Work-readiness of university graduates: a professional accounting educational expectation gap in South Africa
- Authors: Schoeman, Lynn Antoinette
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Accountants -- Employment -- South Africa -- Students , College graduates -- Employment -- South Africa School-to-work transition -- South Africa Employability -- South Africa -- Students
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20455 , vital:29288
- Description: The constant change in the business environment versus the curriculum content of accounting educational programmes result in a possible gap between the competencies gained by students who complete their degree qualifications compared to the expectations of employers of these entering trainee accountants. However, the universities do endeavour to teach students the syllabus that will provide them with sufficient information and skills to be able to complete the tasks expected from them without much learning following university. Universities face increasing pressure to ensure graduates are equipped with the right employability skills (Osmani, Weerakkody & Hindi, 2017) yet literature show that graduates entering the workforce are not sufficiently equipped with all the necessary non-technical skills required by the accounting profession (Fouché, 2013). The research for this study was guided by the question whether universities sufficiently prepare entering trainee accountants with regards to work-readiness skills and whether a gap exists between the level of work-readiness skills expected by employers in professional accounting practice, and the actual level of capability of these skills transferred through the formal professional accounting educational programmes offered by universities in South Africa. Published literature reviewed on the work-readiness of graduates showed that an educational gap could exist between the skills required by employees and the skills that entering trainee accountants possess. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data from supervisors and/or coordinators from Accredited Training Centres (ATCs) in the Nelson Mandela Bay Region of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) on their perception of the level of capability expected of entering trainee accountants. The findings of this study showed that the universities provide entering trainee accountants with sufficient knowledge insofar as their technical abilities are concerned. However, employers perceive entering trainee accountants‟ capabilities in terms of their work-readiness skills, as insufficient.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Schoeman, Lynn Antoinette
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Accountants -- Employment -- South Africa -- Students , College graduates -- Employment -- South Africa School-to-work transition -- South Africa Employability -- South Africa -- Students
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20455 , vital:29288
- Description: The constant change in the business environment versus the curriculum content of accounting educational programmes result in a possible gap between the competencies gained by students who complete their degree qualifications compared to the expectations of employers of these entering trainee accountants. However, the universities do endeavour to teach students the syllabus that will provide them with sufficient information and skills to be able to complete the tasks expected from them without much learning following university. Universities face increasing pressure to ensure graduates are equipped with the right employability skills (Osmani, Weerakkody & Hindi, 2017) yet literature show that graduates entering the workforce are not sufficiently equipped with all the necessary non-technical skills required by the accounting profession (Fouché, 2013). The research for this study was guided by the question whether universities sufficiently prepare entering trainee accountants with regards to work-readiness skills and whether a gap exists between the level of work-readiness skills expected by employers in professional accounting practice, and the actual level of capability of these skills transferred through the formal professional accounting educational programmes offered by universities in South Africa. Published literature reviewed on the work-readiness of graduates showed that an educational gap could exist between the skills required by employees and the skills that entering trainee accountants possess. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data from supervisors and/or coordinators from Accredited Training Centres (ATCs) in the Nelson Mandela Bay Region of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) on their perception of the level of capability expected of entering trainee accountants. The findings of this study showed that the universities provide entering trainee accountants with sufficient knowledge insofar as their technical abilities are concerned. However, employers perceive entering trainee accountants‟ capabilities in terms of their work-readiness skills, as insufficient.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
An assessment of vegetation condition of small, ephemeral wetlands ecosystem in a conserved and non-conserved area of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole
- Authors: Dlamini, Mandla E
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Wetland ecology -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Remote sensing -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4653 , vital:20626
- Description: Wetlands in South Africa are increasingly coming under threat from agriculture and urban development and rapidly disappearing, especially small, ephemeral wetlands. In response to the many threats to wetlands, South Africa has seen an increased interest in wetland research, which has introduced many methods to help standardize the approach to research, management and conservation of wetlands. Remote sensing can be a powerful tool to monitor changes in wetland vegetation and degradation leading to losses in wetlands. However, research into wetland ecosystems has focused on large systems (> 8 ha). Small wetlands (< 2 ha), by contrast, are often overlooked and unprotected due to the lack of detailed inventories at a scale that is appropriate for their inclusion. The main aim of this study was to determine if remote sensing (RS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques could detect changes in small, ephemeral wetlands within areas under different management regimes in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole (NMBM) at different time intervals. Further, to explore the potential of hyperspectral remote sensing for the discrimination between plant species and to see if differences could be detected in the same species within two areas different management regimes. Four SPOT satellite images taken within a 6-year period (2006-2012) were analysed to detect land cover land changes. Supervised classification to classify land cover classes and post-classification change detection was used. Proportions of dense vegetation were higher in the conservation area and bare surface was higher outside that conservation area in the metropolitan open space area. Statistical tests were performed to compare the spectral responses of the four individual wetland sites using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and red edge position (REP) .REP results for conserved sites showed significant differences (P < 0.05), as opposed to non-conserved ones. By implication, wetland vegetation that is in less degraded condition can be spectrally discriminated, than the one that is most degraded. Field spectroscopy and multi-temporal imagery can be useful in studying small wetlands.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Dlamini, Mandla E
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Wetland conservation -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Wetland ecology -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Remote sensing -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4653 , vital:20626
- Description: Wetlands in South Africa are increasingly coming under threat from agriculture and urban development and rapidly disappearing, especially small, ephemeral wetlands. In response to the many threats to wetlands, South Africa has seen an increased interest in wetland research, which has introduced many methods to help standardize the approach to research, management and conservation of wetlands. Remote sensing can be a powerful tool to monitor changes in wetland vegetation and degradation leading to losses in wetlands. However, research into wetland ecosystems has focused on large systems (> 8 ha). Small wetlands (< 2 ha), by contrast, are often overlooked and unprotected due to the lack of detailed inventories at a scale that is appropriate for their inclusion. The main aim of this study was to determine if remote sensing (RS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques could detect changes in small, ephemeral wetlands within areas under different management regimes in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole (NMBM) at different time intervals. Further, to explore the potential of hyperspectral remote sensing for the discrimination between plant species and to see if differences could be detected in the same species within two areas different management regimes. Four SPOT satellite images taken within a 6-year period (2006-2012) were analysed to detect land cover land changes. Supervised classification to classify land cover classes and post-classification change detection was used. Proportions of dense vegetation were higher in the conservation area and bare surface was higher outside that conservation area in the metropolitan open space area. Statistical tests were performed to compare the spectral responses of the four individual wetland sites using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and red edge position (REP) .REP results for conserved sites showed significant differences (P < 0.05), as opposed to non-conserved ones. By implication, wetland vegetation that is in less degraded condition can be spectrally discriminated, than the one that is most degraded. Field spectroscopy and multi-temporal imagery can be useful in studying small wetlands.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Assessing intrapreneurship in a pharmaceutical manufacturing firm in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Allen, Kevin Ian
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8828 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019758
- Description: Continuous innovation in terms of products, processes, administration and structures is needed to compete effectively in the global markets of the 21st century. This continuous innovation within an existing firm can be described in terms of intrapreneurship. The extent to which intrapreneurship is practiced within a Pharmaceutical firm (Firm A) within the Eastern Cape is the main question addressed in the research conducted. The research conducted involved the collection of two data sets. The first set looked at the perceived intrapreneurial characteristics of employees and their superiors. The second data set involved an assessment of 13 constructs (Strong customer orientation; Entrepreneurial leadership; Resource availability and accessibility; Innovation and creativity / new ideas encouraged; Empowered teams / multi-disciplined teamwork and diversity; Tolerance for risk, mistakes and failure; Sponsors (champions); Discretionary time and work; Appropriate rewards and reinforcement; Flat organisational structure with open communication and strong sense of belonging; Vision and strategic intent; Continuous- and cross-functional learning; Management support) measuring the intrapreneurial climate within the firm. Research took place within Firm A via a survey questionnaire that measured intrapreneurial characteristics using a 20 question self and superior assessment. The intrapreneurial climate survey consisted of 68 statements, which were assessed using a likert scale. A census was used given that the firm size was 450 employees. Results for the intrapreneurial climate gave Cronbach alpha values of greater than 0.6 for all of the constructs thus proving reliability of the data. With regard to the intrapreneurial characteristics results indicated that superiors were perceived to have weak characteristics as opposed to self-assessments which indicated strong characteristics. Three intrapreneurial climate constructs (Tolerance for risk, mistakes and failure; Appropriate rewards and reinforcement and Flat organisational structure) had mean results between 1.5 and 2.5 indicating respondents are not satisfied and attention needs to be given to improvement initiatives. The remaining ten constructs had mean scores between 2.5 and 3.5 indicating that respondents are neutral to the statement, indicating that improvement is recommended. Inferential statistics did not find significant differences in all constructs for any of the demographic variables tested. From the research it was concluded that the level of intrapreneurship within firm A is poor and recommendations are given. Further research within the firm is recommended.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Allen, Kevin Ian
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8828 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019758
- Description: Continuous innovation in terms of products, processes, administration and structures is needed to compete effectively in the global markets of the 21st century. This continuous innovation within an existing firm can be described in terms of intrapreneurship. The extent to which intrapreneurship is practiced within a Pharmaceutical firm (Firm A) within the Eastern Cape is the main question addressed in the research conducted. The research conducted involved the collection of two data sets. The first set looked at the perceived intrapreneurial characteristics of employees and their superiors. The second data set involved an assessment of 13 constructs (Strong customer orientation; Entrepreneurial leadership; Resource availability and accessibility; Innovation and creativity / new ideas encouraged; Empowered teams / multi-disciplined teamwork and diversity; Tolerance for risk, mistakes and failure; Sponsors (champions); Discretionary time and work; Appropriate rewards and reinforcement; Flat organisational structure with open communication and strong sense of belonging; Vision and strategic intent; Continuous- and cross-functional learning; Management support) measuring the intrapreneurial climate within the firm. Research took place within Firm A via a survey questionnaire that measured intrapreneurial characteristics using a 20 question self and superior assessment. The intrapreneurial climate survey consisted of 68 statements, which were assessed using a likert scale. A census was used given that the firm size was 450 employees. Results for the intrapreneurial climate gave Cronbach alpha values of greater than 0.6 for all of the constructs thus proving reliability of the data. With regard to the intrapreneurial characteristics results indicated that superiors were perceived to have weak characteristics as opposed to self-assessments which indicated strong characteristics. Three intrapreneurial climate constructs (Tolerance for risk, mistakes and failure; Appropriate rewards and reinforcement and Flat organisational structure) had mean results between 1.5 and 2.5 indicating respondents are not satisfied and attention needs to be given to improvement initiatives. The remaining ten constructs had mean scores between 2.5 and 3.5 indicating that respondents are neutral to the statement, indicating that improvement is recommended. Inferential statistics did not find significant differences in all constructs for any of the demographic variables tested. From the research it was concluded that the level of intrapreneurship within firm A is poor and recommendations are given. Further research within the firm is recommended.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Evaluating the effectiveness of the performance management and development system in the Eastern Cape Liquor Board
- Authors: Tini, Linda Lindelwa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Employees -- Rating of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8937 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021216
- Description: Research studies have reported that many organisations implement a performance management and development system. However, it is often not as effective as it is intended. Against this background, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the performance management and development in the Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB). The study emphasised the importance of an organisational culture that supports management of performance in order for the system to be effective. The study further highlighted that alignment between the performance of individuals and the organisation is critical as all efforts have to focus on the achievement of the organisational vision. The study also emphasised the importance of a process of determining key performance areas that is transparent and involves participation by all employees. The study further argued that the development and rewarding of employees for performance is crucial in ensuring an effective performance management system. The target population for this study consisted of ECLB employees including the district offices. The findings suggested that when the performance management and development system is not implemented in its entirety it cannot be effective. Furthermore, the findings revealed that ECLB implements some of the elements of the system correctly whilst other areas still require more attention.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Tini, Linda Lindelwa
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Employees -- Rating of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8937 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021216
- Description: Research studies have reported that many organisations implement a performance management and development system. However, it is often not as effective as it is intended. Against this background, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the performance management and development in the Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB). The study emphasised the importance of an organisational culture that supports management of performance in order for the system to be effective. The study further highlighted that alignment between the performance of individuals and the organisation is critical as all efforts have to focus on the achievement of the organisational vision. The study also emphasised the importance of a process of determining key performance areas that is transparent and involves participation by all employees. The study further argued that the development and rewarding of employees for performance is crucial in ensuring an effective performance management system. The target population for this study consisted of ECLB employees including the district offices. The findings suggested that when the performance management and development system is not implemented in its entirety it cannot be effective. Furthermore, the findings revealed that ECLB implements some of the elements of the system correctly whilst other areas still require more attention.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Analysis of fuel consumption reduction potential through the use of an electrically driven air conditioning compressor
- Authors: Marais, Charel
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Automobiles -- Air conditioning , Electric vehicles -- Power supply , Automobiles -- Fuel systems , Electric automobiles
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9623 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/774 , Automobiles -- Air conditioning , Electric vehicles -- Power supply , Automobiles -- Fuel systems , Electric automobiles
- Description: The disturbing current situation regarding the world climate has initiated a major wave of urgent developments towards decreasing the overall impact of human activities on the living environment. A major role player in this development is the automobile industry that is inherently connected to pollution of various types, be it air, water or noise pollution. There have been drastic changes not only in the technologies employed in producing vehicles and components, but also in the construction and technologies built into modern automobiles to lessen the overall environmental impact of the industry. Noxious emissions have been decreased, overall efficiencies increased and vehicles are becoming more economical with each new generation. Stricter laws dictate that the level of acceptable vehicle emissions is to be decreased ever further and all manufacturers are developing various possibilities to achieve this. With the emergence of hybrid vehicle technology, there was also a sudden development of different electrical systems that were made viable by the higher onboard voltage systems employed in hybrid vehicles. One of these developments was the electrical air conditioning compressor for use in automobile applications. Although it is designed to operate with a higher voltage than the traditional 12V onboard vehicle systems, it is theoretically possible to incorporate it into a 12V system by making use of a DC-DC converter to step up the supply voltage of the electrical compressor sufficiently to allow for its successful operation. The question therefore arises whether it would be feasible and sensible to employ an electrical air conditioning system in conventional combustion engine vehicles from an overall fuel consumption and vehicle emissions point of view. A modelling approach was taken where an overall vehicle driving simulation was created to represent an average modern production vehicle. The simulation was then extended to include the options of incorporating models for both mechanically and electrically driven air conditioning systems. This provides insight into the influences of the air conditioning system on the vehicle’s overall fuel consumption and an opportunity to compare the influences from the two different systems. This study attempted to provide answers to some of the viability questions regarding the incorporation of electrically driven air conditioning systems into vehicles that use standard 12V onboard voltage systems. It was found that the electrical system has definite potential as a viable replacement option for the conventional system should it be combined with an appropriate alternator and equipped with an efficient control system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Marais, Charel
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Automobiles -- Air conditioning , Electric vehicles -- Power supply , Automobiles -- Fuel systems , Electric automobiles
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9623 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/774 , Automobiles -- Air conditioning , Electric vehicles -- Power supply , Automobiles -- Fuel systems , Electric automobiles
- Description: The disturbing current situation regarding the world climate has initiated a major wave of urgent developments towards decreasing the overall impact of human activities on the living environment. A major role player in this development is the automobile industry that is inherently connected to pollution of various types, be it air, water or noise pollution. There have been drastic changes not only in the technologies employed in producing vehicles and components, but also in the construction and technologies built into modern automobiles to lessen the overall environmental impact of the industry. Noxious emissions have been decreased, overall efficiencies increased and vehicles are becoming more economical with each new generation. Stricter laws dictate that the level of acceptable vehicle emissions is to be decreased ever further and all manufacturers are developing various possibilities to achieve this. With the emergence of hybrid vehicle technology, there was also a sudden development of different electrical systems that were made viable by the higher onboard voltage systems employed in hybrid vehicles. One of these developments was the electrical air conditioning compressor for use in automobile applications. Although it is designed to operate with a higher voltage than the traditional 12V onboard vehicle systems, it is theoretically possible to incorporate it into a 12V system by making use of a DC-DC converter to step up the supply voltage of the electrical compressor sufficiently to allow for its successful operation. The question therefore arises whether it would be feasible and sensible to employ an electrical air conditioning system in conventional combustion engine vehicles from an overall fuel consumption and vehicle emissions point of view. A modelling approach was taken where an overall vehicle driving simulation was created to represent an average modern production vehicle. The simulation was then extended to include the options of incorporating models for both mechanically and electrically driven air conditioning systems. This provides insight into the influences of the air conditioning system on the vehicle’s overall fuel consumption and an opportunity to compare the influences from the two different systems. This study attempted to provide answers to some of the viability questions regarding the incorporation of electrically driven air conditioning systems into vehicles that use standard 12V onboard voltage systems. It was found that the electrical system has definite potential as a viable replacement option for the conventional system should it be combined with an appropriate alternator and equipped with an efficient control system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
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