Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
The experience of career success among blue-collar workers : an exploratory study
Dissertation (MCom (Industrial Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2016.
Saved in:
| Other Authors: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2026
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613574557335552 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Koekemoer, Eileen |
| author_browse | Koekemoer, Eileen |
| author_facet | Koekemoer, Eileen |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Dissertation (MCom (Industrial Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2016. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/110099 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:38:18.923Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/110099 The experience of career success among blue-collar workers : an exploratory study Koekemoer, Eileen leroux@live.co.za Fourie, Hendrik Le Roux Blue-collar workers subjective career success experience work environment manual labour technical training hierarchical progression. Dissertation (MCom (Industrial Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2016. Orientation: The study of career success is an important field of research in the modern world of work. It is clear that this environment is continually changing and becoming more complex. In concert, employees’ traditional view of career success also is becoming multifaceted. Research purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the experience of career success among blue-collar workers in a South African context. Motivation for the study: Blue-collar workers form a critical segment of the South African workforce but their disposition is characterised by extreme dissatisfaction, uncertainty and a situation of low remuneration. From the literature, the case is made for a linkage between the aforementioned aspects and workers’ experience of career success. Therefore, the research focuses on identifying and understanding the aspects that contribute to the experience of career success among this employment category. Such information can help address the needs of the blue-collar workers, and as a result address their dissatisfaction, which often are displayed through disruptive strikes. Research design, approach and method: The study was conducted as a qualitative inquiry. A non-probability, purposive voluntary sample were selected of 20 blue-collar workers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and recorded with the participants’ consent, after which the responses were transcribed and examined through a comprehensive process of thematic analysis. Main findings: Eight themes were extracted through the analysis, and related themes were grouped together into three spheres depicting the mentioned work environment. v The three spheres (each outlined by the themes indicated in brackets) were categorised as follows: 1) Operational sphere: the contextualisation of the world of the blue-collar worker (i.e. the nature of the work, the work environment, the aspects that blue-collar workers value, and blue-collar workers’ future career prospects); 2) Personal sphere: the experience of career success (i.e. personal feelings of career success, and factors hindering their experience of career success; and 3) Organisational sphere: suggested organisational contributions to career success (i.e. suggesting and distinguishing possible input from companies and from managers). Limitations and future research: The present study was subject to certain limitations. The method of self-reporting interviewing was employed, which influenced the study’s outcomes due to the potential subjectivity related to such interviews. The study also was conducted among blue-collar workers at a single organisation in only one selected industry. Thus, future research should focus on wider studies comprising a more representative sample of the blue-collar segment of the workforce across industries. Practical/managerial implications: The study provides recommendations made by participants as to how their career success can be addressed more accurately by managers and organisations alike. From the findings it was apparent that higher input from managers and increased personal involvement by organisations can play a significant role in blue-collar workers’ experience of subjective career success. Contribution/value-add: The study delivered promising results (on subjective aspects) in a field that is still lacking a sufficient and comprehensive body of research. The research should, therefore, serve as a foundation for further studies aiming to explore these unlocked themes. Human Resource Management MCom (Industrial Psychology) 2026-05-15T17:26:18Z 2026-05-15T17:26:18Z 16/07/15 2016 Dissertation http://hdl.handle.net/2263/110099 en application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Blue-collar workers subjective career success experience work environment manual labour technical training hierarchical progression. The experience of career success among blue-collar workers : an exploratory study |
| title | The experience of career success among blue-collar workers : an exploratory study |
| title_full | The experience of career success among blue-collar workers : an exploratory study |
| title_fullStr | The experience of career success among blue-collar workers : an exploratory study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The experience of career success among blue-collar workers : an exploratory study |
| title_short | The experience of career success among blue-collar workers : an exploratory study |
| title_sort | experience of career success among blue collar workers an exploratory study |
| topic | Blue-collar workers subjective career success experience work environment manual labour technical training hierarchical progression. |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/110099 |