Browsing by Author "Bester, Marike"

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    Leadership development assessment : current landscape in South Africa and future needs
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Bester, Marike; Van der Bank, Francois; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: The purpose of the study was to examine the current landscape of leadership development assessment in South Africa. The study aimed to enhance knowledge dissemination by effectively communicating with prospective test users. This was achieved through a focus on identifying key assessment priorities and design features, while also providing guidance for the development of new leadership assessments. Numerous studies have consistently demonstrated the advantages associated with effective leadership. Some of these benefits include outperforming competitors, increasing overall profit, and improving employee engagement and satisfaction. High-quality leadership assessments have shown to be among the most useful tools that assist companies in the process of selecting and developing effective leaders for their organisation. Consequently, the need for high-quality leadership development assessments in South Africa cannot be overemphasised. The literature review examined the international and South African leadership landscape and trends, as well as well-established leadership questionnaires and critical leadership competencies. It revealed that global research on leadership assessment is extensive but limited information is available about the use of leadership assessments in South Africa. Subsequently, the study surveyed South African organisations to provide an understanding of the state of leadership assessment in the country. According to the study’s findings, only 50% of the 104 participating South African companies currently use leadership assessments. However, 77% of organisations not using such assessments showed interest in implementing them, provided that certain obstacles such as cost, and time challenges can be effectively addressed. The study highlighted important assessment criteria recommended by regulating bodies and participant preferences, including online availability, psychometric properties, time-efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, the study found that participants favoured personality and ability tests over focused leadership assessments as measures of effective leadership. The study also identified emotional intelligence, change management, and communication as some of the most significant leadership competencies, according to HR practitioners. Overall, the study emphasised the need for new leadership assessment measures, as 71% of participants expressed interest in adopting them. The study's findings aimed to enrich both theoretical and practical understanding by expanding knowledge on leadership assessment practices. Through valuable insights and practical guidance, the study sought to enhance the landscape of leadership assessment.