetero)sexual agencies, particularly in relation to past and present heteronormative discourses within the South African context. The findings show that there are tensions between women wanting to embrace their own sexual agency and desires, yet at the same time being limited by certain heteronormative norms.

scholarly journals The comparability of the constructs of the 16PF in the South African context

1999 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Abrahams ◽  
K. F. Mauer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Statistical Methods ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Considerable Influence ◽  
The South ◽  
African Context ◽  
Labour Legislation

The primary aims of the study were to determine whether the scores of the 16PF (SA92) are comparable in a crosscultural setting in South Africa, and also to investigate the influence of the gender of the research participants on the scores of the 16PF (SA92). The sample consisted of 983 students who were enrolled at different universities at the time of the field work. The statistical methods involved the application of descriptive statistics as well as methods to determine the comparability of the constructs. The results showed that although race exercised a considerable influence on the findings, this was not necessarily the case as far as gender was concerned. The presence of problems relating to the construct comparability of the test were also identified, as significant differences in means were found between the different race groups. Some of the implications of persisting with the use of the 16PF (SA92) in the South African context are outlined against the background of recently promulgated labour legislation. Opsomming Die primere doelstellings met die onderhawige studie was om die toepaslikheid van die 16PF (SA92) in Suid Afrikaanse konteks met sy diversiteit van kultuurgroepe te evalueer. Die invloed van die geslag van die navorsingsdeelnembers op die resultate is ook nagevors. Die deelnemergroep het bestaan uit 983 studente wat ten tye van die veldwerk aan verskillende universiteite gestudeer het. Benewens normale beskrywende statistiek, is daar ook gebruik gemaak van metodes om konstrukvergelykbaarheid te evalueer. Die bevindings het daarop gedui dat alhoewel ras 'n belangrike invloede op die toetsfaktore uitoefen, dit nie die geval is in soverre dit geslag betref nie. Die teenwoordigheid van probleme het ook ten opsigte van konstrukvergelykbaarheid na vore getree, aangesien betekenis voile verskille tussen gemiddeldes gevind is. Sommige van die implikasies van die volgehoue gebruik van die 16PF (SA92) in Suid Afrika word ook in die lig van die resente arbeidswetgewing bespreek.

Pathways through homelessness: the perceptions of homeless children in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-160
Author(s):  
Anna Wilshire Jones Bornman ◽  
Carol Jean Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Well Being ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Homeless Children ◽  
The South ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
African Context

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore children’s pathways through homelessness within the South African context, with particular attention paid to pathways out of homelessness. This study focusses on factors influencing children’s successful transitions out of homelessness. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory design was used, using interviews with nine children who had exited or were in the process of exiting homelessness. Interviews were conducted at a children’s shelter in Pietermaritzburg or in the children’s home environments. Interviews were analysed thematically. Findings An ecological framework was used to frame the factors influencing children’s pathways in, through and out of homelessness in the children’s narratives. These included institutions, relationships and intrapersonal strengths and resources. The study suggested that constructive relationships with shelter staff and parental figures, as well as intrapersonal strengths, were the most prominent factors in children successfully negotiating their way through their homelessness. The importance of a relationship with the paternal family within some African cultures was also a point of leverage. Research limitations/implications Implications for policy and practise include the need for systemic change, as well as greater support for shelters and shelter staff. The issue of rivalry in the shelter context and the role of the paternal family in the reintegration process require more research attention. The research is limited to homeless children in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Practical implications This study provided feedback to the shelter regarding their strategies for assisting homeless children off the streets. It further provided evidence for the importance of the work of the shelter, to strengthen advocacy efforts. This may be useful to others in similar circumstances. Social implications This study highlights the importance of macrosystemic interventions in the efforts to assist homeless children, while at the same time not ignoring the inter and intra, personal elements to enhancing their well-being. Originality/value This paper is singular in its exploration of factors influencing children’s successful transitions out of homelessness within the South African context.

Theological Education and Missional Formation in the South African Context

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-191
Author(s):  
Jerry Pillay
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Theological Education ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
African Context ◽  
Missional Formation

This article looks at theological education and missional formation in the South African context. It examines the understanding of theology and mission and connects it with theological education. It then proceeds to explore some of the essential elements that should constitute theological education in the South African context. The aim is to show that theological education in South Africa is in need of transformation.

THE EVOLUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DEBATES: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES FROM SOUTH AFRICA

2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (04) ◽  
pp. 375-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCOIS RETIEF
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Retrospective Analysis ◽  
South African ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
International Association ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
African Context

This paper explores the evolution of environmental assessment (EA) debates over the last decade within the South African context as reflected in the proceedings of the annual International Association for Impact Assessment, South African chapter (IAIAsa) conferences between 1997 and 2008. Retrospective analysis is important to ensure that the profession avoids unlearning key lessons, keeps and gains perspective, builds the knowledge base and plans for the future. The analysis involved a review of 472 papers presented at these conferences. The results suggest that debates have shifted away from concerns with quality and application of environmental assessment towards serious questions about effectiveness and the value that environmental assessment is adding. It is clear that the profession is currently going through a period of intense introspection, questioning the need for and contribution of EA.

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