Smart Car Insurance Services-Case Study

Case Study

Smart Car Insurance Services is recognised as one of the leading motor insurance companies in the industry, renowned for its expertise, profitability and low staff turnover. However, during the reporting of their latest financial results, it was revealed that the company had failed to meet its financial targets. This raised significant concerns among the executive committee (Exco) and stakeholders. As a result, questions were raised regarding the factors contributing to the decline in performance.

Upon investigation, it became apparent to Exco that staff engagement and a positive outlook towards work were lacking. Consequently, Exco appointed you as a consultant to examine the situation and recommend an intervention to improve staff positivity, which in turn could enhance work engagement and overall performance.

Before proceeding with any intervention, you advised Exco that several factors are essential for employee success, well-being and flourishing. You emphasised that well-being and flourishing do not exist in isolation, but are shaped by the way health, relationships and work interact and influence one another. Furthermore, you introduced Exco to the principles of positive psychology, particularly focusing on positive organisational behaviour (POB) and psychological capital (PsyCap), highlighting the significant role these principles play in fostering a thriving workplace.

During your discussions with the concerned members of Exco, you observed a sense of shame and disappointment regarding the current situation, reflecting their concerns about the company’s performance.

Question 

1. Based on the work of Luthans and Youssef-Morgan (2017), psychological capital (PsyCap) is grounded in the principles of positive psychology and positive organisational behaviour (POB). As the consultant appointed by the executive committee (Exco) of Smart Car Insurance Services, discuss and outline your approach for implementing a psychological capital intervention (PCI). In your discussion, you must give context about PsyCap and POB principles and provide a detailed explanation of how you will incorporate positive psychological resources that make up PsyCap. You may also include a diagram to support your discussion. (16)

2. Explain the difference between positive primary emotions and negative primary emotions. In your discussion, identify which one of the primary emotion categories was more evident in the case study and mention the applicable emotions. (4)

[20 marks]

Technical requirements and referencing

• a table of contents (1)
• an introduction (1)
• a summary/conclusion (1)
• the APA 7th edition reference style applied in text and in the reference list (1)
• the overall technical requirements of the document (1)

Self-evaluation (10 questions)

1. Give yourself a mark for your assessment. Why did you give yourself this mark? Where in your assessment (sections, headings) did you perform the best? And in which aspects did you perform the worst?
2. Which of the prescribed and/or recommended sources did you find most useful?
3. How much time did you spend on the assessment?
4. How relevant are the sources provided for this assessment to the realities of, for example, leadership in the South African work context?
5. How did completing this assessment and consulting the relevant sources improve your competence as a human resources practitioner and aspiring industrial psychologist?
6. Name a few competencies that you think you should develop further to improve your graduateness and employability. Explain your answer.
7. How did the assessment tasks add value to the application of your knowledge and skills in the workplace?
8. How would you describe the quality of the learning material (tutorial letters, prescribed books and recommended resources)? Please elaborate.
9. Was the administrative support of an expected standard? Please elaborate.
10. Do you feel you have personally developed because of this reflection (completing these self-evaluation questions)? Explain your answer. [5 marks]

    TOTAL: [40 marks]

Assessment Requirements Summary

The Smart Car Insurance Services case study assessment focuses on applying principles of positive psychology, positive organizational behavior (POB), and psychological capital (PsyCap) to address declining staff engagement and organizational performance. The key requirements include:

1. Psychological Capital Intervention (PCI)

   • Explain PsyCap and POB principles (Luthans & Youssef-Morgan, 2017).

   • Develop a strategy for implementing a psychological capital intervention to enhance employee engagement, positivity, and overall performance.

   • Include a detailed explanation of the PsyCap components (Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, Optimism).

   • Optional: Use a diagram to support the discussion.

2. Primary Emotions Analysis

   • Differentiate between positive primary emotions and negative primary emotions.

   • Identify which category is more evident in the case study and provide examples.

3. Technical Requirements

   • Table of contents, introduction, summary/conclusion.

   • APA 7th edition referencing (in-text and reference list).

   • Adherence to overall technical and formatting standards.

4. Self-Evaluation (10 Questions)

   • Reflect on assessment performance, strengths, weaknesses, and time spent.

   • Evaluate sources, relevance to South African work context, and personal development.

   • Discuss competencies to further develop and the value added to workplace knowledge and skills.

   • Rate the quality of learning materials and administrative support.

   • Assess personal growth through completing the self-evaluation.

Total Marks: 40

Step-by-Step Mentor-Guided Approach

Step 1: Understanding the Case Study

• Mentor guided the student to read the case thoroughly, noting key issues: low staff engagement, negative workplace emotions, and declining performance.

• Emphasis was placed on connecting the situation to principles of PsyCap and POB.

Step 2: PsyCap Context and PCI Planning

• The mentor explained PsyCap’s four core elements:

  1. Hope – fostering goal-directed energy and planning pathways to success.

  2. Efficacy – building employees’ belief in their capabilities.

  3. Resilience – helping employees recover from setbacks.

  4. Optimism – promoting a positive outlook towards work outcomes.

• The student was guided to outline interventions incorporating these elements, e.g., training sessions, coaching, mentoring, or recognition programs.

• Mentor suggested using a simple diagram to visualize PsyCap resources and intervention strategy.

Step 3: Primary Emotions Analysis

• Mentor clarified the difference between positive primary emotions (joy, interest, surprise) and negative primary emotions (anger, sadness, fear).

• Student identified that negative primary emotions (shame, disappointment) were most evident in the case study among Exco members.

Step 4: Structuring the Assessment Document

• Mentor instructed the student to include a table of contents, introduction, discussion sections, and a summary/conclusion.

• Emphasis was placed on clear headings, logical flow, and APA 7th edition referencing.

Step 5: Self-Evaluation Completion

• Mentor guided the student to critically reflect on their performance across the 10 self-evaluation questions, focusing on:

  • Assessment strengths and weaknesses

  • Usefulness of sources

  • Time management and practical application to HR practice

  • Personal and professional development

Outcome and Learning Achieved

Assessment Outcome:

• The student produced a comprehensive report addressing PsyCap intervention strategies, emotional analysis, and reflective self-evaluation.

• APA-compliant references and professional formatting met technical requirements.

• The document demonstrated clear application of theory to a real-world HR scenario.

Learning Objectives Achieved:

1. Applied PsyCap and POB principles to address organizational challenges.

2. Developed a structured psychological capital intervention to improve staff engagement.

3. Analyzed workplace emotions and identified organizational implications.

4. Practiced professional report writing with APA 7th edition referencing.

5. Enhanced self-awareness through reflective evaluation of personal strengths, weaknesses, and competencies.

6. Linked theoretical knowledge to practical HR and industrial psychology applications.

Conclusion:
Through structured mentor guidance, the student successfully linked positive psychology principles to a workplace scenario, designed a PsyCap intervention, conducted emotional analysis, and completed a reflective self-evaluation, achieving both academic and practical learning outcomes.