Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Occupational role performance'

Research into rehabilitation outcomes shows that people recovering from stroke experience serious role loss. Despite this, many occupational therapists working in the area of stroke rehabilitation do not allocate time to therapy designed to achieve specific meaningful role resumption or development for their clients, instead focussing most of their therapy upon the restoration of function at the performance component level (Brodie, Holm, & Tomlin, 1994). Occupational role performance is an area of knowledge that has been neglected within the profession. Little is known about the use of the concept by the role performer. A naturalistic study was undertaken to provide descriptive information about the self-perceived occupational role performance of men over 65 who have had a stroke, and to investigate the possibility that occupational role was a construct used by the participants to organise their occupational performance (Chapparo and Ranka, 1997). Thirteen participants were interviewed in their own homes. Inductive analysis of the data produced the following findings. There was evidence that participants did use role as a construct to organise role performance in terms of meaning, personal abilities and time. This organisation incorporated a large degree of choice about how roles were performed. Choices were made in relation to perceptions of environmental demands and informed by previous experience and personal standards for role performance. A preliminary model of self-perceived occupational role performance was developed from the themes identified in the data. The constructs of the model represent the factors identified as contributing to the meaning, motivation, planning and performance of occupational roles by the participants in the study. Each major construct has a number of sub-constructs, and construct definitions were produced. The relationship between the constructs is thought to be complex, and were considered beyond the scope of this descriptive study. The three major constructs of this model are Active Engagement, Personal Meaning and Perceived Control. The three constructs relate to doing, knowing and being as described in the Occupational Performance Model (Australia) (Chapparo and Ranka, 1997). Active Engagement describes the nature of occupational role performance and is principally related to doing. The construct of Personal Meaning strongly influences Active Engagement and is principally related to being. The last construct of Perceived Control relates to the reasoning of the participant about his role performance, and is principally related to knowing. Perceived Control informs Personal Meaning in terms of the perceived outcomes of Active Engagement. The major outcome of this study has been the detailed identification and description of a number of constructs that relate to both the internal and external aspects of self-perceived occupational role performance for the study participants. These constructs extend the Occupational Performance Model (Australia) (Chapparo and Ranka, 1997) at the role level, and can form the basis of further research to develop a model of occupational role performance that would provide a valuable tool for research and for clinical practice.

Employee injury rates in U.S. land-based operations in the energy industry are 2 to 3 times higher relative to other regions in the world. Although a rich literature exists on drivers of safety performance, no previous studies investigated factors influencing this elevated rate. Leadership has been identified as a key contributor to safety outcomes and this grounded theory study drew upon the full range leadership model, situational leadership, and leader-member exchange theories for the conceptual framework. Leadership aspects influencing safety performance were investigated through guided interviews of 27 study participants; data analyses included open and axial coding, and constant comparisons identified higher-level categories. Selective coding integrated categories into the theoretical framework that developed the idealized, transformational leader traits motivating safe behaviors of leading by example, expressing care and concern for employees' well-being, celebrating successes, and communicating the importance of safety (other elements included visibility and commitment). Employee and supervisor participants reported similar views on the idealized leader traits, but low levels of these qualities may be driving elevated injury rates. Identifying these key elements provides the foundation to creating strategies and action plans enabling energy sector companies to prevent employee injuries and fatalities in an industry where tens of thousands of employees are subjected to significant hazards and elevated risks. Creating safer workplaces for U.S. employees by enhancing leaders' skills, building knowledge, and improving behaviors will improve the employees' and their families' lives by reducing the pain and suffering resulting from injuries and fatalities.

People with a chronic illness, such as Parkinson’s disease, often live in the community for many years while the illness becomes progressively more debilitating. Little is known about how such people control the impact the disease has upon their various roles in life. This study employed naturalistic qualitative research methods to investigate how people with Parkinson’s disease and their partners continue to actively participate as members of their social community. Using in-depth semi-structured, focused interviews, participants with Parkinson’s disease and their partners were asked to name and describe roles that occupied their daily activity. They were asked about their most significant occupational roles, what they did in these roles, the knowledge or strategies they employed to deal with barriers to occupational role performance, and the personal meaning such roles held. Four basic themes evolved from the data: the impact of the disease on occupational role performance, or ‘doing’, secondary personal limitations to occupational role performance, secondary social limitations to occupational role performance and cumulative barriers to occupational role performance. Loss of control over choice and manner of engagement in occupational roles was a significant element of all four themes. Sense of self and sense of social fit were identified as major elements that informed participants’ perceptions of control. Participants described a range of diverse responses that they used to actively restore personal control of occupational performance in the face of degenerative illness. Learning new coping styles appeared to be underpinned by a personal set of rules or ‘blueprint’, despite professional input. This blueprint was actualised through a problem identification, problem solving and active engagement cycle that was termed a cycle of control. A conceptual model of a cycle of control was proposed as the final stage of the research. The model represented a way of describing how participants acted to restore a sense of personal control once a specific barrier to occupational role performance had been perceived. The findings of this study support the notion that people with chronic illness, such as Parkinson’s disease, are active and knowledgeable participants in health care, and have occupational histories and experiences that they harness when dealing with barriers to performance. Moreover, the findings demonstrate that people with chronic illness work in tandem with significant role partners to constantly maintain the valued partnership in meaningful occupational roles as the disease progresses. A greater understanding of how people with chronic illness and their partners strive to maintain a sense of personal control can enable occupational therapists to work effectively as ancillary partners in care. A greater understanding of the way in which role partners work together to maintain occupational integrity in their lives would be central to assessment and intervention for community programs for people with chronic illness.

Countries seek to control exposure to hazardous substances and environments by the enactment of legislation. In the past thirty years, two major different approaches to occupational health and safety legislation have been devleoped by countries around the world. The performance-based legislative approach has been linked with the emergence of occupational health and safety management systems but no research has previously been done to determine whether or not the legislative approach taken by government influences the introduction or form of occupational health and safety management systems used by organisations. Similarly, although the reasons why Australia and other countries have moved to performance-based legislation have been explained in terms of social, political and economic factors that influenced the change, little research has been done on the effectiveness of this approach compared with the prescriptive approach of countries such as Korea. -I- The overall aim of this research is to develop a conprehensive understanding of the management of expusre to heavy metals in selected industries in Korea and Australia. The specific objectives of the study are to determine: The effectiveness of heavy metal exposure management in the fluorescent lamp manufacturing industry in Korea, and an Oral Health Service, and lead-risk workplaces in Queensland, Australia; The management of the legislative arrangements for health surveillance in Korea and Queensland, Australia; The characteristics of the occupational health and safety management systems that are in use in the heavy metal industries in Korea in Australia; and The effectiveness of prescriptive and performance based legislative systems in protecting the health and safety of workers in heavy metal based industries. Secondary analysis of biological monitoring data from 6 fluorescent lamp manufacturing companies (8 workplaces) in Korea was used to examine the extent of mercury exposure and the effectiveness of the health surveillance system in that country. A survey of dental workers in an oral health service in Queensland provided data on the extent of mercury exposure to the workforce and workers' attitudes to the management of occupational risks. The efficiency of the lead health surveillance in Queensland was examined by way of a questionnaire survey of lead designated doctors in the state. A survey of registered lead-risk companies and the oral health servies in Queensland, and 5 of the fluorescent lamp manufacturing companies in Korea provided data on the occupational health and safety management systems in place in these organisations. The health surveillance system for mercury exposed workers in Korea was found to have reduced the incidence of workers with biological levels of mercury above the Baseline Level from 14% in 1994 to 7% in 1999. Bilogical testing of dental workers in Queensland discovered no workers with biological levels of mercury approaching the Baseline Level and air monitoring failed to locate any areas where workers were likely to be exposed to levels approaching the Workplace Exposure Standard. The staff of the Oral Health Service were generally aware of the occupational health and safety management systems in place but only 43% felt that mercury management in the workplace effectively prevented exposure. The lead surveillance system in Queensland was found to be inadequately managed with approximately 37% of registered doctors no longer practicing in the field and their being no way for the government to collect reliable data on the extent of lead exposure in workplaces. The occupational health and safety management systems in the companies surveyed in Queensland and Korea were found to be influenced by the legislative arrangements in place in each of the locations. The Korean systems were more geared to meeting the regulatory requirements whereas the Queensland systems were geared more towards a risk management approach. However substantial differences were also noted depending on the size of the organisation in each case. Legislative arrangements in Korea and Queensland were found to provide reasonable protection from heavy metal exposure to workers however improvements in both systems are needed. The legislation was also found to influence the occupational health and safety management systems in place with performance-based legislation producing systems having a wide risk management focus while a narrower regulatory based focus was noted in Korea where more prescriptive legislation is in force. A confounding factor in the nature of the occupational health and safety management system in place is the size of the organisation and particular attention needs to be paid to this when legislative approaches are considered.

Countries seek to control exposure to hazardous substances and environments by the enactment of legislation. In the past thirty years, two major different approaches to occupational health and safety legislation have been devleoped by countries around the world. The performance-based legislative approach has been linked with the emergence of occupational health and safety management systems but no research has previously been done to determine whether or not the legislative approach taken by government influences the introduction or form of occupational health and safety management systems used by organisations. Similarly, although the reasons why Australia and other countries have moved to performance-based legislation have been explained in terms of social, political and economic factors that influenced the change, little research has been done on the effectiveness of this approach compared with the prescriptive approach of countries such as Korea. -I- The overall aim of this research is to develop a conprehensive understanding of the management of expusre to heavy metals in selected industries in Korea and Australia. The specific objectives of the study are to determine: The effectiveness of heavy metal exposure management in the fluorescent lamp manufacturing industry in Korea, and an Oral Health Service, and lead-risk workplaces in Queensland, Australia; The management of the legislative arrangements for health surveillance in Korea and Queensland, Australia; The characteristics of the occupational health and safety management systems that are in use in the heavy metal industries in Korea in Australia; and The effectiveness of prescriptive and performance based legislative systems in protecting the health and safety of workers in heavy metal based industries. Secondary analysis of biological monitoring data from 6 fluorescent lamp manufacturing companies (8 workplaces) in Korea was used to examine the extent of mercury exposure and the effectiveness of the health surveillance system in that country. A survey of dental workers in an oral health service in Queensland provided data on the extent of mercury exposure to the workforce and workers' attitudes to the management of occupational risks. The efficiency of the lead health surveillance in Queensland was examined by way of a questionnaire survey of lead designated doctors in the state. A survey of registered lead-risk companies and the oral health servies in Queensland, and 5 of the fluorescent lamp manufacturing companies in Korea provided data on the occupational health and safety management systems in place in these organisations. The health surveillance system for mercury exposed workers in Korea was found to have reduced the incidence of workers with biological levels of mercury above the Baseline Level from 14% in 1994 to 7% in 1999. Bilogical testing of dental workers in Queensland discovered no workers with biological levels of mercury approaching the Baseline Level and air monitoring failed to locate any areas where workers were likely to be exposed to levels approaching the Workplace Exposure Standard. The staff of the Oral Health Service were generally aware of the occupational health and safety management systems in place but only 43% felt that mercury management in the workplace effectively prevented exposure. The lead surveillance system in Queensland was found to be inadequately managed with approximately 37% of registered doctors no longer practicing in the field and their being no way for the government to collect reliable data on the extent of lead exposure in workplaces. The occupational health and safety management systems in the companies surveyed in Queensland and Korea were found to be influenced by the legislative arrangements in place in each of the locations. The Korean systems were more geared to meeting the regulatory requirements whereas the Queensland systems were geared more towards a risk management approach. However substantial differences were also noted depending on the size of the organisation in each case. Legislative arrangements in Korea and Queensland were found to provide reasonable protection from heavy metal exposure to workers however improvements in both systems are needed. The legislation was also found to influence the occupational health and safety management systems in place with performance-based legislation producing systems having a wide risk management focus while a narrower regulatory based focus was noted in Korea where more prescriptive legislation is in force. A confounding factor in the nature of the occupational health and safety management system in place is the size of the organisation and particular attention needs to be paid to this when legislative approaches are considered.

Dissertation (Ph. D.)--University of Akron, Dept. of Psychology, 2009.
"August, 2009." Title from electronic dissertation title page (viewed 9/2/2009) Advisor, Rosalie J. Hall; Committee members, Steven R. Ash, James M. Diefendorff, Paul E. Levy, Robert G. Lord; Department Chair, Paul E. Levy; Dean of the College, Chand Midha; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

This study examines the relationship between gender roles and habitus in service industry occupations. It draws primarily from the works of Pierre Bourdieu and Judith Butler. Data includes an exploratory focus group, non-participant observations and interviews with women currently or formerly employed as bartenders, bar backs, servers, or hostesses. The main themes that emerged included how habitus is affected by views of employment, drug and alcohol use, the naturalization of gender roles, and the effect of appearance standards. This study supports previous feminist works that posit that gender as a performance, not a biological trait. Further this performance is used to navigate specific social experiences such as those in a workplace. This paper also comments on current enforcement of Title VII with reference to gender discrimination.

Master of Applied Science
Research into rehabilitation outcomes shows that people recovering from stroke experience serious role loss. Despite this, many occupational therapists working in the area of stroke rehabilitation do not allocate time to therapy designed to achieve specific meaningful role resumption or development for their clients, instead focussing most of their therapy upon the restoration of function at the performance component level (Brodie, Holm, & Tomlin, 1994). Occupational role performance is an area of knowledge that has been neglected within the profession. Little is known about the use of the concept by the role performer. A naturalistic study was undertaken to provide descriptive information about the self-perceived occupational role performance of men over 65 who have had a stroke, and to investigate the possibility that occupational role was a construct used by the participants to organise their occupational performance (Chapparo and Ranka, 1997). Thirteen participants were interviewed in their own homes. Inductive analysis of the data produced the following findings. There was evidence that participants did use role as a construct to organise role performance in terms of meaning, personal abilities and time. This organisation incorporated a large degree of choice about how roles were performed. Choices were made in relation to perceptions of environmental demands and informed by previous experience and personal standards for role performance. A preliminary model of self-perceived occupational role performance was developed from the themes identified in the data. The constructs of the model represent the factors identified as contributing to the meaning, motivation, planning and performance of occupational roles by the participants in the study. Each major construct has a number of sub-constructs, and construct definitions were produced. The relationship between the constructs is thought to be complex, and were considered beyond the scope of this descriptive study. The three major constructs of this model are Active Engagement, Personal Meaning and Perceived Control. The three constructs relate to doing, knowing and being as described in the Occupational Performance Model (Australia) (Chapparo and Ranka, 1997). Active Engagement describes the nature of occupational role performance and is principally related to doing. The construct of Personal Meaning strongly influences Active Engagement and is principally related to being. The last construct of Perceived Control relates to the reasoning of the participant about his role performance, and is principally related to knowing. Perceived Control informs Personal Meaning in terms of the perceived outcomes of Active Engagement. The major outcome of this study has been the detailed identification and description of a number of constructs that relate to both the internal and external aspects of self-perceived occupational role performance for the study participants. These constructs extend the Occupational Performance Model (Australia) (Chapparo and Ranka, 1997) at the role level, and can form the basis of further research to develop a model of occupational role performance that would provide a valuable tool for research and for clinical practice.

Thesis (M.S.)--State University of New York at Buffalo, 2005.
Title from PDF title page (viewed on May. 03, 2006) Available through UMI ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Thesis adviser: Nochajski, Susan M. Includes bibliographical references.

Mental health in the military continues to be an epidemic and results in mental health issues, social isolation, deprivation, and alienation from roles and occupations. The social stigmas military personnel experience is linked to significant barriers to acquiring the necessary help for military personnel. The common concerns regarding seeking help for military personnel were being perceived as weak, being treated differently by unit leadership, personal perception of stigma, lack of education and members having less confidence in the individual (Gould, Greenberg, & Hetherton, 2007). The lack of preventative care for military personnel and barriers to seeking help, has resulted in decreased occupational performance and decreased quality of life for military personnel. Therefore, the implementation of preventative and early intervention techniques using occupational therapy approaches aims to address mental illness in the military and improve overall quality of life using effective intervention methods. This dissertation aims to identify gaps in practice, assess problem areas, and effectively demonstrates the role of occupational therapy in improving mental illness in the military.

PhD
People with a chronic illness, such as Parkinson’s disease, often live in the community for many years while the illness becomes progressively more debilitating. Little is known about how such people control the impact the disease has upon their various roles in life. This study employed naturalistic qualitative research methods to investigate how people with Parkinson’s disease and their partners continue to actively participate as members of their social community. Using in-depth semi-structured, focused interviews, participants with Parkinson’s disease and their partners were asked to name and describe roles that occupied their daily activity. They were asked about their most significant occupational roles, what they did in these roles, the knowledge or strategies they employed to deal with barriers to occupational role performance, and the personal meaning such roles held. Four basic themes evolved from the data: the impact of the disease on occupational role performance, or ‘doing’, secondary personal limitations to occupational role performance, secondary social limitations to occupational role performance and cumulative barriers to occupational role performance. Loss of control over choice and manner of engagement in occupational roles was a significant element of all four themes. Sense of self and sense of social fit were identified as major elements that informed participants’ perceptions of control. Participants described a range of diverse responses that they used to actively restore personal control of occupational performance in the face of degenerative illness. Learning new coping styles appeared to be underpinned by a personal set of rules or ‘blueprint’, despite professional input. This blueprint was actualised through a problem identification, problem solving and active engagement cycle that was termed a cycle of control. A conceptual model of a cycle of control was proposed as the final stage of the research. The model represented a way of describing how participants acted to restore a sense of personal control once a specific barrier to occupational role performance had been perceived. The findings of this study support the notion that people with chronic illness, such as Parkinson’s disease, are active and knowledgeable participants in health care, and have occupational histories and experiences that they harness when dealing with barriers to performance. Moreover, the findings demonstrate that people with chronic illness work in tandem with significant role partners to constantly maintain the valued partnership in meaningful occupational roles as the disease progresses. A greater understanding of how people with chronic illness and their partners strive to maintain a sense of personal control can enable occupational therapists to work effectively as ancillary partners in care. A greater understanding of the way in which role partners work together to maintain occupational integrity in their lives would be central to assessment and intervention for community programs for people with chronic illness.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: B, page: 1378. Adviser: Ying-Yi Hong. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-66) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) supports the expansion of Occupational Therapy (OT) in primary care (PC), including specialty areas like Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB/GYN) (AOTA Commission of Education, 2017). The American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ACOG) recommends that physicians utilize an interdisciplinary team to address obesity (ACOG, 2016). However, OT’s role in OB/GYN is undefined and both disciplines are unaware of this role. The hope of this project is to facilitate the integration of OT services into OB/GYN PC teams by defining a role for OTs, increasing OTs’ awareness of this role, and contributing to the tools for OTs in OB/GYN PC. A webinar will be used to increase OT’s awareness because of their convenience, interactivity, and efficacy to increase OT’s knowledge and confidence on a subject (Pittman & Lawdis, 2017).The Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) framework is used to understand the healthcare need. There is an increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity and low rate of physical activity (PA) in women of reproductive age (WRA, 19-39 years) (Flegal, Kruszon-Moran, Carroll, Fryar, & Ogden, 2016; Melton, Bland, Marshall & Bigham, 2016). Therefore, WRA are limited in their performance of health management and maintenance tasks that influence obesity (AOTA, 2014). This is a public health concern because women with obesity and little PA have an increased chance of developing other chronic conditions, having a child with neurodevelopmental conditions and obesity, also social stigma and limited performance of life tasks (Mitchell & Saw, 2015;Saliman Reingold, Jordan, & Amini, 2013). This population relies on OB/GYNs for their PC (Stormo, Mona, Hing, Henderson, & Sawa, 2014). However, OB/GYNs do not routinely treat obesity because of self-reported barriers including lack of time/training and social/weight bias (Lindheim et al., 2017; Smith et al., 2015). Also, OT’s—who are distinctly qualified to address health management and maintenance—are not utilized in OB/GYN PC because of both profession’s decreased awareness of OT’s role. This project proposes that OTs have a distinct role in OB/GYN PC teams by supporting physicians in treating obesity using a context and occupation-based approach, not currently utilized, which impacts WRA and future generations.
2019-10-23T00:00:00Z

Historically, the majority of South African people, particularly Blacks, were denied access to free, compulsory basic education. This means that many citizens did not have access to education that would provide them with the skills necessary for quality work performance. Various arguments in this study imply that work performance is linked to the skills employees have in the work they do. The previous Bantu education system failed to produce people with the necessary skills for the economy of the country. To compensate for this situation the present South African government introduced the Skills Development Act and Skills Levies Act which intended to provide the unskilled workforce with an opportunity to be trained and acquire skills. This is an investment in people through skills development, which is aimed at the improved work performance of the country's workforce. The study aims to: • Determine the impact of skills development programmes on employees' work performance; • Determine whether the skills learned are actually applied in practice; • Assess the general performance of a company through skills development of its workforce; and ••• Determine how accessible skills development programmes are to employees in this company. The research sample comprised ten facilitators, 15 employees and one employer. The data collected from the sample attempted to answer the following research questions: => What impact will skills development programmes have on employees' work performance? => What evidence there is that skills learned are actually applied in practice? => How the company performs in general when the workforce has undergone skills development programmes? => Whether the skills development programmes are accessible to the employees of the company? The findings revealed that skills development programmes in the company under investigation were valuable and useful to employees. This is evident from the improved work performance of employees as observed by the employer, who confirmed that the employees do job more quickly with less wastage and less supervision. The employer further confirmed that his company has attracted new clients who come for the sake of the service the company renders. The researcher concludes with the following recommendations: • The company should draw up a skills development programme schedule that will fit in well with its objectives. It is emphasised that these two aspects must not clash with each other, but instead complement each other so as to meet the set goal, that is, reselling of the workforce. This should be integrated to the organisational goal. • The company should spell out the aims of the skills development programmes and must make sure that these are well understood and adhered to by everyone in the company. This will aid in designing the programme according to the company's needs. • The fact that very little evaluation of training is done indicates the probability that although expenditure on training is great very little is done to ensure to improved competence and performance. The vast majority of employers still see training and development as purely cost, not investment. In this instance, the employers should be educated on the importance of investing in people through skills development programmes in order to gain improved work performance.
Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

The distinction between technical and contextual performance is widely recognized in the Industrial/Organization Psychology literature (Sackett & Lievens, 2008). Less well-understood are the causal antecedents of performance in these domains and how those antecedents relate to each other. Motowidlo, Borman, and Schmit (1997) proposed that technical performance is determined largely by cognitive ability, which acts through the mediator technical knowledge to influence technical performance. They also proposed that contextual performance is mainly determined by personality traits and that these traits influence contextual performance via the mediating variable contextual knowledge. Although prior research has examined some of the causal antecedents proposed by Motowidlo et al. (1997), no study has examined these four variables simultaneously, in addition to gathering information about performance criteria in the two domains. This study examined these six variables in a sample of medical students. In keeping with the verbiage used in the medical literature, students' contextual knowledge is referred to as professional knowledge and their contextual performance is referred to as professional performance. Medical students (N = 209) beginning their third year at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston completed measures of professional knowledge and the Big Five personality traits and consented to have their MCAT scores (a proxy for cognitive ability) and their first- and second-year course grades (grade point average; a measure of their technical knowledge) gathered for this investigation. Performance criteria consisted of attending physicians' ratings of students' professional and technical performance during their clinical rotations. Rotations were grouped according to whether they fell into the domain of Primary Care or the Specialties. Notable findings are summarized by a path analytic model. Agreeableness exerted a causal influence on professional knowledge (β = .38) and Primary Care professional performance (β = .14). Extraversion causally affected professional knowledge (β = -.22). Professional knowledge accounted for variance in Primary Care professional (β = .19) and technical performance (β = .22). Openness to experience and conscientiousness influenced technical knowledge (β's -.19 and .25). Cognitive ability was directly related to technical knowledge (β = .43) and Specialties professional (β = -.21) and technical performance (β = -.19). Technical knowledge was related to Primary Care professional (β = .32) and technical performance (β = .42) and also Specialties professional (β = .46) and technical performance (β = .57). Results generally suggest that separate causal paths underlie performance in Primary Care and the Specialties, respectively.

This study sought to determine the impact of a training and development (T&D) programme on the perceived performance of human resource assistants at a platinum mine in South Africa according to the following four performance dimensions: (i) personal (ii) customer; (iii) internal business; and (iv) learning and growth. A non-experimental design was used for this study, which was predominately quantitative in nature. Data was collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire, which consisted of closed-ended questions. Based on the results obtained in this study, it was apparent that the T&D programme contributed significantly to an increase in the performance of employees. However, there are certain areas that can be improved in order to maximise and optimise the learning of employees. Recommendations were made regarding areas for improvement and possible future research.
Human Resource Management
M. Tech. (Human Resources Development)

Li, Tsz Wai Gloria.
Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 34-40).
Abstracts in English and Chinese; appendix in Chinese.
Abstract --- p.i
摘要 --- p.iii
Table of Content --- p.V
Lists of figures --- p.vii
Lists of tables --- p.viii
Chapter CHAPTER 1. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1
Background of Work Engagement --- p.2
Work Engagement and JD-R Model --- p.2
Personal Resources and JD-R Model --- p.4
Buffering Effects of Job and Personal Resources --- p.6
Work Engagement and Employee Performance --- p.7
Chapter CHAPTER 2. --- METHOD --- p.10
Sample and Procedure --- p.10
Instruments --- p.11
Analysis Strategies --- p.13
Chapter CHAPTER 3. --- RESULTS --- p.15
Descriptive Analyses --- p.15
Confirmatory Factor Analyses --- p.17
Hypotheses Testing --- p.17
Chapter CHAPTER 4. --- DISCUSSION --- p.23
Main Effects of Job Demands and Job Resources --- p.23
Job Demands as Eustress --- p.24
Resources as Enhancers --- p.26
Linking Antecedents to Job Performance: The Role of Work Engagement --- p.27
Chapter CHAPTER 5. --- PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS --- p.30
Chapter CHAPTER 6. --- LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH --- p.32
References --- p.34
Appendix --- p.41

Legislation demands that health and safety of humans at work must be secured. Today, far from every company has a functioning systematic management of occupational health and safety (OHS) in place to fulfill its legal obligations. Instead, other day-to-day tasks appear to have greater priority. The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate prerequisites and possibilities for manufacturing companies to prioritize and manage OHS, with focus on professional roles, company size, safety culture, and financial performance. Four papers (I–IV) are included in this thesis, based on three data collections. A questionnaire measuring the priority accorded to work environment was completed by 249 representatives of 142 manufacturing companies (I & II). Focus group interviews were conducted with 66 workers at a large steel-manufacturing company, discussing their experiences and perceptions of safety and risks at work (III). A questionnaire measuring OHS management practices, safety culture, and priority given to work environment was completed by 280 representatives of 197 manufacturing companies (IV). Information regarding the companies’ financial performance was retrieved from a credit bureau database. The main findings of the four papers demonstrated that profitability was considered as the most prioritized interest in the companies (I), and that trade-offs between productivity and safety is an obstacle to working safely (III). Managers generally perceived their companies to prioritize work environment factors more than the safety delegates did (I & IV). Perceptions of work environment priority did, however, not differ depending on company size (II & IV). Responsibility for safety was perceived to rest on the individual to the largest extent, and risk-taking was believed to originate from a combination of individual factors and external circumstances in the work environment (III). Larger company size, positive safety culture, and low risk in creditworthiness were found to be associated with better OHS management practices in companies (IV). Correspondingly, smaller company size, negative safety culture, and high risk in creditworthiness were found to be associated with worse OHS management practices. In summary, structural, social, and financial aspects seem to be important in companies’ possibilities for prioritizing and managing OHS. Recommendations for industry and future research are discussed.
Arbetsmiljölagen kräver att människors hälsa och säkerhet på arbetet ska tryggas genom att risker kontinuerligt ska bedömas och åtgärdas. Många företag saknar idag ett fungerande systematiskt arbetsmiljöarbete (SAM) som uppfyller lagens krav fullt ut. Istället tycks andra dagliga aktiviteter ha högre prioritet. Det övergripande syftet med denna avhandling var att undersöka förutsättningar och möjligheter för tillverkande företag att prioritera och arbeta med säkerheten och arbetsmiljön; med särskilt fokus på yrkesroller, företagsstorlek, säkerhetskultur och finansiella nyckeltal. Fyra delstudier (I–IV) ingår i denna avhandling, vilka är baserade på tre datainsamlingar. En enkät som mätte arbetsmiljöprioritering besvarades av 249 representanter vid 142 tillverkande företag (I & II). Fokusgruppintervjuer genomfördes med 66 arbetare på ett stort ståltillverkningsföretag, där deras erfarenheter och uppfattningar om säkerhet och risker i arbetet diskuterades (III). En enkät som mätte SAM, säkerhetskultur och arbetsmiljöprioritering besvarades av 280 representanter vid 197 tillverkande företag (IV). Information om företagens finansiella nyckeltal hämtades från ett kreditupplysningsföretag. De viktigaste resultaten från de fyra delstudierna kan bland annat sammanfattas med att lönsamheten uppfattades vara det mest prioriterade intresset vid företagen (I), och att avvägningar mellan produktivitet och säkerhet ansågs vara ett hinder för att kunna arbeta på ett säkert sätt (III). Chefer uppfattade generellt att arbetsmiljön prioriterades mer på företagen än vad skyddsombuden gjorde (I & IV). Uppfattningar om arbetsmiljöprioritering skiljde sig dock inte åt beroende på företagsstorlek (II & IV). Ansvaret för säkerheten på arbetet ansågs främst vila hos den enskilda individen, och risktagande betraktades komma ur en kombination av individuella faktorer och yttre omständigheter i arbetsmiljön (III). Att vara ett större företag, ha positiv säkerhetskultur och hög kreditvärdighet visade sig ha samband med att också ha ett bättre utvecklat SAM (IV). På motsvarande sätt, att vara ett mindre företag, ha negativ säkerhetskultur och låg kreditvärdighet befanns ha samband med att också ha ett sämre utvecklat SAM. Sammanfattningsvis verkar därmed strukturella, sociala såväl som ekonomiska aspekter vara väsentliga för företags möjligheter att prioritera och arbeta med säkerheten och arbetsmiljön. Detta ger uppslag till rekommendationer för industrin samt vidare forskning.
Das Arbeitsschutzgesetz verlangt, dass die Sicherheit und Gesundheit (SG) von Menschen am Arbeitsplatz gewährleistet werden muss, indem Risiken kontinuierlich überprüft und behoben werden. Vielen Unternehmen fehlt heutzutage eine systematische Handhabung von SG, die den gesetzlichen Anforderungen vollständig entspricht. Stattdessen scheinen andere alltägliche Tätigkeiten eine höhere Priorität zu haben. Das übergeordnete Ziel der vorliegenden Abhandlung war es zu untersuchen, welche Voraussetzungen und Möglichkeiten herstellende Unternehmen besitzen, SG am Arbeitsplatz zu priorisieren und handzuhaben – unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Berufsrollen, Unternehmensgröße, Sicherheitskultur und Finanzleistungen. Die vorliegende Abhandlung besteht aus vier Teilstudien (I–IV), die auf drei Datensammlungen basieren. Die Priorisierung von SG wurde mit einem Fragebogen untersucht, der von 249 Vertretern aus 142 herstellenden Unternehmen beantwortet wurde (I & II). Fokusgruppeninterviews wurden mit 66 Arbeitern eines großen Stahlherstellers durchgeführt, in welchen die Arbeiter ihre Erfahrungen und Wahrnehmungen von Sicherheit und Berufsrisiken diskutierten (III). Ein weiterer Fragebogen enthielt Fragen zur systematischen Handhabung von SG, Sicherheitskultur und Priorisierung von SG und wurde von 280 Vertretern aus 197 herstellenden Unternehmen beantwortet (IV). Angaben zu den Finanzleistungen der Unternehmen wurden einem öffentlichen Register entnommen. Die wichtigsten Ergebnisse der vier Teilstudien können unter anderem damit zusammengefasst werden, dass die Rentabilität des Unternehmens als höchste Priorität wahrgenommen wurde (I) und dass Kompromisse zwischen Produktivität und Sicherheit als Hindernis für eine sichere Arbeitsweise beurteilt wurden (III). Manager waren im Allgemeinen häufiger als die Sicherheitsbeauftragten der Unternehmen der Auffassung, dass SG priorisiert werden (I & IV). Der Unterschied in der Wahrnehmung der Prioritätensetzung hing jedoch nicht von der Unternehmensgröße ab (II & IV). Sicherheit am Arbeitsplatz wurde in erster Linie als die Verantwortung des einzelnen Mitarbeiters angesehen und das Eingehen von Risiken als eine Kombination aus individuellen Faktoren und äußeren Umständen im Arbeitsumfeld beurteilt (III). Ein großes Unternehmen zu sein, eine positive Sicherheitskultur zu haben und niedriges Risiko in der Kreditwürdigkeit, erwies sich mit einer besser entwickelten systematischen Handhabung von SG in Zusammenhang zu stehen (IV). Dementsprechend erwies es sich, dass kleine Unternehmen, eine negative Sicherheitskultur und hohes Risiko in der Kreditwürdigkeit, mit einer schlechter entwickelten systematischen Handhabung von SG in Zusammenhang stehen. Zusammenfassend scheinen also strukturelle, soziale und finanzielle Aspekte grundlegend dafür zu sein, ob ein Unternehmen die Möglichkeit hat, SG zu priorisieren und zu handhaben. Dies dient als Vorlage für Empfehlungen für die Industrie und zukünftige Forschung.

This research was undertaken to determine factors causing career indecision of schoolleavers in Kwandebele. Literature study indicates that factors such as interest, sex, dependency, vocational immaturity, the economy and politics have a direct influence on career indecision. Literature study further indicates that parties involved in career decision-making also contribute to career indecision. 424 Kwandebele school leavers answered questionnaires. The schoolleavers were requested to indicate the importance and contributions of five categories, namely personal aspects, family, school, guidance teacher and society to his career choice making process. Most of the personal aspects were regarded as important and also the other four categories showed a significant difference between school leavers who have made a choice and those that have not made a choice. This research could not cover the implication of career education at all levels of the child, recommendations for future research have been made.
Psychology of Education
M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)