Are industries responding differently to the employment equity challenge?

The primary objective of the study was to determine whether the Employment Equity Questionnaire detects significant differences between employment equity practices of companies from different industries in order to assess the discriminant validity of the scale. Samples of convenience from nine different companies representing different industries, constituted a larger sample of 4729. First and second level factor analyses on 41 common items across all nine companies yielded a single scale with an acceptable Alpha coefficient of 0,959. Analysis of variance, followed by post hoc contrast tests, indicated significant differences between some organisations. The discriminant validity of the scale could be established and recommendations for further improvement of the scale were made

An evaluation of response scale formats of the culture assessment instrument.

The aim of the study was to investigate which response scale, of the four, five, or six-point response scales would yield the best metric properties on the Culture Assessment Instrument. This was achieved by utilising data sets where the respective scales were used. The subjects included participants of various organisations, ages, educational levels, language and gender groups. No one scale could be identified as having the better metric properties. The lack of conclusive results is attributed to differences in education, aggregation effect, possibility of different units of measurement being measured and the manner in which Cronbach Alpha is calculated

Female perceptions on employment equity: is the glass ceiling cracking?

The primary objective of this study was to assess if there were any perceptual differences between gender groups regarding employment equity practices. A sample of 4729 participants from different companies and industries completed the Employment Equity Questionnaire. Results from an ANOVA indicated that there were significant differences between gender groups, but only a small portion of the variance was explained by perceptual differences on employment equity practices. The instrument thus possesses some discriminant validity. Further analyses on an item level indicated that there were significant differences between gender groups, but these differences were not attributable to gender stereotypes. Specific employment equity practices were identified that need closer attention from management’s side to address gender discrimination

Job satisfaction in relation to organisational culture.

The aim of this study was to establish whether a relationship existed between the variables job satisfaction and organisational culture of employees within a service organisation. The population comprised of 200 employees of which 40 were excluded from the study due to poor literacy levels. The Culture and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaires were administered to the sample of 160 employees and 121 usable responses were received. High coefficient alphas were obtained on both the Organisational Culture Questionnaire (OCQ)(0,99) and the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (MJSQ) (0,92). Significant differences were found between some biographical variables and responses on the OCQ. A significant relationship was found between scores of the OCQ and the MJSQ. The managerial implications of the findings were further explored in the study

The predictive validity of the APIL-B in a financial institution.

The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive validity of the APIL test battery, designed to identify learning potential. A sample of 235 successful job applicants completed the APIL Battery and the scores obtained were compared with a set of job success ratings provided by their direct managers. The predictive validity and the use of this psychometric device were assessed within the broad context of the provisions of the Employment Equity Act (55 of 1998), and the manner in which the information about an employee is to be used. The findings are generally positive and their implications are discussed below

The relationship between sense of coherence and goal setting.

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the dimensions of Sense of Coherence and Goal Setting. A sample of 80 management consultants participated in the study. Confirmatory reliabilities of the dimensions used in the Goal Setting Questionnaire (independent variable) and Sense of Coherence 29 item Orientation to Life Questionnaire (dependent variable), ranged from 0,54 to 0,97. A canonical correlation of 0,569 (DF = 39; p = 0,021) was obtained between the dimensions of these two questionnaires

Logo-od: the applicability of logotherapy as an organisation development intervention.

The study investigated the relationship between “resistance to or readiness for change” (ROR-change) and “meaning seeking”, and whether a logotherapy-based intervention – Logo-OD – would impact on resistance to change. A quasi-experimental design and various statistical procedures were applied to test formulated hypotheses. Of a survey population of 1 637 individuals, 193 and 76 respondents formed part of the pre- and post-test samples respectively. Whereas a significant relationship was established between said constructs, no significant effect of Logo-OD was observed. These results supported the primary conclusions emanating from the literature: the role of Logo-OD is one of a positive trigger event for organisational change

The perceptions of employment equity and black economic empowerment as predictors of union commitment.

The purpose of the study was to test whether the perceptions of employment equity (EE) and black economic empowerment (BEE) are related to union commitment and whether the perceptions about the mentor’s role significantly mediate this said relationship. The sampling frame for the study constituted 1200 employees of a division of a large public transport organisation and a convenience sample including all 1200 employees yielded 637 fully completed records (a 53% response rate). The results of the study indicate that the perceptions of EE and BEE are significantly related to union commitment, but that perceptions of the mentor’s role do not mediate this relationship. More detailed findings on the study are reported

Offside goals and induced breaches of contract

An analysis of Global Resources Group Ltd v Mackay which explores the possibility of building links between the offside goals rule and nominate delict of inducing breach of contract

High performance organisation : a quantitative inquiry at a specific metropolitan municipality in the Gauteng province

Since the dawn of the new democracy in South Africa, the media has been fraught with episodes of dissatisfaction among stakeholders about the service delivery record of municipalities. The aim of this study is, therefore, to explore employees’ experiences and perceptions, particularly at the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, regarding the service delivery performance of this municipality. The study was particularly motivated by the apparent lack of a scientifically tested intellectual tool to assist municipalities in improving service provision to residents. A quantitative research design was adopted to ensure uniformity and consistency of the data gathering and analysis processes. To this end, a population of 800 participants was targeted and at least 474 participants responded, thus, registering a response rate of 59%. The main findings of this study was the High Performance Organisational Culture model applicable to local government, whose factors yielded Cronbach Alpha coefficients of between 0.703 and 0.964. The managerial implication of the results of the study is a potential to equip the decision makers in the municipal sector with an empirically tested tool to assist the municipalities to ascend to a high performance status and thus, improve the quality of life of residents. The study is poised to provide a useful framework for policy formulation on high performance in the municipal sector