An explorative study on factors influencing the career success of management employees

ORIENTATION: South African organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of attracting, developing and retaining top talent, especially management employees. RESEARCH PURPOSE: In an attempt to help organisations with retaining talent, this study focused on career success and identified specific factors that influence the career success of managers in the South African work environment. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY: Organisations need to establish favourable organisational conditions and human resource practices to retain their management employees. By identifying influential factors for the career success of managers, this research may help organisations to focus more accurately on their retention strategies for management employees. RESEARCH APPROACH, DESIGN AND METHOD: The present study used a qualitative research design that followed an exploratory approach. A non-probability purposive sample of 24 senior management employees was selected from two financial institutions in South Africa. Qualitative data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews and the verbatim transcriptions were analysed by content analysis. MAIN FINDINGS: Managers identified various factors that impact on their career success. One can distinguish ‘external’ factors (e.g. political and economic climate and business environment) from ‘internal’ factors (e.g. individuals’ personal attributes, skills and education). PRACTICAL,MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: Individuals should focus on the internal contributing factors, whilst organisations should manage the external contributing factors more effectively. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE-ADD: Specific South African factors that influence the career success of managers should be included in future retention strategies. From the findings it is suggested that both the individuals and organisations can implement strategies to ensure career success and thereby help retain the top talent in organisations.The National Research Foundation (NRF) under the reference number TTK20110823000025405.http://www.sajip.co.zaam201

Outlining and discussing various psychological perspectives on career meta-capacities

No abstract available

Exploring subjective career success using the kaleidoscope career model

ORIENTATION: Currently, the workplace consists of four different generations of employees, of which the youngest, Generation Y (Gen Y), will become more prevalent in the next few years. Therefore, attracting and retaining employees of this generation are essential for organisations. RESEARCH PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate how Gen Y IT employees experience career success by using the Kaleidoscope Career Model (KCM) as an interpretive lens. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY: Generation Y remains an understudied cohort with regard to perceptions of career success. Motivated by the potential value of constructing contexts, which promote career success among Gen Y, the KCM was used as a framework for exploring meanings associated with career success among this cohort. RESEARCH APPROACH/ DESIGN AND METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive voluntary sample of 24 Gen Y IT employees. Data were analysed in a two-step process by, firstly, identifying elements associated with the central parameters of the KCM and, secondly, collating these to identify various sub-dimensions of each parameter, to identify associated meanings for subjective career success. MAIN FINDINGS: The findings describe more richly the needs for authenticity (i.e. making a difference or work as an enabler of lifestyle), balance (within time and over time) and challenge (i.e. career success implies growth/turning problems into opportunities or goal attainment as signifier of success) as means to experience career success, specifically expanding the description of balance, where employees try to maintain a work–life balance not only within but also over time (synchronic vs. diachronic balance). PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: The findings have value for management and human resource practitioners with regard to the implementation of employment practices that will enhance perceptions of career success among Gen Y IT employees and the development of a supportive culture which underpin the latter. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE-ADD: This study adds to our knowledge of Gen Y’s perceptions of career success with particular emphasis on authenticity, balance and challenge. It furthermore contributes to career success literature by adding a career development lens to the latter.National Research Foundation (NRF)http://www.sajip.co.za/index.php/sajippm2020Human Resource Managemen

An exploratory study of the interaction between work and personal life: Experiences of South African employees

Orientation: The interaction between work and personal life is an important field of research in the 21st century and of pressing concern for various individuals and organisations internationally and in South Africa. Research purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the interaction between work and personal life and the experiences thereof in the South African context. Motivation of the study: South African employees are faced with various circumstances which could influence the interaction between their work and personal life and which could constitute different/unique experiences regarding this interaction. Research design, approach and method: A non-probability purposive voluntary sample was used. Data collection was done by means of semi-structured in-depth interviews with 92 participants. Content analysis was used to analyse and interpret the research data. Main findings: Four main themes (i.e. the experience of work, experiences and domains in the personal life, interaction between work and personal life, consequences associated with the interaction) were extracted from the data. Participants indicated stressful and supportive aspects in their work as well as additional personal dimensions in their personal life. Interaction between work and various personal dimensions were indicated, as well as consequences associated with different types of interaction. Practical and managerial implications: Individuals experienced interaction between their work and various other personal dimensions, where the forms of interaction were associated with certain consequences (i.e. spillover of emotions, energy depletion). Contribution/value-add: Compared to international findings, unique findings were obtained relating to individuals’ personal life and the consequences associated with the interaction

Psychometric properties, measurement invariance, and construct validity of the subjective career success inventory

DATA AVAILABITY STATEMENT : Data is available upon request from the authors.With the increased scholarly interest in career success measurements, this study investigated the construct validity and measurement invariance of the Subjective Career Success Inventory. A sample of 736 South African employees participated in the study. Latent variable modelling was performed to estimate and sequentially compare several independent cluster models of confirmatory factor analysis (ICM-CFA) (i.e., unidimensional, first-factor, second-factor, and bifactor models). The results supported the construct validity for an eight-dimensional construct with acceptable convergent and discriminant validity. We found measurement invariance across gender. Task performance was related to the eight subjective career success dimensions, providing evidence of nomological validity. KEY POINTS : WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC : (1) The Subjective Career Success Inventory (SCSI) is increasingly being used to measure subjective career success, but studies reporting comprehensive psychometric properties for the SCSI are scarce. (2) Literature indicates various factorial permutations for the instrument, and limited validation studies have been conducted on the SCSI. (3) Although scholars have argued gender gaps in the experiences of career success, a thorough investigation of the SCSI has not been done to corroborate such differences. WHAT THIS TOPIC ADDS : (1) The eight-factor structure of the SCSI was confirmed within the South African context. (2) The SCSI demonstrated invariance between males and females. (3) Task performance was related to the eight SCSI dimensions, providing evidence of nomological validity.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/raup20hj2023Human Resource Managemen

The career identity of young working fathers in dual-earner relationships : a family-relatedness of work decisions perspective

INTRODUCTION : Taking on an identity lens, we explore how young working fathers (in the establishment phase of their careers), experience their careers in the context of their changing family roles (shifting ideologies of fathering). We propose that working fathers’ work experiences, work decisions, and career identity are the product of social and cognitive processes in a dualearner relationship. MATERIALS AND METHODS : This qualitative study was conducted using an interpretive, and qualitative survey. The data was collected amongst a purposive sample of 45 young South African, well-educated, working fathers, using semi-structured interviews, until data saturation was reached. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS : The three main themes extracted from the data were: “the meaning of family identity,” “the impact of family identity on career identity,” and finally, “the types of negotiation scenarios” used by working fathers in dual-earner relationships, and how they balance the work-family challenges they face. CONCLUSION : This study provides strong empirical support for the familyrelatedness of the work decisions perspective, as we highlight the roles of working fathers as indicative of their family identities, and how these then influence their career decisions. Furthermore, our findings shed light on how dual-earner couples negotiate their work-family needs to foster positive work-family outcomes.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychologydm2022Human Resource Managemen

The increased use of information and communication technology (ICT) among employees: Implications for work-life interaction

Technology has become one of society’s everyday functional tools, changing rapidly and providing widespread mobility. In South Africa alone, the number of Internet users grew from 8,5 million to 24,9 million in only three years (2011-2014). Currently, 90 per cent of these users access this facility from their mobile devices. Statistics illustrate that South Africans are moving towards a continuously connected lifestyle, a situation in which information and communication technology (ICT) seems to have become ubiquitous. Given the rapid growth of ITC technology and its absorption into people’s lives (both personally and professionally), the general aim of the present research was to investigate the use of ICT among employees and how it affects their work-life interaction (WLI). The researcher employed a qualitative research approach in accordance with which a sample of 25 employees was interviewed. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and processed by means of thematic analyses. Three themes with corresponding sub-themes were extracted: use of ICT (i.e. in both work and family domains); challenges that ICT use presents; and the way in which employees manage their WLI by means of ICT. The participants experienced WLI as mostly negative. However, they also mentioned two different approaches that helped them manage interaction between their work and family domains. These approaches entail 1) applying limits to their use of ICT, and 2) using ICT to create flexibility. This article advises that organisations should consider adopting ICT to assist their employees in the management of these two domains. This could be done in two ways. First, organisations could implement a code of conduct or provide guidelines for eliminating the intrusive and excessive use of ICT, especially after working hours. Secondly, organisations could pilot or implement flexible working hours and possible telecommuting initiatives

Two decades of qualitative research in psychology, industrial and organisational psychology and human resource management within South Africa : a critical review

ORIENTATION : Qualitative research is marked by phenomenal growth and development over the years. RESEARCH PURPOSE : This article aims to offer insight into the emerging qualitative methodologies used in the fields of Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology and Human Resource Management. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY : The value of qualitative organisational research has been recognised since the 1970s. Regardless of its perceived value, national and international trends show a greater tendency for quantitative research. RESEARCH DESIGN, APPROACH AND METHOD : This article investigates qualitative articles (n = 242) published over two decades in the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology (SAJIP), South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP), and the South African Journal of Human Resource Management (SAJHRM). More specifically, a content analysis was conducted to highlight the trends of paradigms, designs and analysis methods employed in the studies. MAIN FINDINGS : Although there seems to be a slight increase in qualitative publications over the years, qualitative studies show a lower volume than its counterparts. The SAJIP published the least qualitative articles when compared to the SAJP and SAJHRM. There is a pattern of preference for specific paradigms and methods in all the journals. Overall, all the journals carry a large number of articles that do not specifically state their paradigmatic alignment or the designs they used, while some articles omits the methodology used in the studies altogether. PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS : The results indicate a clear need for increased exposure to qualitative methodology, both by publishing more qualitative studies in local journals and by providing formal training opportunities. A publication does not solely rely on authorship, but also on a review process. Therefore certain adjustments in this process may lead to more and better qualitative publications in future. CONTRIBUTIO/VALUE-ADD : This article provides a critical analysis of the current trends and developments in qualitative research conducted in Industrial and Organisational Psychology (IOP) research in South Africa. The study identifies dominant methodologies in use, and thereby identifies possible opportunities to expand the ‘methodological menu’ of IOP research.http://www.sajip.co.za/am2016Human Resource Managemen

Replicating the essentially unidimensional model of the MACE work-to-family enrichment scale : going beyond goodness-of-fit indices

ORIENTATION : Overreliance on goodness-of-fit (GoF) indices in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model fit evaluations appears to negatively influence the integrity and replicability of research findings in general, and on research to develop work-to-family enrichment (WFE) theory in particular. RESEARCH PURPOSE : The purpose of this study was to test for the conceptual replicability of the essentially unidimensional CFA model of the MACE Work-to-Family Enrichment scale (MACE-W2FE) using Bayesian structural equation modelling. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY : Multidimensional and second-order factor models are commonly reported for WFE instruments, but the more tenable essentially unidimensional model has remained largely untested, because of the limitations of GoF indices. RESEARCH APPROACH/DESIGN AND METHOD : Two independent cross-sectional study samples of 627 and 346 employees from various industry sectors was used. Bayesian structural equation modelling (BSEM) was applied to assess whether model misspecifications at local indicator level were substantive in terms of classical test theory, and justified the rejection of an essentially unidimensional CFA model (the breadth factor) for different MACE-W2FE versions. MAIN FINDINGS : In this study it was found that the essentially unidimensional model of the MACE-W2FE conceptually replicated across different studies, samples, MACE-W2FE versions and statistical theorems. PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS : The MACE-W2FE can be univocally scored as a single breadth factor for use in future research. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE-ADD : This study demonstrated the value of local indicator misspecification analysis using BSEM in countering deficient model testing in WFE studies.http://www.sajip.co.zaam2023Human Resource Managemen

Exploring the impact of information and communication technology on employees’ work and personal lives

ORIENTATION : Technology has become part of society’s everyday functioning, changing rapidly and providing widespread mobility. Employees are moving towards a continually connected lifestyle, a situation in which information and communication technology (ICT) seem to have become omnipresent. RESEARCH PURPOSE : The overall objective of this research was to investigate the influence of ICT on employees’ work and personal lives. MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY : The impact of ICT on the work and personal lives of employees has never been researched before, which motivated the current study. RESEARCH APPROACH, DESIGN AND METHOD : A qualitative research design, with a sample of 25 employees, was followed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, and the interviews were recorded, transcribed, and processed through thematic analyses. MAIN FINDINGS : Five themes with sub-themes were extracted: The positive and negative experiences of ICT both within the work and personal lives of employees, the increased expectations brought about by ICT usage, and the role of ICT on relationships. Findings highlighted that although ICT are generally perceived as positive, employees should make a conscious decision in managing their ICT to decrease the negative impact thereof on their work and personal lives. PRACTICAL/MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS : Overall, the general positive experiences of ICT outweigh the negative experiences, and findings almost suggest that as the quantity of communication increased, the quality of conversations decreased. CONTRIBUTION/VALUE ADD : This study provides a holistic understanding of the impact of ICT on the work and personal lives of employees.http://www.sajip.co.za/am2016Human Resource Managemen