The psychosocial component of an operational risk management model : risky business in Tanzania

The utilisation of an operational risk management (ORM) model is one of the compulsory activities during mergers and acquisitions in the financial sector. However, the implementation of such a model is often not as effective as intended. A cause of this might be situated in human behaviour and the influence of cultural differences, especially during cross-border business. This study determined how Tanzanians perceive risk, and identified the psychosocial components that affected the implementation of an ORM model in a target organisation in Tanzania. This resulted in the development of a conceptual framework, which integrated these psychosocial components into a theoretical psychosocial model of OR management. This qualitative study was situated within the hermeneutic phenomenology research paradigm. During the research, 35 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted, providing rich data. Participants were selected by means of criterion sampling. Most of the interviews sessions were conducted with one participant present. However, some of the interview sessions involved two or three participants resulting in a total of 46 participants being interviewed. Data were analysed using the hermeneutic circle, and incorporated content analysis. The findings of the study are of value to both the fields of psychology (social and organisational psychology) and OR management. Engaging in cross-border business is in itself a ‘risky’ business. Identifying the psychosocial components and incorporating them into ORM models, enables organisations to implement their ORM models more effectively (Renn, 2008). The theoretical model developed as a result of this research enables industrial and organisational psychologists and OR managers to manage growth initiatives, such as cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the financial industry, more accurately. Industrial and organisational psychologists and risk managers will consequently understand better how psychosocial components shape people and this will enable them to adapt their management approach accordingly.Department of Industrial and Organisational PsychologyPh. D. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology

The role of orographic drag in modelled atmospheric circulation

Recent studies have demonstrated that the representation of orography in models is highly uncertain. Motivated by the large spread in the climatological circulation and the circulation response to climate change seen among models, the primary aim of this work is to quantify the uncertainty introduced by their representation of orography. This is done through a number of experiments using different comprehensive atmospheric models across horizontal resolutions and timescales. First, it is shown that two of the models considered are unable to maintain an equivalent total (resolved plus parameterized) orographic drag across resolutions over the Northern Hemisphere (NH) mid-latitudes, leading to systematic biases at lower climate model resolutions. The suitability of substituting one drag parameterization scheme for another is also investigated. It emerges that there is a strong regional dependence of the model error on the drag parameterization scheme employed. High-resolution global and limited area models analysed over the Himalayan Plateau are used as a proxy for the truth. The non-robustness to resolution over this region is attributed to particular components of the orographic drag parameterization scheme and its formulation. It is shown that most of the reduction in short-range forecast error that occurs with increasing resolution is due to a reduction in the parameterized orographic drag, as opposed to the addition of resolved orographic drag. Finally, the impact of the uncertainty in the parameterized orographic drag scheme on the circulation and its response to climate change is investigated. The low-level parameterized orographic drag is found to be beneficial for the modelled stationary wave field over the NH and for the jet latitude in both hemispheres. Over the NH, the amplitude of the stationary wave response to climate change across the experiments is shown to scale with the magnitude of low-level parameterized orographic drag through its influence on the present-day climatological stationary wave amplitudes

The impact of senior management on middle management's experience of integrity

A rise in the number of high-profile cases of management failure and leadership misconduct increased the awareness of one of the core challenges of management, namely to lead responsibly and with integrity. The environment which senior managers create and within which middle managers need to function seems to have a direct bearing on the moral behaviour and integrity of the middle manager. The aim of this research was therefore to gain a better understanding of how middle managers view the impact of senior managers on their experience of integrity. There is an increasing need in organisations for responsible leadership, leadership with integrity and leadership towards developing the integrity of the follower. This study was conducted within the interpretive research paradigm. Sampling was directed by criterion-based guidelines, focusing on current middle managers from different industries in the private sector. In-depth interviews were conducted and the data was analysed using a grounded theory method. The main findings indicated that senior managers should engage in two debates with middle managers in the organisation. Firstly, integrity is not something that is demonstrated but rather means that leaders can be differentiated from other leaders when they lead with integrity. Secondly, defining integrity and linking it to personal standards and values, as well as aligning these standards and values to the organisational strategy, vision and mission, are important. The findings of this study can assist senior managers with decreasing unethical behaviour and increasing integrity in the organisation. The research provided a basic framework that can assist in creating a positive context for the viii relationship between senior managers and middle managers within which to function, in order to decrease unethical employee activity and increase integrity.Industrial and Organisational PsychologyM.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology

Co-constructing integrity: A conceptual framework

Orientation: The use of an integrity framework can positively influence the impact senior management has on middle management’s experience of integrity and subsequently contribute towards creating a positive work environment and establishing healthy relationships between these two groups. Research purpose: The aim of this research is to obtain insights from psychology practitioners about the potential application of, and the value added by, a particular integrity framework within organisations. Motivation for the study: Establishing a positive work environment and organisational culture that upholds integrity and that is conducive to behaviour marked by integrity requires investment into the development of leadership integrity. Utilising an integrity framework will enable psychology practitioners and organisational leadership to create an environment in which healthy relationships can be established between all stakeholders, in particular, between senior and middle managers, allowing integrity to flourish. Research approach/design and method: A hermeneutic, qualitative study was undertaken and convenient sampling was used. Participants included industrial and counselling psychologists. A listening post was convened and the data obtained were analysed using thematic analysis. Main findings: The findings indicate organisations can use the framework effectively by customising it according to their specific needs, organisational strategy, vision and mission. Practical/managerial implication: The framework will enable senior management to influence follower behaviour positively regarding their integrity within the organisation. The framework will assist middle managers in gaining a better understanding of the impact senior management has on their experience of integrity. Contribution/value-add: The study also highlights the important role organisations play in creating and establishing an ethical work climate that will ensure corporate integrity. This will enable organisations to provide value to their corporate stakeholders and to society at large.Industrial and Organisational Psycholog

The role of spirituality as a coping mechanism for South African traffic officers

Traffic officers are faced with many stressful situations, yet each traffic officer might cope differently with these stressors. Spirituality is regarded as an essential defence in stressful situations. Therefore, this article provides a basic framework guiding traffic officers and practitioners, on how spirituality can be used as a coping mechanism when faced with various work-related stressors. An interpretative, qualitative study was conducted utilising purposive sampling in which 10 traffic officers participated in in-depth interviews. In line with the interpretive paradigm, data were analysed using content analysis. The research findings indicate when utilising spirituality to various degrees in their workplace, traffic officers displayed adaptive coping capabilities. Traffic officers associated less spirituality or a lack thereof with weaker coping capability. Furthermore, spirituality in traffic officers is informed by their spiritual or religious foundation, their purpose in work and life, their connection to a spiritual source, and the fruits of spirituality. The coping ability of traffic officers is influenced by their upbringing and background, by stressors in their work environment and by their coping mechanisms. The role of spirituality in the coping of traffic officers culminated in their ability to interpret the meaning of spirituality, and then implementing spirituality as a coping mechanism.Industrial and Organisational Psycholog

Factors influencing managers' attitudes towards performance appraisal

Orientation: Managers often have negative attitudes towards performance appraisal because of its problematic nature, which is influenced by political and social contextual factors. These negative attitudes lead to reduced employee support, inaccurate performance appraisal ratings and, consequently, negative employee perceptions of the performance appraisal process. This state of affairs necessitates a deeper understanding of the factors influencing managers’ attitudes towards performance appraisal. Research purpose: The purpose of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence managers’ attitudes towards performance appraisal. Motivation for the study: Previous research has confirmed the importance of performance appraisals in organisations. However, managers’ dislike of and aversion to performance appraisal impact negatively on the effectiveness of performance appraisal systems and ultimately the development and performance of employees. Research design, approach and method: An interpretivist qualitative study was adopted, utilising naïve sketches and in-depth interviews to collect data from eight managers, purposively selected. The data were analysed by using Tesch’s descriptive data analysis technique. Main findings: This study revealed that performance appraisal is fundamentally an uncomfortable and emotional process for managers, which results in their adopting defensive attitudes. Because of many uncertainties, managers do not always display the ability or readiness to conduct performance appraisals. The organisational context might place the individual manager in a position to distort employee ratings, which in turn negatively influences that manager’s attitude. Practical and managerial implications: This study provides insight into the present-day experience of managers in respect of performance appraisal and highlights the factors that influence their attitudes. Contribution: The insight gained from this research into the factors impacting on the attitude of managers towards performance appraisals can assist organisations to better support and empower such managers to be more effective in their approach when conducting performance appraisals.Industrial and Organisational Psycholog

Risk management as a social defence against anxiety.

Orientation: This article deals with the unconscious role of risk management in an African country. Research purpose: The aim of the study is to describe how risk management unconsciously influences behaviour when doing business in an African country. Motivation for the study: Operational risk management is a rational management imperative. However, this does not take cognisance of the unconscious role of risk management. A systems-psychodynamic perspective might be particularly relevant if the anxiety implied in risk management is not appropriately contained. Awareness of these dynamics may provide an opportunity for addressing them and allow for a more holistic way of managing risk. Research design, approach and method: The researchers conducted the study as a qualitative case study in an African country. They used purposive sampling and analysed the data using qualitative content analysis. Main findings: Viewing risk management from a systems-psychodynamic perspective allowed the researchers to identify the influence of risk management on the behaviour of people. The emerging hypothesis was that, if businesses do not address the anxiety underlying risk management, managing risk becomes a social defence against the anxiety. Practical/managerial implications: Awareness of the anxiety involved in risk management may assist businesses to manage risk in a more realistic way, making provision for, and even capitalising on, the human element. Contributions/value-add: The article provides a systems-psychodynamic, and hence a more complete, perspective of operational risk management when doing business in an African country

Uncertainty in the Representation of Orography in Weather and Climate Models and Implications for Parameterized Drag

The representation of orographic drag remains a major source of uncertainty for numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate models. Its accuracy depends on contributions from both the model grid‐scale orography (GSO) and the subgrid‐scale orography (SSO). Different models use different source orography datasets and different methodologies to derive these orography fields. This study presents the first comparison of orography fields across several operational global NWP models. It also investigates the sensitivity of an orographic drag parameterisation to the inter‐model spread in SSO fields and the resulting implications for representing the northern hemisphere winter circulation in a NWP model. The inter‐model spread in both the GSO and the SSO fields is found to be considerable. This is due to differences in the underlying source dataset employed and in the manner in which this dataset is processed (in particular how it is smoothed and interpolated) to generate the model fields. The sensitivity of parameterised orographic drag to the inter‐model variability in SSO fields is shown to be considerable and dominated by the influence of two SSO fields: the standard deviation and the mean gradient of the SSO. NWP model sensitivity experiments demonstrate that the inter‐model spread in these fields is of first‐order importance to the inter‐model spread in parameterised surface stress, and to current known systematic model biases. The revealed importance of the SSO fields supports careful reconsideration of how these fields are generated, guiding future development of orographic drag parameterisations and re‐evaluation of the resolved impacts of orography on the flow

Observed and Modeled Mountain Waves from the Surface to the Mesosphere Near the Drake Passage

Four state-of-the-science numerical weather prediction (NWP) models were used to perform mountain wave- (MW) resolving hind-casts over the Drake Passage of a 10-day period in 2010 with numerous observed MW cases. The Integrated Forecast System (IFS) and the Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic (ICON) model were run at Δx ≈ 9 and 13 km globally. TheWeather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the Met Office Unified Model (UM) were both configured with a Δx = 3 km regional domain. All domains had tops near 1 Pa (z ≈ 80 km). These deep domains allowed quantitative validation against Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) observations, accounting for observation time, viewing geometry, and radiative transfer. All models reproduced observed middle-atmosphere MWs with remarkable skill. Increased horizontal resolution improved validations. Still, all models underrepresented observed MW amplitudes, even after accounting for model effective resolution and instrument noise, suggesting even at Δx ≈ 3 km resolution, small-scale MWs are under-resolved and/or over-diffused. MWdrag parameterizations are still necessary in NWP models at current operational resolutions of Δx ≈ 10 km. Upper GW sponge layers in the operationally configured models significantly, artificially reduced MW amplitudes in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. In the IFS, parameterized GW drags partly compensated this deficiency, but still, total drags were ≈ 6 time smaller than that resolved at Δx ≈ 3 km. Meridionally propagating MWs significantly enhance zonal drag over the Drake Passage. Interestingly, drag associated with meridional fluxes of zonal momentum (i.e. u'v') were important; not accounting for these terms results in a drag in the wrong direction at and below the polar night jet

COnstraining ORographic Drag Effects (COORDE): A Model Comparison of Resolved and Parametrized Orographic Drag

The parametrization of orographic drag processes is a major source of circulation uncertainty in models. The COnstraining ORographic Drag Effects (COORDE) project makes a coordinated effort to narrow this uncertainty by bringing together the modeling community to: explore the variety of orographic drag parametrizations employed in current operational models; assess the resolution sensitivity of resolved and parametrized orographic drag across models; and to validate the parametrized orographic drag in low-resolution simulations using explicitly resolved orographic drag from high-resolution simulations. Eleven models from eight major modeling centers are used to estimate resolved orographic drag from high-resolution (km-scale) simulations and parametrized orographic drag from low-resolution simulations, typically used for seasonal forecasting (&sim;40&thinsp;km) and climate projections (&sim;100&thinsp;km). In most models, at both seasonal and climate resolutions, the total (resolved plus parametrized) orographic gravity wave drag over land is shown to be underestimated by a considerable amount (up to 50%) over the Northern and Southern Hemisphere and by more than 60% over the Middle East region, with respect to the resolved gravity wave drag estimated from km-scale simulations. The km-scale simulations also provide evidence that the parametrized surface stress and the parametrized low-level orographic drag throughout the troposphere are overestimated in most models over the Middle East region, particularly at climate resolutions. Through this process-based evaluation, COORDE provides model developers new valuable information on the current representation of orographic drag at seasonal and climate resolutions and the vertical partitioning of orographic low-level and gravity wave&nbsp;drag. </div