PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Tutorial Letter 101/0/2023

Programme in Industrial and Organisational
Psychology

PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R

Year Course

University Centre for Lifelong Learning: Industrial

and Organisational Psychology

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please register on myUnisa, activate your myLife e-mail account and make sure that
you have regular access to the myUnisa module websites:
PIOP01N-2023-Y/PIOP02P-2023-Y/PIOP03Q-2023-Y/PIOP04R-2023-Y

Note: This is a fully online module. It is, therefore, only available on myUnisa.

BARCODE

Open Rubric
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 Getting started .................................................................................................................................. 5
1.2 Student support services .................................................................................................................. 6
1.3 Accessing your study materials........................................................................................................ 6
1.4 First-Year Experience Programme @ Unisa ................................................................................... 6
2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME IN INDUSTRIAL AND ORGANISATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
.......................................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................ 7
2.2 Outcomes ......................................................................................................................................... 8
2.3 General course matters .................................................................................................................. 10
3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION ........................................................................................... 11
4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS ................................................................................... 11
4.1 Lecturer(s) ...................................................................................................................................... 11
4.2 University Centre for Life-Long Learning (UCL) ............................................................................ 12
5 RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................. 13
5.1 Study Materials and Prescribed book(s) ........................................................................................ 13
5.2 Recommended book(s) .................................................................................................................. 13
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) .................................................................................................... 13
5.4 Library services and resources ...................................................................................................... 13
6 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE ............................................................................................................. 14
6.1 What does it mean to study fully online? ....................................................................................... 14
6.2 myUnisa tools ................................................................................................................................. 14
7. ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................... 15
7.1 Tuition rationale .............................................................................................................................. 15
7.2 Your graduateness as a student of the Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning (Industrial and
Organisational Psychology) ........................................................................................................... 16
7.3 The CEMS generic transferable graduate employability meta-skills and personal attributes ...... 18
7.4 Assessment plan ............................................................................................................................ 23
7.5 Submission of assignments ........................................................................................................... 23
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ....................................................................................................................... 25
Plagiarism ................................................................................................................................................... 25
Cheating ..................................................................................................................................................... 25
For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below: .................................................................. 25
7.6 Assignments and learning .............................................................................................................. 25
2
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

7.7 Persons involved in the assessment process ............................................................................... 25

7.8 Assessment time frame ................................................................................................................. 26
7.9 Assessment review and quality assurance ................................................................................... 26
7.10 Format of the examination ............................................................................................................. 26
7.11 Number of assessments (assignments) ........................................................................................ 27
7.12 Feedback on assignments............................................................................................................. 29
7.13 Guidelines for answering the assignments ................................................................................... 29
7.14 Ethical behaviour as a student ...................................................................................................... 31
8 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS .......................................................................................... 31
9 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................... 33
ANNEXURE: ASSIGNMENTS................................................................................................................. 34
COMPULSORY ASSIGNMENTS ............................................................................................................. 35

3
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

1 INTRODUCTION

Dear Student

We are pleased to welcome you to the Programme in Industrial and Organisational Psychology
(PIOP) and hope that you will find it both interesting and rewarding. When you registered for this
programme, you became part of the Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning (Industrial and Organisational
Psychology), and we would like you to contact us for any guidance and support you may require.

Because this is a fully online short learning programme, you will need to use myUnisa to study and
complete the learning activities for this module. Visit the website for each of the four modules of the
PIOP on myUnisa frequently. The myUnisa Moodle website for each of the four modules is: PIOP01N-
2023-Y and PIOP02P-2023-Y and PIOP03Q-2023-Y and PIOP04R-2023-Y. Note: each module is on
a separate website.

You will receive a number of tutorial letters during the year. A tutorial letter is our way of communicating
with you about teaching, learning and assessment. Right from the start we would like to point out that you
must read all the tutorial letters you receive during the year immediately and carefully, as they always
contain important and, sometimes, urgent information.

Important: the examination for each of the four PIOP modules will be conducted online as a non-venue-
based examination. The non-venue based examination for each of the four PIOP modules will be in the
format of an examination-based additional assignment (Assignment 03) that you need to submit. The
examination-based assignment information for each of the four modules is outlined in this tutorial letter.

Tutorial Letter 101 contains important information about the scheme of work, resources and assignments
for this programme. We urge you to read it carefully and to keep it at hand when working through the
study material, preparing for the assignments, and addressing questions to your lecturers.

In Tutorial Letter 101, you will find the assignments and assessment criteria as well as instructions on the
preparation and submission of the assignments. This tutorial letter also provides all the information you
need with regard to the prescribed study material and other resources and how to obtain it. Please study
this information carefully and make sure that you obtain the prescribed material as soon as possible. We
have also included certain course-specific administrative information. Please study this section of the
tutorial letter carefully.

This tutorial letter contains only information regarding the course-specific administrative matters, tutorial
matter, prescribed textbooks, year mark and examination-based assignments and their due dates. We
therefore also urge you to study the Study @ Unisa brochure available on myUnisa:
[Link]/brochures/studies as it contains valuable information regarding general administrative
matters.

We hope that you will enjoy this course and wish you all the best!

Your lecturers

Dr L Tonelli (PIOP01N)
Prof R.M. Oosthuizen (PIOP02P/PIOP03Q)
Prof M Coetzee (PIOP04R)

4
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

1.1 Getting started

• Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving towards

becoming a fully online institution. You will therefore see that all your study material, assessments
and engagements with your lecturer and fellow students will take place online. We use myUnisa
as our virtual campus.
• The myUnisa learning management system (Moodle) is the University's online (virtual) campus
which will help you communicate with your lecturers, other students and the administrative
departments within Unisa.
• The myUnisa virtual campus will offer students access to the myModules (Moodle) site, where
learning (study) material will be available online and where assessments should be completed.
This is an online system that is used to administer, document, and deliver educational material to
students and support engagement between academics and students.
• The myUnisa platform can be accessed via [Link] Click on the myModules 2023
button to access the online sites for the modules that you are registered for.
• The university undertakes to communicate clearly and as frequently as is necessary to ensure
that you obtain the greatest benefit from the use of the myModules learning management system.
Please access the announcements on your myModules site regularly, as this is where your
lecturer will post important information to be shared with you.

To claim your myUnisa account, please follow the steps below:

1. Visit the myUnisa website at [Link]

2. Click on the "Claim Unisa login" link on the top of the screen under the orange user ID box.
3. A new screen will load, prompting you to enter your student number. Please enter your student
number and click "continue".
4. Enter your surname, your full name, your date of birth and, finally, your South African ID number
(for South African citizens) OR your passport number (for foreign students). Then click "continue".
Remember to enter either an ID number or a passport number, NOT both.
5. Please read through the guidelines and click all the check boxes to acknowledge that you have
read all the information provided. Once you are done, click the "Acknowledge" button to redirect
you to the final page in the process.
6. The final page will display your myLife e-mail address, and your myLife AND myUnisa password.
This password will also be sent to the cellphone number displayed on the page for safekeeping.
7. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours for your myLife e-mail account to be created.

Remember, the password provided is your myUnisa AND myLife password

Registered Unisa students get a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices and
updates are sent exclusively to this account. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours for your account
to be activated after you have claimed it. Please do this immediately after registering at Unisa, by
following this link: myLifeHelp@[Link]

Your myLife account is the only e-mail account recognised by Unisa for official correspondence with
the university, and will remain the official primary e-mail address on record at Unisa. You remain
responsible for the management of this e-mail account.

5
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

1.2 Student support services

The Study @ Unisa brochure is available on myUnisa: [Link]/brochures/studies

This brochure contains important information and guidelines for successful studies through Unisa.
If you need assistance with regard to the myModules system, you are welcome to use the following
contact details:

• Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for myModules)

• E-mail: mymodules22@[Link] or myUnisaHelp@[Link]

You can access and view short videos on topics such as how to view your calendar, how to access module
content, how to view announcements for modules, how to submit assessment and how to participate in
forum activities via the following link: [Link]

Support services for students living with disabilities: The Advocacy and Resource Centre for
Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) provides an opportunity for staff to interact with first-time and
returning students with disabilities. If you are a student with a disability and would like additional support
or need additional time for assessments (assignments), you are invited to contact (name and e-mail
address of the lecturer must be inserted) to discuss the assistance that you need.

1.3 Accessing your study materials

Owing to the nature of this module, you can read about each of the four PIOP modules and find
your study material online on the myUnisa Moodle (my Modules) websites.

• Go to the website at [Link] and log in using your student number and password.
• Click on "myModules" at the top of the web page and then on "Sites" in the top right corner.
• In the new window, click on the grey Star icon next to the modules you want displayed on your
navigation bar.
• Close the window in the top right corner. Then select the option "Reload to see your updated
favourite sites".
• Now go to your navigation bar and click on the module you want to open.
• When you access your myModules site for the module/s you are registered for, you will see a
welcome message posted by your lecturer. Below the welcome message you will see the study
materials resources folders, lessons, and assessment shells for the assessments (assignments)
that you need to complete. All assessments (i.e. assignments) must be completed on the
assessment shells available on the respective module platforms.

1.4 First-Year Experience Programme @ Unisa

For many students, the transition from school education to tertiary education is beset with anxiety. This is
also true for first-time students to Unisa. Unisa is a dedicated open distance and e-learning institution.
Unlike face-to-face/contact institutions, Unisa is somewhat different. It is a mega university and all our
programmes are offered through a blended learning mode or fully online learning mode. It is for this reason
that we thought it necessary to offer first-time students additional/extended support so that you can
seamlessly navigate the Unisa teaching and learning journey with little difficulty and few barriers. In this
regard we offer a specialised student support programme to students entering Unisa for the first time. We
refer to this programme as Unisa’s First-Year Experience (FYE) Programme. The FYE is designed to

6
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

provide you with prompt and helpful information about services that the institution offers and how you can
access information. The following FYE programmes are currently offered:

• FYE website: All the guides and resources you need to navigate through your first year at Unisa
can be accessed using the following link: [Link]/FYE
• FYE e-mails: You will receive regular e-mails to help you stay focused and motivated.
• FYE broadcasts: You will receive e-mails with links to broadcasts on various topics related to your
first-year studies (eg videos on how to submit assignments online).
• FYE mailbox: For assistance with queries related to your first year of study, send an e-mail to
fye@[Link].

We wish you every success with your studies!

2 OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMME IN INDUSTRIAL AND

ORGANISATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
2.1 Purpose

The Programme in Industrial and Organisational Psychology (PIOP) has been designed to empower
students with a foundational knowledge and skills base in the general field of Industrial and Organisational
Psychology (IOP) and the following sub-fields: psychology of personality, and individual group and
organisational behaviour. The specific outcomes give an outline of the core competencies you need to
master to successfully complete this programme. The study guide activities, assignment and examination
questions are based on these specific outcomes. The learning outcomes in the study guide for each
module give a more specific outline of the competencies you are expected to master.

Industrial and Organisational (I/O) Psychology is the application of psychological principles, theory, and
research to the work setting. I/O psychology has two objectives: first, to conduct research in an effort to
increase knowledge and understanding of human work behaviour; and second, to apply that knowledge
to improve work behaviour, the work environment, and the psychological conditions of workers. However,
the domain of I/O Psychology often stretches beyond the physical boundaries of the workplace because
many of the factors that influence work behaviour are not always found in the work setting. These factors
include things like work-family issues, socio-cultural influences and employment-related legislation such
as for example employment equity and affirmative action, and the national skills development initiatives.
Very recently, industrial psychologists have begun to explore their role in the new “green” society,
particularly related to the issues of responsible citizenship behaviour and sustainability. Some have begun
for example to explore the issue of a company’s “green” reputation in recruiting efforts.

According to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), the coordinating body for all
registered health professions (psychologists) in South Africa, the industrial or organisational psychologist
practices in business or industrial settings with the general aim of directly benefiting the economic
wellbeing of the employing organisation. They are concerned with people functioning effectively in relation
to their working environments. Their areas of expertise include recruitment and selection, training,
appraisal and review, vocational guidance and career development, industrial relations, occupational
health and safety, planning technological and organisational change, organisational behaviour,
ergonomics, consumer behaviour, job redesign and marketing ([Link]). The Programme in
Industrial and Organisational Psychology deals predominantly with the business/industrial or
organisational setting.

7
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

An important, and perhaps the best known application of industrial and organisational psychology (IOP)
is in the field of human resource management (HRM) and related functions, for which industrial and
organisational psychology to a large extent provides the scientific basis. The module PIOP01N deals
extensively with these aspects. Many students are actually working in the IOP and HRM fields, or enter
them eventually. Professionals trained in IOP are scientists who base their principles and theories about
individual, group and organisational behaviour on research. Modules PIOP02P, PIOP03Q and PIOP04R
deal extensively with these aspects of IOP. However, IOP professionals are also recognised as human
resource (HR) practitioners because of their focus on the human behaviour (HR) side of the organisation.
Industrial psychologists act as consultants, strategic HR partners and advisors who develop scientific
knowledge and apply this knowledge to solving human resource-related problems at work. Industrial
psychologists also work hand-in-hand with HR practitioners in ensuring that human resource practices
comply with legal requirements and the new South African national human resources (HR) standards.
They therefore need to be well-educated in the research and application of industrial and organisational
psychology and the South African Board for People Practices (SABPP) national HR standards and
competencies for HR practitioners. For more information regarding the SABPP national HR standards
and HR competencies, visit [Link]

The IOP department believes, however, that IOP in its own right also fills a wider professional role which
is also protected by law. These functions include the diagnosis of staff and other organisational problems
with an industrial and organisational psychology content, and remedial action with the aid of professional
techniques and advice. Some industrial psychologists fulfil this role as professional internal or external
consultants.

Persons not registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) may not practise as
industrial psychologists or make use of industrial psychological techniques and psychological tests.
Students who obtain a MCom degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology, followed by an
internship, may register as industrial psychologists. The internship is a professional requirement, but is
not a requirement for obtaining a degree. Students with a bachelor’s degree, honours degree or master’s
degree in industrial and organisational psychology can register with the SABPP as human resource
practitioners, chartered human resource practitioners or master human resource practitioners. The IOP
department also offers a post-graduate diploma in organisation development, a doctorate in industrial and
organisational psychology and a doctorate in consulting psychology.

2.2 Outcomes

For the PIOP programme, you will have to master several outcomes:

8
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Learning outcomes
Module purpose and content Module learning outcomes
PIOP01N: Introduction to Industrial and Organisational Psychology
Module purpose: • Demonstrate an understanding and application of
The purpose of this module is to equip the research process in the work context.
students with foundational knowledge on the • Demonstrate the ability to apply the principles and
various subfields of industrial and practices underlying Personnel Psychology in
organisational psychology, as well as optimising employee and organisational
knowledge and skills pertaining to the performance.
complexities of employee behaviour and • Demonstrate the ability to apply the principles and
organisational processes in managing practices underlying Career Psychology in
employee behaviour to achieve optimising employee performance.
organisational goals. • Demonstrate the ability to apply the principles and
practices underlying Ergonomics in workplace
Study unit 1: Research in Industrial and optimisation
Organisational Psychology • Demonstrate the ability to apply the principles and
Study unit 2: Personnel Psychology practices underlying Consumer Psychology in the
Study unit 3: Organisational Psychology work context.
Study unit 4: Ergonomics
Study unit 5: Consumer Psychology

PIOP02P: Psychology in the workplace

Module purpose: • Demonstrate an informed understanding of
The purpose of this module is to equip psychology as a field of study, a science, and
students with foundational knowledge and applied areas
skills in psychological theories and • Demonstrate an informed understanding of the
principles influencing behaviour in the biological basis of behaviour
workplace. • Demonstrate an informed understanding of
personality theory
Study unit 1: Psychology as a field of study, • Demonstrate an informed understanding of
a science and a profession psychological health and adjustment
Study unit 2: Research methodology in • Demonstrate an informed understanding of how
psychology human behaviour develops
Study unit 3: The biological basis of human • Demonstrate the ability to apply the principles of
behaviour research methodology in psychology
Study unit 4: Sensation and perception
Study unit 5: Learning
Study unit 6: Human memory, cognition and
intelligence
Study unit 7: Motivation and emotion
Study unit 8: Development of human
behaviour
Study unit 9: Personality
Study unit 10: Aspects of psychological
health and adjustment
Study unit 11: Nature of people interaction

9
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

PIOP03Q: Group behaviour

Module purpose: • Demonstrate an informed understanding of the
The purpose of this module is to equip fundamentals of group behaviour.
students with foundational knowledge and • Demonstrate an informed understanding of
skills in group behaviour in organisational principles of managing diversity
context. • Demonstrate an informed understanding of teams in
the workplace.
Study unit 1: Understanding and managing • Demonstrate an informed understanding of
individuals contemporary issues in teams.
Study unit 2: Fundamentals of group
behaviour
Study unit 3: Teams in the workplace
Study unit 4: Contemporary issues in teams

PIOP04R: Organisational behaviour

Module purpose: • Demonstrate informed understanding of the key
The purpose of this module is to equip terms, concepts, general principles, and theories of
students with foundational knowledge and job and organisational design and the ability to apply
skills in organisational behaviour theory these in organisational context scenarios
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate the relevance and
Study unit 1: Job and organisational design appropriateness of leadership theories and styles in
Study unit 2: Organisational culture work context
Study unit 3: Leadership • Demonstrate the ability to apply the principles of
Study unit 4: Managing change and organisational change and development in
organisation development evaluating defined routine organisational behaviour
problems
• Demonstrate informed understanding of the key
terms, concepts, general principles, and theories of
organisational culture and climate and the ability to
apply these in organisational context scenarios

2.3 General course matters

2.3.1 Registration and course fees

Students are required to pay the course fees in full on registration.

2.3.2 Re-registration and admission

If a student has failed the October 2023 examination-based assignment (Assignment 03 of each module)
or has cancelled their studies during the course of the academic year but wishes to re-register for the next
year, the following will apply:

• A new registration form must be completed and the required tuition fees, where applicable, will be
payable.
• The student must again enrol for the module(s) that they failed, redo the assignments and qualify
for admission to the non-venue-based examination (i.e. examination-based assignment).
• The Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning (UCL) reserves the right to refuse re-registration.
• Note that there are no supplementary examinations. Student who failed some (or all) of the
year programme modules will need to reregister for the particular module(s) in the following year.

10
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

2.3.3 Cancellation of programmes/modules

[Link] Total or partial cancellation

A student may cancel his or her registration as a whole, provided that WRITTEN APPLICATION to this
effect is received by the Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning (UCL). Please note that after 15 March 2023
no refunds will be made to any students, should they wish to cancel.

[Link] Postponement to the next academic year

A student may request that their studies be postponed to the next academic year. A written application to
this effect should be submitted before 15 March 2023. Please note that any postponement is regarded
as a new registration and the registration, course fees, and admission rules will apply.

[Link] Agreement

This tutorial letter is part of the agreement between the student and the Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning
(UCL). PLEASE KEEP THIS TUTORIAL LETTER WITH YOUR TUTORIAL MATTER.

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION
Unisa has implemented a transformation charter based on five pillars and eight dimensions. In response
to this charter, we have placed curriculum transformation high on the teaching and learning agenda.
Curriculum transformation includes the following pillars: student-centred scholarship, the pedagogical
renewal of teaching and assessment practices, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion
of African epistemologies and philosophies. These pillars and their principles will be integrated at both
programme and module levels as a phased-in approach. You will notice a marked change in the teaching
and learning strategy implemented by Unisa, together with how the content is conceptualised in your
modules. We encourage you to embrace these changes during your studies at Unisa in a responsive way
within the framework of transformation.

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

4.1 Lecturer(s)

Any correspondence concerning the module contents of the programme, such as enquiries about the
contents of an assignment, should be addressed to the lecturer responsible for the programme or the
UCL administration support staff. IMPORTANT: Always include your student number and the module
code (e.g. PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R) in any correspondence with the lecturers or the
Centre. The lecturers who will be able to assist you with each module are as follows:

11
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

MODULE 1 (PIOP01N): INTRODUCTION TO INDUSTRIAL & ORGANISATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Lecturer : Dr Louise Tonelli
Telephone number: (012) 429 8226
E-mail : leyl@[Link]
MODULE 2 (PIOP02P): PSYCHOLOGY IN THE WORKPLACE
Lecturer : Prof RM Oosthuizen
Telephone number: (012) 429 8245
Cell no. : 082 402 9397
E-mail : oosthrm@[Link]
MODULE 3 (PIOP03Q): GROUP BEHAVIOUR
Lecturer : Prof RM Oosthuizen
Telephone number: (012) 429 8245
Cell no. : 082 402 9397
E-mail : oosthrm@[Link]
MODULE 4 (PIOP04R): ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
Lecturer : Prof Melinde Coetzee
Telephone number: (012) 429 8204
E-mail : coetzm1@[Link]

You may also contact the lecturer by e-mail. Please ensure that you address the e-mail to the person
concerned with your enquiry. We have found that a few days after the closing date for the submission of
a specific assignment, students start telephoning to make enquiries about the mark they have received
for the assignment. As a result, the telephone lines are engaged for hours on end, and students who have
real problems with their studies are unable to get through to the Centre. Please allow one month to
elapse after the closing date of an assignment before you telephone us to make enquiries about whether
or not your assignment has been marked, and what mark you have been awarded.

4.2 University Centre for Life-Long Learning (UCL)

To contact the University, follow the instructions on the Contact us page on the Unisa website. Remember
to have your student number available whenever you contact the University. Whenever you contact a
lecturer via e-mail, please include your student number in the subject line to enable the lecturer to help
you more effectively. You can contact the UCL as follows:

Enquiries regarding Mr Gladius Sethosa Ms B Mahlangu

registrations Email: sethog@[Link] Email: mahlabm@[Link]
Tel: 012 352 4275 OR
uclregistrations@[Link]
Enquiries regarding Mr Sam Kekana Ms M Makgoba
certificates: Email: kekansm@[Link] Email: Makgomm@[Link]
OR
UCLcertificates@[Link]

Enquiries regarding finances UCLFinance@[Link]

The Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning (Industrial and General enquiries:
Organisational Psychology) is located at: Solomon Mahlangu UCL@[Link]
Building, Office 211- Second Floor, 360 Lilian Ngoyi Street,
Pretoria, 0001 uclregistrations@[Link]
Contact addresses of the various administrative departments appear on the Unisa website:
[Link]

NOTE: ALWAYS include your student number and the module code in all correspondence to
UCL or Unisa

12
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

5 RESOURCES

5.1 Study Materials and Prescribed book(s)

The study materials for each module include Tutorial letters and a study guide that are available on each
of the four modules’ websites in the study materials resources folder. Some modules have a prescribed
textbook which should be purchased by students from a bookseller. Students are responsible for
buying/obtaining the prescribed textbooks for the course. The prescribed textbooks for the four modules
are as follows:

Module 1 (PIOP01N): Study Guide PIOP01-N only

Module 2 (PIOP02P): Weiten/Hassim - Psychology: Themes & Variations, A South African Perspective
3rd ed, (2018) ISBN 9781473748583
Module 3 (PIOP03Q): Sinding, K., Kreitner, R. & Kinicki, A. (2018). Organisational Behaviour. (6th ed.)
McGraw-Hill Higher Education. ISBN: 9781526812360
Module 4 (PIOP04R): Moerdyk, A., Chinyamurindi,W., Dodd, N., Donald, N., Freedman, G., Kiley, J.,
& Van Hoek, L. (2020). Organisational behaviour (2nd edition). Cape Town:
Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780190743437

Prescribed books can be obtained from the University’s official booksellers. Please consult the Study @
Unisa brochure for more information or contact infoservices@[Link] (Tel: 012 429 3111).

5.2 Recommended book(s)

There are no recommended books for this course.

5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

There are no e-Reserves for this course.

5.4 Library services and resources

The Unisa library offers a range of information services and resources:

• For brief information, go to [Link]
• For more detailed library information, go to
[Link]
• For research support and services (e.g. the services offered by personal librarians and the
request a literature search service offered by the information search librarians), go to
[Link]
• For library training for undergraduate students, go to
[Link]

The library has created numerous library guides, available at [Link]

Recommended guides:
• Request and find library material/download recommended material:
[Link]
• Postgraduate information services: [Link]
• Finding and using library resources and tools:
[Link]
• Frequently asked questions about the library:

13
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

[Link]
• Services to students living with disabilities:
[Link]
• A–Z of library databases:
[Link]

Important contact information:

• Ask a librarian: [Link]
• Technical problems encountered in accessing library online services: Lib-help@[Link]
• General library-related queries: Library-enquiries@[Link]
• Queries related to library fines and payments: Library-fines@[Link]
• Social media channels: Facebook: UnisaLibrary and Twitter: @UnisaLibrary

6 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE

6.1 What does it mean to study fully online?

Studying fully online modules differs completely from studying some of your other modules at Unisa.

• All your study material and learning activities for online modules are designed to be
delivered online on myUnisa.
• All your assignments must be submitted online. This means that you will do all your activities
and submit all your assignments on myUnisa. In other words, you may NOT post your assignments
to Unisa using the South African Post Office.
• All communication between you and the University happens online. Lecturers will
communicate with you via e-mail and SMS, and use the Announcements, the Discussion Forums
and the Questions and Answers tools. You can also use all of these platforms to ask questions
and contact your lecturers.

6.2 myUnisa tools

The main tool that we will use is the Lessons tool. This tool will provide the content of and the
assessments for your module. It is very important that you log in to myUnisa regularly. We recommend
that you log in at least once a week to do the following:

• Check for new announcements. You can also set your myLife e-mail account so that you receive
the announcement e-mails on your cellphone.
• Do the Discussion Forum activities. When you do the activities for each learning unit, we want
you to share your answers with the other students in your group. You can read the instructions and
even prepare your answers offline, but you will need to go online to post your messages.
• View the requirements for assignments on each module’s website and in Tutorial letter 101.
Submit your assignments online on the Moodle Assessment system

We hope that by giving you extra ways to study the material and practise all the activities, this will help
you succeed in the online module. To get the most out of the online module, you MUST go online regularly
to complete the activities and assignments on time.

14
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

7. ASSESSMENT
7.1 Tuition rationale

This course has been designed on the basis of outcomes-based principles, which form our tuition
rationale and entail five steps (or phases) of cognitive understanding and planning.

Firstly, we should strive to create the desire in you to want to know more about industrial and
organisational psychology. We should therefore explain why it is necessary for you to learn about
industrial and organisational psychology. This module will help you to acquire well-rounded skills in the
field of industrial and organisational psychology. In order to distinguish yourself as a specialist in this
applied field of industrial and organisational psychology, you will have to obtain a post-graduate level
qualification. Skills and knowledge about industrial and organisational psychology will enable you to make
a meaningful contribution to the world of work, your organisation and to our country.

The second step would be to put the topic in a real-life context in order to give you the opportunity to do
a social analysis of situations. However, there is no need for us to do this because you are probably
employed, work for yourself or are preparing yourself for future employment. We live and work in a real-
life context your experience of the work situation, the work experience of a significant other or your
experience in dealing with retailers on a day-to-day basis while shopping, provides you with sufficient
evidence to make a difference by adding expert knowledge and skills on industrial and organisational
psychology to the situation in which you function. To make this outcomes-based approach more practical,
you are challenged to get involved in analysing relevant problems and issues in the work context, in the
community environment or in your private life.

The third step would be to provide a solid theoretical knowledge base to substantiate your analysis of
the context of industrial and organisational psychology. To assist you with this, we supply you with an
outstanding prescribed book based on the most recent research in industrial and organisational
psychology.

Fourthly, we want you to ask: What can I do with what I learned in the three previous steps in order to
better myself, others, my organisation, my community and the environment? Finding answers to this
question entails continuous reflection on your part. It is therefore your task to be consistently aware of
what you study in this course, to find ways of applying your awareness in your work situation or
community, and to continue to reflect on ways of improving the methods you followed.

The last step involves evaluation, which covers academic assessment and self-evaluation. Here you
have the opportunity to prove to yourself and others, by means of assignments and the examination, that
you succeeded in acquiring the necessary theoretical knowledge and that you are able to apply it
successfully in practice.

The strategy that is followed in evaluation is based on four outcomes. This means that in answering
questions (be they assignment questions or examination questions) you should prove that you

1. can explain why (knowledge and understanding: Do I know the facts and concepts, and can I
explain their uses?)
2. can do something (practical tasks/skills and the execution of certain practical competencies: Can
I do or execute certain tasks (based on my knowledge of the study material), and do I have the
required skills?)

15
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

3. want to make a positive difference (values: What is in it for me and for others? What is the value
of my learning experiences to me, my work or society? How can I make a difference through my
practical contributions?)
4. want to do it well (attitude or mind set: Am I personally responsible? How well do I do tasks or
answer questions? For example, why do I get a certain mark or what weights do I allocate to certain
aspects, and do I complete or submit my assignments before or on the due date?)

Applied competence entails applying your knowledge, skills, values and attitude in three ways:

• practical competence Can demonstrated ability to consider a range of options/possibilities and

make decisions about practice
• foundational competenceCan demonstrated understanding of what we are doing and why
• reflexive competenceCan demonstrated ability to connect our understanding with our
performance, so that we learn from our actions and adapt to changes and unforeseen
circumstances

The abovementioned competencies emphasise the various levels of the programme in industrial and
organisational psychology. You should therefore be able to do more than simply reproduce or know the
theory.

We put together fairly comprehensive assignments to provide you with examples of real-life situations.
When working through the various scenarios, you will find that you have to display a number of different
skills in order to complete the assignments. The purpose is to give you the opportunity to apply the above
competencies at all levels. You will also encounter self-evaluation questions at the end of the compulsory
assignment. These questions and other evaluation exercises will enable you to test your foundational
competence. Your practical competence will be tested by the questions on the case studies and practical
tasks in the study guides and textbooks. Your reflexive competence will manifest itself continuously as
you work through the study guides, prescribed books, assignments and self-evaluation questions.

7.2 Your graduateness as a student of the Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning (Industrial and
Organisational Psychology)

The discipline-specific knowledge that you will gain from your studies in the field of industrial and
organisational psychology will enable you to specialise as and develop your proficiency as an aspiring
human resource professional. However, you will realise in the course of your studies that the increasing
internationalisation, the growing proportion of knowledge-intensive work, increasing use of rapidly
evolving information technology, and a new organisation of work based on global networks, teams, and
multi-cultural diversity have extended the range of capabilities needed in professional work. The general
expectation from employers is that a graduate of the University of South Africa will have developed as a
person and acquired in addition to her or his discipline-specific knowledge, skills and competencies,
broader attributes which equip Unisa graduates to be innovative and effective in the workplace, and active
and informed citizens.

The University of South Africa generally expects its graduates to have distinctive graduate qualities which
characterise their graduateness. These qualities are included in the following statement on the
graduateness of a Unisa student (Unisa Curriculum Policy).

16
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Unisa graduates:

(i) Are independent, resilient, responsible and caring citizens who are able to fulfil and serve in
multiple roles in their immediate and future local, national and global communities.
(ii) Have a critical understanding of their location on the African continent with its histories, challenges
and potential in relation to globally diverse contexts.
(iii) Are able to critically analyse and evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information and data
from multiple sources in a globalised world with its ever increasing information and data flows and
competing worldviews.
(iv) Know how to apply their discipline-specific knowledges competently, ethically and creatively to
solve real-life problems.
(v) Are critically aware of their own learning and developmental needs and future potential.

Being a student of the Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning (Industrial and Organisational Psychology), you
have become part of the College of Economic and Management Sciences (CEMS). The CEMS aims to
create graduates that are responsible, accountable, relevant and ethical (RARE) as citizens in every
community where they operate. In support of the Unisa statement on its students’ graduateness, the
CEMS focuses on imparting to their students in addition to the discipline-specific knowledge of a course
or module, a specific set of generic transferable meta-skills and personal attributes (generally referred to
as graduateness skills and attributes) that transcend disciplinary-specific outcomes. These skills and
attributes are regarded as enabling outcomes that will assist students to become competent and
professional graduates who have the potential to make sustained positive contributions to society, to their
professions, and in their workplaces.

The CEMS framework of graduate employability skills and attributes addresses three holistic overarching
attributes which are regarded as important enabling outcomes of university education: (1) scholarship
(students’ attitude or stance towards knowledge, the way they think and work, and the tools they use to
work effectively), (2) global and moral citizenship (students’ attitude or stance towards the world and
others, and living in the world), and (3) lifelong learning (students’ attitude or stance towards themselves
and living in the world).

• As scholars, graduates should be leaders in the production of new knowledge and understanding
through inquiry, critique and synthesis. They should be able to apply their knowledge to solve
consequential and complex problems and communicate their knowledge confidently and effectively.
• As global citizens, graduates must aspire to contribute to society in a full, meaningful, ethical and
responsible way through their roles as members of local, national and global communities.
• As lifelong learners, graduates must be committed to and capable of continuous learning for the
purpose of furthering their understanding of the world and their place in it.

The learning and assessment activities in the various modules that you enrolled for in the Programme in
Industrial and Organisational Psychology have been designed to enable you to develop the graduate
skills and attributes expected from a CEMS graduate. As the development of the graduateness skills and
attributes is a gradual process, each module will provide you with various opportunities to evaluate your
achievement of these skills and attributes. You will also note that developing and applying the graduate
skills and attributes by completing the various learning and assessment activities will help you to master
the disciplinary-specific learning outcomes specified for each module.

17
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

7.3 The CEMS generic transferable graduate employability meta-skills and personal attributes

The CEMS generic graduate employability transferable meta-skills and personal attributes described
below form an integral part of the generic critical cross-field outcomes listed by the South African
government as learning outcomes that are relevant throughout life for all South African citizens. Forming
an integral part of the CEMS framework of graduate skills and attributes, these generic learning outcomes
enable graduates to continue to be proactive, enterprising learners, flexible, and able to adapt to change
throughout their careers and professional lives.

Scholarship skills and attributes

• Problem-solving and decision-making skills: These skills relate to being creative and proactive in
the process of producing a solution to a recognised often ill-defined problem or problematic complex
situation.
• Analytical thinking skills: Analytical thinking implies being skillful in employing logical reasoning and
analysis in explaining information and data and drawing insightful conclusions from the data
analysis.
• Enterprising skills: These skills involve being venturesome and applying critical thinking, initiative
and proactivity when engaging in economic activities or undertakings either to create and operate
an enterprise of one’s own or be a substantial contributor to an enterprise as an employee. Being
enterprising also means that one is able to recognise and be adept at dealing with organisational or
team politics.

Global and moral citizenship skills and attributes

• Ethical & responsible behaviour: This involves accepting full responsibility for and taking the lead
in upholding the code of moral beliefs and values of one’s profession, community, and/or workplace
in all one does.
• Presenting & applying information skills: These skills refer to the ability to clearly and convincingly
communicate knowledge, facts, ideas, and opinions (oral and written) with the view to offer solutions
for one’s personal benefit, or for the benefit of one’s community or workplace.
• Interactive skills: These skills relate to: (1) the effective and efficient use of English language and
technology when communicating with others and (2) the ability to function effectively and efficiently
as a person in communicating and interacting with people from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and
authority levels.

Life-long learning skills and attributes

• Goal-directed behaviour: This refers to the ability to be proactive and apply initiative to achieve
one’s goals, accomplish tasks, or meet deadlines. Setting realistic goals, developing plans and
taking action to achieve one’s goals, accomplish tasks and meeting deadlines are core elements of
goal-directed behaviour.
• Continuous learning orientation: This involves having a cognitive openness toward lifelong learning
and the willingness to proactively engage in the process of acquiring new knowledge, skills and
abilities throughout one’s life and career in reaction to, and in anticipation of, changing technology
and performance criteria.

The focus on the graduateness of a UCL graduate is coherent with the SABPP HR Competency Model.
The scholarship facet of graduateness underpins the pillar of HR and business knowledge and the HR
competencies of organisational capability, and solution creation and implementation. The IOP PQM
curricula emphasise the role of the industrial psychologist (and HR practitioner) as strategic business
partner and advisor in the contemporary world of work context. The global/moral citizenship and life-

18
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

long/life-wide learning facets of graduateness can be related to the HR pillars of duty to society, ethics
and professionalism, and the HR competencies of leadership and personal credibility, interpersonal and
communication skills and citizenship for the future. The figure below illustrates the link between the
graduateness skills and attributes and HR pillars of professionalism, HR core competencies and HR
capabilities of the SABPP HR Competency Model in driving business excellence. For more information
regarding the SABPP HR Competency Model and national HR standards, visit [Link]

Transdisciplinary Work & Life CEMS/IOP SABPP HR SABPP HR Core

Generic Outcomes Orientation Graduateness Pillars of Competencies
of University Skills & Attributes Professionalism
Education
Scholarship Ways of Problem HR and Organisational
Stance toward thinking solving/decision-making Business Capability
knowledge skills Knowledge Solution SABPP HR Capabilities in
Analytical thinking skills Creation & Driving Business Excellence
Enterprising skills Implementation
Global/moral Ways of, Ethical & responsible Duty to Society Leadership and • Strategy
citizenship and tools behaviour Ethics Personal • Talent Management
Stance toward for working Presenting & applying Professionalism Credibility • HR Governance, Risk &
world and others and living information skills Citizenship for Compliance
in the world Interactive skills the Future • Analytics & Measurement
Life-long/life- Goal-directed behaviour • HR Service Delivery
wide learning Continuous learning
Stance toward self orientation

ELEMENTS OF THE SABPP HUMAN RESOURCE COMPETENCY MODEL

PILLARS OF HR HR CORE COMPETENCIES HR CAPABILITIES
PROFESSIONALISM
• Duty to society: HR • Leadership and Personnel Credibility: All • Strategy: HR professionals contribute to
professionals have a duty HR professionals should possess leadership business strategy by drafting HR
to society in delivering high skills to drive the HR profession. Likewise, HR strategies aligned to the overall strategy
quality HR work that has an professionals should have personal credibility in of the organisation. However, this is
impact on society. organisations, irrespective of level in the more than just alignment, it requires the
• Ethics: HR organisation, but this can only be achieved if ability and influence to create people-
professionalism should they display a high level of competence in driven business strategy in partnership
contribute to ethics in executing professional HR work. with other executives.
organisations and drive • Organisational capability: Understanding the • Talent management: Once business and
ethics in accordance with organisational context and needs of the HR strategy are clear, HR professionals
the SABPP HR Guide on business is critical in the process of planning should work with line management in
Ethics. and delivering HR practices. implementing a talent management plan
• Professionalism: HR • Solution Creation and Implementation: HR for an organisation.
professionals should professionals create, plan and implement HR • HR governance risk and compliance:
manage themselves solutions, including interventions and practices Governing the HR function to make
professionally in acting and according to the needs of the organisation. effective people decisions for the
behaving like true • Interpersonal and communication skill: All business, including managing HR risks
professionals in the HR work depends on successful relationships, and ensuring compliance to employment
standard of HR work they and excellent interpersonal and communication laws, rules, codes and HR standards
deliver. skills are of utmost importance. elevate HR from business partners to HR
• HR and Business • Citizenship for the future: Over and above the governors.
knowledge: HR HR strategic partner role, the new business • Analytics and measurement: Another
professional must have environment requires HR professionals who can core capability is to be able to generate a
good HR and sound drive innovation, optimise technology and systematic and integrated approach to
business knowledge if they contribute to sustainability. Thus, HR HR analytics and measures in
want to be successful as professionals become citizens for the future in demonstrating HR impact on the
professionals and strategic ensuring sustainability of organisations and the business.
partners. environment. • HR service delivery: Ultimately HR
professionals should be able to deliver
high quality HR products and services for
the organisation and meeting or
exceeding the needs of management,
employees and other key stakeholders.
Source: [Link]

Students professionally trained in IOP are recognised as human resource (HR) practitioners who are able
to act as consultants, strategic HR partners and advisers to management. They work hand-in-hand with
HR practitioners in ensuring that human resource practices comply with legal requirements and the new
South African national human resources (HR) standards. They therefore need to be well-educated in the

19
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

South African Board for People Practices (SABPP) national HR standards and competencies for HR
practitioners.

The thirteen South African national human resource standards (SABPP, 2013; 2016)
Standard Definition Objectives
Strategic human Strategic human resource • To ensure the HR strategy is derived from and aligned to the organisation’s
resource management management (HRM) is a objectives in consultation with key organisational stakeholders.
systematic approach to developing • To analyse the internal and external socio-economic, political and
and implementing long-term HRM technological environment and provide proactive people-related business
strategies, policies and plans that solutions.
enable the organisation to achieve • To provide strategic direction and measurements for strategic innovation and
its objectives. sustainable people practice.
• To provide a foundation for the employment value proposition of the
organisation.
• To establish a framework for the HR element of the organisation’s governance,
risk and compliance policies, practices and procedures which balance the
needs of all stakeholders.

The thirteen South African national human resource standards (SABPP, 2013; 2016)
Standard Definition Objectives
Talent management Talent management is the • To build a talent culture which defines the organisation’s philosophy, principles
proactive design and and integrated approach to talent, which leverages diversity and is
implementation of an integrated communicated in a clear employment value proposition.
talent-driven organisational • To identify strategically critical positions and leadership roles and capabilities
strategy directed to attracting, in the organisation into the future from the workforce plan that will determine
deploying, developing, retaining the sustainability of the organisation.
and optimising appropriate talent • To set up processes and systems which will:
requirements as identified in the o Attract a sustainable pool of talent for current objectives and future
workforce plan to ensure a organisation needs.
sustainable organisation. o Achieve employment equity progress in the spirit of the legislation to
achieve transformation.
o Manage the retention and reward of talent.
o Develop the required leadership skills.
o Plan for succession to key roles.
o Identify high potential employees and link them with key future roles in the
organisation through monitored development plans.
o Identify through assessment the optimal development opportunities for
talent.
• To agree appropriate roles for relevant stakeholders in the development and
management of talent.
• To monitor and report on talent management key results areas and indicators.
Human resource risk HR risk management is a • To increase the probability and impact of positive events and decrease the
management systematic approach of identifying probability and impact of negative events caused by people factors on the
and addressing people factors achievement of organisational objectives.
(uncertainties and opportunities) • To align HR and people management practices within the governance, risk,
that can either have a positive or and compliance framework and integrated reporting model of the organisation.
negative effect on the realisation of • To ensure appropriate risk assessment practices and procedures relating to
the objectives of the organisation. people factors are embedded within the organisation.
• To ensure appropriate risk controls are designed and applied to HR activities
and interventions.
• To contribute in creating and sustaining a risk culture in an organisation that
also encourages innovation and creativity.
Workforce planning Workforce planning is the • To design a strategic workforce plan that meets the needs of the organisation
systematic identification and in consultation with line management, and adjust strategy accordingly, taking
analysis of organisational into account workforce and labour market trends in relation to the relevant
workforce needs culminating in a industry sector, within the spirit of the employment equity legislation.
workforce plan to ensure • To align the workforce planning cycle with the strategic planning and budgeting
sustainable organisational cycle of the organisation, as well as talent management where relevant.
capability in pursuit of the • To ensure appropriate budgeting or cost modelling to prepare the budget for
achievement of its strategic and the workforce plan.
operational objectives. • To ensure an adequate supply and pipeline of appropriately qualified staff
through sourcing staff and building the future supply of the right skills to meet
the needs of the organisation. (Note: the implementation of this standard also
entails the development and implementation of career planning processes and
programmes and other enabling interventions such as recruitment,
assessment, selection and succession planning).

20
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Learning & Learning and development is the • To create an occupationally competent and engaged workforce which builds
development practice of providing organisational capability, providing employees with opportunities to develop
occupationally directed and other new knowledge and skills.
learning activities that enable and • To focus learning and development plans on improving people’s ability to
enhance the knowledge, practical perform to achieve organisational objectives and provide the means for
skills and workplace experience measuring the impact of learning and development interventions.
and behaviour of individuals and • To support and accelerate skills development and achievement of employment
teams based on current and future equity and organisational transformation and limit the impact of skills
occupational requirements for shortages.
optimal organisational • To create a learning culture and environment that enables optimal individual,
performance and sustainability. team and organisational learning and growth in both competencies and
behaviour.
• To capture and replicate and enhance critical knowledge within the
organisation.

The thirteen South African national human resource standards (SABPP, 2013; 2016)
Standard Definition Objectives
• To ensure learning and development is a catalyst for continuous improvement,
change and innovation. (Note: the implementation of this standard also entails
identifying, selecting and implementing in an integrated approach the
appropriate learning and development interventions to meet the identified
organisational need and enable employees to develop new knowledge and
skills; and the evaluation of the impact of learning and development to assess
quality, alignment with strategy and impact on organisational capability).
Performance Performance management is a • To translate and cascade broad organisational performance drivers into team
management planned process of directing, and individual performance targets.
developing, supporting, aligning • To establish an appropriate performance management process, methodology
and improving individual and team and system relevant to the needs, size, scope and complexity of the
performance in enabling the organisation.
sustained achievement of • To provide appropriate performance consequences (reward, recognition and
organisational objectives. development opportunities) that attract, retain and motivate employees and to
address poor performance.
• To ensure fair, ethical and organisation cultural practices focusing on the
achievement of performance targets (that is, high performance culture) in a
sustainable way.
• To measure progress against agreed individual and team objectives that
enable attainment of organisational objectives.
Reward Reward is a strategy and system • To design and implement an appropriate reward strategy aligned with
that enables organisations to offer organisation culture, objectives and employment value proposition and
fair and appropriate levels of achieving a fair balance between the needs of the employer and employee.
reward in recognition for their • To deliver a fair and equitable reward system and process that is ethical, cost
contribution to the achievement of effective and sustainable.
agreed deliverables in line with • To ensure compliance with organisational governance principles and practices
organisational objectives and aligned to national and relevant international governance codes and practice
values. and relevant legislation.
• To ensure the reward strategy is in line with current national international
industry and sector norms.
`Wellness Employee wellness is a strategy to • To promote opportunities and guidance that enable employees to engage in
ensure that a safe and healthy effective management of their own physical, mental, spiritual, financial and
work and social environment is social wellbeing.
created and maintained, together • To enable the employer to manage all aspects of employee wellness that can
with individual wellness have a negative impact on employees’ ability to deliver on organisational
commitment that enables objectives and to demonstrate the impact of wellness activities on the
employees to perform optimally achievement of organisational objectives.
while meeting all health and safety • To promote a safe and healthy working environment in pursuit of optimum
legislative requirements and other productivity and preservation of human life and health.
relevant wellness good practices in • To reduce employee risk emanating from health and wellness issues.
support of the achievement of • To contain health and wellness costs.
organisational objectives. • To enhance the employment value proposition by means of promoting a culture
of individual health and overall organisational wellness.
Employment relations Employment relations is the • To create a climate of trust, cooperation and stability within an organisation.
management management of individual and • To ensure appropriate and effective conditions of employment and balance
collective relationships in an fairness between employer and employee across all levels and types of
organisation through the employees and all sites of the organisation.
implementation of good practices • To achieve a harmonious and productive working environment that enables the
that enable the achievement of organisation to compete effectively in its marketplace.
organisational objectives • To meet the employer’s duty of care towards its employees and other
compliant with the legislative stakeholders.

21
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

framework and appropriate to • To provide a framework for conflict resolution.

socio-economic conditions. • To provide a framework for collective bargaining where relevant.
• To ensure capacity building and compliance to relevant labour legislation,
codes of good practice (ILO and Department of Labour) and international
standards.

The thirteen South African national human resource standards (SABPP, 2013; 2016)
Standard Definition Objectives
Organisation Organisation development (OD) is • To establish links with organisational purpose across all levels and functions of
development a planned systemic change an organisation.
process to continually improve an • To ensure organisation design facilitates the purpose of the organisation.
organisation’s effectiveness by • To improve the ability of individuals, teams, departments and functions to work
utilising diagnostic data and co-operatively to meet organisation objectives and optimise engagement at
designing and implementing work.
appropriate solutions and • To facilitate stakeholder engagement in all OD processes to ensure optimum
interventions to measurably enable buy-in.
the organisation to optimise its • To build the relevant OD capability to meet organisational needs.
purpose and strategy. • To ensure compliance with relevant continuous improvement principles and
practices.
Human resource HR service delivery is an • To ensure timeliness, consistency, credibility and quality in the delivery of HR
service delivery influencing and partnering services, using resources productively and measuring and improving on
approach in the provision of HR delivery.
services meeting the needs of the • To ensure sustainability of HR practices within the organisation.
organisation and its employees • To support the effective management of the human element in an organisation
which enables delivery of by means of an effective HR service delivery model and system.
organisational goals and targets. • Top provide effective professional advice and guidance to managers and
employees regarding the correct implementation of labour laws and other
legislative requirements, HR policies, practices and procedures.
• To measure employee engagement on the one hand, and satisfaction with the
delivery of HR services on the other hand.
• To capture and provide management and the board with appropriate HR data,
statistics and interpretation.
Human resource HR technology is the effective • To consolidate and rapidly extract relevant information in real time to empower
technology utilisation of the relevant HR for more effective decision making.
technological applications and • To deliver effective presentation of HR information to the board or governing
platforms that makes information body, line management and executive committee meetings to provide them
accessible and accurate, providing with intelligent data to guide their planning, decision making and management
HR and line management with the of the workforce with full knowledge of potential people risks.
knowledge and intelligence • To allow easy access to relevant data (real-time, self-service) in compliance
required for more effective with relevant data security and other information technology compliance
decision-making, to align all requirements, laws, codes and standards (privacy).
employees towards the • To create more capacity within existing HR structures to deliver value-adding
implementation of the activities.
organisation’s strategy. • To streamline the HR Management System and its associated processes for
effective and efficient use.
• To ensure that appropriate information security principles, policies and
practices are developed and implemented.
• To enable the effective implementation of change and improvements to the HR
Management System to ensure it remains continually aligned with the
organisation’s objectives.
Human resource HR measurement is a continuous • To determine measurement approaches, methodologies, and metrics to
measurement process of gathering, analysing, assess the effectiveness and efficiency of HR practices.
interpreting, evaluating and • To identify relevant measurement areas for the purpose of integrated reporting.
presenting quantitative and • To implement appropriate tools and methods to measure timely the efficiency,
qualitative data to measure, align effectiveness and consistency of HR practices across the organisation.
and benchmark the impact of HR • To provide a clear framework for measuring HR impact on the bottom-line of
practices on organisational the organisation.
objectives, including facilitating • To develop performance indicators for HR service delivery and business impact
internal and external auditing of HR and present to the organisation in an appropriate HR scorecard.
policies, processes, practices and
outcomes.

While studying, doing your assignments or implementing learned theory in the work situation, you should
try to be constantly aware of your effectiveness at displaying and using the graduate skills and attributes
and HR competencies listed above as these will influence your present and future employability as a
human resource professional. You will note that the examination-based assignment 03 of each module

22
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

includes a self-reflection question on your personal learning experience. The self-reflection questions that
form part of assignment 03 of each module will also give you a broader understanding of your own
graduateness skills and acquired effectiveness as an HR professional.

It should be clear that we are interested not only in the reproduction of the given theory but also in your
ability to create your own theory, based on the meaning that you give to concepts and their application in
a given situation or be it a personal or an organisational context, or even a global scenario.

We trust that you will find this Programme in IOP interesting and worthwhile, and that it will provide you
with a broader perspective on the world we work and live in.

7.4 Assessment plan

• All information about when and where to submit your assessments will be made available to you
via the myModules site for your module.
• Due dates for assessments, as well as the actual assessments are available on the myModules
site for each of the four modules. We provide below a summary of assignments and due dates in
each of the four modules. Assignment due dates will also be made available to you on the myUnisa
landing page for this module. We envisage that the due dates will be available to you upon
registration.
• Please start working on your assessments as soon as you register for a module.
• Log on to the myUnisa site for each of the four modules to obtain more information on the due
dates for the submission of the assessments.
• You may submit your assignments only electronically via myUnisa on the Moodle myModule
Assignment system. Assignments may not be submitted by e-mail.

7.5 Submission of assignments

• When you access your myModules site for the module/s you are registered for, you will see a
welcome message posted by your lecturer. Below the welcome message you will see the
assessment shells for the assessments (assignments) that you need to complete. All assessments
must be completed on the assessment shells available on the respective module platforms.
• You will note that you have only written assignments for each of the four modules. Please note
the due date by which the assessment must be submitted. Ensure that you follow the guidelines
given by your lecturer to complete the assessment (assignment).
• Click on the submission button on the relevant assessment shell on myModules. You will then be
able to upload your written assessment (assignment) on the myModules site of the modules that
you are registered for. Before you finalise the upload, double check that you have selected the
correct file for upload. Remember, no marks can be allocated for incorrectly submitted
assessments (assignments).
• IMPORTANT: You will be required to submit your answers as a single document in PDF format.

The following guidelines apply:

1. It is preferable for you to type your answers (Font: Arial 12) and then convert your document to PDF
format for submission. However, if this is not possible, you may also write your answers down and
scan them to a PDF file.
2. Start with a cover page stating the module code and your student number.

23
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

3. This should be followed by your signed declaration of authenticity and your answers to the
questions. There is no need for a table of contents, introduction, conclusion or list of references (as
was required in your assignments). Simply answer the questions asked.
4. Make sure that each question and sub-question is clearly and correctly numbered.
5. While you will not be required to cite your sources in your answer document, this does not mean
that you can simply copy information from any source. You need to answer the questions in your
own words. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action. It is recommended
that you read Unisa’s Policy for Copyright Infringement and Plagiarism as well as the Students’
Disciplinary Code (available from myUnisa at
[Link]
Rules) prior to the examination.
6. As part of the submission process, you will be required to submit a declaration of honesty whereby
you will declare that the work submitted is your own. Your assignment answer will not be marked
without you submitting this declaration.
7. Please ensure that your PDF document is NOT encrypted to a “secured” mode and that it is NOT
password protected as these files cannot be marked. If a file is password protected, a 0-mark will
be awarded.
8. Virus infected files will also not be marked.
9. Your assignment must have exactly the same number and unique number as the one specified on
the respective assessment shell.
10. It is advisable to print the assignment submission report page or make a screen capture for record
purposes. A copy of this page will also be emailed to your myLife email account.

It is essential for you to access myUnisa. Claim your myUnisa password before submitting the assignment
if you have not done so already. Refer to the Study @ Unisa brochure (available from
[Link]
for more information in this regard.

There are sometimes problems with the myUnisa system when students attempt to submit their
assignment electronically. If this happens, please keep on trying to submit via the system because Unisa
usually attempts to rectify system-related problems as soon as possible. Note: Always keep a back-up
copy of assignments submitted. IMPORTANT: Contact the lecturers immediately if you experience
problems when submitting and assignment. Contact mymodules22@[Link] or
myUnisaHelp@[Link] for technical problems.

24
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas and thoughts of others and presenting them as your
own. It is a form of theft. Plagiarism includes the following forms of academic dishonesty:

• Copying and pasting from any source without acknowledging the source.
• Not including references or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the original source of the information.
Cheating

Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Completing assessments on behalf of another student, copying the work of another student
during an assessment, or allowing another student to copy your work.
• Using social media (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram) or other platforms to disseminate assessment
information.
• Submitting corrupt or irrelevant files, this forms part of examination guidelines
• Buying completed answers from so-called “tutors” or internet sites (contract cheating).
For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below:

[Link]

7.6 Assignments and learning

Assignments are part of the formative (year) and summative (examination) assessment of student
learning for this course. By completing the assignments, studying the reading texts, consulting other
resources, discussing the work with fellow students and conducting some research, you are actively
engaged in learning. Remember to look at the outcomes given for each module. This will help you to
understand what is required of you more clearly.

7.7 Persons involved in the assessment process

Three different assessors are involved in the assessment process, namely the student, the lecturer and
the internal moderator.

(a) Student
The student has the primary responsibility for the success of the assignments. In other words, the student
is encouraged to become an independent learner and has to check (self-assess) the contents of the
assignment before it is submitted for assessment.

(b) Lecturer
The assignments are assessed by appropriately qualified and trained lecturing and/or marking staff. All
the staff members involved in the assessment process are acknowledged as professionally qualified
assessors. The marking staff members mark (assess) the assignments according to the learning
outcomes and assessment criteria set out in the study material (study guide and prescribed book).

(c) Internal moderator

The examination-based assignment (Assignment 03 of each module) is moderated by an appropriately
qualified academic internal to the Unisa Department of Industrial and Organisational Psychology.

25
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

7.8 Assessment time frame

All work submitted for assessment will be returned within a reasonable time (a maximum turnover time of
three weeks after the marking staff members have received the assignments). The examination-based
assignment will not be returned to students.

7.9 Assessment review and quality assurance

To ensure the quality of the formative and summative assessments, they are benchmarked against the
best current quality assurance practices (see the Academic Quality Framework of the College of
Economic and Management Sciences on the Unisa website).

7.10 Format of the examination

• Note that there are no supplementary examinations for the PIOP modules. Students who failed
some (or all) of the year programme modules will need to reregister for the particular module(s) in
the following year.
• The written, non-venue-based, portfolio-type examination assignment will be managed via the
online myModules assessment (assignment) submission platform in the Assignment 03
assessment shell in each module.
• You will be required to submit the additional examination-based assignment online only in a similar
fashion that you submitted your two formative compulsory assignments (Assignment 01 and
Assignment 02) for each module.
• The examination-based assignment is COMPULSORY and should be submitted before/on the
stipulated due dates in October 2023 on the myModules online assessment platform.
• Note that no postal assignments will be accepted for marking.
• The examination-based portfolio-type assignment will assess your understanding and application
of theory in practice by means of a case study. You will therefore be required to apply your
knowledge to a practical scenario. Merely copying information from your study material will not be
sufficient.

Each compulsory year mark assignment contributes 50% toward the year mark for a particular module.
The examination-based portfolio assignment contributes 100% to the examination mark for the module.

Modules: Contribution Weighting

PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R towards final mark
Assignment 01 10%
Assignment 02 10% 20% = year mark
Examination-based portfolio 80% 80% = examination mark
assignment 03
Final mark Assignments weighting (20%) +
Examination (80%) = 100%

26
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

FINAL MARK = YEAR MARK + EXAMINATION MARK

Your year mark based on the credits you obtained for the two compulsory assignments you submitted
in each module, contributes 20% toward your final mark, while your examination mark contributes 80%.

The combined weighted average of your year mark and examination mark must be 50% or higher for
you to pass the module/subject. If you obtain less than 40% for the examination-based assignment 03,
you will fail.

For example:
Assignment credits = 100%
20% of the assignments 01 an 02 credits = 20%

Examination- assignment mark = 50%

80% of the examination mark = 40%

Final mark = (20% assignment mark) + (80% examination-assignment mark)

= 20% + 40%
= 60%

Examination results will be posted to students via the Unisa Examinations Department and will not be
disclosed telephonically or by facsimile.

7.11 Number of assessments (assignments)

You have to complete TWELVE COMPULSORY assignments (two compulsory year mark assignments
and one examination-based portfolio assignment in each module) to pass the PIOP modules. The three
compulsory assignments per module must be submitted on or before the due dates in order to pass the
module. Since the year short learning programme consists of four modules, the due dates will differ from
those provided on the myUnisa - myModules system. The assessment dates are also provided in the
assessment shells of each module on myModules.

The due dates for the assessments (assignments) for the PIOP are as follows:

ASSIGNMENTS DUE DATES

PIOP01N
PIOP01N: Year Mark Assignment 01: Compulsory 16 May 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module.
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 649419
PIOP01N: Year Mark Assignment 02: Compulsory 12 July 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 649431
PIOP01N: Examination-based Portfolio Assignment 03: Compulsory 05 October 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your examination mark in this
module
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 649517

27
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

ASSIGNMENTS DUE DATES

PIOP02P
PIOP02P: Year Mark Assignment 01: Compulsory 1 June 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module.
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 649627
PIOP02P: Year Mark Assignment 02: Compulsory 26 July 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 649688
PIOP02P: Examination-based Portfolio Assignment 03: Compulsory 12 October 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your examination mark in this
module
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 650006
PIOP03Q
PIOP03Q: Year Mark Assignment 01: Compulsory 13 June 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module.
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 650444
PIOP03Q: Year Mark Assignment 02: Compulsory 10 August 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 650542
PIOP03Q: Examination-based Portfolio Assignment 03: Compulsory 18 October 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your examination mark in this
module
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 650641
PIOP04R
PIOP04R: Year Mark Assignment 01: Compulsory 27 June 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module.
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 647832
PIOP04R: Year Mark Assignment 02: Compulsory 24 August 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 648967
PIOP04R: Examination-based Portfolio Assignment 03: Compulsory 26 October 2023
Note: The assignment contributes towards your examination mark in this
module
ASSIGNMENT UNIQUE NUMBER: 649114

PLEASE NOTE: Each module has THREE COMPULSORY assignments, meaning that you have to
complete 12 (twelve) assignments to pass the Programme. You need to obtain a minimum of 50% for
each assignment to pass the Programme.

No extension of time will be granted for submitting assignments. The due dates have been set in such
a way that they fit in with the other modules and allow sufficient time for the preparation and technical
completion of assignments.

IMPORTANT: You will also note that we have included in each module a self-assessment assignment.
These assignments should not be submitted. They serve as additional learning opportunities.

28
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

7.12 Feedback on assignments

Commentaries on the two-year mark compulsory assignments will be sent to all students registered
for this programme in a follow-up tutorial letter or as general feedback as part of the marked assignment,
and not only to those students who submitted the assignments. The tutorial letters’ numbers will be 201
and 202 (if applicable). As soon as you have received the commentaries, please check your answers.
The assignments and the commentaries on these assignments constitute an important part of your
learning and should help you to be better prepared for the final examination-based assignment 03.

7.13 Guidelines for answering the assignments

Since you are expected to demonstrate competence in academic discourse by means of well-reasoned
arguments in your assignments, study the hints for answering essay-type questions provided below.
Pay special attention to the key concepts for assignments and examinations. In order to prepare for the
examination, please follow the following guidelines for assignments.

Please note: Although students may work together when preparing assignments, each student must
write and submit his or her own individual assignment. In other words, you must submit your own ideas
in your own words, sometimes interspersing relevant short quotations that are properly referenced. It is
unacceptable for students to submit identical assignments on the basis that they worked together. That
is copying (a form of plagiarism) and none of these assignments will be marked. Furthermore, you may
be penalised or subjected to disciplinary proceedings by the University.

Note the following guidelines on answering paragraph-type/essay-type questions:

• Read the questions very carefully and answer only what is asked. No marks are given for facts that
have nothing to do with the question. Use your own words and do not copy directly from the study
guide or prescribed book.

• Structure answers to essay-type questions as follows:

o Write a short introduction and conclusion.
o Use paragraphs.
o Include headings and subheadings.
o Number points/answers wherever possible.

• Answers should be concise and to the point.

• The length of an answer depends on the type of question, for example:

o Answer questions worth five marks in half a page to one page (five facts discussed).
o Answer questions worth 10 marks in one-and-a-half to two pages (ten facts discussed).
o Answers to questions worth 15 marks should not exceed three pages (15 facts discussed).
• Number all the pages.
• Submit all the pages in numerical order.
• Try not to leave big open spaces or open pages.
• Make sure the details on your assignment cover are correct.
• Include all your answers.

29
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Key concepts for assignments

The following verbs are frequently used in instructions for assignments. Please study the description to
enable you fully to understand what is required. When answering an assignment or examination
question or when studying the learning objectives in the study guide, you will notice that different types
of questions require different types of answers. These different types of answers relate to the various
cognitive levels identified by Bloom (1974). Certain verbs are used for this purpose (see below),
indicating the corresponding cognitive levels required, thus serving as a guideline for the type of answer
that should be given.

The verbs that frequently occur in assignments and examination questions are briefly defined below.

Describe/Discuss
This simply means sketching an existing picture in words. Comments and reasoning are not required.
The student is required, for example, to show that he knows what a particular phenomenon looks like
or how a particular process takes place. The student must be able to memorise terms, definitions,
formulas, causes, methods and so forth and be able to recall and reproduce them.

Explain (define, reformulate and elucidate)

An explanation must indicate whether the student really understands the subject matter, for example,
understands the connections between things, knows why things are the way they are and why a
particular result is produced. The explanation must contain examples and illustrations, and reasons
must be advanced for statements or results. When an explanation is called for, performance at the
comprehension/insight level is required.

Apply
This involves using information in new situations. Application signifies the application of acquired
knowledge and insight to real situations or case studies.

Evaluate
To judge, appraise or determine the importance or quality of a given matter in your own words.

Differentiate (distinguish, discriminate and select)

The student is required to distinguish clearly between certain given matters. It must be possible to
distinguish one matter from another for a particular reason.

Compare in respect of …
Two or more matters must be compared in respect of particular characteristics and the student must
indicate how each matter benefits from or is adversely affected by the characteristic.

The question will clearly state which matters are to be compared. A comparison typically takes a tabular
form, where the matters in question are entered in columns and the characteristics in respect of which
the comparison is being drawn are written on lines below one another. A comparison in the form of a
description is also sometimes requested.

30
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

7.14 Ethical behaviour as a student

The Unisa Centre for Lifelong Learning (Industrial and Organisational Psychology) places great emphasis
upon integrity and ethical conduct in the preparation of assignments. We believe that an understanding
of the vital importance of responsibility and professionalism in this regard is part of what a university
education should provide. It is very important to us that all our students know how secondary material
should be used and what the scholarly method of presenting and acknowledging references is. If you
copy something out of a book or an article or from a web site without acknowledging the source and pass
it off as your own, that constitutes plagiarism.

Assignments in which plagiarism (the unacknowledged use of secondary material) can be demonstrated
will undoubtedly fail and will in all likelihood be given 0%. In effect, you are stealing something that belongs
to someone else. If you paraphrase this material (i.e. change the wording slightly) or use a line of
argument without acknowledging it, that also constitutes plagiarism and the same severe penalty will
apply. If you make yourself guilty of plagiarism it is regarded as serious form of misconduct. The procedure
in the case of a complaint of misconduct is clearly stipulated in the Student Disciplinary Code. For detailed
information regarding these procedures, see Study @ Unisa brochure.

8 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Study @ Unisa brochure contains an A-Z guide of the most relevant study information. However,
we receive many enquiries from students asking the same questions over and over again. We have,
therefore, decided to include these frequently asked questions in this tutorial letter.

Several frequently asked questions relating to the non-venue based examination assignment and
answers to these questions are also provided below.

Question Answer
I am struggling to get into If you need assistance with regard to the myModules system, you are
myUnisa. Who can assist welcome to use the following contact details:
me?
• Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for
myModules)
• E-mail: mymodules22@[Link] or myUnisaHelp@[Link]

I cannot access my myLife e- Contact

mail account. Who can assist myLifeHelp@[Link]
me?
How will I know whether I Students who submitted at least one assignment (either assignment 01 or
have been admitted to the assignment 02) will automatically have access to the examination-based
examination? assignment 03.

Note that you will not receive an examination time- table because of the non-
venue-based examination format. The due dates for the examination-
assignment 03 submission are provided in this tutorial letter and on each
module’s assessment shell for Assignment 03. Because this is an
examination-based assignment, no late submissions will be accepted.

31
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Question Answer
Will I be able to write a Unfortunately, the non-venue-based examination does not afford you
supplementary examination with the opportunity to write a supplementary examination.
in January/February 2022 if
I fail a module? Students have full access to the study materials to successfully complete
the examination-based assignment 03.
Students who fail a module(s) in October 2023 will have to reregister for
the respective module(s) in 2024.
I don’t have access to the • There is no alternative submission method. You must follow the
Internet. Is there an guidelines provided in this tutorial letter. However, should you have
alternative submission no access to the Internet, you may choose to defer to the
method that I can use? October/November 2024 non-venue based examination period.
• If you need assistance with regard to the myModules system or
experience any problem regarding internet access for the
submission of your examination-based assignment, you are
welcome to use the following contact details:

o Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for myModules)

o E-mail: mymodules22@[Link] or myUnisaHelp@[Link]
In what format should I • Your answers must be submitted as a single PDF file. This is like the
submit my answers. approach that was used for submitting assignments 01 and 02 for
each module.
How do I convert my typed If you type your answers using MS Word as part of the Office 365
document to a PDF file? package that is available to all Unisa students, you can simply save your
file as a PDF file by following these steps:

(1) Go to File > Save As.

(2) Select where you want to save your document.
(3) In the Save as type box, choose PDF (#.pdf).
(4) Select Save.
How do I convert my hand- Various scanning apps are available for both Apple and Android devices.
written document to a PDF Download one of these apps prior to the examination and make sure that
file? you familiarise yourself with how it works. Remember, you need to scan
your answers into a single PDF file. Make sure that you scan all pages
in chronological order and that all pages are clear.
What happens if I If no assignment 03 file is submitted by the cut-off dates in October, you
experience technical will be marked as absent from the examination.
difficulties and am unable to
upload my assignment 03
answers.
How will my final mark be Your final assessment mark for the module will be a combination of the
calculated? two formative assignment marks (20% weight for year mark) and the
non-venue-based examination mark (80% weight).
Where do I find important This tutorial letter (tutorial letter 101/2023) provides this information.
telephone numbers when I Refer to the Study @ Unisa brochure for more information.
have queries regarding
administrative matters,
study material, submission
of assignments, my
certificate of completion?

32
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Question Answer
Are there venue-based Unfortunately, no venue-based group discussion classes are presented
group discussion classes for for this programme.
this programme?
Is it important to buy the The two books prescribed for this Programme
prescribed textbooks? (PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R) are essential for completing the
assignments.
I have not yet received my Please note that the PIOP programme is a fully online course and all
study material or misplaced study materials are available on the respective module sites. Check the
it. Could you please mail me Study materials Resources folder for the module tutorial letters and
a copy? study guides. Prescribed books should be purchased by the students
from the bookseller. Contact the module lecturers by email for any
enquiries about your study materials.
What do I do if I experience Contact the lecturer responsible for the specfic module. Please do not
problems with the content hesitate to contact us. You can phone your lecturer during official office
of the study material? hours (not evenings) or send an e-mail.
My assignment is late It is your responsibility to ensure that your assignments are submitted
because … Can I submit it at online via the myUnisa assignment system on/or before the due date.
a later date? Contact the Centre administrator or lecturer regarding late submissions.

9 CONCLUSION

Do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail if you are experiencing problems with the content of this tutorial
letter or with any academic aspect of the module.

We wish you a fascinating and satisfying journey through the learning material, and trust that you will
complete the module successfully.

Enjoy the journey!

Your lecturers

Dr L Tonelli (PIOP01N)
Prof RM Oosthuizen (PIOP02P/PIOP03Q)
Prof M Coetzee (PIOP04R)

33
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

ANNEXURE: ASSIGNMENTS
The Assignments for each module follow on the next pages.

34
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

ANNEXURE
COMPULSORY ASSIGNMENTS

35
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

THE FOLLOWING DECLARATION MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH

EACH MODULE ASSIGNMENT

DECLARATION

Complete the following declaration and include it in your assignment answers for each module

With this declaration, I, [insert name and student number] declare that this assignment is my own work
and that I completed this examination-based assignment without the help of anyone else. It should
therefore be a true reflection of my own learning.

I also declare that I have not plagiarised any piece of information in any way, not from my prescribed
books or from any other sources. Thus, I declare that I have not copied text verbatim from any source.
In this regard, I declare that where I used other references and material, I did so in a responsible manner
and that I properly acknowledged and referenced all other resources used according to the APA style
of referencing.

By completing this statement by typing my name in the space is provided for it, we will regard it as a
signed declaration. Those students who have an electronic signature may insert an electronic signature
at the bottom of the page as well, but for the other students, filling in your name and other details on
the form will be seen as an agreement to the declaration. Also remember that if you do not complete
this declaration, we will not mark your assignments and will regard the assignment answer as
invalid as we will not have evidence that the work that you submitted is your own work.

Name: ________________________________

Student number:____________________________

Signature:_________________________________

Date:_____________________________________

36
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY YEAR MARK ASSIGNMENT 01 (Assignment unique number: 649419)

Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module. ALL ANSWERS MUST
BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 01: Module 1: PIOP01N

Due date: 16 May 2023
Learning Material: Study Guide (Study units 1 - 2)

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

Read the two case studies and answer the questions that follow.

Case study 1: My journey as an Industrial/Organisational (I/O) Psychologist

I started my career in human resources (HR) management as an HR Officer for the largest beverages
manufacturing Group in Zimbabwe. My role included employee selection and retention management
as part of efforts to improve the employee hire success rate and performance post-selection. It was
therefore imperative to apply scientific psychological principles to the diagnosis, assessment and
implementation of HR interventions. Making sure that the job descriptions were in place for each
position through the process of job analysis was one of my core functions. Job descriptions are an
important tool for HR and industrial psychologists because they form the basis for most, if not all of the
HR interventions at the individual level.

May main role in employee selection was to ensure that recruits are carefully and scientifically assessed
against a set of the relevant competencies. Understandings the level at which each of the selection
methods and measures predicted job performance was therefore important in guiding the selection
process. Accordingly, I put in place appropriate psychometric test assessment batteries for each
position or a group of positions, administered and reported on psychometric tests assessment.
Furthermore, I was responsible for designing structured interview assessment questions for each of the
positions, for assessment of recruits against a set of identified job competencies. The preceding two
activities ensured that the selection process was standard for each of the candidates in order to
guarantee the validity of the selection process and methods. The result was a marked improvement in
the hire success and superior performance post selection. As both an HR officer and I/O psychologist,
I later became responsible for advising business executive on the selection, with the decisions on
selection eventually being the ultimate responsibility of the executives and business leaders. Having
demonstrated competence in my role, I was promoted to the position of career development manager
within six months of my joining the Group and then to Group HR Development (HRD) Manager within
24 months of the first promotion.

As career development and HRD manager, I was now more responsible for the organisational
development-type interventions, focussing performance management (PM) system implementation,
talent management, and training. In terms of PM, I was responsible for both the development and
implementation of the system. It was important to understand that apart from it being a strategy
translation mechanism, PM is a toolkit for people management and development. When I started my
role, performance management was viewed in terms of the Skinnerian instrumental conditioning
approach where the company focused on consequence management, extrinsically rewarding good
performers and punishing bad performers. While the use of reward, reinforcement, and punishment are
proven psychological principles, they seemed to have been failing to sustain the performance at higher
level, especially when the rewards were low. My challenge was to move employee performance to the
next level.

I had to think of a new ways of motivating employees through sustainable and intrinsic means, in
addition to the Skinnerian principles. I began to inculcate the essence of performance management,
not only a way of aligning employee performance with the business objectives, but also as a way of

37
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

aligning their career aspirations and development of their competencies to meet the same business
objectives. Thus, as the organisation grew, the employees also grew in terms of their competence and
career development. This provided the basis of a more sustainable, humanistic extrinsic motivation. To
sustain performance management through intrinsic motivation, I then introduced general and focused
talent management. The general talent management approach focused on the general competence
development through the implementation of personal development plans (PDPs), coming out of
performance feedback discussions. The focused talent management came out of the need to develop
the high potential employees, by assisting them to follow their passions, obviously aligned to the
business objectives.

I introduced the usual nine box talent management grid used to classify employees based on their
performance and potential. The key factor was that the assessment of both performance and potential
was based on scientific industrial psychological principles. I used psychometric tests and assessment
centres to measure potential for employees occupying specialist, management, and executive
positions. I measured performed through the PM system which had been developed based on
psychological principles. The outcome of the assessment process was a list of developmental needs
for each eligible employee, based on scientific and psychological assessment. I assisted the
organisation to identify high potential employees and they were provided with special local and
international training to meet their strategically-linked PDPs through both technical training and
leadership development. Apart from focusing on mere reward and punishment, performance feedback
discussions focused on the growth of the employees, resulting in more sustainable performance. This
resulted in the beverages manufacturing group maintaining its dominance in the beverages market.
After 36 months, I was headhunted by the largest telecommunications Group in Zimbabwe,
headquartered in South Africa, to head the HR and Development function.

At the telecommunications Group, I set up new HR management systems based on industrial

psychological principles, most of which I had implemented previously. I introduced more scientific
employee selection through the use of psychometric tests and assessment centres. I introduced
performance management system for the Zimbabwe Lesotho and Burundi operations with success. In
terms of employee development, I assessed learning and leadership development needs through
psychometric test and assessment centres to ensure that the investment into people development
addressed the real needs. One of the interesting project was the company’s innovations hub housed
under the development department. Here, people with passion were called to develop various future-
fit products. The interesting part is that we did not promise any rewards to the innovators for
breakthrough innovations. We simply gave them the training, resources, and materials needed to fulfil
their innovations. In short, and when they were asked, most of them indicated that were motivated more
by the achievement of their innovation, rather than by rewards. What they simply wanted was the
availability of resources and access to special training and development required for them to innovate
in their different areas. In principle, we did not withhold extrinsic rewards. We simply did not offer
rewards as a precondition for achieving the innovation. Rather, the rewards came later in different forms
following the achievement of the innovations. This made it clear from my practice that for people who
are passionate about their work and profession, the psychological principles of intrinsic motivation
perform more wonders than extrinsic motivation. We however, made sure employees were
appropriately remunerated for their regular work. Fast forward, I was head-hunted to lead the HR
function for a large financial services and insurance group, within five years, where I am now.

At the insurance group, I am responsible for both interventions and the individual, group and the
organisation level. I joined the Group at the point where it was making losses and had just been given
a corrective order by the regulator owing to the mismanagement by the previous shareholders. My role
was to partner with the new Group Chief Executive Officer (Group CEO) and the Executive Committee
(EXCO) to transform the organisation into profitability by restructuring the Group, building the right
culture, engaging the employees, and aligning employee performance with the business objectives.

The first thing was to assess the current situation in order to determine the baseline of the problems at
hand. I developed culture assessment tool around the company’s values and employee engagement
assessment tool. The culture assessment consisted of two methods. First, I developed a culture
assessment questionnaire to measure the extent to which the company was living its values. The

38
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

culture assessment tool was face-validated by the EXCO. I then administer the culture questionnaire
to all employees and validated it to ensure that I had distinct questions measuring each of the six values.
The results of the baseline survey from the validated questionnaire became the baseline for the culture
assessment. I then performed focused group discussions to determine the behaviours that were
supposed to be stopped, continued, or started for the company to live according to its values and
achieve its strategy. The employee engagement tool consisted of rational engagement (the
engagement from rewards), emotional engagement (the emotional connectedness of employees with
the organisation) and cerebral engagement (engagement from the meaning of work). I concurrently
validated the questionnaire to ensure that it actually measured the three engagement dimensions.

Having obtained the baseline data and status, I was ready to implement the change. The culture and
employee engagement results provided useful information to commence the change which was
implemented from using scientific and psychological principles. After determining the current
assessment from the culture and engagement, I led the organisation restructuring, development of new
policies, and implementation of the performance management system.

The change was implemented in the following sequence: organisational restructuring (including job
evaluation/grading), retrenchment, organisational culture and employee engagement strategy
development and implementation, HR policy review and performance management implementation.
The change would last a minimum of two years to get the desired results.

As the Group CEO’s right hand man in the change process, we started the change programme by
communicating (through visiting Group’s branches across the country), the undesirable current status
and desired status after the change process, as well as the road-map for the change process. At my
guidance, the Group CEO led communication process starting by communicating the undesirable
current status by disconfirming the undesirable behaviours and beliefs in order to induce maximum
practical psychological guilt for employees to be uncomfortable with the way the business was running.
Obviously a great deal of anxiety creeped in, mainly emanating for the fear of job losses, and learning
new things. We therefore created psychological safety by promising fair retrenchment packages and
availing emotional, financial, and physical wellness and counselling services through third parties. We
also promised and provided training on resume writing and assisted to be retrenched employee with
job-seeking techniques and registration with employment agencies. We also promised and actually
provided transitional management training and capacitation for stayers. We promised to re-employ
retrenched employees in the later years if the business fortunes changed, and indeed we re-employed
some after three years.

The change process involved cognitive restructuring which would influence the new, desired beliefs
and new behaviours. The change process also involves modelling of the appropriate behaviour by
leadership to create an opportunity for social learning. We began to instil the new beliefs and
behaviours, like treating people with dignity, exhibiting high levels of integrity by being true self and
others, promptly responding to employees requests and suggestions, being accountable for
performance, honouring each other’s commitments, and the like.

We structured the organisation and implemented a retrenchment exercise, honouring our promises
made at the change inception – this was important in building trust for both leavers and stayers. We
promised to communicate the change every week for the first four months, then fortnightly until the
change process was completed. After the retrenchment process, I led the job grading exercise and
communicated the same and dealt with the outcomes and queries. The next stage of the change, was
to develop the culture and employee engagement strategy with the stayers. The strategy came from
the culture and engagement survey as well as the focus group discussion that I led. A number of issues
were brought out from the assessment, but we only focused on the interventions we could fulfil over
the next 12 months. Each year we would repeat the same assessment to measure the traction of the
change programme and the culture and engagement strategy implementation, and recalibrate the
strategy for the next 12 months.

39
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

The culture and employee engagement strategy involved reviewing the Group HR policies to
synchronise them with the new way of doing things; policies are an important HR infrastructure for
culture change. Concurrently, I led the implementation of the new performance management system,
in a similar manner reported earlier.

The results of the change process was an improvement in the employee engagement index by an
average of five percentage points for the next five years, improved accountability and motivation
through the implementation of the performance management system, reduction in administration costs
by about 10% per year for the next three years from the change inception, and movement of the
business from a loss to making profit within 12 months and thereafter consistently improved profitability
from prior years.

In conclusion, this is my journey. I started from an operational level to a strategic level where I am now.
My career rapidly progressed than my peers because of the application of scientific principles to solving
organisational problems. My journey demonstrated the importance of industrial psychology in
organisations and that any organisational problem can be resolved from an industrial psychological
perspective because everything that we do on earth is psychology – the study of behaviour and mental
process.

Case study 2: Transition to Remote Work

New Horizons Travel needed to ensure a seamless transition to remote working during the 2020
pandemic.

About the Company

• Industry: Global Tourism

• Size: 10,000+
• Region: EMEA
The Challenge

The pandemic and resulting shutdowns required New Horizons Travel to make fast, sweeping changes
to employee work schedules, including shifting to all-remote daily operations for much of its workforce.
With remote collaboration having spun up so quickly, the company needed a reliable tool for managers
and employees to share reciprocal feedback for continual workforce improvement. In addition, New
Horizons Travel wanted a process for dependably monitoring the effectiveness of working off-site, and
to better understand, on an ongoing basis, the developing aptitudes and attitudes of its employees.
Previously, their understanding of employee motivation across their workforce was wholly dependent
on manager and coworker opinions, making it hard to confidently assess how it affected business
performance. Now, they needed a science-backed, data-driven approach they could rely on—one that
would integrate seamlessly with New Horizons Travel’s HR analytics infrastructure, and support insight-
driven actions driving New Horizons Travel’s business goals.

The Solution

As a company focused squarely on enabling effective communication, collaboration, and transparency

within its ranks, New Horizons Travel needed an efficient solution, optimized for them, that could
accurately report the aptitude and attitudes of employees across their global workforce. Understanding
that their traditional in-person approach was unlikely to work well assessing worker performance
outside their offices, New Horizons Travel turned to their in-house I/O Psychologist for a quick but
reliable solution to positively identify employee strengths and weaknesses remotely, and to provide
developmental tools New Horizons Travel could leverage to support and grow its newly remote
workforce.

To navigate these uncharted waters, New Horizons Travel relied on their I/O Psychologist, deploying
scientific solutions across nearly 700 workers to assess their work relationships, work habits, self-

40
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

development, and general well-being. The I/O Psychologist sat with several employees to gain an
understanding for the behaviours that would be critical, within their context, to remote work success.
The I/O Psychologist then developed a survey which enabled New Horizons Travel to quickly
understand each employee’s individual work habits and self-motivation, assess the workforce’s
collective readiness to excel, and pinpoint specific areas for improvement in relation to the identified
behaviours. These actionable insights helped management sail through the unprecedented challenges
of the pandemic while continually upholding the high standards of productivity and efficiency.

The Results

Using the I/O psychologist’s survey to better understand the behaviours and motivations of its
employees has allowed New Horizons Travel to better align its human resource infrastructure to
company goals. Transforming worker assessment, by introducing expert, science-backed people
insights, allows New Horizons Travel to make more deeply informed decisions that improve productivity
in a suddenly remote working environment. Identifying specific support needs help New Horizons Travel
ensure its remote workforce is armed with all the developmental tools and resources they need,
increasing employee engagement, improving productivity, and enabling New Horizons Travel to
confidently engineer future-forward people strategies in an uncertain world.

1. Discuss Industrial and Organisational (I/O) Psychology as a field of study. Also, identify from the
two case studies the areas of specialisation in I/O Psychology. Explain the role of the I/O
psychologist in the workplace by referring to examples from the two case studies. (25)

2. Differentiate between scientific and non-scientific sources of knowledge. In your answers, provide
examples of each source of knowledge. (25)

4. Job analysis is an investigation of a job to understand what the job entails. Provide a detailed
definition of job analysis. Also, discuss the three steps in conducting a job analysis. In your answer
on how to collect information ensure that you highlight two general methods and two standardised.
(20)

Read the following case study and answer the question that follows:

The Case of Global Logistics (Pvt) Ltd.

Edwin Nharirire

Global Logistic Private Limited is a leading regional logistics company in the Southern African Region
and based in Zimbabwe. They have presence in DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa,
Zambia and Zimbabwe. Their mission is “To provide world class end-to-end logistics in Africa. Their
values are as follows:
• Reliability
• Customer-focused
• Visibility
• Integrity

Their vision is “To link Africa with the world in a seamless fashion”
Global Logistics was established in 1994 and employs a total of 1,200 employees including permanent,
fixed-term contracts and seasonal staff. While the bulk of their employees are based in Zimbabwe, 30%
are based in their regional offices. About 30% of their employees are in managerial and professional
roles while the bulk of their staff are at operational levels.

Their logistics business involves freight-forwarding, customs clearance, warehousing, transport and
distribution. They have an own fleet of 500 trucks and employ almost 600 drivers to facilitate short and
long-haul transportation. Most of the transportation is from the port cities of Beira, Durban, Cape Town,
and Walvis Bay to landlocked Southern and Central African countries like Zimbabwe, Botswana,
Zambia, Malawi and DRC.

41
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Global Logistics believes in the centrality of people and technology for their business. Typically, the
company employs logistics experts in warehousing, handling, transport, clearance as well as general
supply chain management for third parties. These form the bedrock of their operations. Their motto is
“If there is a question on Logistics, Global Logistics has the answer”. Thus, to enable them to be experts
in all forms of logistics, the company has invested heavily in attracting skilled experts in movement of
products from one point in the world to another. They are proud partners of big international logistics
companies which handle global movements of goods. They are also plugged into international supply
chain thereby making movement seamless. They connect with their world partners through their robust
logistics systems that ensure seamless integration of their operations with their international and
regional partners’ operations. The systems also promote visibility on the part of the clients who have
access to their web portals and applications to track their consignments as they move across the world.
To achieve this level of systems sophistication, Global Logistics employs the services of highly qualified
Information Technology experts who are involved in the development, monitoring and maintenance of
their unique Logistics system. Their management is young, diverse and dynamic. This has made them
a household name in Southern Africa.

Strategic human resources planning is at the centre of the success of Global Logistics, a company
which has taken its competitors napping. They have a robust people strategy underpinned by a long-
term meticulous people planning process. Central to this strategic people planning is the company’s
pan-African expansion strategy which seeks to establish presence in the economic hubs of the African
states. They have determined the number of offices they want to establish in Africa and their locations
within the next 10 years. They also aim to be technology driven thereby reducing manual processes.
This strategy has informed their human resources planning.

In addition, Global Logistics embarks on market and industry analysis to establish trends in terms of
customer demands and solutions as well as skills demand and supply in the market. This scanning has
helped them to be head and shoulders above their peers. They have pioneered several strategic people
programmes as they sought to address the logistics skills demand. They have partnered with local and
regional colleges to develop a Logistics curriculum that seeks to address Africa’s logistics challenges.
The curriculum is premised on technology. They were actively involved with other few industry partners
to influence and develop the curriculum especially in Zimbabwe and South Africa. In doing so, they
have strategically positioned themselves in determining the supply of the much-needed logistics skills
as their business expands.

Critical in their people planning agenda is the way the company establishes its skills requirements.
They have a thorough processes which is data driven. They believe so much in data driven decision
making. They base their decisions on the analysis of their skills requirements in the region, their staff
turnover rates, demographic analysis as well as predictive analytics. What is interesting is how they
have managed to manage demographic diversity issues to build a young, solid and vibrant company
driven by technology and passion for results. They profile their employees in such a way that their future
skills demands are clear and plans to fill those gaps sure proof. Key to their clarity is the way they
identify the internal and external drivers of their skills requirements and the way they seek to balance
internal and external solutions to the gap. Such skills forecasting has led to the meteoric rise of this
young company.

The company has many tools of analysing its skills requirements in order to achieve its strategy. The
analysis of the talent pools is a concerted executive effort, and they spend quality time every quarter
on it. The company also engages in stakeholder and internal surveys to establish talent needs as
informed by the market. They take time to analyse such data and make informed workforce decisions.
Global Logistics uses top-grading and the nine-box method to analyse current skills and establish future
gaps. This is coupled with a clear risk assessment on the bases of the current skill base when compared
to the future organisation they seek to build. Once they are clear about gaps, they are quick to execute
on their workforce planning action plan to close the human capital gaps noted.

Global Logistics have a systematic way of planning for their people. They have a five year-strategy
cycle. Once the board approves their business strategy, the Chief Human Resources Officer crafts the

42
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

people strategy aligned to the business strategy. They then formulate a people budget for the five years
articulating the quantity and quality of skills needed to execute the business strategy. They are so
thorough and granular that this process is cascaded into different operating countries, functions and
departments. Different line and functional managers must justify their people plans for alignment with
the business strategy. Once the five-year people plan has been approved, they annualize these plans
as per the annual business plans. This then informs them which positions are going to be filled when
and how.

The process is interesting in that there are business cycles in the Global Logistics business, they have
their peaks and off-peaks. So, when it comes to operatives, the company’s people plan considers these
peaks and numbers of people accordingly. Their practice is to maintain 70% of their staff costs variable
and only 30% fixed. This allows for flexibility with their labour given different labour laws in different
countries they are operating in. They also have seasonal employees who are employed during peak
periods only. So, their workforce plans enable them to respond to the highs and lows of the business.
By so doing they managed to keep a tab on their staff costs and remained competitive in an industry
where their competitors were struggling.

One key aspect of their strategic people resourcing is the consideration of the demand and supply of
the skills in the market. How they respond differs by type of skill and the business need. For example,
they have been very aggressive when it came to software developers when they were establishing their
Logistics management systems. They needed top of the range skills to drive their digital strategy.
Unfortunately, this was at a time when most developers were not keen on being tied to a single entity.
The young developers wanted to work from anywhere and for anyone creating their own work rules.
Initially the company struggled with this issue as they needed to balance flexibility on the part of the
developers and the protection of the intellectual property on the other end. They eventually got it right
by engaging a pool of developers who worked under specific set of terms of reference.

In terms of leadership talent, Global Logistics initiated a robust leadership pipeline development
programme aimed at developing young leaders expected to drive this pan-African growth agenda. The
program has three main layers. One that looks at young talent development and is open to recent
graduates in various disciplines. These undergo a robust two-year management development in
various operations run by Global Logistics operations. They are also exposed to all the countries the
company operates in as well as internationally especially to their partners. This is an enriching two-year
programme. Their intake is limited to 10 trainees a year. The selection is very thorough. The would-be
trainees go through various selection processes including structured interviews, psychometric tests and
assessment centres. This has guaranteed success rate of the programme as almost 100% of the
candidates successful complete the programme. On completion of the programme, the individuals are
then appointed into junior managerial roles and fast-tracked into middle management.

The company also runs inhouse management development programmes which emphasize on the
Global Logistics DNA, as well as exposure to best in class logistics companies in South Africa and
Europe. This is open to highflyers in the company who have leadership potential. The number is also
limited and entry into this prestigious development is on merit. The numbers are informed by the number
of new opportunities in management. They base the number on the analysis of key management staff
turnover rate as well as their regional expansion plans.

Lastly, there is an Executive Development Programme which is aimed at leadership development. They
have partnered with Harvard Business School, Wharton Business School and the London School of
Economics to develop their leaders. They send at least five of their senior managers on such leadership
development programmes every year. This approach has paid dividend as they managed to keep top
talent who are keen to see the company scaling great heights.

Not only does Global Logistics develop managerial talent, but they also have great Digital training
programmes targeting enhancing digital skills for both ICT professionals and general employees who
deal with their various logistics applications. They consider themselves to be a technology company,
with high visibility for clients. They also have a Heavy Vehicle Driving school for their great number of

43
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

cross-border drivers, whose efficiency and effectiveness helps to reduce the cost of vehicle
maintenance.

In terms of recruiting skills, Global Logistics targets schools, colleges, and competitors. They have
sponsored university book prizes in supply chain, ICT, and transport management in various colleges
in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. This has helped them to remain a top of the mind
employer. They have also participated in career fairs in all these countries. For skilled employees, they
have not shied away from “poaching” the best talent from competitors with superior technology and
experience. They have also gone as far as employing developers from India. Some of the developers
have never set foot in their officers dotted across Southern Africa but they work online from India though
being supervised from either Harare or their Johannesburg office.

In terms of recruitment, their CEO Edwin Watchman emphasizes in hiring for attitude AND skill, not
either or. As such, all their candidates go through various assessments to check on their personalities,
values, aptitude and motivation. Global Logistics believes in building a pan-African business anchored
upon their core values, hence each employee working for the company must espouse those values.
Normal selection involves at least three stages, that is, applicant screening using standardized
application forms, structured panel interviews, psychometric testing and assessment centres in the
case of management. The CEO keeps a summary of the core profiles of all managers in the company
for career development and deployment.

Finally, the company is very clear in its pursuit of talent for its business success. They are not under
any illusion about the future guarantees of success. They believe that having the right quality and
number of people, at the right time, in the right roles, in the right places and at the right cost will
determine their ability to achieve their vision of conquering Africa in logistics and connecting Africa to
the world.

5. Strategic human resource planning is the process through which the organisation’s goals are
transformed into human resource objectives. Explain the phases in the human resource planning
process. Review the case study and explain the importance of strategic human resources
planning. Provide examples from the case study. (20)

6. Reflect on the learning and insights you gained from completing the assignment and the
graduateness competencies you have developed. Provide any general feedback on the module
that you would like to share with the lecturers. (10)

TOTAL: [100]

44
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY YEAR MARK ASSIGNMENT 02 (Assignment unique number: 649431)

Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module. ALL ANSWERS MUST
BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 02: Module 1: PIOP01N

Due date: 12 July 2023
Learning Material: Study Guide (Study units 2 - 5)

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

1. Compiling a job description is a final step in the job analysis process.

1.1 Provide a detailed description of a job description. In your answer highlight the importance of job
specifications in the compiling of a job description. (10)
1.2 Name and discuss the common elements found in a job description. (15)

2. Training can be conducted on site or off site. Name and discuss five on-site training methods and you
have been exposed to in your workplace. Provide examples from your personal experience. (10)

3. Career anchors influence a person’s career. A career anchor constitutes a person’s self-concept and
indicates what the person feels he or she is capable of doing and would like to do (Coetzee & Schreuder,
2010).

3.1 Name and briefly discuss the eight career anchors as conceptualised by Schein (1996). (10)

3.2 In your answer name and motivate two career anchors you identify with and believe have
influenced your career decision-making. (5)

4. Some health problems are of special concern in today’s workplace and in the midst of the Covid 19
pandemic.

4.1 Discuss the following health problems in the workplace in detail:

(a) stress and burnout,

(b) smoking, and
(c) HIV/AIDS. (20)

4.2 Reflect on the Covid 19 pandemic and discuss how the pandemic has affected your wellness. How
have you had to adjust your working environment in response to the pandemic? In your answer
also discuss how you were proactive in promoting a healthy and safe work environment. Provide
examples to substantiate your answer. (10)

5. Cognitive ergonomics relates to how we perceive information and make decisions based on the
information provided. Poor cognitive ergonomics may result in “human error”. Refer to Section 4.10 in
the Study Guide on cognitive ergonomic principles. Identify four sources of information with which you
are regularly confronted, and you find confusing. Highlight why you find this information confusing and
provide recommendations on how the presentation of the information can be changed to eliminate the
confusion. (10)

6. Reflect on the learning and insights you gained from completing the assignment and the graduateness
competencies you have developed. Provide any general feedback on the module that you would like to
share with the lecturers. (10)
TOTAL: [100]

45
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY EXAMINATION-BASED ASSIGNMENT 03 (Assignment unique number: 649517)

Note: The assignment contributes towards your examination mark in this module. ALL
ANSWERS MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 03: Module 1: PIOP01N

Due date: 05 October 2023
Learning Material: Study Guide (Study units 1 - 5)

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

Study the following case study and answer the questions that follow:

The case of Jabulani Enterprises.

Jabulani Enterprises is a small software company located in Pretoria, which develops and implements
financial software packages for financial institutions. At present it has 140 employees, mostly appointed
by the founder and managing director, Mr Jabulani Mkhize. The company has been in operation since
2004 and is doing well. The founder and managing director, Mr Mkhize, appoints people as the need
arises, negotiates salary and benefit conditions separately with each individual, and after appointment,
decides where they will be working in the organisation. Although no formal structure currently exists at
Jabulani Enterprises, the employees can be divided roughly into three categories:

a) Administration employees who handle the administration of wages and salaries, and procurement
and dispatch of material. They include secretaries and employees who do general office work.

b) Computer programmers who represent the highly professional part of the organisation. They are
responsible for research and development of software packages.

c) Specialised consultants who are mainly responsible for the installation, alteration, and maintenance
of the software packages on the premises of the clients.

Jabulani Mkhize is a worried man. Recently there have been increasing complaints from his employees
about pay related issues and lack of promotion opportunities within the organisation. As Jabulani
Enterprises represents his life’s work, he decides to confront the problem and hires a human resource
consultant to identify the problems and make recommendations.

As a first step, the consultant conducts a compensation survey. The findings are as follows:

• Some employees feel their salary is out of line with the amounts received by other employees. The
administration and specialised consultants both complain that the programmers get preferential
treatment. Not only are programmers’ salaries way above those of the other employees, but they
have access to benefits and services such as house purchase schemes and company cars, that
the other employees are denied. In addition, there are big difference in salaries and benefits such
as medical funds, between people who do the same kind of work.
• The women feel that, as a matter of principle, men at Jabulani Enterprises are paid more.
• Tasks tend to fall by the wayside, when no specific employees have been allocated to do them. This
also creates animosity, as some employees feel that they get wrongly blamed for work that has not
been done.
• Authority boundaries are not clearly defined. Most employees are not sure to whom they should
report on certain tasks.
• Performance management is not properly applied in the company. Employees also don’t
understand how their performance ratings are determined when performance evaluations are
conducted

46
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

The human resources consultant’s task now is to make recommendations to Jabulani Mkhize regarding
the problems that have been identified.

QUESTION 1
Highlight to Mr Mkhize the importance of procedural fairness of decisions, more specifically regarding
recruitment, selection and remuneration. Provide Mr Mkhize with the principles he can apply to ensure
procedural fairness in decision-making with regard to matters that concern his employees. (25)

QUESTION 2
Based on the case study above, discuss the steps you will apply to ensure that Jabulani Enterprises have
job descriptions which translate to clearly delineated jobs, to address role clarity and reporting lines. In
your response highlight to Mr Mkhize the methods that can be considered when collecting data, as part
of the process of drafting the job descriptions. Provide examples to Mr Mkhize so he can understand how
you will apply the process in his company. (25)

QUESTION 3
In your investigations, another issue that you picked up was the non-existence of a recruitment approach
or strategy. As such the employees also complained that informal approach that Mr Mkhize uses to recruit
people for the company results in too many people in the same position and some positions sitting without
being filled and subsequently jobs not being done.

To address this concern, you decide to recommend human resources planning to Mr Mkhize. In your
recommendation:

Explain human resource planning and highlight the importance of strategic human resource planning.
Apply the strategic human resource planning to Jabulani Enterprises to assist Mr Mkhize to see how he
can apply this approach in making more strategic human resource decisions. (20)

QUESTION 4
Based on the case study above, explain the importance and process of conducting salary surveys to
ensure fair remuneration. Also, provide a definition of performance management and briefly explain to Mr
Mkhize the stages in a performance management system. (20)

QUESTION 5
Reflect on your learning in the module PIOP01N and the graduateness competencies you have
developed. Explain key learning insights you derived from the module. Provide any general feedback on
the module that you would like to share with the lecturers. (10)

TOTAL: [100]

47
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY YEAR MARK ASSIGNMENT 01 (Assignment unique number: 649627)

Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module. ALL ANSWERS MUST
BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 01: Module 2: PIOP02P

Due date: 1 June 2023
Learning Material: Prescribed book (Chapters 1, 2, 3 & 4)

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

QUESTION 1
Psychology became an independent discipline when Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychological
research laboratory in 1879 at Leipzig, Germany (Weiten, 2018).

Define the core components of psychology and explain the models of psychology as ways of making
sense of our experience (Chapter 1).
(10)

QUESTION 2
Sigmund Freud was an Austrian physician who dreamed of achieving fame by making an important
discovery (Weiten, 2018).

(a) Articulate Freud’s principal ideas and why they inspired controversy (Chapter 1). (10)

Behaviourism, a new school of thought that gradually became dominant within psychology between 1913
and the late 1920s, was founded by John B Watson (Weiten, 2018).

(b) Trace the development of behaviourism and assess Watson’s impact on the evolution of psychology
(Chapter 1). (10)

There are two major perspectives on psychology in Africa and Southern Africa (Weiten, 2018).

(c) Explain why Western psychology has shown an increased interest in cultural variables in recent
decades. Also, trace the evolution of South African psychology (Chapter 1). (10)
[30]

QUESTION 3
Whether the object of study is gravitational forces or people’s behaviour under stress, the scientific
approach assumes that events are governed by some lawful order. As scientists, psychologists assume
that behaviour is governed by discernible laws or principles, just as the movement of the earth around the
sun is governed by the laws of gravity. The behaviour of living creatures might not seem as lawful and
predictable as the ‘behaviour’ of planets. However, the scientific approach is based on the belief that there
are consistencies or laws that can be uncovered. Applying this basic assumption to psychology is
supported by the discovery of consistencies in behaviour (Weiten, 2018).

(a) Explain science’s main assumption and describe the goals of the scientific enterprise (Chapter 2).
(10)

(b) Clarify the relationship between theory, hypotheses and research (Chapter 2). (5)

(c) Outline the steps in a scientific investigation (Chapter 2). (10)

[25]

48
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

QUESTION 4
By applying the contents from Weiten (2018), discuss the role of the neuropsychologist in South Africa.
Also, explain how neuroscience research has been over-extrapolated to educational issues (Chapter 3).
(15)

QUESTION 5
Light stimulus travels to the brain. The brain perceives this neural information in order to attach meaning
to the stimulus. Physiological perception is dependent on vision when we define it as an input stimulus in
order to make meaning of light waves; psychological perception, on the other hand, is not necessarily
dependent on vision, but rather on cognitive and affective associations based on memory. The distinction
is important, because changes or disturbances in perception will relate either to physiological
abnormalities (such as near-sightedness) or mental perceptual disturbances (such as visual
hallucinations) (Weiten, 2018).

(a) Explain feature analysis and distinguish between bottom-up and top-down processing. (Chapter 4).
(10)

(b) Describe the Gestalt principles of visual perception and clarify the nature of perceptual hypotheses.
(Chapter 4). (10)
[20]

TOTAL: [100]

49
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY YEAR MARK ASSIGNMENT 02 (Assignment unique number: 649688)

Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module. ALL ANSWERS MUST
BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 02: Module 2: PIOP02P

Due date: 26 July 2023
Learning Material: Prescribed book (Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10)

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

QUESTION 1
Can classical and operant conditioning account for all learning? Absolutely not! Consider the skill of
learning to drive a vehicle. If you jumped into the car and haphazardly guessed until you had a desired
response, you would likely hurt yourself and the vehicle. Most people entering a car with the intention of
learning to drive it recognise that in order to start the car, the car key will need to go into the car’s ignition.
Most new drivers acquire this knowledge through the power of observation, utilising years of watching
others drive. The power of observation accounts for most learning (Weiten, 2018).

(a) Explain the nature, importance and processes of observational learning (Chapter 6). (10)

(b) Discuss Bandura’s research on TV models and aggression, and modern research on the effects of
media violence. (Chapter 6). (15)
[25]

QUESTION 2
In their efforts to understand memory storage, theorists have historically related it to the technologies of
their age. One of the earliest models used to explain memory storage was the wax tablet. Both Aristotle
and Plato compared memory to a block of wax that differed in size and hardness for various individuals.
Remembering, according to this analogy, was like stamping an impression into the wax. As long as the
image remained in the wax, the memory would remain intact. Modern theories of memory reflect the
technological advances of the twentieth century. The main contribution of these information-processing
theories was to subdivide memory into three separate memory stores. Incoming information passes
through two temporary storage buffers – the sensory store and the short-term store – before it is
transferred into a long-term store. Like the wax tablet before it, the information-processing model of
memory serves as a metaphor. The three memory stores are not viewed as anatomical structures in the
brain, but rather as functionally distinct types of memory (Weiten, 2018).

(a) Describe the sensory store in memory and discuss the durability and capacity of short-term memory
(Chapter 7). (10)

(b) Describe Baddeley’s model of working memory and discuss the research on working memory
capacity (Chapter 7). (15)
[25]

QUESTION 3
We often ask questions according to probability and estimates. For example, “Will I be able to read this
entire book by the end of the week?” or “What are the chances that I passed my exam?” (Weiten, 2018).

(a) Review a variety of general problem-solving strategies and heuristics (Chapter 8). (10)

The diagnostic use of psychological measures and the process of psychological and educational
assessment remains important in South African society.

50
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

(b) Review test development and intelligence tests used in contemporary South Africa (Chapter 9).
(15)
[25]

QUESTION 4
Study the following excerpts and answer the questions that follow:

Research on achievement motivation was pioneered by David McClelland and his colleagues
(McClelland, 1985; McClelland et al., 1953). McClelland argued that achievement motivation is of the
utmost importance – that is the spark that ignites economic growth, scientific progress, inspirational
leadership, and masterpieces in the creative arts (Weiten, 2018).

(a) Describe the need for achievement and how it has been measured. Also, explain how the need for
achievement and situational factors influence achievement strivings (Chapter 10). (15)

The most profound and important experience in life are saturated with emotion. Think of the joy that
people feel at weddings, the grief they feel at funerals, the ecstasy they feel when they fall in love.
Emotions also colour everyday experiences (Weiten, 2018).

(b) Review cross-cultural similarities and differences in emotional experience (Chapter 10). (10)
[25]

TOTAL: [100]

51
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY EXAMINATION-BASED ASSIGNMENT 03 (Assignment unique number: 650006)

Note: The assignment contributes towards your examination mark in this module. ALL
ANSWERS MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 03: Module 2: PIOP02P

Due date: 12 October 2023
Learning Material: Prescribed book

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

Critically review the case studies below and answer the questions that follow. Make sure you
provide sound reasons for your answers. Marks will be allocated in terms of your understanding
and application of the theory to the case studies.

QUESTION 1: Detecting flaws in research

Case Study 1
A researcher announces that he will be conducting an experiment to investigate the detrimental effects of
sensory deprivation on perceptual-motor coordination. The first 40 students who sign up for the study are
assigned to the experimental group, and the next 40 who sign up serve in the control group. The
researcher supervises all aspects of the study’s execution. Experimental participants spend two hours in
a sensory deprivation chamber, where sensory stimulation is minimal. Control participants spend two
hours in a waiting room that contains magazines and a TV. All participants then perform ten one-minute
trials on a pursuit-rotor task that requires them to try to keep a stylus on a tiny rotating target. The
dependent variable is their average score on the pursuit-rotor task (Weiten, 2018).

Case Study 2
A researcher wants to know whether there is a relationship between age and racial prejudice. She designs
a survey in which respondents are asked to rate their prejudice against six different ethnic groups. She
distributes the survey to over 500 people of various ages who are approached at a shopping mall in a
low-income, inner-city neighbourhood (Weiten, 2018).

Question 1.1
Test your understanding of how to conduct sound research by identifying the apparent flaws in Case
Study 1 for the following aspects.
(15)

Methodological flaw
Sampling bias
Placebo effects
Distortions in self-reports
Confounding of variables
Experimenter bias

Question 1.2
Test your understanding of how to conduct sound research by identifying the apparent flaws in Case
Study 2 for the following aspects. (15)

• Methodological flaw
• Sampling bias
• Placebo effects
• Distortions in self-reports
• Confounding of variables
• Experimenter bias

52
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

QUESTION 2: Equine Assisted Psychotherapy: Changing Patterns and Behaviours

Case Study
The field of equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP) is a relatively new approach in South Africa and is
becoming acknowledged as effective in changing people’s behaviour through experiential therapy
sessions. The key to EAP is the equine (whether horse, pony or donkey). In this case study, we will refer
to a horse. The horse acts as a co-therapist. Although they cannot talk, horses communicate constantly
using their bodies and they are very perceptive to non-verbal stimuli (Mandrell, 2006). Horses cannot lie,
and they will often reflect what is going on around them. As prey animals, they are incredibly sensitive to
the environment, including humans. Additionally, horses are able to mirror human emotions and to read
some chemical changes in the human body. An EAP environment creates a non-threatening environment
that is motivating and allows ample opportunity for learning (Mandrell, 2006). EAP shares similarities with
Bandura’s key processes for observational learning. EAP is experiential in nature – the sessions enhance
the learning process and help to solidify new patterns of increasingly desirable behaviour (Weiten, 2018).

Question 2.1
Explain in terms of the case study how Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is able to change behaviour
in humans. (10)

Question 2.2
Explain how the horse is used in EAP in the case study. (10)
[50]

QUESTION 3: Motives and Emotions

Case Study

In 26 May 2003, Sibusiso Vilane successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest, the earth’s highest
mountain, and became the first Black African to do this. The news of his ascent brought him instant fame
in South Africa – and headlines all over the world. In congratulating him on his achievement, then-
President Thabo Mbeki stated: “In this, he has shown the heights we can all scale in life if we put our
shoulder to the wheel and work at things without flagging. Sibusiso, you have done us proud!” In 2006,
Mbeki awarded him the Order of Ikhamanga (Bronze). He can now sign his name ‘Sibusiso Vilane, OIB’

Standing on top of the world was, he said, the highlight of his life. “Realising that finally I was there, that
the message that I had been carrying for 60 days, that we Africans can reach great heights, was all over
the world – the feeling was [such that] even if I could collapse at that time and pass out and die, I would
not have had a problem. I would have been the happiest person ever.” (Rehbock, 2011) In 2005, Sibusiso
reached the summit of Everest for a second time, together with Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Alex Harris. His
first ascent had taken the traditional route from the south side; this time he made the ascent from the
more difficult and statistically less-successful North Ridge. This meant that he is the first Black African to
climb the world’s highest peak twice, and by two different routes. Vilane has since conquered all Seven
Summits – the highest mountains on each of the seven continents (Weiten, 2018).

Question 3.1
In the context of the case study, compare biological, incentive and evolutionary approaches to
understanding motivation. Also, refer in your answer to what inspired Vilane to climb Everest, walk to the
South Pole and do so many other inspirational activities. (20)

Question 3.2
Describe the cognitive and physiological components of emotions. Also, elaborate on the feelings and
emotions of Vilane when he succeeded in his endeavours. (20)

53
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Question 3.3
Reflect on your learning in the module PIOP02P and the graduateness competencies you have
developed. Explain key learning insights you derived from the module. Provide any general feedback on
the module that you would like to share with the lecturers. (10)
[50]

TOTAL: [100]

54
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

SELF-ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT (DO NOT SUBMIT)

Assignment 04: Module 2: PIOP02P (Prof R.M. Oosthuizen)
Learning Material: Prescribed book (Chapter 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15)

QUESTION 1
(a) Describe the basic tenets of Erikson’s theory and his stages of childhood personality development
(Chapter 11). (10)
(b) Discuss the stability of personality in adulthood and outline Erikson’s stages of adult development
(Chapter 11). (15)
[25]

QUESTION 2
(a) Describe some prominent personality inventories and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of
self-report inventories (Chapter 12). (15)
(b) Describe two projective tests and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of projective testing
(Chapter12). (10)
[25]
QUESTION 3
Study the following excerpt and answer the questions that follow:

Don’t judge a book by its cover is recognisable as common sense, yet people tend to attribute desirable
interpersonal qualities (‘goodness’) to attractive people (Lemay, Clark & Greenberg, 2010; Weiten, 2018).

(a) Discuss how aspects of physical appearance may influence impressions of others (Chapter 13).
(15)
(b) Describe how stereotyping and other factors contribute to subjectivity in person perception
(Chapter 13). (10)
[25]
QUESTION 4
Study the following excerpts and answer the questions that follow:

Feldman (2008, p. 486) indicates that: “Health psychology investigates the psychological factors related
to wellness and illness, including the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of medical problems” (Weiten,
2018). (10)

(a) Describe the Biopschycosocial paradigm and the nature of health psychology (Chapter 14).

Gail, 32 years old, made an appointment with a medical doctor, complaining initially of anxiety and stress.
However, later she had serious concerns about her health. She worried that the breathlessness she
experienced was a signal of an impending heart attack – and that a headache was a sign of an undetected
brain tumour. Gail was struggling to fall asleep for fear that she would stop breathing during the night.
Public toilets were avoided as potential sources of infection.

The latest trigger of her anxiety and fear was an article in the newspaper (just last month), which detailed
the signs of breast cancer. For days after reading the article, she had been vigilantly checking her breasts.
Gail’s fears of a serious illness developed after the miscarriage of her second pregnancy, around the time
she learned of her husband’s affair. Since then she has spent a great deal of time, and money than they
can afford, going to different doctors across Johannesburg. Over the years, Gail has heard the same
conclusion from the attending doctor: “There’s nothing wrong; you’re fit and healthy” (Weiten, 2018).

(b) List the different types of psychological disorders and explain, in not more than two sentences, the
main characteristic/s of each disorder (Chapter 15). (15)
[25]

TOTAL: [100]

55
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY YEAR MARK ASSIGNMENT 01 (Assignment unique number: 650444)

Note: The assignment also contributes towards your year mark in this module. ALL ANSWERS
MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 01: Module 3: PIOP03Q

Due date: 13 June 2023
Learning Material: Prescribed book (Chapters 2, 3 and 4)

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

QUESTION 1
You have been appointed as a Human Resources Manager by a major corporation. Your first assignment
is to prepare a report for the executive committee on the importance of understanding individual
differences in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of an organisation. Your report should
address the theory and application of individual differences, focusing specifically on the following
questions (Chapter 2):

(a) Describe the construct and six pillars of self-esteem. (10)

(b) Describe the implications of intelligence and cognitive abilities (10)
(c) Elaborate on cautions and tips concerning personality testing in the workplace. (5)
(d) Identify and describe the Big Five personality dimensions, specify which one is correlated most
strongly with job performance. (15)
(e) Describe Jung’s and Myers and Briggs’ personality typology (10)
[50]

QUESTION 2
(a) Identify and describe Rokeach’s instrumental and terminal values. Also explain Schwartz’s basic
human values model and his related work values model (Chapter 3). (10)

(b) Explain how attitudes influence behaviour in terms of the model of planned behaviour (Chapter 3).
(10)

(c) Study the following excerpt and answer the question that follows:
In the ideal world of organisation theory, employees pursue organisational goals in a logical and
rational manner. Emotional behaviour seldom appears in the equation. The myth of rationality that
reigned for a long time in organisations caused emotions to be long banished in organisational life
(Sinding et al., 2018)

Define what emotional intelligence is and which components it implies. Also, refer in your answer
to emotional contagion in the workplace (Chapter 3). (10)

(d) Discuss how perception, asymmetries and attribution influence information processing in
organisations (Chapter 4). (10)

(e) Describe the impact of interpersonal communication forms on information flows in the organisation.
Also elaborate on communication patterns in organisations (Chapter 4). (10)
[50]

TOTAL: [100]

56
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY YEAR MARK ASSIGNMENT 02 (Assignment unique number: 650542)

Note: The assignment also contributes towards your year mark in this module. ALL ANSWERS
MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 02: Module 3: PIOP03Q

Due date: 10 August 2023
Learning Material: Prescribed book (Chapters 7 and 8)

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

QUESTION 1
You were appointed as a team leader two months ago. There are six team members working with you.
Over the last two weeks you have received numerous complaints from your supervisor that your team is
disintegrating. What measures would you take to remedy the situation? Your presentation should provide
a better understanding of groups and teams. Emphasis should be on the following questions (Chapter 7):

(a) Contrast roles and norms and specify four reasons for norms being enforced in organisations. (15)

(b) Distinguish between role overload, role conflict and role ambiguity. (10)

(c) Describe social networks and indicate the ethical implications to map employees’ social networks in
order to improve knowledge sharing and communication. (10)

(e) Discuss threats to group effectiveness. Refer in your answer to the Asch effect, groupthink and
social loafing.
(15)
[50]
QUESTION 2
Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow (Chapter 8):

There was only time for one clear order form the US Airways airplane pilot to the passengers: “Prepare for impact!” Seconds
later, he performed a successful emergency landing on the Hudson River off Manhattan, New York, just six minutes after
taking off from La Guardia Airport.

During its initial climb, the plane hit a flock of geese, disabling both its engines. Unable to reach any of the nearby airports,
an emergency landing on the Hudson was the pilot’s only option. Miraculously, all 155 passengers on board survived and
apart from a few broken limbs, no one was seriously hurt. The fact that the pilot was able to land the plane on river was a
testament to his many years of training and dedication, but the great team of pilot, co-pilot and the rest of the crew played a
significant part in this success.

When the emergency landing was inevitable, all parts of the team automatically started the necessary procedures – preparing
the plane for a landing on water, calming passengers and helping passengers climb out of the plane, once it had landed on
the river. The flight crew had been widely praised for their actions during the incident, and then, President-elect Barack
Obama invited the crew to attend is inauguration as President in Washington, D.C., five days later.

Sources: NBC News, ‘Miracle on the Hudson’, available online at based on [Link]/news/local-beat/Miracle-
[Link]; [Link]/id/28678669/.

(a) Distinguish between a ‘team’ and a ‘group’ and discuss the true value of teamwork in times of crisis.
(5)

(b) Describe Meredith Belbin’s framework for team roles and team players. Refer in your answer to the
nine roles that can be classified into three broad categories. (10)

(c) Explain the ecological model of work team effectiveness (10)

57
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

(d) Discuss six guidelines for building and maintaining trust in organisations. Also, distinguish between
two types of cohesiveness and summarise the related research findings. (10)

(e) Describe quality circles, self-managed teams and virtual teams. (15)
[50]

TOTAL: [100]

58
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY EXAMINATION-BASED ASSIGNMENT 03 (Assignment unique number: 650641)

Note: The assignment contributes towards your examination mark in this module. ALL
ANSWERS MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 03: Module 3: PIOP03Q (Prof R.M. Oosthuizen)

Due date: 18 October 2023
Learning Material: Prescribed book

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

Critically review the case studies below and answer the questions that follow. Make sure you
provide sound reasons for your answers. Marks will be allocated in terms of your understanding
and application of the theory to the case studies.

QUESTION 1
Case Study: Testit and Boxit
The market for testing the personality of current or prospective employees is large. How large exactly is
difficult to assess. One newspaper report put the annual number of tests taken for the Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator (MBTI) at around 2 million. The same report states that, ‘More than 10,000 companies, 2,500
colleges and universities and 200 government agencies in the United States use the test. The MBTI may
be the most popular personality assessment tool but there are many others on the market, including the
DISC profile (the acronym refers to the traits ‘dominance’, ‘influence’, ’steadiness’, and
‘conscientiousness’), and tests relying on the Big Five model of personality traits. The odd one out here
is the Big Five model, which is not commercialised to nearly the same extent as the others. Big Five is
also the model most widely used in research publications, whereas the other two are rarely seen in peer-
reviewed publications.

The publisher of the MBTI test is the Consulting Psychologist Press, or CPP. Their annual revenues are
estimated at $20 million. They sell the test themselves and also license practitioners to administer the
test. The test, first published in 1943, is virtually unchanged since it was developed by Katherine Myers
and her daughter, Isabel Myers Briggs. Both were fascinated by the work of the German psychologist
Carl Jung. One highly respected business school professor has called the MBTI ‘a fad that won’t die’.
Among the many criticisms, there are five that are particularly interesting: the MBTI is rigid as the person
tested can fit into only one of 16 personality types; the MBTI is unreliable, being unable to replicate test
results for the same person in up to 50 percent of retests; the MBTI is not clearly valid as there is little or
no evidence to support the idea that placing an individual in one of the 16 types clearly identifies them as
best suited to a particular job; the MBTI indicators are not always related as they should be – for example,
in the case of thinking as opposed to feeling, it is possible for a person to be both at the same time, which
should not be possible under the MBTI system; finally, the MBTI is not comprehensive and misses the
very important trait of emotional stability.

Reference:
[Link]

Question 1.1
The big question arising out of the critical points in the case study comes into play when applying the
MBTI in real life, away from easy fixes of a textbook.

What do you do when your boss in the human resources department tells you to get the MBTI testing
organised for a group of young people that the company is about to hire?

Having read some of the sceptical newspaper articles and agreeing with them, do you:

Tell the boss that the MBTI is stupid and using it should be discontinued?
Do what you are told?

59
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Ask the boss what value he expects the organisation to derive from testing?
Play the part of the newcomer and the licence this gives you to ask naïve questions about how and why
MBTI is used? (10)

Question 1.2
In the context of the case study, explain in which situations would it be appropriate to apply a psychological
test. (10)

Question 1.3
MBTI, DISC, Big Five, etc., populate a popular field. Unfortunately, even the best-supported model (Big
Five) is not very helpful in terms of finding people who will produce better results. Other approaches to
assessing the suitability of people for jobs get better results. As always with items in the Organisational
Behaviour toolbox, poor results often do not mean that a particular tool loses its popularity.

Describe which model or part of a model in the context of the case study would be suitable to use. (10)

QUESTION 2
Case Study: When I was a lad …
Advancing to the top of the organisational hierarchy is a dream for some. That is where power and status,
and sometimes riches, are found. Assertiveness is one way of getting there. However, relentless
assertiveness can be a problem, both for the assertive person and for others. Quite a few people don’t
like those who are constantly assertive. They are perceived to be pushy and, by implication, selfish as
well. Most pushy (assertive) people are well aware that there is a time and a place for such behaviour.
For them it can also be an advantage to signal that they know their place (in the scheme of things). They
defer to others and, as a result, they are perceived differently from those who cannot stop themselves for
being pushy (or assertive).

In verbal communication the use of disclaimers – for example, “I seem to remember that this could present
a challenge” instead of “no you are wrong” – conveys deference. It would be natural if deference to one’s
bosses were widespread. And it should also be obvious that everyone cannot be right all the time. For a
hierarchy to work, some people have to defer to others some of the time. Written messages may show
indications of deference in the form of hedges (“maybe”, “sort of”, “kind of”) and disclaimers (this might
not be a good idea”, “I don’t want to be rude but”) and through the “tone” of the message (agreeable,
unassertive, polite, formal).

Reference:
Fragale, A.R., Sumanth, J.J., Tiedensv, L.T., & Northcraft, G.B. (2012). Appeasing Equals: Lateral Deference in Organizational
Communication. Administrative Science Quarterly, 57(3), 373-406.

Question 2.1
Studying these forms as well as the hierarchical position of the writers indicates that deference between
people of equal rank is more widespread than deference to superiors. A major reason for the pronounced
lateral or horizontal deference is that people in organisations are very conscious about their status and
about making sure they do not lose it. Therefore, all the deference.

Evaluate communications from business leaders from different South African contexts and examine how
their choices of words are influenced by the South African context in which they are spoken or written.
(20)
[50]
QUESTION 3
Case study: Narcissistic personality leaders
Think about prominent leaders you are very familiar with and consider them in terms of their sense of self-
importance, sense of being special and views on their own success. Then consider how they respond to
admiration and how they expect to be treated. Do they take advantage of others without regard for their
feelings and needs? Are they arrogant? Are they envious of what other have? These traits briefly sum
up people who are narcissists. Five of the seven traits are sufficient for a diagnosis of narcissistic
personality disorder (NPD). Without in any way suggestion that any of these traits are in evidence, it is

60
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

instructive to consider a report about an obscure insurance company called Delphi Financial. According
to a report in the New York Times, the CEO of Delphi, Robert Rosenkranz, had negotiated a sale of the
company to a Japanese Investor. As part of the deal, Mr Rosenkranz was to be paid $60 million more
than the other shareholders, despite company charter provisions that explicitly prohibited this. Naturally,
the shareholders sued Delphi to prevent the extra payment going ahead. The trail judge was not
impressed by what he heard, stating that Mr Rosenkranz believed he was ”morally” entitled to this money
for building this company. Mr Rosenkranz’s apparent hubris led him to violate a bargain he had struck
with shareholders at the time of Delphi’s IPO. Nor was this the only effort Mr Rosenkranz made to extract
additional money.

Court documents suggest that the one director of Delphi “thought that Mr Rosenkranz had a “competitive”
personality and a “great sense of entitlement”. The documents also tell of Mr Rosenkranz’s response to
the board’s attempt to prevent him for obtaining a premium over other shareholders. They describe Mr
Rosenkranz as being “upset”, “angry” and “depressed” and as thinking that he had been “treated harshly”
at the negotiations. The judge did not block the sale of Delphi but was strongly critical of Mr Rosenkranz.
The journalist writing this story thought it appropriate to speculate that the behaviour of CEO’s in this and
other cases resembled narcissism. While we could not possibly comment, it is clear that some executives
are more willing than most to take on great risk. There is solid research to support this argument. CEOs
scoring high on narcissism were also more avid pursuers of bold (i.e. large) deals – while their firms
performed no worse or no better than firms on average. Similarly, CEOs who borrow more on their private
residences lead firms with higher levels of debt, and CEOs who take on more risk in their personal lives
are associate with riskier firms.

Reference:
Davidoff, S.A. (2012). A Mirror can be a dangerous tool for some CEO’s Mergers & Acquisitions. Deal Professor, 6 March 2012.

Question 3.1
In the context of the case study, explain the self-esteem of Robert Rosenkranz and how it can be
improved. Also, refer in your answer to the self-efficacy of Mr Rosenkranz and explain its sources.
(15)

Question 3.2
Motivate if Robert Rosenkranz is a high or low self-monitoring individual and describe the resulting
problems that he may have. (15)

Question 3.3
Motivate if sufficient traits can be identified in Robert Rosenkranz for diagnosis of narcissistic personality
disorder. (10)

Question 3.4
Reflect on your learning in the module PIOP03Q and the graduateness competencies you have
developed. Explain key learning insights you derived from the module. Provide any general feedback on
the module that you would like to share with the lecturers. (10)
[50]

TOTAL: [100]

61
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

SELF-ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT (DO NOT SUBMIT)

Assignment 04: Module 3: PIOP03Q

Learning Material: Prescribed book (Chapter 11)

QUESTION 1
The importance of organisational climate, and diversity in the workplace is increasing. Discuss this
statement in terms of the following questions (Sinding et al., 2018; Chapter 11):

(a) Define stereotypes, and describe the process of stereotype formation (10)

(b) Discuss the job demand-control model of Robert Karasek which emphasises the stress factors
inherent in the work organisation. Also illustrate your answer by means of a figure. (10)

(c) Compare and contrast gender, age, ethnic and racial stereotypes. (10)

(d) Provide evidence about stereotypes and diversity and discuss the application of diversity
management and stereotypes. (15)

(e) Provide five reasons why managing diversity is a competitive advantage. (5)
[50]

QUESTION 2
Read the following excerpt and answer the questions that follow (Chapter 11):

Life at work in the twenty-first century can be hectic and stressful. Students must cope with tests, projects
and competition when looking for a job after graduation. Married couples must wrestle with the demands
of managing careers and a family. Single parents encounter similar pressures (Sinding et al., 2018).

(a) Describe the term stress and the sources of stress. (10)

(b) Discuss the model of occupational stress as well as important stressors and stress outcomes. (10)

(c) Explain the concept burnout and provide solutions to reduce burnout. (10)

(d) Describe social support as an important moderator of relationships between stressors, stress and
outcomes. (10)

(e) Discuss three approaches people use to cope with stressors and stress, as well as stress-reduction
programmes to assist employees to cope with modern-day stress. (10)
[50]

TOTAL: [100]

62
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY YEAR MARK ASSIGNMENT 01 (Assignment unique number: 647832)

Note: The assignment contributes towards your year mark in this module. ALL ANSWERS MUST
BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 01: Module 4: PIOP04R

Due date: 27 June 2023
Learning Material: Prescribed book: Chapters 9, 10, 12
Study Guide study units: 1 & 4

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

Read the case study below and answer the questions that follow.

Case study: Sprint International

Span of control, centralisation and formalisation are important elements of organisational structure, but
most people think about organisational charts when the discussion of organisational structure arises.
The organisational chart represents the fourth element in the structuring of organisations, called
departmentalisation. Departmentalisation specifies how employees and their activities are grouped
together. There are almost as many organisational charts as there are businesses, but the three most
common pure types of departmentalisation are the functional structure, divisional structure (product-
based, geographical, and client-based) and matrix structure.

Diversified Technologies LLC (DTL) makes four types of products, each type to be sold to different
types of clients. For example, one product is sold exclusively to automobile repair shops, whereas
another is used mainly in hospitals. Customer expectations and needs are surprisingly similar
throughout the world. However, the company has separate marketing, product design and
manufacturing facilities in Asia, North America, South America, Europe, Northern Africa and South
Africa because, until recently, each jurisdiction had unique regulations governing the production and
sales of these products. However, several governments have begun the process of deregulating the
products that DTL designs and manufactures, and trade agreements have opened several markets to
foreign-made products.

Sprint International, the manufacturer of various types of locomotives in Germany distributes its product
to various countries including, South Africa, Canada, Asia and Europe. The company has opened
manufacturing plants in all these countries in the past due to strict trade regulations of locomotives.
Although these countries product requirements are different, with relaxed trade regulations it will be
possible for Sprint International to operate one manufacturing plant and only open small assembling
centres in each country. Several governments have relaxed their trade regulations and Sprint
International can easily serve these countries from one manufacturing plant. Technological
advancements are also contributing to the efficient production process that will allow the company to
deliver to various countries from one manufacturing plant in Germany.

QUESTION 1
Discuss the characteristics of the various forms of organisational departmentalisation (vertical, divisional,
horizontal, team-based and network) and the nine common designs of organisations. Which form of
departmentalisation and organisational design might be best for DTL if deregulation and trade agreements
occur? Give reasons for your answer (Study guide study unit 1; Prescribed textbook, Moerdyk et al., 2020,
Chapter 9). (20)

63
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

QUESTION 2
Critically evaluate the effect, benefits and negative aspects of technological advancement on
organisational structure and production processes. Also, discuss the boundaryless organisation and its
four types as a new form of organisation in the information technology (digital) era by referring to Sprint
International as an example (Prescribed textbook, Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapter 9; study guide study unit
1). (20)

QUESTION 3
The 21st century environment is labelled as a new era of rapid technological advancement, generally
called the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Second Machine Age) or digital era. Globally companies report
making significant process in adopting, robotics, sensors, cognitive and AI (artificial Intelligence)
technologies. Technological innovation increases the array of professions and jobs that can be automated
which will affect knowledge workers such as technicians and manual workers. Knowledge workers will in
the future be displaced by algorithms and low-skilled workers by robots and AI. Virtual business models
will allow employees to work from home for different employers while others will have to retrain and upskill
to retain jobs far from home. However, while new technology may cause the creative destruction of some
jobs, it will also create many new jobs, some of which we cannot even imagine today.

Discuss the influence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) on organisations, the future of work, jobs
and job design in general. Critically evaluate the downside of the 4IR in general. Also, discuss the ethical
issues to consider regarding the potential impact of new technological developments in the workplace
(Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapter 12; study guide PIOP04R, study unit 1). (20)

Read the case study below and answer the questions that follow:

Scenario-The reluctant CEO

To reduce cost and improve customer service, a financial group wanted to consolidate its customer
contact centres across several divisions. A consultant was hired to support the effort and prepare
implementation plans. As the project started, rumours spread through several departments that his
organisational change was not good for the company. Supervisors and key managers in the existing
customer care centres began resisting the change. In some cases, they would not show up for design
reviews or fail to show-up for key decision-making meetings with the consultant. Information requested
by the consultant and the design team was withheld or incomplete, which made it difficult for the project
team to formulate new strategies. At breaks, employees complained about potential leadership changes.
Both employees and managers were distracted from their day-to-day work and productivity suffered. Key
managers were rumoured to quit if the change was implemented. The consulting firm met with the CEO,
repeatedly warning that this resistance would undermine his change and would ultimately begin to affect
customers. The CEO, however, was reluctant to become personally involved. He viewed change
management as the job of his project team and the consultant, and not the responsibility of the head of
the company. After several months of difficulties and delays, the consultant declared the consolidation
in jeopardy. With the project at a stand-still, the CEO requested an emergency briefing with his leadership
team. To prepare for this status report, the consultants conducted interviews with key managers. They
quickly identified a manager in an existing customer care centre who viewed his job at risk with the
potential change. Arguments against the change initiated by this manager were spreading like fire in the
organisation throughout the ranks. His supervisors were the same people who were presumably
threatening to leave the organisation. Even armed with this information, the CEO remained reluctant to
take definitive action. The only recourse at this stage was reassignment or termination of this manager.
The CEO was faced with a stalled project or a potential lose-lose decision for a long-tenured manager.

Adapted from: Prosci. (2014). Prosci’s Approach to Change. Retrieved from

[Link]

64
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

QUESTION 4
Discuss reasons for why change efforts fail by referring to organisational, cultural and individual barriers
to change. Provide examples from the case study. Also, discuss Kotter’s sequential model of change and
explain how the principles of the model may be applied to help the case study company move successfully
through the change effort (Prescribed textbook, Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapter 10; Study guide study unit
4).
(30)

QUESTION 5
Review the graduateness competencies described in Tutorial letter 101. Reflect now on and explain the
learning and new insights you gained by completing the assignment. Provide any feedback on the module
that you would like to share with the lecturers. (10)

TOTAL: [100]

65
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY YEAR MARK ASSIGNMENT 02 (Assignment unique number: 648967)

Note: The assignment also contributes towards your year mark in this module. ALL ANSWERS
MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 02: Module 4: PIOP04R

Due date: 24 August 2023
Learning Material: Prescribed book: Chapters 2, 7, 8, 9
Study Guide study units 1, 2, & 3

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

Read the case study below and answer the questions that follow

The case of Mr Maluleke

Mr Maluleke manages a small department in a busy service organisation and, because of the nature of
the work, he often has to ask his service engineers to put themselves out by making calls on customers
during social hours. Two of his subordinates are completely different in temperament. Nomfundo
Mutiwasekwa is keen and committed towards her work, whereas George Maloy is disenchanted,
disgruntled and, sometimes downright obstructive. Therefore, when asking them to accept an
inconvenient job, Mr Maluleke approaches them in different ways. With Nomfundo he tends to
emphasise that she will be doing him a personal favour, for which she will be paid overtime, but with
George he just says here is an opportunity to earn a bit more money. Sometimes he persuades
Nomfundo by emphasizing that they both have the customer’s interests at heart, whereas with George
he avoids this and often says that the customer is an acquaintance of the Managing Director, who has
asked for the job to receive priority. However, Mr Maluleke is careful with both of them not to be
authoritarian; with Nomfundo he feels it would be unnecessary and with George because it would be
inviting the answer no.

QUESTION 1
Explain the concept of power in organisational contexts. Discuss the sources of power and give examples
from the case study by referring to the leadership behaviour of Mr Maluleke when approaching Nomfundo
Mutiwasekwa and George Maloy (Prescribed textbook, Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapter 7; Study guide unit
3). (10)

QUESTION 2
Discuss and compare the characteristics of African leadership, servant leadership, and leader-member
exchange theory (LMX). Also, explain how Mr Maluleleke could apply the principles of these three types
of leadership theories to influence and persuade Nomfundo and George (Prescribed textbook, Moerdyk
et al., 2020, chapter 8; Study guide unit 3). (30)

66
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Read the case study below and answer the questions that follow

Since 1967 when Raymond Ackerman purchased the first few stores, the Ackerman family’s vision has
significantly grown into various countries, though its main focus remains South-Africa (SA). The offer to
customers focuses on groceries, clothing and general merchandise, but also includes additional value-
added services to cater for the customers’ expectations and evolving needs. Pick n Pay’s history is well
proof that the philosophy of consumer sovereignty is not simply a platitude. To ensure a convenient and
accessible shopping experience, the Group operates across multiple store formats and is also involved
in supporting and revitalising small, independent township grocers to regenerate their stores and turn
them into thriving neighbourhood convenience stores. The neighbourhood convenience format is one of
the fastest-growing grocery retail formats worldwide, and a ‘spaza’ shop is essentially such a format.
Successful township businesses help the broader community by creating jobs and encouraging the
development of a wide range of skills, including technology and customer service, as well as specific
retail skills in butchery, bakery and other areas. The initiative of revitalising the neighbourhood
convenience stores is done in collaboration with the South African (SA) government as part of growing
the economy. This initiative gives Pick n Pay an important opportunity to play a positive role in growing
the informal retail market in South Africa.

Along with the enormous transformation that has taken place in South Africa over the past one-and-a-
half decades, big changes have also taken place within Pick n Pay. These changes are based on a
strong belief that the ability to achieve service excellence is directly proportional to the capacity to create
a climate of dignity, respect and freedom amongst every staff member in their company. To achieve this,
Pick n Pay embarked on a change process called “Vuselela” or Rebirth, which brought about a dramatic
change in relationships and the re-humanisation of their places of work. Staff has the opportunity to
develop and grow through the ranks of the company. At a ceremony to mark the Vuselela project, the
then CEO, Sean Summers, said the only real competitive advantage for a business lay in educating its
workers. “Empowerment is not grabbing a piece of the business, but giving people opportunities and
helping them to grow,” he said. He added “by empowering employees, we can also increase the scope
of their respective jobs – which would make their jobs interesting, allow them to become experienced,
and ultimate increase the chances of getting a promotion. Employees have also taken this initiative
seriously and invested in it through enrolling in various courses.

The Group’s long history of achievement is built on five important principles:

• To satisfy the needs and wants of the customers

• Store accessible for our consumers
• Design and layout of stores and visibility of staff in uniforms for maximum efficiency
• Provide a wide-ranging and apt inventory of products – at the best affordable prices
• Empower our employees with the training and skills to fulfil their maximum potential.
(Except retrieved from [Link]

QUESTION 3
Discuss the term “organisational culture” and differentiate between the clan culture, hierarchical culture,
adhocracy culture and market culture. Review the case study and explain which form of culture Pick n
Pay represents as part of its transformation. Give reasons for your answer. Also, distinguish between
artefacts, enacted values and espoused values of organisational culture by referring to examples from
the case study. Give reasons for your answer (see Prescribed book Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapters 2 and
9; study guide unit 2). (20)

67
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

QUESTION 4
Discuss the concept of Ubuntu (see study guide study unit 2), and explain the Ubuntu cultural values of
survival, respect and dignity, compassion and collectivism by referring to examples from the Pick n Pay
case study. Also, explain the importance of ethical leadership and an ethical code in the organisation.
(Prescribed book Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapter 9; study guide unit 2). (20)

Read the case study below and answer the questions that follow

A case of a female leader

Gomza’s automotive is a medium-sized organisation that has been in operation for 20 years. In the 20
years of its existence, Gomza automative never had a female as a general manager (GM). The CEO
of the company decided it is time to change the narrative, in a predominantly male-led environment
where most of the female leadership is concentrated in supervisory roles. When recruiting for the GM
position and selecting among the best, Ms. Lucy stood out. Though some of the division managers met
the announcement of the female GM with resistance, the CEO continued with the appointment. On
resuming her duties, Lucy noticed the resentment from most of her male subordinates who were
divisional managers. Despite this hostility, Ms. Lucy remained engaging and empowering, even
coaching the divisional managers. This approach left most of those who resented Ms. Lucy
flabbergasted because their hostility did not shake her. She harmoniously worked with everyone, she
was part of the team, always in the field and supportive. In one of the team meetings with the CEO and
divisional managers, the CEO commended Ms. Lucy for having broad a different leadership approach
to the organisation and how that has improved the staff morale. Ms. Lucy may not be interacting directly
with the staff in various divisions, however the staff have expressed the welcoming atmosphere that
prevails since the arrival of the new GM. Her monthly meeting called “Great talks”, with supervisors,
mostly female, has lifted the performance and engagement of staff in various divisions. The
organisation is reaping the benefits of this change which was initially met with some hostility. Innovative
ideas are flowing, profits are increasing, and the staff motivation has improved. Ms. Lucy is regarded
as a visionary and strategic thinker, with a drive to improve others performance for the betterment of
the entire organisation.

QUESTION 5
Distinguish between the concept of leading and managing by referring to Kotter’s comparison (study unit
3, Table 3.1). Also, explain gender as a leadership trait by referring to examples from the case study. In
your own view, do you regard Ms. Lucy as a leader or a manager? Give reasons for your answer
(Prescribed textbook, Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapter 9; study guide unit 3). (10)

QUESTION 6
Review the graduateness competencies described in Tutorial letter 101. Reflect now on and explain the
learning and new insights you gained by completing the assignment. Provide any feedback on the module
that you would like to share with the lecturers. (10)

TOTAL: [100]

68
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

COMPULSORY EXAMINATION-BASED ASSIGNMENT 03 (Assignment unique number: 649114)

Note: The assignment contributes towards your examination mark in this module. ALL
ANSWERS MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Assignment 03: Module 4: PIOP04R

Due date: 26 October 2023
Learning Material: Prescribed book: Chapters 4, 8, 10
PIOP04R Study Guide study
Tutorial letter 101/2023

NOTE: INSERT THE SIGNED DECLARATION IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT ANSWER

Critically review the case below and answer the questions that follow. Make sure you provide
sound reasons for your answers. Marks will be allocated in terms of your understanding and
application of the theory to the case study.

Case Study
Elias is the head of a division in a large South African public services institution. He has been in his
management position for 15 years and has worked his way up to his current position. Throughout his
career, he has seen many people leave and join the department. He has stayed because he enjoys the
public service and working with familiar faces in the company. He also knows that he brings his many
years of experiences in a public institution to the table when solving problems. His personality fits the
working environment of a state agency; he likes working with the familiarity of rules and procedures.

Elias is proud of his service, but he is really looking forward to his retirement, which, for him, is not
coming soon enough. Within the last few years, lots of changes have occurred on a department level
that is also changing much of the familiar procedures, rules, and norms that Elias has been accustomed
to during his 25 years in the department. Some of these changes include hiring younger staff, re-
organisation of job responsibilities, performance plans to increase staff competencies and skills in new
areas, and recent layoffs to help balance the budget.

As part of his attempt to make his mark on the division, and to bring in past experiences that he thinks
can be of value, Elias proposed numerous ideas for the division at a staff meeting. His staff—which, in
recent years, has become increasingly more diverse in demographics and cultural backgrounds—
suggests improvements and changes to his ideas. They are not so sure that his changes are the most
appropriate given the overall strategic directions of the department. Furthermore, they are not sure how
they can implement strategies when the ideas call for outdated resources and technology. Some of the
younger staff members are more vocal and mention recent trends and practices in strategic thinking
and virtual, remote ways of working due to the Covid-19 pandemic bringing forth the digital era that
could be more beneficial to accomplishing the division goals.

Elias views these suggestions as attacks directed at him and as resistance on the part of the staff. He
feels like every time he makes a suggestion; he is thrown a curveball from one of the younger staff
members. Why is this happening to him now? He knows he has to manage this. He cannot let this type
of dynamic go on for an additional five years—or could he?

QUESTION 1
The case of Elias provides a glimpse of employees’ personal resistance to change. Discuss some of the
organisational and individual barriers to change that may be relevant to the resistance experienced by
both Elias and employees in the case study. Also, discuss the principles of Appreciative Inquiry and how
the process may help Elias manage his perception of employees’ resistance to his planned change and
employees’ resistance to change in general (Prescribed textbook, Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapter 10; study
guide unit 4). (30)

69
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

QUESTION 2
Explain organisational development (OD) as a process of action research. Critically evaluate how Elias
could apply the principles of OD and Kurt Lewin’s three-phase model to change to develop deeper insight
into employees’ suggestions regarding his proposed changes. Also, discuss any one leadership theory
that you think would be appropriate to help Elias accommodate employees’ suggestions for change and
help the organisation to better adjust to change. Give reasons for your answer (Prescribed textbook,
Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapters 8 and 10; study guide units 3 and 4). (40)

QUESTION 3
Explain the motivational potential of the core job dimensions of skill variety, task identity, task significance,
autonomy, and feedback, including three ways to redesign jobs as described in Hackman and Oldham’s
job characteristics model (Moerdyk et al., 2020, chapter 4). Also, think about your current job or ideal
future job. Describe the ideal characteristics of the job and provide reasons why these characteristics
would motivate you to perform at your best. (20)

QUESTION 4
Reflect on your learning in the module PIOP04R and the graduateness competencies you developed.
Explain key learning insights you derived from the module. Provide any general feedback on the module
that you would like to share with the lecturers. (10)

TOTAL: [100]

70
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

SELF-ASSESSMENT ASSIGNMENT (DO NOT SUBMIT)

Assignment 04: Module 4: PIOP04R

Learning Material: Prescribed book: Chapters 8,9,10

Study Guide study units: 1, 3 & 4

Read carefully through the case study below and answer the questions that follow.

The Board of Directors of Company ABC has decided to return their company to profitability, which meant
that there had to be a severe cutback in the scale of its operations, together with radical changes within
the company. The Board also decided that there had to be a radical break with the past. Therefore, a new
top management team was installed and the chief executive was given the brief of producing a long-term
corporate plan for the company. The top management team gave its immediate attention to this matter
and quickly came to the conclusion that “a clean sweep” exercise was needed to equip the organisation
to service the more demanding market in the most profitable way.

A business process re-engineering (BPR) exercise was chosen as the vehicle to tackle this matter. In
practical terms this involved importing Organisation Development (OD) consultants to devise and
structure the BPR programme. After an initial study, the consultants recommended a staged change
management plan to re-engineer the firm. Information technology would be the driving force of a system
of computer integrated design and manufacture (CIDM) to give tight coordination of design, engineering
and production. This would involve considerable changes to the way that work was organised in the firm.

Hitherto the company had been structured in a very rigid, functional way, with sales, development, design,
engineering and manufacturing as separate functions with strict boundaries. Manufacturing was the
largest function and its activities were the two main types: assembly of components, which was largely
done by semi-skilled workers, and manufacture of precision products, which was undertaken by highly
skilled craftsmen in a large number of different trades.

The new organisational design recommended by the consultants involved a number of highly significant
changes. To give a more flexible and modern approach, it was decided to abandon the strict functional
structure and replace it with a product structure that was considered to be “closer to the customer”. All
activities from sales to production for a particular group of products would be located in self-contained
product cells consisting of semi-autonomous teams. People in each cell would be required to be multi-
skilled and would no longer work in a specific department or for a single boss. It was realised that this
would require a completely new factory layout and so the decision was taken to build to new plant adjacent
to the current facility.

As an interim step, a number of alterations were made to the existing factory to allow new methods to be
piloted there. The aim of this was to reduce the shock to workers of having to move to a new site and
embrace new methods in one step. In addition, a considerable amount of retraining for skilled workers
was undertaken to enable them to become multi-skilled.

Finally, it was decided that all assembly work could be put out to subcontractors, which meant that semi-
skilled workers would no longer be required. Clearly the new design required significant staff cuts, not
only among semi-skilled workers, but throughout the whole company and over a three-year period it was
planned to reduce the total workforce from 2, 500 to approximately 750.

71
 PIOP01N/PIOP02P/PIOP03Q/PIOP04R/101/0/2023

Questions:

1) Discuss the organisation as an open system by referring to a systems model of change. Explain
the target elements of change within the model that were affected by the company’s planned
changes.
(15)

2) Would you expect the company to encounter resistance to change? Give reasons for your answer.
Discuss the reasons why people resist change in the workplace and suggest strategies that the
company’s management can use to overcome resistance to change. (15)

3) Discuss the following organisational forms and structural designs: Bureaucratic, mechanistic,
organic, divisional, matrix, horizontal, hourglass, network, virtual, project and platform. Explain
which of these designs the company used before and after the change initiative.
(20)

4) Based on the contingency approach to designing organisations, explain which of these

organisational forms and designs would be the most appropriate for the company. Give reasons
for your answer.
(10)

5) Differentiate between transformational/charismatic, servant and transactional leadership. Explain

which style would be the most appropriate in managing the change process in the company. (20)

6) Differentiate between organisational culture and organisational values. Also, explain the
mechanisms the company could apply to embed a culture that supports the new change initiatives.
(10)

7) Describe your personal views on ethical behaviour. Give reasons for your viewpoints. Do you agree
with the following statement: “Ethics come down to individual motivation”? Give reasons for your
answer. Do you think that the change approach in the case study would have affected the
employees’ motivation to act ethically? Reflect on individuals’ responses to change when
formulating your answer. (10)

TOTAL: [100]

©
UNISA 2023

72