the development and empirical evaluation of an affirmative development coaching competency ...

331 Pages·2013·2.35 MB·English

THE DEVELOPMENT AND EMPIRICAL EVALUATION OF AN
AFFIRMATIVE DEVELOPMENT COACHING COMPETENCY
QUESTIONNAIRE

VICTOR CHIKAMPA

Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Commerce in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
at Stellenbosch University

SUPERVISOR: PROF CC THERON
Department of Industrial Psychology
DECEMBER 2013
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DECLARATION

By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work
contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to
the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by
Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not
previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification.

V Chikampa Date: December 2013

Copyright © 2013 Stellenbosch University
All rights reserved
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ABSTRACT

This study aimed at developing and empirically evaluating an affirmative
development coach competency questionnaire. The development and empirical
evaluation of the affirmative development coach competency questionnaire forms the
first phase of a larger project of developing and testing a comprehensive affirmative
development coach competency model. A coaching@work competency model would
help in clarifying and defining the characteristics that affirmative development
coaches need to possess and what affirmative development coaches need to do and
need to achieve to be successful on the job. Inequalities brought about by
exclusionary policies in terms of education as well as employment that characterised
South Africa before the advent of democracy meant that many members of the
previously disadvantaged groups lack the necessary skills to succeed at work,
especially the ability to occupy higher level positions. Theirs was the world of
unskilled work. In order to rectify the injustices experienced by members of the
designated groups the new post-apartheid government enacted policies and laws
based on the principle of affirmative action. However the preferential hiring in favour
of Blacks required by the affirmative action measures disadvantages organisations
and the economy because most members of the previously disadvantage groups
lack the necessary job competence potential to succeed at work. Affirmative
development has to play an important role in rectifying the injustices of the past.
Coaching in addition has to play an important role in honing the newly developed
abilities and skills. The study aimed at identifying the various coach competencies
that behaviourally constitute coach success. Competencies were derived from
examining the outputs that need to be achieved through the competencies.
Understanding the relationships between the affirmative development coaching
competencies (behaviours) and the outcomes the affirmative development coach
attempts to achieve was important because the relevance of the hypothesised
competencies need to be validated (logically and empirically) against the structural
network of outcomes. The study identified nine outcome variables namely employee
personal learning, role clarity, job satisfaction, organisational commitment, employee
self-efficacy, work engagement, contextual performance, task performance and
intention to quit.
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Seventeen coach competencies were examined in this study. The proposed partial
coach competency model shows various structural paths between the coach
competencies and the coach outcome variables the coach is held accountable for.
The objective of the research was to develop the Chikampa Coach Competency
Questionnaire (CCCQ) aimed at measuring the seventeen coach competencies and
to empirically evaluate the psychometric properties of the CCCQ.
The hypothesis of exact measurement model fit was rejected but the hypothesis of
close fit could not be rejected (p>.05). The position that the CCCQ measurement
model fits the data closely in the parameter was found to be a tenable position. The
fit indices reflected good model fit in the sample. The measurement model parameter
estimates indicated that the indicator variables represented the latent coaching
competencies satisfactorily. Discriminant validity was problematic. The seventeen
latent coaching competencies as measured by the CCCQ are not clearly separate
but tend to flow into each other.
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OPSOMMING

Hierdie studie was gerig op die ontwikkeling and empiriese evaluering van ‘n
regstellende ontwikkingafrigter1bevoegdheidsvraelys. Die ontwikkeling and
empiriese evaluering van ‘n regstellende ontwikkingafrigterbevoegdheidsvraelys
verteenwoordig die eerste fase in ‘n groter projek om ‘n omvattende regstellende
ontwikkingafrigterbevoegdheidsmodel te ontwikkel. ‘n Afrigter@werk
bevoegheidsmodel sou meewerk om die persoonseienskappe waaroor regstellende
ontwikkelingsafrigters moet beskik te identifiseer en te definieer en om helderheid te
kry ten opsigte van die handelinge wat regstellende ontwikkelingsafrigters moet
verrig en die uitkomste wat hul daardeur moet bereik om as suksesvol geag te word.
Ongelykhede wat te weeg gebring is deur die uitsluitingspolitiek in terme van
opvoeding en werksgeleenthede wat Suid Afrika gekenmerk het voor die aanbreek
van demokrasie het meegebring dat baie lede van die voorheenbenadeelde groepe
die nodige vaardighede ontbreek wat vereis word om in die wereld van werk sukses
te behaal, spesifiek die vermoë om hoër-vlak posisies te bekleë. Hulle was gedoem
tot ‘n wereld van ongeskoolde werk. Ten einde die ongeregtighede wat lede van die
aangewese groepe ervaar het reg te stel het die nuwe post-apartheid regering
beleide en wetgewing verorden gebaseer op die beginsel van regstellende aksie. Die
voorkeur-indiensneming van Swartes wat deur regstellnde aksiemaatreëls vereis
word benadeel egter organisasies en die ekonomie omdat die
werksbevoegdheidspotensiaal wat vereis word om in die wereld van werk te slaag by
die meerderheid lede van die voorheenbenadeelde groepe ontbreek. Regstellende
ontwikkeling moet ‘n belangrike rol speel in die regstelling van die ongeregtighede
van die verlede. Afrigting moet daarbenewens ‘n belangrike rol speel om die
nuutontwikkelde vermoëns en vaardighede te slyp. Die doel van hierdie studie was
om die afrigerbevoegdhede wat vanuit ‘n gedragsperspektief afrigtersukses
beliggaam te identifiseer. Bevoegdhede is geïdentifiseer deur die uitkomste te
bestudeer wat via die bevoegdhede bereik moet word. ‘n Begrip van die
verwantskappe tussen die regstellende ontwikkelingafrigterbevoegdhede (gedrag)
en die uitkomste wat die regstellende ontwikkelingafrigter probeer bereik was

1 ‘n ten volle bevredigende Afrikaanse term wat die konnotasies geassosieer met die Engelse term coach in
hierdie konteks suksesvol vasvat kon nie gevind word nie. Alternatiewe wat oorweeg is was opleier en breier.
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belangrik omrede die relevansie van die voorgestelde bevoegdhede teen die
strukturele network van uitkomste (logies en empiries) gevalideer moet word. Hierdie
studie het nege uitkomsveranderlikes geïdentifiseer, naamlik persoonlike leer,
rolduidelikheid werkstevredenheid, organisasieverbondenheid, selfvertroue,
werksverbondenheid, kontekstuele prestasie, taakprestasie en
bedankingsvoorneme.
Sewentien afrigterbevoegdhede is bestudeer in hierdie studie. Die voorgestelde
gedeeltelike afrigterbevoegdheidsmodel dui verskeie strukturele bane aan tussen die
afrigterbevoegdhede en die afrigteruitkomste waarvoor die afrigter verantwoordelik
gehou word. Die doel van die navorser was om die Chikampa Coach Competency
Questionnaire (CCCQ) gerig op die meting van die sewentien arigterbevoegdhede te
ontwikkel en om die psigometriese eienskappe van die CCCQ te evalueer.
Die hipotese van presiese metingsmodel passing is verwerp maar die hipotese van
benaderde passing kon nie verwerp word nie (p>.05). Die standpunt dat die CCCQ
metingsmodel die data in die parameter by benadering pas is dus ‘n houdbare
standpunt. Die pasgehalte-maatstawwe het goeie modelpassing in die steekproef
aangedui. Die metingsmodelparameterskattings het aangtoon dat die waargenome
veranderlikes die latent afrigterbevoegdhede suksesvol verteenwoordig.
Diskriminantgeldigheid was egter problematies. Die sewentien latent
afrigterbevoegdhede soos gemeet deur die CCCQ word nie duidelik van mekaar
onderskei nie maar neig om in mekaar te vloei.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A big gratitude goes to Professor Callie Theron a wonderful coach and academic
advisor himself in articulating the vision and guidance to the coachee until the “aha”
in me was attained. Your patience, statistical expertise shared dedication and
availability at all times is most appreciated. Special thanks also goes to the
management at the participating company, specifically the Talent Manager, for
making it possible for me to collect data as well as all the participants who took their
valuable time to fill in the questionnaire. Thank you also to Magriet Treurnicht and
Marianne Van der Merwe for the patience in helping me set up the electronic survey
and to Bright Mahembe for the encouragement during hard times. This thesis would
not have been possible without the financial support from my employers Mulungushi
University. Thank you for the bursary that supported me during this whole period.

Most of all I am thankful to my Lord Jesus Christ for the protection and guidance in
this tedious and trying journey.

This thesis is a dedication to those I love. My late mother Rosa Chikampa for life,
love, education and inspiiration given even in difficulty times. Special appreciation
goes to my lovely wife Maambo Muzeya Chikampa for the love, emotional support
rendered, patience and of course time spent with the demanding babies. My
daughter Mweemba Rosa Chikampa, my sons Chimuka Chikampa and Chilala
Chikampa for time without dad and the good times enjoyed during those short visits
together. Lastly but not the least to my brothers, sisters, cousins, aunties uncles,
brothers and sisters-in-law and grand parents.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROSA CHIKAMPA (1952 - 1995).
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION……………………………………………………………………………..i
ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………………ii
OPSOMMING……………………………………………………………………………….iv
ACKNOWLEDMENTS……………………………………………………………………..vi
CHAPTER ONE ......................................................................................................... 1
OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVE .................................. 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1
1.1.1 NEED FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION (DEVELOPMENT) ORIENTED COACHING.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….4
1.1.2 AFFIRMATIVE COACHING@WORK COMPETENCY MODEL .......................... 11
1.2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................... 17
1.3 RESEARCH INITIATING QUESTION ............................................................ 17
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE .............................................................................. 17
1.5 STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS ..................................................................... 17
CHAPTER 2 ............................................................................................................. 19
DEVELOPMENT OF THE COACHING @ WORK COMPETENCY MODEL........... 19
2.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 19
2.2 DEFINING THE COACHING CONSTRUCT .................................................. 19
2.3 OUTCOMES OF AFFIRMATIVE DEVELOPMENT BASED COACHING. ..... 21
2.4 COACHING OUTCOMES TO BE USED IN THIS STUDY ............................. 23
2.4.1 EMPLOYEE PERSONAL LEARNING ................................................................. 23
2.4.1.1 Definition of Personal Learning................................................................... 24
2.4.1.2 Employee Personal Learning in the Context of Affirmative Development ... 26
2.4.1.3 Antecedents of Employee Personal Learning ............................................. 27
2.4.1.4 Consequences of Employee Personal Learning ......................................... 27
2.4.1.4.1 Job Satisfaction .......................................................................................... 27
2.4.1.4.2 Intention to Leave ....................................................................................... 28
2.4.1.4.3 Role Clarity................................................................................................. 29
2.4.1.4.4 Organisational Commitment ....................................................................... 29
2.4.1.4.5 Employee Self-Efficacy .............................................................................. 30
2.4.1.4.6 Employee Engagement .............................................................................. 30
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2.4.1.4.5 Summary: Link between Affirmative Development Based Coaching
Behaviours, Personal Learning and and the Downstream Outcomes
associated with it ....................................................................................... 31
2.4.2 ROLE CLARITY .................................................................................................. 32
2.4.2.1 Definition of Role Clarity ............................................................................. 32
2.4.2.2 Employee Role Clarity in the Context of Affirmative Development .............. 34
2.4.2.3 Antecedents of Role Clarity ........................................................................ 34
2.4.2.4 Consequences of Role Clarity .................................................................... 36
2.4.2.4.1 Job Satisfaction .......................................................................................... 37
2.4.2.4.2 Intention to Leave ....................................................................................... 38
2.4.2.4.3 Organisational Commitment ....................................................................... 38
2.4.2.4.4 Job Performance ........................................................................................ 39
2.4.2.4.5 Engagement ............................................................................................... 40
2.4.3 JOB SATISFACTION .......................................................................................... 41
2.4.3.2 Employee Job Satisfaction in the Context of Affirmative Development ....... 41
2.4.3.3 Antecedents of Job Satisfaction ................................................................. 42
2.4.3.3.4 Consequences of Job Satisfaction ............................................................. 44
2.4.3.3.4.1 Job Performance (Task performance) ....................................................... 44
2.4.3.3.4.2 Organisational Citizenship Behaviour/contextual performance .................. 45
2.4.3.3.4.3 Intention to Leave ..................................................................................... 46
2.4.3.3.4.4 Organisational Commitment ...................................................................... 47
2.4.3.4 Summary: Link between Affirmative Development Based Coaching and Job
Satisfaction ................................................................................................ 47
2.4.4.1 Definition of Organisational Commitment ................................................... 48
2.4.4.2. Dimensions of Organisational Commitment ................................................ 48
2.4.4.3 Employee Organisational Commitment in the Context of Affirmative
Development ............................................................................................. 49
2.4.4.4 Antecedents of Organisational Commitment ............................................... 50
2.4.4.5 Consequences of Organisational Commitment ........................................... 51
2.4.4.5.1 Intention to Leave ....................................................................................... 51
2.4.4.5.2 Task Performance ...................................................................................... 52
2.4.4.5.3 Contextual performance ............................................................................. 53
2.4.4.6. Summary: Link between Affirmative Development Based Coaching and
Organisational Commitment ...................................................................... 53
2.4.5 SELF-EFFICACY ................................................................................................. 54
2.4.5.1 Definition of Self-efficacy ............................................................................ 54
2.4.5.2 Employee Self-efficacy in the Context of Affirmative Development ............. 55
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2.4.5.3 Antecedents of Self Efficacy ....................................................................... 56
2.4.5.4 Consequences of Self Efficacy ................................................................... 57
2.4.5.4.1 Job Satisfaction .......................................................................................... 57
2.4.5.4.2 Organisational Commitment ....................................................................... 58
2.4.5.4.3 Job-Performance (Task Performance) ........................................................ 58
2.4.5.4.4 Engagement ............................................................................................... 59
2.4.5.4.5 Summary: Link between Affirmative Development Coaching and Self-
efficacy ...................................................................................................... 59
2.4.6 ENGAGEMENT ................................................................................................... 60
2.4.6.1 Definition of Work Engagement .................................................................. 61
2.4.6.2 Employee Engagement in the Context of Affirmative Development ............ 61
2.4.6.4 Consequences of Work Engagement ......................................................... 63
2.4.6.4.1 Performance ............................................................................................... 64
2.4.6.4.2 Relationship between Engagement and Job Satisfaction, Commitment and
Intention to Leave. ..................................................................................... 65
2.4.6.4.4 Summary: Link between Affirmative Development Coaching and
Engagement .............................................................................................. 66
2.4.7 TURNOVER INTENTION ..................................................................................... 67
2.4.7.1 Definition of Turnover intention ................................................................... 67
2.4.7.2 Turnover Intention in the Context of Affirmative Development .................... 67
2.4.7.3 Antecedents of Turnover Intention .............................................................. 68
2.4.7.4 Summary: Link between Affirmative Development Coaching and intention to
Leave ......................................................................................................... 68
2.4.8 JOB PERFORMANCE......................................................................................... 69
2.4.8.1 Task Performance ............................................................................................. 72
2.4.8.1.1 Definition of Task Performance .................................................................. 72
2.4.8.1.2 Antecedents of Task Performance ............................................................. 73
2.4.8.1.3 Consequences of Task performance .......................................................... 73
2.4.8.1.4 Task Performance as a Primary Outcome of Affirmative Development
Coaching ................................................................................................... 74
2.4.8.2 Contextual performance-Organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) .......... 76
2.4.8.2.1 Definition of Contextual Performance ......................................................... 76
2.4.8.2.2 Contextual Performance in the Context of Affirmative Development ........... 77
2.4.8.2.3 Antecedents of Organisation Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) ........................ 78
2.4.8.2.4 Consequences of Contextual Performance (OCB) ..................................... 79
2.4.8.2.4.1 Intention to Leave ...................................................................................... 79
2.4.8.2.4.2 Job Satisfaction ......................................................................................... 80