School of Applied Human Sciences

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10413/6451

The School of Applied Human Sciences (SAHS) consists of Criminology and Forensic Studies, Psychology, The Centre for Communication, Media and Society (CCMS), and Social Work.

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A qualitative study exploring the experiences of unemployed youth in Chatsworth, South Africa.
(2023) Husain, Mahomed Shuaib.; Mntambo, Ntokozo.
Unemployment among the youth is a common occurrence in today’s times. Most places of occupation seek employees with at least three years of experience. As a result, fresh graduates find themselves in a position of despair and hopelessness. In an attempt to help the youth to find suitable jobs, the government must provide the youth with viable job opportunities. This study aimed to investigate how unemployment affects the lives of the youth. This research report has been compiled based on six unemployed youth living in the Chatsworth area in South Africa. The research study was conducted using a qualitative approach through structured interviews. The results revealed that most unemployed youth had been miserable and felt as if they had no purpose in life due to being unemployed. The implications of the findings of this study are important and helpful to both job seekers and prospective employers.
Exploring the experiences and coping strategies of unemployed registered counsellors in the South African context.
(2023) Jili, Ncebakazi.; Mtwentula-Ndlovu, Ntombekhaya Antoinette.
The Registered Counsellor profession is an HPCSA-recognised professional category in psychology, which was lawfully introduced in December 2003 to limit the shortage of mental healthcare services in disadvantaged areas of South Africa, specifically in primary healthcare. Thus, the Registered Counsellor profession exists in South Africa, although it is a country ranking high in unemployment. Registered Counsellors are not immune to unemployment and its effect on psychosocial well-being. A few studies concerning the Registered Counsellor profession in South Africa have statistically highlighted the drastic challenge of unemployment. As a result, there is a dearth of literature that specifically investigates the subjective experiences and effects of unemployment on the psychosocial well-being of Registered Counsellors. Consequently, this study explored the experiences and coping strategies of unemployed Registered Counsellors in the South African context. A qualitative research approach was adopted to gain an in-depth understanding of subjective experiences, and coping strategies utilised during unemployment. A phenomenological research design was used to guide the study. Purposive sampling was the primary technique applied to select eight individually interviewed participants using a semi-structured interview method. Thematic data analysis of the participants' responses indicated that unemployment is perceived as a difficult and stressful experience. The struggle to secure employment presented an interplay of adverse effects on the participants' psychosocial well-being, mainly due to deprived financial security and social participation. Findings indicated exploring alternative opportunities, leisure activity, optimism, resilience, and social support as coping strategies. Registered Counsellors in this study predominantly applied physical, cognitive, and social resources to cope with the detrimental effects of unemployment.
Exploring the experiences of foreign nationals living and working in Durban, South Africa.
(2021) Okumu, Sarah Adhiambo.; Mtwentula-Ndlovu, Ntombekhaya Antoinette.
Globalization has led to increased international mobility, with many people living and working outside their countries of origin. Migration is an extremely complex process that has social, and psychological implications on the individuals or groups undergoing the process. The success of expatriates, that is migrants sent typically by a multinational organization to work in another country, has previously been measured by their organizational outcomes and completion of their assignment. Some losses and damage that result from expatriate failure include: loss of business and productivity, damage to relationships with other employees or customers, as well as the financial and emotional and psychological costs borne by the expatriate and their family. Understanding an individual’s experiences during an expatriate assignment can facilitate positive adjustment and increase coping strategies as they work and live away from their home country. Research on expatriates shows the main factors that influence adjustment or contribute to stress are the new culture in the work and social settings, family adjustment in the new country, distance from home and lack of preparation. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of expatriates and any coping mechanisms used to adjustment living and working in Durban. This current work followed a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with 10 participants. The findings of the present study were generally consistent with previous similar studies. Expatriates reported that factors that made their adjustment challenging, and caused stress, included distance from their home country, family adjustment, uncertainty, and cultural differences. Support systems, previous expatriate experience and personally seeking diverse experiences facilitated adjustment. Unique contributions included how the challenging process of visa application negatively affected adjustment and expatriate’s experiences in Durban. The outcomes of this study may contribute towards developing interventions or programs that adequately prepare expatriates and increase the level of psychological support made available to them and their families.
Organisational and personal drivers of innovative work behavior of employees in the marketing division of financial institutions in Ibadan, Nigeria: a mixed method approach.
(2023) Akinpelu, Gbemisola Sekinat.; Meyer-Weitz, Anna.
The financial sector plays a pivotal role in Nigeria's economy, with organisations facing increasing pressure to enhance performance amidst rising stakeholder expectations and intense competition. In this dynamic environment, customers' access to diverse information sources and suppliers has heightened their expectations for superior product quality and service, necessitating innovation as a crucial driver of organisational success. This study investigates the personal and organisational determinants of innovative work behaviour within the marketing divisions of financial institutions in Ibadan, Nigeria. Employing a sequential exploratory mixed methods design, the study commenced with qualitative interviews involving 12 marketers and 6 marketing managers, followed by a quantitative phase involving the distribution of 330 structured questionnaires, of which 300 were usable for analysis. Thematical and multivariate analyses were carried out. Findings from both qualitative and quantitative analyses reveal several precursors for innovative work behaviour, including transformational leadership, enabling organizational culture and climate, adequate resources, and personal characteristics such as passion, creativity, commitment, engagement, self-motivation, and confidence. Statistical analyses indicate that employees' level of education and the specific banks they work for significantly influence their innovative work behaviour. Furthermore, positive relationships were observed between innovative work behaviour and both personal (psychological capital and employee engagement) and organisational factors (organisational climate and culture). Psychological capital directly influenced innovative work behaviour, while employee engagement exhibited both direct and mediating effects on the relationship between organisational culture/climate and innovative work behaviour. Aligned to the findings, it is recommended that financial institutions foster conducive organisational cultures that promote employee engagement, thereby enhancing innovative work behaviour. At the personal level, strategies to develop marketers' psychological capital and coping mechanisms for stressful work environments are advised to improve their wellbeing and organisational engagement. Additionally, organisational management should prioritize skill training, provide supportive leadership, and implement effective reward systems to support employees in achieving innovative work behaviour. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of both personal and organisational factors in driving innovative work behaviour within the marketing divisions of financial institutions in Ibadan, Nigeria, offering practical insights for organisational strategies and interventions aimed at fostering innovation and competitiveness in the sector.
Psychological strengths of spirituality and transcendence and wellbeing of managers in the automotive sector.
(2024) Singh-Modi, Jasmé.; Buitendach, Johanna Hendrina.; Reuben, Shanya.
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of managers, drawing on the constructs of the PERMA model of wellbeing and on their respective challenges, as well as to examine the role and utilisation of the psychological strengths (PS) of transcendence, so as to overcome managerial challenges within the South African automotive manufacturing industry. This study employed a qualitative approach in its method of data collection and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis for interpretation and analyses. The data was hence analysed via an idiographic, inductive and interrogative approach. The Broaden-and-Build theoretical framework was implemented, as a broadened behavioural repertoire, over time, is said to also build skills and resources that enhance survival. Psychofortology provides a perspective of positive psychology from which this research was conducted. The study participants comprised twelve managers within the subsidiaries of the chosen company in the automotive sector, nationwide, who voluntarily participated in the research. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data and gain insight into the managers’ experiences of wellbeing, the challenges they experienced, the positive and negative factors that were taken into account, and their use of psychological strengths to negate these challenges. The intention of the study was to propose a set of guidelines that could be used to develop a holistic wellbeing intervention for managers by investigating and building on the PS of transcendence that promote wellbeing and that facilitate the capacity of an individual to “flourish.”The findings suggest that the PS of transcendence were utilised by managers in their experience of wellbeing; however, these were not adequately utilised to cope with challenges. This was due to managers not having a good knowledge and experience of the strengths. It was established that the implementation of existing positive psychological interventions (PPIs) is not adequate. The PPIs are not standardised and customised for each of the subsidiaries, and further development is required to suit the unique requirements of each subsidiary in order to address the specific challenges experienced as noted in the findings. The following recommendations for the study were made, and discussed in three parts. The first part discusses the more commonly used PPIs in the workplace, the mainstream or traditional approach. These PPIs are currently found to be implemented within the organisations to greater and lesser extents; however, they are not uniform, customised nor standardised across all 242 subsidiaries. A more user-friendly approach to the traditional approach was recommended for how existing PPIs may be further developed, utilising PS for transcendence and incorporating a more personalised approach. The second part comprises practical activities or mindfulness exercises that can be practised by managers either within or outside of the workplace to further develop their PS of transcendence. The third part discusses a less common approach which is only practised by some and generally practised outside of the workplace. This alternative approach provides a means to connect with and develop the inner working of the body or the internal state of being. Comparative, quantitative, empirical studies with larger samples are suggested to support the findings and to further explore this interesting phenomenon.

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