Innovation capabilities and market performance in the Zimbabwean telecommunications industry: The mediating role of individual activity

The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Ahead of Print.
Drawing upon the dynamic capabilities approach, this research examined the impact of innovation capabilities on market performance. Innovation capabilities are widely acknowledged as critical ingredients of entrepreneurial performance. Consequently, there has been a plethora of research work on this concept. However, owing to the multifaceted nature of innovation capability as a construct, there has been increased calls for more research on this concept. Hence, this study adopted the survey method and collected data from 170 managers from the Zimbabwean Telecoms sector. Results, analysed using Structural Equation Modelling, revealed the significant direct impact of participatory leadership culture and individual activity on market performance. Individual activity partially mediated the relationship between participatory leadership culture and market performance. However, no mediation was found between work climate and well-being and market performance. This study contributes to the innovation literature by examining the mediating mechanisms through which innovation capabilities enhance firm-level performance. Finally, the research extends the innovation literature by validating the link between innovation capabilities and market performance.

Psychosocial correlates of well-being among people who engage in online health-seeking behaviour

South African Journal of Psychology, Ahead of Print.
We examined the extent to which neuroticism, health anxiety, social anxiety, and social support predicted well-being in a sample of online users engaging in health-seeking behaviour. We used a cross-sectional online survey to recruit participants who engaged in online health-seeking behaviour. The study included 350 participants who were recruited online using social media platforms such as Reddit and Twitter. A multiple regression was conducted to examine the relationships between neuroticism, health anxiety, social anxiety, social support, and well-being. Participants completed a battery of measures on Survey Monkey consisting of a demographic questionnaire, International Personality Item Pool Big Five Markers, Leibowitz Social Anxiety scale, Short Health Anxiety Inventory, World Health Organisation Five Well-Being Index, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. We found significant negative correlations between the indicated psychological variables and well-being, indicating that higher levels of neuroticism, social anxiety, and health anxiety were related to lower levels of well-being. We also found significant, positive correlations between the social support variables and well-being, indicating that more social support was correlated with better well-being. The results of the multiple regression demonstrate that neuroticism, health anxiety, family support, and friend support were significant predictors of well-being.

Moderating role of meaning in life in the relationship of death anxiety, experiential avoidance and health-related quality of life among type 2 diabetes patients

South African Journal of Psychology, Ahead of Print.
Individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus may experience death anxiety and experiential avoidance, which may impact negatively on health-related quality of life. Meaning in life is a positive psychological resource that protects against negative psychosocial outcomes. Although a direct relationship between these variables exists, to our knowledge, previous research has not explored their interaction effect. The present study examined whether meaning in life moderates the relationship between (1) the multidimensional death anxiety and health-related quality of life, and (2) experiential avoidance and health-related quality of life among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. The pool of participants consisted of 311 type 2 diabetes outpatients drawn from a tertiary health care institution in South-East Nigeria. The participants completed several self-report measures, such as the short form of the Diabetes Quality of Life Questionnaire, Death Anxiety Inventory–Revised, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, and the Presence of Meaning in life subscale of Meaning in Life Questionnaire. The results of a regression analysis showed that death anxiety in terms of death acceptance, death finality, and thoughts about death were independently associated with poor health-related quality of life at low, but not at average and high levels of meaning in life. Externally generated death anxiety was associated with poor health-related quality of life at low and average, but not at high levels of meaning in life. Finally, experiential avoidance was associated with poor health-related quality of life at low and average, but not at high levels of meaning in life. We concluded that psychological interventions geared towards promoting health-related quality of life of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients should consider integrating meaning in life for its protective nature in improving positive health outcomes and recovery.

To what extent do career agility and psychological capital activate employees’ career adaptability and foster their career resilience and career satisfaction?

South African Journal of Psychology, Volume 53, Issue 3, Page 438-451, September 2023.
The present study drew from the career construction theory of career adaptation and assessed the extent to which career agility and psychological capital (as psychological states of adaptive readiness) activated employees’ career adaptability resources and fostered their career resilience and career satisfaction (as modes of career adaptedness). A sample of (N = 412; mean age = 38.79 years) Black African employees in the public services participated in the study. Correlational statistics showed positive associations between the study variables. Mediation effects highlighted technological adaptivity, agile learning, optimism, and hope as activators of career concern, career control, and career curiosity, which in turn boosted self-reliance, personal resilience, and work resilience. Psychological states of career agility and psychological capital had also direct effects on the career adaptedness modes of career resilience and career satisfaction. The findings enriched career adaptation theory and have utility for organisational career development practice in the public services.

Caseness and comorbidity of probable (complex) post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in survivors of genocide against Tutsi in Rwanda: the role of social determinants

South African Journal of Psychology, Ahead of Print.
Numerous studies have been conducted among survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi on the prevalence of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, thus far, no studies provide information on the frequency of comorbidity of these disorders, the prevalence of the new trauma-related diagnostic disorder known as complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and the role of social determinants, such as age, sex, marital status, employment category, education, and location, in the occurrence of these disorders. The present study was conducted to address these gaps. Genocide survivors (N = 261 participants; M = 46.30, SD = 11.95, females = 52.9%) took part in the study. They completed the International Trauma Questionnaire, the Public Health Depression Questionnaire, and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analyses, bivariate analyses with two-tailed chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used to determine the prevalence of the above-mentioned disorders, comorbidity, and the associations between the social determinants and the assessed psychopathologies. Of the total sample, 47.1% presented with at least one of the assessed probable mental health disorders: 15.3% (n = 40) met the criteria for probable post-traumatic stress disorder, 15.3% (n = 40) for probable complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and 38.7% (n = 101) for probable depression. Of the participants with probable post-traumatic stress disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder, nearly half met the criteria for probable depression. Being married but not living with the partner was associated with probable complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and unemployment was associated with probable depression. Our findings suggest clinicians and policymakers that they should consider comorbidity and social determinants in their interventions.