The assessment of public participation as a model to enhance development in local government: the case of Raymond Mhlaba local municipality in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Kapayi, Nceba Isaac
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Local government , community development
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61431 , vital:70641
- Description: The notion of public participation in decision-making processes is one of the mechanisms that seek to entrench equality and transform social coherence between government and citizens. This view relates to the provision of quality and sustainability of goods and services. The individuals, both in their capacity as citizens and consumers of public goods and services should be allowed to participate in the development that affect in terms of the regulatory frameworks. They should be permitted and encouraged to express their views on governance and development matters pertaining to them. Nevertheless, there are number of factors that impede the participation of the local communities in development planning processes, such as a communication gap between government officials and communities, socio-economic inequalities, poor service delivery, unemployment, a lack of capacity building and transparency to mention a few. The planning and implementation of municipal projects should be accepted only after considerable discussion and consultation with communities. This process is seen as allowing deprived groups and individuals to have voices in future development initiatives. As such, public participation enables for full involvement of ordinary members of the community in decision making, planning, designing, organising and executing development initiatives that affect them. The Researcher decided to embark on a study entitled: The assessment of public participation as a model to enhance development in local government. The case of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Adopting the quantitative research design, data was collected through questionnaires for the key informants consisting of 3 participants, 3 officials from Raymond Mhlaba Municipality. Data was also collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with members of the communities from Kataga in Adelaide, Gaga Village in Alice and Magaleni location in Fort Beaufort. Eighteen (18) community members were selected to participate in the study from both communities inclusive of ward councillors. Community members were organised into 1 focus group participants in each location (comprising of 6 people per group).To support the data obtained from focus group 3 key informants from Raymond Mhlaba Municipality participated in the investigation. A heterogeneous population of 21 respondents participated in this study. The thematic analysis was vii used to analyse data. The findings consistently show that the ability of a local government to work effectively dependent on inclusive planning, implementation and decision making processes. This means that local government development is also required for the impartial and efficient operation of public institutions. Public confidence in local municipalities is expressed as one of the main factors that determine the government‘s competitiveness. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Kapayi, Nceba Isaac
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Local government , community development
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61431 , vital:70641
- Description: The notion of public participation in decision-making processes is one of the mechanisms that seek to entrench equality and transform social coherence between government and citizens. This view relates to the provision of quality and sustainability of goods and services. The individuals, both in their capacity as citizens and consumers of public goods and services should be allowed to participate in the development that affect in terms of the regulatory frameworks. They should be permitted and encouraged to express their views on governance and development matters pertaining to them. Nevertheless, there are number of factors that impede the participation of the local communities in development planning processes, such as a communication gap between government officials and communities, socio-economic inequalities, poor service delivery, unemployment, a lack of capacity building and transparency to mention a few. The planning and implementation of municipal projects should be accepted only after considerable discussion and consultation with communities. This process is seen as allowing deprived groups and individuals to have voices in future development initiatives. As such, public participation enables for full involvement of ordinary members of the community in decision making, planning, designing, organising and executing development initiatives that affect them. The Researcher decided to embark on a study entitled: The assessment of public participation as a model to enhance development in local government. The case of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Adopting the quantitative research design, data was collected through questionnaires for the key informants consisting of 3 participants, 3 officials from Raymond Mhlaba Municipality. Data was also collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with members of the communities from Kataga in Adelaide, Gaga Village in Alice and Magaleni location in Fort Beaufort. Eighteen (18) community members were selected to participate in the study from both communities inclusive of ward councillors. Community members were organised into 1 focus group participants in each location (comprising of 6 people per group).To support the data obtained from focus group 3 key informants from Raymond Mhlaba Municipality participated in the investigation. A heterogeneous population of 21 respondents participated in this study. The thematic analysis was vii used to analyse data. The findings consistently show that the ability of a local government to work effectively dependent on inclusive planning, implementation and decision making processes. This means that local government development is also required for the impartial and efficient operation of public institutions. Public confidence in local municipalities is expressed as one of the main factors that determine the government‘s competitiveness. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
A strategic turnaround model for distressed properties
- Authors: Pitsiladi, Lesvokli N
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Reorganization , Distressed properties
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60467 , vital:65603
- Description: The importance of commercial real estate is clearly shown by the role it plays, worldwide, in the sustainability of economic activities, with a substantial global impact when measured in monetary terms. This study responds to an important gap in the built environment and turnaround literature relating to the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. The present research effort addressed the absence of empirical evidence by identifying a number of important factors that influence the likelihood of a successful distressed, commercial property financial recovery. Once the important factors that increase the likelihood of recovery have been determined, the results can be used as a basis for turnaround strategies concerning property investors who invest in distressed opportunities. A theoretical turnaround model concerning properties in distress, would be of interest to ‘opportunistic investing’ yield-hungry investors targeting real estate transactions involving ‘turnaround’ potential. Against this background, the main research problem investigated in the present research effort was as follows: Determine the important factors that would increase the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. A proposed theoretical model was constructed and empirically tested through a questionnaire distributed physically and electronically to a sample of real estate practitioners from across the globe, and who had all been involved, directly or indirectly, with reviving distressed properties. An explanation was provided to respondents of how the questionnaire was developed and how it would be administered. The demographic information pertaining to the 391 respondents was analysed and summarised. The statistical analysis performed to ensure the validity and reliability of the results, was explained to respondents, together with a detailed description of the covariance structural equation modelling method used to verify the proposed theoretical conceptual model. vi The independent variables of the present research effort comprised; Obsolescence Identification, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Tenant Mix, Triple Net Leases, Concessions, Property Management, Contracts, Business Analysis, Debt Renegotiation, Cost-Cutting, Market Analysis, Strategic Planning and Demography, while the dependent variable was The Perceived Likelihood of a Distressed Commercial Property Financial Recovery. After analysis of the findings, a revised model was then proposed and assessed. Both validity and reliability were assessed and resulted in the following factors that potentially influence the dependent variables; Strategy, Concessions, Tenant Mix, Debt Restructuring, Demography, Analyse Alternatives, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Property Management and Net Leases while, after analysis, the dependent variable was replaced by two dependent variables; The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Turnaround and The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Financial Recovery. The results showed that Strategy (comprising of items from Strategic Planning, Business Analysis, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) and Concessions (comprising of items from Concessions and Triple Net Leases) had a positive influence on both the dependent variables. Property Management (comprising of items from Business Analysis, Property Management, Capital Improvements Feasibility and Tenant Mix) had a positive influence on Financial Turnaround variable while Capital Improvements Feasibility (comprising of items from Capital Improvements Feasibility, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) had a negative influence on both. Demography (comprising of items only from Demography) had a negative influence on the Financial Recovery variable. The balance of the relationships were depicted as non-significant. The present research effort presents important actions that can be used to influence the turnaround and recovery of distressed real estate. The literature had indicated reasons to recover distressed properties as having wide-ranging economic consequences for the broader communities and the countries in which they reside. The turnaround of distressed properties will not only present financial rewards for opportunistic investors but will have positive effects on the greater community and economy and, thus, social and economic stability. Vii With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, issues with climate change and sustainability, global demographic shifts, changing user requirements, shifts in technology, the threat of obsolescence, urbanisation, globalisation, geo-political tensions, shifting global order, new trends and different generational expectations, it is becoming more apparent that the threat of distressed, abandoned and derelict properties is here to stay, and which will present future opportunities for turnaround, distressed property owners, as well as future worries for urban authorities and municipalities dealing with urban decay. The study concluded with an examination of the perceived limitations of the study as well as presenting a comprehensive range of suggestions for further research. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, School of the built Environment, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Pitsiladi, Lesvokli N
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Reorganization , Distressed properties
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60467 , vital:65603
- Description: The importance of commercial real estate is clearly shown by the role it plays, worldwide, in the sustainability of economic activities, with a substantial global impact when measured in monetary terms. This study responds to an important gap in the built environment and turnaround literature relating to the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. The present research effort addressed the absence of empirical evidence by identifying a number of important factors that influence the likelihood of a successful distressed, commercial property financial recovery. Once the important factors that increase the likelihood of recovery have been determined, the results can be used as a basis for turnaround strategies concerning property investors who invest in distressed opportunities. A theoretical turnaround model concerning properties in distress, would be of interest to ‘opportunistic investing’ yield-hungry investors targeting real estate transactions involving ‘turnaround’ potential. Against this background, the main research problem investigated in the present research effort was as follows: Determine the important factors that would increase the likelihood of a successful distressed commercial property financial recovery. A proposed theoretical model was constructed and empirically tested through a questionnaire distributed physically and electronically to a sample of real estate practitioners from across the globe, and who had all been involved, directly or indirectly, with reviving distressed properties. An explanation was provided to respondents of how the questionnaire was developed and how it would be administered. The demographic information pertaining to the 391 respondents was analysed and summarised. The statistical analysis performed to ensure the validity and reliability of the results, was explained to respondents, together with a detailed description of the covariance structural equation modelling method used to verify the proposed theoretical conceptual model. vi The independent variables of the present research effort comprised; Obsolescence Identification, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Tenant Mix, Triple Net Leases, Concessions, Property Management, Contracts, Business Analysis, Debt Renegotiation, Cost-Cutting, Market Analysis, Strategic Planning and Demography, while the dependent variable was The Perceived Likelihood of a Distressed Commercial Property Financial Recovery. After analysis of the findings, a revised model was then proposed and assessed. Both validity and reliability were assessed and resulted in the following factors that potentially influence the dependent variables; Strategy, Concessions, Tenant Mix, Debt Restructuring, Demography, Analyse Alternatives, Capital Improvements Feasibility, Property Management and Net Leases while, after analysis, the dependent variable was replaced by two dependent variables; The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Turnaround and The Likelihood of a Distressed Property Financial Recovery. The results showed that Strategy (comprising of items from Strategic Planning, Business Analysis, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) and Concessions (comprising of items from Concessions and Triple Net Leases) had a positive influence on both the dependent variables. Property Management (comprising of items from Business Analysis, Property Management, Capital Improvements Feasibility and Tenant Mix) had a positive influence on Financial Turnaround variable while Capital Improvements Feasibility (comprising of items from Capital Improvements Feasibility, Obsolescence Identification and Property Management) had a negative influence on both. Demography (comprising of items only from Demography) had a negative influence on the Financial Recovery variable. The balance of the relationships were depicted as non-significant. The present research effort presents important actions that can be used to influence the turnaround and recovery of distressed real estate. The literature had indicated reasons to recover distressed properties as having wide-ranging economic consequences for the broader communities and the countries in which they reside. The turnaround of distressed properties will not only present financial rewards for opportunistic investors but will have positive effects on the greater community and economy and, thus, social and economic stability. Vii With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, issues with climate change and sustainability, global demographic shifts, changing user requirements, shifts in technology, the threat of obsolescence, urbanisation, globalisation, geo-political tensions, shifting global order, new trends and different generational expectations, it is becoming more apparent that the threat of distressed, abandoned and derelict properties is here to stay, and which will present future opportunities for turnaround, distressed property owners, as well as future worries for urban authorities and municipalities dealing with urban decay. The study concluded with an examination of the perceived limitations of the study as well as presenting a comprehensive range of suggestions for further research. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, School of the built Environment, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Towards a Cybersecurity Skills Framework for South Africa
- Authors: Kruger, M
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Computer systems--Security measures , Frameworks (Structures) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61200 , vital:69793
- Description: Cybersecurity is an ever-growing area of concern both globally and in South Africa. The increasing number of cyberattacks daily has had a large effect on individuals, organisations, governments, and society at large. The growing need to combat cybercrime is accompanied by the increased need for skilled IT professionals to assist in protecting against cybercrime. Currently, there is a worldwide cybersecurity skills gap and a lack of IT professionals with the requisite cybersecurity skills. Many countries have developed their own taxonomies and common lexicons for IT and cybersecurity work, specifically for their context. This type of common lexicon is important to help assist in the development of skills. However, South Africa does not yet have its own cybersecurity skills framework to serve as a common lexicon for the South African context. Hence, the problem defined for this study is that, without a common lexicon of the cybersecurity knowledge, skills, abilities, and tasks (KSATs) required of IT professionals as they relate to specific IT job roles in South Africa, the cybersecurity skills gap cannot be sufficiently addressed. Such a lexicon could help drive the development of skills in South Africa and, in so doing assist in alleviating the cybersecurity skills gap. This study therefore presents a common lexicon by collecting job postings over a four-month period from 1 October 2020 to 31 January 2021. These job postings were analysed using a thematic content analysis. The results identified 20 common IT job roles, together with the specific KSATs relating to each job role identified. As a result, these job roles form part of a proposed cybersecurity skills framework for South Africa (CSFwSA) which could help and guide South Africa towards more targeted cybersecurity skills development. The proposed framework could also be useful in guiding tertiary educational facilities in the creation of cybersecurity curricula that represent the real-world expectations. This, in turn, could help South Africa to address the cybersecurity skills gap by better preparing IT professionals and ensuring that they are trained and skilled in cybersecurity. , Thesis (MIT) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Information Technology, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Kruger, M
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Computer systems--Security measures , Frameworks (Structures) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61200 , vital:69793
- Description: Cybersecurity is an ever-growing area of concern both globally and in South Africa. The increasing number of cyberattacks daily has had a large effect on individuals, organisations, governments, and society at large. The growing need to combat cybercrime is accompanied by the increased need for skilled IT professionals to assist in protecting against cybercrime. Currently, there is a worldwide cybersecurity skills gap and a lack of IT professionals with the requisite cybersecurity skills. Many countries have developed their own taxonomies and common lexicons for IT and cybersecurity work, specifically for their context. This type of common lexicon is important to help assist in the development of skills. However, South Africa does not yet have its own cybersecurity skills framework to serve as a common lexicon for the South African context. Hence, the problem defined for this study is that, without a common lexicon of the cybersecurity knowledge, skills, abilities, and tasks (KSATs) required of IT professionals as they relate to specific IT job roles in South Africa, the cybersecurity skills gap cannot be sufficiently addressed. Such a lexicon could help drive the development of skills in South Africa and, in so doing assist in alleviating the cybersecurity skills gap. This study therefore presents a common lexicon by collecting job postings over a four-month period from 1 October 2020 to 31 January 2021. These job postings were analysed using a thematic content analysis. The results identified 20 common IT job roles, together with the specific KSATs relating to each job role identified. As a result, these job roles form part of a proposed cybersecurity skills framework for South Africa (CSFwSA) which could help and guide South Africa towards more targeted cybersecurity skills development. The proposed framework could also be useful in guiding tertiary educational facilities in the creation of cybersecurity curricula that represent the real-world expectations. This, in turn, could help South Africa to address the cybersecurity skills gap by better preparing IT professionals and ensuring that they are trained and skilled in cybersecurity. , Thesis (MIT) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Information Technology, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
A risk management model for commercial property development and investment in Ghana
- Authors: Asianoah, Rexford Kofi
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Risk management , Commercial real estate , Investment -- Ghana
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60493 , vital:65633
- Description: Commercial property development and investment provide many benefits to individuals and governments around the globe; these include the generation of income for investors, employment, tax revenues, and contributions to a country‘s GDP. Yet commercial property development and investment projects involve construction, economic and management risks. A lack of effective risk assessment and management tools may lead to developers and investors incurring losses. To curtail such losses, this study sought to create a credible management model that can be used to assess and manage risks in Ghana‘s commercial property development and investment industry. An extensive literature review was done, covering all 12 identified study constructs: real estate trends and cycle, construction project management, outside advice/mentorship, spatial development, strategic factors, business management skills, PMBOK, PESTEL analysis, general management skills, governance structures, financial feasibility, professional feasibility, and risk management. Each construct was defined and operationalised. A positivistic philosophical approach was used, and quantitative approach was used to solicit data from the main respondents through the distribution of questionnaires to the target population sample. CB-SEM and SPSS version 24 were used to analyse data, SEM to test the positive relationships hypothesised between the identified variables and SPSS to analyse the demographic data. The major findings are that there is a lack of financial and professional feasibility analysis among respondents along the following factors: the PMBOK, real estate trends and cycles, general management, business management, strategic factors, spatial development, and PESTEL analysis. It was found that these factors have positive and favourable influences on CPDI projects. The study recommends that developers and investors do financial and professional feasibility studies before they embark on projects. This could improve project viability in commercial property development and investment. The study has contributed to the body of knowledge in CPDI sector by developing a new risk assessment/risk management model. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering Built Environment and Technology, School of the built Environment, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Asianoah, Rexford Kofi
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Risk management , Commercial real estate , Investment -- Ghana
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60493 , vital:65633
- Description: Commercial property development and investment provide many benefits to individuals and governments around the globe; these include the generation of income for investors, employment, tax revenues, and contributions to a country‘s GDP. Yet commercial property development and investment projects involve construction, economic and management risks. A lack of effective risk assessment and management tools may lead to developers and investors incurring losses. To curtail such losses, this study sought to create a credible management model that can be used to assess and manage risks in Ghana‘s commercial property development and investment industry. An extensive literature review was done, covering all 12 identified study constructs: real estate trends and cycle, construction project management, outside advice/mentorship, spatial development, strategic factors, business management skills, PMBOK, PESTEL analysis, general management skills, governance structures, financial feasibility, professional feasibility, and risk management. Each construct was defined and operationalised. A positivistic philosophical approach was used, and quantitative approach was used to solicit data from the main respondents through the distribution of questionnaires to the target population sample. CB-SEM and SPSS version 24 were used to analyse data, SEM to test the positive relationships hypothesised between the identified variables and SPSS to analyse the demographic data. The major findings are that there is a lack of financial and professional feasibility analysis among respondents along the following factors: the PMBOK, real estate trends and cycles, general management, business management, strategic factors, spatial development, and PESTEL analysis. It was found that these factors have positive and favourable influences on CPDI projects. The study recommends that developers and investors do financial and professional feasibility studies before they embark on projects. This could improve project viability in commercial property development and investment. The study has contributed to the body of knowledge in CPDI sector by developing a new risk assessment/risk management model. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Engineering Built Environment and Technology, School of the built Environment, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
The effect of operations and management on the reliability of rural water supply maintenance at Amathole District Municipality
- Authors: Clock, Kulile
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Water supply -- Amathole
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61045 , vital:69688
- Description: The growing population in South Africa’s rural municipalities, coupled with industrial expansion, continue to exert pressure on the available water resources. While service delivery demands are becoming a serious concern among residents in various municipalities, local governments need to improve the supply of essentials, such as water. This study examines water scantiness in the rural side of the Amathole District Municipality (ADM), with a prime focus on the water distribution and maintenance system. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of business and economic sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Clock, Kulile
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Water supply -- Amathole
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61045 , vital:69688
- Description: The growing population in South Africa’s rural municipalities, coupled with industrial expansion, continue to exert pressure on the available water resources. While service delivery demands are becoming a serious concern among residents in various municipalities, local governments need to improve the supply of essentials, such as water. This study examines water scantiness in the rural side of the Amathole District Municipality (ADM), with a prime focus on the water distribution and maintenance system. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of business and economic sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Challenges and opportunities of coastal and marine tourism in Swartkops river Estuary
- Authors: Nokela,Thembela
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Marine -- South Africa -- Swartkops River Estuary , Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality—Tourism , Estuarine pollution
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61316 , vital:70083
- Description: This study's goal was to pinpoint the challenges and untapped opportunities associated with Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT) in the Swartkops River Estuary (SRE). CMT has become the biggest segment of the travel industry. Moreover, this form of alternative tourism is the most significant and fastest developing economic activity in the ocean. The objectives of this study were to identify the challenges that hinder the development of CMT in SRE, to determine opportunities for CMT in SRE, to evaluate NMBM’s efforts in creating and sustaining CMT in SRE and to evaluate the status of CMT in SRE in terms of CMT related development. This study fit within the interprevist paradigm and made use of a qualitative research approach and design as well as inductive reasoning. The qualitative research design consisted of data being collected through document and content analysis. Data was analysed using data analysis process of Miles and Herman (1994) as well as the coding and developing of specific themes that emerged from the data. The data in this phase was presented both in narrative format and tables. The document analysis used in this study was established based on the objectives of this study. The findings of this study revealed that key challenges that hinder the growth of CMT in Swartkops River Estuary are environmental impacts that include pollution, over enrichment, inappropriate development, overfishing, destruction of mudflats, limited freshwater inflow, destruction of vegetation and climate change. The findings also revealed that there are opportunities for CMT in SRE such as promoting SRE as a popular ecotourism destination by developing ecotourism nodes. These include environmental education at the Aloes Nature Reserve's and the Swartkops Estuary south-east section, sustainable ecolodges and conference centres. The study recommends that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality should organize educational programmes to educate local people about the significance of conserving and safeguarding the environment for future generations. These findings also posed certain challenges linked to those identified in the analysis. , Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development & Tourism, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Nokela,Thembela
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Marine -- South Africa -- Swartkops River Estuary , Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality—Tourism , Estuarine pollution
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61316 , vital:70083
- Description: This study's goal was to pinpoint the challenges and untapped opportunities associated with Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT) in the Swartkops River Estuary (SRE). CMT has become the biggest segment of the travel industry. Moreover, this form of alternative tourism is the most significant and fastest developing economic activity in the ocean. The objectives of this study were to identify the challenges that hinder the development of CMT in SRE, to determine opportunities for CMT in SRE, to evaluate NMBM’s efforts in creating and sustaining CMT in SRE and to evaluate the status of CMT in SRE in terms of CMT related development. This study fit within the interprevist paradigm and made use of a qualitative research approach and design as well as inductive reasoning. The qualitative research design consisted of data being collected through document and content analysis. Data was analysed using data analysis process of Miles and Herman (1994) as well as the coding and developing of specific themes that emerged from the data. The data in this phase was presented both in narrative format and tables. The document analysis used in this study was established based on the objectives of this study. The findings of this study revealed that key challenges that hinder the growth of CMT in Swartkops River Estuary are environmental impacts that include pollution, over enrichment, inappropriate development, overfishing, destruction of mudflats, limited freshwater inflow, destruction of vegetation and climate change. The findings also revealed that there are opportunities for CMT in SRE such as promoting SRE as a popular ecotourism destination by developing ecotourism nodes. These include environmental education at the Aloes Nature Reserve's and the Swartkops Estuary south-east section, sustainable ecolodges and conference centres. The study recommends that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality should organize educational programmes to educate local people about the significance of conserving and safeguarding the environment for future generations. These findings also posed certain challenges linked to those identified in the analysis. , Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Economics, Development & Tourism, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
The Living Archive as Pedagogy: A Conceptual Case Study of Northern Uganda
- Authors: Munene, Anne Wambui
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Archives , Education -- Study and teaching , Case Study -- Northern Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60927 , vital:69226
- Description: The Living Archive as Pedagogy emerges from Northern Uganda’s experience of war 1986- 2008, between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Uganda People’s Defense Force previously named the National Resistance Army. This period of war and post-war has been a difficult experience where finding solutions and mechanisms for transition or justice remain complex, restricted, delayed and consequently concealing the reality of lived marginalization from below. The Acholi of Northern Uganda went through predatory atrocities, painful humiliation and unwilled cohabitations with their oppressors during war and post-war. The study explores how the interlinking of archives and pedagogy as independent disciplines can extend possibilities for more transformative education horizons in bottom-up, post-conflict expressions. The study is immersed through a conceptual and theoretical framing in the boundaries of archiving and pedagogy, to understand how the war constructs Acholi’s lived experience in multiple complex ways. While the Acholi re-orient their lives post- war, we recognize their attention in affirming their human agency, ordering of new and different meanings, desiring a different liberation in post-conflict where responsibility in contexts of “up againstness” validates their dwelling and being in spaces that exclude them. The research acknowledges that pedagogy and archiving studies in post-conflict, needs restructuring to challenge the preserving of external and dominant epistemological purviews that order post-conflict reconstruction life. These traditions exclude the experiences of survivor-victims, are tone deaf to community-based groups articulations of post-conflict repair, and neither does lived experiences of the everyday gets organized as an outcome for knowledge. This is discussed at length, as the research responds to its central question of how living archive as pedagogy can offer a transformative education discourse. The conclusion of the study emphasizes self-representation through transformative knowledge positions of I am whom I am, Where I am, Where I Speak, and Where I think. These positions articulate a self-understanding that supports rehistrocizing of post-conflict society as a body resisting exclusion in dominant knowledge formation and institutional omissions. There is evidence of the research foregrounding the formation of person-hood from experiences of ‘up againstness” and knowledge/under-stand[ing] from below. The research facilitates a hermeneutical encounter with specific inscribed bodies of post-conflict experience, the Acholi and Wanjiku whose bodies archive a horizon of possibilities if a different and difficult reading vii of the world is done from locations of struggle to produce consciousness of re-becoming, or returning to the human. These pedagogical experience positions Acholi and Wanjiku as educators, and their lives a living archive. We the readers are invited to a learning process as willing ‘hearers’ of Acholi and Wanjiku testimony, to own responsibility as our practice to ensure they appear in the world to say their truth, as they defy conditions of their oppression. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, School of Education Research and Engagement, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Munene, Anne Wambui
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Archives , Education -- Study and teaching , Case Study -- Northern Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60927 , vital:69226
- Description: The Living Archive as Pedagogy emerges from Northern Uganda’s experience of war 1986- 2008, between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Uganda People’s Defense Force previously named the National Resistance Army. This period of war and post-war has been a difficult experience where finding solutions and mechanisms for transition or justice remain complex, restricted, delayed and consequently concealing the reality of lived marginalization from below. The Acholi of Northern Uganda went through predatory atrocities, painful humiliation and unwilled cohabitations with their oppressors during war and post-war. The study explores how the interlinking of archives and pedagogy as independent disciplines can extend possibilities for more transformative education horizons in bottom-up, post-conflict expressions. The study is immersed through a conceptual and theoretical framing in the boundaries of archiving and pedagogy, to understand how the war constructs Acholi’s lived experience in multiple complex ways. While the Acholi re-orient their lives post- war, we recognize their attention in affirming their human agency, ordering of new and different meanings, desiring a different liberation in post-conflict where responsibility in contexts of “up againstness” validates their dwelling and being in spaces that exclude them. The research acknowledges that pedagogy and archiving studies in post-conflict, needs restructuring to challenge the preserving of external and dominant epistemological purviews that order post-conflict reconstruction life. These traditions exclude the experiences of survivor-victims, are tone deaf to community-based groups articulations of post-conflict repair, and neither does lived experiences of the everyday gets organized as an outcome for knowledge. This is discussed at length, as the research responds to its central question of how living archive as pedagogy can offer a transformative education discourse. The conclusion of the study emphasizes self-representation through transformative knowledge positions of I am whom I am, Where I am, Where I Speak, and Where I think. These positions articulate a self-understanding that supports rehistrocizing of post-conflict society as a body resisting exclusion in dominant knowledge formation and institutional omissions. There is evidence of the research foregrounding the formation of person-hood from experiences of ‘up againstness” and knowledge/under-stand[ing] from below. The research facilitates a hermeneutical encounter with specific inscribed bodies of post-conflict experience, the Acholi and Wanjiku whose bodies archive a horizon of possibilities if a different and difficult reading vii of the world is done from locations of struggle to produce consciousness of re-becoming, or returning to the human. These pedagogical experience positions Acholi and Wanjiku as educators, and their lives a living archive. We the readers are invited to a learning process as willing ‘hearers’ of Acholi and Wanjiku testimony, to own responsibility as our practice to ensure they appear in the world to say their truth, as they defy conditions of their oppression. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, School of Education Research and Engagement, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Evaluation of the toxicity of secondary metabolites in Solanum incanum L. to advance community knowledge
- Authors: Zivanayi, William
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Solanum -- Zimbabwe , Pesticides -- Toxicology , Medicinal plants
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61018 , vital:69686
- Description: The effects of pests and the need to produce adequate food have influenced small-scale farmers in disadvantaged communities to adopt and utilise natural plant pesticides to improve harvests in many Southern African Development Communities. However, the phytochemistry associated with these indigenous plants’ pesticide activity still needs to be explored. The lack of evidence of scientific knowledge of the plant species has caused a lot of health issues among the users of indigenous plant pesticides. Solanum incanum is among the plants utilised to control cabbage aphids in Mkoba village, Zimbabwe. Solanum species are known for their steroidal compounds which comprise glycoalkaloids and saponins. This study evaluated the knowledge, opinions, and attitudes of the vegetable peasant farming community in Gweru regarding their use of the indigenous plant (S. incanum) as a pesticide. The study also reported the phytochemical profiling, structural characterisation of the isolated compounds, and biological and pesticidal activity evaluation of phytochemicals isolated from S. incanum. A descriptive survey was carried out to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of a conveniently sampled group of vegetable farmers in Mkoba village who use S. incanum as a pesticide. Forty-nine respondents comprised of 19 males and 30 females of ages ranging from 15 to above 60 years took part in the study by answering an open and closed-ended questionnaire. The survey revealed that parents and neighbours were instrumental in disseminating pesticidal information in the community. Brassica napus were the most grown.vegetable and vulnerable to cabbage aphids. Mixed opinions amongst the respondents varied regarding the health and environmental impact of S. incanum as a pesticide. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the respondents supported the use of S. incanum as a pesticide whilst 25% claimed that the use of S. incanum was the source of the health problems experienced in the community. The survey demonstrated that (45)91% of the farmers displayed poor practices regarding the disposal of empty pesticide containers and the use of personal protective clothing. The most prevalent symptoms in the community were skin rash, nausea, headache, and poor vision and these symptoms were common in the age group 30 to 60 years. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Zivanayi, William
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Solanum -- Zimbabwe , Pesticides -- Toxicology , Medicinal plants
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61018 , vital:69686
- Description: The effects of pests and the need to produce adequate food have influenced small-scale farmers in disadvantaged communities to adopt and utilise natural plant pesticides to improve harvests in many Southern African Development Communities. However, the phytochemistry associated with these indigenous plants’ pesticide activity still needs to be explored. The lack of evidence of scientific knowledge of the plant species has caused a lot of health issues among the users of indigenous plant pesticides. Solanum incanum is among the plants utilised to control cabbage aphids in Mkoba village, Zimbabwe. Solanum species are known for their steroidal compounds which comprise glycoalkaloids and saponins. This study evaluated the knowledge, opinions, and attitudes of the vegetable peasant farming community in Gweru regarding their use of the indigenous plant (S. incanum) as a pesticide. The study also reported the phytochemical profiling, structural characterisation of the isolated compounds, and biological and pesticidal activity evaluation of phytochemicals isolated from S. incanum. A descriptive survey was carried out to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of a conveniently sampled group of vegetable farmers in Mkoba village who use S. incanum as a pesticide. Forty-nine respondents comprised of 19 males and 30 females of ages ranging from 15 to above 60 years took part in the study by answering an open and closed-ended questionnaire. The survey revealed that parents and neighbours were instrumental in disseminating pesticidal information in the community. Brassica napus were the most grown.vegetable and vulnerable to cabbage aphids. Mixed opinions amongst the respondents varied regarding the health and environmental impact of S. incanum as a pesticide. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the respondents supported the use of S. incanum as a pesticide whilst 25% claimed that the use of S. incanum was the source of the health problems experienced in the community. The survey demonstrated that (45)91% of the farmers displayed poor practices regarding the disposal of empty pesticide containers and the use of personal protective clothing. The most prevalent symptoms in the community were skin rash, nausea, headache, and poor vision and these symptoms were common in the age group 30 to 60 years. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Factors affecting pinniped skull morphology
- Authors: Penaluna, Julia Elizabeth
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: hybridisation -- South Africa , Sexual dimorphism (Animals) , Craniology
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61306 , vital:70077
- Description: Morphologies have evolved due to trade-offs between competing selective pressures. This is especially true for the skull. Not only does it contain the brain and the organs that are responsible for sensory function, but it is also contains components that play important roles in feeding, breathing, balance, defence, aggression and communication. The pinnipeds, a group of species that has evolved from terrestrial origins and became adapted to the marine environment, are under numerous selective pressures within the marine environment. These species have had to evolve in order to capture and process food underwater, and to dive. In addition, they are also characterised by substantial sexual size dimorphism in some species. Pinnipeds also make use of numerous marine and haul-out habitats with varying characteristics and complexity. Hybridisation has been recorded among pinnipeds, resulting in the production of hybrid offspring with characteristics that are different to their parent species. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of these life history characteristics on skull and mandible morphology of pinniped species using three dimensional geometric morphometrics. To achieve this, 43 skull and 15 mandible 3D landmarks were collected using a Microscribe G2X digitizer with 0.2mm accuracy, on the skull and mandibles of 17 species of pinnipeds across three families, and one hybrid species. In total, 96 specimens across these species were examined. Data on the different life history characteristics of each species were collected from the literature. These data were plotted onto the PCA results in order to create and visually compare minimum convex polygons for each life history category. The results found that phylogeny, feeding strategy and sexual dimorphism were the most important factors in explaining differences in pinniped skull and mandible shape and size. may have resulted in these changes. Similarly, the inclusion of more species, covering a broader range of life histories may be beneficial. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Penaluna, Julia Elizabeth
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: hybridisation -- South Africa , Sexual dimorphism (Animals) , Craniology
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61306 , vital:70077
- Description: Morphologies have evolved due to trade-offs between competing selective pressures. This is especially true for the skull. Not only does it contain the brain and the organs that are responsible for sensory function, but it is also contains components that play important roles in feeding, breathing, balance, defence, aggression and communication. The pinnipeds, a group of species that has evolved from terrestrial origins and became adapted to the marine environment, are under numerous selective pressures within the marine environment. These species have had to evolve in order to capture and process food underwater, and to dive. In addition, they are also characterised by substantial sexual size dimorphism in some species. Pinnipeds also make use of numerous marine and haul-out habitats with varying characteristics and complexity. Hybridisation has been recorded among pinnipeds, resulting in the production of hybrid offspring with characteristics that are different to their parent species. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of these life history characteristics on skull and mandible morphology of pinniped species using three dimensional geometric morphometrics. To achieve this, 43 skull and 15 mandible 3D landmarks were collected using a Microscribe G2X digitizer with 0.2mm accuracy, on the skull and mandibles of 17 species of pinnipeds across three families, and one hybrid species. In total, 96 specimens across these species were examined. Data on the different life history characteristics of each species were collected from the literature. These data were plotted onto the PCA results in order to create and visually compare minimum convex polygons for each life history category. The results found that phylogeny, feeding strategy and sexual dimorphism were the most important factors in explaining differences in pinniped skull and mandible shape and size. may have resulted in these changes. Similarly, the inclusion of more species, covering a broader range of life histories may be beneficial. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Performance management of the academic staffs in Ugandan public and private universities
- Authors: Kansiime, Grace
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Performance--Management , Academic staff , Higher education institutions -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60938 , vital:69246
- Description: This study, at the outset, seeks to assess the effectiveness of a performance management system (PMS) in determining the academic staffs‟ performance in teaching and research in selected Ugandan public and private universities. The participants of this study comprised full-time and parttime academic staffs from public and private universities located in the four regions in Uganda. The purposive sampling method was used to select the universities for this study. Convenient sampling was used to select the academic staffs in the universities. An online structured questionnaire collected quantitative data and analysed it using descriptive and inferential statistics. The quantitative analysis of the responses showed that many participants were made up of public university academic staffs, lecturers, assistant lecturers, master‟s degree holders and permanent fulltime staffs. Factor analyses were run for each section and sub-section within the questionnaire to explore the dimensionality of the scales and generate composite factor scores to be used for further analyses. While, internal consistency was examined using Cronbach‟s alpha. In addition, descriptive statistics for the factors within sections were determined. Pearson‟s correlation coefficients were calculated for each pair of factor scores for each section and sub-section to explore the relationships between the factors identified in this study. Additionally, the comparison of factor scores across selected demographic variables and independent samples t-tests for the equality of means was used to establish whether there were significant differences between the factor scores of various demographic variables. Finally, one-way ANOVAs were considered to compare the composite factor scores across various demographic variables. Factor score analysis showed that 44.9% of the academic staffs had a moderate attitude towards the PMS process; whereas 84.9% had a high attitude towards PA criteria and 64.2% had a high attitude towards PFPS. The results of the study suggest a high attitude of the academic staffs towards PA and PFP in teaching and research. In addition, the majority (78.0%) of the academic staffs had a high attitude towards their self-performance planning in their institution. The results of the study suggest a high level of self-performance planning of the academic staffs in teaching and research in the selected Ugandan HEIs. A reasonable number (45.4%) of the academic staffs from public universities and 49.1% from private universities had a high attitude towards supervisors‟ participation in performance planning and performance feedback. Moreover, 44.0% of the academic staffs from public universities and 66.7% of the academic staffs from private universities rated the workload as high. The results of the study suggest that the academic staffs‟ workload was high. In xx addition, factor score analysis showed that the academic staffs‟ performance rewards were low. Only 24.9% of the academic staffs had received more than 67% of the available rewards suggesting that the academic staffs‟ managers in the surveyed institutions did not use a variety of performance rewards to compensate for the academic staffs‟ performance. In addition, the average factor score for teaching skills was 94.8%, while perceived teaching abilities were 95.1% high on average. Besides, the factor score analysis results showed that teaching skills were 84.81% and 86.34%, respectively. Only 29.1% of the academic staffs from both public and private universities had high research skills. The results suggested that the academic staffs‟ teaching skills were high while their research skills were low. The findings thus suggested that the academic staffs in Ugandan public and private universities were highly involved in teaching activities, but their involvement in research activities was low. Similarly, results from testing hypotheses suggested that academic staffs in the surveyed Ugandan public and private universities rated PA criteria and PFPS higher than the PMS process. The study results indicated that self-performance planning and supervisors‟ involvement in performance feedback improved academic staffs‟ teaching skills. In contrast, performance planning, review, clarity on feedback, evaluation and rewards increased academic staffs‟ performance in perceived teaching abilities. In addition, an increase in the research workload contributed to an increase in the academic staffs‟ perception of their research knowledge and skills. The study made major conclusions regarding academic staffs‟ PM in Ugandan public and private universities. First, correlation results on performance planning and teaching skills and abilities for public and private universities were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Therefore, the study concludes that the academic staffs‟ performance planning in the selected Ugandan HEIs positively affected the academic staffs‟ performance in teaching. In addition, correlation results for supervisor involvement in feedback and teaching skills for both public and private universities were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Thus, the study concludes that supervisors‟ involvement in feedback improved academic staffs‟ performance in teaching skills. In addition, correlation results showed that performance reviews and teaching abilities were statistically significant for public universities (p=0.001), and (p=0.034) for private universities. Thus, the study concludes that the academic staffs‟ performance reviews improved academic staffs‟ teaching abilities in selected public and private universities. Equally, correlation results for performance evaluation and perceived teaching abilities for public universities was statistically significant (p< 0.001) for public universities, and (p=0.006) for private universities. Therefore, the study concludes that performance evaluation increased xxi teaching abilities of the academic staffs in both Ugandan public and private universities. In addition, rewards significantly impacted academic staffs‟ perceived teaching abilities in private universities. Correlation results for rewards and perceived teaching abilities for private universities was statistically significant (p< 0.011). Therefore, the study concludes that the more academic staffs were rewarded, the more they participated in setting, administering and marking tests, assisgnments and examinations, and adhering to deadlines set for administering tests and assignments. Similarly, the study made various recommendations to improve academic staffs‟ performance in teaching and research in Ugandan public and private universities. To achieve the required performance in teaching and research, the study recommends that the academic staffs be involved in the entire planning process to be aware of the required performance and the kind of results expected from their performance and work towards achieving the set performance in teaching and research. Additionally, performance reviews and feedback should be one-on-one discussions between the managers and the academic staffs to identify how far the staffs are performing towards the set goals. The study recommends that the academic staffs need information regarding their performance for feedback to be effective. In addition, the study recommends that the academic staffs‟ managers should increase financial and non-financial rewards to motivate the academic staffs to increase their performance in teaching. Correlation results showed that rewards had a significant impact on teaching abilities (p=0.011). Thus, rewards should as well be increased to improve academic staffs‟ teaching abilities. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, School of Research and Engagement, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Kansiime, Grace
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Performance--Management , Academic staff , Higher education institutions -- Uganda
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60938 , vital:69246
- Description: This study, at the outset, seeks to assess the effectiveness of a performance management system (PMS) in determining the academic staffs‟ performance in teaching and research in selected Ugandan public and private universities. The participants of this study comprised full-time and parttime academic staffs from public and private universities located in the four regions in Uganda. The purposive sampling method was used to select the universities for this study. Convenient sampling was used to select the academic staffs in the universities. An online structured questionnaire collected quantitative data and analysed it using descriptive and inferential statistics. The quantitative analysis of the responses showed that many participants were made up of public university academic staffs, lecturers, assistant lecturers, master‟s degree holders and permanent fulltime staffs. Factor analyses were run for each section and sub-section within the questionnaire to explore the dimensionality of the scales and generate composite factor scores to be used for further analyses. While, internal consistency was examined using Cronbach‟s alpha. In addition, descriptive statistics for the factors within sections were determined. Pearson‟s correlation coefficients were calculated for each pair of factor scores for each section and sub-section to explore the relationships between the factors identified in this study. Additionally, the comparison of factor scores across selected demographic variables and independent samples t-tests for the equality of means was used to establish whether there were significant differences between the factor scores of various demographic variables. Finally, one-way ANOVAs were considered to compare the composite factor scores across various demographic variables. Factor score analysis showed that 44.9% of the academic staffs had a moderate attitude towards the PMS process; whereas 84.9% had a high attitude towards PA criteria and 64.2% had a high attitude towards PFPS. The results of the study suggest a high attitude of the academic staffs towards PA and PFP in teaching and research. In addition, the majority (78.0%) of the academic staffs had a high attitude towards their self-performance planning in their institution. The results of the study suggest a high level of self-performance planning of the academic staffs in teaching and research in the selected Ugandan HEIs. A reasonable number (45.4%) of the academic staffs from public universities and 49.1% from private universities had a high attitude towards supervisors‟ participation in performance planning and performance feedback. Moreover, 44.0% of the academic staffs from public universities and 66.7% of the academic staffs from private universities rated the workload as high. The results of the study suggest that the academic staffs‟ workload was high. In xx addition, factor score analysis showed that the academic staffs‟ performance rewards were low. Only 24.9% of the academic staffs had received more than 67% of the available rewards suggesting that the academic staffs‟ managers in the surveyed institutions did not use a variety of performance rewards to compensate for the academic staffs‟ performance. In addition, the average factor score for teaching skills was 94.8%, while perceived teaching abilities were 95.1% high on average. Besides, the factor score analysis results showed that teaching skills were 84.81% and 86.34%, respectively. Only 29.1% of the academic staffs from both public and private universities had high research skills. The results suggested that the academic staffs‟ teaching skills were high while their research skills were low. The findings thus suggested that the academic staffs in Ugandan public and private universities were highly involved in teaching activities, but their involvement in research activities was low. Similarly, results from testing hypotheses suggested that academic staffs in the surveyed Ugandan public and private universities rated PA criteria and PFPS higher than the PMS process. The study results indicated that self-performance planning and supervisors‟ involvement in performance feedback improved academic staffs‟ teaching skills. In contrast, performance planning, review, clarity on feedback, evaluation and rewards increased academic staffs‟ performance in perceived teaching abilities. In addition, an increase in the research workload contributed to an increase in the academic staffs‟ perception of their research knowledge and skills. The study made major conclusions regarding academic staffs‟ PM in Ugandan public and private universities. First, correlation results on performance planning and teaching skills and abilities for public and private universities were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Therefore, the study concludes that the academic staffs‟ performance planning in the selected Ugandan HEIs positively affected the academic staffs‟ performance in teaching. In addition, correlation results for supervisor involvement in feedback and teaching skills for both public and private universities were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Thus, the study concludes that supervisors‟ involvement in feedback improved academic staffs‟ performance in teaching skills. In addition, correlation results showed that performance reviews and teaching abilities were statistically significant for public universities (p=0.001), and (p=0.034) for private universities. Thus, the study concludes that the academic staffs‟ performance reviews improved academic staffs‟ teaching abilities in selected public and private universities. Equally, correlation results for performance evaluation and perceived teaching abilities for public universities was statistically significant (p< 0.001) for public universities, and (p=0.006) for private universities. Therefore, the study concludes that performance evaluation increased xxi teaching abilities of the academic staffs in both Ugandan public and private universities. In addition, rewards significantly impacted academic staffs‟ perceived teaching abilities in private universities. Correlation results for rewards and perceived teaching abilities for private universities was statistically significant (p< 0.011). Therefore, the study concludes that the more academic staffs were rewarded, the more they participated in setting, administering and marking tests, assisgnments and examinations, and adhering to deadlines set for administering tests and assignments. Similarly, the study made various recommendations to improve academic staffs‟ performance in teaching and research in Ugandan public and private universities. To achieve the required performance in teaching and research, the study recommends that the academic staffs be involved in the entire planning process to be aware of the required performance and the kind of results expected from their performance and work towards achieving the set performance in teaching and research. Additionally, performance reviews and feedback should be one-on-one discussions between the managers and the academic staffs to identify how far the staffs are performing towards the set goals. The study recommends that the academic staffs need information regarding their performance for feedback to be effective. In addition, the study recommends that the academic staffs‟ managers should increase financial and non-financial rewards to motivate the academic staffs to increase their performance in teaching. Correlation results showed that rewards had a significant impact on teaching abilities (p=0.011). Thus, rewards should as well be increased to improve academic staffs‟ teaching abilities. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, School of Research and Engagement, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Factors that contribute to an optimal omnichannel retail experience: A South African perspective
- Authors: Hopa, Tandazile
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Business planning , Consumer satisfaction
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61339 , vital:70374
- Description: The increase in the number of channels driven by technology trajectory over the years have led to a change in customer behaviour. Customers move around different retailer platforms during a single purchase; even so customers still expect a superior and seamless customer experience while navigating these channels. The present study built on studies conducted in countries such as China, Spain, India, United Kingdom amongst others to determine if the learnings from these countries can be applied in the South African context. This study used an interpretivist phenomenological approach and interviewed a qualitative sample of participants to gain insights on their experiences while shopping in these retailers. This study will assist Information Technology managers with prioritisation of their technology roadmaps. This study will also contribute to computer science studies because programmers will have a context of a customer’s perspective when developing omnichannel solutions. Lastly, the study can be used by governments and policy makers in developing national strategic plans relating to shared economy because the study highlights the need to omnichannel retailing in remote areas. The findings from the research were summarised into five themes customer experience, convenience, product, support, and security. The optimal South African omnichannel retail experience is one that allows the customer to seamlessly move across channels by integrating the retailing mix elements of product, place, promotion, price. To achieve this experience, retailers must integrate the customer’s profile information and ensure that the customer’s payment details are secure and are able to seamlessly login in all the retailer platforms. Contrary to the researcher’s expectations, South African customers do not expect an omnichannel support. They expect to keep online support separate from in-store support. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Hopa, Tandazile
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Business planning , Consumer satisfaction
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61339 , vital:70374
- Description: The increase in the number of channels driven by technology trajectory over the years have led to a change in customer behaviour. Customers move around different retailer platforms during a single purchase; even so customers still expect a superior and seamless customer experience while navigating these channels. The present study built on studies conducted in countries such as China, Spain, India, United Kingdom amongst others to determine if the learnings from these countries can be applied in the South African context. This study used an interpretivist phenomenological approach and interviewed a qualitative sample of participants to gain insights on their experiences while shopping in these retailers. This study will assist Information Technology managers with prioritisation of their technology roadmaps. This study will also contribute to computer science studies because programmers will have a context of a customer’s perspective when developing omnichannel solutions. Lastly, the study can be used by governments and policy makers in developing national strategic plans relating to shared economy because the study highlights the need to omnichannel retailing in remote areas. The findings from the research were summarised into five themes customer experience, convenience, product, support, and security. The optimal South African omnichannel retail experience is one that allows the customer to seamlessly move across channels by integrating the retailing mix elements of product, place, promotion, price. To achieve this experience, retailers must integrate the customer’s profile information and ensure that the customer’s payment details are secure and are able to seamlessly login in all the retailer platforms. Contrary to the researcher’s expectations, South African customers do not expect an omnichannel support. They expect to keep online support separate from in-store support. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Pleistocene vertebrate trace fossils from the Cape south coast of South Africa: inferences and implications
- Authors: Helm, Charles William
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Geology, Stratigraphic -- Pleistocene , Vertebrates, Fossil -- South Africa , Paleontology -- Pleistocene
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60589 , vital:65942
- Description: Palaeoichnology, the study of fossil tracks and traces, has had a relatively late start on the Cape south coast of South Africa. Since its inception in 2007 the Cape south coast ichnology project has led to the identification of 326 Pleistocene vertebrate ichnosites in aeolianites (cemented dunes) and cemented foreshore deposits between the community of Arniston in the west and the Robberg Peninsula in the east, a distance of approximately 350 kilometres. As a result, significant palaeoevironmental, palaeocological and palaeoanthropological inferences have been made. This thesis brings together this corpus of work, and attempts to answer the question of how ichnology can inform the understanding of the Cape south coast Pleistocene environment, and how the trace fossil record can complement the body fossil record. Achieving this objective involves the development of a definitive regional account. This includes descriptions of the regional geological context, Quaternary sea-level changes, and the state of knowledge of the region’s Pleistocene palaeoenvironment, palaeoanthropology, and body fossil record, along with an understanding of the roles of substrate and taphonomy in regional ichnology. A discussion of geochronology includes the age results from specimens submitted for dating through optically stimulated luminescence – dated deposits range in age from Marine Isotope Stage 11 through Marine Isotope Srage 3. The body of the thesis is formed by systematic descriptions of the vertebrate ichnosites, accompanied by interpretation and comments. Three databases have been compiled: ichnosites, photographs, and photogrammetry images. In synthesizing this data, four underlying questions are addressed: what is the global relevance of the Cape south coast ichnosites, how can these studies complement the vertebrate body fossil record, how can they contribute to the understanding of Pleistocene palaeoenvironments and palaeocology, and how can they contribute to palaeoanthropology? The Cape south coast is of global ichnological importance. Unanticipated findings which augment the sparse reptilian body fossil record include tracks and traces of crocodiles, monitor lizards, very large tortoises (the first of their kind in the global record), and hatchling sea turtles. Two new ichnogenera have been erected to describe the sea turtle tracks, each containing a new ichnospecies: ustralochelichnus agulhasii and Marinerichnus latus. Avian ichnosites are the oldest in southern v Africa, and include the presence of tracks of larger-than-expected birds, which may represent large chronosubspecies or may suggest the possibility of extinctions which are not evident from the body fossil record. Unique examples of the non-hominin mammalian ichnosites include sand-swimming traces that resemble those of the ‘Namib mole’: as a result a new ichnogenus (Natatorichnus) has been erected, containing two ichnospecies, N. subarenosa and N. sulcatus. The first elephant trunk-drag impressions and the first pinniped ichnosites in the global record have been identified. The role of elephant tracks as precursors to coastal potholes was previously unsuspected. Equid tracksites indicate a widespread presence of the extinct giant Cape horse (Equus capensis). The identification of a giraffe tracksite represents a major range extension. In particular, tracks and traces of giraffe, crocodiles, breeding sea turtles, and sand-swimming golden moles have significant palaeoenvironmental implications. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Helm, Charles William
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Geology, Stratigraphic -- Pleistocene , Vertebrates, Fossil -- South Africa , Paleontology -- Pleistocene
- Language: English
- Type: Doctor's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60589 , vital:65942
- Description: Palaeoichnology, the study of fossil tracks and traces, has had a relatively late start on the Cape south coast of South Africa. Since its inception in 2007 the Cape south coast ichnology project has led to the identification of 326 Pleistocene vertebrate ichnosites in aeolianites (cemented dunes) and cemented foreshore deposits between the community of Arniston in the west and the Robberg Peninsula in the east, a distance of approximately 350 kilometres. As a result, significant palaeoevironmental, palaeocological and palaeoanthropological inferences have been made. This thesis brings together this corpus of work, and attempts to answer the question of how ichnology can inform the understanding of the Cape south coast Pleistocene environment, and how the trace fossil record can complement the body fossil record. Achieving this objective involves the development of a definitive regional account. This includes descriptions of the regional geological context, Quaternary sea-level changes, and the state of knowledge of the region’s Pleistocene palaeoenvironment, palaeoanthropology, and body fossil record, along with an understanding of the roles of substrate and taphonomy in regional ichnology. A discussion of geochronology includes the age results from specimens submitted for dating through optically stimulated luminescence – dated deposits range in age from Marine Isotope Stage 11 through Marine Isotope Srage 3. The body of the thesis is formed by systematic descriptions of the vertebrate ichnosites, accompanied by interpretation and comments. Three databases have been compiled: ichnosites, photographs, and photogrammetry images. In synthesizing this data, four underlying questions are addressed: what is the global relevance of the Cape south coast ichnosites, how can these studies complement the vertebrate body fossil record, how can they contribute to the understanding of Pleistocene palaeoenvironments and palaeocology, and how can they contribute to palaeoanthropology? The Cape south coast is of global ichnological importance. Unanticipated findings which augment the sparse reptilian body fossil record include tracks and traces of crocodiles, monitor lizards, very large tortoises (the first of their kind in the global record), and hatchling sea turtles. Two new ichnogenera have been erected to describe the sea turtle tracks, each containing a new ichnospecies: ustralochelichnus agulhasii and Marinerichnus latus. Avian ichnosites are the oldest in southern v Africa, and include the presence of tracks of larger-than-expected birds, which may represent large chronosubspecies or may suggest the possibility of extinctions which are not evident from the body fossil record. Unique examples of the non-hominin mammalian ichnosites include sand-swimming traces that resemble those of the ‘Namib mole’: as a result a new ichnogenus (Natatorichnus) has been erected, containing two ichnospecies, N. subarenosa and N. sulcatus. The first elephant trunk-drag impressions and the first pinniped ichnosites in the global record have been identified. The role of elephant tracks as precursors to coastal potholes was previously unsuspected. Equid tracksites indicate a widespread presence of the extinct giant Cape horse (Equus capensis). The identification of a giraffe tracksite represents a major range extension. In particular, tracks and traces of giraffe, crocodiles, breeding sea turtles, and sand-swimming golden moles have significant palaeoenvironmental implications. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Science, School of Environmental Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
The analysis of social networking sites usage by the public relations management students from Walter Sisulu University: Buffalo city campus (Chiselhurst site)
- Authors: Kwinana, Zingisa. N
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Grahamstown (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27589 , vital:69318
- Description: This study analysed the use of social networking sites by undergraduate Public Relations Management students from Walter Sisulu University, Chiselhurst site. The reason for this study was to seek student’s opinions on what drove them to open SNs accounts, use social networking sites and examine these motivations in relationship to the building blocks of the uses and gratification theory, which are information search or education, selfactualization, socializing and entertainment. A qualitative online questionnaire was employed in this study. 218 questionnaires were sent through to the participants WhatsApp class groups, 168 questionnaires were answered and returned back to the researcher. The discovery of the study was that the participants are diverse in many different ways and made use of social networking sites for many various reasons. Furthermore, this study indicated that the participants were motivated to use social networking sites because they wanted to interact and stay connected with their family, peers and loved ones, and to meet people or create connections. The study argued that the participants’ reasons for use of social networking sites was not only for socialising but also for entertainment, self-actualization get academic and general information. This study concluded that SNs have a meaningful role in the life of a student’s life doing public relations management from Walter Sisulu University, Chiselhurst site. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Kwinana, Zingisa. N
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Grahamstown (South Africa) , Eastern Cape (South Africa) , South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27589 , vital:69318
- Description: This study analysed the use of social networking sites by undergraduate Public Relations Management students from Walter Sisulu University, Chiselhurst site. The reason for this study was to seek student’s opinions on what drove them to open SNs accounts, use social networking sites and examine these motivations in relationship to the building blocks of the uses and gratification theory, which are information search or education, selfactualization, socializing and entertainment. A qualitative online questionnaire was employed in this study. 218 questionnaires were sent through to the participants WhatsApp class groups, 168 questionnaires were answered and returned back to the researcher. The discovery of the study was that the participants are diverse in many different ways and made use of social networking sites for many various reasons. Furthermore, this study indicated that the participants were motivated to use social networking sites because they wanted to interact and stay connected with their family, peers and loved ones, and to meet people or create connections. The study argued that the participants’ reasons for use of social networking sites was not only for socialising but also for entertainment, self-actualization get academic and general information. This study concluded that SNs have a meaningful role in the life of a student’s life doing public relations management from Walter Sisulu University, Chiselhurst site. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Marine spatial planning by the state as trustee of coastal public property
- Authors: Chasakara, Rachael Sharon
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Marine spatial planning , State committee , Coastal Public Property
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60818 , vital:67845
- Description: The world is facing an unprecedented biodiversity crisis, endangering human wellbeing, human rights, and the future of life on Earth. This is because the state of the ocean is deteriorating due to increased human activities, which have resulted in the destruction of limited marine resources in terms of space, time, and quantity. Marine spatial planning (MSP) and the public trust doctrine are two concepts that have been proposed to address this ecological crisis. The relatively new notion of MSP has emerged as a comprehensive way to allocate ocean use in space and time to improve coordination and deliver a more sustainable use of the ocean space. While different States have utilised the public trust doctrine to manage trust resources for the exclusive benefit of their current and future citizens. The thesis examines the MSP process and the public trust doctrine in international law to determine international obligations that can be relied on to ensure State compliance at a domestic level. It was determined that MSP and the public trust doctrine are only implicit in certain international law instruments. The thesis further sets out to examine whether both approaches must be explicitly mentioned in binding international law instruments. The thesis is expected to determine whether the South African environmental law regime includes the public trust doctrine – expressly or impliedly. The public trust doctrine is not expressly provided for in the Constitution since section 24 contains an implicit duty. The implicit duty is a constitutional human rights imperative applicable to all environmental management statutes. The picture in South Africa’s environmental legislation differs because the public trust doctrine is expressly mentioned, albeit in different terminology in several environmental law statutes dealing with specific natural resources. However, the legislature failed to include an express public trust provision in the Marine Spatial Planning Act (MSPA). 1 The thesis then embarks on a journey of statutory interpretation. It examines the applicable canons of interpretation to determine whether the MSPA supports or contradicts the public trust doctrine. An implicit public trust duty was found in the MSPA. This exercise also led to the conclusion that the trusteeship clause in National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act (NEM: ICMA) also applies in the same geographical area as the MSP Act. Moreover, there is no provision in NEM: ICMA requiring its provisions to be applied or read in accordance with MSP regulation. However, a thorough examination of the NEM: ICMA and MSPA provisions leads to the conclusion that there will be no conflict if both instruments are read together. The most significant finding of this thesis is that, due to the provisions of both statutes, the State, a trustee in NEM: ICMA, is also a trustee in the MSPA. Finally, the combination of MSP and the public trust doctrine in MSP regulation may have several positive impacts, which include useful intervention for the existential crisis that underpins South Africa’s maritime domain and the promotion of sustainable development of the ocean space for both current and future generations. MSP and the public trust doctrine should be used in tandem to ensure that the ocean space is developed sustainably for current and future generations. This thesis demonstrated that the ultimate impact of the State’s implementation of MSP on the relevant State actors is that they must constantly remind themselves of the full implications of their role as trustees of coastal public property to avoid violating their public trust duties. , Thesis (LLD) -- Faculty of Law, School of School of Public Law, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Chasakara, Rachael Sharon
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Marine spatial planning , State committee , Coastal Public Property
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60818 , vital:67845
- Description: The world is facing an unprecedented biodiversity crisis, endangering human wellbeing, human rights, and the future of life on Earth. This is because the state of the ocean is deteriorating due to increased human activities, which have resulted in the destruction of limited marine resources in terms of space, time, and quantity. Marine spatial planning (MSP) and the public trust doctrine are two concepts that have been proposed to address this ecological crisis. The relatively new notion of MSP has emerged as a comprehensive way to allocate ocean use in space and time to improve coordination and deliver a more sustainable use of the ocean space. While different States have utilised the public trust doctrine to manage trust resources for the exclusive benefit of their current and future citizens. The thesis examines the MSP process and the public trust doctrine in international law to determine international obligations that can be relied on to ensure State compliance at a domestic level. It was determined that MSP and the public trust doctrine are only implicit in certain international law instruments. The thesis further sets out to examine whether both approaches must be explicitly mentioned in binding international law instruments. The thesis is expected to determine whether the South African environmental law regime includes the public trust doctrine – expressly or impliedly. The public trust doctrine is not expressly provided for in the Constitution since section 24 contains an implicit duty. The implicit duty is a constitutional human rights imperative applicable to all environmental management statutes. The picture in South Africa’s environmental legislation differs because the public trust doctrine is expressly mentioned, albeit in different terminology in several environmental law statutes dealing with specific natural resources. However, the legislature failed to include an express public trust provision in the Marine Spatial Planning Act (MSPA). 1 The thesis then embarks on a journey of statutory interpretation. It examines the applicable canons of interpretation to determine whether the MSPA supports or contradicts the public trust doctrine. An implicit public trust duty was found in the MSPA. This exercise also led to the conclusion that the trusteeship clause in National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act (NEM: ICMA) also applies in the same geographical area as the MSP Act. Moreover, there is no provision in NEM: ICMA requiring its provisions to be applied or read in accordance with MSP regulation. However, a thorough examination of the NEM: ICMA and MSPA provisions leads to the conclusion that there will be no conflict if both instruments are read together. The most significant finding of this thesis is that, due to the provisions of both statutes, the State, a trustee in NEM: ICMA, is also a trustee in the MSPA. Finally, the combination of MSP and the public trust doctrine in MSP regulation may have several positive impacts, which include useful intervention for the existential crisis that underpins South Africa’s maritime domain and the promotion of sustainable development of the ocean space for both current and future generations. MSP and the public trust doctrine should be used in tandem to ensure that the ocean space is developed sustainably for current and future generations. This thesis demonstrated that the ultimate impact of the State’s implementation of MSP on the relevant State actors is that they must constantly remind themselves of the full implications of their role as trustees of coastal public property to avoid violating their public trust duties. , Thesis (LLD) -- Faculty of Law, School of School of Public Law, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Integration of digital media and pedagogy in the twenty first century classroom: a survey of selected high schools in Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Mhlomi, Yolisa
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Teaching , Digital media , Classroom learning centers
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27369 , vital:66952
- Description: The essence of this thesis was to study the effectiveness of integrating digital media technologies within the pedagogical approaches adopted and implemented in private and public high schools in a comparative manner. The study looked closely at private and public high schools of the Eastern Cape Province, to study the gaps of accessibility to technology by schools. The study identified the Eastern Cape Province as having a problem of poor performance in matric results at the end of each year as compared to other South African provinces. In order to select the relevant sample for the study, the researcher has utilized two secondary schools private and public in Makhanda Grahamstown and one public secondary school in Alice. The pragmatic paradigm was used to inform the study and used the mixed methods approach to data collection. The researcher distributed closed ended questionnaires to the learners in the three selected secondary schools and semi-structured interviews for the principals of the schools. The key findings reveal that the digital media tools are used for the teaching and learning purposes as well as communication to the schools’ stakeholders. The findings also revealed that various online platforms are utilized for teaching and sharing of information. For example, D6 and Ibambisa School Communicator app, WhatsApp groups for learners, Facebook, Instagram and School website for potential stakeholders. Hence, the results of this study should contribute to the field of ICTs and education in the country to solve the problems facing the teaching and learning systems of private and public schools of the Eastern Cape. Most schools (especially the public) do not have access to digital media tools in their classrooms. Thus, they still depend heavily on the textbooks, which may be outdated or not enough for all learners. In response to the issues faced by the Eastern Cape secondary schools and the findings, the researcher has suggested a model named the Digital Media and Pedagogy Integration DMPI Model of Communication. This model will contribute to the body of knowledge by providing advice to the Department of Basic Education on how teachers and learners can utilize digital media tools effectively. Also, the study has recommended that there is a need for provision of computer literacy training for teachers in secondary schools in this digital age. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Mhlomi, Yolisa
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Teaching , Digital media , Classroom learning centers
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/27369 , vital:66952
- Description: The essence of this thesis was to study the effectiveness of integrating digital media technologies within the pedagogical approaches adopted and implemented in private and public high schools in a comparative manner. The study looked closely at private and public high schools of the Eastern Cape Province, to study the gaps of accessibility to technology by schools. The study identified the Eastern Cape Province as having a problem of poor performance in matric results at the end of each year as compared to other South African provinces. In order to select the relevant sample for the study, the researcher has utilized two secondary schools private and public in Makhanda Grahamstown and one public secondary school in Alice. The pragmatic paradigm was used to inform the study and used the mixed methods approach to data collection. The researcher distributed closed ended questionnaires to the learners in the three selected secondary schools and semi-structured interviews for the principals of the schools. The key findings reveal that the digital media tools are used for the teaching and learning purposes as well as communication to the schools’ stakeholders. The findings also revealed that various online platforms are utilized for teaching and sharing of information. For example, D6 and Ibambisa School Communicator app, WhatsApp groups for learners, Facebook, Instagram and School website for potential stakeholders. Hence, the results of this study should contribute to the field of ICTs and education in the country to solve the problems facing the teaching and learning systems of private and public schools of the Eastern Cape. Most schools (especially the public) do not have access to digital media tools in their classrooms. Thus, they still depend heavily on the textbooks, which may be outdated or not enough for all learners. In response to the issues faced by the Eastern Cape secondary schools and the findings, the researcher has suggested a model named the Digital Media and Pedagogy Integration DMPI Model of Communication. This model will contribute to the body of knowledge by providing advice to the Department of Basic Education on how teachers and learners can utilize digital media tools effectively. Also, the study has recommended that there is a need for provision of computer literacy training for teachers in secondary schools in this digital age. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Isolation, characterization and functionalization of cellulose fibres derived from the waste pineapple leaf fibres by hydrolysis to produce cellulose acetate
- Authors: Seyisi, Thulethu
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Nonwoven fabrics -- Technological innovations , Pineapple fiber -- South Africa , Fibrous composites
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61248 , vital:69844
- Description: This thesis forms part of the Nelson Mandela University biomass and nanotechnology project, which aims at using agricultural waste for many applications, including biomedical applications, water treatment, and agricultural films. Pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) is one of the natural fibers with the highest cellulose content (about 80%), and they produce about 2.5–3.3% of the weight of green leaves. However, the other parts of the pineapple fruit, such as the leaves and crown, are still treated as waste due to a lack of understanding of the benefits and risks of these parts of the pineapple fruit. The transformation of PALF as a renewable and abundantly available natural residue into cellulose fibers (CFs) will reduce the waste accumulated in the atmosphere, and it will add value to the cultivation of pineapple. In the biomedical industry, CF is very promising in terms of drug delivery. Cellulose acetate is a remarkable biomaterial extensively used in biomedical applications due to its properties such as being non-toxic, non-irritant, biodegradable, heat resistant, and less hygroscopic. In this research, the isolation, functionalization, and characterization of cellulose from PALFs were conducted. The PALFs were dried and ground into small particles before being alkali treated with sodium hydroxide to remove the non-cellulosic components. Moreover, the remaining lignin in the residue was removed using sodium chlorite and acetic acid; this process is known as the bleaching process. The bleaching process resulted in white CFs, which was an indication of the successful removal of the non-cellulosic material. The obtained CFs were further functionalized using acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and sulfuric acid, and this reaction is known as the acetylation reaction. Subsequently, both treated, untreated, and functionalized CFs were characterised using the following instruments: FTIR, SEM, SPM, TGA, XRD, and XPS. In the FTIR data of raw PALFs, the following functional groups were more pronounced: C-O, C=C-O, and C=O, whereas peak C-O-C disappeared and peak CH2, C-O, were less pronounced. These FTIR results confirmed the successful removal of non-cellulosic components. The SEM and SPM images visually suggested the partial removal of hemicellulose and lignin from the raw PALFs after the chemical treatment, which are the cementing materials around the fiber bundles. The TGA studies revealed good thermal stability for the isolated CFs from PALFs. The XRD diffractograms of the PALFs showed a cellulose I crystal pattern where the peaks were located at angular positions (2θ) of around 18°, 26°, and 41°. Lastly, after the functionalization of CFs, the cellulose structure remained intact (not damaged); instead, the newly ix introduced functional groups (the acetyl group) were attached at the ends of the cellulose structure. These results are therefore confirmation of the successful removal of non-cellulose material from the PALFs after the chemical treatment. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Science and Management, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Seyisi, Thulethu
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Nonwoven fabrics -- Technological innovations , Pineapple fiber -- South Africa , Fibrous composites
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61248 , vital:69844
- Description: This thesis forms part of the Nelson Mandela University biomass and nanotechnology project, which aims at using agricultural waste for many applications, including biomedical applications, water treatment, and agricultural films. Pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) is one of the natural fibers with the highest cellulose content (about 80%), and they produce about 2.5–3.3% of the weight of green leaves. However, the other parts of the pineapple fruit, such as the leaves and crown, are still treated as waste due to a lack of understanding of the benefits and risks of these parts of the pineapple fruit. The transformation of PALF as a renewable and abundantly available natural residue into cellulose fibers (CFs) will reduce the waste accumulated in the atmosphere, and it will add value to the cultivation of pineapple. In the biomedical industry, CF is very promising in terms of drug delivery. Cellulose acetate is a remarkable biomaterial extensively used in biomedical applications due to its properties such as being non-toxic, non-irritant, biodegradable, heat resistant, and less hygroscopic. In this research, the isolation, functionalization, and characterization of cellulose from PALFs were conducted. The PALFs were dried and ground into small particles before being alkali treated with sodium hydroxide to remove the non-cellulosic components. Moreover, the remaining lignin in the residue was removed using sodium chlorite and acetic acid; this process is known as the bleaching process. The bleaching process resulted in white CFs, which was an indication of the successful removal of the non-cellulosic material. The obtained CFs were further functionalized using acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and sulfuric acid, and this reaction is known as the acetylation reaction. Subsequently, both treated, untreated, and functionalized CFs were characterised using the following instruments: FTIR, SEM, SPM, TGA, XRD, and XPS. In the FTIR data of raw PALFs, the following functional groups were more pronounced: C-O, C=C-O, and C=O, whereas peak C-O-C disappeared and peak CH2, C-O, were less pronounced. These FTIR results confirmed the successful removal of non-cellulosic components. The SEM and SPM images visually suggested the partial removal of hemicellulose and lignin from the raw PALFs after the chemical treatment, which are the cementing materials around the fiber bundles. The TGA studies revealed good thermal stability for the isolated CFs from PALFs. The XRD diffractograms of the PALFs showed a cellulose I crystal pattern where the peaks were located at angular positions (2θ) of around 18°, 26°, and 41°. Lastly, after the functionalization of CFs, the cellulose structure remained intact (not damaged); instead, the newly ix introduced functional groups (the acetyl group) were attached at the ends of the cellulose structure. These results are therefore confirmation of the successful removal of non-cellulose material from the PALFs after the chemical treatment. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Resource Science and Management, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
Personal branding as a market tool
- Authors: Botha, Alylin
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Personal Branding , marketing tool
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60993 , vital:69591
- Description: Personal Branding is deemed as an unavoidable aspect of entrepreneurship and social acceptance. Individuals should establish, develop, maintain and take advantage of a Personal Brand. The benefits of a Personal Brand should be embraced and used to market themselves and highlight their uniqueness. The aim is to investigate the relationship between Professional Life, Social Media Presence, Values, Competencies, Communication as the independent variables and Personal Branding as the dependent variable. It was concluded that there are important factors that positively influence Interpersonal Personal Brand as well as Intellectual Personal Brand, which are the two components that make up Personal Brand. There is limited research on the factors that influence Personal Branding in South Africa. Through literature review, factors were identified and used to form a conceptual model. This model was tested to measure their relationship with Personal Branding. An online questionnaire was distributed to MBA students, family and friends who made up the study’s respondents. The results obtained after conducting correlation and ChiSquare tests were used to determine the relationship between the identified factors with Personal Branding. This study explores how individuals can use Personal Branding as a marketing tool. These individuals include those who want to create or further expand their current Personal Brand and use it as a marketing tool. This treatise explored the factors needed to be considered for Personal Branding a marketing tool for individuals. Personal Branding can be used at the beginning of a career, during a transition of a career or even when wanting to explore a new career. Personal Brand was initially considered the only factor. However, this study concludes that Personal Branding is made of up of two components: Interpersonal Personal Branding as well as Intellectual Personal Branding. The findings concluded that independent factors, Professional Life, Values, Competencies and Communication all have a positive significant influence on Personal Branding as a whole, as well as the components it is made up of, Interpersonal Personal Branding and Intellectual Personal Branding. The independent factor Social Media Presence positively influences Interpersonal Personal Branding only. v This study makes theoretical contributions by broadening the definition of Personal Branding. The study defines the research methodologies for Personal Branding which could be used for future studies. The Associative Network Theory in relevance to Personal Branding is explored. The practical contribution of this research includes a hypothesised model which was tested. This study should be repeated to include a bigger sample size that is more equally distributed within South Africa. Additionally, for future studies, it would be recommended to incorporate the development of Personal Branding as an independent factor to measure its effect on Personal Branding. Another recommendation for further research is to conduct research on policies, which can be put forward to assist with the managing of Personal Branding for entrepreneurs. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Botha, Alylin
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Personal Branding , marketing tool
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60993 , vital:69591
- Description: Personal Branding is deemed as an unavoidable aspect of entrepreneurship and social acceptance. Individuals should establish, develop, maintain and take advantage of a Personal Brand. The benefits of a Personal Brand should be embraced and used to market themselves and highlight their uniqueness. The aim is to investigate the relationship between Professional Life, Social Media Presence, Values, Competencies, Communication as the independent variables and Personal Branding as the dependent variable. It was concluded that there are important factors that positively influence Interpersonal Personal Brand as well as Intellectual Personal Brand, which are the two components that make up Personal Brand. There is limited research on the factors that influence Personal Branding in South Africa. Through literature review, factors were identified and used to form a conceptual model. This model was tested to measure their relationship with Personal Branding. An online questionnaire was distributed to MBA students, family and friends who made up the study’s respondents. The results obtained after conducting correlation and ChiSquare tests were used to determine the relationship between the identified factors with Personal Branding. This study explores how individuals can use Personal Branding as a marketing tool. These individuals include those who want to create or further expand their current Personal Brand and use it as a marketing tool. This treatise explored the factors needed to be considered for Personal Branding a marketing tool for individuals. Personal Branding can be used at the beginning of a career, during a transition of a career or even when wanting to explore a new career. Personal Brand was initially considered the only factor. However, this study concludes that Personal Branding is made of up of two components: Interpersonal Personal Branding as well as Intellectual Personal Branding. The findings concluded that independent factors, Professional Life, Values, Competencies and Communication all have a positive significant influence on Personal Branding as a whole, as well as the components it is made up of, Interpersonal Personal Branding and Intellectual Personal Branding. The independent factor Social Media Presence positively influences Interpersonal Personal Branding only. v This study makes theoretical contributions by broadening the definition of Personal Branding. The study defines the research methodologies for Personal Branding which could be used for future studies. The Associative Network Theory in relevance to Personal Branding is explored. The practical contribution of this research includes a hypothesised model which was tested. This study should be repeated to include a bigger sample size that is more equally distributed within South Africa. Additionally, for future studies, it would be recommended to incorporate the development of Personal Branding as an independent factor to measure its effect on Personal Branding. Another recommendation for further research is to conduct research on policies, which can be put forward to assist with the managing of Personal Branding for entrepreneurs. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
End-user requirements of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants
- Authors: Mxhego, Zukile Bright
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: End-user computing , Assistive computer technology , Deaf parents
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60707 , vital:66373
- Description: As the number of deaf people in the world increases, the amount of parents who are deaf, is also growing. The world is increasingly relying on technology from which deaf parents can, and do, benefit significantly. Deaf parents are able to rely on available technology such as assistive technologies to overcome functional limitations. However, assistive technologies are often abandoned within a short period of time of being acquired. The abandonment of assistive technologies is believed to be due to a lack of proper elicitation of requirements. Therefore, the problem identified in this research is a lack of understanding of end-user requirements of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants. A literature review together with logical argumentation was conducted and applied to identify and recommend a method suitable for eliciting end-user requirements for assistive technologies. Thereafter, an integrative literature review and thematic analysis was done to extract needs and challenges of profoundly deaf parents with infants, and group them according to themes that emerged. Finally, making use of the recommended method and the extracted needs and challenges of profoundly deaf parents with infants, twenty-eight end-user requirements of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants were elicited. The twenty-eight elicited end-user requirements consist of eighteen end-user requirements that express functions of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants, and ten end-user requirements that express an overall goal/objective to be attained by profoundly deaf parents with infants when the assistive technology is designed and developed. To evaluate the elicited end-user requirements, only the eighteen end-user requirements that express functions of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants were considered. The evaluation was done by assessing both existing and emerging assistive technologies to understand the comprehensiveness of the eighteen elicited end-user requirements that express functions of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants. , Thesis (MIT) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Information and Communication Technology, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Mxhego, Zukile Bright
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: End-user computing , Assistive computer technology , Deaf parents
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60707 , vital:66373
- Description: As the number of deaf people in the world increases, the amount of parents who are deaf, is also growing. The world is increasingly relying on technology from which deaf parents can, and do, benefit significantly. Deaf parents are able to rely on available technology such as assistive technologies to overcome functional limitations. However, assistive technologies are often abandoned within a short period of time of being acquired. The abandonment of assistive technologies is believed to be due to a lack of proper elicitation of requirements. Therefore, the problem identified in this research is a lack of understanding of end-user requirements of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants. A literature review together with logical argumentation was conducted and applied to identify and recommend a method suitable for eliciting end-user requirements for assistive technologies. Thereafter, an integrative literature review and thematic analysis was done to extract needs and challenges of profoundly deaf parents with infants, and group them according to themes that emerged. Finally, making use of the recommended method and the extracted needs and challenges of profoundly deaf parents with infants, twenty-eight end-user requirements of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants were elicited. The twenty-eight elicited end-user requirements consist of eighteen end-user requirements that express functions of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants, and ten end-user requirements that express an overall goal/objective to be attained by profoundly deaf parents with infants when the assistive technology is designed and developed. To evaluate the elicited end-user requirements, only the eighteen end-user requirements that express functions of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants were considered. The evaluation was done by assessing both existing and emerging assistive technologies to understand the comprehensiveness of the eighteen elicited end-user requirements that express functions of an assistive technology for profoundly deaf parents with infants. , Thesis (MIT) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Information and Communication Technology, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
The prevention of money laundering in the use of cryptocurrency
- Authors: Mnyakama, Mzimkhulu
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Money laundering--Prevention , Digital currency
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60645 , vital:66287
- Description: Money laundering has become common in the world and the introduction of cryptocurrencies has created another avenue that makes it easier to move funds between jurisdictions without anyone knowing. A block chain technology is used to process peer-to-peer electronic payments utilising decentralised virtual currencies known as cryptocurrencies. Although they are not yet regulated, cryptocurrencies are prevalent in South Africa and pose a risk of being used for money laundering and other illicit activities. The regulation of cryptocurrencies in South Africa to prevent money laundering is what is being examined by this research project. The objectives were to understand the concept of money laundering, cryptocurrency and the inherent risks of cryptocurrency in money laundering. An analysis and examination of the difficult concept of cryptocurrency and the risks of money laundering was done. The study demonstrated that cryptocurrencies are decentralised convertible virtual currencies based on cryptographic algorithms. Cryptocurrencies are not monitored by a central body. The research reveals that the use of cryptocurrencies presents risks of money laundering and other illegal activities because of its decentralised, anonymous, peer-to-peer, and unregulated nature. The study focused on the prevention of money laundering using cryptocurrency. International regulatory frameworks of countries such as Canada, United States of America, European Union and Australia were discussed and compared to the South African regulatory developments. It was established that the legal frameworks developed by Canada, the United States of America, the European Union, and Australia aim to mitigate the risk of money laundering associated with the use of cryptocurrencies. Additionally, it was discovered that there is no legislative framework in South Africa to regulate cryptocurrencies, however SARB acknowledged that efforts are being made to develop one. ix It was determined that South Africa urgently needs regulatory interventions in the continued use of cryptocurrencies. The author presented recommendations based on this need, including incorporating cryptocurrencies into the current legal framework by designating them as financial products and adopting a proactive rather than a reactionary approach to the developments of cryptocurrencies. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, School of School of Criminal and Procedural Law, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Mnyakama, Mzimkhulu
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Money laundering--Prevention , Digital currency
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60645 , vital:66287
- Description: Money laundering has become common in the world and the introduction of cryptocurrencies has created another avenue that makes it easier to move funds between jurisdictions without anyone knowing. A block chain technology is used to process peer-to-peer electronic payments utilising decentralised virtual currencies known as cryptocurrencies. Although they are not yet regulated, cryptocurrencies are prevalent in South Africa and pose a risk of being used for money laundering and other illicit activities. The regulation of cryptocurrencies in South Africa to prevent money laundering is what is being examined by this research project. The objectives were to understand the concept of money laundering, cryptocurrency and the inherent risks of cryptocurrency in money laundering. An analysis and examination of the difficult concept of cryptocurrency and the risks of money laundering was done. The study demonstrated that cryptocurrencies are decentralised convertible virtual currencies based on cryptographic algorithms. Cryptocurrencies are not monitored by a central body. The research reveals that the use of cryptocurrencies presents risks of money laundering and other illegal activities because of its decentralised, anonymous, peer-to-peer, and unregulated nature. The study focused on the prevention of money laundering using cryptocurrency. International regulatory frameworks of countries such as Canada, United States of America, European Union and Australia were discussed and compared to the South African regulatory developments. It was established that the legal frameworks developed by Canada, the United States of America, the European Union, and Australia aim to mitigate the risk of money laundering associated with the use of cryptocurrencies. Additionally, it was discovered that there is no legislative framework in South Africa to regulate cryptocurrencies, however SARB acknowledged that efforts are being made to develop one. ix It was determined that South Africa urgently needs regulatory interventions in the continued use of cryptocurrencies. The author presented recommendations based on this need, including incorporating cryptocurrencies into the current legal framework by designating them as financial products and adopting a proactive rather than a reactionary approach to the developments of cryptocurrencies. , Thesis (LLM) -- Faculty of Law, School of School of Criminal and Procedural Law, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
The influence of leadership on service delivery in the department of employment and labour, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Maleiba, Olivia
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Leadership , Transformational Leadership , Batho Pele Principles
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61636 , vital:71821
- Description: The aim of the public sector is to deliver effective and efficient services whilst reducing these delivery costs (Price Waterhouse Coopers, 2007). In addressing this aim of public service delivery, the objective of the study was to investigate the impact of leadership on service delivery in a specific public sector. The researcher utilised a non-experimental correlation research design where the participants were entry level officials from region six within the National Department of Employment and Labour in the Eastern Cape, who reported to the first level of management (supervisors/team leaders). A probability sampling design with a cluster sampling method was used, wherein the population was grouped and a cluster was chosen. The sample consisted of officials who delivered services to the public at an entry administrative level either in a direct role or a supporting role. These officials reported to the first line of leadership in the hierarchy (supervisors/team leaders). Questionnaires were used as the primary source of data collection to solicit data from participants and obtain feedback on leadership behaviour on operational and service delivery issues in the workplace. The data was processed by statistical calculations of the mean, median, mode and standard deviation. The Cronbach Alpha as a test of internal validity, was used to test for reliability and validity. The findings of the study revealed that the department strived to improve leadership and service delivery in rendering public service which will naturally contribute to the 2030 vision of the National Development Plan and the fulfilment of the organisational mandate (South Africa National Planning Commission, 2012). , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
- Authors: Maleiba, Olivia
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Leadership , Transformational Leadership , Batho Pele Principles
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/61636 , vital:71821
- Description: The aim of the public sector is to deliver effective and efficient services whilst reducing these delivery costs (Price Waterhouse Coopers, 2007). In addressing this aim of public service delivery, the objective of the study was to investigate the impact of leadership on service delivery in a specific public sector. The researcher utilised a non-experimental correlation research design where the participants were entry level officials from region six within the National Department of Employment and Labour in the Eastern Cape, who reported to the first level of management (supervisors/team leaders). A probability sampling design with a cluster sampling method was used, wherein the population was grouped and a cluster was chosen. The sample consisted of officials who delivered services to the public at an entry administrative level either in a direct role or a supporting role. These officials reported to the first line of leadership in the hierarchy (supervisors/team leaders). Questionnaires were used as the primary source of data collection to solicit data from participants and obtain feedback on leadership behaviour on operational and service delivery issues in the workplace. The data was processed by statistical calculations of the mean, median, mode and standard deviation. The Cronbach Alpha as a test of internal validity, was used to test for reliability and validity. The findings of the study revealed that the department strived to improve leadership and service delivery in rendering public service which will naturally contribute to the 2030 vision of the National Development Plan and the fulfilment of the organisational mandate (South Africa National Planning Commission, 2012). , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04