The fourth industrial revolution: assessing the intelligences of engineers in the South African automotive industry
- Authors: Kapp, Jaco
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Technological innovations -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Artificial intelligence , Emotional intelligence , Automobile industry and trade -- Economic aspects -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22288 , vital:29937
- Description: The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is a new phenomenon that will impact human society drastically. It is complex, highly dynamic and constantly evolving at an everincreasing pace. To date the majority of research on the topic of the 4IR is focused on technological and scientific topics, with little to no work done on the human behavioural aspects such as intelligence. At the commencement of this paper only one other author published papers on the intelligences that are required to cope with the disruption associated with the 4IR. This paper is therefore the first known study paper which aims to determine the level of physical-, contextual-, emotional- and inspired intelligence of engineers in the South African automotive industry. Two comprehensive literature reviews were performed in this study. The first literature review aimed to create the context of this study by describing the historical significance, impact, drivers, critical emerging technologies and likely manufacturing scenarios of the 4IR. The second literature review investigated the theories of intelligence including the single factor approach as well as the theory of multiple intelligences. Additionally, the 4IR intelligence proposition is described and the application thereof in this study justified. A mixed method empirical study, consisting of 101 respondents, was conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to comprehensively describe the level of awareness, timeframe, emerging technologies and likely manufacturing scenarios. Furthermore, the thematic analysis of open-ended responses was used to identify the potential positive and negative implications associated with the 4IR. After the level and importance of the four intelligence components were established, inferential statistical tests were performed to establish the relationship between the four intelligences as well as to identify any deviance in the responses based on demographic variables. The study concludes by making various managerial recommendations that could be applied by managers in the automotive sector in order for their companies to survive and prosper in the disruption to be caused by the 4IR. As it is clear that the 4IR will have an impact upon the South African automotive industry in the very near future, it is of the utmost importance that this topic be included into the organisations’ strategic dialogues as a matter of urgency. This study found the level of perceived intelligence of South African engineers to be high. Additionally, this cohort indicated a heightened level of awareness and in-depth knowledge surrounding the 4IR. Therefore, this study recommends that organisations leverage these strategic resources to their fullest benefit. Joint 4IR task teams should be setup comprising of engineers and individuals from other departments such as Information Technology (IT) and Human Resources (HR). These teams should spearhead pilot projects in line with the advances associated with the 4IR. Management should further take into cognisance, monitor and pro-actively investigate the possible behavioural and psychological implications associated with the increased use of technology. It is therefore recommended that regular surveys, open dialogues and possible voluntary psychometric evaluations be conducted wherever these new technologies are piloted. This study also found that the 4IR might lead to the loss of unskilled jobs which would have a broader socio-economic impact. In sharp contrast to popular belief, humans will still play an important role in the 4IR and as such organisations should, therefore, openly commit to educating and upskilling their lower skilled employees in line with the needs of the 4IR as this would be mutually beneficial for the organisation and employees. This would demonstrate the companies’ long-term commitment to their lesser skilled employees and reassure them of their job security, thereby reducing the risk of job losses and potential industrial action.
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- Date Issued: 2018
The relationship between leadership and organisational effectiveness among indigenous banks in Kenya
- Authors: Muriithi, Samuel Muiruri
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Leadership -- Kenya , Organizational effectiveness -- Kenya , Transformational leadership -- Kenya , Strategic planning -- Kenya , Community banks -- Kenya , Structural equation modeling , Emotional intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1208 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020015
- Description: Defining leadership effectiveness (LE) remains a controversial subject with scholars and researchers disagreeing on a common definition. Most studies term leadership effectiveness as the leaders’ ability to successfully exercise personal influence and abilities in order to accomplish set standards. Such leadership effectiveness was measured using three elements, namely influence, follow commitment and versatility. To be effective, leaders must possess certain competencies and perform specific tasks (independent variables). In this study, three leadership competencies, namely strategic thinking, emotional effectiveness and transformational leadership were examined. Similarly, seven leadership tasks (set organisational direction, develop human capital, build core competencies, create organisational alignment, sustain appropriate organisational culture, manage change and establish balanced organisational control) were identified as essential for the attainment of leadership effectiveness (intervening variable) which, in turn, leads to organisational effectiveness (dependent variable). Given the importance of leadership effectiveness to organisational effectiveness, the purpose of this study was to identify, investigate and empirically test the possible relationship between leadership effectiveness and organisational effectiveness within the Kenyan indigenous banks. To achieve the aim of the study, a survey was undertaken using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The respondents were identified using both probability and non-probability techniques with the survey yielding 257 usable questionnaires that were statistically analysed. The proposed hypothetical relationship between leadership effectiveness and organisational effectiveness was assessed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), a multivariate statistical technique. The SEM included Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analyses to assess the dicriminant reliability and validity of the measuring instrument, and Goodness-of-fit indices. The study findings demonstrated the existence of a strong relationship between leadership competencies, tasks performed and leadership effectiveness which in turn impacts on organisational effectiveness, in this case the overall effectiveness of the Kenyan indigenous banks.
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- Date Issued: 2015
Experiences of teachers working in a deprived environment, with specific reference to their emotional intelligence
- Authors: Mack, Esmé Judy
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Emotional intelligence , Teachers -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DEd
- Identifier: vital:9572 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1017611
- Description: Against the background of the broad-ranging and significant educational changes introduced in South Africa since 1994, school teachers are challenged to cope with and adapt to difficult working conditions, job stress and large classes. As a result, teaching is now experienced as a more demanding and challenging profession. However, education takes place within the context of a particular community. The role of the environment, as context for education, is therefore also important. As such, a deprived environment can exacerbate the challenges experienced in teaching by teachers. Such an environment is often characterised by high poverty levels, undesirable living conditions, escalating social and health problems, malnutrition, unemployment, parental illiteracy, parental absence or uninvolvement, child abuse, sexual harassment, teenage pregnancies, corruption, crime, conflict, violence, and high TB and HIV infection rates. In schools in a deprived environment, lack of resources and learning materials, overcrowded classes, children dropping out of school, an unattractive, an unsafe physical environment, a lack of electricity, as well as broken windows and leaking roofs, are often the order of the day. These factors increase the burden on the teachers who work in such an unsupportive context. How well teachers cope amidst the broad-ranging transformational changes introduced in post-Apartheid South African education, while teaching in a deprived environment, depends to a large extent on their emotional stability, personal skills and cognitive functioning. Their emotional strengths should enable them to be aware of their own emotions, and the emotions of their learners, as well as to guide those emotions appropriately and form healthy relationships. It should further enable teachers to make provision for the effective learning, development and well-being of the learners in their classrooms. Against this background, the aim of this study was to investigate the following research questions: Primary research question: What are the characteristics of emotional intelligence that teacher is working in a deprived environment display? Secondary research questions: • What is the relationship between the characteristics that the teachers display and the components of emotional intelligence? • What are the implications of the research findings for teacher education? • What guidelines can be provided from the research findings to teachers working in a deprived environment, to further promote their effective teaching? The focus of the study was on the two primary schools and one secondary school located in the Walmer Gqebera Township in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, which are in close proximity to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, being the University’s neighbouring township. Constructivism and interpretivism formed the philosophical foundation of the study, while critical theory and pragmatism also applied.
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- Date Issued: 2014
The impact of team emotional intelligence in team decision making at Transnet Port terminals
- Authors: Mtunzini, Samnkelisiwe
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Teams in the workplace , Emotional intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8851 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020121
- Description: Numerous decisions in organisations are made by teams, groups or committees. The need for group decision making is brought about by the increased complexity of many decisions which require specialised knowledge in numerous areas usually not possessed by one person. As such there has also been an inherent recognition that different members bring different contributions and that a marshalling of these contributions enhances decision-making. Most research about how to make teams more effective has focused on identifying the task processes that distinguish the most successful teams - that is specifying the need for collaboration, involvement and commitment to goals. The assumption seems to be that, once identified; these processes can simply be imitated by other teams, with similar effects but it is not the case since they do not take the level of the team’s emotional intelligence into consideration. Emotional intelligence should always be considered in a team setting since teamwork is an inherently social activity and as such emotions play an important role in team processes including decision making. Surprisingly the study of the effects of emotions and emotional intelligence in decision making at group level is a relatively new research avenue. Research indicates that emotional intelligence has been the subject of a significant amount of literature for a number of years. However little has been contributed to how the behaviours associated with emotional intelligence may be practically applied to enhance both individual and group decision-making. Druskat and Wolff (2001a and 2001b) proposed a model for emotional intelligence at the group level. According to their model, groups develop a set of behavioural norms called the Group Emotional Competence Norms (GEC norms) which guide the emotional experience in groups. The proposed model by Druskat and Wolff was used to define and measure group emotional intelligence in this study. The aim of the study was to establish whether there was a relationship between team emotional intelligence and team decision making at Transnet Port Terminal’s Ngqura Container Terminal. The findings of the literature study and the empirical study were combined to evaluate whether team emotional intelligence affected team decision making in the chosen population.The literature study suggested that there was a relationship between team emotional intelligence and team decision making. The empirical study confirmed the relationship between group emotional intelligence and group decision making but failed to confirm whether the chosen population consisted of teams.
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- Date Issued: 2013
A psychobiography of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu
- Authors: Eliastam, Liesl Marijke
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Developmental psychology , Life cycle, Human -- Psychological aspects , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Personality -- Research -- Methodology , Emotional intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (C Psy)
- Identifier: vital:11856 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/537 , Developmental psychology , Life cycle, Human -- Psychological aspects , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Personality -- Research -- Methodology , Emotional intelligence
- Description: Psychobiographies offer the illuminating experience of uncovering the story of an individual’s life through the lens of a psychological theory. Psychobiographies offer the chance to gain a deeper understanding of what makes that individual unique. This study aimed to explore and describe the emotional intelligence of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu according to Goleman’s (1998) theory of Emotional Intelligence. Tutu was chosen as a subject for this study because of his extraordinary life and accomplishments, and because he is regarded as a prominent figure of moral leadership in South Africa. A qualitative psychobiographical research method was utilised. Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources to enhance internal validity, and was then analysed according to Miles and Huberman’s (1994) approach. The findings suggest that Tutu applied all of the twenty five emotional intelligence capacities during his life, and that at times, some were used more extensively than others. This study is groundbreaking in that it is the first psychobiography on Desmond Tutu, and it is the first psychobiography undertaken at the University of Fort Hare. Psychobiographies offer an opportunity to evaluate the psychological theory which is applied. It was found that Goleman’s (1998) theory of Emotional Intelligence is supported by this study.
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- Date Issued: 2011
Emotional intelligence and effective team functioning of MBA syndicate groups at the NMMU business school
- Authors: Doolabh, Chetna Gidhar
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Emotional intelligence , Interpersonal relations , Teams in the workplace , Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Business School
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8747 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/740 , Emotional intelligence , Interpersonal relations , Teams in the workplace , Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Business School
- Description: A common issue in leadership development is the high flyers who reach a position where their lack of “soft” skills hampers their performance and proves a barrier to their continued progression to higher levels of responsibility (Newell, 2002: 288). Business Schools offering Masters in Business Administration (MBA) programmes assist in developing managers with not just managerial competence but also with “soft” skills. By delivering educated business managers, these managers through their intellectual skills and community sensitive values, will lead future transformational processes. It is useful and interesting to consider how important emotional intelligence is for effective performance at work. A considerable body of research suggests that an employee’s ability to perceive, identify, and manage emotion provides the basis for the kinds of social and emotional competencies that are important for success in almost any position. Furthermore, as the pace of change increases and the world of work make ever-greater demands on an employee’s cognitive, emotional, and physical resources, this particular set of abilities will become increasingly important (Cherniss, 2000). The primary objective of this study is to determine the perceptions of the Masters in Business Administration (MBA), B-Tech in Business Administration (BBA), Advanced Business Programme (ABP) programmes and the Business School Alumni to determine the overall emotional intelligence profile of students as well as the effective team functions of the syndicate groups. Based on the main findings of the survey, it was concluded that emotional intelligence is an important factor for the NMMU Business School, MBA Unit students. The skills attained through the course work will not only improve team effectiveness in the syndicate group functioning but also enhance their performance in the business environment. The MBA team learning experiences enhances workplace learning as the ability to work in a team and ability to think and act independently are highly desired skills and competencies for success in the workplace.
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- Date Issued: 2007
Determining the impact of emotional intelligence on organisational effectiveness
- Authors: Paul, Stephanie
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Organizational effectiveness , Emotional intelligence
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8762 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/591 , Organizational effectiveness , Emotional intelligence
- Description: Employees who are able to use their emotions intelligently can contribute meaningfully towards building an emotionally intelligent organisation, one in which everyone take responsibility for increasing his or her own emotional intelligence, for using it in relations with others, and for applying the skills of emotional intelligence to the organisation as a whole. The lack of emotional intelligence, however, undermines both an individual’s and a company’s growth and success. Expressing emotions within the workplace has for many years been considered inappropriate and irrelevant to business. This research study points to the fact that an overwhelming amount of research shows that not only are emotions very much a part if the work experience but, to a large degree, set the course that companies should follow. This research study firstly discusses the core components of emotional intelligence and its impact on individuals and how they relate to others. The study further focuses on the impact that emotional intelligence has on aspects that contribute to organisational effectiveness. This study suggests that emotional intelligence within companies could result in a situation where employees communicate with understanding and respect and where confidence and enthusiasm in the organisation are instilled. Knowing one’s own emotions and controlling them; recognizing emotions in others and managing them; and self-motivation are key dimensions of emotional intelligence covered in the theoretical perspective of emotional intelligence discussed in Chapter Two. This study points to the benefits of emotional intelligence as an indispensable element not only in creating a profitable business but also in leading a successful life. The findings discussed in Chapter Six indicate a reasonable level of emotional intelligence amongst employees at GMSA who participated in the survey. Recommendations from the study indicated a need for training in various aspects of emotional intelligence in order to derive the benefits of improved organisational effectiveness and profitability.
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- Date Issued: 2006
Relationship between employee performance, leadership and emotional intelligence in a South African parastatal organisation
- Authors: Hayward, Brett Anthony
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Employees -- Rating of , Leadership , Leadership -- Psychological aspects , Emotional intelligence , Government business enterprises -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1206 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1019740
- Description: This research investigates the relationship between employee performance, leadership and emotional intelligence in a South African parastatal. The literature provided discusses the three variables of performance, leadership and emotional intelligence. Information was gathered, using three instruments, from a sample of 160 leaders and 800 raters. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used to determine leadership style within the parastatal, while the Emotional Competency Profiler was used to determine the emotional intelligence of the leaders within the parastatal. Employee performance was captured and recorded using the parastatal’s performance appraisal process. Leadership and emotional intelligence were identified as the independent variables and employee performance as the dependent variable. Data obtained from each of the research instruments was then statistically analysed. Through linear regression analysis it was concluded that there is a significant relationship between employee performance and an emotionally intelligent, transactional leader. However, no significant linear relationship was found between employee performance and an emotionally intelligent, transformational leader. Simple correlation analysis showed that there is a relatively weak significant linear relationship between emotional intelligence and transactional leadership. Moreover, it was found that there is a very strong significant linear relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership. This research therefore adds a new dimension to employee performance, leadership and emotional intelligence, since no similar study has been conducted. As this research takes place in the South African context, it contributes to the bank of findings relating to the concepts.
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- Date Issued: 2006
Correlates and outcomes of emotional intelligence in organisations
- Authors: Bosman, Leon Abraham
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: Leadership , Emotional intelligence , Organizational behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DCom
- Identifier: vital:11006 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/337 , Leadership , Emotional intelligence , Organizational behavior
- Description: Emotional Intelligence and Leadership are two very important constructs to organizations. Likewise concepts like OCB, conflict handling and intention to quit of employees are equally important constructs to organizations. The primary aim of the present study was to determine how well Organisational Citizenship Behaviour and intention to quit as well as the conflict handling style of subordinates could be predicted by means of leadership style, and the emotional intelligence of leaders. A secondary aim was to determine whether a causal model could be built to represent the relationships among the variables included in the study. Relationships among these constructs were investigated in a South African sample of employees (N=470) working for various organisations. The construct validity and internal consistency of the measuring instruments were investigated. The finally accepted factor structure of not one of the measuring instruments matched the original structure as found by the authors/developers of the measuring instruments. It was therefore decided that in all cases the factor pattern as determined on the responses of the present sample would be used in further analyses of the data. Emotional intelligence of leaders as seen by subordinates and the self - perceived conflict handling styles of subordinates seem to be related in the case of Integrating and Obliging conflict handling styles and both the emotional intelligence sub-scales, i.e. Motivation and Vigilance. The Multiple Regression analysis indicated that the emotional intelligence sub-scales scores played a minor role in the prediction of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour. Models of the relationships among the variables were built by studying the results of v previous as well as the present study. The model, in which emotional intelligence is depicted as a causal variable influencing - through leadership behaviour – organizational citizenship behaviour and the integrating style of handling interpersonal conflict represented a good fit with the data. These results seem to provide some structure for thinking about the relationships among the variables and can possibly serve as frames of reference in future studies.
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- Date Issued: 2003