Remedying unemployment through affirmative development : the validation of the prediction model and qualitative assessment of an employment accelerator programme

Date
2019-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : This thesis investigates the role and response of the human resources practitioner in the context of the current South African socio-economic reality, specifically as it relates to income inequality, poverty, and unemployment. A range of current issues and challenges facing the country are thus discussed, with due reference to the nation’s political past. A need for, and pressure towards, economic equity is identified and discussed critically in relation to relevant legislation and its implications and consequences for organisations and the human resource fraternity, particularly in terms of selection, and the use of psychometric assessment. An appropriate organisational response to these specific challenges seems to be the implementation a multi-stage selection procedure that involves a large affirmative development component and rests upon the use of learning potential assessment. Learning potential assessment has gained much popularity in South Africa and is thus discussed thoroughly. The research-initiating question thus involved identifying whether such an approach would have practical value and, if so, what ground still needs to be covered to achieve justification and meaningful application thereof. The resulting research objectives included the delineation of the current literature on learning potential assessment, including that of Stellenbosch University; finding and investigating appropriate examples in practice; and evaluating available approaches to answer the research-initiating question aimed at informing research and practice going forward. The researcher subsequently identified Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator as a progressive non-profit organisation following a model that closely resembles the multi-stage selection model proposed by scholars of the Department of Industrial Psychology at Stellenbosch University. As such, the researcher conducted an extensive evaluation of the Harambee programme in terms of a theoretical evaluation of the Harambee approach, with consideration of available literature and other information; the validation of the predictive validity of the Harambee prediction model; and explorative data analyses of available measurement data to identify linkages that may serve as impetus for future research. Correlational and multiple-regression analyses were conducted on a sample of candidates who have successfully completed the Harambee programme. The results supported the predictive validity of the Harambee prediction model. The qualitative theoretical evaluation of the programme considered the benefits of the Harambee programme and the similarities to the multi-stage selection model; identified possible areas of growth and improvement; and provided impetus for future research. The explorative analyses, however, did not identify any unexplored links worthy of further investigation. The findings and discussion show a need to advance current basic research in developing a learning potential competency model and using this model to create more effective measurement and affirmative development programmes within the framework of an integrated organisational response.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Hierdie tesis ondersoek die rol en reaksie van die menslike hulpbronbestuurder en bedryfsielkundige in die konteks van die huidige sosio-ekonomiese realiteit in Suid-Afrika, met spesifieke verwysing na ongelykheid, armoede, en werkloosheid. ‘n Reeks vraagstukke wat met laasgenoemde kwessies verband hou, word bespreek met verwysing na Suid-Afrika se politieke geskiedenis. Die nood en druk rondom ekonomiese gelykheid, die relevante wetgewing, en die implikasies vir menslike hulpbronbestuur, spesifiek met betrekking tot die keuringsfunksie en psigometriese toetsing, word dus krities ondersoek. ‘n Gepaste organisatoriese respons ten opsigte van hierdie uitdagings, blyk die gebruik van ‘n tipe keuringsmodel te wees wat bestaan uit meervoudige fases, ‘n groot opleiding- en ontwikkelingskomponent bevat, en berus op die toetsing van leerpotensiaal. Die toetsing van leerpotensiaal het onlangs meer gewild geraak in Suid-Afrika, en word as sulks deeglik bespreek. Die navorsingsinisiërende vraag handel dus of só ‘n benadering praktiese nut het, en indien dit het, wat die aard van die vordering is wat nog gemaak moet word ten opsigte van navorsing en praktyk om die gebruik daarvan te regverdig en dit doeltreffend toe te pas. Die daaropvolgende navorsings-doelwitte sluit dus in die bestudering van navorsingsuitsette wat tans beskikbaar is, insluitende dié van die Universiteit Stellenbosch; die ondersoek van toepaslike voorbeelde in die praktyk; asook die evaluering van die beskikbare benaderings op soek na antwoorde op die navorsingsinisiërende vraag, ten einde toekomstige navorsing en praktyk te informeer. Die navorser het Harambee, ‘n onderneming wat spesialiseer in die bevordering van werkskepping onder die jeug, geïdentifiseer omdat hulle tans in die praktyk ‘n model toepas wat tot ‘n groot mate strook met die meer-stadia keuringsmodel, voorgestel deur navorsers van die Departement van Bedryfsielkunde aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Die navorser het ‘n deeglike bestudering van Harambee se model onderneem, deur middel van ‘n teoretiese evaluering van die Harambee benadering, die validering van die voorspellingsgeldigheid van hul voorspellingsmodel, en verdere verkennende navorsing op die beskikbare data, met die oog op toekomstige navorsing. Korrelasie en meervoudige regressie-ontledings is uitgevoer op ‘n steekproef van kandidate wat die Harambee program suksesvol afgehandel het. Die resultate daarvan bevestig die voorspellings-geldigheid van hul voorspellingsmodel. Die kwalitatiewe-teoretiese evaluering het die voordele van die Harambee program oorweeg, asook die ooreenkomste met die multi-stadium keuringsmodel, die geleenthede vir verbetering en groei geïdentifiseer, en nuwe impetus vir verdere navorsing verskaf. Die meer verkennende analises het wel egter nie veel opgelewer nie. Die bevindinge van dié studie dui op die noodsaaklikheid van die uitbreiding van die basiese navorsing in die veld van leerpotensiaal, en die gebruik van die uitgebreide strukturele model van leerpotensiaal om meer doeltreffende metings en regstellende ontwikkelingsprogramme te skep, binne die raamwerk van ‘n geïntegreerde organisatoriese benadering.
Description
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.
Keywords
Learning ability, Affirmative development, Affirmative action programs in education, Unemployed -- Services for -- South Africa, UCTD
Citation