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Using iterative learning to improve understanding during the informed consent process in a South African psychiatric genomics study

  • Authors: Campbell, Megan M , Susser, Ezra , Mall, Sumaya , Mqulwana, Sibonile G , Mndini, Michael M , Ntola, Odwa A , Nagdee, Mohamed , Zingela, Zukiswa , Van Wyk, Stephanus , Stein, Dan J
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Informed consent (Medical law) , Patient education
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/6114 , vital:45124 , https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0188466
  • Description: Obtaining informed consent is a great challenge in global health research. There is a need for tools that can screen for and improve potential research participants’ understanding of the research study at the time of recruitment. Limited empirical research has been conducted in low and middle income countries, evaluating informed consent processes in genomics research. We sought to investigate the quality of informed consent obtained in a South African psychiatric genomics study. A Xhosa language version of the University of California, San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent Questionnaire (UBACC) was used to screen for capacity to consent and improve understanding through iterative learning in a sample of 528 Xhosa people with schizophrenia and 528 controls. We address two questions: firstly, whether research participants’ understanding of the research study improved through iterative learning; and secondly, what were predictors for better understanding of the research study at the initial screening? During screening 290 (55%) cases and 172 (33%) controls scored below the 14.5 cut-off for acceptable understanding of the research study elements, however after iterative learning only 38 (7%) cases and 13 (2.5%) controls continued to score below this cut-off. Significant variables associated with increased understanding of the consent included the psychiatric nurse recruiter conducting the consent screening, higher participant level of education, and being a control. The UBACC proved an effective tool to improve understanding of research study elements during consent, for both cases and controls. The tool holds utility for complex studies such as those involving genomics, where iterative learning can be used to make significant improvements in understanding of research study elements. The UBACC may be particularly important in groups with severe mental illness and lower education levels. Study recruiters play a significant role in managing the quality of the informed consent process.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Modelling the performance of a calorifier installed at a university residence intended to be retrofited by an air source heat pump

  • Authors: Mzolo, Noluthando Precious Duduzile
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Caloric engines Heat pumps
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4660 , vital:28485
  • Description: Sanitary hot water production contributes significantly to the electrical energy consumption in the university campus. An in-depth understanding of the current hot water technology, number of students, capacity of water used per student, time of use of hot water, total volume of hot water consumed and the total energy used on an average weekday in a university residence are very crucial in opting for energy efficient technology like an air source heat pump (ASHP) water heater. The study focused on quantitative and qualitative analysis of data collected for the hot water profiles in one of the university residences (Elitheini 1) from the conduction of experiment and questionnaires. The results revealed that 94% of the 75 students used hot water during the Eskom morning peak and 61% during the Eskom evening peak. In addition, the average daily energy consumption of the 12 kW Calorifier was 139.49 kWh, while the measured volume of hot water usage was 1950 L which is in strong agreement with the total volume (1945 L) of hot water consumption from the questionnaires. The p-value of the average volume of hot water usage measured by experiment and questionnaires was 0.7 and is of no mean significant difference. The monthly energy consumption for the week days was projected to be 2929.31 kWh. By retrofitting of calorifier with an ASHP unit, the energy consumption could reduce to 976.43 kWh based on its consecutive coefficient of performance of 3. Finally, from the energy consumption reduction analysis and the current Eskom tariffs, it can be alluded that the payback period of the proposedASHP unit as a retrofit to the calorifier is going to be less than 2 years and is worthy to invest into such technology under this study due to its favourable payback period and the reliability and lifespan of the ASHP unit.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

A poverty alleviation strategy of Vukuzenzele gardening project in Motherwell township

  • Authors: Zitho, Andiswa
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Community development -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Poor -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13724 , vital:27302
  • Description: Poverty is one of the issues that affects the development in our country. the strategies that are used differ from one to person to another. development is said to be measured through a lot of things but mostly through economic growth which influenced by poverty. the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the strategies being used to alleviate poverty in the Motherwell township, in Port Elizabeth. The study focused mainly on Vukuzenzele gardening project, where a sample of 15 participants were purposovely selected to be part of the study. Furthermore, the aim of the study was to contribute towards community development by investigating the social issues that directly influence poverty eradication.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Smallholder farmer's climate change knowledge in Ngqushwa Local Municipality, Eastern Cape : implications on coping and adaptation

  • Authors: Shoko, Witness Alvis
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Climatic changes -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sustainable agriculture
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/6480 , vital:29744
  • Description: Lack of knowledge about climate change poses a greater risk to human development in general. This study emerges from the premise that agriculture, and more specifically smallholder farmers, are the most affected by climate variability due to the type of assets they hold. Among other factors, climate change can directly and adversely impact the ability of smallholder farmers to sustain their livelihoods. Taking into consideration spatial differences across Ngqushwa Local Municipality, smallholder farmers in different areas have to understand the constraints they face that emanate from climate change. The study aimed to explore the knowledge that smallholder farmers in Ngqushwa local municipality have on climate change, strategies they utilise to cope and minimise the detrimental effects of climate change. The study also focused on climate change information sources namely, meteorological and Indigenous Knowledge (IK) that smallholder farmers have at their disposal for coping and adaptation to climate change. Furthermore, the study analyses comprehensiveness and usefulness of information that the resource-poor farmers possess. The findings of this study show that smallholder farmers in Ngqushwa local municipality access climate change information through televisions, newspapers and listening to the radio. Their knowledge of the behaviour of birds, moon, wind, and insects is also an important source of forecasting weather patterns. Recommendations from this study include the following: enhancing and widening the sources of climate change information, education encompassing the nature of climate change, networking of smallholder farmers, linking meteorological and indigenous knowledge and supplementing natural water supply.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles from a Desmodium adscendens extract and its antibacterial evaluation on wound dressing material

  • Authors: Lakkakula, Jaya R , Ndinteh, Derek T , van Vuuren, Sandy F , Olivier, Denise K , Krause, Rui W M
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/195025 , vital:45520 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-nbt.2017.0084"
  • Description: The one-pot synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the medium-polar extract of Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC. is presented here as an alternative synthesis of metal NPs. Characterisation of the formed NPs showed polydispersed AgNPs ranging from 15 to 100 nm where the concentration of metal ions was found to play a role in the size and shape of the prepared NPs. It could be established that the flavonoids, saponins, and alkaloids present in the extract acted as both reducing and stabilising agents during the formation of the capped metal NPs. This means of NP synthesis was also employed during the in situ immobilisation of AgNPs on gauze and plaster. An evaluation of the antibacterial activity of the medium-polar D. adscendens extract, AgNPs suspended in solution, and the immobilised AgNPs against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 11778), and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) showed high efficacy against the latter in particular. This suggests that gauze, dilute silver nitrate solutions, and D. adscendens extract could be used successfully in the simple in situ preparation of effective antibacterial wound dressings.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

The photophysical studies of Pluronic F127/P123 micelle mixture system loaded with metal free and Zn 5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis [4-(benzyloxy) phenyl] porphyrins

  • Authors: Managa, Muthumuni , Ngoy, Bokolombe P , Nyokong, Tebello
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: To be catalogued
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/188932 , vital:44799 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotochem.2017.02.018"
  • Description: Binary mixtures of Pluronics are studied as drug nanocarriers in this work. H2 and Zn 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(benzyloxy) phenyl] porphyrin were encapsulated onto binary micelle mixture of Pluronic F127/P123. The fluorescence and singlet oxygen generating behaviour of the porphyrins were investigated following incorporation. The fluorescence quantum yield for H2TBnOPP (ΦF = 0.034) was higher than that of ZnTBnOPP (ΦF = 0.023) and decreased when ZnTBnOPP or H2TBnOPP when in the presence of Pluronic F127/P123 binary mixtures. The kq values were 2.8 × 108 and 3.7 × 108 M−1 s−1, for H2TBnOPP + Pluronic F127/P123 and ZnTBnOPP + Pluronic F127/P123 in water, respectively. The binding constants (Kb) were 1.58 × 105 M−1 and 1.02 × 105 M−1 for ZnTBnOPP + Pluronic F127/P123 and H2TBnOPP + Pluronic F127/P123, respectively.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Knowledge and knower structures in relation to reproductive and sexual health in school curricula of Kenya and South Africa

  • Authors: Chemwor, Ezekiel Kiplimo
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Curriculum planning -- Kenya , Curriculum planning -- South Africa Education -- Study and teaching Reproductive health -- Study and teaching -- Kenya Reproductive health -- Study and teaching -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14884 , vital:27893
  • Description: This study investigates the Reproductive and Sexual Health (RSH) knowledge as recontextualised in the school curricula of Kenya and South Africa. It sets to provide a holistic view of RSH by bringing to the fore the underlying principles structuring the legitimation of RSH knowledge and knowing in both curricula. More importantly, it provides a deeper understanding of what RSH concepts have to be known and what kind of ideal learner is being projected in the two curricula. The study sets out to answer the following two research questions: How is knowledge related to RSH legitimated in the South African and Kenyan school curricula? How are knowers related to RSH legitimated in the South African and Kenyan school curricula? Being located in the Official Recontextualisation Field of Bernstein’s pedagogic device, this study uses Bernstein’s knowledge structure approach and Legitimation Code Theory: Specialisation as theoretical framework. LCT: Specialisation codes provided a means of developing external languages of description or translation devices to build a requisite analytical framework for revealing the knowledge-knower structures legitimated in the two curricula. The study employs a multi-site case study research design with RSH knowledge and knowers in school curriculum being the case, and Kenya and South Africa as the two sites in the case study. The purpose of looking at the curricula from both countries was not specifically to compare the contents of the curricula documents, but rather to enable broader consideration of the ways in which they position RSH knowledge. The study found that RSH, as an interdisciplinary concept, is faced by a tension in its knowledge-knower structure across the curriculum levels. The biological component of the RSH concepts, has a hierarchical knowledge structure with a knowledge code that exhibited a purist insight as well as a horizontal knower structure that embodied a trained gaze, while the psychological component has a horizontal knowledge structure with a hierarchical knower structure that embodied a cultivated gaze.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Early stage ichthyofauna from shallow water habitats of the Angola-Benguela frontal zone

  • Authors: Farthing, Matthew William
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Fishes -- Larvae -- South Africa -- Atlantic coast , Fishes -- Larvae -- Angola -- Atlantic coast , Striped mullet -- Angola -- Atlantic coast
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/50442 , vital:25988
  • Description: Early stage fishes (larvae and early juveniles) were collected from an array of shallow water (±1.5m) habitats on the warm-temperate southern Angolan coastline between June 2014 and June 2015. This study, the first assessment of the early stages of coastal fishes in Angola, provides important new understanding of non-estuarine shallow water nursery habitat use by coastal fishes from the region. In total, 51 species from 18 teleost families were observed. The exposed surf zone was dominated by postflexion larvae, while the moderately exposed beach and sheltered bay were dominated by early juveniles. Both fish density and diversity peaked in the wet season (Feb – Apr 2015) for all habitats, attributed to the influx of summer spawning species. Diplodus sargus dominated catches from the exposed surf zone, and the timing of observations supports the growing consensus that sparid spawning is dictated by temperature, not season. The similitude of the observed species to those observed in warm temperate South Africa highlights the historical connection of the warm-temperate study area with warm-temperate South Africa, prior to the formation of the Benguela Current as a vicariant barrier. The classification of the study assemblage into established estuarine utilization categories showed that the surf zone hosted more exclusively marine species than comparable surf zones in South Africa, attributed to the absence of estuaries in southern Angola. However, the observation of the marine estuarine dependent Mugil cephalus in this study area devoid of estuaries suggests that estuarine dependency may be regionally specific for some taxa. It appears that the warm, sheltered, nutrient rich waters of Tombua Bay provide typically estuarine associated taxa with a suitable alternative, non-estuarine nursery habitat. This study provides evidence that the importance of estuaries as critical nursery habitats has been overemphasized for some warm-temperate coastal fishes. However, the absence of other marine estuarine dependent species from the study area suggests that some warm-temperate taxa do intrinsically rely on estuarine function for survival.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Effects of different grazing system on forage production and seasonal parasite loads in beef cattle

  • Authors: Rapiya, Monde , Mupangwa, John
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Grazing Forage plants Forage
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , (MSc) Pasture Science
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/9253 , vital:34314
  • Description: The objectives of the study were to determine the effects of grazing systems on rangeland biomass yield and nutritional composition, tick and faecal egg counts in beef cattle across seasons. The study was conducted at Merino Walk farm located in Matatiele in the northern part of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The farm was divided into three experimental plots of 3.5 ha each. Thereafter, three grazing treatments namely, Holistic Planned Grazing (HPG paddocks), Four-camp rotation (FCR) and continuous grazing (CG), were randomly allocated to the experimental plots. In the FCR system, the 3.5ha was subdivided into four 0.875-ha paddocks, while the HPG system was subdivided into ninety (90) 0.039-ha paddocks. Common forages were hand-clipped at a grazing height of (5cm) in the wet and dry season from six quadrats (0.25m2) placed in each plot and evaluated for biomass yield and nutritional composition. Thirty (30) steers of the same age 12-month old of similar weight were randomly allocated to three grazing treatments (10/treatments). Tick counts were recorded for each steer in the hot-wet, hot-dry, post-rainy and cold dry seasons. Faecal samples were collected per-rectum every in four seasons and analysed for faecal egg counts using the modified McMaster method. The data were analysed using PROC Generalized Linear Model of SAS (2012) to determine the effects of grazing system on rangeland biomass yield, nutritional composition, tick and faecal egg counts. The common grass species in all grazing system across season were Cynodon dactylon, Eragrostis chloromelus, Eragrostis plana, Fescuta and Themeda triandra. The FCR system in the wet season had significant the lowest (P<0.05) biomass yield of 62605,33kg/ha compared to other treatments which had mean values of 62625,97 and 62625,89kg/ha for HPG and CG, respectively (P<0.05). Crude protein content was higher (P<0.05) in HPG (9.41percentCP) and FCR (9.22percentCP) systems in the wet season compared to CG across seasons. Forage from HPG system, irrespective of season had significant lower starch content than other treatments (P<0.05). Forage from HPG system, irrespective of season had the lower (P<0.05) starch content than other treatments. Regardless of season, CG had higher (P<0.05) NDF (72.51 and 72.50) and ADF (41.93 and 40.45) contents than FCR and HPG treatments. Overall, HPG system regardless of season and FCR in the wet season had higher (P<0.05) in vitro digestibility at 24 and 48hrs (0.38 and 0.66) incubation periods. The tick species identified were Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Hyalomma spp and Amblyomma hebreaum with respective prevalence’s of 32percent, 29percent, 20percent and 19percent. Unidentified roundworms (URW), had the highest faecal egg counts (81.2percent) followed by Coccidia (16.4percent), Nematodirus (1.2percent) and Strongyles (1.2percent). Overall, steers on the CG system during hot-wet season had the highest individual and total tick counts (17.0) whilst those on FCR during the cold-dry season had the lowest counts (6.0). Holistic Planned Grazing had the lowest worm egg counts regardless of season, while CG had the highest counts in the hot wet season (P<0.05). The findings showed that relative to other treatments, the HPG system in wet season had a higher biomass yield and better nutritional composition (high CP, low fibre and high digestibility) with low forage production and quality under CG system during the cold-dry season. Whilst, CG during hot-wet season had the highest total tick and worm egg counts and least counts under HPG during the cold-dry. Based on relatively higher forage production and low parasite loads, HPG could be a better grazing management system than CG and FCR, especially in the wet season. It may be important to evaluate the effect of HPG on animal production, product quality and profitability prior to recommending it for use by farmers.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

The role of universities on human capital development in Zimbabwe

  • Authors: Bandama, Carol Tambudzai
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Economic development -- Zimbabwe Human capital -- Zimbabwe
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/16044 , vital:28315
  • Description: Countries should encourage their workforce to foster human development as it contributes to the economic development through having a well-trained and skilled workforce. The countries that are economically developed have stood out because of human capabilities that have triggered economic development. With innovation being one of the major advantages of human capital, new ideas lead to the creation of vast employment opportunities especially for those that have studied critical skill subjects. The economic status of Zimbabwe shows that there is human capital development happening in the country, but there is a serious shortage of skills in sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics that are necessary for the industrialisation of the country. The government believes that Zimbabwe can industrialise if STEM education is integrated in the country’s educational system to make human capital development wholistic. The study aims to understand the concept of human capital development and how it can be developed at a balance. A discussion on the primary role of universities and higher learning institutions on developing human capital will be done. Universities educate and equip students with knowledge and skills, hence both STEM and non-STEM curricula is needed to develop human capital that is balanced. This is because STEM graduates that are innovative can create jobs for non-STEM graduates and help a country to industrialise and develop its economy. Universities are recommended to increase public awareness of STEM, train teachers specifically for STEM, invest in research and development and develop STEM-related policies and systems to develop more STEM graduates to strike a balance with non-STEM graduates and enhance industrialisation in Zimbabwe. Interviews were conducted and analysed and some of the recommendations made were to encourage the government to deregulate to attract investment, to increase the public’s awareness of STEM and to train STEM teachers accordingly.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Experiences of pet loss in the South African context

  • Authors: Lowen, Kathleen Louise
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Pet loss -- Psychological aspects , Pet loss -- South Africa -- Case studies , Pets -- Death , Pet ownders -- Psychology , Human-animal relationships -- Psychological aspects , Grief
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4326 , vital:20649
  • Description: In this research the experience of pet loss in relation to the intensity of grief and the repression of that grief due to societal restrictions was studied in a South African sample of 12 pet owners who had experienced the loss of a pet within 24 months prior to the study. A pilot study was conducted in order to refine the semi-structured interview schedule. Participants were asked about their pets, their experience of pet loss in relation to their feelings before and after the loss and whether they felt they could openly grieve around friends and family. The findings indicated that the intensity of grief experienced by the participants was influenced both by the intensity of their Bond with the pet and the repression of their grief due to assumed social sanctions surrounding mourning the loss of a pet. The findings from the study clearly indicate the necessity for pet loss counselling, however it was clear that societal views surrounding pet loss are shifting, thus allowing pet owners to mourn their loss more openly with family and friends. This indicates a decrease in cases of disenfranchised and complicated grief. Furthermore the impact of pet loss necessitates the social legitimation and acknowledgment of the significance of pet loss in contemporary society as these relationships with pets are an increasingly prominent feature both within and as an alternative to familial systems.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Synthesis and biological evaluation of anti-HIV-I integrase agents

  • Authors: Jesumoroti, Omobolanle Janet
  • Date: 2017
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/59215 , vital:27479
  • Description: Expected release date-April 2019
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Psychological capital as a moderator on the relationship between work-life balance and turnover intentions amongst selected bank employees in the Amathole district, Eastern Cape province

  • Authors: Nyahwema, Cloudious
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Employee competitive behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Human capital -- Psychological aspects
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13556 , vital:39679
  • Description: Globalisation has facilitated high mobility among 21st century employees allowing brain circulation to occur. However, high employee mobility also means organisations are losing employees to competitors some of which are global business moguls with better resources leaving emerging businesses at a disadvantage. Lately, the South African banking sector has also been affected with high employee turnover requiring the need for investigation. For these reasons, the main objective of the study was to investigate whether psychological capital significantly moderates the relationship between work-life balance and turnover intentions among selected bank employees in Amathole district, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study also examined if there is a positive and significant relationship between psychological capital and work-life balance among selected bank employees. In addition, the study sought to examine if there is a positive and significant relationship between psychological capital and turnover intention among selected bank employees. The study followed a quantitative research approach. Therefore, survey questionnaires were used as means of data collection and data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Research results indicated that psychological capital significantly moderates the relationship between work-life balance and turnover intentions among selected bank employees. A significantly positive relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and work-life balance among selected bank employees was found. The results also revealed that there is no significant relationship between psychological capital and turnover intentions among selected bank employees.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Secrets, lies and redemption:

  • Authors: Boshoff, Priscilla A , Prinsloo, Jeanne
  • Date: 2017
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/143381 , vital:38241 , DOI: 10.1080/00020184.2017.1285671
  • Description: Confession is a central disciplining technology deployed in the second series of Intersexions, a popular South African TV series that seeks to change sexual and social behaviours that contribute to the risk of HIV infection. The article considers the ‘edu’ part of this edutainment programme, specifically with the nature of the lessons and with the form of ‘disciplining’ the narratives presuppose for gendered and sexual subjects. Central to this critical and constructivist exploration of the gender relationships that are validated and expurgated are Foucault’s notions of discourse and confession as a technology of self. We argue that the series presents a range of different gendered and sexual subjectivities but implicitly endorses a modern subjectivity and transformation at the level of the individual.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

The influence of social media service quality on client loyalty in the South African banking industry

  • Authors: Gavaza, Bramwell Kundishora
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Banks and banking -- South Africa Social media -- South Africa Customer loyalty -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12903 , vital:39389
  • Description: The advent of the Internet during the past two decades has changed the way in which businesses operate. Social media networks such as Facebook have become an essential communication element for businesses to interact with clients. The impact and growth rates of Facebook and other forms of social media have made it imperative for all businesses to ensure they have social media strategies in place. Following social media business trends, banks across the world have included social media to market their services. Banks are now emphasising the offering of high client service quality in order to retain clients in this highly competitive environment. Thus, South African banks, as is the case with global banks, need to continuously assess the quality of the services offered to their clients in order to sustainably maintain or grow their market share or to fully utilise its commercial opportunities. This study determined the influence of social media service quality on client loyalty in the South African banking industry. The primary objective was to examine the extent to which social media service quality influence client loyalty in the South African banking industry. The study also determined if social media system availability, efficiency, fulfilment, and privacy has influence on the overall service quality of social media in the South African banking industry. In addition, the study examined the relationship between overall service quality and client loyalty intention in the South African banking industry. The study used a quantitative research approach to collect and analyse the data, and a descriptive research design was utilised for the purpose of this study. Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources of data. An online survey was conducted through Survey Monkey, via a Facebook page titled: Social media service quality in the South African banking industry. An online questionnaire was administered via the Facebook page. The study used a sample of 377 respondents who are Facebook users of the five major banks in South Africa. Analysis and interpretation of findings was done using both the descriptive and inferential statistical measures, with the help of Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) 24 and Lisrel (version 9). The electronic social media service quality (E-S-SERVQUAL) scale which consist of five constructs, namely; social media system availability, efficiency, fulfilment, privacy and overall service quality; and client loyalty intentions were the scales that were adopted for this study. All the scales used in this study were found to be reliable and valid. Findings of the research study proved that social media system availability, fulfilment, and privacy has a significant influence on the overall service quality of social media in the South African banking industry. In addition, findings of the research revealed that social media efficiency does not significantly influence overall service quality of social media in the South African banking industry. Furthermore, findings of the research also proved that the overall service quality of social media positively influences client loyalty intention in the South African banking industry. The study recommended that managers and marketers should constantly evaluate, monitor, and improve the overall service quality of social media offered to their clients, as it leads to a corresponding increase in overall client satisfaction, which in turn leads to client loyalty in the South African banking industry. However, further research studies may be conducted in other developing countries to gain a wider understanding on the influence of social media service quality on client loyalty in the banking industry.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

The role of African theology and spirituality in bereavement among Xhosa children

  • Authors: Diniso Patrick Mncedisi
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Bereavement in children -- Religious aspects Black theology
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/17839 , vital:41374
  • Description: The background to this study highlights the fact that Xhosa children are not being taken care of during bereavement. There is no theological guidance applied to them, to say the least. There are devotions that are usually conducted by lay preachers (Preachers that are not trained as Pastors/Therapists) who do their utmost best to support bereaved families, and this is done out of love. The challenge, however, is that the language mostly used by these preachers does not seem to accommodate children, as there are expressions that do not make any sense to children such as: tutwini, imela igobele esandleni. These are good and relevant concepts as they underpin the reality of death and the need for comfort during bereavement. However, these need to be communicated in a language that can be understood by children. Due to this identified problem, the researcher deemed it necessary to undertake this study. This study comprises five (5) chapters. In chapter one (1), the researcher focused on the research background and introduction. Chapter two (2) dealt with the literature review of this study. The chapter comprises three sections: generic literature review section, theory base section and primary literature review section. In chapter three (3), the focus is on research methodology and its components. Concepts such as sampling procedures, research instrument and research design are dealt with. In chapter four (4), the researcher dealt with concepts such as data analysis, interpretation and presentation of findings. Chapter five dealt with the research recommendations as per the role of the church (Free Church in Southern Africa [FSA]). The researcher is convinced that this work has done justice in addressing the identified gap in care giving for bereaved Xhosa children. The need for theological guidance for bereaved Xhosa children has been highlighted; findings and practical recommendations have also been presented to meet such a need. These confirmed the need for theological guidance for bereaved Xhosa children. The next section contains the appendix list, namely: appendix one (1), two (2) and three (3).
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  • Date Issued: 2017

The relationship between employee value proposition, organisational commitment and intention-to-serve among provincial traffic officers

  • Authors: Macpherson, Wayne Elvison
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Organizational commitment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Organizational behavior -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employee motivation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18036 , vital:28567
  • Description: Traffic officers are employed to protect and serve the community, but various sources including annual reports and newspaper articles cast doubt on whether these goals are attained in the Eastern Cape. These sources further allege that the failure to serve can be attributed to dissatisfaction and poor employee commitment. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the Employee Value Proposition, organisational commitment and intention-to-serve among provincial traffic officers. A literature study was conducted on the three above-mentioned variables to achieve this objective. The empirical study consisted of a survey with a self-administered questionnaire. Five components of the Employee Value Proposition, as established by the Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) (2006), were measured. These included career opportunities, organisation itself, relationships, remuneration/reward and work itself. The Three Component Model (TCM) developed by Meyer and Allen (1991) was used to measure affective, continuance and normative commitment. The Intention-to-Serve Scale was adapted from the Employee Work Passion Appraisal (EWPA) Model (Zigarmi, Nimon, Houson, Witt and Diehl, 2011) and was used to measure intent-to-perform and intent-to-use discretion. The questionnaire was completed by 357 provincial traffic officers across the six districts of the Eastern Cape, which represented a 95 percent response rate. The results from the empirical study indicated that the majority of respondents had less positive perceptions of the Employee Value Proposition offered to them. Affective commitment, regarded as the desired type of organisational commitment, was scored the lowest. However, positive scores were obtained for intention-to-serve. A statistical and practical significant relationship was found between the Employee Value Proposition and organisational commitment, and between the Employee Value Proposition and intention-to-serve as well as between organizational commitment and intention-to-serve. The results suggest that a more appealing Employee Value Proposition could result in improved organisational commitment as well as improved intention-to-serve. It is therefore recommended that the Eastern Cape Department of Transport reconsider the Employee Value Proposition offered to traffic officers and use it as a tool to improve commitment and service delivery.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017

The WTO agreement on technical barriers to trade : a critical appraisal of its implementation within the Southern African Development Community

  • Authors: Chimeri, Vongai
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Tariff -- Law and legislation Non-tariff trade barriers -- Law and legislation Foreign trade regulation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2855 , vital:28108
  • Description: The World Trade Organisation Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) was crafted with the aim of ensuring that technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedure do not constitute unnecessary obstacles to international trade. Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries have since ratified this Agreement and took a step further to incorporate its principles into the Technical Barriers to Trade Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade. Despite this effort, SADC countries are still grappling with implementing the TBT Agreement in their domestic frameworks. Consequently, technical barriers to trade have become impediments to both regional and international trade. It is in this context that this study aims to examine the implementation of the TBT Agreement within the SADC. The study answers the question what are the challenges facing SADC Member states to fully implement the TBT Agreement? The study demonstrates that SADC Member face challenges which include of lack adequate resources, technical expertise and enforcement mechanisms to effectively implement the TBT Agreement. In the finality, the study recommends SADC Member states to deepen regional integration in order to collaborate on matters relating to technical barriers to trade within the region. Member states should also share information and learn from the experiences of other countries on how to effectively implement the TBT Agreement. Further, government officials should be educated on trade-friendly regulations that do not compromise on the principles of the TBT Agreement. To this end, regulatory impact assessments should be established in order to assess the trade effects of both new and old regulations. Effective enforcement mechanisms should also be introduced in order to coerce Member states to comply with their regional obligations. By effecting these recommendations, SADC states have the opportunity to eradicate technical barriers to trade thereby increasing both regional and international trade.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017

Tourist activity preferences and market segmentation an exploratory South African study

  • Authors: Nomvete, Luvuyo
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Place marketing -- South Africa Tourism -- Social aspects -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/20255 , vital:29164
  • Description: Successful destination marketing often begins with the development and implementation of a well-designed strategic marketing plan that promotes a targeted, cooperative and strategic approach to destination marketing. Consequently, astute destination marketers should seek to understand the needs, motives and preferences of carefully selected visitor segments, so that tourism organisations, agents and operators can identify market segments, choose target markets and position brands for marketing strategies and selling activities (Cox and Wray, 2011). This quest to understand consumer decision-making presents one of the most important challenges to success in tourism marketing. A large amount of research has been made in what Van Raaij and Crotts (1994) describe as the “economic psychology” in travel and tourism (see Hu, 1996). This study focuses on psychological and cultural influences on consumer preferences for popular tourist activities. The results of the study are important for the tourism industry as they directly affect marketing strategy. A number of authors have elaborated on the central role played by local and regional destination marketing organisations (DMOs) in helping to strengthen economic linkages in the tourism industry, to enhance collaboration, and to facilitate strategic marketing initiatives (e.g. Soteriades, 2012; Bowes in Goodall & Ashworth, 2013). One such organisation is the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) based in East London, South Africa. Established in 2010 by the provincial government, the agency actively pursues “equitable low-carbon economic growth through innovation and collaboration” in both the conservation and tourism industries (ECPTA, 2015). The Eastern Cape has been dubbed the “Adventure Province” and boasts “a rich history, moderate climate, a wealth of natural resources” – an enviable combination of advantages that are leveraged in attracting visitors to the region (EC DEDEA, 2015). Among various marketing initiatives pursuant of its mandate, the ECPTA has established an online portal at www.visiteasterncape.co.za that potentially serves as an important information resource for visitors. The portal conveniently lists eight categories of tourist activities, each category linking the visitor to lists of specific offerings provided at local level in various parts of the province. A practical question that arises is the focus of the current research: Which market segments are most attracted to these offerings? The insights gleaned from the present study can thus contribute to ongoing research on approaches to improving the effectiveness of destination marketing aimed at holiday makers around the world. Previous research into the economic psychology of travel and tourism includes that of Van Raaij and Crotts (1995) whose seminal paper provides a theoretical background and delineates specific applications of the concept in the tourism industry. The framework for information processing they provide is reflected in Goodall’s outline of the tourist’s annual holiday search process (in Goodall & Ashworth, 2013). Following this thread, Mansfeld (1992) discusses the role and complex nature of motivation in travel behaviour, specifically in the stages of assessment and the elimination of destination alternatives. Gnoth’s (1997) theoretical study clarifies the relationship between tourists’ motivations and the formation of expectations, based on a discussion of the notions of drive reduction, attitudes and values. Goossens (2000) provides a conceptual model on the factors that influence the pleasure travel choice process, showing how the consumer’s disposition and marketing stimuli combine to create involvement in the information processing, which leads to hedonistic responses and motivation to travel. Various models have been developed and used to examine tourist decision making, including Mansfeld’s (1996) “value stretch” model, the LOGIT model used by Costa and Manente (1996) to evaluate the main characteristics of visitors, Tsaur and Tzeng’s (1996) multi-attribute decision making model used to analyse perceptions of service quality at hotels, the LOCAT model by Moutinho and Curry (1994) used in site location analysis and selection, and the MNL model used by Winzar et al. (1993) in analysing perceptions of transport mode attributes. Efforts to further enrich marketers’ understanding of tourist behaviour include new market segmentation methodologies developed to accurately predict tourist activity choices. Johar and Sirgy (1996) for example, introduce a technique called segment congruence analysis to help travel and tourism marketers determine the actionability of potential or viable market segments. Mazanec (1992) introduces a neural network model to classify tourists and argues that this method surpasses discriminant analysis in determining a subject’s correct segment affiliation. The present study is an effort to explore further the notion of tourist market segmentation by observing how psychographic and demographic variables work together to influence tourist activity and destination preferences.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017

The impact of good news and bad news on South Africa’s sectoral stock return volatility: an asymmetric GARCH analysis

  • Authors: Muzinda, Edmond Toreva
  • Date: 2017
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6425 , vital:21108
  • Description: This study explores the impact of good news and bad news on South Africa’s sectoral stock return volatility using an asymmetric GARCH analysis. Understanding the different impact of news on stock return volatility in different economic sectors has important implications for investors’ risk management practices, portfolio allocation strategies and asset pricing. The study employs data of daily closing prices for nine sectors and three benchmark indices for the period 2nd January 1997 - 17th August 2016. The data was split into sub-samples of pre-, during and post-global financial crisis, as well as the overall sample period. The incorporation of sub-samples was to help explain the outcomes of the overall sample period. To capture the different impact of good news and bad news on stock return volatility for each sector, asymmetric GARCH models namely, TGARCH and EGARCH were employed. The findings from this study revealed that volatility asymmetry was present in all sectors and benchmark indices of South African equity market. Bad news had more impact on stock return volatility for all sectors except the Oil and Gas sector, than good news of the same magnitude. In the Oil and Gas sector, good news was found to have an amplified effect on return volatility compared with bad news of the same magnitude. High volatility persistence was also found to be present in the Consumer goods, Financials, Industrials, All-share index and Mid-cap index. High differential impact of good and bad news were found in the Industrials, Financials, Basic materials, Consumer goods and the All-share index. Since the main objective of this study was to provide explanations of volatility asymmetry found in the South African sectors, the following were proposed as possible explanations of the findings. Within sectors, volatility asymmetry was explained by financial leverage, the role of the media, loss-averse investors and the behaviour of traders (overconfidence and extrapolation bias). Volatility asymmetry across sectors was explained by information flow, the uneven distribution of information by the media, investor sentiments, investor expectations and trading volumes. Overall, the results indicate that the stock return volatility of individual sectors of the South African equity market is driven mainly by bad news (except for Oil and Gas) and that leverage effects exist in all the sectors and in the benchmark indices.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017
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