A study of employee perceptions on water saving to align sustainable automotive manufacturing with operations
- Authors: Townsend, Dylan
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Transportation, Automotive , manufacturing -- employee perspective
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63146 , vital:73190
- Description: Sustainability has become a key strategic management focus area for XY Group. One element of this sustainability goal is water saving. Water saving measures usually entail implementing novel process technologies or processes to measure and reduce consumption. Furthermore, it also requires behavioural changes. Although water sustainability has strategic significance, effective implementation in operations is often lacking in the organisation. In addition, when implementing water sustainability initiatives, the novel and seemingly disconnected nature to the rest of the production activities, lead to more challenges of alignment among the necessary departments. Better alignment will translate to a higher level of commitment and more effective implementation of water sustainability initiatives. This research aimed to understand the perceptions of managers and employees toward water sustainability. In addition, it aimed to identify the factors that could support in driving water sustainability at an organisational level. The research achieved these objectives and identified key drivers of sustainable and lean-green manufacturing. The outcome of the research is a conceptual model that can assist manufacturing organisations in improving the level of alignment and execution of sustainability initiatives. Underpinning this research is a positivistic philosophy using quantitative methodology. Data was collected via an online questionnaire from N=172 respondents. The analysis of this data provided insights that answered the research questions. The primary findings show a sense of urgency and optimism currently exists towards sustainable manufacturing. Underpinning this, the study found a high level of perceived trust within the organisation. In addition, the level of vertical alignment achieved through integration of sustainability into business strategies influenced perceptions. Although, the level of effectiveness of initiatives remains hindered by the level of horizontal alignment within the organisation. Collaboration, combining lean and green manufacturing, and senior management commitment will support driving water sustainability further in future. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
The relationship between savings and economic growth in Southern African customs union (sacu) countries
- Authors: Tala, Lavisa
- Date: 2023-04
- Subjects: Economic development--Southern Africa , Customs unions
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/63111 , vital:73187
- Description: This study empirically investigates the nature of the relationship between savings and economic growth in SACU member countries, namely: South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, using panel data for the period 1990-2021. A high savings rate is believed to be instrumental in stimulating economic growth, making it vital is for policy makers to understand the nature of the relationship existing between savings and economic growth in order to design and implement appropriate policies. To ensure robustness of the empirical results, this study applied different panel data estimation procedures. Using Pooled OLS, Random Effect, Fully Modified OLS, Dynamic OLS and Mean Group, Pool Mean Group and Dynamic Fixed Effect, the study discovered that gross domestic savings have a positive impact on economic growth among SACU member countries. Based on the results, gross domestic savings emerged with different coefficients indicating sensitivity to the estimation technique although statistically significant. Furthermore, the study dealt with the issue of linearity in the savings-growth nexus, by estimating the threshold level. Estimated results reveal evidence that gross domestic savings above 16 percent threshold have a negative effect on economic growth, while below the threshold, level savings impact economic growth positively. The study recommends, among other things, that policy makers design and implement policies that promote financial inclusion to mobilise domestic savings so as to increase economic growth. The major goal of economic policy should be to encourage households to save and ensure that domestic savings are invested in productive projects and sectors of the economy. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2023
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2023-04
University students’ perceptions of the influence of cannabis use on mental health
- Authors: Ramodumo, Itumeleng Adolphina
- Date: 2021-04
- Subjects: Mental health -- Education (Higher) , Marijuana -- Physiological effect , Cannabis -- Psychological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/51611 , vital:43322
- Description: This study explored university students’ perceptions of cannabis use on mental health at a higher education institution (HEI). Cannabis is described as the most commonly used drug by youth, especially, those who are in tertiary institutions (Allen & Holder, 2014; Arria, Caldeira, Bugbee, Vincent & O’Grady, 2015). The use of cannabis has both negative and positive effects; this is evident in different areas of human functioning. Cannabis usage has been debated upon in courts, regarding its legalisation and decriminalisation, and on the 18th of September 2018, the South African High Court legalised cannabis for personal use. A qualitative study with an explorative- descriptive design was used to give a broader exploration of university students’ perceptions of the influence of cannabis on mental health. The study was conducted at an HEI in the Nelson Mandela Bay and purposive sampling was used to select 15 participants for the study. Data was collected using focused group interviews, following the granting of permission by the Nelson Mandela University Research Ethics Committee. The collected data was analysed and interpreted using thematic analysis. The research findings indicated both positive and negative influences of cannabis use on mental health. Most participants who expressed positive effects are pervious cannabis users, whereas, most participants with negative perspectives of cannabis use on mental health are non- cannabis users. The findings revealed that participants perceived that the quantity of cannabis smoked determined whether there was a positive or negative effect on mental health, that is, large doses of cannabis had negative effects. The research findings also revealed that the legalisation of cannabis is very likely to increase its use, and the precautionary measures users take to avoid the substance’s negative effects on mental health. The Cognitive Behavioural Theory was used as the lens to better understand how students perceive cannabis use and its influence on mental health. , Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-04