TOPIC:

Pathways to optimal work performance

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the assignment is a$)$ to gain insight into different pathways that

promote optimal workplace performance and b$)$ to provide practically useful

recommendations to management on how to resolve identified work performance

problems.

Students should be able to:

$$ Demonstrate basic empirical research skills

$$ Establish baseline levels for the concepts as measured within a selected

target group;

$$ Do elementary analysis of the obtained data $($e$.$g$.$ compute total scores and

means and interpret findings$)$

$$ Make recommendations on how managers$/$leaders can promote desirable

performance outcomes.

PHASE $1$ Theoretical study

$1$: Select any combination of three variables of your choice from the options

provided in Table $1$ below, provided that one variable must be selected from the list

provided in Group A and two variables must be selected from the list provided in

Group B$.$

Table $1$: Independent and dependent variables

Group A: Group B:

$1.$ Teams' Psychological safety $1.$ Job satisfaction

$2.$ Organisational culture $2.$ Empowerment

$3.$ Work engagement $($UWES$)$

$4.$ Well$-$being $/$ Flourishing

$2$: Do a literature study on the three selected variables$/$constructs of your choice:$2\mathrm{.}1$ Define each construct and discuss sub$-$dimensions of the construct where

applicable.

$2\mathrm{.}2$ Differentiate the constructs from related ones to prevent confusion and lack of

clarity. $($Some definitions of work engagement may, for example, refer to individual

engagement, others to job engagement and still others seem to overlap with related

constructs such as job satisfaction and flow$).$

$2\mathrm{.}3$ Explain the contributory value of each of the three selected constructs for the

workplace context: Why is it relevant to take note of them? Consider, for instance,

how they relate to other important performance outcomes and their potential strategic

implications in terms of their contribution to sustainable business performance.

$2\mathrm{.}4$ Develop your own framework$/$model for understanding the relationships between

the three selected constructs of your choice. This model may be based on similar

examples within the literature but must be adapted in an innovative way so that your

graphic design presents a unique visual$-$ or tabular illustration of your insight into the

relationships between the constructs.

PHASE $2$: Practical application in a real or simulated work

environment:

$3.$ Identify suitable measurement instruments from a list provided by the lecturer

and combine these instruments for practical application purposes into a single

questionnaire.

$4.$ Attach a cover letter, provided by the lecturer, to the questionnaire. The cover

letter explains why you are requesting individuals to participate and serves to obtain

written consent from each participant. $($Participation should be voluntary and

anonymity of participant responses should be protected at all times, e$.$g$.$ by not

requiring any identifying personal particulars such as a name$/$surname on the

questionnaire.$)$

$5$ Identify a suitable target group of respondents for practical administration purposes,

i$.$e$.$ from the same work environment $($if possible$).$

$6.$ Sample size should be determined by the following rule of thumb: $5$

questionnaires per group member. If a group consists of $3$ members, the sample size

for the empirical research should be a minimum of $3$x$5=15$ respondents.

$7.$ Describe the target group in detail and explain their situation in a broader

organisational context. Consider, for instance, relevant information pertaining to

HR related aspects of the company$$s strategy and any additional contextual

information that may help you to interpret data.

$8.$ The entire questionnaire $($i$.$e$.$ all three constructs that were selected and

measured$)$ must be completed by each respondent in full.

Pg $3$ of $9$

$9.$ Once completed questionnaires are collected, responses must be transferred to an

Excell datasheet in electronic format. Column headings must indicate the question

numbers, lines must indicate respondents $$ one line per respondent.

$$ Example:

Section A

EXAMPLE First letter of pet$$s name Bio$1$ Bio $2$:

Date of

birth

Etc $1$

column for

each

question

A$1$ A$2$ A$3$ Etc

Respondent

$1$

M If male $=11994324$

Respondent

$2$

L If female $=$

$2$

$19894455$

$$ Excell$-$proficient group members may also insert basic descriptive statistical

formulas into this document to compute means per sub$-$dimensions and per

construct automatically. No in$-$depth knowledge of statistical methods is

required. The use of basic descriptive statistics such as calculating total $$ and

mean scores per construct will suffice.

PHASE $3$: Interpretation and Recommendations

$10.$ Calculate means for each sub$-$dimension of a construct where applicable,

followed by a mean for each construct in total. $($The use of alternative or more

detailed descriptive statistics is not compulsory, but may enhance understanding and

$/$ or improve the display of your findings for those groups who