Euthanasia: a modern legal perspective
- Authors: Welgemoed, Marc
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Right to die -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Terminally ill -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- South Africa , Euthanasia -- South Africa Assisted suicide -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45849 , vital:39222
- Description: Euthanasia and assisted suicide is currently illegal in South Africa and amounts to murder. Despite the fact that South Africa has a Constitution, including a Bill of Rights, as well as strong lobbying in favour of the legalization of euthanasia, no legal changes have been effected. Other issues closely intricated with euthanasia, like the so-called “living wills” and palliative care, where an increase of medication can possibly shorten the lifespan of a patient (“double-effect”-medication), are also problematic at the moment. The South African Law Commission has made recommendations regarding the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide, as well as the validity of living wills and “double-effect” palliative care practices as far back as 1997, but to present none of the recommendations had been adhered to. The only indication in favour of the toleration of euthanasia and assisted suicide is that the courts have handed down lenient sentences in cases of this nature. In this treatise the legal position in South Africa is compared to that applicable in the Netherlands and in Canada in an attempt to see whether or not South Africa can learn something from these countries as far as the development of its own legal system, relating to euthanasia, is concerned. The Termination of End of Life Decisions and Assisted Suicide Act is applicable in the Netherlands and legalizes euthanasia and assisted suicide subject to strict requirements being complied with. Although euthanasia is illegal in Canada, the courts have recently shown a noteworthy human rights approach that almost resulted in the legal position in the province of British Columbia being changed. It will be submitted that South Africa must take thorough note of these two foreign legal systems, as well as of the recommendations of the South African Law Commission and the Bill of Rights, especially the rights to life, dignity, equality and freedom and security of the person.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Welgemoed, Marc
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Right to die -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Terminally ill -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- South Africa , Euthanasia -- South Africa Assisted suicide -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45849 , vital:39222
- Description: Euthanasia and assisted suicide is currently illegal in South Africa and amounts to murder. Despite the fact that South Africa has a Constitution, including a Bill of Rights, as well as strong lobbying in favour of the legalization of euthanasia, no legal changes have been effected. Other issues closely intricated with euthanasia, like the so-called “living wills” and palliative care, where an increase of medication can possibly shorten the lifespan of a patient (“double-effect”-medication), are also problematic at the moment. The South African Law Commission has made recommendations regarding the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide, as well as the validity of living wills and “double-effect” palliative care practices as far back as 1997, but to present none of the recommendations had been adhered to. The only indication in favour of the toleration of euthanasia and assisted suicide is that the courts have handed down lenient sentences in cases of this nature. In this treatise the legal position in South Africa is compared to that applicable in the Netherlands and in Canada in an attempt to see whether or not South Africa can learn something from these countries as far as the development of its own legal system, relating to euthanasia, is concerned. The Termination of End of Life Decisions and Assisted Suicide Act is applicable in the Netherlands and legalizes euthanasia and assisted suicide subject to strict requirements being complied with. Although euthanasia is illegal in Canada, the courts have recently shown a noteworthy human rights approach that almost resulted in the legal position in the province of British Columbia being changed. It will be submitted that South Africa must take thorough note of these two foreign legal systems, as well as of the recommendations of the South African Law Commission and the Bill of Rights, especially the rights to life, dignity, equality and freedom and security of the person.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Evaluating the effect of microalgae biomass on the combustion of coal
- Authors: Ejesieme, Obialo Vitus
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Co-combustion , Coal -- Combustion , Biomass -- Combustion
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10435 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020641
- Description: In this work the combustion characteristics of coal, charcoal, microalgae biomass and blends between these three components were evaluated by means of non-isothermal thermogravimetry. Blends between coal, charcoal and microalgae biomass were made according to the specifications of a D-optimal mixture design so as to be able to model interactions between the three components with maximum precision despite multiple constraints built into the design. These constraints specified that coal can have a minimum value of 70 mass percent in any blend, while microalgae can have a maximum value of 20 mass percent. While coal and charcoal were blended by mixing the two respective dry components, microalgae biomass was incorporated into the blends by first absorbing microalgae onto fine coal from concentrated slurry of the microalgae in water. The microalgae in these blends were therefore intimately associated with the coal. This approach differed substantially from the normal practice of preparing coal – biomass blends (which are usually dry-mixed as for coal – charcoal blends). Proximate analyses of the starting materials showed that the microalgae biomass has a significantly higher volatile matter: fixed carbon content than both coal and charcoal, which should improve the combustion of these materials by providing a more stable combustion flame. Analyses of the thermogravimetric data obtained showed that coal and charcoal have much simpler combustion profiles than microalgae biomass for which five different thermal events could be observed in the DTG combustion profile. Qualitative kinetic analyses showed that the combustion of coal and charcoal follows first-order kinetics, but for microalgae biomass combustion, the first two combustion stages appear to follow first-order kinetics. The TG and DTG profiles for coal, charcoal, microalgae and blends of these three components were used to derive values for the so-called comprehensive combustion property index (S-value), which provides a combined measure of the ease of ignition, rate of combustion, and burn-out temperature. The S-values so obtained were used as response variable for the construction of a response surface model in the experimental domain investigated. Following statistical validation of the response surface model, the model was used to predict an optimum S-value or a blend that would display optimum combustion behaviour. Two optimum blends were obtained from the optimisation process, one in which only charcoal is added to coal, and one in which only microalgae is added to coal. Adding both charcoal and microalgae produced an antagonistic effect compared to when only one of these are used. Qualitative kinetic analyses of the combustion data of blends indicate that blends of coal and charcoal combust in a manner similar to the individual components (hence following first-order kinetics), but blends of coal and microalgae follow more complex kinetics despite the fact that the combustion profile is visibly more simple compared to the combustion profile for microalgae alone.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Ejesieme, Obialo Vitus
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Co-combustion , Coal -- Combustion , Biomass -- Combustion
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10435 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020641
- Description: In this work the combustion characteristics of coal, charcoal, microalgae biomass and blends between these three components were evaluated by means of non-isothermal thermogravimetry. Blends between coal, charcoal and microalgae biomass were made according to the specifications of a D-optimal mixture design so as to be able to model interactions between the three components with maximum precision despite multiple constraints built into the design. These constraints specified that coal can have a minimum value of 70 mass percent in any blend, while microalgae can have a maximum value of 20 mass percent. While coal and charcoal were blended by mixing the two respective dry components, microalgae biomass was incorporated into the blends by first absorbing microalgae onto fine coal from concentrated slurry of the microalgae in water. The microalgae in these blends were therefore intimately associated with the coal. This approach differed substantially from the normal practice of preparing coal – biomass blends (which are usually dry-mixed as for coal – charcoal blends). Proximate analyses of the starting materials showed that the microalgae biomass has a significantly higher volatile matter: fixed carbon content than both coal and charcoal, which should improve the combustion of these materials by providing a more stable combustion flame. Analyses of the thermogravimetric data obtained showed that coal and charcoal have much simpler combustion profiles than microalgae biomass for which five different thermal events could be observed in the DTG combustion profile. Qualitative kinetic analyses showed that the combustion of coal and charcoal follows first-order kinetics, but for microalgae biomass combustion, the first two combustion stages appear to follow first-order kinetics. The TG and DTG profiles for coal, charcoal, microalgae and blends of these three components were used to derive values for the so-called comprehensive combustion property index (S-value), which provides a combined measure of the ease of ignition, rate of combustion, and burn-out temperature. The S-values so obtained were used as response variable for the construction of a response surface model in the experimental domain investigated. Following statistical validation of the response surface model, the model was used to predict an optimum S-value or a blend that would display optimum combustion behaviour. Two optimum blends were obtained from the optimisation process, one in which only charcoal is added to coal, and one in which only microalgae is added to coal. Adding both charcoal and microalgae produced an antagonistic effect compared to when only one of these are used. Qualitative kinetic analyses of the combustion data of blends indicate that blends of coal and charcoal combust in a manner similar to the individual components (hence following first-order kinetics), but blends of coal and microalgae follow more complex kinetics despite the fact that the combustion profile is visibly more simple compared to the combustion profile for microalgae alone.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Evaluating the effectiveness of the business funding model in developing small, micro and medium sized enterprises (SMMEs) with particular reference to OR Tambo District Municipality
- Authors: Yalezo, Bhasela
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Small business -- Finance -- South Africa -- OR Tambo Municipality , New business enterprises -- Finance -- OR Tambo Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9078 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008480 , Small business -- Finance -- South Africa -- OR Tambo Municipality , New business enterprises -- Finance -- OR Tambo Municipality
- Description: A great deal of taxpayers’ money has gone to a lot of SMME development initiatives. Despite this effort over the past 17 years, South Africa (SA) lags behind other developing countries, in promoting the growth and sustainability of SMMEs. The impact and achievements of government initiatives have fallen disappointingly short of aspiration (Business Development in South Africa. 2009. Occasional paper). Aims and Objectives: •To evaluate and reflect on the OR Tambo District Municipality SMME funding model and establish whether it has made the desired impact. •Determine if funds that have been channelled by the SA government to SMMEs for business expansion, start-ups, grants, and special industry development have yielded quantifiable results and •Assess the private funding institutions in assisting destitute entrepreneurs in the OR Tambo District municipality. Research methodology: The study was conducted using qualitative research and a questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The researcher was able to get valuable information on stakeholders in the SMME sector. The stakeholders (SMMEs and funders), formed the core research sample. Results: findings suggest that the OR Tambo Municipality has a funding gap and the current funding model both from public and private funders is not effective in developing SMMEs in the municipality. The overwhelming majority of SMMEs agreed that there is a funding gap between funders and enterprises that seek funding in the ORTDM. “Financing gap” terminology, Underhill Corporate Solutions (UCS) (2011:52) defines it as, ‘a sizeable share of economically significant SMEs cannot obtain financing from banks, capital markets or other finance suppliers.’ About 90 percent of the interviewed SMMEs agreed that there is huge funding gap and 10 percent disputed this and said that there is no funding gap; rather, it’s a funding mismatch between the funders and SMMEs which needs to be tackled by all SMMEs stakeholders. The funding model needs to be revamped so it can also be accessible to start-ups, the unemployed, people with less business management experience and limited skills, and to all sectors of the economy. Various recommendations and suggestions for further research are made based on the research findings. Conclusion: The study has shown that the current SMME funding model is not effective and does not assist in developing SMMEs in ORTDM. The research findings depict the funding plight of SMMEs in South Africa; the SMME plight in ORTDM is more real than imaginary. 70 percent of SMMEs expressed less confidence in government SMMEs agencies in terms of assistance. The bigger portion of SMMEs felt that the funds channelled to government agencies were not providing significant assistance in developing SMMEs in ORTDM. Recommendations: The conclusive response from the sample, reflect structural challenges in the current funding model. About 70 percent of funding institution`s officials said “yes”, the low yield on SMME growth is a matter of funding. The funds which were meant to fund SMMEs for one reason or the other do not reach SMMEs which are looking for funding. Hence the funds channelled in the sector in the last 17 years have not yielded the desired results. 40 percent interviewed government officials conceded that there is serious political meddling in funding SMMEs in the whole province and ORTDM could not be an exception to this rule. 80 percent of interviewed SMMEs in ORTDM said funding was their main problem, and the other 20 percent indicated that their problem was not a matter of funding. The public and the private sector must revise the current funding model or devise another funding model that will: •bridge the existing current funding gap, •distribute the SMME allocated budget and achieve maximum efficiency in budget allocation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Yalezo, Bhasela
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Small business -- Finance -- South Africa -- OR Tambo Municipality , New business enterprises -- Finance -- OR Tambo Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9078 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008480 , Small business -- Finance -- South Africa -- OR Tambo Municipality , New business enterprises -- Finance -- OR Tambo Municipality
- Description: A great deal of taxpayers’ money has gone to a lot of SMME development initiatives. Despite this effort over the past 17 years, South Africa (SA) lags behind other developing countries, in promoting the growth and sustainability of SMMEs. The impact and achievements of government initiatives have fallen disappointingly short of aspiration (Business Development in South Africa. 2009. Occasional paper). Aims and Objectives: •To evaluate and reflect on the OR Tambo District Municipality SMME funding model and establish whether it has made the desired impact. •Determine if funds that have been channelled by the SA government to SMMEs for business expansion, start-ups, grants, and special industry development have yielded quantifiable results and •Assess the private funding institutions in assisting destitute entrepreneurs in the OR Tambo District municipality. Research methodology: The study was conducted using qualitative research and a questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The researcher was able to get valuable information on stakeholders in the SMME sector. The stakeholders (SMMEs and funders), formed the core research sample. Results: findings suggest that the OR Tambo Municipality has a funding gap and the current funding model both from public and private funders is not effective in developing SMMEs in the municipality. The overwhelming majority of SMMEs agreed that there is a funding gap between funders and enterprises that seek funding in the ORTDM. “Financing gap” terminology, Underhill Corporate Solutions (UCS) (2011:52) defines it as, ‘a sizeable share of economically significant SMEs cannot obtain financing from banks, capital markets or other finance suppliers.’ About 90 percent of the interviewed SMMEs agreed that there is huge funding gap and 10 percent disputed this and said that there is no funding gap; rather, it’s a funding mismatch between the funders and SMMEs which needs to be tackled by all SMMEs stakeholders. The funding model needs to be revamped so it can also be accessible to start-ups, the unemployed, people with less business management experience and limited skills, and to all sectors of the economy. Various recommendations and suggestions for further research are made based on the research findings. Conclusion: The study has shown that the current SMME funding model is not effective and does not assist in developing SMMEs in ORTDM. The research findings depict the funding plight of SMMEs in South Africa; the SMME plight in ORTDM is more real than imaginary. 70 percent of SMMEs expressed less confidence in government SMMEs agencies in terms of assistance. The bigger portion of SMMEs felt that the funds channelled to government agencies were not providing significant assistance in developing SMMEs in ORTDM. Recommendations: The conclusive response from the sample, reflect structural challenges in the current funding model. About 70 percent of funding institution`s officials said “yes”, the low yield on SMME growth is a matter of funding. The funds which were meant to fund SMMEs for one reason or the other do not reach SMMEs which are looking for funding. Hence the funds channelled in the sector in the last 17 years have not yielded the desired results. 40 percent interviewed government officials conceded that there is serious political meddling in funding SMMEs in the whole province and ORTDM could not be an exception to this rule. 80 percent of interviewed SMMEs in ORTDM said funding was their main problem, and the other 20 percent indicated that their problem was not a matter of funding. The public and the private sector must revise the current funding model or devise another funding model that will: •bridge the existing current funding gap, •distribute the SMME allocated budget and achieve maximum efficiency in budget allocation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Evaluating the training and supply of artisans in the South African construction industry
- Authors: Anugwo, Iruka Chijindu
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Skilled labor -- South Africa , Skilled labor -- Training -- South Africa , Artisans -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Employees --Training of -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:9672 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020042
- Description: The study focused on identifying ways in which to improve and increase the quality of training and supply of skilled artisans in the South African construction industry (especially in Gauteng Province) in terms of short and medium term approach. The construction industry is facing a severe skills crisis and this has made it so difficult to recruit competent artisans. This may be as a result of artisans being regarded as the lowest in the hierarchy of construction worker positions. In addition, these artisans warrant less training than those at executive- and managerial levels. This negative attitude towards artisans training has plunged the industry into crisis. Those involved find it difficult to successfully complete projects on time, within budgeted project costs and within the required quality specification due to lack of competent artisans. However, serious attention is required towards enhancing artisan training in the industry. It is imperative and vital to ensure the survival of the industry. The cardinal aim of this research project was to demonstrate a guiding solution towards the skills crisis. Thus, in order to initiate a tremendous change in the skills profile, certain measures are required, e.g. expanding training institutions to local regions; upgrading and aligning facilities in the training institutions to industrial demands and the dissemination of vital information that will ensure the attractiveness of the industry. This will safeguard the construction organisations operating in Gauteng Province. Although the industry is a major player in the economy, there is need for special attention in order to ensure sustainable growth and economic development. The Government, construction industry stakeholders and training institutions personnel should collaborate to salvage the skills crisis by strategically developing programmes (in accordance with industrial requirements) that will benefit prospective learners. The researcher adopted the descriptive- and analytical survey method, which entailed the use of questionnaires and a review of the related literature for gathering relevant data. The methodology used in the research was the quantitative data analysis. The feature findings of the research concluded that the skilled artisans profile is insufficient to meet industry demands. In addition, training institutions and primary- and secondary educational systems are characterized by ninadequacy and incompetency to produce skilled artisans. The situation is exacerbated by the lack of harmonization between the training institutions and the vindustry’s requirements. Furthermore, the majority of the respondents acknowledged that training of their workers is an important aspect to them, but few of these organisations indicated that they make use of formal training institutions such as FET colleges. The recommendation include that all the stakeholders in the construction industry should form collaborations to strategically develop programmes that would upgrade the existing training institutions. This could be done through provision of adequate funds and resources and the dissemination of vital information that is capable to promote the attractiveness of the industry image.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Anugwo, Iruka Chijindu
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Skilled labor -- South Africa , Skilled labor -- Training -- South Africa , Artisans -- South Africa , Construction industry -- Employees --Training of -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:9672 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020042
- Description: The study focused on identifying ways in which to improve and increase the quality of training and supply of skilled artisans in the South African construction industry (especially in Gauteng Province) in terms of short and medium term approach. The construction industry is facing a severe skills crisis and this has made it so difficult to recruit competent artisans. This may be as a result of artisans being regarded as the lowest in the hierarchy of construction worker positions. In addition, these artisans warrant less training than those at executive- and managerial levels. This negative attitude towards artisans training has plunged the industry into crisis. Those involved find it difficult to successfully complete projects on time, within budgeted project costs and within the required quality specification due to lack of competent artisans. However, serious attention is required towards enhancing artisan training in the industry. It is imperative and vital to ensure the survival of the industry. The cardinal aim of this research project was to demonstrate a guiding solution towards the skills crisis. Thus, in order to initiate a tremendous change in the skills profile, certain measures are required, e.g. expanding training institutions to local regions; upgrading and aligning facilities in the training institutions to industrial demands and the dissemination of vital information that will ensure the attractiveness of the industry. This will safeguard the construction organisations operating in Gauteng Province. Although the industry is a major player in the economy, there is need for special attention in order to ensure sustainable growth and economic development. The Government, construction industry stakeholders and training institutions personnel should collaborate to salvage the skills crisis by strategically developing programmes (in accordance with industrial requirements) that will benefit prospective learners. The researcher adopted the descriptive- and analytical survey method, which entailed the use of questionnaires and a review of the related literature for gathering relevant data. The methodology used in the research was the quantitative data analysis. The feature findings of the research concluded that the skilled artisans profile is insufficient to meet industry demands. In addition, training institutions and primary- and secondary educational systems are characterized by ninadequacy and incompetency to produce skilled artisans. The situation is exacerbated by the lack of harmonization between the training institutions and the vindustry’s requirements. Furthermore, the majority of the respondents acknowledged that training of their workers is an important aspect to them, but few of these organisations indicated that they make use of formal training institutions such as FET colleges. The recommendation include that all the stakeholders in the construction industry should form collaborations to strategically develop programmes that would upgrade the existing training institutions. This could be done through provision of adequate funds and resources and the dissemination of vital information that is capable to promote the attractiveness of the industry image.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Evaluation of debt management policy implementation towards revenue management in government leased properties
- Mzekwa-Khiva, Nomonde Lindelani
- Authors: Mzekwa-Khiva, Nomonde Lindelani
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Monetary policy , Debts, Public -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Financial crises -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Debts, Public
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8880 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020633
- Description: The study sought to evaluate debt management policy implementation towards revenue management in government leased properties of the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury at the Transkei Development and Reserve Fund. Secondly, the study aimed at developing a tool for assisting policy-makers and officials involved in debt management and revenue collection. In order to address the research problem, a case study involving randomly selected 27 employees from the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury and housing ward committee members was adopted. Self-administered questionnaires and interviews were the two data collection techniques utilised. All participants were involved in the study during tea and lunch breaks at the workplace; this constituted the employees’ natural environment. Both quantitative and qualitative designs were utilised in analysing data. Descriptive statistical analysis using excel was utilised to summarise the responses, analyse the demographic profiles of participants and their responses. The results were thus presented in the form of bar charts. Responses which could not be analysed using statistics were analysed qualitatively thus the advantages inherent in the two approaches were exploited. The evidence from the study suggests that government operational employees are aware of their roles and responsibilities as they relate to debt management and debt collection policy. The development of debt management policy promotes rental collection, improve property profitability and ensure the maintenance is in place to improve attractiveness of the government properties.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Mzekwa-Khiva, Nomonde Lindelani
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Monetary policy , Debts, Public -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Financial crises -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Debts, Public
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8880 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020633
- Description: The study sought to evaluate debt management policy implementation towards revenue management in government leased properties of the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury at the Transkei Development and Reserve Fund. Secondly, the study aimed at developing a tool for assisting policy-makers and officials involved in debt management and revenue collection. In order to address the research problem, a case study involving randomly selected 27 employees from the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury and housing ward committee members was adopted. Self-administered questionnaires and interviews were the two data collection techniques utilised. All participants were involved in the study during tea and lunch breaks at the workplace; this constituted the employees’ natural environment. Both quantitative and qualitative designs were utilised in analysing data. Descriptive statistical analysis using excel was utilised to summarise the responses, analyse the demographic profiles of participants and their responses. The results were thus presented in the form of bar charts. Responses which could not be analysed using statistics were analysed qualitatively thus the advantages inherent in the two approaches were exploited. The evidence from the study suggests that government operational employees are aware of their roles and responsibilities as they relate to debt management and debt collection policy. The development of debt management policy promotes rental collection, improve property profitability and ensure the maintenance is in place to improve attractiveness of the government properties.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Evaluation of employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Joe Gqabi District of the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Giwu, Pumeza
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: People with disabilities -- Employment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , People with disabilities -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Discrimination against people with disabilities
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9122 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016224
- Description: Even though the post-apartheid democratic government introduced a “social model” approach to address disability, there is still low employment rate of People with Disabilities. Government has enacted different legislation aimed at the inclusion of people with disabilities into the mainstream of society; however, the majority of people with disabilities are unemployed and often denied employment opportunities. The study seeks to evaluate employment of people with disabilities, identify challenges facing the government departments and local municipalities in employing people with disabilities, and to determine what measures can be taken to improve the employment of this group. A purposive sampling was used to select the government departments and the municipalities. A total of seven organisations, participated in the study consisting of four government departments and three local municipalities of the Joe Gabi District. During the interviews, a semi-structured interview guide was used to generate in-depth interpretation from the participants. The data was then analysed using quantitative methods such as graphs and tables and qualitative methods such as data coding through Tech's (1990) framework as described in (Creswell, 2003). The findings of the research revealed that government departments and municipalities still experience challenges in recruiting and providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities. There are a number of factors perceived by participants as challenges to low recruitment and employment of people with disabilities. These include: A lack of clear internal policies and guidelines at district levels of the government departments; Tendency by the government departments and municipalities to use the Employment Equity Plans only as a tool for compliance with legislation; A lack of effective recruitment strategies especially for people with disabilities. The participants also suggested a number of ways to improve employment and recruitment of people with disabilities, which include partnering with relevant organisations that could help in providing work-seekers who are persons with disability, developing effective internal recruitment strategies, HR managers to be trained in disability management and all relevant legislation and finally departments to fund posts specifically for people with disabilities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Giwu, Pumeza
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: People with disabilities -- Employment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , People with disabilities -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Discrimination against people with disabilities
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9122 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1016224
- Description: Even though the post-apartheid democratic government introduced a “social model” approach to address disability, there is still low employment rate of People with Disabilities. Government has enacted different legislation aimed at the inclusion of people with disabilities into the mainstream of society; however, the majority of people with disabilities are unemployed and often denied employment opportunities. The study seeks to evaluate employment of people with disabilities, identify challenges facing the government departments and local municipalities in employing people with disabilities, and to determine what measures can be taken to improve the employment of this group. A purposive sampling was used to select the government departments and the municipalities. A total of seven organisations, participated in the study consisting of four government departments and three local municipalities of the Joe Gabi District. During the interviews, a semi-structured interview guide was used to generate in-depth interpretation from the participants. The data was then analysed using quantitative methods such as graphs and tables and qualitative methods such as data coding through Tech's (1990) framework as described in (Creswell, 2003). The findings of the research revealed that government departments and municipalities still experience challenges in recruiting and providing employment opportunities to people with disabilities. There are a number of factors perceived by participants as challenges to low recruitment and employment of people with disabilities. These include: A lack of clear internal policies and guidelines at district levels of the government departments; Tendency by the government departments and municipalities to use the Employment Equity Plans only as a tool for compliance with legislation; A lack of effective recruitment strategies especially for people with disabilities. The participants also suggested a number of ways to improve employment and recruitment of people with disabilities, which include partnering with relevant organisations that could help in providing work-seekers who are persons with disability, developing effective internal recruitment strategies, HR managers to be trained in disability management and all relevant legislation and finally departments to fund posts specifically for people with disabilities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Evaluation of eucalyptus citriodora derived p-menthane-3,8-diol-citronellal acetal as a bio-plasticizer for cosmetic application
- Authors: Burger, Kirstin
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Plasticizers , Eucalyptus citriodora
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10420 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1014080
- Description: Plasticizers are generally added to cosmetic and personal care products to improve the filmforming abilities of the product and increase flexibility of the film formed on the skin or hair surface. For example, plasticizers are present in perfumes to prolong the release of the specific scent, which is the ultimate goal in a good quality perfume. Plasticizers in nail varnishes prevent chipping, improve the aesthetics by adhering to the keratin in the nail which means the coating stays on for much longer, which is the ultimate goal in nail products. Plasticizers improve the gloss, resist chipping and allow quick drying time. Therefore it can be seen that plasticizers play a vital role in personal care products like perfumes and nail varnishes. Certain plasticizers e.g. phthalates, can cause problems associated with human health and can harm the environment. They are easily available and large volumes can be obtained at a low cost. These phthalates, for example, di-butyl phthalate (DBP) have been identified as carcinogenic. Nowadays the occurrence of cancer is rapidly increasing. The plasticizers present in a large number of consumer and personal care products, can possibly be linked to the ever increasing reports of cancer. Therefore a substitute to the traditional phthalate plasticizers must be investigated. The aim of this research is to produce a plasticizer derived from naturally occurring Eucalyptus oil, which can be used to replace the existing plasticizers in cosmetic formulations. Para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), occurring naturally in the oil from the tree, Eucalyptus citriodora, forms an acetal with citronellal (PMD, acetal, citronellal all occur naturally in the oil). It has been previously shown that PMD-citronellal acetal will exhibit plasticizing properties similar to conventional plasticizers. The objective was to enhance the formation of the acetal in the Eucalyptus oil by reacting it with excess PMD. An effective synthesis method for the PMD-citronellal acetal enriched oil (~73.8 percent) was determined from optimization experiments. The physical characterisation of the PMD-citronellal acetal enriched oil was done and compared with that of DBP. The acetal-enriched oil had a lower density, slightly higher solubility in water (at 25°C), lower refractive index (Brix percent) and a higher boiling point (350°C) than DBP. The physical characteristics of the Eucalyptus oil source and the acetal-enriched Eucalyptus oil were very similar. This can be expected as the Eucalyptus oil consists of ~84.3 percent Citronellal, ~ 1.3 percent PMD and 2.7 percent PMD-citronellal acetal. In this study the effectiveness of the acetal-enriched Eucalyptus oil (referred to from now on as the bio-plasticizer) was compared to a conventional plasticizer such as di-butyl phthalate (DBP), commonly used in cosmetic products. Two cosmetic formulations were produced: a nail varnish and a perfume formulation. Various tests were performed on these formulations to investigate the plasticizing properties of the bio-plasticizer. The objectives were to determine if the natural plasticizer is as effective as the potentially carcinogenic phthalate plasticizers and can be used as a substitute for the phthalates in personal care products. The results indicate that the bio-plasticizer does behave similarly to di-butyl phthalate, however, the effectiveness of the bio-plasticizer is lower than that of di-butyl phthalate. As the viscosity of the synthesized oil was high, this affected the overall consistency of the products. A more viscous nail varnish and perfume was produced in comparison to the DBP counterpart. The stability of the bio-plasticizer in the cosmetic formulations of nail varnish and perfume was also investigated. The cosmetic products were incubated at 0°C, 25°C and 40°C over a period of two months. Any changes in colour, odour, pH, refractive index, separation and plasticizer peak change in the gas chromatogram trace were recorded. It was determined that the PMD-citronellal acetal-enriched oil was relatively unstable under elevated temperatures and light intensity. Storage under higher temperatures (40°C) tends to increase the acidity. Therefore the bio-plasticizer must be placed in a closed, covered bottle and stored in an environment away from light and elevated temperatures. According to the gas chromatogram peaks, it was clear that both the bio-plasticizer and the DBP were more unstable in the perfume formulation than in the nail polish and were especially sensitive to light when in the perfume. This could possibly be due to the interaction with the fragrance molecule, p-anisaldehyde.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Burger, Kirstin
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Plasticizers , Eucalyptus citriodora
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10420 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1014080
- Description: Plasticizers are generally added to cosmetic and personal care products to improve the filmforming abilities of the product and increase flexibility of the film formed on the skin or hair surface. For example, plasticizers are present in perfumes to prolong the release of the specific scent, which is the ultimate goal in a good quality perfume. Plasticizers in nail varnishes prevent chipping, improve the aesthetics by adhering to the keratin in the nail which means the coating stays on for much longer, which is the ultimate goal in nail products. Plasticizers improve the gloss, resist chipping and allow quick drying time. Therefore it can be seen that plasticizers play a vital role in personal care products like perfumes and nail varnishes. Certain plasticizers e.g. phthalates, can cause problems associated with human health and can harm the environment. They are easily available and large volumes can be obtained at a low cost. These phthalates, for example, di-butyl phthalate (DBP) have been identified as carcinogenic. Nowadays the occurrence of cancer is rapidly increasing. The plasticizers present in a large number of consumer and personal care products, can possibly be linked to the ever increasing reports of cancer. Therefore a substitute to the traditional phthalate plasticizers must be investigated. The aim of this research is to produce a plasticizer derived from naturally occurring Eucalyptus oil, which can be used to replace the existing plasticizers in cosmetic formulations. Para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), occurring naturally in the oil from the tree, Eucalyptus citriodora, forms an acetal with citronellal (PMD, acetal, citronellal all occur naturally in the oil). It has been previously shown that PMD-citronellal acetal will exhibit plasticizing properties similar to conventional plasticizers. The objective was to enhance the formation of the acetal in the Eucalyptus oil by reacting it with excess PMD. An effective synthesis method for the PMD-citronellal acetal enriched oil (~73.8 percent) was determined from optimization experiments. The physical characterisation of the PMD-citronellal acetal enriched oil was done and compared with that of DBP. The acetal-enriched oil had a lower density, slightly higher solubility in water (at 25°C), lower refractive index (Brix percent) and a higher boiling point (350°C) than DBP. The physical characteristics of the Eucalyptus oil source and the acetal-enriched Eucalyptus oil were very similar. This can be expected as the Eucalyptus oil consists of ~84.3 percent Citronellal, ~ 1.3 percent PMD and 2.7 percent PMD-citronellal acetal. In this study the effectiveness of the acetal-enriched Eucalyptus oil (referred to from now on as the bio-plasticizer) was compared to a conventional plasticizer such as di-butyl phthalate (DBP), commonly used in cosmetic products. Two cosmetic formulations were produced: a nail varnish and a perfume formulation. Various tests were performed on these formulations to investigate the plasticizing properties of the bio-plasticizer. The objectives were to determine if the natural plasticizer is as effective as the potentially carcinogenic phthalate plasticizers and can be used as a substitute for the phthalates in personal care products. The results indicate that the bio-plasticizer does behave similarly to di-butyl phthalate, however, the effectiveness of the bio-plasticizer is lower than that of di-butyl phthalate. As the viscosity of the synthesized oil was high, this affected the overall consistency of the products. A more viscous nail varnish and perfume was produced in comparison to the DBP counterpart. The stability of the bio-plasticizer in the cosmetic formulations of nail varnish and perfume was also investigated. The cosmetic products were incubated at 0°C, 25°C and 40°C over a period of two months. Any changes in colour, odour, pH, refractive index, separation and plasticizer peak change in the gas chromatogram trace were recorded. It was determined that the PMD-citronellal acetal-enriched oil was relatively unstable under elevated temperatures and light intensity. Storage under higher temperatures (40°C) tends to increase the acidity. Therefore the bio-plasticizer must be placed in a closed, covered bottle and stored in an environment away from light and elevated temperatures. According to the gas chromatogram peaks, it was clear that both the bio-plasticizer and the DBP were more unstable in the perfume formulation than in the nail polish and were especially sensitive to light when in the perfume. This could possibly be due to the interaction with the fragrance molecule, p-anisaldehyde.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Evaluation of plant extracts : artemisia afra and annona muricata for inhibitory activities against mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus
- Authors: Pruissen, Megan Colleen
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Plant extracts , Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Tuberculosis -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10341 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019845
- Description: Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) have a high prevalence in South Africa. The development and spread of drug resistant tuberculosis is a serious problem which is exacerbated by tuberculosis (TB) co-infection in HIV patients. Traditional medicinal plants like Annona muricata and Artemisia afra are used for respiratory ailments and antiviral therapies respectively. The aim of this study was to evaluate Annona muricata (ethanolic extract) and Artemisia afra (ethanolic and aqueous extracts) for inhibitory activities against M. tuberculosis and HIV. In vitro bioassays for anti-TB activity included: microplate alamar blue assay (MABA), flow cytometry and ρ-iodonitrotetrazolium chloride assays while anti-HIV activity was determined using an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase colorimetric ELISA kit and an HIV-1 integrase colorimetric immunoassay. Cytotoxicity of plant extracts were assessed by the MTT assay on Chang Liver and HepG2 cells. Potential synergistic effects were determined using the basis of Combination Index. Potential interactions of plant extracts with drug metabolic pathways were evaluated with the Glutathione-S-Transferase assay kit as well as the CYP3A4 assay kit. A. muricata ethanolic extract exhibited anti-TB activity with MIC 125 μg/mL. MABA was shown to be the most sensitive and effective method for the detection of anti-TB activity. Artemisia afra aqueous extract showed HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibition exhibiting ˃85 percent inhibition at 1 mg/mL while the ethanolic extracts of A. afra and A. muricata showed inhibition of HIV-1 integrase activity at ˃86.8 percent and ˃88.54 percent respectively at concentrations >0.5 - 4 mg/mL. The aqueous extract of A. afra displayed inhibition of HIV-1 integrase ˃52.16 percent at 0.5 mg/mL increasing to 72.89 percent at 4 mg/ml of the extract. A. muricata was cytotoxic at an IC50 of 30 μg/mL and 77 μg/mL on Chang Liver and HepG2 cells respectively, whilst A. afra aqueous and ethanol extracts were not cytotoxic to both cell lines. The ethanolic extract of A. muricata showed both antagonistic and synergistic properties at various IC values, when used in conjunction with rifampicin. A. afra ethanolic extract interrupted GST activity while aqueous extracts of A. afra and A. muricata had a slight effect. All extracts interrupted CYP3A4 activity, however the ethanolic extracts of A. muricata and A. afra showed greater inhibition than the aqueous extract of A. afra. These extracts should be investigated further as they could be an important source of compounds for treatment of M. tuberculosis and HIV respectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Pruissen, Megan Colleen
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Plant extracts , Medicinal plants -- South Africa , Tuberculosis -- Alternative treatment -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10341 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019845
- Description: Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) have a high prevalence in South Africa. The development and spread of drug resistant tuberculosis is a serious problem which is exacerbated by tuberculosis (TB) co-infection in HIV patients. Traditional medicinal plants like Annona muricata and Artemisia afra are used for respiratory ailments and antiviral therapies respectively. The aim of this study was to evaluate Annona muricata (ethanolic extract) and Artemisia afra (ethanolic and aqueous extracts) for inhibitory activities against M. tuberculosis and HIV. In vitro bioassays for anti-TB activity included: microplate alamar blue assay (MABA), flow cytometry and ρ-iodonitrotetrazolium chloride assays while anti-HIV activity was determined using an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase colorimetric ELISA kit and an HIV-1 integrase colorimetric immunoassay. Cytotoxicity of plant extracts were assessed by the MTT assay on Chang Liver and HepG2 cells. Potential synergistic effects were determined using the basis of Combination Index. Potential interactions of plant extracts with drug metabolic pathways were evaluated with the Glutathione-S-Transferase assay kit as well as the CYP3A4 assay kit. A. muricata ethanolic extract exhibited anti-TB activity with MIC 125 μg/mL. MABA was shown to be the most sensitive and effective method for the detection of anti-TB activity. Artemisia afra aqueous extract showed HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibition exhibiting ˃85 percent inhibition at 1 mg/mL while the ethanolic extracts of A. afra and A. muricata showed inhibition of HIV-1 integrase activity at ˃86.8 percent and ˃88.54 percent respectively at concentrations >0.5 - 4 mg/mL. The aqueous extract of A. afra displayed inhibition of HIV-1 integrase ˃52.16 percent at 0.5 mg/mL increasing to 72.89 percent at 4 mg/ml of the extract. A. muricata was cytotoxic at an IC50 of 30 μg/mL and 77 μg/mL on Chang Liver and HepG2 cells respectively, whilst A. afra aqueous and ethanol extracts were not cytotoxic to both cell lines. The ethanolic extract of A. muricata showed both antagonistic and synergistic properties at various IC values, when used in conjunction with rifampicin. A. afra ethanolic extract interrupted GST activity while aqueous extracts of A. afra and A. muricata had a slight effect. All extracts interrupted CYP3A4 activity, however the ethanolic extracts of A. muricata and A. afra showed greater inhibition than the aqueous extract of A. afra. These extracts should be investigated further as they could be an important source of compounds for treatment of M. tuberculosis and HIV respectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Experiences of professional nurses with regard to accessing information at the point-of-care via mobile-computing devices at a public hospital
- Authors: Benjamin, Valencia
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Information storage and retrieval systems -- Hospitals , Point-of-care testing , Public hospitals -- Medical staff
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCur
- Identifier: vital:10060 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020193
- Description: Mobile computing devices are capable of changing how healthcare is delivered in the future, since they aim to merge and integrate all services into one device that is versatile, customisable, and portable. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of professional nurses with regard to accessing information at the point-of-care of the patient, in order to develop guidelines that could assist other professional nurses with implementing the mobile computing device for accessing information at the point-of-care of patients. To achieve the purpose of the study, a qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual design was used to conduct this research – to gain an understanding of how the professional nurses experienced accessing information at the point-of-care via mobile computing devices. The study was conducted among the professional nurses employed at the public hospital, who were trained and provided with the mobile computing device for accessing information at the point-of-care for more than two years. In-depth interviewing was conducted to obtain the data. Data analysis was done using Tesch‘s method to make sense out of text and data. Four themes were identified, namely, the professional nurses‘ expression of various experiences regarding the training received; the need for support in implementing the mobile computing device; the accessing of information at the point-of-care as beneficial for educational purposes; and the accessing of information at the point-of-care as beneficial to patient care. Two main guidelines were developed. The study concludes with recommendations made with regard to the areas of nursing practice, education and research. Throughout the study, the researcher abided by the ethical considerations. The aspects of trustworthiness implemented in this study, included dependability, credibility, transferability and confirmability (Holloway & Wheeler, 2010:298).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Benjamin, Valencia
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Information storage and retrieval systems -- Hospitals , Point-of-care testing , Public hospitals -- Medical staff
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCur
- Identifier: vital:10060 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020193
- Description: Mobile computing devices are capable of changing how healthcare is delivered in the future, since they aim to merge and integrate all services into one device that is versatile, customisable, and portable. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of professional nurses with regard to accessing information at the point-of-care of the patient, in order to develop guidelines that could assist other professional nurses with implementing the mobile computing device for accessing information at the point-of-care of patients. To achieve the purpose of the study, a qualitative, explorative, descriptive, and contextual design was used to conduct this research – to gain an understanding of how the professional nurses experienced accessing information at the point-of-care via mobile computing devices. The study was conducted among the professional nurses employed at the public hospital, who were trained and provided with the mobile computing device for accessing information at the point-of-care for more than two years. In-depth interviewing was conducted to obtain the data. Data analysis was done using Tesch‘s method to make sense out of text and data. Four themes were identified, namely, the professional nurses‘ expression of various experiences regarding the training received; the need for support in implementing the mobile computing device; the accessing of information at the point-of-care as beneficial for educational purposes; and the accessing of information at the point-of-care as beneficial to patient care. Two main guidelines were developed. The study concludes with recommendations made with regard to the areas of nursing practice, education and research. Throughout the study, the researcher abided by the ethical considerations. The aspects of trustworthiness implemented in this study, included dependability, credibility, transferability and confirmability (Holloway & Wheeler, 2010:298).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Exploring managers' experiences of a monitoring and evaluation dashboard in an Eastern Cape hospital complex
- Authors: Scholl, Joy
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Management -- Evaluation , Organizational effectiveness -- Evaluation , Dashboards (Management information systems)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:10008 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021089
- Description: Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are essential tools for businesses, projects and service delivery structures. The majority of managers in health institutions are from a clinical background and do not use business intelligence principles to manage or monitor performances in their domains. Literature has revealed that managers in South African public health institutions do not monitor and evaluate their data regularly; likewise the most important information is not consolidated for easy reference and assessment. A pilot study of the introduction of an M&E dashboard was implemented at the East London Hospital Complex (ELHC) in May 2011 at the request of the Superintendent General of the Eastern Cape Department of Health to address this challenge. The current study explored the experiences of managers in the implementation of an M&E dashboard at the ELHC in the Eastern Cape. To establish managers’ experiences, a quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study was undertaken to gain insight, while accurately depicting the experiences and perceptions of managers of the dashboard. A survey questionnaire was developed to undertake a case study with respondents, who were involved in the initial implementation of the dashboard project at the ELHC. The results were analysed and recommendations were made addressing the design of the dashboard, and communication and change management in the introduction of the monitoring and evaluation tool. Further recommendations were made relating to future potential research in this area. An important finding of the research is that thirty-one (31) of the thirty-four (34) managers (91 percent) responded positively about the dashboard, while 9 percent were neutral. None of the respondents encountered negative experiences of utilising the dashboard. This indicates that the implementation of the dashboard was an overwhelming positive experience. The dashboard can be implemented in other healthcare institutions in the Eastern Cape, thereby encouraging more reliable methods to monitor data, improve staff efficiency and above all service delivery to patients.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Scholl, Joy
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Management -- Evaluation , Organizational effectiveness -- Evaluation , Dashboards (Management information systems)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:10008 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021089
- Description: Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are essential tools for businesses, projects and service delivery structures. The majority of managers in health institutions are from a clinical background and do not use business intelligence principles to manage or monitor performances in their domains. Literature has revealed that managers in South African public health institutions do not monitor and evaluate their data regularly; likewise the most important information is not consolidated for easy reference and assessment. A pilot study of the introduction of an M&E dashboard was implemented at the East London Hospital Complex (ELHC) in May 2011 at the request of the Superintendent General of the Eastern Cape Department of Health to address this challenge. The current study explored the experiences of managers in the implementation of an M&E dashboard at the ELHC in the Eastern Cape. To establish managers’ experiences, a quantitative, exploratory and descriptive study was undertaken to gain insight, while accurately depicting the experiences and perceptions of managers of the dashboard. A survey questionnaire was developed to undertake a case study with respondents, who were involved in the initial implementation of the dashboard project at the ELHC. The results were analysed and recommendations were made addressing the design of the dashboard, and communication and change management in the introduction of the monitoring and evaluation tool. Further recommendations were made relating to future potential research in this area. An important finding of the research is that thirty-one (31) of the thirty-four (34) managers (91 percent) responded positively about the dashboard, while 9 percent were neutral. None of the respondents encountered negative experiences of utilising the dashboard. This indicates that the implementation of the dashboard was an overwhelming positive experience. The dashboard can be implemented in other healthcare institutions in the Eastern Cape, thereby encouraging more reliable methods to monitor data, improve staff efficiency and above all service delivery to patients.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Exploring teachers' perceptions of the barriers and solutions to using one teacher laptop per class in a multi-grade context : the case of Intel®Teach-ICT implementation
- Authors: Subramanien, Brenda
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Combination of grades , Information technology projects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9441 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021039
- Description: This interpretive exploratory case study investigated the challenges and barriers to the multi-grade context in general, as well as to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) implementation in a multi-grade context. Possible solutions based on teacher perceptions were generated inductively within a three-level typology. The research took place in three phases. Pre-training data were gathered in the first phase, using an open-ended questionnaire (all participants: n=20); personal interviews (n=9); and two focus group interviews, which consisted of three participants per focus group. Training on the Intel® Teach ICT programme and the provision of laptops (one per teacher) constituted the second phase. The third phase included post-training data generation using an open-ended questionnaire (all participants) and two focus group interviews, which consisted of three participants per focus group, to elicit teacher perceptions of the training programme and their use of the laptops in the classroom after the training. The findings suggest that first order (school or meso level) challenges pertaining to multi-grade teaching relate to the lack of resources; curriculum challenges; learner related challenges; isolation, impact on communication and teaching; time constraints; and a work overload as a result of the multiple roles. Second order challenges (self or micro level) related to the perceived uncaring attitude of the Department of Basic Education that left teachers feeling hurt and neglected; the unpreparedness for the multi-grade context which demotivated teachers; and the negative perceptions the teachers had about their learners. Third order challenges (system level, beyond the school level or micro level) were related to the lack of Departmental support from officials; the lack of curriculum training for the multi-grade context; and the lack of support on various fronts. Regarding ICT related challenges, the findings suggest that first order barriers related to the lack of suitable infrastructure for ICT implementation; lack of peer support; lack of access to appropriate hardware and software; and lack of time. Second order barriers related to the negative beliefs in the self; negative perceptions about the learners’ ability to use the laptop; and negative beliefs related to teaching and learning. The third order barriers were related to the lack of support and assistance from the Department of Basic Education for ICT implementation. The findings suggest that the participants viewed the provisioning of enabling programmes for parents as an important solution to first order challenges, and a change in mindset as the most important solution for second order problems. Third order solutions included a “multi-grade Renaissance” towards a new model for multi-grade teaching; re-thinking the curriculum requirements regarding multi-grade teaching by the Department of Basic Education; increased support and training from the Department; incentives to teach with ICT in the multi-grade context; encouraging further research inmulti-grade teaching; providing sufficient resources; establishing partnerships with stakeholders; and the closure and merger of multi-grade schools. There was evidence that the laptops provided were used in a variety of ways after the Intel® Teach training by the participants, including email as a tool to communicate with their fellow multi-grade peers, which serve to break their sense of isolation. Quantitative data from the open-ended questionnaire confirmed an increase in the usage of the laptop after the Intel® Teach training intervention. Although the participants generally experienced the Intel teach training intervention as positive, they also identified negative experiences. These findings enabled the embedding of ‘self and sustainable support from stakeholders’ more explicitly in the professional teacher development ICT implementation framework of Du Plessis and Webb (2012b), which suggests that the Intel® Teach training intervention can be used as a vehicle to address ICT implementation within the multi-grade context. It is suggested that the Department of Basic Education should consider exposing all teachers to the Intel® Teach programme and assist multi-grade teachers by providing better on-going support and putting the necessary policies, implementation and infrastructure in place.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Subramanien, Brenda
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Combination of grades , Information technology projects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:9441 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021039
- Description: This interpretive exploratory case study investigated the challenges and barriers to the multi-grade context in general, as well as to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) implementation in a multi-grade context. Possible solutions based on teacher perceptions were generated inductively within a three-level typology. The research took place in three phases. Pre-training data were gathered in the first phase, using an open-ended questionnaire (all participants: n=20); personal interviews (n=9); and two focus group interviews, which consisted of three participants per focus group. Training on the Intel® Teach ICT programme and the provision of laptops (one per teacher) constituted the second phase. The third phase included post-training data generation using an open-ended questionnaire (all participants) and two focus group interviews, which consisted of three participants per focus group, to elicit teacher perceptions of the training programme and their use of the laptops in the classroom after the training. The findings suggest that first order (school or meso level) challenges pertaining to multi-grade teaching relate to the lack of resources; curriculum challenges; learner related challenges; isolation, impact on communication and teaching; time constraints; and a work overload as a result of the multiple roles. Second order challenges (self or micro level) related to the perceived uncaring attitude of the Department of Basic Education that left teachers feeling hurt and neglected; the unpreparedness for the multi-grade context which demotivated teachers; and the negative perceptions the teachers had about their learners. Third order challenges (system level, beyond the school level or micro level) were related to the lack of Departmental support from officials; the lack of curriculum training for the multi-grade context; and the lack of support on various fronts. Regarding ICT related challenges, the findings suggest that first order barriers related to the lack of suitable infrastructure for ICT implementation; lack of peer support; lack of access to appropriate hardware and software; and lack of time. Second order barriers related to the negative beliefs in the self; negative perceptions about the learners’ ability to use the laptop; and negative beliefs related to teaching and learning. The third order barriers were related to the lack of support and assistance from the Department of Basic Education for ICT implementation. The findings suggest that the participants viewed the provisioning of enabling programmes for parents as an important solution to first order challenges, and a change in mindset as the most important solution for second order problems. Third order solutions included a “multi-grade Renaissance” towards a new model for multi-grade teaching; re-thinking the curriculum requirements regarding multi-grade teaching by the Department of Basic Education; increased support and training from the Department; incentives to teach with ICT in the multi-grade context; encouraging further research inmulti-grade teaching; providing sufficient resources; establishing partnerships with stakeholders; and the closure and merger of multi-grade schools. There was evidence that the laptops provided were used in a variety of ways after the Intel® Teach training by the participants, including email as a tool to communicate with their fellow multi-grade peers, which serve to break their sense of isolation. Quantitative data from the open-ended questionnaire confirmed an increase in the usage of the laptop after the Intel® Teach training intervention. Although the participants generally experienced the Intel teach training intervention as positive, they also identified negative experiences. These findings enabled the embedding of ‘self and sustainable support from stakeholders’ more explicitly in the professional teacher development ICT implementation framework of Du Plessis and Webb (2012b), which suggests that the Intel® Teach training intervention can be used as a vehicle to address ICT implementation within the multi-grade context. It is suggested that the Department of Basic Education should consider exposing all teachers to the Intel® Teach programme and assist multi-grade teachers by providing better on-going support and putting the necessary policies, implementation and infrastructure in place.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Exploring the challenges of income generating projects funded by the Department of Social Development at Kwa-Nobuhle, Uitenhage, in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Filita, Unathi Samora
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Public investments -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9191 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020323
- Description: Income generating projects represent one strategy adopted by the Department of Social Development to alleviate poverty. The purpose of this study is to explore challenges of an income generating project funded by the Department of Social Development in Kwa-Nobuhle, Uitenhage of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa., A sample of thirty respondents was drawn from ten income generating projects funded by the Department of Social Development. The sampling method of this study was purposive sampling. Data was gathered through semi-structured questionnaires. Related literature has been reviewed that focuses on income generating projects for poverty alleviation. Various recommendations have been made on the findings of the study. The findings of the study indicated the need for regular visits from the officials of the Department, to conduct monitoring and evaluation. Project members also need training on financial management so they cannot mismanage their finances. The research findings indicated clearly that strategies that were used by the Department were not effective enough to achieve desired goals of poverty alleviation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Filita, Unathi Samora
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Public investments -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9191 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020323
- Description: Income generating projects represent one strategy adopted by the Department of Social Development to alleviate poverty. The purpose of this study is to explore challenges of an income generating project funded by the Department of Social Development in Kwa-Nobuhle, Uitenhage of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa., A sample of thirty respondents was drawn from ten income generating projects funded by the Department of Social Development. The sampling method of this study was purposive sampling. Data was gathered through semi-structured questionnaires. Related literature has been reviewed that focuses on income generating projects for poverty alleviation. Various recommendations have been made on the findings of the study. The findings of the study indicated the need for regular visits from the officials of the Department, to conduct monitoring and evaluation. Project members also need training on financial management so they cannot mismanage their finances. The research findings indicated clearly that strategies that were used by the Department were not effective enough to achieve desired goals of poverty alleviation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Exploring the management of inter-clan conflict by non-governmental organisations in Wajir Country, Kenya
- Authors: Noor, Mohamed Sheikh
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Conflict management -- Kenya -- Wajir District , Clans -- Kenya -- Wajir District , Non-governmental organizations -- Kenya -- Wajir District
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8293 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018701
- Description: The reality today is that we are all interdependent and have to co-exist on this small planet therefore, the only sensible and intelligent way of resolving differences and clashes of interests, whether between individuals or nations, is through dialogue --the Dalai Lama Nomadic pastoralist communities all over the world depend on the keeping livestock for their livelihood, and are characterized by constant migration, in search of pasture and water, or what others may call “search for greener pastures”. Most often as the case such as in Northern Kenya these communities or clans are in conflict with each other mainly over the same scarce resources- water and pasture. This particular treatise explores the role of local NGOs in managing such inter-clan conflict. As aptly put by Lewis (1981: 10-13), when grazing land is abundant, settlement patterns of the pastoral communities may include many non patrilineal kin, or other clans, the true patrilineal kin is honored when pressure arises in the form of diminishing water and pasture, in such instances those who are not one‟s clan become undesirable aliens, thus it is was not a surprise to witness, in the course of conducting the study the many sprouting settlements in Wajir County consisting of entirely agnatic kin, meant to protect “clan‟s” ideals at any costs. Intra-clan and inter-clan conflicts are thus common in the entire Northern Kenya; this study explores the management of inter-clan conflict in Wajir County, North Eastern Province of Kenya. In particular, this research offers an exploration and discussion of the sources of inter-clan conflict, the role of the local NGOs and the perceptions of the local communities, politicians, provincial administration and the local peace committees in the processes of the managing inter-clan conflicts by the local NGOs. With reference to relevant research and literature, as well as the researcher‟s good background understanding on the interventions of the local NGOs in Wajir County, this treatise will provide a series of recommendations to respond to the recurrent inter-clan conflict in the Wajir County, which to some extent could also be applicable to communities with similar settings in Africa and beyond.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Noor, Mohamed Sheikh
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Conflict management -- Kenya -- Wajir District , Clans -- Kenya -- Wajir District , Non-governmental organizations -- Kenya -- Wajir District
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8293 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018701
- Description: The reality today is that we are all interdependent and have to co-exist on this small planet therefore, the only sensible and intelligent way of resolving differences and clashes of interests, whether between individuals or nations, is through dialogue --the Dalai Lama Nomadic pastoralist communities all over the world depend on the keeping livestock for their livelihood, and are characterized by constant migration, in search of pasture and water, or what others may call “search for greener pastures”. Most often as the case such as in Northern Kenya these communities or clans are in conflict with each other mainly over the same scarce resources- water and pasture. This particular treatise explores the role of local NGOs in managing such inter-clan conflict. As aptly put by Lewis (1981: 10-13), when grazing land is abundant, settlement patterns of the pastoral communities may include many non patrilineal kin, or other clans, the true patrilineal kin is honored when pressure arises in the form of diminishing water and pasture, in such instances those who are not one‟s clan become undesirable aliens, thus it is was not a surprise to witness, in the course of conducting the study the many sprouting settlements in Wajir County consisting of entirely agnatic kin, meant to protect “clan‟s” ideals at any costs. Intra-clan and inter-clan conflicts are thus common in the entire Northern Kenya; this study explores the management of inter-clan conflict in Wajir County, North Eastern Province of Kenya. In particular, this research offers an exploration and discussion of the sources of inter-clan conflict, the role of the local NGOs and the perceptions of the local communities, politicians, provincial administration and the local peace committees in the processes of the managing inter-clan conflicts by the local NGOs. With reference to relevant research and literature, as well as the researcher‟s good background understanding on the interventions of the local NGOs in Wajir County, this treatise will provide a series of recommendations to respond to the recurrent inter-clan conflict in the Wajir County, which to some extent could also be applicable to communities with similar settings in Africa and beyond.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Exploring the role of an education non-governmental organisation's contribution towards fighting HIV/AIDS: a case study of South African partners
- Authors: Chiguvare, Admire D
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality -- Prevention , Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9219 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020870
- Description: The problem this research seeks to address concerns related to the role allocated and strategies implemented by HIV and AIDS education NGOs, in mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS in Nelson Mandela Bay. The problem is approached as a development challenge and examples are drawn from the undertakings of South African Partners (SAP), an NGO operating in the education field. The study adopted qualitative research, relative unstructured interviews, direct observation and literature review as methods of data collection. The study further identified specific roles that education NGOs play in response to HIV/AIDS and delineated the strategies that HIV and AIDS education NGOs employ in responding to HIV/AIDS. The research found that HIV/AIDS education NGOs have become important channels through which people affected and living with HIV/AIDS participate in development, share their experience and access information and resources. Further noted was that HIV/AIDS results in a diminished workforce and a higher allocation of state funds to public healthcare. The research findings showed that an education NGO in a prison context serves to mobilise the prison community and sensitise it to HIV and AIDS issues. This, through its addressing of the needs and causes of HIV infections in prison. SAP aid recipients were found to be satisfied for the most part, with the service rendered them by the education NGO. The study found that HIV prevention educational sessions were quite effective in disseminating HIV and AIDS basic information and that SAP achieves their goals through their training of facilitators who employ the STEPS curriculum. The trained facilitators facilitate group discussions, distribute condoms and lubricants through partnerships, and solicit behavioural change through the use of theatre to disseminate HIV prevention information. Key recommendations of the study are that HIV and AIDS education NGOs must integrate poverty reduction interventions in their activities and that further, they would do better to form coalitions in order to strengthen their capacity to sustain their activities and manage partnerships. Education NGOs should form partnerships that provide social protection. Ruther recommended is that education NGOs should further their curriculum in consideration for sexual preferences.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Chiguvare, Admire D
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality -- Prevention , Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9219 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020870
- Description: The problem this research seeks to address concerns related to the role allocated and strategies implemented by HIV and AIDS education NGOs, in mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS in Nelson Mandela Bay. The problem is approached as a development challenge and examples are drawn from the undertakings of South African Partners (SAP), an NGO operating in the education field. The study adopted qualitative research, relative unstructured interviews, direct observation and literature review as methods of data collection. The study further identified specific roles that education NGOs play in response to HIV/AIDS and delineated the strategies that HIV and AIDS education NGOs employ in responding to HIV/AIDS. The research found that HIV/AIDS education NGOs have become important channels through which people affected and living with HIV/AIDS participate in development, share their experience and access information and resources. Further noted was that HIV/AIDS results in a diminished workforce and a higher allocation of state funds to public healthcare. The research findings showed that an education NGO in a prison context serves to mobilise the prison community and sensitise it to HIV and AIDS issues. This, through its addressing of the needs and causes of HIV infections in prison. SAP aid recipients were found to be satisfied for the most part, with the service rendered them by the education NGO. The study found that HIV prevention educational sessions were quite effective in disseminating HIV and AIDS basic information and that SAP achieves their goals through their training of facilitators who employ the STEPS curriculum. The trained facilitators facilitate group discussions, distribute condoms and lubricants through partnerships, and solicit behavioural change through the use of theatre to disseminate HIV prevention information. Key recommendations of the study are that HIV and AIDS education NGOs must integrate poverty reduction interventions in their activities and that further, they would do better to form coalitions in order to strengthen their capacity to sustain their activities and manage partnerships. Education NGOs should form partnerships that provide social protection. Ruther recommended is that education NGOs should further their curriculum in consideration for sexual preferences.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Expropriation of mineral resourses and the implications for conflict transformation in the Democratic Republic of Congo
- Authors: Nibishaka, Emmanuel
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Postwar reconstruction -- Congo (Democratic Republic) , Minerals -- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8294 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018880
- Description: The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced constant instability and conflict since 1996. With the collapse of the state of Zaire and the renaming of the country by the late Laurent Desire Kabila in late 1996, there were high expectations from the Congolese population that the country was going to move forward. However, in less than two years, the central government in Kinshasa was facing a new rebellion from the east of the country, followed by widespread violence and criminal activities by armed and militia groups. Although military intervention from Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola halted the rebellion march to Kinshasa, the capital city of DRC, and allowed the DRC government to sign peace agreement with its opponents in 2002; since then, the prospect of peace in the eastern DRC, especially the North and South Kivus seems bleak. Since 2002, that region has been the theatre of armed and militia groups (both local and foreign), owing to, in the views of various experts, the presence of mineral resources to support their criminal activities, as well as the economic interests of regional actors to create proxy militia and armed groups in the absence of central government in much of eastern DRC. The purpose and rationale of this study is to critically identify actors in the postconflict reconstruction process, and examine the role of mineral resources among other perpetuating factors of the protracted conflict in eastern DRC, in order to arrive at a comprehensive analysis of the reasons for the failure of peace building and post-conflict reconstruction processes that have been undertaken. This study aims to fill a gap in available literature, by pointing to some conflict drivers and factors which have previously been overlooked in post-conflict reconstruction, and in existing research on the topic, especially the role of mineral resources in sustaining conflict. A thorough conceptualization of relevant conflict theory and a historical overview of the conflict in DRC were provided as a point of departure in order to understand other factors that contribute to the intractability of conflict in eastern DRC, this study found that those factors were rooted in the legacy of colonialism; the bad leadership under both the colonial powers and subsequent government of Joseph Mobutu, manipulation and politicization of ethnic identities especially in the South and North Kivu and the geopolitical location of the eastern DRC. This study further established that the presence of mineral resources in eastern DRC indeed contributes to the continued insecurity in that region by providing succour to armed groups, thus undermining peace agreements especially the Pretoria agreement that formally ended hostilities in 2002. Furthermore, the study found that the issue of mineral resources is not the sole driver of the eastern DRC conflict, as the issues of ethnic polarisation especially, discrimination against Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese in the east, and the view that only military means can solve this problem; coupled with other security threats including the presence of foreign militia groups motivate the neighbouring countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to constantly meddle in DRC's internal affairs. The study suggests that additional research be conducted to further investigate the regional dimensions of the conflict and how perceived interests in mineral revenue contribute to the polarisation of the population in eastern DRC; leading to the proliferation of armed groups.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Nibishaka, Emmanuel
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Postwar reconstruction -- Congo (Democratic Republic) , Minerals -- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8294 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018880
- Description: The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced constant instability and conflict since 1996. With the collapse of the state of Zaire and the renaming of the country by the late Laurent Desire Kabila in late 1996, there were high expectations from the Congolese population that the country was going to move forward. However, in less than two years, the central government in Kinshasa was facing a new rebellion from the east of the country, followed by widespread violence and criminal activities by armed and militia groups. Although military intervention from Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola halted the rebellion march to Kinshasa, the capital city of DRC, and allowed the DRC government to sign peace agreement with its opponents in 2002; since then, the prospect of peace in the eastern DRC, especially the North and South Kivus seems bleak. Since 2002, that region has been the theatre of armed and militia groups (both local and foreign), owing to, in the views of various experts, the presence of mineral resources to support their criminal activities, as well as the economic interests of regional actors to create proxy militia and armed groups in the absence of central government in much of eastern DRC. The purpose and rationale of this study is to critically identify actors in the postconflict reconstruction process, and examine the role of mineral resources among other perpetuating factors of the protracted conflict in eastern DRC, in order to arrive at a comprehensive analysis of the reasons for the failure of peace building and post-conflict reconstruction processes that have been undertaken. This study aims to fill a gap in available literature, by pointing to some conflict drivers and factors which have previously been overlooked in post-conflict reconstruction, and in existing research on the topic, especially the role of mineral resources in sustaining conflict. A thorough conceptualization of relevant conflict theory and a historical overview of the conflict in DRC were provided as a point of departure in order to understand other factors that contribute to the intractability of conflict in eastern DRC, this study found that those factors were rooted in the legacy of colonialism; the bad leadership under both the colonial powers and subsequent government of Joseph Mobutu, manipulation and politicization of ethnic identities especially in the South and North Kivu and the geopolitical location of the eastern DRC. This study further established that the presence of mineral resources in eastern DRC indeed contributes to the continued insecurity in that region by providing succour to armed groups, thus undermining peace agreements especially the Pretoria agreement that formally ended hostilities in 2002. Furthermore, the study found that the issue of mineral resources is not the sole driver of the eastern DRC conflict, as the issues of ethnic polarisation especially, discrimination against Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese in the east, and the view that only military means can solve this problem; coupled with other security threats including the presence of foreign militia groups motivate the neighbouring countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to constantly meddle in DRC's internal affairs. The study suggests that additional research be conducted to further investigate the regional dimensions of the conflict and how perceived interests in mineral revenue contribute to the polarisation of the population in eastern DRC; leading to the proliferation of armed groups.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Factors affecting customer retention at an automative manufacturing organisation
- Authors: Yam, Bonga Sherperd Elvis
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Consumer satisfaction , Customer relations , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8809 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018573
- Description: South African vehicle manufacturers are under immense competition from vehicle manufactures from India and China. The global financial crises also put these organisations under intense pressure and this resulted in these organisations having to start seeing the need to focus on issues that affect customer retention. The way that business is done in the 21st Century is forcing organisations to implement strategies that are geared towards increasing customer retention and growing the business. Organisations need to build relationships with their customers with the hope that these customers will in turn extend their stay with the organisation when an opportunity to replace their vehicles arises or keep on servicing with them. In order to establish a good relationship with customers, organisations need to understand customer expectations by being customer orientated and by providing customers with value. The primary objective of this study is to improve customer retention for a selected vehicle manufacturer after the warranty and service plans have expired, by investigating the relationship between customer service quality, customer loyalty, and customer retention. The results obtained from the 64 respondents who participated in the survey revealed that although all the above-mentioned variables play a role in increasing customer retention, customer service quality exerts the most influence. The study also highlights areas that should be improved, as well as recommendations on how to improve them. Recommendations for future research are also provided.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Yam, Bonga Sherperd Elvis
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Consumer satisfaction , Customer relations , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8809 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018573
- Description: South African vehicle manufacturers are under immense competition from vehicle manufactures from India and China. The global financial crises also put these organisations under intense pressure and this resulted in these organisations having to start seeing the need to focus on issues that affect customer retention. The way that business is done in the 21st Century is forcing organisations to implement strategies that are geared towards increasing customer retention and growing the business. Organisations need to build relationships with their customers with the hope that these customers will in turn extend their stay with the organisation when an opportunity to replace their vehicles arises or keep on servicing with them. In order to establish a good relationship with customers, organisations need to understand customer expectations by being customer orientated and by providing customers with value. The primary objective of this study is to improve customer retention for a selected vehicle manufacturer after the warranty and service plans have expired, by investigating the relationship between customer service quality, customer loyalty, and customer retention. The results obtained from the 64 respondents who participated in the survey revealed that although all the above-mentioned variables play a role in increasing customer retention, customer service quality exerts the most influence. The study also highlights areas that should be improved, as well as recommendations on how to improve them. Recommendations for future research are also provided.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Factors affecting the impact of BEE strategies in enhancing previously disadvantaged beneficiaries in Manquma Local Municipality
- Authors: Bota, Patrick Mziwoxolo
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Affirmative action programs -- South Africa , Blacks -- South Africa -- Economic conditions , Municipal government -- South Africa , Economic development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9174 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020115
- Description: This research project is about the “Factors Affecting the impact of Black Economic Empowerment strategies in enhancing previously disadvantaged beneficiaries in Mnquma Local Municipality.” The purpose is to examine the challenges faced by previously disadvantaged beneficiaries so as to emerge with new innovative BEE mechanisms that can be implemented to improve the situation faced by beneficiaries for the better. To achieve this objective, it was necessary to study the iterature of “Black Economic Empowerment” which is part of the Local Economic Development initiatives. In order to attain the main objective of the study and also to address the research problem face to face interviews were conducted with previously disadvantaged beneficiaries, Local Economic Development officials and councillors from five different wards of Mnquma Local Municipality. The literature review and the interviews helped one to come up with the recommendations to be adopted in order to remedy the situation of the beneficiaries. These recommendations will, hopefully, be of assistance to Mnquma Local Municipality. Findings of this study indicate that challenges faced by previously disadvantaged beneficiaries include: fronting, lack of finance, skills shortage like technical, management, budgeting and saving skills, absence of training workshops, and lack of support on SMMEs development as well as poor implementation of BEE policy by Local Economic Development Unit. The aforesaid challenges have negative effects on the implementation of BEE strategies which adversely affect the beneficiaries. Here are some of the recommendations made in this regard: support and assistance for previously disadvantaged beneficiaries like financial assistance, Khula financial schemes, bank loans, training and workshops, establishment of agricultural projects as well as assistance on coordination of co-operatives initiatives. Other recommendations provide possible solutions to these problems: corruption, nepotism and cadreship deployment. In order to act against these transgressions the following suggestions have been made in the study: containment of fronting, development of heritage and historical sites for tourists’ purposes, recommendation on BEE management strategies and also recommendation on business registration and licensing. The study concludes that if the Mnquma Local Municipality can execute all the proposed recommendations, all the factors raised as the stumbling block towards the success and beneficiary of the previously disadvantaged beneficiaries would be resolved.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Bota, Patrick Mziwoxolo
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Affirmative action programs -- South Africa , Blacks -- South Africa -- Economic conditions , Municipal government -- South Africa , Economic development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9174 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020115
- Description: This research project is about the “Factors Affecting the impact of Black Economic Empowerment strategies in enhancing previously disadvantaged beneficiaries in Mnquma Local Municipality.” The purpose is to examine the challenges faced by previously disadvantaged beneficiaries so as to emerge with new innovative BEE mechanisms that can be implemented to improve the situation faced by beneficiaries for the better. To achieve this objective, it was necessary to study the iterature of “Black Economic Empowerment” which is part of the Local Economic Development initiatives. In order to attain the main objective of the study and also to address the research problem face to face interviews were conducted with previously disadvantaged beneficiaries, Local Economic Development officials and councillors from five different wards of Mnquma Local Municipality. The literature review and the interviews helped one to come up with the recommendations to be adopted in order to remedy the situation of the beneficiaries. These recommendations will, hopefully, be of assistance to Mnquma Local Municipality. Findings of this study indicate that challenges faced by previously disadvantaged beneficiaries include: fronting, lack of finance, skills shortage like technical, management, budgeting and saving skills, absence of training workshops, and lack of support on SMMEs development as well as poor implementation of BEE policy by Local Economic Development Unit. The aforesaid challenges have negative effects on the implementation of BEE strategies which adversely affect the beneficiaries. Here are some of the recommendations made in this regard: support and assistance for previously disadvantaged beneficiaries like financial assistance, Khula financial schemes, bank loans, training and workshops, establishment of agricultural projects as well as assistance on coordination of co-operatives initiatives. Other recommendations provide possible solutions to these problems: corruption, nepotism and cadreship deployment. In order to act against these transgressions the following suggestions have been made in the study: containment of fronting, development of heritage and historical sites for tourists’ purposes, recommendation on BEE management strategies and also recommendation on business registration and licensing. The study concludes that if the Mnquma Local Municipality can execute all the proposed recommendations, all the factors raised as the stumbling block towards the success and beneficiary of the previously disadvantaged beneficiaries would be resolved.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Factors affecting the utilisation of a workplace voluntary counselling and testing programme in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Jusayo, Nomonde
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: HIV infections -- South Africa -- Prevention , HIV infections -- Treatment , Employee health promotion
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:9428 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010273 , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Prevention , HIV infections -- Treatment , Employee health promotion
- Description: The world has entered the third decade of the HIV and AIDS epidemic under different times in which the epidemic is treatable. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) (2005) declares HIV and AIDS a developmental crisis destroying developmental gains over generations. Since HIV and AIDS affect the most productive segment of the labour force, it is therefore not only a threat to development but also to the world of work without which development will be sacrificed (ILO, 2001). Collaborative response efforts that seek to mitigate the HIV pandemic by government, business and higher education institutions have been fraught with challenges. The main challenge that beset these efforts is that, in the absence of an HIV vaccine, voluntary counselling and testing remains the gateway to access treatment and care. Regrettably, participation in VCT has been confronted by challenges of low utilisation. This precedes the objectives of this study, which were to explore and describe factors that serve as barriers and facilitators of workplace VCT programmes with the objective to improve participation in these programmes. The current study was a product of a qualitative and exploratory-descriptive research design. A nonprobability convenience sampling method was used to sample participants for this study. The targeted population in this study were the non-academic employees of an academic institution in the Eastern Cape. Data was collected by means of focus group discussions and by using semi-structured interviews. The focus group samples comprised of an equal number of men and women with an overall participation of fifty-six participants. Data obtained was transcribed, thematically analysed and coded using Henning, Van Rensburg, and Smit's (2004) qualitative analysis and interpretation method. Findings of this research revealed that factors that facilitate and inhibit voluntary counselling and testing are psychosocial and cultural by nature. At psychosocial level, participants reported factors that facilitate voluntary counselling and testing to include psychological readiness to go for HIV testing, reassurances of confidentiality of HIV test results and normalising HIV testing (making the process more like that for screening and diagnostic testing). Cultural factors included cultural practices and beliefs such as "intonjane" and traditional circumcision - positive cultural nurturers that could facilitate VCT participation. Results of this study showed a lack of basic knowledge about VCT and fear of knowing one's status, fear of breach of confidentiality, fear of being stigmatised and a lack of trust towards health professional as the major psychosocial factors that serve as barriers to VCT participation. The cultural barriers to VCT pointed to hegemonic masculinity as a socially constructed gender identity that encourages gender inequalities and undermines efforts to improve HIV testing. The study suggested that strategies to increase VCT participation should consider leadership support of VCT programmes, incentivisation of VCT programmes, institutionalisation of HIV and AIDS education and the establishment of integrated wellness services for employees.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Jusayo, Nomonde
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: HIV infections -- South Africa -- Prevention , HIV infections -- Treatment , Employee health promotion
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:9428 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010273 , HIV infections -- South Africa -- Prevention , HIV infections -- Treatment , Employee health promotion
- Description: The world has entered the third decade of the HIV and AIDS epidemic under different times in which the epidemic is treatable. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) (2005) declares HIV and AIDS a developmental crisis destroying developmental gains over generations. Since HIV and AIDS affect the most productive segment of the labour force, it is therefore not only a threat to development but also to the world of work without which development will be sacrificed (ILO, 2001). Collaborative response efforts that seek to mitigate the HIV pandemic by government, business and higher education institutions have been fraught with challenges. The main challenge that beset these efforts is that, in the absence of an HIV vaccine, voluntary counselling and testing remains the gateway to access treatment and care. Regrettably, participation in VCT has been confronted by challenges of low utilisation. This precedes the objectives of this study, which were to explore and describe factors that serve as barriers and facilitators of workplace VCT programmes with the objective to improve participation in these programmes. The current study was a product of a qualitative and exploratory-descriptive research design. A nonprobability convenience sampling method was used to sample participants for this study. The targeted population in this study were the non-academic employees of an academic institution in the Eastern Cape. Data was collected by means of focus group discussions and by using semi-structured interviews. The focus group samples comprised of an equal number of men and women with an overall participation of fifty-six participants. Data obtained was transcribed, thematically analysed and coded using Henning, Van Rensburg, and Smit's (2004) qualitative analysis and interpretation method. Findings of this research revealed that factors that facilitate and inhibit voluntary counselling and testing are psychosocial and cultural by nature. At psychosocial level, participants reported factors that facilitate voluntary counselling and testing to include psychological readiness to go for HIV testing, reassurances of confidentiality of HIV test results and normalising HIV testing (making the process more like that for screening and diagnostic testing). Cultural factors included cultural practices and beliefs such as "intonjane" and traditional circumcision - positive cultural nurturers that could facilitate VCT participation. Results of this study showed a lack of basic knowledge about VCT and fear of knowing one's status, fear of breach of confidentiality, fear of being stigmatised and a lack of trust towards health professional as the major psychosocial factors that serve as barriers to VCT participation. The cultural barriers to VCT pointed to hegemonic masculinity as a socially constructed gender identity that encourages gender inequalities and undermines efforts to improve HIV testing. The study suggested that strategies to increase VCT participation should consider leadership support of VCT programmes, incentivisation of VCT programmes, institutionalisation of HIV and AIDS education and the establishment of integrated wellness services for employees.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Factors influencing customer retention in the financial planning industry
- Authors: Dippenaar, Hendrik
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Consumer satisfaction , Financial planning industry
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:9323 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020809
- Description: As financial planners operate in a competitive business environment, it is important to identify how financial planners can apply relevant industry aspects to positively influence their customer satisfaction and customer retention levels. Although models of customer satisfaction and subsequently customer retention have been well researched for consumer products and services, there has been limited research in regards to financial planning. Previous research in the financial planning industry focussed on specific elements of financial planner-client relationships, for example trust, integrity and ethics. This research study reviews existing literature on customer satisfaction and customer retention, as relevant to the financial planning industry. Thus the primary objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which the four predetermined independent variables; namely, two-way communication, ethical responsibility, clients’ financial knowledge and commission fees can possibly influence the intervening variable customer satisfaction and ultimately the dependent variable customer retention in the financial planning industry. An empirical investigation was undertaken to establish whether the independent variables; namely, two-way communication, ethical responsibility, clients’ financial knowledge and commission fees can possibly influence customer satisfaction and ultimately customer retention in the financial planning industry. A positivistic research paradigm was followed for this study. Quantitative data was gathered by distributing questionnaires to a sample of financial planning clients. The sample size consisted of 250 financial planning clients in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area. A response rate of 76.40 percent was achieved. The usable questionnaires were statistically analysed using the computer programmes Microsoft Excel and Statistica Version 10. The validity of the study was confirmed by utilising EFA. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated to confirm the reliability and the internal consistency of the measurement instrument of this study. Data was analysed in four phases. Descriptive statistics were calculated for this study. The validity of the measuring instrument was tested by performing EFA to consider construct validity. Thereafter the internal reliability of the data was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficients and multiple regression calculations were calculated and discussed. Through multiple regression calculations, the factors that emerged were used to analyse the relationships predicted by the five hypotheses. Finally t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were conducted and discussed. The empirical investigation revealed that significant relationships exist between the independent variables two-way communication, ethical responsibility, commission fees and the intervening variable customer satisfaction as well as the dependent variable customer retention. The empirical investigation revealed that if a financial planner communicates financial information accurately and understandably to clients while acting in an ethical manner, clients are likely to be satisfied with the products/services of the financial planner and be retained by the financial planner. This study established and confirmed the significant positive relationship that exists between customer satisfaction and customer retention in the financial planning industry. Recommendations have been provided based on the main empirical findings. All financial planners in South Africa, including all the regulatory bodies, will benefit from the empirical findings as well as the recommendations of this study on how to improve customer satisfaction and customer retention which will ultimately increase service delivery of financial planners in the financial planning industry.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Dippenaar, Hendrik
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Consumer satisfaction , Financial planning industry
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:9323 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020809
- Description: As financial planners operate in a competitive business environment, it is important to identify how financial planners can apply relevant industry aspects to positively influence their customer satisfaction and customer retention levels. Although models of customer satisfaction and subsequently customer retention have been well researched for consumer products and services, there has been limited research in regards to financial planning. Previous research in the financial planning industry focussed on specific elements of financial planner-client relationships, for example trust, integrity and ethics. This research study reviews existing literature on customer satisfaction and customer retention, as relevant to the financial planning industry. Thus the primary objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which the four predetermined independent variables; namely, two-way communication, ethical responsibility, clients’ financial knowledge and commission fees can possibly influence the intervening variable customer satisfaction and ultimately the dependent variable customer retention in the financial planning industry. An empirical investigation was undertaken to establish whether the independent variables; namely, two-way communication, ethical responsibility, clients’ financial knowledge and commission fees can possibly influence customer satisfaction and ultimately customer retention in the financial planning industry. A positivistic research paradigm was followed for this study. Quantitative data was gathered by distributing questionnaires to a sample of financial planning clients. The sample size consisted of 250 financial planning clients in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan area. A response rate of 76.40 percent was achieved. The usable questionnaires were statistically analysed using the computer programmes Microsoft Excel and Statistica Version 10. The validity of the study was confirmed by utilising EFA. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated to confirm the reliability and the internal consistency of the measurement instrument of this study. Data was analysed in four phases. Descriptive statistics were calculated for this study. The validity of the measuring instrument was tested by performing EFA to consider construct validity. Thereafter the internal reliability of the data was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficients and multiple regression calculations were calculated and discussed. Through multiple regression calculations, the factors that emerged were used to analyse the relationships predicted by the five hypotheses. Finally t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were conducted and discussed. The empirical investigation revealed that significant relationships exist between the independent variables two-way communication, ethical responsibility, commission fees and the intervening variable customer satisfaction as well as the dependent variable customer retention. The empirical investigation revealed that if a financial planner communicates financial information accurately and understandably to clients while acting in an ethical manner, clients are likely to be satisfied with the products/services of the financial planner and be retained by the financial planner. This study established and confirmed the significant positive relationship that exists between customer satisfaction and customer retention in the financial planning industry. Recommendations have been provided based on the main empirical findings. All financial planners in South Africa, including all the regulatory bodies, will benefit from the empirical findings as well as the recommendations of this study on how to improve customer satisfaction and customer retention which will ultimately increase service delivery of financial planners in the financial planning industry.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Factors influencing the procurement process in the supply chain management of the Eastern Cape Provincial Planning and Treasury
- Pharoe, Dieketseng Albertina
- Authors: Pharoe, Dieketseng Albertina
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Industrial procurement -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Process control , Business logistics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Materials management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/47858 , vital:40390
- Description: The study focused on the factors influencing the procurement processes in the Supply Chain Management. The empirical part of the study was conducted at the Eastern Cape Provincial Planning and Treasury at Bhisho. The Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the organisation’s identification, acquisition, access, positioning and management of resources in order to attain its objectives. Supply Chain Management System is the South African reform process that the South African Government developed, for sound management of procurement activities within government. Section 195 (1) of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996), sets out the basic values and principles governing public administration which include a high standard of professionalism, efficiency, economic and effective use of resources, and promoting transparency at all times. Section 217 (1) of the Constitution further states that when an organ of state contracts for goods and/or services it must do so in accordance with the system which is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost effective. Treasury Regulation 16A.6 on the procurement of goods and services provides that procurement either by way of quotations or through competitive bidding processes must be within the thresholds as determined by the National Treasury, and in the case of procurement through bidding processes, the SCM system must provide for the establishment, composition and functioning of Bid Specification, Evaluation and Adjudication Committees. The departmental processes were measured against the applicable prescripts and the study revealed that the departmental processes were in line with the applicable legislation. Areas of concerns were however raised where the department needs to come up with innovative ways to implement the procurement processes to be economical and also to train the officials involved in procurement.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Pharoe, Dieketseng Albertina
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Industrial procurement -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Process control , Business logistics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Materials management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/47858 , vital:40390
- Description: The study focused on the factors influencing the procurement processes in the Supply Chain Management. The empirical part of the study was conducted at the Eastern Cape Provincial Planning and Treasury at Bhisho. The Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the organisation’s identification, acquisition, access, positioning and management of resources in order to attain its objectives. Supply Chain Management System is the South African reform process that the South African Government developed, for sound management of procurement activities within government. Section 195 (1) of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996), sets out the basic values and principles governing public administration which include a high standard of professionalism, efficiency, economic and effective use of resources, and promoting transparency at all times. Section 217 (1) of the Constitution further states that when an organ of state contracts for goods and/or services it must do so in accordance with the system which is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost effective. Treasury Regulation 16A.6 on the procurement of goods and services provides that procurement either by way of quotations or through competitive bidding processes must be within the thresholds as determined by the National Treasury, and in the case of procurement through bidding processes, the SCM system must provide for the establishment, composition and functioning of Bid Specification, Evaluation and Adjudication Committees. The departmental processes were measured against the applicable prescripts and the study revealed that the departmental processes were in line with the applicable legislation. Areas of concerns were however raised where the department needs to come up with innovative ways to implement the procurement processes to be economical and also to train the officials involved in procurement.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013