Reciprocal peer reviews : evaluating potential bias and conflict of interest
- Authors: Baca, Zolile
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Reciprocal , Peer review , Conflict of interests
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/59358 , vital:62074
- Description: External quality assessments are conducted to provide independent reasonable assurance that an internal audit activity is operating in conformance with the Institute of Internal Auditors’ (IIA) Standards, Code of Ethics, and the extent of compliance with international best practices. The assurance provided by an internal audit activity is relied on by various stakeholders in the organisation for decision-making purposes. Therefore, it is crucial for an independent external quality assessment process to be credible and trustworthy for internal audit stakeholders to know that the internal audit activity conforms with the Standards and Code of Ethics, which in turn allows the stakeholders to rely on assurances and advice provided by the internal audit activity. The objective of this study was to determine the potential existence of a conflict of interest and or bias, in fact or in appearance, when reciprocal peer reviews are performed by people working within the same district and who are familiar with each other. A qualitative research method was followed to achieve the objective of this study and answer the primary research question. A single case study approach was followed in this study using municipalities in the Overberg District to answer the primary research question, with a purposive sampling method used to select relevant participants for the study. Participants were the Audit Committee members, the Municipal Managers, and the Chief Audit Executives from the municipalities in the Overberg District. An interview guide was administered by the researcher to collect the primary research data through semi-structured interviews. The interviews were electronically recorded after permission was obtained from each participant, and each interview session was also transcribed. The primary data collected was then analysed using the In vivo coding method. Each interview transcript was manually analysed to identify key words, phrases or statements that agreed or disagreed with the IIA’s guidance pronouncements in relation to the performance of external quality assessments, with a specific focus on the use of reciprocal peer reviews. The findings of this study indicated that most participants did not perceive reciprocal peer reviews performed by persons working within the same district to be without bias and or conflict of interest, in fact or in appearance because of familiarities and close relations that exist between persons working in the same district in the same sector. The findings revealed that participants would consider the process and results of reciprocal peer reviews to be credible and trustworthy if they were conducted across the district or even across the provincial borders. The findings further showed that participants perceived a full external assessment to be the most reliable and trustworthy method to be used because of the external assessors or assessment teams having the necessary training, knowledge, and experience to perform external quality assessments which give the credibility and trustworthiness that is required for the external quality assessment process.. , Thesis (MCOM) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economics Science, School of Applied Accounting, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The determinants of entrepreneurship in African countries
- Authors: Malungane, Neo
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Determinants , Entrepreneurship -- African countries
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/59677 , vital:62349
- Description: This research investigates the determinants of entrepreneurship by examining the statistical relationships between entrepreneurship and macroeconomic, human capital, and institutional quality variables in 50 African countries utilising data from 2000-2018. The study intended to contribute to existing literature with new knowledge on the discipline since there is limited literature on African countries. The Generalised Methods of Moments technique was employed to examine the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable using Stata software. The study findings indicate that domestic credit to the private sector, education and training, the rule of law, political stability and absence of violence/terrorism, regulatory quality have a significant effect on entrepreneurship. The remaining selected variables are insignificant. These findings suggest that smooth access to credit through business loans, trade credits, and other accounts receivables from financial institutions as the primary funding mechanism for businesses. Further encouraging entrepreneurship, the African government should ensure that education and training, particularly entrepreneurial education, is available to all inhabitants. Improving existing laws and regulations and enacting new effective laws and regulations that align with the current African business climate is recommended to protect existing and infant businesses by governing the entire entrepreneurial environment. , Thesis (MEcon) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Science, School of Applied Accounting, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The effect of factor endowment on BRICS countries export diversification
- Authors: Olisa,Onyiyechukwu Rebecca
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Factor proportions , Brics countries
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60037 , vital:62787
- Description: Historically, the expansion of a nation’s export portfolio has always been considered as an important agenda for economic growth, regardless of the nation’s abundant factor of production. In recent decades, the shift in attention of developing nations from export concentration towards export diversification has increased. This is because of the increasing volatility of exports across the globe. This study is therefore conducted to determine the effect of land, human and capital endowments on the BRICS countries’ export diversification. This study utilises the data from the individual BRICS countries from 1995 to 2019 and makes use of the ARDL model, the ridge, lasso, elastic net regressions and quantile regression to determine the long-run and short-run effects. The results of this study show that in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa land endowment promotes export diversification in the long-run. In the short-run it promotes export concentration in Brazil, Russia, India and China. Human endowment promotes export diversification in China in both the long-run and the short-run. For Brazil and South Africa, human endowment only promotes export diversification in the short-run and not the long-run. For Russia and India, in the short-run human endowment promotes export diversification, in the long-run it depends on the regression method utilised. Capital endowment promotes export diversification in Brazil, India, China and South Africa in the short-run. In the long-run depending on the methods, capital endowment promotes export diversification in Brazil, Russia and China. In India and South Africa, capital endowment promotes export concentration and not export diversification in the long-run. This therefore implies that, for the individual BRICS countries, policy makers need to implement the appropriate policies that will enable the positive effect of factor endowment on export diversification, in either/both the long-run and the short-run. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economics Science, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The factors influencing professional commitment and job performance of pharmacists in the Nelson Mandela Bay within the Covid-19 environment
- Authors: Sayster, Gary
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Professional ethics , Pharmacists (Nelson Mandela Bay) , COVID-19 (Disease)
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60232 , vital:63986
- Description: Job performance and professional commitment are potent drivers of organisational efficiency and overall organisational prosperity, respectively. The severe lack in research regarding these constructs in relation to the pharmaceutical industry or to pharmacists specifically, provided the prime opportunity for the present research to fill this gap. The aim of the present research was therefore to determine the factors influencing professional commitment and job performance in pharmacists in Nelson Mandela Bay, given the Covid-119 environment. A quantitative research approach was adopted for the present study and involved the distribution of a likert—scale questionnaire measuring the dependent variables – professional commitment and job performance and the independent variables – work stress, job commitment, self-esteem and emotional intelligence. A total of 142 surveys were analysed, signalling a response rate of 94.6 67 %. The key findings of the statical analysis show that work stress is negatively related to affective professional commitment and job performance. Job commitment was positively related to job performance and affective professional commitment and self-esteem have a directly positive effect on affective professional commitment. Social skills and self-motivation (as components of emotional intelligence) had a positive relationship with job performance and professional commitment, respectively. Based on these findings, several managerial implications and recommendations were offered. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The Impact of COVID-19 on Maritime Operations at the Port of Mossel Bay
- Authors: Mthembu, Sandile
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease) , Maritime Operations, Port of Mossel Bay
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/59768 , vital:62422
- Description: The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on maritime operations at the Port of Mossel Bay, South Africa (SA) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Port of Mossel Bay is the smallest commercial port in SA. The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), which is owned by the South African government and reports directly to the Department of Public Enterprises, manages and operates the Port of Mossel Bay. The oil and gas industry, as well as a small fishing fleet, are served by the port at Mossel Bay. Although fishing industry is crucial to the local population in the Southern Cape, the Port of Mossel Bay also manages a number of other commercial activities, which greatly contributes to the South African economy and Growth Domestic Product (GDP). The study focused on four companies, which conduct maritime operations at the Port of Mossel Bay, namely, Mossel Bay Transnet Port Authority, PetroSA, SeaVuna and Viking Fishing Operations. Various literature studies were utilised to gather background information for each company, as well as data for comparison, evaluation and interpretation of maritime operations before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using an interpretivist approach as a research philosophy, a qualitative research methodology was employed. For the qualitative data collection, participants were contacted, after which the data was analysed, leading to the identification of themes. COVID-19 has had a financial and operational influence on maritime operations at the Port of Mossel Bay, according to the empirical findings. Companies created are continuing to implement, steps to ameliorate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that operations are carried out effectively and efficiently. The intention of this study is to contribute to the body of knowledge to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of marine operations in South African waters and beyond before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional benefits of this research are to provide a framework of analysis for restoring maritime operations but also to serve as a preventative framework for prolonged or recurring pandemic phenomena in the future. , Thesis (MPhil) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Science, School of Applied Accounting, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The Impact of Official Development Assistance and Capital flight on Corruption and the impact of Official Development Assistance, Capital flight and Corruption on Economic growth in sub-Saharan African countries
- Authors: Zandile, Zezethu
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Capital movements , Corruption—Law and legislation , Economic growth--sub-Saharan African countries
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60199 , vital:63259
- Description: This study sought after the theoretical and empirical investigation of whether Official Development Assistance (ODA), Corruption and Capital flight have any impact on each other and whether they also have an impact on economic growth. This investigation is carried out focusing within the sub-Saharan African region from the year 1995 to 2019. The empirical analysis uses the Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PARDL) model within a Pooled Mean Group (PMG) to evaluate the existence of a long run cointegration that exists between ODA and corruption; Corruption and capital flight; GDP and ODA; GDP and capital flight and lastly Corruption and GDP. Focusing on the long-run, the model confirms a uni-directional long-run relationship from ODA to corruption and a bidirectional long-run relationship between corruption and capital flight. The model also confirms a bi-direction negative long-run relationship between ODA and GDP. GDP is reported to have a negative long-run relationship with corruption. There is a positive and significant relationship from capital flight to GDP which is contradictory to economic theory. This relationship might be due to the fact that there is no standard agreement on what capital flight is and how it is measured or estimated thus leading to such results. Also a shortage of this data has had a major impact on the analysis of these relationships. The Panel ARDL model is a superior model that can account for autocorrelation and thus cannot produce spurious results and thus we can be confident that the results presented on the study are robust. The overall results of the study suggest that the large influx of ODA within the SSA region causes corruption and thus the region needs less ODA and more good governance. , Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The impact of Taxation and corruption on economic growth in South Africa
- Authors: Rabinda, Aluwani Malvin
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Taxation , Corrupt practices , Economic development -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/59832 , vital:62444
- Description: Developing countries, such as South Africa, have been on a mission to reduce corruption, particularly in the public sector, and to collect as much revenue as possible through taxation to fund the government expenditures. Low levels of corruption, preferable zero and higher tax collections, can boost a country's economic growth and development by creating jobs and increasing economic activity, which leads to economic growth. South Africa is one of the economies that are characterised by high levels of corruption. For South Africa to attract more foreign investors in the country, it should ensure that resources are used efficiently and that any act of corruption is punished. This study looked at the effects of taxation and corruption on economic growth from 1975 to 2019. An econometric analysis technique was used in the study to test the impact of taxation and corruption on economic growth. The augmented Dickey–Fuller method was used to test for unit root. According to the results of the tests, unit root l(1) is rejected in favour of the stationarity alternative. The empirical analysis used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model (ARDL) bounds testing approach of cointegration advocated by Pesaran, Shin, and Smith (2001) to examine for the longrun equilibrium among taxation and corruption on economic growth. The Wald causality test was also used to investigate the causal relationship between taxation, corruption, and economic growth. According to the Bounds test results, there is long-run co-integrating positive relationship between trade openness and GDP, gross capital formation, Corruption, and income taxation. Furthermore, when dependent variable was tested for longrun impact, the results confirmed that taxation and corruption have insignificant impact on economic growth. Trade openness, as a percentage of GDP, has insignificant positive relationship with economic growth in South Africa. Gross Capital Formation, as a percentage of GDP, is positively related to economic growth. Furthermore, short-run findings suggest a positive significant relationship between trade openness as a percentage of Gross domestic product. Corruption and income taxation have negative and insignificant effect on GDP in the short term. Furthermore, GDP and gross capital formation have negative relationship. V Government should also encourage the culture of transparency and accountability as far as corruption is concerned to stimulate economic growth. This will also create a culture where government officials are called upon to explain their government expenditure patterns and be held accountable for any misuse of any funds flowing into the country. , Thesis (MCom)-- Faculty of Business and Economic Science, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The Influence of authentic leadership on the workplace safety culture in the tyre industry of South Africa
- Authors: Gallant, Ryan
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Authentic leadership , Work environment, tyre industry -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/59403 , vital:62078
- Description: The lost-time injury rate in the South African automotive industry is higher than one per million (Harmony, 2010:2). Other manufacturing and construction industries have embarked on safety programmes to ensure awareness amongst their workers. The leaders in industry should have a significant influence to steer the safety culture in the automotive industry. This study examined the relationship between Authentic leadership and a safety Culture in the tyre industry of South Africa. The purpose of the study was to increase the workplace safety culture in the South African tyre manufacturing industry by investigating whether the implementation of an authentic leadership programs would positively influence workplace culture. An exploratory study used a quantitative research design involving an email survey to examine the relationship between Authentic Leadership and Safety Culture. Authentic leadership and the safety climate were assessed using the Norwegian Offshore Risk and Safety Climate Inventory (NORSC), the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire, and the questionnaire from Fulele and Kadam. Seven safety climate dimensions were mapped onto the questionnaire. The data from the questionnaire were analysed using STATISTICA software. According to respondents there is a very strong relationship between Authentic Leadership and the implantation of OHSA standards in the tyre industry in South Africa. In addition, respondents rated their management’s implementation of the organisation’s safety routines highly. There was a high level of motivation among respondents to act in a safe manner. The motivation of workers to work safety is also strong related to authentic leadership. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The influence of societal marketing on green products consumer awareness in Polokwane City, South Africa
- Authors: Kutama, Zwannda Norman
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Markets-Social aspects , green consumerism , Marketing, Polokwane City -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/${Handle} , vital:62370
- Description: Rapid economic growth has resulted in excessive consumption of natural resources, which has intensified the deterioration of the ecological environment. There have been increasing public and consumer concerns about environmental issues, which has resulted in an increasing demand for green products. Despite these concerns, businesses in South Africa are not adequately utilising the societal marketing concept to influence consumer awareness of green products. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the influence of societal marketing on consumer awareness of green products in South Africa. A survey-based method was used to test a theoretically grounded set of hypotheses. Convenience sampling was used to select respondents for the study and data was collected using a 64-item online questionnaire issued to 410 respondents in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 26.0, was used to analyse data, through descriptive, spearman rank order correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The empirical results revealed that respondents’ perceptions of the items in the 6 P’s marketing scale and the consumer awareness five factor model were positive overall. Results of the reliability test revealed that all the reported Cronbach Alpha values (0.51 - 0.71) were above the recommended guideline value of 0.7, or at least, 0.5 in the early stages of research, an indication that the constructs were reliable. All the means of the constructs seemed reasonable. With the exception of product, the results of the spearman rank order correlation analysis revealed that the correlations between price, promotion, policy and partnership with consumer awareness of green products were practically significant (r = 0.50) and practically visible (0.30). Furthermore, with the exception of product, results of the regression analysis revealed a positive significant relationship between price, place, promotion, policy and partnerships with regard to consumer awareness of green products. This implies that price, promotion, policy and partnership significantly influence consumer awareness of green products. There was no significant difference between gender, age, area of residence and level of income with regard to consumer awareness of green products. With regard to the v level of education, results of the one-way ANOVA revealed a practically visible difference between the means of respondents with high school education and vocational education or its equivalent (d=39), a Bachelor’s (d=46) and Master’s degree or higher (d=42). This is an indication that consumers with vocational education or its equivalent, a Bachelor’s, Master's degree, or a higher qualification, were more aware of green products compared to those with a high school level of education. This research provides valuable insights into consumer awareness of green products in South Africa, with emphasis on the influence of societal marketing on consumer awareness of green products. Thus, there is a need for modern-day organisations to consider societal marketing as one of the organisation's competitive marketing strategies to influence society’s awareness of recent environmental challenges, and the benefits of consuming eco-friendly products. Recommendations with regard to areas for future research are provided in the study. , Thesis (MCOM) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Science, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The macroeconomic impact of ocean economy financing in South Africa
- Authors: Matekenya, Weliswa
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Macroeconomics , Maritime –- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60305 , vital:64343
- Description: The global ocean is responsible for providing seafood and employment to the world’s population and is the key driver of global gross domestic product. The ocean economy (blue economy) has been identified as key to unlocking the growth potential of many economies. It is in this context that both the South African government and the private sector have invested in the ocean economy with the purpose of sustaining it and making it more productive. To this end, the government established the Operation Phakisa programme which is meant to fast-track ocean economy development. In line with operation Phakisa imperatives, the South African government began a series of budget allocations towards the various sectors of the oceans economy. This flow of public funds towards oceans economy sectors was with a view to reduce unemployment, grow the economy, increase trade as well as boost entrepreneurship. It is for this reason that the financing of the ocean economy needs to be assessed in terms of its role in ensuring sustainable economic growth through ocean economy activities. While the ocean economy is becoming a new focal point in the discourse on growth and sustainable development both globally and locally, it remains faced with a series of challenges in South Africa. These include inadequate economic incentives, outdated infrastructure, ineffective governance institutions, lack of technological advances, and insufficient management tools. All of these have led to unregulated competition among users, albeit in the context of extensive opportunities offered by the rising demand for seafood. The specific focus of the study is the macroeconomic impact of ocean economy financing in South Africa during the 1994 to 2019 period. The study employed ARDL to test long and short-run relationships. The results show that ocean economy financing in South Africa during this time to have had a positive effect on economic growth, and a negative relationship on unemployment, although the latter is statically insignificant, while ocean economy financing has a negative relationship with entrepreneurship, to have a positive relationship with total trade, and statistically significant. Based on the findings of the study recommendations are made for the South African government to continue investing in oceans economy marine infrastructure and to address any constraints that hinder the growth and sustainability of the country’s ocean economy. In order to ensure the economic viability of ocean ii economy financing four areas need attention, namely economic growth, entrepreneurship, job creation, and total trade. This study recommends that in order to grow the South African economy, a comprehensive growth strategy that looks beyond ocean economy should be adopted. Regarding entrepreneurship ease of doing business should be improved and all factors inhibiting entrepreneurship should be addressed. The requisite skills through human capital investment should be harnessed and decent and sustainable jobs in the ocean sector should be created. It is a well-known fact that an aggressive drive towards economic growth is not without negative externalities e.g pollutions, unreported, unregulated, and over-exploitation of ocean resources. Ocean governance is vital in preventing such negative externalities. The results of the study show that ocean governance boosts trade and reduces unemployment. , Thesis (PHD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The Socio-Economic Impact of Poor Governance on South African State-Owned Entities Since the Democratic Dispensation: A Case of Eskom, Transnet and South African Airways
- Authors: Bungane, Ntsikelelo
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Economics—Sociological aspects , corporate governance , Government business enterprises—South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60255 , vital:64144
- Description: Good corporate governance is one of the fundamental principles that enhance the efficiency and sustainability of any entity. It enables an entity to create value for its various stakeholders. This study focuses on the socio-economic impact of poor corporate governance of South African state-owned entities, particularly Eskom, Transnet and South African Airways since the democratic dispensation. The study examines the root cause of poor corporate governance and provides recommendations to address the root cause. Eskom, Transnet and South African Airways, like many other state-owned entities have a significant role in the country’s socio-economic development and yet in recent years they have made news for wrong reasons. There have been numerous reports of poor corporate governance which resulted in the establishment of a Commission of Enquiry into state capture. Two of the three parts of the report of the Commission suggest that poor corporate governance is prevalent in these entities. Some of the root causes that were evident are excessive political interference, ineffective leadership and conflicting governance legislation. This has come at a huge cost to the socio-economic objectives of the government. The future existence of these entities is under treat. There have been notable instances of retrenchments that came at a time when the rate of unemployment is at a record high. Productivity has slowed down, with prolonged periods of unstable power supply being one of the contributing factors. This has suppressed economic growth. These entities have also cost the fiscus billions of rands in government bailouts, funds which could have been used for other important social or capital investment programmes. Some of the suggestions that have been brought forward to curb the culture of poor corporate governance include legislative reform that will provide certainty in terms of governance and provide clear distinctions between the roles of political heads and administrators in the form of board members, COEs and executives. For the recommendations to be effective there needs to be commitment to ethical leadership on the part of political leaders. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
Understanding of business strategy at different levels of the organisation
- Authors: Ncuthushe, Mboneleli
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Business planning , Organisation
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60122 , vital:63097
- Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that affect understanding of business strategy at different levels of the organisation. The investigation was done by looking at relationship between the business strategy (as a dependant variable) and the organisational structure, the employee level or position, skills, experience and education (as independent variables). These factors were investigated through the analysis of literature and empirical study. The results of this analysis were recorded through the last two chapters (chapter four and five). As in most organisations, there is sometimes different interpretations of business strategy by employees at different levels (or sometimes across) of the organisational structure. This study does not just seek to add value in the literature but also to equip managers tasked with enrolling out business strategies. The basis of the study emanates from corporate failures associated with the business strategies and the failure of implementation and this is discussed further in chapter one with reference to specific sources. The empirical study that was conducted attracted a good response, as there was more than 100 percent response rate, through the use of latest technology and social media. The main conclusions, managerial implications and theoretical framework that came through from the study, are clearly stated in the last chapter, chapter five and can help managers that formulate or implement to business strategies, to ensure that there is great understanding within their workplaces. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
Using night time data as a measure of gross domestic product in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Authors: Hamman, Nicolene
- Date: 2022-12
- Subjects: Data , Gross domestic product -- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/59457 , vital:62119
- Description: Over the last decade, a bold move has been made by researchers to shift focus on improving and establishing accurate and reliable measures of economic activity across the globe. With an everchanging global economic landscape, unreliable GDP statistics and the lack thereof have held a nascent impact on formulating appropriate stabilization policies. This, in turn, have affected the affairs of nations, especially low income and developing ones. In an attempt to find alternative ways to measure economic activity, night time lights data have emerged in numerous empirical studies as a novel way of attempting to measure economic growth and development. Various studies have found this to be useful for countries that do not have statistical capabilities such as poor nations, while other studies have put forward arguments in favour of a possible non-linear relationship between GDP and night time lights data. Against this background, this study implores night time lights data extensively to establish whether it can serve as a possible measure of GDP in Sub-Saharan Africa between 1992 and 2012. Based on the results obtained from testing for a positive correlation between GDP and night time lights data in Sub-Saharan Africa, the study further aim to use night time lights data as a measure of GDP in the regressions against proxies of well-being, urbanization, and environmental degradation. The significance of the study relates to the fact that the estimation accuracy of GDP is positively influenced by spatial and radiation resolution of night time lights data. In addition, by taking a country-specific approach using more advanced econometric estimation techniques, this study improves on the empirical literature pertaining to African countries. All facets of pooled ordinary least squares (POLS), the pooled mean group estimators, as well as the wavelet coherence estimation techniques were the three approaches used to investigated correlations between night time lights data and economic activity. Overall findings indicate little evidence that night time lights data derived from the DMSP-OLS archive can serve as a strong measure of GDP in regressions across the Sub-Saharan African region. Recommendations and avenues for future research are outlined at the end of the study. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economics Science, School of Applied Accounting, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-12
The regulation of communications surveillance in Nigeria
- Authors: Osuntogun, Tope Adefemi
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Social Communication , Electronic surveillance --Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/60885 , vital:69011
- Description: This study examines the manner in which communications surveillance is regulated in Nigeria, with the aim of providing recommendations to ensure a new surveillance regime that provides adequate safeguards for human rights, particularly the right to privacy. The rapid innovation in ICT has brought new challenges to the right to privacy, among which is communications surveillance. Communications surveillance is an important tool of law enforcement as it enables remote gathering of evidence through interception of communication and acquisition of the metadata of electronic communications. Communications surveillance could therefore be an egregious intrusion on a person’s intimate private sphere and should only be permitted only when necessary. The clandestine nature of communications surveillance, however, increases the risk of unlawfulness as a person under surveillance will be unable to challenge the process unless they are notified. The benchmark in international law is that laws regulating communications surveillance must be lawful, non-arbitrary and provide adequate safeguards for the right to privacy. This study establishes that the legal framework on communications surveillance in Nigeria does not meet this standard. Using the South African legal framework as a comparator and drawing on relevant international and regional law on the right to privacy and communications surveillance, this study recommends reforms for the current legal framework on communications surveillance in Nigeria. , Thesis (LLD) -- Faculty of Law, School of Private Law, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08
Developing metacognition through the use of Technology in self-organised learning environments in grade 11 Physical Sciences
- Authors: Tsamago, Hodi Elias
- Date: 2022-06
- Subjects: Metacognition , Technology
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/59910 , vital:62687
- Description: The study was carried out to investigate the effect of the use of technology in self-organised learning environments (SOLEs) (in Physical Sciences classrooms) on learners’ metacognitive skills. The study contributes by identifying a technology-enhanced pedagogy that can effectively equip learners with metacognitive skills, which many studies have reported as having an effect on Physical Sciences learners’ conceptual understanding. The study followed an experimental (control group quasi-experimental) methods design, in which both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed. A multistep stratified sampling method (which caters for both quantitative and qualitative facets) was employed to choose four schools (two rural and two urban) to participate in the study. These schools were randomly chosen from the population of all schools offering Physical Sciences in Grade 11 in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa were assigned to urban experimental group and rural experimental group (UEG and REG) and urban control group and rural control group (UCG and RCG) using geographical demographics. The participants were selected using both simple random sampling (for quantitative methods) and purposive sampling (for qualitative methods). The experimental groups were taught by the researcher using self-organised learning environments (SOLEs) pedagogy, while control groups were taught (also by the researcher of the study) using a traditional chalk-and-talk approach. A Physical Sciences concepts pre-/post-test and the Metacognitive Self-Assessment Scale (MSAS) questionnaire were used to glean the quantitative data, while focus group interviews (FGIs) were used to obtain the qualitative data. The analysis of the quantitative data employed both descriptive (mean, standard deviation and graphs) and inferential (both parametric t-test and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests) statistics computed using the SPSS package version 22, while qualitative data were analysed thematically using coding techniques (applied on a sentence-by-sentence basis) after the transcription of the recorded FGIs. The study found that SOLEs pedagogy improves learners’ metacognitive skills, leading to better Physical Sciences conceptual understanding. In addition, the results indicate that all v aspects of metacognitive skills improved in experimental groups; however, certain aspects exhibited outstanding improvement such as “Respect shown to myself”; “Respect shown to others”; “Respect shown for empathy towards others” and “Respect shown towards problem solving”. Furthermore, the results of the FGIs revealed that a plausible explanation for the ability of SOLEs pedagogy to enhance metacognitive skills lies in its effortlessness to enable learners to link their classroom experiences to real-life experiences; simulate practical work; adapt to collaborative learning; use multiple channels for receiving information; and reducing learners’ reliance on the teacher. Hence, this study recommends the implementation of SOLEs pedagogy in the Physical Sciences classroom to improve learners’ metacognitive skills and conceptual understanding. However, the study had limitations, some of which included the sample size (which has an effect on the degree of generalisability of the research findings) and the period during which SOLEs pedagogy was implemented which might not have been long enough to exhaust its effect on metacognitive skills. Accordingly, further studies employing a longitudinal study design with a sample size bigger than 350 participants would be useful in understanding the effects of SOLEs pedagogy on metacognitive skills and improving the generalisability of research findings. , Thesis (PHD) -- Faculty of Education, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-06
Exploring the adaptation challenges faced by novice foundation phase teachers in the Nelson Mandela Metropole
- Authors: Grimbeek, Michelle Louise
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: First year teachers , Teachers -- Training of – South Africa – Nelson Mandela Municipality , Education, Primary -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/56034 , vital:54941
- Description: The challenges faced by novice teachers have been widely discussed in the last decade (Caspersen & Raaen, 2014; Burkman, 2012). It is believed that the first year of teaching is found to be exceedingly challenging to the novice teacher due to the complex demands of the profession, as well as a result of a lack of training and induction into the work environment (Burkman, 2012). Researchers highlight that some of the many challenges that novice teachers experience are shortcomings in curricular planning, classroom management and discipline, instructional techniques, access to materials, and dealing with parents (Burkman, 2012). These challenges, along with feelings of inadequacy due to lack of experience in the working world, often have a negative effect on novice teachers and their ability to cope, subsequently resulting in high stress levels and burnout (Caspersen & Raaen, 2014). This qualitative study incorporated an interpretivist paradigm and used both semistructured interviews and a focus group discussion to explore the adaptation challenges experienced by novice Foundation Phase teachers in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. Grossman‟s Teacher Knowledge Theory and Vygotsky‟s Social Constructivist Theory were used to frame and make meaning of the findings of this study. The findings of this study indicate that novice teachers experience a range of challenges upon entering the working world. The numerous factors influencing these challenges experienced by novices include: the work environment; prior training and education; personal knowledge, values and attitudes toward teaching; and professional and social support received within the workplace. These findings were used to formulate guidelines to help support novice teachers in their adaptation from university to the professional work environment. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
Industrial attachment and graduate employability in technical vocational education and training: a case of agriculture education in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Edziwa, Xavier
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Vocational education -- Zimbabwe , College graduates -- Employment , Technical education -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/56022 , vital:54939
- Description: Institutions of higher learning, the world over, have adopted means of producing graduates that are work-ready and Zimbabwe is no exception. In Zimbabwe, a Commission of Inquiry into Education and Training recommended the introduction of vocational education and the introduction of a programme that improves the work-readiness of higher education graduates. This culminated in the institutions of higher education introducing industrial attachments in their curricular. This study was designed to explore the nature and implementation of industrial attachment by agricultural technical and vocational education and training institutions in Zimbabwe, as a way of enhancing students’ graduate attributes. It was done to hopefully improve policy and practice in the use of industrial attachment in imparting skills among college students. The research presented in this thesis, focuses on three case studies that were eclectically sampled, and data collected through focus group discussion with students and face-to-face individual interviews with college academia and workplace mentors. The study commenced by first establishing what stakeholders perceived as the employability skills expected of a graduate who has gone through an agricultural technical and vocational and training programme, and then explored how the IA programmes have been operationalised. Kolb’s experiential learning theory was used in the designing of research instruments and answering the research questions. The study established that the students generally perceived graduate attributes differently from academia and industry personnel. It was also established that current industrial attachment practices in agricultural training appear to favour production of graduates that are geared towards looking for employment, as opposed to the students’ perceptions that the 21st higher education institutions should produce graduates who create employment. While industrial attachment has been adopted by the institutions, this study identified a myriad of challenges that call for vii improvement in the practice if students are to benefit from the industrial attachment endeavours. The study ends by proposing a model that embraces students’ voice and is deemed to produce agricultural technical and vocational education and training graduates who are employment creators. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
Rethinking our understanding of career decision making: the views of students at a selected South African TVET colleges on what influences their career decisions
- Authors: Maluleke, Lucky
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Career -- Decision making , Postsecondary education -- South Africa , Career development
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral thesis , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/56044 , vital:54946
- Description: In South Africa, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) has been identified as a potential solution to the triple challenge of inequality, poverty and unemployment. The 2013 White Paper for Post-School Education and Training: Building on Expanded, Effective and Integrated Post-School Education (DHET, 2013) identifies TVET colleges as an area of great expansion. Although such an expansion is important and necessary, it is unfortunate that in South Africa, research has paid little to no attention to what influences TVET college students' career decision making. Concerning this, the study reported in this dissertation aimed to investigate what influences the career decision making of TVET college students in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Eastern Cape, South Africa. This qualitative study, located within the subjectivist ontology and interpretivist epistemology, contributes to understanding what influences the career decision making of TVET college students in a developing context of South Africa. Drawing on qualitative (individual and group) interviews with students, it examined the career decisions of a small sample of students enrolled at one South African public TVET college in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. In so doing, the study brings four elements to the study of career decision making. Firstly, empirically, it brings a fresh and subjective perspective of what 'TVET' and 'career' means to TVET students. Secondly, it brings to the literature on TVET, an analysis of the Careership Theory that draws from the TVET college students' experiences. Thirdly, it brings to our understanding of career decision making, the role of structure and agency from a Bourdieusian2 perspective. Fourthly, it transcends the heavily critiqued Bourdieusian model to encompass the notion of capacity to aspire, borrowed from Arjun Appadurai, to better explain the role of culture in social action. Data were collected using individual and group interview methods, which were later transcribed and analysed thematically. The findings show that career decision making is dependent on the perceptions of the primary decision makers and other social agents that learners interacted with in the field. Career decision making is situated in the vast social inequalities and unequal power relations shaped by unequal access to cultural, economic and social capital. However, as much as social structures influence career decision making, the role of agency must not be underestimated. The findings further reveal that career decisions are located in the objective and social structures, and these are influenced by capital (cultural, economic and social). Furthermore, career decisions are influenced by the capacity of the individuals to choose, to know what to choose, as well as structural enablers like finance. In short, the findings reveal that inequalities matter, for example, socio-economic and gender disparities. , Thesis (DEd) -- Faculty of Education, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
The impact of leadership styles used by college heads on the functioning of TVET colleges in Limpopo
- Authors: Peter, Bandile
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: Management -- College heads , Decision-making -- post-secondary Education -- Limpopo
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/56091 , vital:55321
- Description: This study sought to examine the impact of leadership styles used by college heads on the functioning of TVET colleges in Limpopo. The purpose of the study was to better understand the prevailing path-goal leadership styles among college heads, the development and communication of college’s goals, vision and mission, involvement of lecturers and students in decision-making processes, motivation of students and lecturers, and continuous monitoring in the TVET colleges. The key research question that this study was based on was: What is the impact of the leadership styles used by college heads on the functioning of Limpopo TVET colleges? A mixed methods approach was adopted with questionnaires, interviews, observations and document review as a means of data collection. College heads (campus managers and HODs), lecturers and students were participants in this study. The participants were purposefully selected in three of the seven TVET colleges in the Limpopo Province. The findings indicated that all the four path-goal leadership styles were prevalent in the college heads. However, there was poor communication of the colleges’ goals, vision and mission. The study further found that lecturers and students were not on many occasions involved in the decision-making processes. Poor monitoring by college heads was also discovered by the study. Moreover, the study uncovered that lecturers and students were not properly rewarded for good performance. The subsequent recommendations include, among others, that as in-service training, DHET should provide the opportunity for college heads to take guided leadership courses that promote path-goal leadership styles. DHET should also provide college heads with the opportunity to study and enhance their qualifications in the areas of educational management and leadership. , Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04
The perception of school management teams and Teachers about their role to implement the national school nutrition programme in the Sisonke District in KwaZulu-Natal
- Authors: Zulu, Xolani Wycliff
- Date: 2022-04
- Subjects: School management teams , nutrition -- Study and teaching -- KwaZulu-Natal
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral's theses , Thesis
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/56102 , vital:55420
- Description: This study focused on the perception of School Management Teams and Teachers about their role to implement the national school nutrition programme in the Sisonke District in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). The national school nutrition programme like any other projects in the country, faces some changes in the District which seem to interfere with the role of stakeholders in implementing the programme. This study explored the following research question with the set of secondary research questions: What are the perceptions of School Management Teams and Teachers in the Sisonke District of KwaZulu-Natal about their role in National School Nutrition Programme? • What perceptions do teachers and school managers have on the implementation of National School Nutrition Programme? • What challenges do Teachers and School Managers have to enhance the objectives of the National School Nutrition Programme? Both Teachers and School Managers were conveniently and purposively selected. For the generation of data, semi-structured interviews were used which were tape-recorded which were followed by transcription of data with interim analysis. Data was also generated through the use document analysis. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, which was theoretically framed by Maslow’s theory of motivation, Hertzberg two-factor motivation theory, Lawler and Porter’s Expectancy theory of motivation and the Situational theory of Hersey and Blanchard through which, I lens the study and managed to explain the findings. The study findings revealed that most Teachers and School Managers perceived national school nutrition programme as an important programme in the context of Umzimkhulu as it isa deep rural area. Despite the positive perceptions of Teachers and School Managers about their role, the study findings further revealed that they are facing some challenges in the implementation of the programme. The findings have several implications for poverty alleviation in the Sisonke District, job creation and improved learner’s attendance, improved health conditions of learners. They also highlighted the weaknesses of the DBE official’s nutrition sub-directorate about role players of the programme. Both stakeholders in fulfilling their role, should take into consideration the constitutional rights of learners as some of them are in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Education, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-04