The evaluation of a handheld Raman Analyser for the good laboratory practise (glp) compliant identification of paracetamol raw materials, in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment
- Mavumengwana, Bongeka Nomakhephu
- Authors: Mavumengwana, Bongeka Nomakhephu
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Raman spectroscopy , Drugs -- Analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4243 , vital:20570
- Description: The use of a handheld Raman analyser for the positive identification of raw materials in a manufacturing pharmaceutical company was evaluated using paracetamol as test raw material to evaluate whether such a system would meet Aspen’s regulatory requirements. The approach involved subjecting the chosen raw material to identification tests under a variety of conditions so as to evaluate robustness, and specificity of the system. Thus, raw material provided by different suppliers, different packages of one manufacturing batch, and raw materials subjected to different storage conditions were evaluated. Specificity was evaluated by deliberately contaminating a sample of paracetamol with either acetanilide, or 4-aminophenol, or both at varying concentration levels. The results obtained from these investigations showed that the handheld Raman analyser can correctly identify the selected raw material (paracetamol) under a wide range of conditions, but could not correctly identify the presence of the selected contaminants at lower concentration levels (< 10 – 20 mass percent). Finally, a cost-benefit analysis was carried out in which a scenario of an existing FTIR-ATR system is used for the analysis of a specific number of raw material samples per year as opposed to a scenario in which a new handheld Raman analyser has to be purchased, set up, and used for the analysis of the same number of raw material samples. This comparison showed that the handheld Raman analyser had a pay-back time of approximately 6 months and gave a return on investment of approximately the same value as the actual purchase cost.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Mavumengwana, Bongeka Nomakhephu
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Raman spectroscopy , Drugs -- Analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4243 , vital:20570
- Description: The use of a handheld Raman analyser for the positive identification of raw materials in a manufacturing pharmaceutical company was evaluated using paracetamol as test raw material to evaluate whether such a system would meet Aspen’s regulatory requirements. The approach involved subjecting the chosen raw material to identification tests under a variety of conditions so as to evaluate robustness, and specificity of the system. Thus, raw material provided by different suppliers, different packages of one manufacturing batch, and raw materials subjected to different storage conditions were evaluated. Specificity was evaluated by deliberately contaminating a sample of paracetamol with either acetanilide, or 4-aminophenol, or both at varying concentration levels. The results obtained from these investigations showed that the handheld Raman analyser can correctly identify the selected raw material (paracetamol) under a wide range of conditions, but could not correctly identify the presence of the selected contaminants at lower concentration levels (< 10 – 20 mass percent). Finally, a cost-benefit analysis was carried out in which a scenario of an existing FTIR-ATR system is used for the analysis of a specific number of raw material samples per year as opposed to a scenario in which a new handheld Raman analyser has to be purchased, set up, and used for the analysis of the same number of raw material samples. This comparison showed that the handheld Raman analyser had a pay-back time of approximately 6 months and gave a return on investment of approximately the same value as the actual purchase cost.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The evaluation of continuous quality improvement amongst the Community Health Centers of Lukhanji sub-district, of Chris Hani District Municipality, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Qotoyi, Ntombesitatu
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Health Standard Compliance Health Care -- Quality improvement Community health centrers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters/Doctoral , MSc Nursing
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/1465 , vital:35973
- Description: Continuous Quality Improvement is a system that seeks to improve the provision of services with an emphasis on future results (Tomey, 2009). It is a process that involves evaluation, actions and mindset to strive constantly for excellence (Sullivan, 2012). Evaluation of quality in health care has evolved into a dynamic and modern science which plays a significant role in patient safety, quality assurance (QA), benchmarking and continuous quality improvement (CQI). Improved quality has a positive impact on patient and staff satisfaction, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare provision in both the public and private sector, eventually leading to increased trust in the health system (Whittaker, Burns, Doyle and Fenney, 1998). The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the factors that influence continuous quality improvement amongst the Community Health Centers of Lukhanji sub district, of Chris Hani District Municipality, Eastern Cape. The standards of the community health centers were assessed against the National Core Standards of the South African National Department of Health. Donabedian‟s tripartite model (1988) which addresses three elements of quality assessment, namely structure, process and outcome, led this study. A quantitative, descriptive design was adapted, using National Core Standard checklists and assessment questionnaires to collect data from two community health centers. Respondents were sampled through simple random sample. Data were collected through staff and patient interviews, document reviews, patient record assessment and observations. The raw data were transferred to the District Health Information System (DHIS) Assessment Questionnaire CHC/CDC programme which generated the results into colour coded tables (dashboard view). According to DHIS software version: 1.4.1.12 data base version: 19 June 2013 each community health center is listed in the DHIS programme for each district to capture data. The researcher consolidated and interpreted the results according to the expected level of performance and compliance as per the South African Office of the Health Standard Compliance. The results highlighted a need for improvement in the six priority areas for the Community Health Centers (CHCs) to reach the acceptable performance of 80% and above. CHC A scored 85% in availability of medicines and supplies however CHC B obtained 68 %. For cleanliness both CHCs obtained 54% which need more than 20% effort to reach the acceptable performance of 80%. In patient safety CHC A obtained 48% whilst CHC B had a score of 36%. For infection prevention and control CHC A scored 61% and CHC B obtained 53%. In the assessment of positive and caring attitudes CHC A had a score of 77% whereas CHC B obtained 40% indicative of noncompliance. In waiting time measures CHC A was compliant with a score of 82% however CHC B had a score of 71%. The results of this study indicated that there is a need for the CHCs to put systems in place to strengthen PHC effectiveness and ensure patient safety. The results and recommendations would assist in service delivery and continuous quality improvement in the community health centers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Qotoyi, Ntombesitatu
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Health Standard Compliance Health Care -- Quality improvement Community health centrers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters/Doctoral , MSc Nursing
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/1465 , vital:35973
- Description: Continuous Quality Improvement is a system that seeks to improve the provision of services with an emphasis on future results (Tomey, 2009). It is a process that involves evaluation, actions and mindset to strive constantly for excellence (Sullivan, 2012). Evaluation of quality in health care has evolved into a dynamic and modern science which plays a significant role in patient safety, quality assurance (QA), benchmarking and continuous quality improvement (CQI). Improved quality has a positive impact on patient and staff satisfaction, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare provision in both the public and private sector, eventually leading to increased trust in the health system (Whittaker, Burns, Doyle and Fenney, 1998). The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the factors that influence continuous quality improvement amongst the Community Health Centers of Lukhanji sub district, of Chris Hani District Municipality, Eastern Cape. The standards of the community health centers were assessed against the National Core Standards of the South African National Department of Health. Donabedian‟s tripartite model (1988) which addresses three elements of quality assessment, namely structure, process and outcome, led this study. A quantitative, descriptive design was adapted, using National Core Standard checklists and assessment questionnaires to collect data from two community health centers. Respondents were sampled through simple random sample. Data were collected through staff and patient interviews, document reviews, patient record assessment and observations. The raw data were transferred to the District Health Information System (DHIS) Assessment Questionnaire CHC/CDC programme which generated the results into colour coded tables (dashboard view). According to DHIS software version: 1.4.1.12 data base version: 19 June 2013 each community health center is listed in the DHIS programme for each district to capture data. The researcher consolidated and interpreted the results according to the expected level of performance and compliance as per the South African Office of the Health Standard Compliance. The results highlighted a need for improvement in the six priority areas for the Community Health Centers (CHCs) to reach the acceptable performance of 80% and above. CHC A scored 85% in availability of medicines and supplies however CHC B obtained 68 %. For cleanliness both CHCs obtained 54% which need more than 20% effort to reach the acceptable performance of 80%. In patient safety CHC A obtained 48% whilst CHC B had a score of 36%. For infection prevention and control CHC A scored 61% and CHC B obtained 53%. In the assessment of positive and caring attitudes CHC A had a score of 77% whereas CHC B obtained 40% indicative of noncompliance. In waiting time measures CHC A was compliant with a score of 82% however CHC B had a score of 71%. The results of this study indicated that there is a need for the CHCs to put systems in place to strengthen PHC effectiveness and ensure patient safety. The results and recommendations would assist in service delivery and continuous quality improvement in the community health centers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The exchange rate volatility and inflation rate in South Africa
- Authors: Milisi, Busisiwe
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Inflation (Finance) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9151 , vital:26469
- Description: The study examines exchange rate volatility and inflation in South Africa over the period of 1987- 2012 using annual data. With the use of VAR, ADF unit root testing and Johansen for cointegration the study examines the relationship between exchange rate volatility and inflation in South Africa. The study also examines other variables, which are Money Supply, Trade Openness, Real Interest Rate and Real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP), if they had an impact on inflation and had contributed significantly to inflation during the period under review. All macroeconomic variables were identified to have an impact on inflation in the long-run. Exchange rate volatility was identified as the main variable that had substantial impact on inflation rate. The study recommended the current system used by the authorities was working well, as they can pursue a countercyclical macro policy, but also continue to manage the float by intervening to stabilize the exchange rate. The reason for this recommendation was that because one of the advantages of floating exchange rate is freeing internal policy, with a floating exchange rate, balance of payments disequilibrium would be rectified by a change in the external price of the currency. However, with a fixed rate, curing a deficit could involve a general deflationary policy resulting in unpleasant consequences for the whole economy such as unemployment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Milisi, Busisiwe
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Foreign exchange rates -- South Africa , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Inflation (Finance) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9151 , vital:26469
- Description: The study examines exchange rate volatility and inflation in South Africa over the period of 1987- 2012 using annual data. With the use of VAR, ADF unit root testing and Johansen for cointegration the study examines the relationship between exchange rate volatility and inflation in South Africa. The study also examines other variables, which are Money Supply, Trade Openness, Real Interest Rate and Real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP), if they had an impact on inflation and had contributed significantly to inflation during the period under review. All macroeconomic variables were identified to have an impact on inflation in the long-run. Exchange rate volatility was identified as the main variable that had substantial impact on inflation rate. The study recommended the current system used by the authorities was working well, as they can pursue a countercyclical macro policy, but also continue to manage the float by intervening to stabilize the exchange rate. The reason for this recommendation was that because one of the advantages of floating exchange rate is freeing internal policy, with a floating exchange rate, balance of payments disequilibrium would be rectified by a change in the external price of the currency. However, with a fixed rate, curing a deficit could involve a general deflationary policy resulting in unpleasant consequences for the whole economy such as unemployment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The expanded public works programme and job creation in East London
- Authors: Makhosathini, Swazi Sydney
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: South Africa. Department of Public Works , Job creation -- South Africa -- East London , Public works -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6444 , vital:21085
- Description: This study seeks to investigate the extent to which the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) creates jobs in East London. The researcher‘s interest in the topic was aroused after having noticed that there is cleanliness in Duncan village compared with the past. This cleanliness was as a result of the introduction of EPWP projects, where a number of people, both males and females were employed and job opportunities were created. The esearcher, as a development studies student, appreciates the intervention made by the EPWP in the area, therefore the researcher is interested to investigate the program better in order to determine the extent in which the EPWP creates jobs. The study was conducted in Duncan village, East London, in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM). The area was chosen because it is one of the most densely populated disadvantaged communities with a high rate of unemployment and poverty. The study focuses on 50 currently employed EPWP employees working in the Duncan village area. The researcher adopted a quantitative approach in order to explore and describe the extent in which EPWP projects create jobs in East London, in particular in the Duncan village area. Structured questionnaires are used to collect data from the EPWP employees. The participants‘ responses are collated in an excel spread sheet and analysed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Respondents‘ responses are analysed and discussed in terms of graphs and tables. The findings of this study reveal that there is a lack of skills development programs from projects operating in the area. This is shown by a percentage of 66% from the sampled respondents who indicate that they have acquired no skills since the inception of the project. The findings of the study also reveal that job opportunities are generated but are not adequate considering the population in the area. Income received is not enough for basic needs satisfaction as the largest percentage (82%) of them are still staying in shack dwellings and earning an income of less than R1000 per month. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Public Works department in collaboration with all major stakeholders have to plan and organise workshops and training sessions for all EPWP employees together with their supervisors. The objective of the workshops will be to inform all employees about how the project works as well as its main objectives. This will enable employees to decide well in advance whether to take an offer or not. This will also minimise grievances from employees. Furthermore, there should be sound and effective programs in each EPWP project that address skills development. Outsourcing the skills development program could have positive consequences and employees should be motivated through certificates awarded after the project completion. There is also a need for learnership programmes as indicated by the findings because of the low levels of education and skills.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Makhosathini, Swazi Sydney
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: South Africa. Department of Public Works , Job creation -- South Africa -- East London , Public works -- South Africa -- East London
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6444 , vital:21085
- Description: This study seeks to investigate the extent to which the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) creates jobs in East London. The researcher‘s interest in the topic was aroused after having noticed that there is cleanliness in Duncan village compared with the past. This cleanliness was as a result of the introduction of EPWP projects, where a number of people, both males and females were employed and job opportunities were created. The esearcher, as a development studies student, appreciates the intervention made by the EPWP in the area, therefore the researcher is interested to investigate the program better in order to determine the extent in which the EPWP creates jobs. The study was conducted in Duncan village, East London, in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM). The area was chosen because it is one of the most densely populated disadvantaged communities with a high rate of unemployment and poverty. The study focuses on 50 currently employed EPWP employees working in the Duncan village area. The researcher adopted a quantitative approach in order to explore and describe the extent in which EPWP projects create jobs in East London, in particular in the Duncan village area. Structured questionnaires are used to collect data from the EPWP employees. The participants‘ responses are collated in an excel spread sheet and analysed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Respondents‘ responses are analysed and discussed in terms of graphs and tables. The findings of this study reveal that there is a lack of skills development programs from projects operating in the area. This is shown by a percentage of 66% from the sampled respondents who indicate that they have acquired no skills since the inception of the project. The findings of the study also reveal that job opportunities are generated but are not adequate considering the population in the area. Income received is not enough for basic needs satisfaction as the largest percentage (82%) of them are still staying in shack dwellings and earning an income of less than R1000 per month. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Public Works department in collaboration with all major stakeholders have to plan and organise workshops and training sessions for all EPWP employees together with their supervisors. The objective of the workshops will be to inform all employees about how the project works as well as its main objectives. This will enable employees to decide well in advance whether to take an offer or not. This will also minimise grievances from employees. Furthermore, there should be sound and effective programs in each EPWP project that address skills development. Outsourcing the skills development program could have positive consequences and employees should be motivated through certificates awarded after the project completion. There is also a need for learnership programmes as indicated by the findings because of the low levels of education and skills.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The expanded public works programme as a poverty alleviation strategy in Tshwane
- Authors: Matiso, Namhla
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: South Africa. Expanded Public Works Programme , Public works -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6896 , vital:21158
- Description: In the context of South African poverty and unemployment, the government implemented various poverty alleviation programmes with the aim of lifting the poorest people out of their worst situation. This research evaluated the EPWP infrastructure sector in Tshwane in trying to understand its effectiveness, sustainability and relevance as a poverty alleviation tool. The study applied a quantitative approach with interspersed with that of qualitative research for statistical information as well as in-depth insight from experts in the field. Data collection was done through document analysis of reports, published papers and structured interviews with experts within the EPWP. The findings revealed that the EPWP is managing to partially meet its objectives; however, it has also shown that the question of its sustainability is still a concern as it only serves limited long term needs. It has shown that its policies replicate that of international practices; however, the implementation part is still a challenge that needs to be addressed. The recommendations were also made to contribute towards the improvement of the infrastructure.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Matiso, Namhla
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: South Africa. Expanded Public Works Programme , Public works -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6896 , vital:21158
- Description: In the context of South African poverty and unemployment, the government implemented various poverty alleviation programmes with the aim of lifting the poorest people out of their worst situation. This research evaluated the EPWP infrastructure sector in Tshwane in trying to understand its effectiveness, sustainability and relevance as a poverty alleviation tool. The study applied a quantitative approach with interspersed with that of qualitative research for statistical information as well as in-depth insight from experts in the field. Data collection was done through document analysis of reports, published papers and structured interviews with experts within the EPWP. The findings revealed that the EPWP is managing to partially meet its objectives; however, it has also shown that the question of its sustainability is still a concern as it only serves limited long term needs. It has shown that its policies replicate that of international practices; however, the implementation part is still a challenge that needs to be addressed. The recommendations were also made to contribute towards the improvement of the infrastructure.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The experience of single fathers as primary caregivers
- Authors: Naidoo, Raydene
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Single fathers , Parenthood -- Psychological aspects , Father and child
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3263 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017886
- Description: Single-parent households are on the increase in our society and especially single-father households where fathers are fulfilling the role of both parents in rearing their children. In this qualitative study, three single fathers who are primary caregivers were interviewed regarding their experience of primary caregiving, adjusting and coping with the transition to primary caregiving and their needs and concerns for their children's future. This study utilised a phenomenological approach to look at single fathers as the best and most informed individuals to explore and describe their lived experiences of being primary caregivers. The rationale for using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) is that it is concerned with individuals' subjective reports and assumes that participants seek to interpret their experiences into some form that is understandable to them. The researcher utilised three semi-structured, in depth, face-to-face interviews as a method of data collection. Each interview focused on eliciting different sets of data, firstly the researcher look at identifying the participants' experience of primary care giving, then moved onto their adjusting and coping with the transition and finally focused on the primary needs and concerns of participants with regards to primary care giving. The sub-themes that emerged from the study include the loss of a partner, shifts in the role the fathers play as parent, dealing with children's reaction to the "loss" of a mother in the home, good parenting: biology vs upbringing, social construction of men and woman, the value of self-care for single fathers, where self-care incorporates both physical and mental care, internal support from family or friends, external support from the community, relationship between fathers and children and sibling relationships. These led to the various super-ordinate themes. The super-ordinate themes and categories that resulted from the analysis of the material include: (1) The transition to being a single-parent and primary caregiver was difficult, (2) Parenting is not biological it is cultural and fathers can fulfil the role, (3) Self-care is important, (4) Support comes from family and friends but social support is rare, (5) Close family relationships are formed
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Naidoo, Raydene
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Single fathers , Parenthood -- Psychological aspects , Father and child
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3263 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017886
- Description: Single-parent households are on the increase in our society and especially single-father households where fathers are fulfilling the role of both parents in rearing their children. In this qualitative study, three single fathers who are primary caregivers were interviewed regarding their experience of primary caregiving, adjusting and coping with the transition to primary caregiving and their needs and concerns for their children's future. This study utilised a phenomenological approach to look at single fathers as the best and most informed individuals to explore and describe their lived experiences of being primary caregivers. The rationale for using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) is that it is concerned with individuals' subjective reports and assumes that participants seek to interpret their experiences into some form that is understandable to them. The researcher utilised three semi-structured, in depth, face-to-face interviews as a method of data collection. Each interview focused on eliciting different sets of data, firstly the researcher look at identifying the participants' experience of primary care giving, then moved onto their adjusting and coping with the transition and finally focused on the primary needs and concerns of participants with regards to primary care giving. The sub-themes that emerged from the study include the loss of a partner, shifts in the role the fathers play as parent, dealing with children's reaction to the "loss" of a mother in the home, good parenting: biology vs upbringing, social construction of men and woman, the value of self-care for single fathers, where self-care incorporates both physical and mental care, internal support from family or friends, external support from the community, relationship between fathers and children and sibling relationships. These led to the various super-ordinate themes. The super-ordinate themes and categories that resulted from the analysis of the material include: (1) The transition to being a single-parent and primary caregiver was difficult, (2) Parenting is not biological it is cultural and fathers can fulfil the role, (3) Self-care is important, (4) Support comes from family and friends but social support is rare, (5) Close family relationships are formed
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The experiences of Botswana Defence Force peacekeepers in United Nations peacekeeping missions: the case of Somalia, 1992-1995
- Authors: Maseko, Francis Bobby
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: United Nations -- Peacekeeping forces -- Somalia , Conflict management -- Somalia , Botswana -- Armed Forces -- Somalia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4532 , vital:20612
- Description: Peacekeeping operations were started by the United Nations following the collapse of the collective security system which was hinged on the cooperation of the major powers as proposed in the United Nations Charter. The United Nations Charter however does not give a definition of peacekeeping, making it difficult for nation states and various agencies to delineate the limits of Peacekeeping. However, the Charter provides a comprehensive number of platforms in which different kinds of threats pertaining to international peace and security may be dealt with. In the backdrop to this, peacekeeping endeavours have over the years come to be defined as Chapter six and a half, descending between Chapter six and Chapter seven of the United Nations Charter. The Charter reveals that the purpose of the United Nations is to maintain International Peace and Security (United Nations 1985:6). As a member of the International Community and its commitment to Peace and International Security, Botswana is obliged to take part in International interventions aimed at bringing peace, security and stability to Africa and the rest of the world. To this end the government of Botswana is always ready to release and deploy peacekeepers anywhere such calls are made by regional bodies such as the UN, AU or SADC. (Muyakwabo, 2013:2). The intervention of the BDF in the Somali civil war of 1992-1994 is a classic example of Botswana’s commitment to International Peace and Security. In response to the call by UN to assist Somalis, Botswana deployed a battalion sized BDF contingent of Peacekeepers to the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) to help bring peace and security to the nation of Somalia. (Bachelor, Kingman and Lamb 2000:21). This research study is an exploratory investigation into the experiences of the first Botswana Defence Force Peacekeepers who were deployed in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (UNOSOM) 1993-1995. Seventeen peacekeepers were interviewed who have participated in both UNOSOM I and UNOSOM II. A thematic analysis of the text was undertaken, in which themes emerged to document and highlight the difficulties that the peacekeepers experienced in Somalia. Narratives from the transcribed interviews were reviewed with the participants and logical analysis by the researcher provided further clarification of the data to understand the experiences of the peacekeepers. The peacekeepers’ descriptions of the situations they faced on the ground provided a new way into understanding the intricacies of traditional peacekeeping. Three fundamental themes emerged: the importance of peacekeeping education and training; the importance and need of logistical support, personal and contingent preparation; and the way forward in ensuring successful and effective peacekeeping by African armies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Maseko, Francis Bobby
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: United Nations -- Peacekeeping forces -- Somalia , Conflict management -- Somalia , Botswana -- Armed Forces -- Somalia
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4532 , vital:20612
- Description: Peacekeeping operations were started by the United Nations following the collapse of the collective security system which was hinged on the cooperation of the major powers as proposed in the United Nations Charter. The United Nations Charter however does not give a definition of peacekeeping, making it difficult for nation states and various agencies to delineate the limits of Peacekeeping. However, the Charter provides a comprehensive number of platforms in which different kinds of threats pertaining to international peace and security may be dealt with. In the backdrop to this, peacekeeping endeavours have over the years come to be defined as Chapter six and a half, descending between Chapter six and Chapter seven of the United Nations Charter. The Charter reveals that the purpose of the United Nations is to maintain International Peace and Security (United Nations 1985:6). As a member of the International Community and its commitment to Peace and International Security, Botswana is obliged to take part in International interventions aimed at bringing peace, security and stability to Africa and the rest of the world. To this end the government of Botswana is always ready to release and deploy peacekeepers anywhere such calls are made by regional bodies such as the UN, AU or SADC. (Muyakwabo, 2013:2). The intervention of the BDF in the Somali civil war of 1992-1994 is a classic example of Botswana’s commitment to International Peace and Security. In response to the call by UN to assist Somalis, Botswana deployed a battalion sized BDF contingent of Peacekeepers to the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) to help bring peace and security to the nation of Somalia. (Bachelor, Kingman and Lamb 2000:21). This research study is an exploratory investigation into the experiences of the first Botswana Defence Force Peacekeepers who were deployed in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (UNOSOM) 1993-1995. Seventeen peacekeepers were interviewed who have participated in both UNOSOM I and UNOSOM II. A thematic analysis of the text was undertaken, in which themes emerged to document and highlight the difficulties that the peacekeepers experienced in Somalia. Narratives from the transcribed interviews were reviewed with the participants and logical analysis by the researcher provided further clarification of the data to understand the experiences of the peacekeepers. The peacekeepers’ descriptions of the situations they faced on the ground provided a new way into understanding the intricacies of traditional peacekeeping. Three fundamental themes emerged: the importance of peacekeeping education and training; the importance and need of logistical support, personal and contingent preparation; and the way forward in ensuring successful and effective peacekeeping by African armies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The experiences of isiMpondo speakers in learning standard isiXhosa through the formal education system : an exploratory study at a school in the Bizana district of the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Maqam, Eslinah Zodwa
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Language and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Bizana , Native language and education , Language policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Bizana
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3652 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017893
- Description: This study investigates the experiences of isiMpondo speakers in learning standard language through the formal education system. The sociolinguistic factors such as attitudes, language policies and language use in multilingual societies are taken into considerations. The children of non-standard language speakers such as those who speak dialects like isiMpondo have to use another language in their early years in the school system. It is articulated that the isiMpondo that the child brings to the school from the environment is not accommodated simply because it is a non-standard language; whereas the language that is used in the classroom situation is the isiXhosa variety which is a standard one. The research findings show that isiMpondo impacts on learner’s education directly because they lose marks during the course of the year and during examination times if they use it. The study concludes with a recommendation that educators should honour the seven roles of educators by appropriate norms and standards. Some approaches to teaching have been suggested to be used by teachers with regard to inclusivity, as it recognises diversity, and values the following: the uniqueness of the individuals, the experiences, abilities, cultural and language backgrounds of each individual. All in all it seeks to meet the needs of the individual learner by creating a non-discriminatory teaching and learning environment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Maqam, Eslinah Zodwa
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Language and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Bizana , Native language and education , Language policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Bizana
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3652 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017893
- Description: This study investigates the experiences of isiMpondo speakers in learning standard language through the formal education system. The sociolinguistic factors such as attitudes, language policies and language use in multilingual societies are taken into considerations. The children of non-standard language speakers such as those who speak dialects like isiMpondo have to use another language in their early years in the school system. It is articulated that the isiMpondo that the child brings to the school from the environment is not accommodated simply because it is a non-standard language; whereas the language that is used in the classroom situation is the isiXhosa variety which is a standard one. The research findings show that isiMpondo impacts on learner’s education directly because they lose marks during the course of the year and during examination times if they use it. The study concludes with a recommendation that educators should honour the seven roles of educators by appropriate norms and standards. Some approaches to teaching have been suggested to be used by teachers with regard to inclusivity, as it recognises diversity, and values the following: the uniqueness of the individuals, the experiences, abilities, cultural and language backgrounds of each individual. All in all it seeks to meet the needs of the individual learner by creating a non-discriminatory teaching and learning environment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The exploration of influence as a leadership competency amongst emerging adult males
- Authors: Munyai, Pfarelo Pardon
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Leadership , Leadership -- Psychological aspects , Influence (Psychology) , Control (Psychology) , Social media , Executives -- Training of , Executive ability , College students , Young adults , Educational leadership , Executive coaching , Male college students , Leadership -- Study and teaching (Higher) , College student government
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:852 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017520
- Description: The association between leadership, influence and power is well developed in the literature. However, there is a notable lack of research on youth leadership development, especially as it pertains to their exercise of influence. This paper was borne out of the need to explore how youth - emerging adults’ males in particular - exercise influence as a leadership competency within their voluntary leadership positions. Using semi-structured face-to-face interviews and the Critical Incident Technique (CIT), the research primarily focused on influence tactics and how they were employed. This included assessing the related power bases and principles of influence that were manifest, as well as the learning and development that occurred when reflecting on the outcome of the influence process. Data was analysed using an open coding procedure. Incidents explored in the study were primarily interpersonal in nature. This was reminiscent of lateral influence that characterised the peer to peer contextual environment of the study. The study found that in their influence pursuits, emerging adults followed a rational approach to influence. The distinguishable power bases and their relative importance in application were context dependent (Krause and Kearney, 2006:59-86). In addition, various proactive influence tactics were employed with a leaning towards those perceived as positive, honest and non-manipulative in application, which was congruent with Head Student role expectations and the culture of the organization. The utilization of social media as a communication platform from which various tactics could be launched was a novel and notable finding. Consequently, the results were presented primarily under two themes, exploring how tactics of influence are used face to face and via the social media platform. In addition, the study emphasised the ethical implications of the exercise of influence in both of these platforms and related to this, the challenge of influencing friends or close associates, without undermining leadership integrity. Overall, the various influence incidents presented and their outcomes, evidently shaped leadership development by reinforcing tactics which worked and stimulating continuous reflection and learning, adaptive strategies and the development of new means to deal with resistance and non-compliance. All of these are critical to shaping future influence behaviour. Primary recommendations include the need for a proactive approach to educating youth on leadership and influence through formal programmes, if they were to be empowered with tools to develop and maximize their leadership potential. Equally, practitioners need to be sensitized to the significance of their role as catalysts in nurturing youth leadership development. In addition, the novel use of social media as a leadership influence platform was recognised as significant and as such, a candidate for further research. Beyond the limited scope of this study, other angles worthy of further research include, factoring in elements such as gender, cross-cultural differences and the aspect of voluntary versus incentivised (or paid) leadership positions. The research is presented in an academic paper format, and is structured in three sections. These sections are written up as relatively independent sections, but are complementary in covering the full scope of the research. Section One, which is essentially a paper in a format of an academic journal article, represent the primary section and covers the results of the study, together with discussions and recommendations. This is followed by a literature review (i.e. Section Two), which delves into all the relevant literature explored. Section Three covers the methodology, research design and research procedure pursued. As part of the addendum, a comprehensive summary of the incidents explored is presented. This gives insight into the nature of the various incidents, the influence tactics preferred, power bases and influence principles manifested, together with the outcomes of the incidents. Furthermore, lessons drawn in reflection are noted, which participants viewed as critical, in that they shaped the way they now intend to exercise influence and thereby reflects their personal leadership development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Munyai, Pfarelo Pardon
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Leadership , Leadership -- Psychological aspects , Influence (Psychology) , Control (Psychology) , Social media , Executives -- Training of , Executive ability , College students , Young adults , Educational leadership , Executive coaching , Male college students , Leadership -- Study and teaching (Higher) , College student government
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:852 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017520
- Description: The association between leadership, influence and power is well developed in the literature. However, there is a notable lack of research on youth leadership development, especially as it pertains to their exercise of influence. This paper was borne out of the need to explore how youth - emerging adults’ males in particular - exercise influence as a leadership competency within their voluntary leadership positions. Using semi-structured face-to-face interviews and the Critical Incident Technique (CIT), the research primarily focused on influence tactics and how they were employed. This included assessing the related power bases and principles of influence that were manifest, as well as the learning and development that occurred when reflecting on the outcome of the influence process. Data was analysed using an open coding procedure. Incidents explored in the study were primarily interpersonal in nature. This was reminiscent of lateral influence that characterised the peer to peer contextual environment of the study. The study found that in their influence pursuits, emerging adults followed a rational approach to influence. The distinguishable power bases and their relative importance in application were context dependent (Krause and Kearney, 2006:59-86). In addition, various proactive influence tactics were employed with a leaning towards those perceived as positive, honest and non-manipulative in application, which was congruent with Head Student role expectations and the culture of the organization. The utilization of social media as a communication platform from which various tactics could be launched was a novel and notable finding. Consequently, the results were presented primarily under two themes, exploring how tactics of influence are used face to face and via the social media platform. In addition, the study emphasised the ethical implications of the exercise of influence in both of these platforms and related to this, the challenge of influencing friends or close associates, without undermining leadership integrity. Overall, the various influence incidents presented and their outcomes, evidently shaped leadership development by reinforcing tactics which worked and stimulating continuous reflection and learning, adaptive strategies and the development of new means to deal with resistance and non-compliance. All of these are critical to shaping future influence behaviour. Primary recommendations include the need for a proactive approach to educating youth on leadership and influence through formal programmes, if they were to be empowered with tools to develop and maximize their leadership potential. Equally, practitioners need to be sensitized to the significance of their role as catalysts in nurturing youth leadership development. In addition, the novel use of social media as a leadership influence platform was recognised as significant and as such, a candidate for further research. Beyond the limited scope of this study, other angles worthy of further research include, factoring in elements such as gender, cross-cultural differences and the aspect of voluntary versus incentivised (or paid) leadership positions. The research is presented in an academic paper format, and is structured in three sections. These sections are written up as relatively independent sections, but are complementary in covering the full scope of the research. Section One, which is essentially a paper in a format of an academic journal article, represent the primary section and covers the results of the study, together with discussions and recommendations. This is followed by a literature review (i.e. Section Two), which delves into all the relevant literature explored. Section Three covers the methodology, research design and research procedure pursued. As part of the addendum, a comprehensive summary of the incidents explored is presented. This gives insight into the nature of the various incidents, the influence tactics preferred, power bases and influence principles manifested, together with the outcomes of the incidents. Furthermore, lessons drawn in reflection are noted, which participants viewed as critical, in that they shaped the way they now intend to exercise influence and thereby reflects their personal leadership development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The financed inked individual subsidy programme for housing: the Walmer link example
- Authors: Pupa, Ayanda Terence
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Housing subsidies -- South Africa , Housing -- Finance -- Government policy -- South Africa , Low-income housing -- Developing countries
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4620 , vital:20622
- Description: The study of the Walmer Links Finance Linked Individual Subsidy (FLISP) is the response to the housing backlogs that have been experienced by the Port Elizabeth area. The ownership programme is the first of its kind in the area and has been met with scepticism, revolt and acceptance as the neighbouring township of Walmer and the nearby suburbs had mixed feelings about the project. The overall feeling and experience of the new FLISP owners far exceeds the scepticism around the project. The project also brought racial integration and improved the quality of life for the poor. It also seems as though the success of the project will be the determinant factor of whether it can rolled out to other provinces as an approach to development and poverty alleviation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Pupa, Ayanda Terence
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Housing subsidies -- South Africa , Housing -- Finance -- Government policy -- South Africa , Low-income housing -- Developing countries
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4620 , vital:20622
- Description: The study of the Walmer Links Finance Linked Individual Subsidy (FLISP) is the response to the housing backlogs that have been experienced by the Port Elizabeth area. The ownership programme is the first of its kind in the area and has been met with scepticism, revolt and acceptance as the neighbouring township of Walmer and the nearby suburbs had mixed feelings about the project. The overall feeling and experience of the new FLISP owners far exceeds the scepticism around the project. The project also brought racial integration and improved the quality of life for the poor. It also seems as though the success of the project will be the determinant factor of whether it can rolled out to other provinces as an approach to development and poverty alleviation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The first world’s third world expert: self-exoticization in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner
- Authors: Naidu, Samantha
- Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:26358 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/53922 , http://jcpcsonline.com/contents/ns-v03n1.html , https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9456-8657
- Description: A literary criticism of the book "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini is presented. It outlines the characters and explores the symbolic significance of these characters. It explores the aspects of contemporary literature among neo-Orientalist representations of the Middle East and the Muslim world. It notes on the contribution of the Euro-American intervention in military and cultural identities of Middle East Orientalists. An overview of the story is also given.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Naidu, Samantha
- Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:26358 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/53922 , http://jcpcsonline.com/contents/ns-v03n1.html , https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9456-8657
- Description: A literary criticism of the book "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini is presented. It outlines the characters and explores the symbolic significance of these characters. It explores the aspects of contemporary literature among neo-Orientalist representations of the Middle East and the Muslim world. It notes on the contribution of the Euro-American intervention in military and cultural identities of Middle East Orientalists. An overview of the story is also given.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2015
The future is already here...:
- Authors: Garman, Anthea
- Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/158862 , vital:40235 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC175795
- Description: Two of the School of Journalism and Media Studies' most important projects get into high gear in July and August: the Highway Africa conference and the Rhodes Journalism Review. And for a great many years now the two have had an important association as well as being important vehicles for our engagement with the continent of Africa and its journalists, editors, media owners, policy-makers, researchers, theorists, educators and innovators.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Garman, Anthea
- Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/158862 , vital:40235 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC175795
- Description: Two of the School of Journalism and Media Studies' most important projects get into high gear in July and August: the Highway Africa conference and the Rhodes Journalism Review. And for a great many years now the two have had an important association as well as being important vehicles for our engagement with the continent of Africa and its journalists, editors, media owners, policy-makers, researchers, theorists, educators and innovators.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The gentle pressure of the sky
- Authors: Watermeyer, Laura
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: South African fiction (English) -- 21st century , South African fiction (English) -- Study and teaching (Higher) , South African poetry (English) -- Study and teaching (Higher) , Creative writing (Higher education) -- South Africa , Short stories, South African -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:5996 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017780
- Description: A collection of lyrical, imaginative prose, ranging from prose poems to more formal short stories to flash fiction. I challenge the ordinary or commonplace by exploring the realms between fiction and poetry, realism and fantasy, reality and illusion. I would like reading the collection to be a sensory experience, one that draws the reader deeper into the imaginary. Stylistically, I work elements of poetic language into the narrative in order to express the mystery and remoteness that the stories require.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Watermeyer, Laura
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: South African fiction (English) -- 21st century , South African fiction (English) -- Study and teaching (Higher) , South African poetry (English) -- Study and teaching (Higher) , Creative writing (Higher education) -- South Africa , Short stories, South African -- 21st century
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:5996 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017780
- Description: A collection of lyrical, imaginative prose, ranging from prose poems to more formal short stories to flash fiction. I challenge the ordinary or commonplace by exploring the realms between fiction and poetry, realism and fantasy, reality and illusion. I would like reading the collection to be a sensory experience, one that draws the reader deeper into the imaginary. Stylistically, I work elements of poetic language into the narrative in order to express the mystery and remoteness that the stories require.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The health and injury risks faced by emergency medical workers in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Authors: Yeki, Zandisile Rupert
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Emergency medical personnel -- Safety measures , Industrial safety -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4561 , vital:20617
- Description: This study investigated the health and injury risks faced by emergency medical workers in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The aim of the study was to establish the emergency worker`s awareness, level of knowledge and attitude to practices of health and safety issues. The study sample consisted of eighty (80) emergency medical workers stationed in Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage. A self- administered questionnaire was developed and used in an empirical survey to collect data from the respondents on information such as health and safety knowledge, behavior, experiences, attitudes, beliefs and opinions in their workplace. The results of the study indicated that 90% of the workers experienced all occupational hazards identified in the questionnaire. Percutaneous injuries were found to be at 48%, PTSD was rated at 40% due to horrific accidents and incidents complicated by violent threats and armed robberies with emergency workers being victims. Musculoskeletal injuries were found to be very common. Ordinary stress was caused by dissatisfaction over human resources issues and structural changes by the management internally. The findings revealed that some workers took incapacity leave for long periods, sometimes more than three years at a time. The emergency workers are at high risk of being infected by ordinary TB or the more complex type, the DR-TB in their line of duty. The study revealed that there were no health and safety structures in the institution; as a result there was no formal documenting and identification of hazards in order to implement measures to protect the workers from future incidences. Health related absenteeism was high when employees were exposed to such hazards and replacement of skill was not implemented. The main recommendations included wearing of personal protective equipment, safe disposal of sharps objects, guidelines for lifting objects, introduction of organizational safety culture and safe transportation of PTB patients.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Yeki, Zandisile Rupert
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Emergency medical personnel -- Safety measures , Industrial safety -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/4561 , vital:20617
- Description: This study investigated the health and injury risks faced by emergency medical workers in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The aim of the study was to establish the emergency worker`s awareness, level of knowledge and attitude to practices of health and safety issues. The study sample consisted of eighty (80) emergency medical workers stationed in Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage. A self- administered questionnaire was developed and used in an empirical survey to collect data from the respondents on information such as health and safety knowledge, behavior, experiences, attitudes, beliefs and opinions in their workplace. The results of the study indicated that 90% of the workers experienced all occupational hazards identified in the questionnaire. Percutaneous injuries were found to be at 48%, PTSD was rated at 40% due to horrific accidents and incidents complicated by violent threats and armed robberies with emergency workers being victims. Musculoskeletal injuries were found to be very common. Ordinary stress was caused by dissatisfaction over human resources issues and structural changes by the management internally. The findings revealed that some workers took incapacity leave for long periods, sometimes more than three years at a time. The emergency workers are at high risk of being infected by ordinary TB or the more complex type, the DR-TB in their line of duty. The study revealed that there were no health and safety structures in the institution; as a result there was no formal documenting and identification of hazards in order to implement measures to protect the workers from future incidences. Health related absenteeism was high when employees were exposed to such hazards and replacement of skill was not implemented. The main recommendations included wearing of personal protective equipment, safe disposal of sharps objects, guidelines for lifting objects, introduction of organizational safety culture and safe transportation of PTB patients.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The host status of lemons for the false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick)(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) with particular reference to export protocols
- Moore, Sean D, Kirkman, Wayne, Hattingh, Vaughan
- Authors: Moore, Sean D , Kirkman, Wayne , Hattingh, Vaughan
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452252 , vital:75115 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC176581
- Description: The South African citrus industry is dependent on export of fresh fruit to many markets around the world, with approximately 70% of South Africa's citrus crop being exported (CGA 2013). The false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is recorded as a pest of citrus fruit in southern Africa (Newton 1998; Grout and Moore 2015). As a result of its endemism to sub-Saharan Africa (Moore 2002), certain export markets of importance for the South African citrus industry, such as Peoples Republic of China, U.S.A. and South Korea, regulate it as a quarantine pest.Control of the pest in the field can be highly effective, using a suite of integrated control options, applied with diligent management (Moore and Hattingh 2012). These can succeed in reducing T. leucotreta infestation by 97% or more (Moore et al. 2015). Such an integrated system, using the sterile insect technique as the mainstay of the programme, has succeeded in reducing moth catches by 99%, fruit infestation by 96% and export rejections by 89% in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, since the inception of the programme in 2007 (Barnes et al. 2015).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Moore, Sean D , Kirkman, Wayne , Hattingh, Vaughan
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452252 , vital:75115 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC176581
- Description: The South African citrus industry is dependent on export of fresh fruit to many markets around the world, with approximately 70% of South Africa's citrus crop being exported (CGA 2013). The false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is recorded as a pest of citrus fruit in southern Africa (Newton 1998; Grout and Moore 2015). As a result of its endemism to sub-Saharan Africa (Moore 2002), certain export markets of importance for the South African citrus industry, such as Peoples Republic of China, U.S.A. and South Korea, regulate it as a quarantine pest.Control of the pest in the field can be highly effective, using a suite of integrated control options, applied with diligent management (Moore and Hattingh 2012). These can succeed in reducing T. leucotreta infestation by 97% or more (Moore et al. 2015). Such an integrated system, using the sterile insect technique as the mainstay of the programme, has succeeded in reducing moth catches by 99%, fruit infestation by 96% and export rejections by 89% in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, since the inception of the programme in 2007 (Barnes et al. 2015).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The impact of a ward pharmacist in a surgical ward of a private hospital in the Eastern Cape
- Stone, Leanne Nicole, Burton, S F
- Authors: Stone, Leanne Nicole , Burton, S F
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Hospital pharmacies , Pharmaceutical services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Pharmacists -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPharm
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5916 , vital:21012
- Description: Medication errors are becoming problematic in both hospital and outpatient settings worldwide. Inappropriate use of medication can cause harm to the patient and maintaining high levels of quality patient care is essential to protect all patients. Clinical pharmacy practice contributes to improved patient care by optimising medication therapy; and promoting health, wellness and disease prevention. The involvement of a pharmacist at a ward level has been shown to improve patient care; reduce mortality and morbidity rates; decrease healthcare costs; minimise medication errors; and improve outcomes of drug therapy. However, clinical pharmacy is a fairly new practice in South Africa and there are limited studies available. This study aimed to evaluate the perceived benefits of a ward-based pharmacist on the provision of pharmaceutical care to patients in a hospital setting and to consequently implement a ward-based pharmacy service. The objectives of the study were: (1) to assess, via a questionnaire, the perceptions and attitudes of medical practitioners and nurses to ward-based pharmacy prior to and after implementation of a ward-based pharmacy service, (2) to implement a ward-based pharmacy service in a selected hospital ward; (3) to document and analyse the nature of the work and activities that a ward pharmacist undertakes, and (4) to document and analyse the frequency and nature of ward pharmacist interventions. The study was conducted in a surgical ward of a private hospital in the Eastern Cape. The study design was an intervention study, using a mixed-methods design, with a convergent approach. A convenience sample of 106 patients was obtained over the eight week study period. Participation was voluntary and confidentiality was maintained at all times. Four data collection tools were used during the study and a pilot study was conducted to ensure their validity and reliability. The quantitative data was analysed statistically while the qualitative questions were analysed through coding the various responses. The results of the study showed that medical practitioners and nurses of a surgical ward had a positive attitude towards ward pharmacy both prior to and after the implementation of a ward pharmacy service. There were ward pharmacist interventions made in 50% (n=106) of the patients who participated in the study. A large percentage (57%; 50; n=87) of the ward pharmacist interventions were pharmacist-initiated interventions to optimise patient care while prescribing errors (51%; 19; n=37) were the most commonly occurring medication error. The majority of the medication items involved in the interventions (34%; 34; n=101) were related to the anti-microbial medication class. Overall, there was a 73% (36; n=49) acceptance rate of the ward pharmacist interventions that were made to both the medical practitioners and nurses. There were a number of factors that had a significant relationship with a ward pharmacist intervention being required which included: (1) number of medication items (p=0.001; Chi² test; p<0.0005 Student’s t-test), (2) length of hospital stay (p<0.0005; Chi² test), (3) presence of one or more chronic disease states (p=0.003; Chi² test) and (4) presence of one or more allergies (p=0.028; Chi² test). The ward pharmacist interventions were shown to be of clinical significance and to have a positive impact on the patients concerned. It can be concluded that the ward pharmacy service was beneficial to the patients, medical practitioners and nursing staff.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Stone, Leanne Nicole , Burton, S F
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Hospital pharmacies , Pharmaceutical services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Pharmacists -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPharm
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5916 , vital:21012
- Description: Medication errors are becoming problematic in both hospital and outpatient settings worldwide. Inappropriate use of medication can cause harm to the patient and maintaining high levels of quality patient care is essential to protect all patients. Clinical pharmacy practice contributes to improved patient care by optimising medication therapy; and promoting health, wellness and disease prevention. The involvement of a pharmacist at a ward level has been shown to improve patient care; reduce mortality and morbidity rates; decrease healthcare costs; minimise medication errors; and improve outcomes of drug therapy. However, clinical pharmacy is a fairly new practice in South Africa and there are limited studies available. This study aimed to evaluate the perceived benefits of a ward-based pharmacist on the provision of pharmaceutical care to patients in a hospital setting and to consequently implement a ward-based pharmacy service. The objectives of the study were: (1) to assess, via a questionnaire, the perceptions and attitudes of medical practitioners and nurses to ward-based pharmacy prior to and after implementation of a ward-based pharmacy service, (2) to implement a ward-based pharmacy service in a selected hospital ward; (3) to document and analyse the nature of the work and activities that a ward pharmacist undertakes, and (4) to document and analyse the frequency and nature of ward pharmacist interventions. The study was conducted in a surgical ward of a private hospital in the Eastern Cape. The study design was an intervention study, using a mixed-methods design, with a convergent approach. A convenience sample of 106 patients was obtained over the eight week study period. Participation was voluntary and confidentiality was maintained at all times. Four data collection tools were used during the study and a pilot study was conducted to ensure their validity and reliability. The quantitative data was analysed statistically while the qualitative questions were analysed through coding the various responses. The results of the study showed that medical practitioners and nurses of a surgical ward had a positive attitude towards ward pharmacy both prior to and after the implementation of a ward pharmacy service. There were ward pharmacist interventions made in 50% (n=106) of the patients who participated in the study. A large percentage (57%; 50; n=87) of the ward pharmacist interventions were pharmacist-initiated interventions to optimise patient care while prescribing errors (51%; 19; n=37) were the most commonly occurring medication error. The majority of the medication items involved in the interventions (34%; 34; n=101) were related to the anti-microbial medication class. Overall, there was a 73% (36; n=49) acceptance rate of the ward pharmacist interventions that were made to both the medical practitioners and nurses. There were a number of factors that had a significant relationship with a ward pharmacist intervention being required which included: (1) number of medication items (p=0.001; Chi² test; p<0.0005 Student’s t-test), (2) length of hospital stay (p<0.0005; Chi² test), (3) presence of one or more chronic disease states (p=0.003; Chi² test) and (4) presence of one or more allergies (p=0.028; Chi² test). The ward pharmacist interventions were shown to be of clinical significance and to have a positive impact on the patients concerned. It can be concluded that the ward pharmacy service was beneficial to the patients, medical practitioners and nursing staff.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The impact of biofuels on food prices, lessons from the experiences of Brazil and U.S. (1995-2013)
- Authors: Ncube, Free P
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Biomass energy -- Economic aspects Food prices -- Brazil Food prices -- United States , Energy crops -- Economic aspects|zBrazil
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2150 , vital:27616
- Description: Using crops for fuel generates concerns over competition with food uses. As Rajagopal et al (2009) asserts, “In 2008 the world entered a food crisis amid record-high commodity and energy prices that induced hunger and political unrest in developing countries, by export restrictions in top grain-producing countries”. This took place at the same time when biofuel production, reached its pinnacle in developed countries. This paper examines the effect that biofuel prices and or production has had on food prices in Brazil and U.S. by employing the panel cointegration and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) method of analysis. In regressing food prices as a function of demand and supply factors, such as oil prices, biofuel prices, interest rates and biofuel production, the study found that the increase in biofuels production over the past eighteen years has had a significant impact on food prices. Over the period January 1995- December 2013, the study estimates that a one hundred percent increase in biofuels production across time and between countries results in the increase of food prices by 21,9%. The study therefore rejects the null hypothesis that states, biofuel production does not have a statistically significant negative impact on food prices in U.S. and Brazil. , and accepts the alternative that biofuel production does have a statistically significant negative impact on food prices in U.S. and Brazil. Other predictors of food prices that the study revealed as significant were oil and interest rates. Policy recommendations for other countries like South Africa are therefore, made based on the results obtained.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Ncube, Free P
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Biomass energy -- Economic aspects Food prices -- Brazil Food prices -- United States , Energy crops -- Economic aspects|zBrazil
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2150 , vital:27616
- Description: Using crops for fuel generates concerns over competition with food uses. As Rajagopal et al (2009) asserts, “In 2008 the world entered a food crisis amid record-high commodity and energy prices that induced hunger and political unrest in developing countries, by export restrictions in top grain-producing countries”. This took place at the same time when biofuel production, reached its pinnacle in developed countries. This paper examines the effect that biofuel prices and or production has had on food prices in Brazil and U.S. by employing the panel cointegration and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) method of analysis. In regressing food prices as a function of demand and supply factors, such as oil prices, biofuel prices, interest rates and biofuel production, the study found that the increase in biofuels production over the past eighteen years has had a significant impact on food prices. Over the period January 1995- December 2013, the study estimates that a one hundred percent increase in biofuels production across time and between countries results in the increase of food prices by 21,9%. The study therefore rejects the null hypothesis that states, biofuel production does not have a statistically significant negative impact on food prices in U.S. and Brazil. , and accepts the alternative that biofuel production does have a statistically significant negative impact on food prices in U.S. and Brazil. Other predictors of food prices that the study revealed as significant were oil and interest rates. Policy recommendations for other countries like South Africa are therefore, made based on the results obtained.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The impact of decentralisation on participatory development in the Nsanje district of Malawi
- Simwaka, Rodin Rams Kapelele Atughanire
- Authors: Simwaka, Rodin Rams Kapelele Atughanire
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Community development -- Malawi , Decentralization in government -- Malawi
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9255 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021206
- Description: This research investigated the impact of decentralisation on participatory development in the Nsanje District of Malawi from 2009 to 2014. Existing challenges in realising effective participation were identified by acquiring information from documents at three spheres of government, namely local, district and national. The literature explains decentralisation and local government; the theories of state-local relations; the nature, types and determinants of participation; the legislative framework of local government; and decentralisation reforms being implemented in Malawi. A descriptive approach was used in the study, with the emphasis on collecting data from primary sources such as minutes, reports, newspapers, and secondary sources such as the District Council and local government department records, books, academic journals, completed and unpublished post-graduate research theses, and legislation. From the acquired information, a number of recommendations are made to deal with various challenges faced to achieve effective participatory development in the District.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Simwaka, Rodin Rams Kapelele Atughanire
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Community development -- Malawi , Decentralization in government -- Malawi
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9255 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021206
- Description: This research investigated the impact of decentralisation on participatory development in the Nsanje District of Malawi from 2009 to 2014. Existing challenges in realising effective participation were identified by acquiring information from documents at three spheres of government, namely local, district and national. The literature explains decentralisation and local government; the theories of state-local relations; the nature, types and determinants of participation; the legislative framework of local government; and decentralisation reforms being implemented in Malawi. A descriptive approach was used in the study, with the emphasis on collecting data from primary sources such as minutes, reports, newspapers, and secondary sources such as the District Council and local government department records, books, academic journals, completed and unpublished post-graduate research theses, and legislation. From the acquired information, a number of recommendations are made to deal with various challenges faced to achieve effective participatory development in the District.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The impact of domain knowledge-driven variable derivation on classifier performance for corporate data mining
- Authors: Welcker, Laura Joana Maria
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Data mining , Business -- Data processing , Database management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5009 , vital:20778
- Description: The technological progress in terms of increasing computational power and growing virtual space to collect data offers great potential for businesses to benefit from data mining applications. Data mining can create a competitive advantage for corporations by discovering business relevant information, such as patterns, relationships, and rules. The role of the human user within the data mining process is crucial, which is why the research area of domain knowledge becomes increasingly important. This thesis investigates the impact of domain knowledge-driven variable derivation on classifier performance for corporate data mining. Domain knowledge is defined as methodological, data and business know-how. The thesis investigates the topic from a new perspective by shifting the focus from a one-sided approach, namely a purely analytic or purely theoretical approach towards a target group-oriented (researcher and practitioner) approach which puts the methodological aspect by means of a scientific guideline in the centre of the research. In order to ensure feasibility and practical relevance of the guideline, it is adapted and applied to the requirements of a practical business case. Thus, the thesis examines the topic from both perspectives, a theoretical and practical perspective. Therewith, it overcomes the limitation of a one-sided approach which mostly lacks practical relevance or generalisability of the results. The primary objective of this thesis is to provide a scientific guideline which should enable both practitioners and researchers to move forward the domain knowledge-driven research for variable derivation on a corporate basis. In the theoretical part, a broad overview of the main aspects which are necessary to undertake the research are given, such as the concept of domain knowledge, the data mining task of classification, variable derivation as a subtask of data preparation, and evaluation techniques. This part of the thesis refers to the methodological aspect of domain knowledge. In the practical part, a research design is developed for testing six hypotheses related to domain knowledge-driven variable derivation. The major contribution of the empirical study is concerned with testing the impact of domain knowledge on a real business data set compared to the impact of a standard and randomly derived data set. The business application of the research is a binary classification problem in the domain of an insurance business, which deals with the prediction of damages in legal expenses insurances. Domain knowledge is expressed through deriving the corporate variables by means of the business and data-driven constructive induction strategy. Six variable derivation steps are investigated: normalisation, instance relation, discretisation, categorical encoding, ratio, and multivariate mathematical function. The impact of the domain knowledge is examined by pairwise (with and without derived variables) performance comparisons for five classification techniques (decision trees, naive Bayes, logistic regression, artificial neural networks, k-nearest neighbours). The impact is measured by two classifier performance criteria: sensitivity and area under the ROC-curve (AUC). The McNemar significance test is used to verify the results. Based on the results, two hypotheses are clearly verified and accepted, three hypotheses are partly verified, and one hypothesis had to be rejected on the basis of the case study results. The thesis reveals a significant positive impact of domain knowledge-driven variable derivation on classifier performance for options of all six tested steps. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the classification technique influences the impact of the variable derivation steps, and the bundling of steps has a significant higher performance impact if the variables are derived by using domain knowledge (compared to a non-knowledge application). Finally, the research turns out that an empirical examination of the domain knowledge impact is very complex due to a high level of interaction between the selected research parameters (variable derivation step, classification technique, and performance criteria).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Welcker, Laura Joana Maria
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Data mining , Business -- Data processing , Database management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5009 , vital:20778
- Description: The technological progress in terms of increasing computational power and growing virtual space to collect data offers great potential for businesses to benefit from data mining applications. Data mining can create a competitive advantage for corporations by discovering business relevant information, such as patterns, relationships, and rules. The role of the human user within the data mining process is crucial, which is why the research area of domain knowledge becomes increasingly important. This thesis investigates the impact of domain knowledge-driven variable derivation on classifier performance for corporate data mining. Domain knowledge is defined as methodological, data and business know-how. The thesis investigates the topic from a new perspective by shifting the focus from a one-sided approach, namely a purely analytic or purely theoretical approach towards a target group-oriented (researcher and practitioner) approach which puts the methodological aspect by means of a scientific guideline in the centre of the research. In order to ensure feasibility and practical relevance of the guideline, it is adapted and applied to the requirements of a practical business case. Thus, the thesis examines the topic from both perspectives, a theoretical and practical perspective. Therewith, it overcomes the limitation of a one-sided approach which mostly lacks practical relevance or generalisability of the results. The primary objective of this thesis is to provide a scientific guideline which should enable both practitioners and researchers to move forward the domain knowledge-driven research for variable derivation on a corporate basis. In the theoretical part, a broad overview of the main aspects which are necessary to undertake the research are given, such as the concept of domain knowledge, the data mining task of classification, variable derivation as a subtask of data preparation, and evaluation techniques. This part of the thesis refers to the methodological aspect of domain knowledge. In the practical part, a research design is developed for testing six hypotheses related to domain knowledge-driven variable derivation. The major contribution of the empirical study is concerned with testing the impact of domain knowledge on a real business data set compared to the impact of a standard and randomly derived data set. The business application of the research is a binary classification problem in the domain of an insurance business, which deals with the prediction of damages in legal expenses insurances. Domain knowledge is expressed through deriving the corporate variables by means of the business and data-driven constructive induction strategy. Six variable derivation steps are investigated: normalisation, instance relation, discretisation, categorical encoding, ratio, and multivariate mathematical function. The impact of the domain knowledge is examined by pairwise (with and without derived variables) performance comparisons for five classification techniques (decision trees, naive Bayes, logistic regression, artificial neural networks, k-nearest neighbours). The impact is measured by two classifier performance criteria: sensitivity and area under the ROC-curve (AUC). The McNemar significance test is used to verify the results. Based on the results, two hypotheses are clearly verified and accepted, three hypotheses are partly verified, and one hypothesis had to be rejected on the basis of the case study results. The thesis reveals a significant positive impact of domain knowledge-driven variable derivation on classifier performance for options of all six tested steps. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the classification technique influences the impact of the variable derivation steps, and the bundling of steps has a significant higher performance impact if the variables are derived by using domain knowledge (compared to a non-knowledge application). Finally, the research turns out that an empirical examination of the domain knowledge impact is very complex due to a high level of interaction between the selected research parameters (variable derivation step, classification technique, and performance criteria).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The impact of globalization on economic growth in South Africa
- Authors: Maronga, Vimbai Linah
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa , International economic integration , International trade
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25861 , vital:64552
- Description: The dissertation investigated the impact of globalization on the economic growth of South Africa using annual South African data covering the period 1975 to 2011. The study used Johansen cointegration and vector error correction model to determine the impact of globalization on economic growth in South Africa. The VECM model with South African variables was specified and used to assess the effects of globalization on South Africa’s economic growth. Results of the study suggested that the South African economic growth was negatively impacted by globalization in the long run. Using the results conclusions and policy recommendations were made using these results. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2015
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Maronga, Vimbai Linah
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa , International economic integration , International trade
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/25861 , vital:64552
- Description: The dissertation investigated the impact of globalization on the economic growth of South Africa using annual South African data covering the period 1975 to 2011. The study used Johansen cointegration and vector error correction model to determine the impact of globalization on economic growth in South Africa. The VECM model with South African variables was specified and used to assess the effects of globalization on South Africa’s economic growth. Results of the study suggested that the South African economic growth was negatively impacted by globalization in the long run. Using the results conclusions and policy recommendations were made using these results. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2015
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015