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An empirical evaluation of a primed-goal intervention on call center representatives in South Africa
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2021
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| _version_ | 1867613942623240192 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Strydom, Lise-Mae |
| author2 | Gorgens, Gina |
| author_browse | Gorgens, Gina Strydom, Lise-Mae |
| author_facet | Gorgens, Gina Strydom, Lise-Mae |
| author_sort | Strydom, Lise-Mae |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109989 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:09.875Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publishDateRange | 2021 |
| publishDateSort | 2021 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109989 An empirical evaluation of a primed-goal intervention on call center representatives in South Africa Strydom, Lise-Mae Gorgens, Gina Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology. Call center agents -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Goal setting in personnel management -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Organizational commitment Goal (Psychology) UCTD Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. ENGLISH SUMMARY : The labour force is considered the most valuable and indispensable resource of an organisation. Ensuring that employee’s function efficiently and effectively is essential in obtaining an organisational competitive advantage and success. As performance is a core concept and key objective within Industrial-Organisational Psychology, the enhancement and optimisation of employee performance is achieved through the use of targeted interventions. Within the service industry, high levels of absenteeism and turnover results in a lack of commitment and performance. Therefore, the Human Resource (HR) Function is committed to contribute to achieving the organisational goals through interventions that affect and promote employee performance (Nel et al., 2001). Research on Goal-setting Theory (GST), by Locke and Latham (1991), kindled the investigation of the effect of goal setting at a subconscious level. This was with the aim to determine the effect of subconscious goal setting (priming) on the level of performance (Bargh & Chartrand, 1999; Chartrand & Bargh, 2002). This study, therefore, attempts to answer the question: is it possible to increase job performance outcomes of CCRs (number of quotes done; number of policies sold; total rand value sold) with a primed goal intervention? This study consisted of a primed-goal intervention in a field experiment. Research indicates and supports goal priming, due to the subconscious taking up less cognitive space than the conscious, thereby increasing employee efficiency and allowing more capacity to be dedicated to performance (Stajkovic, Locke & Blair, 2006). This study investigated the effect of a general achievement prime on job performance of call-center representatives (CCRs). The CCRs were randomly assigned to one of two conditions, namely (i) general-achievement prime condition, or (ii) control group. The intervention comprised of a photograph of a woman winning a race. The photograph was clearly printed in the upper-left-hand quadrant on the script sheets of the CCRs. It was expected that the intervention will show a significant positive influence on employee performance. The results revealed no support for a statistically significant increase in the number of quotes done (hypothesis one), nor an increase in the number of policies sold (hypothesis two). However, in terms of the total rand value sold (hypothesis three), there was a trend in the data which suggested that some limited support for the effect of the primed-goal intervention on performance, could be concluded. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die arbeidsmag word beskou as die waardevolste en onontbeerlikste bron in die lewering van effektiewe prestasie vir die organisasie se volgehoue sukses en kompeterende voordeel. Prestasie is 'n kern begrip in die Bedryfsielkunde veld, en word toegepas met doelgerigte metodes in organisasies vir die optimalisering van werknemerprestasies. Hoë vlakke van personeel afwesigheid lei egter tot omset prestasie hindernisse wat in voorbeeld toeskryfbaar is aan ‘n gebrek van volgehoue verbintenis binne die dienste-bedryf. Die Menslike Hulpbron Bestuur is ‘n belangrike rolspeler om by te dra tot die bereiking van die organisasiedoelwitte deur middel van opleiding en die implementering van doelwit prestasie gerigte strategieë wat werknemers positief beïnvloed en bevorder (Nel et al., 2001). Navorsing oor die doelwit stellings teorie, deur Locke en Latham (1991), het die ondersoek na die effek van doelwit stelling op 'n onderbewuste vlak gewek en gestimuleer met die doel om die effek van onderbewuste doelwitstellings (i.e. priming) op prestasievlakke te bepaal en bevorder (Bargh & Chartrand, 1999; Chartrand & Bargh, 2002). Hierdie studie poog om die volgende vraag te beantwoord: is dit moontlik om werksprestasie van inbelsentrum verteenwoordigers te verhoog (bv. aantal kwotasies gedoen; aantal polisse verkoop; totale randwaarde van verkope) met 'n onderbewuste doelwit? Die studie behels die evalueering van die effek van ‘n onderbewuste doelwitstelling in ‘n veld eksperiment. Vorige navorsing dui aan dat die onderbewuste minder kognitiewe ruimte opneem, gemeet teenoor die bewustelike, om die doeltreffendheid in prestasie kapasiteit by werknemers te verhoog (Stajkovic, Locke & Blair, 2006). Hierdie studie het ondersoek ingestel op die effek van 'n algemene, onderbewuste prestasie doelwitstelling by inbelsentrum verteenwoordigers. Die inbelsentrum verteenwoordigers is eweredig toegedeel aan een van twee groepe, naamlik (i) ‘n onderbewuste eksperimentele groep, en ‘n (ii) bestaande kontrolegroep. Die eksperimentele strategie het ‘n foto van 'n vrou wat die wedloop wen (i.e. algemene prestasie) in die boonste linkerkantste kwadrant op die skrifblad van die inbelsentrum verteenwoordigers ingebring. Die verwagting is gekoester dat die eksperimentele groep 'n beduidende positiewe invloed op die werksprestasie van inbelsentrum verteenwoordigers sal toon. Die resultate het egter geen ondersteuning vir ‘n beduidende toename in die aantal kwotasies wat gedoen is (hipotese een), en of toename in die aantal polisse wat verkoop is (hipotese twee) getoon nie, hoewel daar beperkte ondersteuning getoon is vir ‘n toename in die randwaarde van polisse wat verkoop is (hipotese drie). Masters 2021-03-01T11:14:04Z 2021-04-21T14:35:14Z 2021-03-01T11:14:04Z 2021-04-21T14:35:14Z 2020-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109989 en_ZA Stellenbosch University vii, 113 pages ; illustrations, includes annexures application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Call center agents -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Goal setting in personnel management -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Organizational commitment Goal (Psychology) UCTD Strydom, Lise-Mae An empirical evaluation of a primed-goal intervention on call center representatives in South Africa |
| title | An empirical evaluation of a primed-goal intervention on call center representatives in South Africa |
| title_full | An empirical evaluation of a primed-goal intervention on call center representatives in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | An empirical evaluation of a primed-goal intervention on call center representatives in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | An empirical evaluation of a primed-goal intervention on call center representatives in South Africa |
| title_short | An empirical evaluation of a primed-goal intervention on call center representatives in South Africa |
| title_sort | empirical evaluation of a primed goal intervention on call center representatives in south africa |
| topic | Call center agents -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Goal setting in personnel management -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa Organizational commitment Goal (Psychology) UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109989 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT strydomlisemae anempiricalevaluationofaprimedgoalinterventiononcallcenterrepresentativesinsouthafrica AT strydomlisemae empiricalevaluationofaprimedgoalinterventiononcallcenterrepresentativesinsouthafrica |