Optimism, self-efficacy and meaningfulness : towards a aalutogenic model of occupational wellbeing
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: From a global perspective, this study aimed to depart from the traditional notion of occupational wellbeing characterised as the absence of strain and stress-related diseases.Positive Organisational Scholarship (POS), the framework for this study, is largely concerned with the investigation of positive outcomes, processes and attributes of organisations and their employees.In essence, this study argued in favour of the cultivation of personal resources, such as optimism and self-efficacy, as well as the establishment of active efforts to instil meaningfulness in, and at work, in order to generate better occupational wellbeing and a sense of enhanced human functioning.A non-experimental research design (i.e.exploratory survey study) was used to explore the relationships between the various constructs.Occupational wellbeing was, for the purpose of empirical validation, firstly measured in terms of the absence of pathology.However, since it was conceptualised from a salutogenic approach in this study, a cognitive-judgemental evaluation of employees" satisfaction with their work-life was also included as a measure of occupational wellbeing.It was argued that optimism may impact on occupational wellbeing, as optimists are described in terms of their ability to anticipate positive outcome expectancies, and engage in continued efforts, despite current adverse circumstances to confront difficulties they encounter (Scheier & Carver, 1985).In turn, highly self-efficacious individuals are those exhibiting confidence in their ability to effectively execute personal strategies to ensure a positive outcome (Bandura, 1986).Drawing from POS, a twofold conceptualisation of meaningfulness was warranted: meaningfulness in work (defined as engagement) and meaningfulness at work (defined as organisational commitment).The primary aim of this study was consequently to explicate the possible nomological net underlying the complex phenomenon of occupational wellbeing, in terms of the abovementioned variables.
Author: Ria Steyn
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W202837272