http://hdl.handle.net/10500/2590 2013-05-19T11:24:08Z 2013-05-19T11:24:08Z Coetzee, M. Bezuidenhout, M. http://hdl.handle.net/10500/8501 2013-01-05T22:00:05Z 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

The fairness of affirmative action : in the eye of the beholder Coetzee, M.; Bezuidenhout, M. The purpose of this study was to identify the major components of affi rmative action (AA) fairness from an organisational justice point of view and to measure the perceptions of employees on AA fairness. 9A literature study and an empirical study were conducted. A questionnaire was developed to collect information on respondents’ biographical details and their perceptions of the fairness of AA. 10Using SPSS, principal axis factor analysis was performed on the data, with a Varimax rotation, in order to uncover the diff erent factors related to affi rmative action fairness. Four factors with latent roots greater than unity (Kaiser’s criteria) were extracted from the factor matrix of affi rmative action. The factors postulating affi rmative action fairness included interactional justice, procedural justice (input), procedural justice (criteria) and distributive justice. 11The infl uence and eff ect of the biographical variables on fairness perceptions were determined by comparing the responses of various employee subsets with one another by means of univariate and multivariate analysis of variance. The results of the t-tests revealed that staff category and ethnicity have a statistically signifi cant eff ect on employees’ perceptions of the distributive justice of AA. Decisions such as granting AA employees token positions, paying unrealistically high salaries to AA managers and appointing lessqualifi ed AA employees play a key role when employees form perceptions of the fairness of AA.

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/5887 2012-06-30T22:00:19Z 2011-10-07T00:00:00Z

Engaging employees for improved retention at a higher education institution in South Africa Engaging and retaining valuable, skilled employees is a major challenge faced by South African universities. The main aim of this study being reported here was to measure the levels of engagement of staff at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and to determine whether labour turnover can be contained through effective engagement strategies. The methodology followed included a quantitative-descriptive survey distributed to 200 employees representing both academic and administrative departments at TUT. A 58% response rate was obtained. The main findings in terms of engagement levels were that the majority of the staff knew what was expected from them, felt their jobs were important and believed that they had the opportunity to employ their skills daily. A lack of feedback regarding progress and an absence of recognition of excellence, manifested as a concern for employees. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on employee engagement and turnover by providing line managers and human resources practitioners with insight into the specific workplace practices that will have a positive effect on the engagement levels of the entire staff component at TUT. Interventions that will address the existing shortcomings can be designed based on the findings of this study.

2011-10-07T00:00:00Z Bezuidenhout, Adele http://hdl.handle.net/10500/5885 2012-06-30T22:00:32Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Burnout, engagement and sense of coherence in female academics at two universities in South Africa Bezuidenhout, Adele rientation: Female academics in higher-education institutions face numerous challenges in the continuously changing landscape of South African higher education. Mergers, increasing job demands, ever-increasing class sizes and role conflict inherent in the female role contribute extensively to the manifestation of stress and burnout in this population group. Research purpose: This research was conducted from a salutogenic paradigm, seeking to find ways of avoiding the negative consequences of burnout and contributing towards the positive experience of work engagement for the female academic. The research also explored the effect of the individual academic’s sense of coherence (SOC) on her experience of burnout and work engagement. Research design, approach and method: The research was quantitative in nature. A psychometric instrument was sent to all the permanently employed female academics at Unisa and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), measuring their levels of burnout, work engagement and SOC. The completed questionnaires were statistically analysed. Main findings: The findings included average levels of burnout, with definite signs that the experience of burnout is on the increase. The cynicism sub-dimension of burnout showed increased levels, work engagement scores were just above average and SOC scores were low. Practical/managerial implications: This article offers a psychological interpretation of the variables in the target group. The article contributes towards the body of research studies conducted from a positive psychological paradigm and, specifically, on the female gender. Contribution/value-add: The main recommendations are that university management needs to take cognisance of the alarming symptoms of burnout present in the population under discussion. Strategies are recommended to address these and to nurture work engagement.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Bezuidenhout, Adele Schultz, Cecile Du Plooy, Ilze http://hdl.handle.net/10500/5884 2012-06-30T22:00:32Z 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z

Investigating the impact of a Christian-based life skills training programme: Perceptions of unemployed people Bezuidenhout, Adele; Schultz, Cecile; Du Plooy, Ilze

2012-01-01T00:00:00Z