Toxic leadership, social support and individual and organisational outcomes

A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Psychology by Coursework and Research Report in the field of Organisational Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg on 15 March 2018Growing numbers of studies point to the negative impact and stress of Toxic Leadership (TL) on employees, both in their personal and work wellbeing. Such negatives include high levels of stress, reduced self-esteem and increases in alcohol and drug abuse. TL has also been found to reduce job satisfaction, organisational commitment behaviour and organisational citizenship behaviours. In addition, TL has been thought to result in severe health outcomes including; post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation and extreme forms of physical illness such as cancer and heart attacks. This South African study, based on a sample of 258 employees working across a wide range of industries, was conducted to explore Toxic Leadership and its effect on three dependant/outcomes variables. These outcome variables included Voluntary Turnover Intention, Work Engagement and Organisational Commitment Behaviour. In addition, Social Support and its role as a moderator was investigated. Consenting participants filled out six questionnaires namely; a Self-Developed Demographic Questionnaire, Schmidt’s Toxic Leadership scale (2008), Kantor’s (2013) Voluntary Turnover Intention (VTI) Scale, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Mowday, Steers & Porter (1979) Organisational Commitment Behaviour Questionnaire (OCQ) and Procidano and Heller’s (1983) Perceived Social Support Scale (PSI) (Adapted version). The results of the study indicated that Toxic Leadership was significantly correlated to the outcome variables. The simple regression also showed that Toxic Leadership raised levels of Voluntary Turnover Intention and lowered levels of Work Engagement, Organisational Commitment Behaviour and Social Support. While Social Support was directly related to the three dependant/outcomes variables with it having a positive effect on Work Engagement and Organisational Commitment Behaviour and decreasing levels of Voluntary Turnover Intention within the regressions. However, within the moderated multiple regressions, Toxic leadership relationship with Social Support actually had an inverse effect on the outcome variables. This is because instead of improving levels of Voluntary Turnover Intention, Work Engagement and Organisational Commitment Behaviour, it made negative effects of Toxic Leadership even worse. Some possible reasons for this was argued in this research. Finally, in addition to these findings, limitations and further contributions for future research into Toxic Leadership was also discussed.MT 201

Public trust and genomic medicine in Canada and the UK.

Background: Genomic medicine could improve precise risk stratification, early prevention, and personalised treatment across a broad spectrum of disease. As this reality approaches, questions on the importance of public trust arise. The success of genomic medicine initiatives is influenced by the public's trust and willingness to engage. Specific social actors influential in the public's trust have been identified by the "Your DNA, Your Say" study, including doctors, researchers, and governments. This paper aims to identify and examine which specific social actors, if any, in Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) are the most trustworthy and influential to engage the public in genomic medicine research. Methods: Using data from the 'Your DNA, Your Say' study, logistic regression models and Pearson's chi-square tests were conducted to explore trust in social actors across Canada and the UK. Results: The results demonstrate Canada and the UK significantly differ in public trust and willingness to donate. Non-profit researchers, domestic doctors, and personal doctors were identified to be the most influential and trustworthy social actors in Canada and the UK. Conclusions: The comparative results indicate that both countries would benefit from engaging the public through doctors and non-profit researchers. The UK could additionally support public trust by engaging with the public through the National Health Service. However, the results suggest that whilst public trust is significant, it may be neither necessary nor sufficient in influencing willingness to donate. Future research could do well to investigate how the importance of public trust compares in countries with lower public trust

The myth of masculinity in Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy

This thesis sees Cormac McCarthy’s Border Trilogy as a celebration of the nostalgia and romance characteristic of the Western and the attendant mythologies of masculinity that the genre implies. My argument runs counter to readings of McCarthy’s texts that view them as revising or querying the mythologies of American culture, such as the argument laid out by John Cant. The initiation process undertaken by the two protagonists in the trilogy is compared to the story of Iron John by Robert Bly. The narratives of both are seen as reactions against feminism, and as being involved in the process of remythifying a male coming-of-age story. In relation to this I will discuss John Grady Cole’s role as an embodiment of the mythical cowboy hero. My analysis then interrogates the dearth of female characters in the Border Trilogy, and uncovers some problematic roles for the females that do feature in the books. I go on to identify certain films that have resonances with McCarthy’s fiction. These occur both thematically in their approach to the ‘damsel in distress’ motif, as seen in The Searchers and Cities of the Plain, and with the representations of Mexico seen in The Wild Bunch and the Border Trilogy. Although it is tempting to read the Border Trilogy as a mythoclastic work, it relies on certain Western conventions and finally celebrates rather than queries the mythologies of American culture, and specifically the mythologies of masculinity

The design and implementation of an acoustic phased array transmitter for the demonstration of MIMO techniques

MIMO radar algorithms are the latest generation of techniques that can be applied to array radars. They offer the potential to improve the radar resolution, increase the number of targets that can be identified and give added flexibility in beampattern design. However, little experimental data demonstrating MIMO radar is available because radar arrays are already expensive systems and MIMO extends the com- plexity and cost further. An acoustic array, which works on the same principles as a radio frequency radar array, can be built at a fraction of the cost of a real radar system. The novel contribution of this project was the demonstration ofMIMO radar techniques on an acoustic array, which was designed and built for this purpose. To achieve the project objectives, the theory of traditional phased array radar techniques and MIMO techniques was researched. The phased array and MIMO techniques were also simulated under narrowband and wideband conditions, and the strengths and weaknesses of each were highlighted. This was followed by the design and implementation of a low cost audible acoustic transmitter array to be used with an existing receiver array to demonstrate the investigated array radar techniques. Finally, the techniques were tested on the hardware platform. The simulation and hardware test results were used to evaluate and compare the performance of phased array and MIMO radar techniques. The beampattern design flexibility that is offered by MIMO radar was demonstrated with the transmission and measurement of omnidirectional, single-lobed and multi-lobed MIMO beampat- terns. Also, parameter estimation experiments were performed where phased array and MIMO radar signals were transmitted. Phased array techniques were shown to be simple, effective and robust. The MIMO Capon, APES and GLRT parameter estimation techniques were shown to be sensitive to the type of signals transmitted, and in most cases, the added complexity of these techniques did not lead to improved target parameter estimation results. However, the MIMO technique of transmitter beamforming on reception gave high resolution target range and angle estimates, living up to the expectations placed on MIMO radar

Hereditarily Just Infinite Profinite Groups that are Not Virtually Pro-p

A profinite group G is just infinite if it is infinite and every non- trivial closed normal subgroup of G is open, and hereditarily just infinite if every open subgroup is just infinite. Hereditarily just infinite profinite groups that are not virtually pro-p were first described by J. S. Wilson, in his recent paper 'Large hereditarily just infinite groups', in 2010. These profinite groups are inverse limits of finite groups that arc iterated wreath products. The iterated wreath products are constructed from finite non-abelian simple groups, using two types of transitive actions; one of which is specified and the other is left unspecified.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Regional Platform for Health and Wellbeing pilot study: provision of online weight management support via the workplace

Introduction The workplace presents an opportunity for improving health and wellbeing, including supporting employees with their weight management. The East Midlands Platform for Health and Wellbeing is a unique regional network of private, public and voluntary sector organisations working to improve health and reduce obesity. Member organisations commit to actions that improve the health and wellbeing of employees, individuals and/or communities. As part of Slimming World’s commitment to the platform, and building on a previous workplace group-based weight management study (Lavin et al, 2013), this pilot assessed the merits of providing online weight management support via the workplace at a large regional employer. Methods 73 Nottingham City Council employees were offered 12 weeks’ weight management support with Slimming World’s online programme. The programme allows unlimited access to behaviour change support around diet and physical activity and requests a once weekly weigh-in. Weight change was self-reported weekly using Slimming World calibrated scales placed within each worksite. Dietary and physical activity behaviours, along with aspects of psychological wellbeing were assessed by questionnaires pre-and post-programme. Results 57 participants (meeting inclusion criteria) took part in the trial and were included within the analysis. 16 employees were excluded from the analysis due to; non completion of baseline questionnaire, not being able/did not wish to join the online programme, requesting to be removed, or because they did not submit any weight changes. Weight change and online participation: Mean (SD) joining BMI was 35.3 (5.9) kg/m2. 44 participants (77%) were classed as completing the programme (logged into the online programme and submitted at least 1 weight change within the final 4 weeks). Conclusion Providing online weight management support via the workplace resulted in individuals achieving significant weight loss (-3.9%). Those who completed the programme and both pre-and postprogramme questionnaires showed positive changes in behavioural outcomes, including healthy eating and physical activity habits, and psychological wellbeing, which may impact on working life. These results suggest that the Slimming World online weight management programme could be a practical option within workplace health and wellbeing programmes