Quality of life in Grahamstown, East London and Mdantsane: preliminary result
- Helliker, Kirk D, Bekker, Simon, Lambie, Eileen
- Authors: Helliker, Kirk D , Bekker, Simon , Lambie, Eileen
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144756 , vital:38376 , DOI: 10.1080/02580144.1981.10428933
- Description: A quality of life survey amongst residents of three Eastern Cape towns, viz. Grahamstown, East London, and Mdantsane, shows that the attitudes to home and neighbourhood which urban residents in the Eastern Cape develop, are fashioned in large part by both the residential “group area” in which these urban dwellers live, and by their socio-economic status. White residents, overwhelmingly, are satisfied with their diets, their municipality, their homes. They feel safe in their homes and are satisfied that police protection is available if needed. For black residents fear of poverty and unemployment, of physical violence, and dissatisfaction with an inadequate diet is widespread. Indian and coloured urban residents who are generally perceived as minorities in Grahamstown and East London, occupy an intermediate position. Their residential areas are sited close to predominantly low income black residential areas. Higher income Indian and coloured households show lower rates of dissatisfaction with diet, housing, and municipal services than the black community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Helliker, Kirk D , Bekker, Simon , Lambie, Eileen
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144756 , vital:38376 , DOI: 10.1080/02580144.1981.10428933
- Description: A quality of life survey amongst residents of three Eastern Cape towns, viz. Grahamstown, East London, and Mdantsane, shows that the attitudes to home and neighbourhood which urban residents in the Eastern Cape develop, are fashioned in large part by both the residential “group area” in which these urban dwellers live, and by their socio-economic status. White residents, overwhelmingly, are satisfied with their diets, their municipality, their homes. They feel safe in their homes and are satisfied that police protection is available if needed. For black residents fear of poverty and unemployment, of physical violence, and dissatisfaction with an inadequate diet is widespread. Indian and coloured urban residents who are generally perceived as minorities in Grahamstown and East London, occupy an intermediate position. Their residential areas are sited close to predominantly low income black residential areas. Higher income Indian and coloured households show lower rates of dissatisfaction with diet, housing, and municipal services than the black community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An examination of health care financing models : lessons for South Africa
- Authors: Vambe, Adelaide Kudakwashe
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: National health insurance -- South Africa , Medical care -- South Africa , Public health administration -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9032 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021110
- Description: South Africa possesses a highly fragmented health system with wide disparities in health spending and inequitable distribution of both health care professionals and resources. The national health system (NHI) of South Africa consists of a large public sector and small private sectors which are overused and under resourced and a smaller private sector which is underused and over resourced. In broad terms, the NHI promises a health care system in which everyone, regardless of income level, can access decent health services at a cost that is affordable to them and to the country as a whole. The relevance of this study is to contribute to the NHI debate while simultaneously providing insights from other countries which have implemented national health care systems. As such, the South African government can then appropriately implement as well as finance the new NHI system specific to South Africa’s current socio-economic status. The objective of this study was to examine health care financing models in different countries in order to draw lessons for South Africa when implementing the NHI. A case study was conducted by examining ten countries with a national health insurance system, in order to evaluate the health financing models in each country. The following specific objectives are pursued: firstly, to review the current health management system and the policy proposed for NHI; secondly, to examine health financing models in a selected number of countries around the world and lastly to draw lessons to inform the South African NHI policy debate. The main findings were firstly, wealthier nations tend to have a much healthier population; this is the result of these developed countries investing significantly in their public health sectors. Secondly, the governments in developing nations allocate a smaller percentage of their GDP and government expenditure on health care. Lastly, South Africa is classified as an upper middle income developing country; however, the health status of South Africans mirrors that of countries which perform worse than South Africa on health matters. In other words the health care in South Africa is not operating at the standard it should be given the resources South Africa possesses. The cause of this may be attributed to South Africa being stuck in what is referred to as the “middle income trap” amongst other reasons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Vambe, Adelaide Kudakwashe
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: National health insurance -- South Africa , Medical care -- South Africa , Public health administration -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9032 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021110
- Description: South Africa possesses a highly fragmented health system with wide disparities in health spending and inequitable distribution of both health care professionals and resources. The national health system (NHI) of South Africa consists of a large public sector and small private sectors which are overused and under resourced and a smaller private sector which is underused and over resourced. In broad terms, the NHI promises a health care system in which everyone, regardless of income level, can access decent health services at a cost that is affordable to them and to the country as a whole. The relevance of this study is to contribute to the NHI debate while simultaneously providing insights from other countries which have implemented national health care systems. As such, the South African government can then appropriately implement as well as finance the new NHI system specific to South Africa’s current socio-economic status. The objective of this study was to examine health care financing models in different countries in order to draw lessons for South Africa when implementing the NHI. A case study was conducted by examining ten countries with a national health insurance system, in order to evaluate the health financing models in each country. The following specific objectives are pursued: firstly, to review the current health management system and the policy proposed for NHI; secondly, to examine health financing models in a selected number of countries around the world and lastly to draw lessons to inform the South African NHI policy debate. The main findings were firstly, wealthier nations tend to have a much healthier population; this is the result of these developed countries investing significantly in their public health sectors. Secondly, the governments in developing nations allocate a smaller percentage of their GDP and government expenditure on health care. Lastly, South Africa is classified as an upper middle income developing country; however, the health status of South Africans mirrors that of countries which perform worse than South Africa on health matters. In other words the health care in South Africa is not operating at the standard it should be given the resources South Africa possesses. The cause of this may be attributed to South Africa being stuck in what is referred to as the “middle income trap” amongst other reasons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Conveniencing the family in agri-based processing enterprise : a grounded theory study of strategic leaders' cultural assumptions and strategising activities
- Authors: Kanyangale, Macdonald Isaac
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Small business -- Malawi -- Management Agriculture -- Malawi -- Business management Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- Malawi Grounded theory -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1181 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002798
- Description: As leaders of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), strategic leaders are responsible for strategising, the approach to which is influenced by their cultural paradigm. The effects of this strategising are manifested in the day-to-day activities of these leaders. This study aims to build an understanding of the shared cultural assumptions of strategic leaders in agri-based processing SMEs and how these assumptions affect the strategising activities that are adopted when addressing critical incidents related to the internal integration and external adaptation of the SME. Using Strauss and Corbin‟s (1990) grounded theory method, this study develops a theory titled Conveniencing the Family in Business, which is induced from critical incidents. A sample of critical incidents was gathered from 44 qualitative interviews conducted with strategic leaders of various agri-based processing SMEs operating in Malawi. This study found that strategic leaders display persistent and stable pragmatic business survival mind sets, but dynamic cultural assumptions about relationships with organisation members. The cultural influence of these assumptions is manifested in two distinctive and alternative processes making up the theory of conveniencing the family in business. These are the humanising and commodifying of relationships with organisation members, and they are evident in hostile and friendly business environments, respectively. Humanising of relationships with all members of the organisation builds and capitalises on inclusive, organisation-wide social capital that secures the future of the business. On the other hand, commodifying of relationships with non-family organisation members weakens collective support, which becomes mainly dependent on family and friendship ties. Thus, commodifying of relationships serves to perpetuate the close integration of business activity and family requirements to ultimately convenience the family in business, and represents the desired modus operandi of strategic leaders. As strategic leaders of SMEs have not yet conceptualised this, providing them with the conceptual theory developed here may be helpful towards a consistent re-orientation of the internal organisational support in a way that does not exclude but rather harnesses the wider solidarity of organisation members. The process explained by this theory is iterative, dynamic and distinguishes patterns of relationships amongst organisation members, which either enhances or compromises their collective support for the leaders and the enterprise. This by implication affects the performance of the enterprise. The results of this study are discussed from the perspective of social exchange and social capital theory, thereby contributing to the understanding of the strategising activities of strategic leaders, as well as the processes of building or destroying social capital in this type of enterprise.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Kanyangale, Macdonald Isaac
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Small business -- Malawi -- Management Agriculture -- Malawi -- Business management Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- Malawi Grounded theory -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1181 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002798
- Description: As leaders of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), strategic leaders are responsible for strategising, the approach to which is influenced by their cultural paradigm. The effects of this strategising are manifested in the day-to-day activities of these leaders. This study aims to build an understanding of the shared cultural assumptions of strategic leaders in agri-based processing SMEs and how these assumptions affect the strategising activities that are adopted when addressing critical incidents related to the internal integration and external adaptation of the SME. Using Strauss and Corbin‟s (1990) grounded theory method, this study develops a theory titled Conveniencing the Family in Business, which is induced from critical incidents. A sample of critical incidents was gathered from 44 qualitative interviews conducted with strategic leaders of various agri-based processing SMEs operating in Malawi. This study found that strategic leaders display persistent and stable pragmatic business survival mind sets, but dynamic cultural assumptions about relationships with organisation members. The cultural influence of these assumptions is manifested in two distinctive and alternative processes making up the theory of conveniencing the family in business. These are the humanising and commodifying of relationships with organisation members, and they are evident in hostile and friendly business environments, respectively. Humanising of relationships with all members of the organisation builds and capitalises on inclusive, organisation-wide social capital that secures the future of the business. On the other hand, commodifying of relationships with non-family organisation members weakens collective support, which becomes mainly dependent on family and friendship ties. Thus, commodifying of relationships serves to perpetuate the close integration of business activity and family requirements to ultimately convenience the family in business, and represents the desired modus operandi of strategic leaders. As strategic leaders of SMEs have not yet conceptualised this, providing them with the conceptual theory developed here may be helpful towards a consistent re-orientation of the internal organisational support in a way that does not exclude but rather harnesses the wider solidarity of organisation members. The process explained by this theory is iterative, dynamic and distinguishes patterns of relationships amongst organisation members, which either enhances or compromises their collective support for the leaders and the enterprise. This by implication affects the performance of the enterprise. The results of this study are discussed from the perspective of social exchange and social capital theory, thereby contributing to the understanding of the strategising activities of strategic leaders, as well as the processes of building or destroying social capital in this type of enterprise.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Carriage of goods by sea - from Hague to Rotterdam: safer waters
- Authors: Metuge, Denning N
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: International trade , Transportation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: vital:10235 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011561 , International trade , Transportation
- Description: The back bone of international trade has always been international transport. Without good transport networks, the movement of goods and services from one frontier to another would be an uphill task, and would greatly hinder development in international trade. The impact of such poor transport networks would reflect negatively on economies that rely on international trade for the growth of their nations. Nevertheless, perfect transport networks would be useless if the performance of the business of carriage was not regulated by a law developed to meet the standards established by time, and that would regulate the relationship of the parties under contracts of carriage, mainly the carrier, consignor and consignee, so as to ensure certainty and equality in the allocation of risks between the parties thereunder. This research focuses on the carriage of goods by sea. Like most other modes of transport, one of the major issues that arises in the business of carriage of goods by sea is the conflict between the carrier, consignor and consignee, with regards to the allocation of risk in the carriage. Over the years, early rules that were developed to regulate the relationship of the parties under contracts of carriage of goods by sea placed the carrier in a dominant position over the consignor. The carrier issued a standard bill of lading which exempted him from almost all liability for damage or loss of the goods in his care. The consignors and bona fide third parties, not satisfied with the terms of carriage contracts brought a lot of pressure to bear on their governments to enact legislation protecting their interests in the transaction. The United States of America were the first to pass such national law revising the position of the parties under contracts of carriage. In 1893 the United States of America passed the Harter Act. This Act aimed at imposing limits of liability on the carrier to which no derogation could be brought. However, this was a dangerous precedence which was going to hinder international trade rather than improve on it, as different nations developing local legislation on carriage meant conflict of laws. In order to avoid the extensive nationalisation of carriage laws, the international maritime community set to develop rules that would regulate carriage by sea. Over the years convention has succeeded convention such that today four international regimes (The Hague Rules, Hague-Visby Rules, Hamburg Rules and Rotterdam Rules), exist regulating carriage of goods by sea. This research takes an in-depth look at these regimes that were developed to regulate carriage by sea, and the author aims to identify a particular regime that meets the standards of modern day practice of carriage of goods, and advocate for the ratification of this regime, to the exclusion of all others so as to foster uniformity, certainty and equality in the business of carriage of goods by sea.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Metuge, Denning N
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: International trade , Transportation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: vital:10235 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011561 , International trade , Transportation
- Description: The back bone of international trade has always been international transport. Without good transport networks, the movement of goods and services from one frontier to another would be an uphill task, and would greatly hinder development in international trade. The impact of such poor transport networks would reflect negatively on economies that rely on international trade for the growth of their nations. Nevertheless, perfect transport networks would be useless if the performance of the business of carriage was not regulated by a law developed to meet the standards established by time, and that would regulate the relationship of the parties under contracts of carriage, mainly the carrier, consignor and consignee, so as to ensure certainty and equality in the allocation of risks between the parties thereunder. This research focuses on the carriage of goods by sea. Like most other modes of transport, one of the major issues that arises in the business of carriage of goods by sea is the conflict between the carrier, consignor and consignee, with regards to the allocation of risk in the carriage. Over the years, early rules that were developed to regulate the relationship of the parties under contracts of carriage of goods by sea placed the carrier in a dominant position over the consignor. The carrier issued a standard bill of lading which exempted him from almost all liability for damage or loss of the goods in his care. The consignors and bona fide third parties, not satisfied with the terms of carriage contracts brought a lot of pressure to bear on their governments to enact legislation protecting their interests in the transaction. The United States of America were the first to pass such national law revising the position of the parties under contracts of carriage. In 1893 the United States of America passed the Harter Act. This Act aimed at imposing limits of liability on the carrier to which no derogation could be brought. However, this was a dangerous precedence which was going to hinder international trade rather than improve on it, as different nations developing local legislation on carriage meant conflict of laws. In order to avoid the extensive nationalisation of carriage laws, the international maritime community set to develop rules that would regulate carriage by sea. Over the years convention has succeeded convention such that today four international regimes (The Hague Rules, Hague-Visby Rules, Hamburg Rules and Rotterdam Rules), exist regulating carriage of goods by sea. This research takes an in-depth look at these regimes that were developed to regulate carriage by sea, and the author aims to identify a particular regime that meets the standards of modern day practice of carriage of goods, and advocate for the ratification of this regime, to the exclusion of all others so as to foster uniformity, certainty and equality in the business of carriage of goods by sea.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Measuring the competitiveness of small, medium and micro enterprice contractors through the use of the register of contractors
- Gasa, Zanele Bridgette Nompumelelo
- Authors: Gasa, Zanele Bridgette Nompumelelo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Construction industry -- South Africa , Construction contracts -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9699 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1014325
- Description: This research focuses on and summarises the methodology followed to demonstrate that the South African construction industry can use the Construction Registers Service, in particular the Register of Contractors, as a tool to measure the competitiveness of Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs). The Register of Contractors (RoC) was developed by the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) in terms of the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) Act 38 of 2000. As a tool, it was designed to offer a basis for sustainable constructor development, growth, improved delivery, performance and sustainable empowerment. It was also developed to be used by the construction industry to, inter alia, and provide statistical data which would enable the construction industry to better understand the contracting capacity in South Africa. Beyond providing the statistical data, the register of contractors was meant to be enhanced with functionalities that would measure the growth and performance of contractors as they apply business practices that improve their value offering to the construction industry as a whole. This research looks at how this tool can be used by the construction industry to measure the competitiveness of the contractors within the selected grades, with the intent of demonstrating the overall value of the RoC as a tool. The research undertaken looks at how the use of the RoC can measure the competitiveness of a targeted group of small contractors. The research limits itself to the entry levels of contractors registered with the cidb between grades 2 and 5 with a view to establish a benchmark for contractor competitiveness within those bands. The research further proves the correlation between contractor capability and the ‘ability’ to be competitive in growing their value proposition and businesses. The unit of study for the purposes of this research is at firm level drawing from a reflection on who is an active participant in the South African construction industry particularly as it pertains to the smaller contractors within the targeted group elucidated above. The focus of the research is on the efficacy of the RoC as a tool that identifies the areas needing targeted development to support SMMEs and the subsequent demonstration of improved business processes within that sector. The qualitative research methodology was followed through this study as its nature was such that there was no requirement to rely only entirely on statistics or numbers due to the articulated problem there needed to be a qualitative enquiry into data needed which would adequately land to a significant synthesis on the responses and arrive at suitable solutions to the identified problem. The qualitative research methodology followed by this study was used to gain insight into the construction SMMEs’ attitudes towards the sector within which they trade, their behaviours, their value systems [to the extent where this was possible], their concerns, their motivations and aspirations. All of these, the study concluded that they inform the business decisions which the SMMEs make. How structured information was collected and analysed provided a synthesis of themes and aided in extracting meaning. The main findings of the research were that there is no shared understanding within the local construction industry of what contractor competitiveness is and to what extent it would benefit both the industry and the SMME sector. As a result of this competitiveness could not be measured and there was no clarity as to what tools of measure could be used to forecast the capabilities of the industry. This research was focused on exploring how the RoC can be used to measure improved capability and competitiveness on the part of SMME contractors. The implications of these findings are that there would now be improved and measurable competitiveness allowing the contractors to bid for work both within their provincial regions but also outside of their geographical location and to measure their growth as they achieve higher grading statuses within the register of contractors (RoC). The efficacy of contractor development programmes would also improve as they go beyond enhancing contractor capacity but also include competence improvements, training for business acumen, improved capability and innovation. The conclusion is that South Africa’s construction industry could achieve sustainable development and growth as a result of SMME contractors whose competitiveness would have been measured through the use of the RoC tool. The main recommendation is that there be a clear understanding of competitiveness and what its benefits to the South African construction industry are whilst at the same time the RoC is acknowledged as the tool embedded with functionalities able to measure this competitiveness amongst graded contractors. The RoC would allow construction clients to not only measure contractor competitiveness but also that they may have an improved ability to measure the direct impacts of contractor development interventions. , Lolucubungulo lugxile ekubhekeni izimo ezinqala ngaphakathi komkhakha wezokwakha. Lubuka igalelo losonkontilaka abasebancane kulomkhakha ekuzithuthukiseni kanti futhi nemizamo eyenziwe uHulumeni endimeni edlalwe uhlu olushicilwelwe iBhodi yomkhakha wezokwakha (i-cidb). Umbhali walolucubungulo ukholelwa ekutheni loluhlu lungasetshenziswa hhayi kuphela ekuthuthikiseni ononkontilaka kodwa futhi ekwenzeni ukuthi bakhule kulo lona loluhlu baze bakwazi ukuthola amathuba angcono emisebenzi. Uhlu ekukhulunywa ngalo lapha lwashicilelwa i-cidb ngomgomo womthetho kaHulumeni we-Act 38 of 2000. Luyithuluzi elenzelwe ukuba likhulise umkhakha wezokwakha, lithuthukise osomabhizinisi abasebancane, likhuthaze imigomo efanelekile ekwakheni (improved delivery). Enye injongo yokushicilela lelithuluzi kwakuwukwenzela ukuthi kwaziwe inani labo osonkontilaka, ubulili babo nokuthi bagxile-phi ngokwezindawo zokusebenza. Konke loku kwakufanele ukuze uHulumeni kanye nabanye abaqashi bazi ukuthi uma kusikelwana ngemisebenzi bangaki na ononkontilaka abazokwazi ukufeza izidingo zemiphakathi esiphila kuyo? Lolucubungulo luzobheka ithuluzi elasungulwa umkhakha wokwakha ekutheni lingakwazi na ukudlondlobalisa osonkontilaka abasafufusa phakathi kwalemikhakha (grades) ababekwe kuyo? Kuzobhekwa futhi ubugugu balo lona lelithuluzi. Akuzoqxilwa kubo bonke osonkontilaka, kodwa kulabo abasabancane ngokwamabhizinisi abo ababekwe emazingeni kusukela ku-2 kuya ku-5 ngokoshicilelo le-cidb. Kuzobhekwa amakhono abo labosonkontilaka, kubhekwe futhi izinkomba ezingabadlondlobalisa ngokwamabhizinisi. Okunye okuhloswe yilolucubungulo ukubheka ukuthi umkhakha wezokwakha uyakwazi na ukukhiqiza amathuba anele isikhathi eside kwenzelwa osonkotilaka belu nokuthi uyakwazi na ukuqhubeka wakhe amathuba azokhuthaza ukukhula kwabo. Ekugcineni okufanele kufezwe yilolucubungulo wukuthi uhlu olushicilelwe losonkontilaka lungasiza ekukhuthazeni udlondlobalo losonkontilaka abancane.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Gasa, Zanele Bridgette Nompumelelo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Construction industry -- South Africa , Construction contracts -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9699 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1014325
- Description: This research focuses on and summarises the methodology followed to demonstrate that the South African construction industry can use the Construction Registers Service, in particular the Register of Contractors, as a tool to measure the competitiveness of Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs). The Register of Contractors (RoC) was developed by the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) in terms of the Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) Act 38 of 2000. As a tool, it was designed to offer a basis for sustainable constructor development, growth, improved delivery, performance and sustainable empowerment. It was also developed to be used by the construction industry to, inter alia, and provide statistical data which would enable the construction industry to better understand the contracting capacity in South Africa. Beyond providing the statistical data, the register of contractors was meant to be enhanced with functionalities that would measure the growth and performance of contractors as they apply business practices that improve their value offering to the construction industry as a whole. This research looks at how this tool can be used by the construction industry to measure the competitiveness of the contractors within the selected grades, with the intent of demonstrating the overall value of the RoC as a tool. The research undertaken looks at how the use of the RoC can measure the competitiveness of a targeted group of small contractors. The research limits itself to the entry levels of contractors registered with the cidb between grades 2 and 5 with a view to establish a benchmark for contractor competitiveness within those bands. The research further proves the correlation between contractor capability and the ‘ability’ to be competitive in growing their value proposition and businesses. The unit of study for the purposes of this research is at firm level drawing from a reflection on who is an active participant in the South African construction industry particularly as it pertains to the smaller contractors within the targeted group elucidated above. The focus of the research is on the efficacy of the RoC as a tool that identifies the areas needing targeted development to support SMMEs and the subsequent demonstration of improved business processes within that sector. The qualitative research methodology was followed through this study as its nature was such that there was no requirement to rely only entirely on statistics or numbers due to the articulated problem there needed to be a qualitative enquiry into data needed which would adequately land to a significant synthesis on the responses and arrive at suitable solutions to the identified problem. The qualitative research methodology followed by this study was used to gain insight into the construction SMMEs’ attitudes towards the sector within which they trade, their behaviours, their value systems [to the extent where this was possible], their concerns, their motivations and aspirations. All of these, the study concluded that they inform the business decisions which the SMMEs make. How structured information was collected and analysed provided a synthesis of themes and aided in extracting meaning. The main findings of the research were that there is no shared understanding within the local construction industry of what contractor competitiveness is and to what extent it would benefit both the industry and the SMME sector. As a result of this competitiveness could not be measured and there was no clarity as to what tools of measure could be used to forecast the capabilities of the industry. This research was focused on exploring how the RoC can be used to measure improved capability and competitiveness on the part of SMME contractors. The implications of these findings are that there would now be improved and measurable competitiveness allowing the contractors to bid for work both within their provincial regions but also outside of their geographical location and to measure their growth as they achieve higher grading statuses within the register of contractors (RoC). The efficacy of contractor development programmes would also improve as they go beyond enhancing contractor capacity but also include competence improvements, training for business acumen, improved capability and innovation. The conclusion is that South Africa’s construction industry could achieve sustainable development and growth as a result of SMME contractors whose competitiveness would have been measured through the use of the RoC tool. The main recommendation is that there be a clear understanding of competitiveness and what its benefits to the South African construction industry are whilst at the same time the RoC is acknowledged as the tool embedded with functionalities able to measure this competitiveness amongst graded contractors. The RoC would allow construction clients to not only measure contractor competitiveness but also that they may have an improved ability to measure the direct impacts of contractor development interventions. , Lolucubungulo lugxile ekubhekeni izimo ezinqala ngaphakathi komkhakha wezokwakha. Lubuka igalelo losonkontilaka abasebancane kulomkhakha ekuzithuthukiseni kanti futhi nemizamo eyenziwe uHulumeni endimeni edlalwe uhlu olushicilwelwe iBhodi yomkhakha wezokwakha (i-cidb). Umbhali walolucubungulo ukholelwa ekutheni loluhlu lungasetshenziswa hhayi kuphela ekuthuthikiseni ononkontilaka kodwa futhi ekwenzeni ukuthi bakhule kulo lona loluhlu baze bakwazi ukuthola amathuba angcono emisebenzi. Uhlu ekukhulunywa ngalo lapha lwashicilelwa i-cidb ngomgomo womthetho kaHulumeni we-Act 38 of 2000. Luyithuluzi elenzelwe ukuba likhulise umkhakha wezokwakha, lithuthukise osomabhizinisi abasebancane, likhuthaze imigomo efanelekile ekwakheni (improved delivery). Enye injongo yokushicilela lelithuluzi kwakuwukwenzela ukuthi kwaziwe inani labo osonkontilaka, ubulili babo nokuthi bagxile-phi ngokwezindawo zokusebenza. Konke loku kwakufanele ukuze uHulumeni kanye nabanye abaqashi bazi ukuthi uma kusikelwana ngemisebenzi bangaki na ononkontilaka abazokwazi ukufeza izidingo zemiphakathi esiphila kuyo? Lolucubungulo luzobheka ithuluzi elasungulwa umkhakha wokwakha ekutheni lingakwazi na ukudlondlobalisa osonkontilaka abasafufusa phakathi kwalemikhakha (grades) ababekwe kuyo? Kuzobhekwa futhi ubugugu balo lona lelithuluzi. Akuzoqxilwa kubo bonke osonkontilaka, kodwa kulabo abasabancane ngokwamabhizinisi abo ababekwe emazingeni kusukela ku-2 kuya ku-5 ngokoshicilelo le-cidb. Kuzobhekwa amakhono abo labosonkontilaka, kubhekwe futhi izinkomba ezingabadlondlobalisa ngokwamabhizinisi. Okunye okuhloswe yilolucubungulo ukubheka ukuthi umkhakha wezokwakha uyakwazi na ukukhiqiza amathuba anele isikhathi eside kwenzelwa osonkotilaka belu nokuthi uyakwazi na ukuqhubeka wakhe amathuba azokhuthaza ukukhula kwabo. Ekugcineni okufanele kufezwe yilolucubungulo wukuthi uhlu olushicilelwe losonkontilaka lungasiza ekukhuthazeni udlondlobalo losonkontilaka abancane.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Rural livelihood diversification in semi-arid districts of Zimbabwe : an analysis of Muzarabani, Gokwe and Mwenezi districts
- Authors: Musevenzi, Julius
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Rural poor -- Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe -- Rural conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9149 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018922
- Description: This study focuses on rural livelihood diversification and improvement in dry districts of Zimbabwe during the period from 2000 to 2010. It establishes and documents livelihood activities and interventions in three semi-arid districts in Zimbabwe, analyses evidence for rural livelihood diversification and improvement and related challenges, and analyses institutional and policy issues that determine rural livelihood development in the politically charged period from 2000 to 2010. Rural livelihood diversification and improvement is not a recent phenomenon. For years, rural people have diversified their livelihoods for different economic reasons. Despite several studies on rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe, no similar studies have been done to determine the types of livelihood diversification that occur in a politically charged environment and whether they improve people‟s livelihoods. The study was guided by both the sustainable livelihoods framework and the actor oriented approach. Qualitative methodology was used for the overall data collection. Firstly data was collected „from the top‟ through in-depth interviews with officials from government institutions, non-governmental organisations and community leadership structures. Secondly data was collected „from the bottom up‟ through selected participatory methods in study areas. The overall study findings show that despite having increased livelihood interventions in all semi-arid areas, the politically fraught atmosphere constrained livelihood improvement and poverty remained. Although evidence for livelihood diversification is undisputed in the study, the extent to which it contributed to livelihood improvement was limited. The extended period of political constraint reversed some of the livelihood improvement gains recorded by external interventions. As most of the support was targeted at addressing the immediate food needs of the poor in semi-arid districts, this affected the number of long-term interventions targeted at sustainable livelihood development. The study found that the changing policies and institutional arrangements constrained and limited the potential of some of the livelihood strategies adopted during the period under study and as a result most livelihood activities were limited to survival strategies. The study shows that despite a decline in agricultural production during the period under study, it remained the major livelihood activity. Agricultural activities such as cotton and maize production and livestock rearing experienced a decline, but were partially revived through external support from both the government and nongovernmental organisations. Agriculture as a livelihood activity largely benefited from external interventions that rehabilitated irrigation infrastructure and the provision of agricultural inputs during the period. However, despite the dominance of agriculture as a livelihood activity in semi-arid areas non-farm livelihood activities, both locally initiated and externally fostered, played a significant role in supporting rural livelihoods. Poaching and wild fruit harvesting provided food for immediate consumption, whilst gold and diamond panning, wood carving and the commercialisation of non-timber forest products generated cash income for rural livelihoods. Non-farm external livelihood interventions identified resulted in a number of rural livelihood development models important for future rural development. These models were developed around the commercialisation of non-timber forest products for cash income generation, rural human capital development through vocational skills training and rural small livestock asset development. Human capital resulted in the development of rural industry in the form of community based enterprises. Indirectly it also contributed to migrant labour that sent cash and goods back home. The study shows that it is evident that in a politically charged environment livelihood diversification has a range of positive effects. The re-emergence of the barter exchange economy in rural communities contributed to livelihood diversification although sustainability was limited. It is also possible for both barter exchange and the cash market to co-exist in a politically charged environment. The study also shows that traditional leadership and local authorities in study areas became more politicised and militarised and this diverted them from facilitating and supporting rural development and inhibited rural livelihood development efforts by different rural players. The study found that rural livelihoods are not static, and they adapted as best they could in the face of exogenous trends and shocks. Rural areas underwent deep transformations as a result of political dynamics, local livelihood initiatives and external livelihood support. Rural livelihoods changed as rural people devised combined livelihood strategies that went beyond farming. However, in contrast to the widely accepted argument that diversification plays an important role in poverty alleviation, this was clearly not the case in Zimbabwe‟s politically charged environment. This study contributes to the development debate with a case study on the type and extent of livelihood diversification strategies possible in a politically charged environment. Methodologically the study contributes to the possible application of a dual data collection system where data is collected from the top using different methods from those used to collect data from the bottom. This enriched the data at triangulation phase during analysis. The study also contributes to the understanding of the political economy, the type of rural livelihood development possible in politically charged environments, and to how rural people in Zimbabwe react and behave in an endeavour to survive. There was an increased role played by external interventions in livelihood diversification but the extent of their contribution to positive livelihood outcomes was constrained by the politically charged environment that prompted the interventions in the first place. The normal processes of policy development and implementation changed as the role of politicians in planning and implementation became evident and policy aims shifted from rural development to political party self-preservation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Musevenzi, Julius
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Rural development -- Zimbabwe , Rural poor -- Zimbabwe , Zimbabwe -- Rural conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9149 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018922
- Description: This study focuses on rural livelihood diversification and improvement in dry districts of Zimbabwe during the period from 2000 to 2010. It establishes and documents livelihood activities and interventions in three semi-arid districts in Zimbabwe, analyses evidence for rural livelihood diversification and improvement and related challenges, and analyses institutional and policy issues that determine rural livelihood development in the politically charged period from 2000 to 2010. Rural livelihood diversification and improvement is not a recent phenomenon. For years, rural people have diversified their livelihoods for different economic reasons. Despite several studies on rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe, no similar studies have been done to determine the types of livelihood diversification that occur in a politically charged environment and whether they improve people‟s livelihoods. The study was guided by both the sustainable livelihoods framework and the actor oriented approach. Qualitative methodology was used for the overall data collection. Firstly data was collected „from the top‟ through in-depth interviews with officials from government institutions, non-governmental organisations and community leadership structures. Secondly data was collected „from the bottom up‟ through selected participatory methods in study areas. The overall study findings show that despite having increased livelihood interventions in all semi-arid areas, the politically fraught atmosphere constrained livelihood improvement and poverty remained. Although evidence for livelihood diversification is undisputed in the study, the extent to which it contributed to livelihood improvement was limited. The extended period of political constraint reversed some of the livelihood improvement gains recorded by external interventions. As most of the support was targeted at addressing the immediate food needs of the poor in semi-arid districts, this affected the number of long-term interventions targeted at sustainable livelihood development. The study found that the changing policies and institutional arrangements constrained and limited the potential of some of the livelihood strategies adopted during the period under study and as a result most livelihood activities were limited to survival strategies. The study shows that despite a decline in agricultural production during the period under study, it remained the major livelihood activity. Agricultural activities such as cotton and maize production and livestock rearing experienced a decline, but were partially revived through external support from both the government and nongovernmental organisations. Agriculture as a livelihood activity largely benefited from external interventions that rehabilitated irrigation infrastructure and the provision of agricultural inputs during the period. However, despite the dominance of agriculture as a livelihood activity in semi-arid areas non-farm livelihood activities, both locally initiated and externally fostered, played a significant role in supporting rural livelihoods. Poaching and wild fruit harvesting provided food for immediate consumption, whilst gold and diamond panning, wood carving and the commercialisation of non-timber forest products generated cash income for rural livelihoods. Non-farm external livelihood interventions identified resulted in a number of rural livelihood development models important for future rural development. These models were developed around the commercialisation of non-timber forest products for cash income generation, rural human capital development through vocational skills training and rural small livestock asset development. Human capital resulted in the development of rural industry in the form of community based enterprises. Indirectly it also contributed to migrant labour that sent cash and goods back home. The study shows that it is evident that in a politically charged environment livelihood diversification has a range of positive effects. The re-emergence of the barter exchange economy in rural communities contributed to livelihood diversification although sustainability was limited. It is also possible for both barter exchange and the cash market to co-exist in a politically charged environment. The study also shows that traditional leadership and local authorities in study areas became more politicised and militarised and this diverted them from facilitating and supporting rural development and inhibited rural livelihood development efforts by different rural players. The study found that rural livelihoods are not static, and they adapted as best they could in the face of exogenous trends and shocks. Rural areas underwent deep transformations as a result of political dynamics, local livelihood initiatives and external livelihood support. Rural livelihoods changed as rural people devised combined livelihood strategies that went beyond farming. However, in contrast to the widely accepted argument that diversification plays an important role in poverty alleviation, this was clearly not the case in Zimbabwe‟s politically charged environment. This study contributes to the development debate with a case study on the type and extent of livelihood diversification strategies possible in a politically charged environment. Methodologically the study contributes to the possible application of a dual data collection system where data is collected from the top using different methods from those used to collect data from the bottom. This enriched the data at triangulation phase during analysis. The study also contributes to the understanding of the political economy, the type of rural livelihood development possible in politically charged environments, and to how rural people in Zimbabwe react and behave in an endeavour to survive. There was an increased role played by external interventions in livelihood diversification but the extent of their contribution to positive livelihood outcomes was constrained by the politically charged environment that prompted the interventions in the first place. The normal processes of policy development and implementation changed as the role of politicians in planning and implementation became evident and policy aims shifted from rural development to political party self-preservation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Three tales of Theal: biography, history and ethnography on the Eastern Frontier
- Authors: Naidu, Samantha
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:24529 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/36216 , https://www.jstor.org/stable/23267873?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents , https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9456-8657
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Naidu, Samantha
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:24529 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/36216 , https://www.jstor.org/stable/23267873?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents , https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9456-8657
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An investigation of teachers', learners' and parents' understanding and perceptions of a whole school approach to environmental learning in selected schools in the Oshana Region, Namibia
- Authors: Nashilongo, Onesmus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Environmental education -- Namibia -- Oshana Environmental education -- Curricula -- Namibia -- Oshana Environmental education -- Parent participation -- Namibia -- Oshana Environmental education -- Study and teaching -- Namibia -- Oshana Supporting Environmental Education in Namibia (SEEN) Sustainable development -- Study and teaching -- Namibia -- Oshana
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1646 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003528
- Description: This study sought to investigate teacher, learner and parental perceptions and understanding of a whole school approach in environmental education (EE). There were five schools piloting environmental education through a whole school development approach in the Oshana Region of Namibia. The study was conducted in two rural schools in the Oshana Region. The schools were selected because they participated and piloted the infusion of environmental education themes in the curriculum through the whole school approach during the Supporting Environmental Education in Namibia (SEEN) project piloting phase from 2001 to 2005. This study was shaped and informed by international theories, practices and perspectives of a whole school approach as cited in chapter two of this study. In other words a whole school approach has provided theoretical background information and a practical framework on which this study was built. A whole school approach provides a theoretical understanding of how the school community, the biophysical environment, as well as the curriculum can benefit from EE projects through a whole school development approach. The whole school approach, discussed in this study, provides an opportunity to see the link between the whole school approach and ESD in order to understand the role a whole school approach plays in the implementation of ESD in Namibia. The research took the form of an interpretive case study focusing on a study of two teachers, two learners, and two members of the community. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, document analysis and site observations. This study was undertaken two years later after the Supporting Environmental Education Namibia (SEEN) pilot project phased out. The findings indicate that despite the training and support received by the schools during the operation of the Supporting Environmental Education Namibia (SEEN) pilot project, schools are still experiencing problems with the application of a whole school approach. The findings revealed that the curriculum should provide guidelines and examples to support teachers on how to integrate environmental education in the teaching and learning process. The results of the study indicate that teachers, learners and members of the community have a limited understanding about how a whole school development approach in environmental education is linked to Education Sustainable Development (ESD) and the four dimensions of the environment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Nashilongo, Onesmus
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Environmental education -- Namibia -- Oshana Environmental education -- Curricula -- Namibia -- Oshana Environmental education -- Parent participation -- Namibia -- Oshana Environmental education -- Study and teaching -- Namibia -- Oshana Supporting Environmental Education in Namibia (SEEN) Sustainable development -- Study and teaching -- Namibia -- Oshana
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1646 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003528
- Description: This study sought to investigate teacher, learner and parental perceptions and understanding of a whole school approach in environmental education (EE). There were five schools piloting environmental education through a whole school development approach in the Oshana Region of Namibia. The study was conducted in two rural schools in the Oshana Region. The schools were selected because they participated and piloted the infusion of environmental education themes in the curriculum through the whole school approach during the Supporting Environmental Education in Namibia (SEEN) project piloting phase from 2001 to 2005. This study was shaped and informed by international theories, practices and perspectives of a whole school approach as cited in chapter two of this study. In other words a whole school approach has provided theoretical background information and a practical framework on which this study was built. A whole school approach provides a theoretical understanding of how the school community, the biophysical environment, as well as the curriculum can benefit from EE projects through a whole school development approach. The whole school approach, discussed in this study, provides an opportunity to see the link between the whole school approach and ESD in order to understand the role a whole school approach plays in the implementation of ESD in Namibia. The research took the form of an interpretive case study focusing on a study of two teachers, two learners, and two members of the community. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, document analysis and site observations. This study was undertaken two years later after the Supporting Environmental Education Namibia (SEEN) pilot project phased out. The findings indicate that despite the training and support received by the schools during the operation of the Supporting Environmental Education Namibia (SEEN) pilot project, schools are still experiencing problems with the application of a whole school approach. The findings revealed that the curriculum should provide guidelines and examples to support teachers on how to integrate environmental education in the teaching and learning process. The results of the study indicate that teachers, learners and members of the community have a limited understanding about how a whole school development approach in environmental education is linked to Education Sustainable Development (ESD) and the four dimensions of the environment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Institutional economics and the environment
- Authors: Fraser, Gavin C G
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: Text
- Identifier: vital:573 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006130
- Description: [From text] What is Institutional Economics? Before delving into the concept of institutional economics, it will be useful to explain what is meant by institutions because institutions in economics have a particular meaning. The most commonly agreed upon definition for institutions is a set of formal and informal rules of conduct that facilitate coordination or govern relationships between individuals or groups. The formal rules include laws, contracts, political systems, organisations, and markets, while the informal rules of conduct consist of norms, traditions, customs, value systems, religions and sociological trends. Institutions provide for more certainty in human interaction (North, 1990) and have an influence on outcomes such as economic performance, efficiency, economic growth and development. They can either benefit or hinder these economic measures. Williamson (2000) noted that new institutional economics operates at both the macro and micro levels. The macro level deals with the institutional environment, or the rules of the game, which affect the behaviour and performance of economic actors and in which organisational forms and transactions are embedded. Williamson (1993) described it as the set of fundamental political, social and legal ground rules that establish the basis for production, exchange and distribution. The micro level analysis known as the institutional arrangement, on the other hand, deals with the institutions of governance. These refer to the modes of managing transaction costs and include issues of social capital, property rights and collective action. Here the focus is on the individual transaction and the questions regarding organisational forms (private property versus common pool resources) are analysed. An institutional arrangement is an arrangement between economic units that govern the ways in which its members can co-operate or compete.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Fraser, Gavin C G
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: Text
- Identifier: vital:573 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006130
- Description: [From text] What is Institutional Economics? Before delving into the concept of institutional economics, it will be useful to explain what is meant by institutions because institutions in economics have a particular meaning. The most commonly agreed upon definition for institutions is a set of formal and informal rules of conduct that facilitate coordination or govern relationships between individuals or groups. The formal rules include laws, contracts, political systems, organisations, and markets, while the informal rules of conduct consist of norms, traditions, customs, value systems, religions and sociological trends. Institutions provide for more certainty in human interaction (North, 1990) and have an influence on outcomes such as economic performance, efficiency, economic growth and development. They can either benefit or hinder these economic measures. Williamson (2000) noted that new institutional economics operates at both the macro and micro levels. The macro level deals with the institutional environment, or the rules of the game, which affect the behaviour and performance of economic actors and in which organisational forms and transactions are embedded. Williamson (1993) described it as the set of fundamental political, social and legal ground rules that establish the basis for production, exchange and distribution. The micro level analysis known as the institutional arrangement, on the other hand, deals with the institutions of governance. These refer to the modes of managing transaction costs and include issues of social capital, property rights and collective action. Here the focus is on the individual transaction and the questions regarding organisational forms (private property versus common pool resources) are analysed. An institutional arrangement is an arrangement between economic units that govern the ways in which its members can co-operate or compete.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Corporate identity and identification: the case of the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development
- Authors: Rantjie, Khuselwa
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Corporate culture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Personnel management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Communication
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8638 , vital:26416
- Description: One of the key recommendations of the Communication Task Team Report which analysed the communication programme of government post 1994 was that of the introduction of a single corporate identity programme for government. It is against this background that various South African government departments (national and provincial) including the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development introduced their corporate identity programmes. Based on the Rotterdam Organisation Identification Test (ROIT) (van Riel et al., 1994), the paper analyses the levels to which employees identify with the corporate identity of the Department of Social Development. The ROIT scale identifies four variables that impact on employee identification which are; employee communication, job satisfaction, corporate culture and perceived organisational prestige.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Corporate identity and identification: the case of the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development
- Authors: Rantjie, Khuselwa
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Corporate culture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Personnel management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Communication
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8638 , vital:26416
- Description: One of the key recommendations of the Communication Task Team Report which analysed the communication programme of government post 1994 was that of the introduction of a single corporate identity programme for government. It is against this background that various South African government departments (national and provincial) including the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development introduced their corporate identity programmes. Based on the Rotterdam Organisation Identification Test (ROIT) (van Riel et al., 1994), the paper analyses the levels to which employees identify with the corporate identity of the Department of Social Development. The ROIT scale identifies four variables that impact on employee identification which are; employee communication, job satisfaction, corporate culture and perceived organisational prestige.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An exploration of the LED programme on the Blue Crane Route Municipality with specific reference to Cookhouse
- Authors: Sonkwala, Mxolisi
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local Economic Development (Programme) , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Cookhouse , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape (South Africa) -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9221 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020926
- Description: There is a growing consensus globally about the significance of developing local and regional economies in order to create sustainable livelihood for local communities. The policy discourse in South Africa and elsewhere as well as the immense body of literature on local economic development bears testimony to this reality (Nel 1994,Tomlinson 1994, Rogerson 2003, World Bank 2002). The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) and the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act (Act 36 of 2000) enshrine the role of municipalities in enhancing the economic growth and development, and harnessing the social wellbeing of the communities ‘through creation of employment opportunities and redistribution of resources’. Importantly, this legislative framework must be accompanied by, on the one hand proper structures and political will, and on the other hand provision of resources and institutional capacity for realization of the long term objectives of Local Economic Development (LED). In order to be successfully mainstreamed and implemented the LED must be embodied within the legally prescribed Integrated Development Plans. In addition, the LED strategy must be incorporated within the Provincial Growth and Development Strategies (PGDS). In this research an exploration of the Local Economic Development Programme on the Blue Crane Route Municipality with specific reference to Cookhouse was investigated. The primary aim of this study was to establish the views of the residents regarding their perceptions of the LED and its effects in terms of addressing current poverty related problems and their view on the proposed wind farm project, to investigate the proposed implementation process of LED project, specifically at Cookhouse. The second objective of this research was to present empirical data from both a questionnaire completed by 18 respondents and two interviews, that helps amplify and verify the impact of LED at BCRM. The question answered was whether the proposed wind farm will make an impact on the lives of the ordinary people at Cookhouse. The final objective of this research to identify the shortcomings in the LED development process in the BCRM and to make recommendations on feasible actions that could be employed to alleviate poverty. The findings of the research suggest that the proposed project should be evaluated taking the themes of social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainable development into account. Also the findings of the research have noted that community members are not aware of what opportunities this project will bring to the community of Cookhouse. It should be noted that when this project was identified, the community was never consulted and now it’s very difficult at this stage to reject the project since there employment opportunities. Therefore local authorities are constitutionally obliged create space for community participation, which warrants accessibility and availability of information to local communities to enable to participate effectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Sonkwala, Mxolisi
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local Economic Development (Programme) , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Cookhouse , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape (South Africa) -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9221 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020926
- Description: There is a growing consensus globally about the significance of developing local and regional economies in order to create sustainable livelihood for local communities. The policy discourse in South Africa and elsewhere as well as the immense body of literature on local economic development bears testimony to this reality (Nel 1994,Tomlinson 1994, Rogerson 2003, World Bank 2002). The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) and the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act (Act 36 of 2000) enshrine the role of municipalities in enhancing the economic growth and development, and harnessing the social wellbeing of the communities ‘through creation of employment opportunities and redistribution of resources’. Importantly, this legislative framework must be accompanied by, on the one hand proper structures and political will, and on the other hand provision of resources and institutional capacity for realization of the long term objectives of Local Economic Development (LED). In order to be successfully mainstreamed and implemented the LED must be embodied within the legally prescribed Integrated Development Plans. In addition, the LED strategy must be incorporated within the Provincial Growth and Development Strategies (PGDS). In this research an exploration of the Local Economic Development Programme on the Blue Crane Route Municipality with specific reference to Cookhouse was investigated. The primary aim of this study was to establish the views of the residents regarding their perceptions of the LED and its effects in terms of addressing current poverty related problems and their view on the proposed wind farm project, to investigate the proposed implementation process of LED project, specifically at Cookhouse. The second objective of this research was to present empirical data from both a questionnaire completed by 18 respondents and two interviews, that helps amplify and verify the impact of LED at BCRM. The question answered was whether the proposed wind farm will make an impact on the lives of the ordinary people at Cookhouse. The final objective of this research to identify the shortcomings in the LED development process in the BCRM and to make recommendations on feasible actions that could be employed to alleviate poverty. The findings of the research suggest that the proposed project should be evaluated taking the themes of social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainable development into account. Also the findings of the research have noted that community members are not aware of what opportunities this project will bring to the community of Cookhouse. It should be noted that when this project was identified, the community was never consulted and now it’s very difficult at this stage to reject the project since there employment opportunities. Therefore local authorities are constitutionally obliged create space for community participation, which warrants accessibility and availability of information to local communities to enable to participate effectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
An evaluation of a motor retail organisation's lead management system
- Authors: Waddell, Alda
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Barloworld Motor Retail Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa Product management -- South Africa Automobiles -- Marketing -- South Africa Internet marketing -- South Africa Consumer behavior -- South Africa Customer services -- South Africa Automobile dealers -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:779 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003900
- Description: This research was motivated by the lack of systems and methodologies in the automotive retail business sector to adequately monitor and analyse prospective customers' behaviours as a basis for developing sales. The objective of this research was to determine if lead scoring would indeed represent a good investment of time and resources for Barloworld Motor Retail. The real value for Barloworld Motor Retail is in the proven methodology for properly managing leads and the sales process. Lead scoring should have sales teams more focused because of the qualified opportunities. The sales cycle can also be efficiently managed from introduction to closure. What is Lead Scoring? In short, lead scoring identifies or measures the value of a lead to determine to which extent a lead could result in a sale. The aim of the lead scoring process is to gather as much information as possible from the prospective customer. Once information has been acquired, it is important to hand over the hot leads to sales while the warm and cold leads remain with marketing to be nurtured. A lead is a potential customer who wants to learn more about what a company has to offer, and who has acknowledged having a requirement or need that a company could help satisfy. Where this position is coupled with elements of the ideal or desired customer profile, a meaningful lead definition emerges. When a salesperson receives a lead as depicted in Figure 1, the decision must be made as to whether to promote the lead into an opportunity or recycle it back to marketing. The crucial determination would be whether the prospect is ready to enter a buying cycle, or not. Figure 1 also illustrates the lead scoring "evaluation" process. The researcher used the Barloworld Automotive www.mywheels.co.za Webpage to obtain information for this research project. The results obtained from this measurement were compared with the results obtained from other marketing initiatives and practices in the automotive industry to describe the value of lead scoring. This research is undertaken under two main headings, namely marketing and evaluating a lead management system by introducing lead scoring. In reference to marketing, Albee (2010) says that lead scoring is based on marketing that can automate the ability to know exactly when the leads in the nurturing program are sales ready and then transition them to the sales force without delay. Chekitan and Schultz (2005), introduced the notion of SIVA which stands for Solution, Information, Value, and Access. This is basically the four p's of the marketing mix, namely product, promotion, price and placement Kotler (2000) renamed and reworded to provide a customer focus. Marketing managers use this model to generate the best possible response from the target market by blending four or more combinations in the best way. The elements of the marketing mix are all controllable variables. The marketing mix can be adjusted on a frequent basis to meet the changing needs of the target market and the other dynamics of the marketing environment. The study of internet consumer behaviour is a fundamental part of the gathering of information related to lead scoring. To an extent it is also relevant to the formulation of a leads nurturing model that will positively influence buyer perceptions and help to trigger the purchase decision. With regard to the purchasing of motor vehicles, consumers will seldom make a purchase decision without personal exposure by way of sensory explanation (look, feel and touch). Internet marketing connects the physically remote consumer with the product benefits through a process of abstract positioning, and focuses on obtaining "hits" from consumers who are competent and enabled to make a positive purchase decision. Internet marketing refers to the strategies that companies use to market their products or services online. The marketing concept remains the guiding concept for companies wishing to design and implement an effective leads scoring system. Lead scoring is the process that involves the following activities: • Lead identification; • Lead collection and consolidation; • Predictive analysis of lead scoring; • Lead nurturing; • Lead distribution.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Waddell, Alda
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Barloworld Motor Retail Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa Product management -- South Africa Automobiles -- Marketing -- South Africa Internet marketing -- South Africa Consumer behavior -- South Africa Customer services -- South Africa Automobile dealers -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:779 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003900
- Description: This research was motivated by the lack of systems and methodologies in the automotive retail business sector to adequately monitor and analyse prospective customers' behaviours as a basis for developing sales. The objective of this research was to determine if lead scoring would indeed represent a good investment of time and resources for Barloworld Motor Retail. The real value for Barloworld Motor Retail is in the proven methodology for properly managing leads and the sales process. Lead scoring should have sales teams more focused because of the qualified opportunities. The sales cycle can also be efficiently managed from introduction to closure. What is Lead Scoring? In short, lead scoring identifies or measures the value of a lead to determine to which extent a lead could result in a sale. The aim of the lead scoring process is to gather as much information as possible from the prospective customer. Once information has been acquired, it is important to hand over the hot leads to sales while the warm and cold leads remain with marketing to be nurtured. A lead is a potential customer who wants to learn more about what a company has to offer, and who has acknowledged having a requirement or need that a company could help satisfy. Where this position is coupled with elements of the ideal or desired customer profile, a meaningful lead definition emerges. When a salesperson receives a lead as depicted in Figure 1, the decision must be made as to whether to promote the lead into an opportunity or recycle it back to marketing. The crucial determination would be whether the prospect is ready to enter a buying cycle, or not. Figure 1 also illustrates the lead scoring "evaluation" process. The researcher used the Barloworld Automotive www.mywheels.co.za Webpage to obtain information for this research project. The results obtained from this measurement were compared with the results obtained from other marketing initiatives and practices in the automotive industry to describe the value of lead scoring. This research is undertaken under two main headings, namely marketing and evaluating a lead management system by introducing lead scoring. In reference to marketing, Albee (2010) says that lead scoring is based on marketing that can automate the ability to know exactly when the leads in the nurturing program are sales ready and then transition them to the sales force without delay. Chekitan and Schultz (2005), introduced the notion of SIVA which stands for Solution, Information, Value, and Access. This is basically the four p's of the marketing mix, namely product, promotion, price and placement Kotler (2000) renamed and reworded to provide a customer focus. Marketing managers use this model to generate the best possible response from the target market by blending four or more combinations in the best way. The elements of the marketing mix are all controllable variables. The marketing mix can be adjusted on a frequent basis to meet the changing needs of the target market and the other dynamics of the marketing environment. The study of internet consumer behaviour is a fundamental part of the gathering of information related to lead scoring. To an extent it is also relevant to the formulation of a leads nurturing model that will positively influence buyer perceptions and help to trigger the purchase decision. With regard to the purchasing of motor vehicles, consumers will seldom make a purchase decision without personal exposure by way of sensory explanation (look, feel and touch). Internet marketing connects the physically remote consumer with the product benefits through a process of abstract positioning, and focuses on obtaining "hits" from consumers who are competent and enabled to make a positive purchase decision. Internet marketing refers to the strategies that companies use to market their products or services online. The marketing concept remains the guiding concept for companies wishing to design and implement an effective leads scoring system. Lead scoring is the process that involves the following activities: • Lead identification; • Lead collection and consolidation; • Predictive analysis of lead scoring; • Lead nurturing; • Lead distribution.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Exchange rates and economic growth in emerging economies: the case of South Africa
- Authors: Sibanda, Bornapart
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic development , Currency convertibility -- South Africa , Foreign exchange -- South Africa , Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , Foreign exchange administration -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Com
- Identifier: vital:11464 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007045 , Economic development , Currency convertibility -- South Africa , Foreign exchange -- South Africa , Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , Foreign exchange administration -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Description: This study examines the impact of exchange rate volatility and misalignment on economic growth in South Africa. It applies the Johansen co integration test and the vector error correction model on quarterly data for the period 1990:01-2010:04. Exchange rate volatility is measured as the standard deviation of both the nominal and nominal effective exchange rate. The study constructs three measures of exchange rate misalignment, with two of the measures constructed using the Producer Price Index and Consumer Price index based Purchasing Power Parity. The third measure was based on the difference between the nominal and effective exchange rate. Contrary to pre-dominant findings in the exchange rate literature, the study finds a positive and significant relationship between exchange rate volatility and economic growth and attributes it to composition of the country’s exports that are largely made up of commodities that act as essential inputs in many production processes. As a result, the variability of prices caused by exchange rate volatility is not expected to deter demand for these commodities. A negative and significant relationship between exchange rate misalignment and economic growth was found. The findings of the study show that it is important for monetary authorities to ensure that the exchange rate is always at an appropriate level in order to avoid the negative implications of exchange rate misalignment on economic growth.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Sibanda, Bornapart
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic development , Currency convertibility -- South Africa , Foreign exchange -- South Africa , Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , Foreign exchange administration -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Com
- Identifier: vital:11464 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007045 , Economic development , Currency convertibility -- South Africa , Foreign exchange -- South Africa , Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , Foreign exchange administration -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Description: This study examines the impact of exchange rate volatility and misalignment on economic growth in South Africa. It applies the Johansen co integration test and the vector error correction model on quarterly data for the period 1990:01-2010:04. Exchange rate volatility is measured as the standard deviation of both the nominal and nominal effective exchange rate. The study constructs three measures of exchange rate misalignment, with two of the measures constructed using the Producer Price Index and Consumer Price index based Purchasing Power Parity. The third measure was based on the difference between the nominal and effective exchange rate. Contrary to pre-dominant findings in the exchange rate literature, the study finds a positive and significant relationship between exchange rate volatility and economic growth and attributes it to composition of the country’s exports that are largely made up of commodities that act as essential inputs in many production processes. As a result, the variability of prices caused by exchange rate volatility is not expected to deter demand for these commodities. A negative and significant relationship between exchange rate misalignment and economic growth was found. The findings of the study show that it is important for monetary authorities to ensure that the exchange rate is always at an appropriate level in order to avoid the negative implications of exchange rate misalignment on economic growth.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
A study of the selected wild edible plants utilized by indigenous people of the Amathole District in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
- Kwinana-Mandindi, Thozama Ndileka
- Authors: Kwinana-Mandindi, Thozama Ndileka
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Wild plants, Edible http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85146686
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19598 , vital:43147
- Description: Wild edible plants are an indispensible part of diets in some of the poor resourced rural societies. In many less resourced households a main meal comprises of a starch staple which is accompanied by a supplement of vegetables that provide the other nutritional elements as well as flavour to the meals. The vegetable relish (isishebo) thus, becomes an important component of the diet. The sustenance of many such resource poor indigenous societies over many generations has been as a result of their reliance on a readily available supply of their nutritional requirements, where edible wild plants formed the major food source. Wild edible plants provided the most important source of nutritional supply even during times of drought and famine. However, lifestyle changes have caused a serious reduction of the gathering and use of the wild edible vegetables, knowledge about them and the local culture are also lost with them. Unfortunately, others have come to regard their traditional food resource base as primitive and inferior and have come to rely on new exotic food plant whose supply is unstable and narrow compared to the wide variety of wild edible plants. Even when drought challenges play destruction with food availability, resulting in food shortages due to the reliance on cultivated crops that are poorly adapted to local conditions, communities cannot go back to the unknown food plants. However, detailed scientific investigations are needed to understand and preserve wild food uses. This study was undertaken to add to that body of knowledge. It started with an ethnobotanic survey of the use of wild food plants in 10 selected rural villages and peri-urban dwellings in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape. These rural areas were chosen because of the belief that there are still individuals who possess the wealth of traditional knowledge within those remote areas in addition to that the villages are surrounded by indigenous vegetation from which they could be harvesting some indigenous food plants. Furthermore, the relationship between people and plants are often clearer in indigenous/traditional societies since the link between production and consumption is more direct. Besides the survey, this research employed various methods including Inductively Coupled Argon (ICP) analyses of minerals and vitamins, determination of phytochemicals and antioxidant/bio-activity that of, higher performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of other vitamins, assessment of proximate and anti-nutrient compositions of raw and cooked samples of plants, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) to look into the micro-morphology of leaves for details that might have a bearing in the nutrient composition of the wild edible vegetables. This was done with the aim to explore and highlight the wild-food-plant base of indigenous people, to investigate the nutritional value of the selected frequently consumed wild vegetables and to recommend ways of educating people on the value of such plants and the need to promote their continued sustainable use as well as preservation of them for the benefit of people who cannot afford a continuous nutritious meal particularly among rural communities. Twenty-five (25) indigenous wild food plants which included leafy vegetables, nuts and fruits species were identified as being arbitrarily gathered and utilised as food, of which seven wild leafy vegetable species were often mentioned as common among the 15 dwellings surveyed and most frequently consumed by the respondents. Two additional plants were also frequently used as flavoring and in their raw state respectively. Wild edible vegetables were mainly eaten boiled as ‘laxa’, mixed with maize meal as ‘imifino’, fried as relish ‘isishebo’ or raw for both snacking purposes and medicinal functions. Wild edible plant species in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape-South Africa were documented with respect to their uses and knowledge or identification. Four indigenous wild vegetables (Chenopodium album, Solanum nigrum/nodiflorum, Amaranthus dubius and Urtica lobulata) frequently consumed by the indigenous communities in the study region were selected. All the plant species had a remarkably high content of pro-anthocyanidins (between 58.42 and 65.18 mg/g) and also exhibited high radical scavenging activity in vitro. S. nigrum and C. album were found to be rich sources of ascorbic acid, having 1.05mg/100g and 1.01mg/100g, respectively. The entire wild, traditionally edible plants contain reasonably good concentrations of riboflavin while U. lobulata was found to contain maximum amount of thiamine. All plant species were rich sources of minerals and vitamins (both water soluble and fat soluble). Appropriate cooking methods are to be used to enhance the bio-availability of vitamins and nutrients in general. Cooking generally improved the nutritive value in certain wild vegetables. However, some nutrients were drained away. For example micro-nutrient and anti-nutrient component in the ash were reduced in cooking. The EDXS analysis has shown that the indigenous, wild vegetables in the Amathole District of South Africa are excellent sources of minerals, while the mineral crystals present at the level of the mesophyll of the indigenous wild vegetables were probably mixtures of calcium oxalate, calcium sulphate and silica. Saponin, tannins, oxalates, phytates and alkaloids are present in all the indigenous wild vegetables, but in minimal safe quantities. Nutritional analysis of some wild food plants demonstrates that in many cases the nutritional quality of the plants is comparable and in some cases even superior to domesticated exotic varieties. Knowledge about gathering and use of some wild food species is common among the rural dwellers. However, most uses are known by few elderly informants only. Education, awareness campaigns and revival of use of wild edible plants directed at the youth particularly is essential and this can be done through all forms of media. , Thesis (PhD) (Ethnobotany) -- University of Fort Hare, 2012
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Kwinana-Mandindi, Thozama Ndileka
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Wild plants, Edible http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85146686
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19598 , vital:43147
- Description: Wild edible plants are an indispensible part of diets in some of the poor resourced rural societies. In many less resourced households a main meal comprises of a starch staple which is accompanied by a supplement of vegetables that provide the other nutritional elements as well as flavour to the meals. The vegetable relish (isishebo) thus, becomes an important component of the diet. The sustenance of many such resource poor indigenous societies over many generations has been as a result of their reliance on a readily available supply of their nutritional requirements, where edible wild plants formed the major food source. Wild edible plants provided the most important source of nutritional supply even during times of drought and famine. However, lifestyle changes have caused a serious reduction of the gathering and use of the wild edible vegetables, knowledge about them and the local culture are also lost with them. Unfortunately, others have come to regard their traditional food resource base as primitive and inferior and have come to rely on new exotic food plant whose supply is unstable and narrow compared to the wide variety of wild edible plants. Even when drought challenges play destruction with food availability, resulting in food shortages due to the reliance on cultivated crops that are poorly adapted to local conditions, communities cannot go back to the unknown food plants. However, detailed scientific investigations are needed to understand and preserve wild food uses. This study was undertaken to add to that body of knowledge. It started with an ethnobotanic survey of the use of wild food plants in 10 selected rural villages and peri-urban dwellings in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape. These rural areas were chosen because of the belief that there are still individuals who possess the wealth of traditional knowledge within those remote areas in addition to that the villages are surrounded by indigenous vegetation from which they could be harvesting some indigenous food plants. Furthermore, the relationship between people and plants are often clearer in indigenous/traditional societies since the link between production and consumption is more direct. Besides the survey, this research employed various methods including Inductively Coupled Argon (ICP) analyses of minerals and vitamins, determination of phytochemicals and antioxidant/bio-activity that of, higher performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of other vitamins, assessment of proximate and anti-nutrient compositions of raw and cooked samples of plants, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) to look into the micro-morphology of leaves for details that might have a bearing in the nutrient composition of the wild edible vegetables. This was done with the aim to explore and highlight the wild-food-plant base of indigenous people, to investigate the nutritional value of the selected frequently consumed wild vegetables and to recommend ways of educating people on the value of such plants and the need to promote their continued sustainable use as well as preservation of them for the benefit of people who cannot afford a continuous nutritious meal particularly among rural communities. Twenty-five (25) indigenous wild food plants which included leafy vegetables, nuts and fruits species were identified as being arbitrarily gathered and utilised as food, of which seven wild leafy vegetable species were often mentioned as common among the 15 dwellings surveyed and most frequently consumed by the respondents. Two additional plants were also frequently used as flavoring and in their raw state respectively. Wild edible vegetables were mainly eaten boiled as ‘laxa’, mixed with maize meal as ‘imifino’, fried as relish ‘isishebo’ or raw for both snacking purposes and medicinal functions. Wild edible plant species in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape-South Africa were documented with respect to their uses and knowledge or identification. Four indigenous wild vegetables (Chenopodium album, Solanum nigrum/nodiflorum, Amaranthus dubius and Urtica lobulata) frequently consumed by the indigenous communities in the study region were selected. All the plant species had a remarkably high content of pro-anthocyanidins (between 58.42 and 65.18 mg/g) and also exhibited high radical scavenging activity in vitro. S. nigrum and C. album were found to be rich sources of ascorbic acid, having 1.05mg/100g and 1.01mg/100g, respectively. The entire wild, traditionally edible plants contain reasonably good concentrations of riboflavin while U. lobulata was found to contain maximum amount of thiamine. All plant species were rich sources of minerals and vitamins (both water soluble and fat soluble). Appropriate cooking methods are to be used to enhance the bio-availability of vitamins and nutrients in general. Cooking generally improved the nutritive value in certain wild vegetables. However, some nutrients were drained away. For example micro-nutrient and anti-nutrient component in the ash were reduced in cooking. The EDXS analysis has shown that the indigenous, wild vegetables in the Amathole District of South Africa are excellent sources of minerals, while the mineral crystals present at the level of the mesophyll of the indigenous wild vegetables were probably mixtures of calcium oxalate, calcium sulphate and silica. Saponin, tannins, oxalates, phytates and alkaloids are present in all the indigenous wild vegetables, but in minimal safe quantities. Nutritional analysis of some wild food plants demonstrates that in many cases the nutritional quality of the plants is comparable and in some cases even superior to domesticated exotic varieties. Knowledge about gathering and use of some wild food species is common among the rural dwellers. However, most uses are known by few elderly informants only. Education, awareness campaigns and revival of use of wild edible plants directed at the youth particularly is essential and this can be done through all forms of media. , Thesis (PhD) (Ethnobotany) -- University of Fort Hare, 2012
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Synthesis and characterisation of Pt-alloy oxygen reduction electrocatalysts for low temperature PEM fuel cells
- Authors: Mohamed, Rhiyaad
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Electrochemical analysis , Proton exchange membrane fuel cells
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10428 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018586
- Description: This dissertation the syntheses of Pt-based binary and ternary alloy electrocatalysts using the transition metals of Co and Ni are presented. These electrocatalysts were synthesised by an impregnation-reduction procedure at high temperature whereby Pt supported on carbon, (Pt/C (40 percent), was impregnated with the various metal and mixtures thereof and reduced at high temperatures in a H2 atmosphere. The procedure was also designed in such a way so as to prevent the oxidation of the support material (carbon black) during the alloy formation. The resultant nanoparticles (9-12 nm) of Pt3Co/C, Pt3Ni/C and Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C were also subjected to a post treatment procedure by acid washing (denoted AW) to produce electrocatalysts of Pt3Co/C-AW, Pt3Ni/C-AW and Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C-AW to study the effect of acid treatment on these electrocatalysts. The synthesised electrocatalysts were then characterised by a number of physical and electrochemical techniques and compared to that of commercial Pt/C (Pt/C-JM, HiSpec 4000) as well as Pt/C catalysts (Pt/C-900 and Pt/C-900-AW) treated under the same conditions used for the alloy synthesis. The electrocatalysts were then used to fabricate MEAs that were loaded into commercial single test cells and characterised by means of polarisation curves and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The extensive physical characterisation included Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD) analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and metal loading by Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). These studies showed that Pt-based alloy electrocatalysts were successfully synthesised with particle sizes ranging from 9 - 12 nm, within their respective atomic ratios and whereby no significant loss of carbon support occurred. This indicated that significant sintering or electrocatalyst particles occurred when compared to that of the starting Pt/C catalyst (3 – 4 nm). From the combined results of the physical characterisation procedures, it was also shown that leaching as a result of acid washing was catalyst dependent with Ni containing catalysts showing a significant degree of leaching compared to that of Co containing catalysts. Electrochemical characterisation in terms of Electrochemical Active Surface Area (ECSA) by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and ORR activity by Rotating Disc Electrode (RDE) analysis revealed that a significant decrease in the ECSA resulted from the increase in particle size and this had a major influence on the ORR activity. Furthermore it was found that a significant improvement in the ORR activity was achieved by the synthesis of Pt-based alloys. It was also found that catalytic properties of the acid washed electrocatalysts were substantially different from that of non-acid washed electrocatalysts. The experimental data confirmed that it was possibly to achieve better catalytic performance as compared to that of Pt/C at a lower material cost when Pt is alloyed with base transition metals. The trend observed from the ORR activity studies by RDE was successfully repeated in the in-situ fuel cell testing in terms of mass activity of the electrocatalysts. Of the electrocatalysts studied under „real‟ fuel cell conditions Pt/C-JM had the best performance compared to the others, with the ternary Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C showing better catalytic performance compared to the Pt3Co/C electrocatalyst. This was found to be due to a higher charge transfer resistance observed in Pt3Co/C as compared to that of Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C which was similar than that of the commercial Pt/C-JM catalyst with both Pt3Co/C and Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C-AW having similar but higher ohmic resistances than that of Pt/C-JM as determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results showed that a great potential exist to improve the catalytic performance of low temperature PEM fuel electrocatalysts at a reduced cost as compared to that of pure Pt provided a method of controlling the particle size was established.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mohamed, Rhiyaad
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Electrochemical analysis , Proton exchange membrane fuel cells
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10428 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018586
- Description: This dissertation the syntheses of Pt-based binary and ternary alloy electrocatalysts using the transition metals of Co and Ni are presented. These electrocatalysts were synthesised by an impregnation-reduction procedure at high temperature whereby Pt supported on carbon, (Pt/C (40 percent), was impregnated with the various metal and mixtures thereof and reduced at high temperatures in a H2 atmosphere. The procedure was also designed in such a way so as to prevent the oxidation of the support material (carbon black) during the alloy formation. The resultant nanoparticles (9-12 nm) of Pt3Co/C, Pt3Ni/C and Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C were also subjected to a post treatment procedure by acid washing (denoted AW) to produce electrocatalysts of Pt3Co/C-AW, Pt3Ni/C-AW and Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C-AW to study the effect of acid treatment on these electrocatalysts. The synthesised electrocatalysts were then characterised by a number of physical and electrochemical techniques and compared to that of commercial Pt/C (Pt/C-JM, HiSpec 4000) as well as Pt/C catalysts (Pt/C-900 and Pt/C-900-AW) treated under the same conditions used for the alloy synthesis. The electrocatalysts were then used to fabricate MEAs that were loaded into commercial single test cells and characterised by means of polarisation curves and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The extensive physical characterisation included Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD) analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and metal loading by Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). These studies showed that Pt-based alloy electrocatalysts were successfully synthesised with particle sizes ranging from 9 - 12 nm, within their respective atomic ratios and whereby no significant loss of carbon support occurred. This indicated that significant sintering or electrocatalyst particles occurred when compared to that of the starting Pt/C catalyst (3 – 4 nm). From the combined results of the physical characterisation procedures, it was also shown that leaching as a result of acid washing was catalyst dependent with Ni containing catalysts showing a significant degree of leaching compared to that of Co containing catalysts. Electrochemical characterisation in terms of Electrochemical Active Surface Area (ECSA) by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and ORR activity by Rotating Disc Electrode (RDE) analysis revealed that a significant decrease in the ECSA resulted from the increase in particle size and this had a major influence on the ORR activity. Furthermore it was found that a significant improvement in the ORR activity was achieved by the synthesis of Pt-based alloys. It was also found that catalytic properties of the acid washed electrocatalysts were substantially different from that of non-acid washed electrocatalysts. The experimental data confirmed that it was possibly to achieve better catalytic performance as compared to that of Pt/C at a lower material cost when Pt is alloyed with base transition metals. The trend observed from the ORR activity studies by RDE was successfully repeated in the in-situ fuel cell testing in terms of mass activity of the electrocatalysts. Of the electrocatalysts studied under „real‟ fuel cell conditions Pt/C-JM had the best performance compared to the others, with the ternary Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C showing better catalytic performance compared to the Pt3Co/C electrocatalyst. This was found to be due to a higher charge transfer resistance observed in Pt3Co/C as compared to that of Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C which was similar than that of the commercial Pt/C-JM catalyst with both Pt3Co/C and Pt3Co0.5Ni0.5/C-AW having similar but higher ohmic resistances than that of Pt/C-JM as determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results showed that a great potential exist to improve the catalytic performance of low temperature PEM fuel electrocatalysts at a reduced cost as compared to that of pure Pt provided a method of controlling the particle size was established.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Post occupancy evaluation of an office building : the case of country club estate, Johannesburg
- Matshili, Humbulani Emmanuel
- Authors: Matshili, Humbulani Emmanuel
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Architectural design -- Evaluation , Offices -- Design , Office buildings -- South Africa -- Johannesburg -- Evaluation , Real property -- South Africa -- Johannesburg
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:9703 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018554
- Description: Most organisations nowadays want to build offices that are cost effective, but at the same time they forget to consider the impact of IEQ on the occupants’ wellbeing and performance. These offices are equipped with air-conditioners, which may impact negatively on performances if not monitored, controlled and maintained. An occupant’s performance may be accelerated or reduced, based on the effectiveness of IEQ in the office buildings. It is imperative that the employer or management create a work environment that is conducive to the occupants’ needs, so that the occupants may be able to improve their work performance that often yields increased productivity. The main aim of the study was to investigate the efficiency of a building’s Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and how it affects workers with regard to productivity. The objectives of the study were: to determine the level of satisfaction of the occupants in terms of the IEQ, evaluate the effects that the current IEQ of the building has on the productivity of the occupants, and proffer solutions to identified problems so that the building performance can be improved, and similar future buildings can be improved upon in terms of IEQ. Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) was utilised to conduct the evaluation. This will help stakeholders and managements to ensure that past mistakes committed are not repeated in the future buildings. POE analyses IEQ related to Indoor Air Quality (IEQ), thermal comfort, occupant’s satisfaction and occupant performance and productivity. There is a correlation between different indoor parameters of the occupants’ satisfaction, health and productivity at the workplace. For these correlations to complement each other successfully, IEQ factors must be conducive to human wellbeing. Workplace environments are perceived as unsafe and unhygienic. This situation is caused by poor planning of workstations, low indoor air quality, inappropriate lighting in the office, lack of ventilation and insufficient safety measures. In particular, findings of this study demonstrate the low level of occupants’ satisfaction with regard to office buildings in the Country Club Estate, Johannesburg. The results from this study show that POE is perceived to be completely new to occupants of the Country Club Estate. Management or stakeholders have a huge task ahead to address the benefits of implementing POE and to face the consequences if POE is not implemented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Matshili, Humbulani Emmanuel
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Architectural design -- Evaluation , Offices -- Design , Office buildings -- South Africa -- Johannesburg -- Evaluation , Real property -- South Africa -- Johannesburg
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:9703 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018554
- Description: Most organisations nowadays want to build offices that are cost effective, but at the same time they forget to consider the impact of IEQ on the occupants’ wellbeing and performance. These offices are equipped with air-conditioners, which may impact negatively on performances if not monitored, controlled and maintained. An occupant’s performance may be accelerated or reduced, based on the effectiveness of IEQ in the office buildings. It is imperative that the employer or management create a work environment that is conducive to the occupants’ needs, so that the occupants may be able to improve their work performance that often yields increased productivity. The main aim of the study was to investigate the efficiency of a building’s Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and how it affects workers with regard to productivity. The objectives of the study were: to determine the level of satisfaction of the occupants in terms of the IEQ, evaluate the effects that the current IEQ of the building has on the productivity of the occupants, and proffer solutions to identified problems so that the building performance can be improved, and similar future buildings can be improved upon in terms of IEQ. Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) was utilised to conduct the evaluation. This will help stakeholders and managements to ensure that past mistakes committed are not repeated in the future buildings. POE analyses IEQ related to Indoor Air Quality (IEQ), thermal comfort, occupant’s satisfaction and occupant performance and productivity. There is a correlation between different indoor parameters of the occupants’ satisfaction, health and productivity at the workplace. For these correlations to complement each other successfully, IEQ factors must be conducive to human wellbeing. Workplace environments are perceived as unsafe and unhygienic. This situation is caused by poor planning of workstations, low indoor air quality, inappropriate lighting in the office, lack of ventilation and insufficient safety measures. In particular, findings of this study demonstrate the low level of occupants’ satisfaction with regard to office buildings in the Country Club Estate, Johannesburg. The results from this study show that POE is perceived to be completely new to occupants of the Country Club Estate. Management or stakeholders have a huge task ahead to address the benefits of implementing POE and to face the consequences if POE is not implemented.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Investigation of the performance of photovoltaic systems
- Authors: Alistoun, Warren James
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Photovoltaic power systems -- South Africa , Photovoltaic power generation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10517 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008396 , Photovoltaic power systems -- South Africa , Photovoltaic power generation -- South Africa
- Description: The main objective of this study was to investigate the performance of grid integrated PV systems. A data acquisition (DAQ) system was developed to monitor the performance of an existing grid integrated PV system with battery storage. This system is referred to as a grid assisted PV system. A data logger was used together with the inverters built in data logger to monitor environmental and electrical data on a grid tie PV system which was deployed during this study. To investigate the performance of these grid integrated PV systems PV and BOS device characterization was performed. This was achieved by using current voltage curve tracers and the DAQ system developed. Energy yield estimations were calculated referring to the literature review and a meteorological reference for comparison with measured energy yields from the grid tie PV system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Alistoun, Warren James
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Photovoltaic power systems -- South Africa , Photovoltaic power generation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:10517 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008396 , Photovoltaic power systems -- South Africa , Photovoltaic power generation -- South Africa
- Description: The main objective of this study was to investigate the performance of grid integrated PV systems. A data acquisition (DAQ) system was developed to monitor the performance of an existing grid integrated PV system with battery storage. This system is referred to as a grid assisted PV system. A data logger was used together with the inverters built in data logger to monitor environmental and electrical data on a grid tie PV system which was deployed during this study. To investigate the performance of these grid integrated PV systems PV and BOS device characterization was performed. This was achieved by using current voltage curve tracers and the DAQ system developed. Energy yield estimations were calculated referring to the literature review and a meteorological reference for comparison with measured energy yields from the grid tie PV system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Investigation into the factors militating against the performance of grade 12 business studies learners in the Mthatha District of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
- Authors: Boadzo, Robert Mawuli Kwasi
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Performance contracts in education -- Dissertations , Performance contracts in education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:18469 , http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1011276
- Description: The problem of education in South Africa is neither specialization nor broad education. It is adopting the most suitable curriculum for the improvement of educational provision and increasing the ability to adjust to a constantly changing and evolving economic environment. The curriculum of commercial subjects is appropriate for the overall transformation of the South African society because it holds the progressive development of business and entrepreneurial advancement, thereby pepping up industrial and economic development. The intensity and expectations from schools in terms of good results had been so high that since the advent of the new democratic dispensation in 1994, massive budgetary allocations had been committed to the development of education. This study sampled six high schools from circuit one of the Mthatha District of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa for the investigation into the performance Grade 12 Business Studies learners. The Study revealed that prior knowledge was the most significant factor in determining a good performance in Business Studies. The conclusion is that on the basis of the research findings the overall development of teaching and learning towards good performance in Business Studies by Grade 12 students can be possible if teachers and students are provided with the required resources.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Boadzo, Robert Mawuli Kwasi
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Performance contracts in education -- Dissertations , Performance contracts in education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:18469 , http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1011276
- Description: The problem of education in South Africa is neither specialization nor broad education. It is adopting the most suitable curriculum for the improvement of educational provision and increasing the ability to adjust to a constantly changing and evolving economic environment. The curriculum of commercial subjects is appropriate for the overall transformation of the South African society because it holds the progressive development of business and entrepreneurial advancement, thereby pepping up industrial and economic development. The intensity and expectations from schools in terms of good results had been so high that since the advent of the new democratic dispensation in 1994, massive budgetary allocations had been committed to the development of education. This study sampled six high schools from circuit one of the Mthatha District of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa for the investigation into the performance Grade 12 Business Studies learners. The Study revealed that prior knowledge was the most significant factor in determining a good performance in Business Studies. The conclusion is that on the basis of the research findings the overall development of teaching and learning towards good performance in Business Studies by Grade 12 students can be possible if teachers and students are provided with the required resources.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The use of social media for marketing and communication purpose in institutions of higher learning
- Authors: Mangolothi, Brightness
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Branding (Marketing) , Social media , Online social networks , Internet marketing , Education, Higher
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8821 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019698
- Description: Social media have become a widely used tool to communicate with the orgnisations stakeholders. Institutions of higher learning are also venturing into this new way of marketing and communication. This study intended to determine how South African institutions of higher learning are using social media for marketing and communication purposes. Firstly, a literature study was conducted to gain an understanding on how social media are used. Further an empirical study was conducted, which consisted of two phases. The first phase was a case study on NMMU and Stellenbosch University. Structured-interviews, focus groups and observation were used to collect data from the cases. The collected data were then used to construct a questionnaire that was used for a survey. The survey was distributed to all 23 universities, 50 public FET colleges and the 200 private FET college. 92 institutions responded to the survey. The findings prove that there are various opportuntities and challenges in using social media although it should be stressed that the opportunities outweigh the threats. There is no visible difference between colleges social media implementation in relation to institutions of higher learning. Most institutions use more than one social media tool. Facebook is the most widely used social media followed by Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. Flickr, MXit, Google+ and Blog are the least used social media. The observations of the NMMU and Stellenbosch University show that these two institutions are striving to engage with their target audiences. Although the institutions are using social media, some of the concerns are that institutions are not measuring their social media use. For those who are measuring, most depend on the free measurement tools which focus only on the quantitative measure. The governance of the social media use is none existent. Most respondents stated that they do not have a policy or guidelines informing social media management. Most of the respondents felt that they want to use more social media tools in future although some of the challenges alluded to were lack of capacity, human resources and budget.
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- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mangolothi, Brightness
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Branding (Marketing) , Social media , Online social networks , Internet marketing , Education, Higher
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8821 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019698
- Description: Social media have become a widely used tool to communicate with the orgnisations stakeholders. Institutions of higher learning are also venturing into this new way of marketing and communication. This study intended to determine how South African institutions of higher learning are using social media for marketing and communication purposes. Firstly, a literature study was conducted to gain an understanding on how social media are used. Further an empirical study was conducted, which consisted of two phases. The first phase was a case study on NMMU and Stellenbosch University. Structured-interviews, focus groups and observation were used to collect data from the cases. The collected data were then used to construct a questionnaire that was used for a survey. The survey was distributed to all 23 universities, 50 public FET colleges and the 200 private FET college. 92 institutions responded to the survey. The findings prove that there are various opportuntities and challenges in using social media although it should be stressed that the opportunities outweigh the threats. There is no visible difference between colleges social media implementation in relation to institutions of higher learning. Most institutions use more than one social media tool. Facebook is the most widely used social media followed by Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. Flickr, MXit, Google+ and Blog are the least used social media. The observations of the NMMU and Stellenbosch University show that these two institutions are striving to engage with their target audiences. Although the institutions are using social media, some of the concerns are that institutions are not measuring their social media use. For those who are measuring, most depend on the free measurement tools which focus only on the quantitative measure. The governance of the social media use is none existent. Most respondents stated that they do not have a policy or guidelines informing social media management. Most of the respondents felt that they want to use more social media tools in future although some of the challenges alluded to were lack of capacity, human resources and budget.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on trust and information sharing in South African automotive supply chains
- Authors: Goche, Chiedza
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Business logistics -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Interorganizational relations -- South Africa , Trust -- South Africa , Information technology -- South Africa , Prisoner's dilemma game
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Information Systems)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/668 , vital:26486 , Business logistics -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Interorganizational relations -- South Africa , Trust -- South Africa , Information technology -- South Africa , Prisoner's dilemma game
- Description: The Internet has made a considerable impact on how business is conducted. Empowered by technology consumers are using the Internet as a tool to communicate and transact online. E-commerce (electronic commerce) presents opportunities for business to gain a competitive advantage, however it also posses certain challenges. Small and Medium Hospitality Enterprises (SMHEs) sector within the tourism industry, is one of the sectors which stands to benefit from using the Internet for business. Researchers agree that the contribution made by the tourism sector in developing economies is substantial. However, SMHEs are noted for their failure to derive optimal benefits from using the Internet for business to improve their competitiveness. This study which seeks to develop a model for use by SMHEs as a guide when making the decision to adopt technology was necessitated by the importance of SMHE’s contribution in the economy of developing countries. This model is based on the examination of existing theories and models such as; the Delone and McLean IS success model (2004), and the ITGI’s (2007) IT governance focus areas model. To elicit the desired outcomes, additional data was collected using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The collected data was analysed and resulted in the development of a model that can be used by SMHEs in order to derive value from IT and to gain a competitive advantage.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Goche, Chiedza
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Business logistics -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Interorganizational relations -- South Africa , Trust -- South Africa , Information technology -- South Africa , Prisoner's dilemma game
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom (Information Systems)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/668 , vital:26486 , Business logistics -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade -- South Africa , Interorganizational relations -- South Africa , Trust -- South Africa , Information technology -- South Africa , Prisoner's dilemma game
- Description: The Internet has made a considerable impact on how business is conducted. Empowered by technology consumers are using the Internet as a tool to communicate and transact online. E-commerce (electronic commerce) presents opportunities for business to gain a competitive advantage, however it also posses certain challenges. Small and Medium Hospitality Enterprises (SMHEs) sector within the tourism industry, is one of the sectors which stands to benefit from using the Internet for business. Researchers agree that the contribution made by the tourism sector in developing economies is substantial. However, SMHEs are noted for their failure to derive optimal benefits from using the Internet for business to improve their competitiveness. This study which seeks to develop a model for use by SMHEs as a guide when making the decision to adopt technology was necessitated by the importance of SMHE’s contribution in the economy of developing countries. This model is based on the examination of existing theories and models such as; the Delone and McLean IS success model (2004), and the ITGI’s (2007) IT governance focus areas model. To elicit the desired outcomes, additional data was collected using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The collected data was analysed and resulted in the development of a model that can be used by SMHEs in order to derive value from IT and to gain a competitive advantage.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012