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Psychological capital as a moderator of the relationship between intrinsic motivation and employee engagement at public hospital in the Eastern Cape, a South Africa

  • Authors: Skoti , Bulumko
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Employee motivation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Industrial Psychology)
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/18996 , vital:43006
  • Description: Employee engagement is an important characteristic that all organizations would be happy to have among all their employees. This is because employee engagement is linked with many desirable organisational outcomes such as job satisfaction, productivity, and employee retention. It is therefore extremely important for organisations to know how engagement among employees can be generated or enhanced, especially in the South African public health sector that is characterised by high levels of stress and labour turnover among its employees. The main objective of the present study was accordingly to explore (i) the role of intrinsic motivation and psychological capital as individual and combined predictors of employee engagement, and (ii) the role of psychological capital as a moderator of the relationship between intrinsic motivation and employee engagement. A quantitative approach was adopted and a structured self-administered questionnaire was used in data collection. Simple Linear Regression and Hierarchical Multiple Regression were used in hypothesis testing. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and employee engagement. Psychological capital was also found to be significantly positively related to employee engagement. Intrinsic motivation and psychological capital (combined) were found to account for a significantly higher proportion of variance in employee engagement than intrinsic motivation alone but they did not account for a significantly higher proportion of variance in employee engagement than psychological capital alone. The limitations of the study were highlighted and recommendations were made for future research directions. Recommendations were also made for the managerial and professional application of the results of the present study.
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  • Date Issued: 2020

An Assessment of the Environmental Impacts of Urban Sprawl in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape Province

  • Authors: Matiza, Collins
  • Date: 2019
  • Subjects: Cities and towns -- Growth -- Environmental aspects City planning
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17260 , vital:40870
  • Description: Large industrial and residential developments near towns and along highways associated with public policies have transformed the pattern of development over the recent years, creating a new urbanisation phenomenon; urban sprawl. Indiscriminate population densities, discontinuous and fragmented settlements, largely define urban sprawl. The progression of urban sprawl can be described by transformation in pattern over time, like proportional increase in built-up surface to population leading to rapid urban spatial expansion. Stemming an understanding from the processes, causes and patterns of urban sprawl, the consequences of sprawl on land and vegetation can be analysed. Environmental impacts to both the rural and urban population emanate from such instances, creating an excessive liability to the government. With attention to this and recognising the lack of discussion on the matter, the research deliberates some of the impacts observed in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study makes use of Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing with the assistance of landscape metrics. The influence of urban sprawl in this municipality has revealed impacts on vegetation, green areas and land in general. The results disclose that urban sprawl is a multidimensional phenomenon that is better explained using various methods (indices). Buffalo City Metropolitan municipality is located in Eastern Cape amidst the thicket ecosystem, the municipality has grown and expanded over the recent past. The study spread over an 18-year period from 1994- 2012. Based on field surveys and SPOT imagery, built-up areas of BCMM was extracted for different periods. Data used for the study are census data for BCMM, 1994, 2000, 2006 and 2012 SPOT images, images of BCMM acquired from Google earth 2018. The rate of transformation of the area was calculated and it was higher compared to that of population growth. Based on this data urban growth are analysed with the assistance of landscape metrics that include Shannon entropy. The outcomes confirm that this metropolitan municipality has experienced sprawl and sprawl has done so at cumulative rate.
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  • Date Issued: 2019

"A sociological investigation of the influence of regular school feeding scheme on learners' academic performance at Ngqele Primary School in Nkonkobe municipality, Eastern Cape"

  • Authors: James, Ntombovuyo Gloria
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: School children--Health and hygiene Nutrition--South Africa--Eastern Cape School attendance--South Africa--Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , Sociology
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11516 , vital:39079
  • Description: This study sought to examine a sociological approach of the influence of regular provision of school feeding scheme on learners’ academic performance at Ngqele Primary School, Nkonkobe Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study explored the views of teachers and parents pertaining to regular provision of school feeding scheme on learners’ academic performance. In addition, the study examined the impact of regular provision of school feeding scheme on school attendance and the sustainability of the regular provision of school feeding scheme. The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative research methods in the form of in-depth interviews, and a survey method. The process was made possible through the use of purposive sampling and cluster sampling to generate the targeted participants of the study. The findings of the study have shown that the school feeding scheme has got an impact on learner’s academic performance due to the fact that learners are able to listen and pay attention to the teacher if they are fed, the SFS has a positive impact on learners’ attendance and high enrolment. However, the study has also shown that, despite the positive impact of the school feeding Scheme, there were some challenges that also impacted negatively on learners, the school and the implementation of the programme. Such challenges include irregular supply of food, food shortages and poor quality of food.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

A privacy management framework for mobile personal electronic health records in South Africa

  • Authors: Els, Floyd Nathaniel
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Medical records -- Data processing Medical records -- Access control Electronic records -- Security measures
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12733 , vital:39316
  • Description: South Africa’s health status is in constant dismay, especially while under the strain of the quadruple burden of disease. The adoption of personal electronic health records (PEHRs) can be seen as a means to improve this status by empowering patients to manage their health and lifestyle better. While from the healthcare provider’s perspective, PEHRs has the ability to reduce medical errors; provide better communication channels and enhance the monitoring of patients. Despite these benefits for both healthcare providers and patients, there are three distinct information security threats relating to PEHRs. These threats refer to the individual, data in transit, and at rest. South Africa is still considered to be inexperienced with PEHRs, and consider it a relatively new concept to the healthcare system. The National e-Health Strategy and Protection of Personal Information Bill were discussed and compared to international standards in order to ascertain South Africa’s current standing on mobile healthcare privacy. However, there are no specific privacy and security controls in place to protect patients that access personal electronic health records through mobile devices. Therefore, the aim of this study is the development of a privacy management framework (PMF) to mitigate these privacy concerns. Following an interpretivistic approach to research, qualitative data was analysed from literature, and the privacy framework evaluated through expert reviews. The proposed PMF consists of 3 tiers, beginning with the top tier. The first tier relates to an organisations interpretation and understanding of data privacy laws and regulations, and in ensuring compliance with these laws. The second tier refers to two support pillars to maintain the first tier. These pillars are based on elements of operational privacy, as well as auditing and reviewing. The third tier serves as the basic foundation upon which the PMF was developed. It is mainly focused with creating privacy awareness amongst healthcare providers and patients by creating: training regimes on security and privacy threats, efficient communication standards, and constant ongoing support from top level management.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Morphological awareness in readers of IsiXhosa

  • Authors: Rees, Siân Angharad
  • Date: 2017
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4569 , vital:20694
  • Description: This study focuses particularly on the development of four Morphological Awareness reading tests in isiXhosa and on the relationship of Morphological Awareness to reading success among 74 Grade 3 isiXhosa-speaking foundation-phase learners from three peri-urban schools. It explores in-depth why not all previously established Morphological Awareness tests for other languages suit the morphology of isiXhosa and how these tests have been revised in order to do so. Conventionally, the focus of Morphological Awareness literature has been on derivational morphology and reading comprehension. This study did not find significant correlations with comprehension, but rather with the children's ability to decode. Fluency and Morphological Awareness have not been given as much attention in the literature, but Morphological Awareness could be important for processing the agglutinating structure of the language in reading. This study also argues that it is not a specific awareness of derivational morphology over inflectional morphology, but rather a general awareness of one's language structure that is more important at this stage in their literacy development; specifically a general awareness of prefixes and suffixes. In addition, it was found that an explicit awareness of the morphological structure of the language related more to fluency and tests that accessed an innate and implicit Morphological Awareness had the strongest correlations overall with comprehension. The findings from this report have implications regarding how future curriculum developments for morphologically rich languages like isiXhosa should be approached. The positive and practical implications of including different types of Morphological Awareness tutoring in curricula is argued for, especially when teaching younger readers how to approach morphologically complex words in texts.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Quality indices of the Eastern Cape beach waters in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa

  • Authors: Mani, Sinalo
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Waterfronts -- Recreational use -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Water quality -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19054 , vital:40108
  • Description: Surface waters constitute important sources of water and serve for agricultural, recreational and industrial purposes; however, the vulnerability of such water sources to pollution presents serious ecological, public health and economic problems of global concerns. Beach water quality is monitored to reduce the risk of recreational waterborne illnesses. Water samples were collected between September 2014 and August 2015 at Eastern beach and a total of 5 physicochemical parameters, counts of faecal coliforms, E. coli and Enterococcus isolates were determined using standard analytical procedures. Confirmed Escherichia coli isolates were assessed for virulence genes associated with pathogenic E. coli strains responsible for intestinal and extra-intestinal infections. Recovered E. coli isolates were then interpreted for their antibiogram profiling using disk diffusion method. On the other hand, the recovered Enterococcus isolates were characterized for Enterococcus speciation of key species that are normally implicated in infections and further assessed for their antibiogram profiling by disk diffusion method. The physicochemical qualities of the water ranged as follows: turbidity (1.4 to 36.8 NTU); pH (7.0 to 8.6); temperature (14.5 to 24.5 ºC); total dissolved solids (TDS) (5.2 to 46 mg/L) and electrical conductivity (EC) (8.2 to 70.7 μS/cm). Microbiological qualities obtained were as follows: faecal coliform (101 to 103 CFU/100 mL); Escherichia coli (101 to 103 CFU/100 mL); and enterococci (101 CFU/100 mL to 102 CFU/100 mL). Only 38/104 (37 percent) harbored at least 1 virulence gene while 66/104 (63 percent) of the isolates harbored none. Most frequent virulence genes were eae for EPEC/EHEC, fliCH7 for EHEC, ibeA for NMEC, while daaE for DAEC and ipaH for EIEC were discovered in three isolates each; bfp for EPEC was detected in 2 isolates and lt gene for ETEC in one isolate. EAEC and UPEC genes were not detected in all the isolates. All tested isolates were resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, gentamycin and chloramphenicol (85 percent), ciprofloxacin (78 percent), trimethoprim (54 percent) and norfloxacin (54 percent) and the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Index for all isolates ranged between 0.6- 1.0 with the average being 0.8, which exceeded the threshold value of 0.2. Among the 96 recovered Enterococcus isolates, 55 percent were identified as E. faecium, 22 percent were E. hirae, 2 percent were E. durans and 21 percent were uncharacterized Enterococcus species. E. faecalis and E. casseliflavus were not detected amongst the isolates. All isolates were resistant to vancomycin, erythromycin and chloramphenicol. While the resistance against other antibiotics followed the order: tetracycline (97 percent), gentamycin (96 percent), ciprofloxacin (93 percent), linezolid (91 percent), ampicillin (91 percent) and trimethoprim (62percent). Only 6 percent of the isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim and the MAR index for all isolates ranged between 0.6- 1.0 with the average being 0.9 which greater than 0.2, suggesting that these bacterial strains originates from environments with high use or contamination of antibiotics.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Uphengululo lobunzululwazi-lwimi ngokweembono zale mihla kuhlalutyo ngokwesithako sosetyenziso-lwimi Bunzululwazi sakhono kuxatyangelwa ngeengcingampefumlelwano Zika-Karl Marx

  • Authors: Tsako, Mbuzeli Betroot
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Marx, Karl, -- 1818-1883 , Xhosa literature -- History and criticism Linguistics -- Research Language and languages -- Philosophy
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21406 , vital:29512
  • Description: Olu phando lujolise ekudandalaziseni ingcingane ka-Karl Marx ebizwa ngokuba yi-Marxism, nasekubetheleleni ingcamango yokuba amagama, imixholo nemiqondiso eyalekeneyo, oko kubangela ukuba iteksi ebhaliweyo ingabinantsingiselo inye ekunokuthiwa yeyona ichanekileyo. Luza kwenziwa kuqanyelwe ngale ngcingane ye-Marxism ukubhentsisa le mixholo, imiqondiso, nemixholwana neentsingiselo eziqulethwe yiyo. Uphando olu luza kwenziwa kwinoveli ezimbini ezichongiweyo zikaSaule ezizezi: Ukhozi Olumaphiko, no- Umlimandlela. Akuzi kuthelekiswa ntoni kwezi noveli koko kuza kuqwalaselwa ubuchule bombhali kuchongo magama nemiqondiso, nase kuwasebenziseni ngobuchule ukubhentsisa iintsingiselo, imixholo nemixholwana eyahlukeneyo. Umba wale mixholo, iintsingiselo awuzi kuphononongwa uwodwa koko kuza kuxoxwa ngawo uzalanisa amasolotya oncawadi anje ngophuhliso-zimo zabalinganiswa; impixano; ukudalwa koxhalabiso; ukulobolelana kwemixholo nemixholwana; intshukumo; ingxoxo; isantya; ubuzaza besimo sentlalo kwakunye nonikano-sithuba lweziganeko. Isiphumo solu phando siza kuba kukungqinelana kwemixholo nemixholwana, neentsingiselo eziqulethwe zezi noveli nale ngcingane ka- Karl Marx.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Occupational stress and intrinsic motivation as determinants of job engagement in the South African Police Service in Greater Kokstad Municipality

  • Authors: Jojo, Avela
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Police -- Job stress -- South Africa Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1995 , vital:27592
  • Description: Occupational stress, intrinsic motivation and job engagement are areas of importance for today’s management. The main objective of this study was to explore the combined effect of occupational stress and intrinsic motivation in determining job engagement in the South African Police Service. Moreover, the study investigated the relationship between occupational stress, intrinsic motivation and job engagement. The study also sought to enquire into the effects rank and gender has on the study variables. A quantitative approach was adopted. A structured self – administered questionnaire comprising of four sections: biographical information, police stress questionnaire, intrinsic motivation inventory and job engagement scale was used to collect data. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data, and both descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized. The results revealed a negative relationship between occupational stress and job engagement. A positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and job engagement was also found. There was no combined effect of occupational stress and intrinsic motivation on job engagement. Lastly, no significant differences in the way police experience stress were found among rank and gender. The researcher concluded that even when police officers are under great amounts of stress they are still engaged in their jobs. Where levels of intrinsic motivation were high for the police officers, so were the levels of job engagement. Demographic variables did not yield any significant relationships to the study variables. These findings are of significance in creating a police force which is productive and meets the goals and objectives of the South African Police Service.
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  • Date Issued: 2016

A hermeneutic exploration of men's narratives of manhood

  • Authors: Brown, Jade Draylene Thelma
  • Date: 2015
  • Subjects: Men -- Identity Hermeneutics Men -- Psychology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13620 , vital:39685
  • Description: Manhood is a construction which must be ‘achieved’ by men and boys (Gilmore, 1990). A male child must learn to perform these constructions early in life, and then sustain this performance throughout life (Gilmore, 1990; Hurley, 2004). Booth (2012) argues that manhood is a subjective concept particular to each man’s unique set of identifications. This includes the influences of various contexts upon these life performances. Within South African historical and cultural contexts, the impact of apartheid upon manhood has to be acknowledged (Vandello, Bosson, Burnaford & Weaver, 2010; Morrell, 2001 & 2005). This study qualitatively takes a look into what manhood is perceived to mean, within various social contexts. A hermeneutic methodology is utilised within a poststructuralist framework to unpack the meaning and unique identifications of each participant interview. The data findings emphasise that there are multiple modes of manhood, which are enacted by different men as well as by the same men within different situations. Gender identity is therefore significantly flexible in principle although it is formed into specific categories under certain historical and cultural conditions (Barker, 2012). Manhood in South Africa can therefore be understood to be influenced by different historical and cultural elements. South African men may live within a conflictual space between historical and cultural discourses of manhood as well as western discourses of manhood.
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  • Date Issued: 2015

An analysis of the risk adjusted returns of active versus passive South African general equity unit trusts during varying economic periods: an individual investor's perspective

  • Authors: Ferreira, James Stuart
  • Date: 2015
  • Subjects: Mutual funds , Global Financial Crisis, 2008-2009 , Risk assessment , Financial crises -- South Africa , Portfolio management , Financial planners
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:1207 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1019753
  • Description: This thesis used the events of the 2007 financial crisis as a means of being able to add to the research already done on South African unit trusts. The objective was to study the risk-adjusted performance of South African general equity unit trusts against the market during the period between 2005 and 2014. This period took into account the bull market preceding the financial crisis, the market crash of 2007 and the subsequent market recovery that followed. Data was obtained online through the I-Net BFA data base and included 161 general equity unit trusts that contained a full data set. In addition to the general equity unit trusts, the Satrix40 was studied to compare a passive unit trust against those that are actively managed. The 10 year Government bond was also used as a risk-free rate to add to the comparisons of performance results. The Sharpe, Treynor and Jensen measures were applied to the data with the results adding more support to the opinions that markets are fairly efficient and active investment strategies are being challenged by consistently well performing passive investments. Throughout the duration of the study, taking into account the varying economic cycles, the Satrix40 passive investment showed the best average overall return on simple return calculations as well as during the risk-adjusted measurements. In support of active investment management, unit trusts showed their best relative performance figures during the period of the financial crisis. This suggested that active financial managers were able to make the active calls necessary to weather the storm of the financial crisis. While the study did have its limitations, the results it produced are intended to offer investors further knowledge in enabling them to make more educated investment decisions in the future.
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  • Date Issued: 2015

An investigation of skills and knowledge of women participating in water and food security projects in the Eastern Cape Province: a case of Mbekweni village, Sirhosheni and Lutengele villages

  • Authors: Makeleni, Maliviwe
  • Date: 2015
  • Subjects: Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
  • Identifier: vital:11235 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1021306 , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Description: The South African government initiated programmes to ensure that women in agriculture are empowered with sufficient agricultural skills and knowledge to engage in agriculture in order to alleviate poverty for their families and communities. Studies argue that within the agricultural sector, women are not capacitated adequately enough in terms of the skills and knowledge they need to acquire, and particularly as this relates to their ability to have knowledge about more advanced technologies in farming. This includes the most up to date knowledge related to sustainable-development. This study has attempted to investigate skills and knowledge possessed by women participating in water and food security projects in the Eastern Cape. Selected study areas were Mbekweni village located in Whittlesea, Sirhosheni village which is situated in Willowvale and Lutengele village in Port St Johns. The thesis was also aiming to find the skills/knowledge gap amongst the sample so as to come up with recommendations. The data was collected using two semi-structured questionnaires. The first questionnaire was for the main survey which mainly concentrated on the socio-economic information of the respondents. This data were collected from 163 households across three sites using systematic sampling. The second questionnaire was mainly used to gain more in-depth analysis. The data were collected from 30 households across three sites using purposive sampling. Both questionnaires were administered through face-to-face interviews. The majority of respondents have stated that they have basic knowledge and skills in farming, however they need further training on appropriate planting methods for various crops, irrigation scheduling and frequency, application of pesticides and marketing skills. Econometric analysis, through the use of the binomial regression model revealed that education affects the level of knowledge of farmers in selecting appropriate planting methods as well as farmers’ knowledge in determining seed depth of a crop. Gender influences the level of knowledge farmers have when selecting appropriate planting methods. Having extension assistance was recognised to affect farmers’ knowledge in determining irrigation scheduling and intensity. All variables were statistically significant showing a 5% level. The thesis ultimately argues that encouraging support to agricultural extension that respects local-level indigenous farming will increase the food-security potential of residents within the Eastern Cape.
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  • Date Issued: 2015

Socio-economic factors influencing apiculture in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

  • Authors: Peter, Luntulwandile
  • Date: 2015
  • Subjects: Bee culture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Honey -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15321 , vital:40362
  • Description: The aim of this study was to assess socio-economic factors influencing apiculture in the Eastern Cape Province. In addition, production costs and profitability of beekeeping were determined, and opportunities and challenges to beekeeping were identified. The data was generated from 58 individual interviews using pre-tested structured questionnaires and checklists. This was supplemented by secondary data collected from different published and unpublished sources. Gross margin analysis was employed to examine the income contribution of honey production to household income, and a Linear Regression Model was used to identify the determinants of honey production. Of the twelve variables included in the regression model, only six were found to be statistically significant. These were gender of the beekeeper, access to credit, availability of labour, price of honey, distance to the market, and number of bee colonies owned. On average, each beekeeper owned and operated 35 bee colonies, with an average production of 9 kg of honey per colony per annum; the latter is well beyond a potential production of 35 kg per colony per annum. Beekeeping contributed an average of R12 231.80 per beekeeping household per annum. Except for the honey, no other bee products were produced and marketed. The beekeepers could access the market (retailers and consumers) readily and efficiently; the latter having been determined through calculation and analysing marketing margins. The major constraints to production identified and prioritised by beekeepers in the study area were drought, pests and insects, the shortage of bee forage, and the lack of adequate beekeeping skills. Based on the study results, interventions required to raise the marketable supply of honey produce are recommended.
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  • Date Issued: 2015

Taxonomy and life history of the zebra seabream, Diplodus cervinus (Perciformes: Sparidae), in southern Angola

  • Authors: Winkler, Alexander Claus
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Diplodus -- Classification Fish populations -- Angola Diplodus -- Angola Diplodus -- South Africa Diplodus -- Morphology Fisheries -- Angola Sparidae
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:5361 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012062
  • Description: The zebra sea bream, Diplodus cervinus (Sparidae) is an inshore fish comprised of two boreal subspecies from the Gulf of Oman and the Mediterranean / north eastern Atlantic and one austral subspecies from South Africa and southern Angola. The assumption of a single austral subspecies has, however, been questioned due to mounting molecular and morphological evidence suggesting that the cool Benguela current is a vicariant barrier that has separated many synonymous inshore fish species between South Africa and southern Angola. The aims of this thesis are to conduct a comparative morphological analysis of Diplodus cervinus in southern Angola and South Africa in order to classify the southern Angolan population and then to conduct a life history assessment to assess the life history impact of allopatry on this species between the two regions. Results of the morphological findings of the present study (ANOSIM, p < 0.05, Rmeristic = 0.42) and (Rmorphometric = 0.30) along with a concurrent molecular study (FST = 0.4 – 0.6), identified significant divergence between specimens from South Africa (n = 25) and southern Angola (n = 37) and supported stock separation and possibly sub-speciation, depending on the classification criteria utilised. While samples from the two boreal subspecies were not available for the comparative morphological or molecular analysis, comparisons of the colouration patterns between the three subspecies, suggested similarity between the southern Angola and the northern Atlantic / Mediterranean populations. In contrast, the colouration patterns between the southern Angolan and South African specimens differed substantially, further supporting the morphological and molecular results. The distinct morphological divergence between the southern Angolan and South African populations was not reflected within the life history traits of both populations. A combination of methods, including length/age frequency analyses, adult sex ratios and histological analysis was used to determine that this species is a rudimentary hermaphrodite in southern Angola. Peak spawning season was observed between June and July. The overall sex ratio (M: F) was 1:1.52 with females dominating smaller younger size classes and 50% maturity was attained at 210 mm FL and 4.6 years. Females [L(t) = 287.5(1-e⁻°·¹⁸⁽t⁻²·⁸⁴⁾)] grew significantly faster (LRT, p < 0.05) than males [L(t) = 380.19(1-e⁻°·°⁶⁽t⁻⁷·¹²⁾)]. The higher maximum age of the southern Angolan population of D. cervinus (43 years) was older than that of South African individuals sampled in the tsitsikamma national park. The similarities in the life history of the two austral populations are probably a consequence of similar selective pressures in the similar warmtemperate habitats. Evidence to support the above comments was found in the feeding study which showed that the South African and Angolan populations were almost identical, with both populations feeding primarily on amphipods and polychaete worms throughout ontogeny. In contrast, the diet of their boreal conspecifics from the Mediterranean was different, where larger individuals tended to select larger, and more robust, prey items. The life history differences observed between the boreal and austral populations can be attributed to either sampling bias or environmental factors. Sampling biases included the use of different age and growth estimation techniques, while the environmental factors would include differential selective pressures most likely driven by different resource availability and exploitation. The present study provides crucial baseline life history information of a potentially exploitable species off southern Angola as well as information on the life history plasticity of the species. Unfortunately, the current lack of uniformity in the methods used to estimate life history parameters between studies conducted on the boreal and austral populations have complicated our understanding of the evolution of various life history trends in sparid fish. From a management perspective however, the results from the present study can be used to propose management strategies for an emerging trap fishery in southern Angola. Using a balanced exploitation fishery approach (harvesting up to the size-at-100% maturity), the size of the fish traps entrance was calculated based the morphological information from this and other small sparid species that are targeted and was estimated to be 62 mm.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

Assesssing small business training programme effectiveness in an incubator setting and beyond

  • Authors: Booth-Jones, Laurene
  • Date: 2012
  • Subjects: Business incubators -- South Africa , Small businesses -- South Africa -- Management , Employees -- Training of , New business enterprises -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:9298 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1014074
  • Description: The focus on entrepreneurs as drivers of the economies of nations has catapulted them into the forefront of the local and international marketplace. This has led to a demand for entrepreneurial education and training resulting in a plethora of different and often divergent views. One commonality that has emerged is that entrepreneurship can be taught; although it cannot be taught in conventional and traditional ways. It requires a move from traditional education and training to more enterprising participative and supportive forms of business development. It requires investments of time, resources and support. Incubators are facilities that are engaged with entrepreneurs and offer a variety of support including education and training. This study has assessed the effectiveness of training offered by the Seda Nelson Mandela Bay ICT incubator. There has been limited research undertaken on entrepreneurial education and training in an incubator setting. This study followed the qualitative paradigm. The sample comprised of 10 small businesses at the Seda Nelson Mandela Bay ICT incubator. Empirical data was obtained by interviewing the owners of the small businesses using an interview schedule. Issues such as the most effective training programme, content that it contained, methodology used and quality of the facilitator and applicability of the training programme were explored. The study found that the small businesses were opportunity driven rather than necessity driven and that the incubator served as a bridging facility in moving the businesses from the informal sector to the formal sector. The content of the training programmes was found to be effective when a mix of both theoretical and practical is offered especially with an emphasis on the underlying entrepreneurial themes of confidence, persistence and uncertainty and so on. It also found that training programmes should be linked to the life cycle of the business and address the specific needs of the small business owner. The start-up phase requires very specific training. Most of the facilitators were found to be experienced and empathetic. However, only a few were using a wider range of preferred learning styles favoured by entrepreneurs such as role playing, simulation, brainstorming and problem-solving techniques. The study also found that when generic training programmes are offered there was less recall on the part of the trainees. The management team of the incubator is an important determinant of the success of the incubatees and it is recommended that they need to be well versed in their sector and have good networking skills. There is a strong link between the theoretical and the practical content of training programmes especially where the emphasis is more on the practical content. It is recommended that facilitators pay attention to their relationship with trainees as it is a critical success factor in the training programme. Training programmes offered over a period of time add more value to the incubatee. This might be because of the mentoring and counselling that is available after each training module is completed. Finally, more research needs to be undertaken on the quality and effectiveness of training programmes offered by incubators to small businesses.
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  • Date Issued: 2012

The genetic integrity of Labeo capensis and L. umbratus (Cyprinidae) in South Africa in relation to inter-basin water transfer schemes

  • Authors: Ramoejane, Mpho
  • Date: 2011
  • Subjects: Cyprinidae -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Cyprinidae -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Labeo -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Labeo -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Fishes -- Hybridisation -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Fishes -- Hybridisation -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Fishes -- Anatomy -- South Africa -- Darlington Dam , Fishes -- Anatomy -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam , Water transfer -- South Africa-- Darlington Dam , Water transfer -- Namibia -- Hardap Dam
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:5367 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013049
  • Description: The Orange-Fish and Cookhouse tunnels that are part of a major inter-basin water transfer scheme (IBT) act as a pathway for several fish species from the Orange River system to enter the Great Fish and Sundays River systems in South Africa. These include Labeo capensis and L. umbratus. Labeo capensis was restricted to the Orange River system before the inter-basin water transfer scheme. Labeo umbratus occurred naturally in the Orange River and in southern flowing river systems. Previous studies showed that the two species hybridise in Hardap Dam, located in a tributary of the Orange River system in Namibia. There are also unconfirmed reports of hybrids from Darlington Dam on the Sundays River system. The aim of the thesis was to confirm hybridisation in Hardap Dam, assess whether hybridisation between L. capensis and L. umbratus has occurred in Darlington Dam and to gain a better understanding of the diversity of these two species. Morphology (morphometrics and meristics), a nuclear S7 intron and the mitochondrial cytochrome ♭ gene were used to assess for hybridisation. A total of 275 specimens were analysed from across the geographical range of the two species. The two species could be distinguished using morphometrics (dorsal fin base, interorbital width and operculum to eye distance) and meristics (lateral line, origin of the dorsal fin to lateral line, origin of the pelvic fin to lateral line and caudal peduncle scale counts) characters. Hybrids from Hardap and Darlington dams were placed between the two species clusters. Labeo umbratus from the Orange River and southern flowing rivers formed a single cluster. The two species could also be distinguished from each other with six nuclear DNA mutations and hybrids were heterozygous at such sites in both dams. Labeo umbratus populations from the Orange River and southern flowing rivers (Gouritz, Gamtoos, Sundays, Bushmans, Great Fish and Nahoon) formed a single lineage. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA, however, revealed that L. umbratus populations from the Orange River and southern flowing rivers were two lineages that differ from each other by 5 mutations. Labeo capensis could be differentiated from both these lineages. Being maternally inherited, mitochondrial DNA did not reveal hybridisation, but ten specimens with L. capensis haplotypes were found in the Darlington Dam. In Hardap Dam, however, it appears that only L. capensis mitochondrial DNA haplotypes persist, despite morphological and nuclear DNA analysis suggesting that both morphs and hybrids of the two species occur. The genetic integrity of these Labeo species has therefore been compromised in at least Hardap and Darlington dams. The Great Fish and Sundays populations are considered to be under threat of complete introgression. The Kat River and Slagboom Dam populations that were isolated before the IBTs have to remain isolated to protect the genetic integrity of the southern lineage of L. umbratus in these two systems.
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  • Date Issued: 2011

Organizational culture and innovation: the case of the Namibian National Institute for Educational Development

  • Authors: Piepmeyer, Gernot Maximilian
  • Date: 2009
  • Subjects: National Institute for Educational Development (Namibia) Corporate culture -- Namibia Organizational behavior -- Namibia Technological innovations -- Namibia Education -- Namibia
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1685 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003568
  • Description: The purpose of my research is to diagnose the organizational culture of the National Institute for Educational Development [NIED] , in particular to determine whether it is conducive to innovation, as was envisaged at the time of its inception. The diagnosis of NIED's organizational culture was done by using a hybrid qualitative and quantitative case study. A questionnaire, the Cameron and Quinn's Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument [OCAI], was given to all professional members at NIED, while six members of the NIED organization were interviewed. It emerged from the data, first, that the characteristics of the dominant NIED culture, using Cameron and Quinn's six dimensions of culture that produced an "overall culture profile" of NIED, are not likely to enhance innovativeness. Nevertheless, there is a strong preference towards a culture type favourable to innovation. Second, there are cultural factors antithetical to an innovative organizational culture. These include poor information flow and a lack of communication, negligible crossfunction interaction and freedom, and constraining hierarchical and bureaucratic structures. Third, NIED has, in the form of a "green paper," a set of critical norms, values and assumptions that characterize the culture of innovative organizations. Finally, there is evidence of the presence of cultural characteristics conducive to an innovative organizational culture. These include: learning how to learn; being pro-active in initiating change and innovativeness; and sustaining momentum, consistency and perseverance. The discrepancy between the existing organizational culture and the preferred organizational culture revealed by the overall cultural profile can be explained by the fact that the norms, values and assumptions that characterize the culture of innovative organizations and the cultural characteristics conducive to an innovative organizational culture are not fully infused into the whole organization. There is a tension between NIED's bureaucratic nature and its innovative mission. Organizational culture change, where NIED's structures and processes are aligned with its espoused vision and mission, is needed in order for it to be better placed to achieve its original pioneering mandate.
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  • Date Issued: 2009

Implementation tensions and challenges in donor funded curriculum projects: a case analysis of environmental and population education projects in Lesotho

  • Authors: Monaheng, Nkaiseng ̕Mamotšelisi
  • Date: 2007
  • Subjects: National Curriculum Development Centre (Lesotho) Curriculum planning -- Lesotho Environmental education -- Lesotho Economic assistance -- Lesotho Technical assistance -- Lesotho Sustainable development -- Lesotho
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1568 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003450
  • Description: This study aims to capture the challenges and tensions that arise in donor funded curriculum projects in Lesotho. Through an interpretive case study research design I investigated these challenges and tensions in two projects relevant to Education for Sustainable Development, namely the Lesotho Environmental Support Project (LEESP) and the Population/Family Education (POP/FLE) projects which are donor funded curriculum projects funded by DANIDA and UNFPA respectively. A review of donor funded curriculum projects in the field of environmental education/Education for Sustainable Development was undertaken to provide background and a theoretical context for the study. It highlighted different challenges and implementation tensions experienced by other similar projects in other countries. At the heart of such projects lies a particular political economy, which is based on development assistance to poor countries. Such development assistance is constructed around concepts of need, participation and innovation, and donor-recipient relationships. It is structured around a system of governance and management that normally uses logical framework planning as its main methodology. This political economy has shaped the two donor funded projects that were considered in this study, and has shaped many of the tensions and challenges identified in the study. To investigate the two projects, data for this study was generated through in-depth interviews, document analysis and focus group interviews, with people who had been involved with the projects at the national level. The data generation process did not involve the schools where the projects were ultimately implemented, as it was seeking to identify how local institutions such as the National Curriculum Development Centre could support better synergies between donor funded initiatives and the local context. The findings of the study revealed the ambivalent nature of donor initiatives, and identified that the political economy and donor-recipient relations influence the projects. Aspects such as the design and management of projects, the processes associated with introducing innovation in educational ideas and paradigms, pedagogical issues, and staff contributions and ownership were identified as some of the key tensions that existed in the projects. Other factors such as poor capacity levels of local staff, non-alignment with existing structures, inadequate sustainability mechanisms and the difficulty of the envisaged integration of new paradigm thinking (methods and approaches) into the existing curriculum framework were also significant tensions, given the positivist history of the Lesotho curriculum. The study recommends the need to establish mechanisms for working with donors to tackle the tensions that arise in such projects within longer-term donor assistance. It proposes that government should expedite the development of policy on donor coordination. Both donors and the NCDC need to put mechanisms in place to allow for debate and discussions on innovations brought in by the donors in relation to local needs. The study further recommends that in cases where more than one donor exists, the NCDC and the donors should work towards developing synergies between the different initiatives to avoid duplication and overlap. Finally, there is a need for projects to use bottom-up approaches for the design and formulation of projects to ensure ownership.
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  • Date Issued: 2007

The evaluation of environmental learning support materials : a case study of the AAWARE teacher's guide

  • Authors: Glover, Dawn
  • Date: 2006
  • Subjects: Environmental education -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Environmental education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Teaching -- Aids and devices -- South Africa -- Western Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1945 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008064 , Environmental education -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Environmental education -- Curricula -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Teaching -- Aids and devices -- South Africa -- Western Cape
  • Description: This evaluative case study investigates the use of a specific learning support materials (LSMs) package, Animal Awareness for World and Regional Education (AA WARE), in the natural sciences, intermediate phase. Schools with access to the resource were canvassed through questionnaires to assess overall use in relation to distribution via workshop versus hand delivery, class size, availability of alternate LSMs and lastly the level of exposure to the distributing organisation. Three case studies were undertaken at three different schools. Data was generated through observations and interviews with the teacher undertaking the lesson observed. The aim of the case studies was to gain greater insight into AAWARE in practice and the factors that facilitated the use of the resource by these teachers. The research indicates that while AAWARE has overcome some inhibitors of resource use, its potential within Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) and the Revised National Curriculum Statements (RNCS) has not been achieved so far, except in a few isolated cases. Factors enabling the use of the resource are its user-friendly design, availability in all three languages spoken by the majority of Western Cape learners and the integration with education policy. Workshops, although not necessary for the utilisation of AA WARE in part, could enhance the integrated nature of the resource and introduce teachers to the potential of using the resource as an entire unit as opposed to a collection of separate lesson plans. A relationship is seen between exposure to the distributing organisation, the personal interest in wildlife of the teacher and the use of AAWARE. Finally recommendations are provided to increase the use of AA WARE. It is suggested that the resource undergoes a more effective alignment to RNCS content (RNCS policy was not an issue) now that RNCS implementation is completed. Further workshops should be offered in the use of AA WARE. Lastly a long-term strategy should be developed to enthuse schools and teachers about the intentions, goals and appropriateness of the resource.
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  • Date Issued: 2006

The development of independent contractors within the Working for Water Programme over a twenty-four month period : a programme evaluation : Western region, Eastern Cape

  • Authors: Knipe, Andrew
  • Date: 2005
  • Subjects: Working for Water Programme Contractors -- South Africa Construction contracts -- South Africa Business enterprises, Black -- South Africa Employee empowerment -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:799 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004916
  • Description: This research is concerned with the development of independent contractors within the Working for Water Programme over a twenty-four month period. The meaningful participation of previously disadvantaged South Africans fall within the ambit of black economic empowerment. The Government Gazette (1997: No. 1820) defines black economic empowerment as a deliberate programme to achieve the meaningful participation of disadvantaged South Africans in the mainstream economy as managers, owners of capital and employees. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the contractors within the Western Region of the Eastern Cape, in order to assess how they have developed as independent contractors within the developmental framework provided by the Working for Water Programme. This developmental framework takes place over a 462-day period or roughly 24 months. The evaluation aimed to determine whether the two-year development period sufficiently prepared contractors for competition in the open market and if contractors had acquired the necessary skills to run a successful business. A formative programme evaluation was used as a tool of analysis to identify areas of weakness and establish priorities for improvement. A qualitative research approach was followed, guided by an adapted version of the Context, Input, Process and Product approach to evaluation (Parlett and Hamilton cited in Calder, 1995, p.25). Using structured interviews comprising of closed and open ended questions, data was gathered from thirty contractors, five managers and one Senior Executive Officer within the Western Region of the Eastern Cape. An interview was also conducted with the Regional Programme leader of the Eastern Cape. Further data collection techniques included documentary research. Data was analysed using qualitative data analysis techniques described by Thorne (1997, p.118), as relying on inductive reasoning to interpret and structure the meanings that can be derived from the data. Passages of interest were marked so that the data could be reduced to a manageable size as described by Seidman (1991, p.91-1 01) and various categories were developed that had commonalties and thematic connections. The Working for Water Programme aims to exit contractors successfully after a twenty-four month developmental period. The Working for Water Programme has formalised its development framework through a training matrix in which the required training at contractor level is outlined. The finding of the research is that the current contractor development programme do not adequately prepare contractors for independence and entrepreneurship in a competitive market. There is no co-ordinated development of predetermined skills. Contractors are not able to articulate what their plans are after exit from the WFW Programme. No concrete evidence of actively pursuing alternative contract opportunities was evident from contractors who were about to exit the Programme and there is no person to champion the cause of meaningful post exit opportunities. The main recommendations from this research are that contractors be selected via an application system rather that appointment through steering committees. Selected contractors must be medically fit and at least have a matriculation certificate. Contractors should be assessed on a 6-monthly basis and contractors not achieving a minimum competency level must be removed from the programme. Managers should also have basic competency levels in order to facilitate skill transfer through a mentorship process. The charge out rate of equipment should be revised every six months. The charge out rates should also be increased significantly to cater for the harsh conditions under which contractors are operational. A "champion" needs to be appointed which will actively seek exit opportunities for trained contractors. This person will also seek to develop functional partnerships with various private and government institutions to create opportunities for exited contractors.
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  • Date Issued: 2005

Effects of sustained Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia Mordvilko) feeding on leaf blades of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Adamtas)

  • Authors: Matsiliza, Babalwa
  • Date: 2003
  • Subjects: Russian wheat aphid Wheat -- Diseases and pests
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:4213 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003782
  • Description: Penetration of sink as well as source leaves of wheat plants by the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) was investigated using light, fluorescence and transmission electron techniques, to determine the feeding strategies adopted by the aphid in penetrating and successfully feeding from the phloem, and to assess the structural effects of the probing and feeding behaviour of D. noxia on the feeding sites. Examination of aphid-infested sink, as well as source leaf tissue, showed that D.noxia probed in cells of the vascular bundle more frequently than mesophyll cells. Within the vascular bundle, thin-walled sieve tubes were visited (probed) more than the other cells. In sink leaf material, 68 of 82 (83%) stylets and stylet tracks encountered during the examination of 1000 serial sections (from 5 different plants) terminated in thin-walled sieve tubes and only 14 (17%) in thick-walled sieve tubes. Thin-walled sieve tubes were visited more significantly than thick-walled sieve tubes. However, examination of the aphid.,.infested sink leaf on a per centimetre basis, from the tip of the leaf, revealed that thick-walled sieve tubes in the area closest to the tip (0-2cm from the tip) were as attractive to the aphid as were thin-walled sieve tubes, with no significant difference in the number of times thick- and thin-walled sieve tubes were probed in this area. Some 2-4cm from the tip however, thinwalled sieve tubes were significantly more probed and therefore more attractive than thick-walled sieve tubes. Examination of 2000 serial sections using aphid-infested source leaf tissue, showed that the thin-walled sieve tubes were significantly more probed than thickwalled sieve tubes, along the whole leaf, expressed as a total of all leaves, as well as on a per centimetre basis along the length of the leaf, with 212 (95%) of 222 terminations within the thin-walled sieve tubes and only 10 (5%) in thick-walledsieve tubes. The aphid probed the small vascular bundles (loading bundles) many more times than intermediate or large transport vascular bundles, in sink as well as source leaf. Of a total of 82 stylets and stylet tracks encountered in sink leaf tissue, 31 terminated in small vascular bundles ang the remaining 28 and 16 were located within large and intermediate vascular bundles respectively. In source leaf tissue 121 of 222 stylets and stylet tracks encountered were associated with small vascular bundles and only 58 tracks and 43 tracks with intermediate and large vascular bundles, respectively. The effect of sustained RWA feeding on the transport capacity was examined after the application of 5,6 carboxyfluoresceine diacetate (5,6-CFDA) in control (sink and source leaf tissue) and aphid-infested (source) wheat leaves, using fluorescence microscopy. After 3h acropetal longitudinal transport of 5,6-CF had occurred in sink leaves in longitudinal veins, as well as a lateral transfer via cross veins and subsequent unloading into mesophyll cells close to the tip of the leaf was observed. In control leaf tissue, the fluorescence front was detected up to about 5cm from the point of application and was only associated with the phloem and not unloaded. In contrast, aphid-infested leaf tissue showed very little 5,6-CF transport, being limited to 2cm or less from the point of application. Structural damage to the phloem in general and to the sieve tubes in particular within of control and infested wheat leaves was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, leaf strips were mounted in aniline blue to visualise callose deposition using the fluorescence microscopy. At the TEM level. infested leaf tissue showed various abnormalities, which included destruction of cell contents, membrane damage and subsequent loss of cell contents. TEM studies suggest severe osmotic shock resulted from the aphid's probing. Examination of leaf tissue using fluorescence microscopy showed that there was very little characteristic aniline blue-stained callose visible in control leaf tissue, other than the thin diffuse patches along the sieve plates and punctate spots associated with pore plasmodesmatal areas and plasmodesmatal aggregates. In contrast, the aphid-infested leaf tissue was heavily callosed, with callose deposited not only within the phloem tissue but also in neighbouring vascular parE:}nchyma cells as well. The data collectively suggest that D. noxia feeds preferentially within thin-walled sieve tubes, within the small longitudinal vascular bundles in sink , as well source leaf tissue. Based upon the data presented here the thin-walled sieve tubes in the wheat leaf appear to be more attractive to the aphid and that they are probably more functional in terms of transport system and unlo?lding in sink leaves. Aniline blue stained leaf material that had previously hosted large aphid colonies showed evidence of extensive callose deposits 24 to 36h after the aphids were removed, suggesting that the aphids caused severe mechanical damage to the vascular tissue and mesohyll cells as well. Damage (transient or more permanent) and the subsequent deposition of wound callose, disrupted phloem transport and hence the export of photoassimilate from the leaves.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2003
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