An investigation into the antecedents of intention and learnership performance in the agricultural sector of South Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Learnership programs are implemented in different industries as developmentinterventions to contribute to the skills development and, after successful completion,ultimately contribute toward the alleviation of poverty. Insight into the factors thatinfluence learnership performance will provide direction in terms of optimisinglearnership performance.The purpose of the research study was to create an understanding of the factors thatinfluence learnership performance, with a focus on intention as a key variable. Theliterature review culminated in the development of the partial model of learnershipperformance (PMLP). Due to the complexity of the model and the sample size of 95learners, the decision was made to split the model and to test it as two separatemodels. The first focused on antecedents of learnership performance including age,gender, previous work experience, previous learning experience, intention andenvironmental constraints. The second included the variables underlying intentionnamely behavioural beliefs, normative beliefs, control beliefs, attitudes, subjectivenorms and perceived behavioural control.A questionnaire was developed for the specific purpose of the study. A mixed methodmethodology (including both qualitative and quantitative data gathering methods) wereemployed that included individual interviews, a pilot study of the questionnaire and theadministration of the final questionnaire. Data was subjected to various statisticalanalysis including descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Mediating relationshipswere calculated by means of the Sobel test.Previous learning experience as well as intention correlated positively with learnershipperformance. Although the sample included more male participants, women achievedhigher levels of learnership performance. Significant relationships were found betweenintention and the hypothesised direct variables including attitudes, subjective norms andperceived behavioural control. Behavioural beliefs and normative beliefs showed significant indirect relationship to intention. It was expected that environmentalconstraints would have a negative moderating impact on the relationship betweenintention and learnership performance; however the research results did not corroboratethis hypothesis. The relationship between intention and learnership performance wasstrong in cases where learners experience challenging environmental factors, whereasno significant relationship between intention and learnership performance was found inthe absence of environmental constraints.Recommendations were made regarding an intervention to enhance learners'intentions. Two approaches were recommended to optimise learnership performance,namely journaling activities and interactive workshops. These approaches aim to guidelearners through the identification of obstacles that could inhibit their success in thelearnership program. By consciously choosing to overcome these obstacles, learnersdevelop an internal sense of empowerment which will enable them to take a steptowards breaking the cycle of poverty.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University