Data quality issues in electronic health records for large-scale databases
- Authors: Saiod, Abdul Kader
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Electronic Health Records , Electronic Health Records--organization & administration Database management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44940 , vital:38190
- Description: Data Quality (DQ) in Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is one of the core functions that play a decisive role to improve the healthcare service quality. The DQ issues in EHRs are a noticeable trend to improve the introduction of an adaptive framework for interoperability and standards in Large-Scale Databases (LSDB) management systems. Therefore, large data communications are challenging in the traditional approaches to satisfy the needs of the consumers, as data is often not capture directly into the Database Management Systems (DBMS) in a seasonably enough fashion to enable their subsequent uses. In addition, large data plays a vital role in containing plenty of treasures for all the fields in the DBMS. EHRs technology provides portfolio management systems that allow HealthCare Organisations (HCOs) to deliver a higher quality of care to their patients than that which is possible with paper-based records. EHRs are in high demand for HCOs to run their daily services as increasing numbers of huge datasets occur every day. Efficient EHR systems reduce the data redundancy as well as the system application failure and increase the possibility to draw all necessary reports. However, one of the main challenges in developing efficient EHR systems is the inherent difficulty to coherently manage data from diverse heterogeneous sources. It is practically challenging to integrate diverse data into a global schema, which satisfies the need of users. The efficient management of HER systems using an existing DBMS present challenges because of incompatibility and sometimes inconsistency of data structures. As a result, no common methodological approach is currently in existence to effectively solve every data integration problem. The challenges of the DQ issue raised the need to find an efficient way to integrate large EHRs from diverse heterogeneous sources. To handle and align a large dataset efficiently, the hybrid algorithm method with the logical combination of Fuzzy-Ontology along with a large-scale EHRs analysis platform has shown the results in term of improved accuracy. This study investigated and addressed the raised DQ issues to interventions to overcome these barriers and challenges, including the provision of EHRs as they pertain to DQ and has combined features to search, extract, filter, clean and integrate data to ensure that users can coherently create new consistent data sets. The study researched the design of a hybrid method based on Fuzzy-Ontology with performed mathematical simulations based on the Markov Chain Probability Model. The similarity measurement based on dynamic Hungarian algorithm was followed by the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, which will increase the quality of service over HCOs in adaptive frameworks.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Saiod, Abdul Kader
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Electronic Health Records , Electronic Health Records--organization & administration Database management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44940 , vital:38190
- Description: Data Quality (DQ) in Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is one of the core functions that play a decisive role to improve the healthcare service quality. The DQ issues in EHRs are a noticeable trend to improve the introduction of an adaptive framework for interoperability and standards in Large-Scale Databases (LSDB) management systems. Therefore, large data communications are challenging in the traditional approaches to satisfy the needs of the consumers, as data is often not capture directly into the Database Management Systems (DBMS) in a seasonably enough fashion to enable their subsequent uses. In addition, large data plays a vital role in containing plenty of treasures for all the fields in the DBMS. EHRs technology provides portfolio management systems that allow HealthCare Organisations (HCOs) to deliver a higher quality of care to their patients than that which is possible with paper-based records. EHRs are in high demand for HCOs to run their daily services as increasing numbers of huge datasets occur every day. Efficient EHR systems reduce the data redundancy as well as the system application failure and increase the possibility to draw all necessary reports. However, one of the main challenges in developing efficient EHR systems is the inherent difficulty to coherently manage data from diverse heterogeneous sources. It is practically challenging to integrate diverse data into a global schema, which satisfies the need of users. The efficient management of HER systems using an existing DBMS present challenges because of incompatibility and sometimes inconsistency of data structures. As a result, no common methodological approach is currently in existence to effectively solve every data integration problem. The challenges of the DQ issue raised the need to find an efficient way to integrate large EHRs from diverse heterogeneous sources. To handle and align a large dataset efficiently, the hybrid algorithm method with the logical combination of Fuzzy-Ontology along with a large-scale EHRs analysis platform has shown the results in term of improved accuracy. This study investigated and addressed the raised DQ issues to interventions to overcome these barriers and challenges, including the provision of EHRs as they pertain to DQ and has combined features to search, extract, filter, clean and integrate data to ensure that users can coherently create new consistent data sets. The study researched the design of a hybrid method based on Fuzzy-Ontology with performed mathematical simulations based on the Markov Chain Probability Model. The similarity measurement based on dynamic Hungarian algorithm was followed by the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, which will increase the quality of service over HCOs in adaptive frameworks.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Development of high capacity lithium-manganese-rich cathode materials xLi2MnO3•(1-x)LiMn0.5Ni0.5O2 for lithium ion batteries
- Authors: Rapulenyane, Nomasonto
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Lithium ion batteries , Electrochemistry Lithium cells
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/34766 , vital:33442
- Description: In this study, a facile synthesis method was developed to produce layered-layered cathode materials with the formula xLi2MnO3•(1-x)LiMO2 (M= Ni and Mn) referred to as lithium-manganese-rich materials for lithium ion batteries. The prepared materials displayed high capacity ≥200 mAh/g at a current density of 20 mA/g in the voltage range of 2.0 V to 4.8 V. In particular the cathode material prepared at pH 10.0 delivered a high initial discharge capacity of 266 mAh/g at 20 mA/g current density and maintained a discharge capacity ≥220 mAh/g at 50 mA/g after 50 cycles. The synthesis method was used to further investigate the effect of lithium ratio in the layered-layered material. Li1+xMn0.6Ni0.2O2, x= 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and 0.4 cathode materials were produced respectively. The BET surface area analysis results showed that Li1.3Mn0.6Ni0.2O2 material had comparatively higher surface area to the other cathode materials and also delivered good electrochemical results. XPS showed that the cation distribution is affected by the increase in lithium ratio, the Mn4+ percentages decreased significantly with an increase in lithium ratio. All materials peaks deconvoluted into two peaks namely Mn4+ and Mn3+, Li1.3Mn0.6Ni0.2O2 had the highest percentages of the stable Mn4+ 70.8%. Further investigation focused on the effect of the sintering temperature on the structure and the electrochemical performance of Li1+xMn0.6Ni0.2O2, x= 0.25, 0.3 and 0.4 cathode materials. X-ray diffraction showed the same patterns for all cathode materials sintered at 700˚C, 800˚C and 900˚C. Rietveld refined results however, showed that the increase in the sintering temperature, results in a decrease in the Li2MnO3 component percentage in the layered structures. Scanning electron microscopy images further proved that the particle size increases with increasing temperature. The charge–discharge tests of coin cells demonstrated that the materials sintered at 800˚C delivered higher discharge capacities above 200 mAh/g at 20 mA/g current density when compared to the materials made at the lower temperatures. Lastly the cathode material prepared at pH 10.0 was further evaluated in a cell using lithium titanate oxide Li4Ti5O12 as anode material. The cells delivered an initial discharge capacity of 213 mAh/g at 20 mA/g within a voltage range 3.3V-0.5V. The coin cells developed in this work delivered good cycling performance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Rapulenyane, Nomasonto
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Lithium ion batteries , Electrochemistry Lithium cells
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/34766 , vital:33442
- Description: In this study, a facile synthesis method was developed to produce layered-layered cathode materials with the formula xLi2MnO3•(1-x)LiMO2 (M= Ni and Mn) referred to as lithium-manganese-rich materials for lithium ion batteries. The prepared materials displayed high capacity ≥200 mAh/g at a current density of 20 mA/g in the voltage range of 2.0 V to 4.8 V. In particular the cathode material prepared at pH 10.0 delivered a high initial discharge capacity of 266 mAh/g at 20 mA/g current density and maintained a discharge capacity ≥220 mAh/g at 50 mA/g after 50 cycles. The synthesis method was used to further investigate the effect of lithium ratio in the layered-layered material. Li1+xMn0.6Ni0.2O2, x= 0.2, 0.25, 0.3 and 0.4 cathode materials were produced respectively. The BET surface area analysis results showed that Li1.3Mn0.6Ni0.2O2 material had comparatively higher surface area to the other cathode materials and also delivered good electrochemical results. XPS showed that the cation distribution is affected by the increase in lithium ratio, the Mn4+ percentages decreased significantly with an increase in lithium ratio. All materials peaks deconvoluted into two peaks namely Mn4+ and Mn3+, Li1.3Mn0.6Ni0.2O2 had the highest percentages of the stable Mn4+ 70.8%. Further investigation focused on the effect of the sintering temperature on the structure and the electrochemical performance of Li1+xMn0.6Ni0.2O2, x= 0.25, 0.3 and 0.4 cathode materials. X-ray diffraction showed the same patterns for all cathode materials sintered at 700˚C, 800˚C and 900˚C. Rietveld refined results however, showed that the increase in the sintering temperature, results in a decrease in the Li2MnO3 component percentage in the layered structures. Scanning electron microscopy images further proved that the particle size increases with increasing temperature. The charge–discharge tests of coin cells demonstrated that the materials sintered at 800˚C delivered higher discharge capacities above 200 mAh/g at 20 mA/g current density when compared to the materials made at the lower temperatures. Lastly the cathode material prepared at pH 10.0 was further evaluated in a cell using lithium titanate oxide Li4Ti5O12 as anode material. The cells delivered an initial discharge capacity of 213 mAh/g at 20 mA/g within a voltage range 3.3V-0.5V. The coin cells developed in this work delivered good cycling performance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Beneficiary perceptions regarding farm worker equity share schemes in South Africa
- Authors: Xolo, Siyavuya Nicholas
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Investments -- South Africa , Investment analysis Land reform -- South Africa Agricultural laborers -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/36323 , vital:33920
- Description: The study aimed to assess beneficiary perceptions regarding farm worker equity share schemes in South Africa. Farm worker equity share schemes started in the early 1990s with the aim of having a special arrangement pertaining to the ownership and operation of a farm between the farmer and the farm workers. This was intended to assist farm workers in not only remaining as farm workers but also to gain ownership of the farm. This could lead to the empowerment of farm workers, better working conditions, improved living standards and their rights to land ownership. Farm worker equity share schemes have been widely reported as having failed to meet their intended objectives, thus, in 2009, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform initiated a study to assess the implementation of equity share schemes. Although the report was not made public, it reports that out of the 88 equity share schemes at the time, only nine managed to pay dividends ranging from R200 to R2000 per year. As a result, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform put a moratorium on equity share schemes; this was however removed in 2011. It is against this background that this study was undertaken to assess beneficiaries’ perceptions regarding farm worker equity share schemes in South Africa. A positivistic research paradigm was employed in this study, by means of quantitative research. Secondary data in the form of textbooks, journal articles and Internet sources provided the theoretical framework for this study. Primary data was obtained using the survey method, by means of self-administered structured questionnaires. Convenience and purposive sampling were applied in order to select 20 farms that use equity share schemes. The farms selected for this study were located in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape provinces, covering a variety of farming activities such as citrus fruits, crops, vegetables and wineries. Ideally, a total of 15 farm workers per farm were targeted. However, due to a variation in these farm worker equity share schemes, on some farms less than 15 workers and in others more than 15 workers were selected for the study; this resulted in a total sample size of 341 farm workers. Ten null-hypotheses and a hypothetical model of beneficiary perceptions regarding farm worker equity share schemes were tested. The influence of seven independent variables were tested, these are: stakeholder trust, operational risks, government interventions, two-way communication, farm worker empowerment, training and skills development, and access to resources on farm worker equity share schemes. In addition, the influence of farm worker equity share schemes on three dependent variables, namely, farming performance, sustainability and employee expectations were tested. The Statistica (version 13.2) computer programme was used to analyse the results by means of advanced statistical techniques (such as exploratory factor analysis, regression and correlation analyses) as well as descriptive analysis and frequency distributions. After various statistical procedures, the model was re-specified; some of the variables were then renamed and the hypotheses were adjusted accordingly. The empirical results showed that three key variables to the success of farm worker equity share schemes are stakeholder trust, government interventions and farm owner support. It was determined that these key variables could lead to increased farming performance, farming sustainability and meeting employee expectations. This study provided useful and practical guidelines to farm owners and administrators of equity share schemes, so as to ensure effective strategising that could enhance their competitiveness and long term survival. The findings of this study could inform strategy policy formulation and implementation in the agricultural sector, as pertaining to farm worker equity share schemes. The study used a sound and well-developed research design and methodology, which has been justified and successfully applied to this research; this method can be utilised by other similar studies to conduct empirical research in the field of farm worker equity share schemes. It is envisaged that the results and recommendations of this study could be used to implement effective strategies that could ensure the effective functioning of farm worker equity share schemes in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Xolo, Siyavuya Nicholas
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Investments -- South Africa , Investment analysis Land reform -- South Africa Agricultural laborers -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/36323 , vital:33920
- Description: The study aimed to assess beneficiary perceptions regarding farm worker equity share schemes in South Africa. Farm worker equity share schemes started in the early 1990s with the aim of having a special arrangement pertaining to the ownership and operation of a farm between the farmer and the farm workers. This was intended to assist farm workers in not only remaining as farm workers but also to gain ownership of the farm. This could lead to the empowerment of farm workers, better working conditions, improved living standards and their rights to land ownership. Farm worker equity share schemes have been widely reported as having failed to meet their intended objectives, thus, in 2009, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform initiated a study to assess the implementation of equity share schemes. Although the report was not made public, it reports that out of the 88 equity share schemes at the time, only nine managed to pay dividends ranging from R200 to R2000 per year. As a result, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform put a moratorium on equity share schemes; this was however removed in 2011. It is against this background that this study was undertaken to assess beneficiaries’ perceptions regarding farm worker equity share schemes in South Africa. A positivistic research paradigm was employed in this study, by means of quantitative research. Secondary data in the form of textbooks, journal articles and Internet sources provided the theoretical framework for this study. Primary data was obtained using the survey method, by means of self-administered structured questionnaires. Convenience and purposive sampling were applied in order to select 20 farms that use equity share schemes. The farms selected for this study were located in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape provinces, covering a variety of farming activities such as citrus fruits, crops, vegetables and wineries. Ideally, a total of 15 farm workers per farm were targeted. However, due to a variation in these farm worker equity share schemes, on some farms less than 15 workers and in others more than 15 workers were selected for the study; this resulted in a total sample size of 341 farm workers. Ten null-hypotheses and a hypothetical model of beneficiary perceptions regarding farm worker equity share schemes were tested. The influence of seven independent variables were tested, these are: stakeholder trust, operational risks, government interventions, two-way communication, farm worker empowerment, training and skills development, and access to resources on farm worker equity share schemes. In addition, the influence of farm worker equity share schemes on three dependent variables, namely, farming performance, sustainability and employee expectations were tested. The Statistica (version 13.2) computer programme was used to analyse the results by means of advanced statistical techniques (such as exploratory factor analysis, regression and correlation analyses) as well as descriptive analysis and frequency distributions. After various statistical procedures, the model was re-specified; some of the variables were then renamed and the hypotheses were adjusted accordingly. The empirical results showed that three key variables to the success of farm worker equity share schemes are stakeholder trust, government interventions and farm owner support. It was determined that these key variables could lead to increased farming performance, farming sustainability and meeting employee expectations. This study provided useful and practical guidelines to farm owners and administrators of equity share schemes, so as to ensure effective strategising that could enhance their competitiveness and long term survival. The findings of this study could inform strategy policy formulation and implementation in the agricultural sector, as pertaining to farm worker equity share schemes. The study used a sound and well-developed research design and methodology, which has been justified and successfully applied to this research; this method can be utilised by other similar studies to conduct empirical research in the field of farm worker equity share schemes. It is envisaged that the results and recommendations of this study could be used to implement effective strategies that could ensure the effective functioning of farm worker equity share schemes in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Teachers’use of curriculum materials in Grade 3 Mathematics: A Case Study
- Authors: Whale, Susan Gaye
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Primary) -- South Africa , Education -- curriculum innovation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PHD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45591 , vital:38916
- Description: The study examines four curriculum documents with regards to curriculum facets, further interrogated through indicators for certain facets in order to ascertain whether the documents could be considered to be educative. Comparison is made with selected resources internationally. Observed episodes in four mathematics classes are interrogated with regards to teacher facets and concomitant indicators, to assess whether the tenets proposed in the written curriculum are translated into practice in the classrooms. The four Grade 3 teachers are interviewed about their views on the curriculum, their views on teaching and their views on their own agency in teaching mathematics. The teachers’ complete selected examples from a Mathematics Knowledge for Training (MKT) questionnaire and are engaged in conversations about iii their beliefs about mathematics and their confidence in both doing and teaching mathematics. The study identifies that the current CAPS curriculum documents focus on mathematical content almost exclusively and give minimal guidance concerning pedagogical content knowledge. The agency of teachers is not addressed. The study suggests a three-dimensional model of curriculum design that encompasses new educative curriculum materials; guidance on innovative teacher practices and direction towards new beliefs in teachers which could build agency and confidence. The concern that this study uncovers is that although the school and teachers were specifically chosen to minimise linguistic and social detractors, the intended curriculum does not appear to have been universally translated into
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Whale, Susan Gaye
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Primary) -- South Africa , Education -- curriculum innovation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PHD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45591 , vital:38916
- Description: The study examines four curriculum documents with regards to curriculum facets, further interrogated through indicators for certain facets in order to ascertain whether the documents could be considered to be educative. Comparison is made with selected resources internationally. Observed episodes in four mathematics classes are interrogated with regards to teacher facets and concomitant indicators, to assess whether the tenets proposed in the written curriculum are translated into practice in the classrooms. The four Grade 3 teachers are interviewed about their views on the curriculum, their views on teaching and their views on their own agency in teaching mathematics. The teachers’ complete selected examples from a Mathematics Knowledge for Training (MKT) questionnaire and are engaged in conversations about iii their beliefs about mathematics and their confidence in both doing and teaching mathematics. The study identifies that the current CAPS curriculum documents focus on mathematical content almost exclusively and give minimal guidance concerning pedagogical content knowledge. The agency of teachers is not addressed. The study suggests a three-dimensional model of curriculum design that encompasses new educative curriculum materials; guidance on innovative teacher practices and direction towards new beliefs in teachers which could build agency and confidence. The concern that this study uncovers is that although the school and teachers were specifically chosen to minimise linguistic and social detractors, the intended curriculum does not appear to have been universally translated into
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Ecological assessment and biogeography of coastal vegetation and flora in southern Mozambique
- Authors: Massingue, Alice Obed
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Coastal plants -- Mozambique , Coastal plants Marine biodiversity -- Mozambique Coastal biodiversity -- Mozambique
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/40988 , vital:36280
- Description: This study considered aspects of the vegetation of the coastal zone of southern Mozambique, an area with a rich biodiversity. The vegetation and flora were assessed in their current state including the associated anthropogenic pressures. The environmental conditions that determined the distribution of the vegetation were evaluated. A hierarchical classification, description and ecological interpretation of the vegetation and flora of the coastal zone in southern Mozambique are presented. Analysis was based on 242 sample quadrats that were distributed in a stratified manner throughout the study area. The vegetation could be grouped into six distinct types of vegetation: Dune Forest, Coastal Forest, Coastal Grassland, Coastal Miombo, Coastal Savanna and Coastal Woodland. Species diversity was high for the all the vegetation types, particularly in the woody elements. A total of 673 species in 410 genera was recorded. They represented 104 families with Fabaceae and Rubiaceae being the most common. Of these, 6.6% were endemic or near-endemic to the coastal zone of southern Mozambique with Coastal Forest being the habitat with the greatest endemism. All soils from different vegetation types had poor agricultural potential. Soil properties were the strongest defining environmental feature separating the vegetation types: e.g. pH was high in Dune Forest compared to the others. Results from Maxent modelling suggest that the distribution of endemic species is influenced by a combination of climatic and non-climatic variables. Soil type, temperature annual range and precipitation of the driest month were the most important predictor variables. Overlaying the potential distributions of the seven selected species indicated two areas of abundance of endemic species – these should be given attention for conservation. Endemic species are not well protected in southern Mozambique – their sampled and potential habitats are largely outside protected areas. Hence, additional reserves should be created to improve their protection. Most endemic and near-endemics species were found in the south, from Ponta de Ouro (Matutuine, south of Maputo Province) to Manhica district (north of the Maputo Province) forming part of the Maputaland Centre of Endemism. A second concentration of endemism was found in the Inhambane Province, specifically the Inhassoro and Vilanculos districts. This is proposed to be an Important Plants Area (IPA). Because most endemics and near-endemics are found in the Coastal Forest, their main threat is harvesting for charcoal production, although none of the endemic species are specifically targeted for charcoal production. In Inhambane they are also threatened by the tourism industry, agriculture and settlements. The impact of the habitat destruction on endemic species is expected to cause severe declines in the near future. The tourism industry and harvesting of trees for charcoal production and over-frequent fires are the main drivers of vegetation loss in this region. Shifting agriculture, harvesting for firewood and construction materials, cattle grazing (at a minor scale) are also impacts, but these were only observed in a small area of Maputo Province. Although the study was done in coastal zone of southern Mozambique, effective management of whole coastal zone of the country will be required to maintain a functioning and diverse ecosystem. Priorities for management are to ensure that forests are protected, in particular, Dune Forest. Actions are required to minimise degradation of coastal vegetation. Further research on Coastal Forest restoration should be planned, as field observations in this study confirm that forest in the coastal zone of southern Mozambique has resilience.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Massingue, Alice Obed
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Coastal plants -- Mozambique , Coastal plants Marine biodiversity -- Mozambique Coastal biodiversity -- Mozambique
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/40988 , vital:36280
- Description: This study considered aspects of the vegetation of the coastal zone of southern Mozambique, an area with a rich biodiversity. The vegetation and flora were assessed in their current state including the associated anthropogenic pressures. The environmental conditions that determined the distribution of the vegetation were evaluated. A hierarchical classification, description and ecological interpretation of the vegetation and flora of the coastal zone in southern Mozambique are presented. Analysis was based on 242 sample quadrats that were distributed in a stratified manner throughout the study area. The vegetation could be grouped into six distinct types of vegetation: Dune Forest, Coastal Forest, Coastal Grassland, Coastal Miombo, Coastal Savanna and Coastal Woodland. Species diversity was high for the all the vegetation types, particularly in the woody elements. A total of 673 species in 410 genera was recorded. They represented 104 families with Fabaceae and Rubiaceae being the most common. Of these, 6.6% were endemic or near-endemic to the coastal zone of southern Mozambique with Coastal Forest being the habitat with the greatest endemism. All soils from different vegetation types had poor agricultural potential. Soil properties were the strongest defining environmental feature separating the vegetation types: e.g. pH was high in Dune Forest compared to the others. Results from Maxent modelling suggest that the distribution of endemic species is influenced by a combination of climatic and non-climatic variables. Soil type, temperature annual range and precipitation of the driest month were the most important predictor variables. Overlaying the potential distributions of the seven selected species indicated two areas of abundance of endemic species – these should be given attention for conservation. Endemic species are not well protected in southern Mozambique – their sampled and potential habitats are largely outside protected areas. Hence, additional reserves should be created to improve their protection. Most endemic and near-endemics species were found in the south, from Ponta de Ouro (Matutuine, south of Maputo Province) to Manhica district (north of the Maputo Province) forming part of the Maputaland Centre of Endemism. A second concentration of endemism was found in the Inhambane Province, specifically the Inhassoro and Vilanculos districts. This is proposed to be an Important Plants Area (IPA). Because most endemics and near-endemics are found in the Coastal Forest, their main threat is harvesting for charcoal production, although none of the endemic species are specifically targeted for charcoal production. In Inhambane they are also threatened by the tourism industry, agriculture and settlements. The impact of the habitat destruction on endemic species is expected to cause severe declines in the near future. The tourism industry and harvesting of trees for charcoal production and over-frequent fires are the main drivers of vegetation loss in this region. Shifting agriculture, harvesting for firewood and construction materials, cattle grazing (at a minor scale) are also impacts, but these were only observed in a small area of Maputo Province. Although the study was done in coastal zone of southern Mozambique, effective management of whole coastal zone of the country will be required to maintain a functioning and diverse ecosystem. Priorities for management are to ensure that forests are protected, in particular, Dune Forest. Actions are required to minimise degradation of coastal vegetation. Further research on Coastal Forest restoration should be planned, as field observations in this study confirm that forest in the coastal zone of southern Mozambique has resilience.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
A management model for human settlements: a case study of Nigeria and South Africa
- Authors: Adeniran, Adeleye Ayoade
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Human settlements -- Nigeria , Human settlements -- South Africa Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45985 , vital:39403
- Description: Persistent depreciating human settlements is a global challenge, particularly in developing countries and this challenge contributes to the continuously increasing housing gap, despite several novel policies and programmes. Although there is a dearth of research-based literature on human settlements management, studies show that property management, Facility Management, housing management and urban management impact the sustainability of all these built environment milieus which form part of the human settlements’ sub-components. This research aimed at altering the afore-said challenge by exploring the management of human settlements in Nigeria and in South Africa. Philosophically, the research is pragmatic, and it rests on positivist deductive reasoning. The methods used for data collection include a review of literature, collection of archival records, and empirical studies of purposively selected professionals and stakeholders involved in human settlements’ management in Nigeria and in South Africa. The findings indicate that existing human settlements in the case studies are “good” and “acceptable” with the majority adopting an outsourced method of management. Furthermore, the lack of maintenance records, the deficiency in policy monitoring and the training of management and maintenance personnel were the three highest ranking factors indicated to be affecting human settlements management. Moreover, an inhabitant’s income, the time available for management, professional expertise and technology employed for management are recognised as the critical sustainability sub-factors affecting human settlement management. The factor analysis established ownership, human resource and capital, social, legal, technology, economic, physical and environmental factors as vital and very significant in achieving sustainable management of human settlements. The study recommends the professionalisation of the field of human settlements as well as a formulation of management policy among others. The study developed a management model for human settlements, and it advocates that human settlements managers, owners and organisations should apply the model in this study, to improve their human settlement management practices, so as to achieve sustainability, and in essence, Sustainable Development Goal 11. It is hoped that the suggested management model will influence human settlement policy development and review, the designing of human settlement management programmes including the framework for their ongoing monitoring and evaluation. The study furthermore contributes to the development of housing and human settlement curricula and evolving human settlement research in both developed and developing countries.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Adeniran, Adeleye Ayoade
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Human settlements -- Nigeria , Human settlements -- South Africa Sustainable development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/45985 , vital:39403
- Description: Persistent depreciating human settlements is a global challenge, particularly in developing countries and this challenge contributes to the continuously increasing housing gap, despite several novel policies and programmes. Although there is a dearth of research-based literature on human settlements management, studies show that property management, Facility Management, housing management and urban management impact the sustainability of all these built environment milieus which form part of the human settlements’ sub-components. This research aimed at altering the afore-said challenge by exploring the management of human settlements in Nigeria and in South Africa. Philosophically, the research is pragmatic, and it rests on positivist deductive reasoning. The methods used for data collection include a review of literature, collection of archival records, and empirical studies of purposively selected professionals and stakeholders involved in human settlements’ management in Nigeria and in South Africa. The findings indicate that existing human settlements in the case studies are “good” and “acceptable” with the majority adopting an outsourced method of management. Furthermore, the lack of maintenance records, the deficiency in policy monitoring and the training of management and maintenance personnel were the three highest ranking factors indicated to be affecting human settlements management. Moreover, an inhabitant’s income, the time available for management, professional expertise and technology employed for management are recognised as the critical sustainability sub-factors affecting human settlement management. The factor analysis established ownership, human resource and capital, social, legal, technology, economic, physical and environmental factors as vital and very significant in achieving sustainable management of human settlements. The study recommends the professionalisation of the field of human settlements as well as a formulation of management policy among others. The study developed a management model for human settlements, and it advocates that human settlements managers, owners and organisations should apply the model in this study, to improve their human settlement management practices, so as to achieve sustainability, and in essence, Sustainable Development Goal 11. It is hoped that the suggested management model will influence human settlement policy development and review, the designing of human settlement management programmes including the framework for their ongoing monitoring and evaluation. The study furthermore contributes to the development of housing and human settlement curricula and evolving human settlement research in both developed and developing countries.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Catholic and charismatic: identity construction in a catholic charismatic movement in Nigeria
- Authors: Torty, Livinus
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Catholic Church -- Nigeria , Pentecostalism -- Catholic Church Identity (Psychology) Identity (Psychology) -- Social aspects -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43787 , vital:37047
- Description: The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a movement within the Catholic Church that blends and synthesizes elements of Catholicism and Pentecostalism. The movement straddles these two religious traditions within Christianity. Besides its incorporation of elements of Catholicism and Pentecostalism, the movement also has as its objective, the revitalizing and renewal of the Catholic Church through the power of the Holy Spirit. These fundamental orientations of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal distinguish it from other Catholic movements, bestowing on it its unique identity. Although different from other Catholic movements, the movement and its members lay claim to a Catholic identity and seek to assert its legitimacy within the Catholic Church. Existing literature has provided useful insights into the question of identity within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. However, the question of identity construction within the movement has not been adequately and comprehensively addressed in academic literature. This is especially the case in the African context. This leaves therefore a gap in our knowledge of how the movement and its members construct their catholic and charismatic identities. This study sets out to explore how the movement and its members construct their identity in relation to the Holy Spirit, the institutional Catholic Church and other Catholics, as well as in the context of the movement’s ritual music. Identity construction in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is seen as key to making meaning of the movement and its place within Catholicism. The study adopted a qualitative research and ethnographic approach in which empirical data was collected in the context of fieldwork through informal, semi-structured and focus group interviews as well as participant observation during the activities of a Catholic Charismatic prayer group in Minna, Nigeria. Theoretical perspectives drawn from identity, hermeneutics and anthropology of extraordinary experience were used as analytical lens in the study. The study revealed that identity within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was constructed principally in relation to the Holy Spirit. A spiritual experience or encounter was central in such identity construction, and the subjective and intersubjective identity of the members revolved around the two key concepts of ‘spirit-centred identity’ and ‘empowerment’. The study indicated that the members of the movement constructed their identity in ways that demonstrated their loyalty to the Church and their status as an officially recognised Catholic movement. In addition, their identity was also constructed in relation to the functions that they perceived themselves to perform within the Catholic Church. Although the members of the movement considered their charismatic and catholic identities to be compatible, they understood themselves to be different from other Catholics. The study also showed that while music was considered to be important within the movement, the context and content of its ritual music were overwhelmingly Pentecostal, and music that projected a catholic identity was relegated to the background and given expression mainly in the realm of individual religious practice. The study suggests that identity construction within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is multiple, ongoing, flexible, and sometimes contradictory and paradoxical. Through its identity construction, the members of the movement demonstrate the heterogeneity of the Catholic space and seek to extend the boundaries of Catholicism.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Torty, Livinus
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Catholic Church -- Nigeria , Pentecostalism -- Catholic Church Identity (Psychology) Identity (Psychology) -- Social aspects -- Nigeria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43787 , vital:37047
- Description: The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a movement within the Catholic Church that blends and synthesizes elements of Catholicism and Pentecostalism. The movement straddles these two religious traditions within Christianity. Besides its incorporation of elements of Catholicism and Pentecostalism, the movement also has as its objective, the revitalizing and renewal of the Catholic Church through the power of the Holy Spirit. These fundamental orientations of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal distinguish it from other Catholic movements, bestowing on it its unique identity. Although different from other Catholic movements, the movement and its members lay claim to a Catholic identity and seek to assert its legitimacy within the Catholic Church. Existing literature has provided useful insights into the question of identity within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. However, the question of identity construction within the movement has not been adequately and comprehensively addressed in academic literature. This is especially the case in the African context. This leaves therefore a gap in our knowledge of how the movement and its members construct their catholic and charismatic identities. This study sets out to explore how the movement and its members construct their identity in relation to the Holy Spirit, the institutional Catholic Church and other Catholics, as well as in the context of the movement’s ritual music. Identity construction in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is seen as key to making meaning of the movement and its place within Catholicism. The study adopted a qualitative research and ethnographic approach in which empirical data was collected in the context of fieldwork through informal, semi-structured and focus group interviews as well as participant observation during the activities of a Catholic Charismatic prayer group in Minna, Nigeria. Theoretical perspectives drawn from identity, hermeneutics and anthropology of extraordinary experience were used as analytical lens in the study. The study revealed that identity within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was constructed principally in relation to the Holy Spirit. A spiritual experience or encounter was central in such identity construction, and the subjective and intersubjective identity of the members revolved around the two key concepts of ‘spirit-centred identity’ and ‘empowerment’. The study indicated that the members of the movement constructed their identity in ways that demonstrated their loyalty to the Church and their status as an officially recognised Catholic movement. In addition, their identity was also constructed in relation to the functions that they perceived themselves to perform within the Catholic Church. Although the members of the movement considered their charismatic and catholic identities to be compatible, they understood themselves to be different from other Catholics. The study also showed that while music was considered to be important within the movement, the context and content of its ritual music were overwhelmingly Pentecostal, and music that projected a catholic identity was relegated to the background and given expression mainly in the realm of individual religious practice. The study suggests that identity construction within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is multiple, ongoing, flexible, and sometimes contradictory and paradoxical. Through its identity construction, the members of the movement demonstrate the heterogeneity of the Catholic space and seek to extend the boundaries of Catholicism.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Investigating the fitness of sea turtles nesting in South Africa
- Le Gouvello du Timat, Diane Z M
- Authors: Le Gouvello du Timat, Diane Z M
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Sea turtles -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/48445 , vital:40877
- Description: The South African rookeries of the South Western Indian Ocean (SWIO) loggerhead and leatherback regional management units have been continuously monitored for more than 5 decades, representing one of the longest-running sea turtle beach protection and monitoring programmes in the world. Although such conservation has been successful in protecting adults on land when they come to nest, it might not be enough to ensure population recovery if survival is not ensured across all life stages. Sea turtles are particularly vulnerable to direct threats and changing environmental conditions because they are long-lived, slow maturing, and have low survival rates at early life stages, making them conservation-dependent. These characteristics also render them difficult to conserve as a consequence of their wide geographic distributions, spanning multiple jurisdictions and legislative systems with different conservation targets, and a complex life cycle with changes in habitats and diets at different life stages. Sea turtle populations have been severely depleted as a result of historical over-exploitation and current threats including fisheries bycatch, direct harvest, habitat loss, pollution and pathogens, and climate change. In many cases however, population declines have been reversed by a variety of effective conservation measures such as beach protection programs, and marine protected areas, enabling successful population recovery around the world. Despite protection and apparent increase in abundance, indirect pressures can still affect turtle populations. Therefore, it is fundamental to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation measures (using fitness traits such as female and hatchling sizes) and examine underlying trends. The aim of this thesis was thus to evaluate the fitness of loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles nesting in South Africa. Long-term female size trends over time were evaluated and the populations were split between first-time nesters and experienced nesters. As sea turtle reproductive output (clutch size only) is correlated with female size and evidence is showing that in some populations individual female size is decreasing, the effects of maternal body size on reproductive output and hatchling fitness were investigated for both species. Crawling and swimming speeds were used as proxies of hatchling fitness, because these two traits positively influence their survival. An oceanic model was further used in combination with a particle tracking framework to estimate, for the first time, post-hatchling dispersal of loggerhead and leatherback turtles in the SWIO. I investigated whether the trend in female size for loggerhead turtles nesting in South Africa is a result of their foraging strategy to determine if there is a foraging dichotomy (neritic and oceanic). Despite an apparent increasing population, a significant 3.7 and 3.6 cm decrease in the size of both recruit and remingrant female loggerhead turtles, but a stable mean size of leatherbacks for both age groups was observed. I hypothesise that these contradictory effects are attributable to the very distinct foraging ecologies of the two turtle species and speculate that these variations in carapace length may be driven by environmental change. The reproductive strategy of both loggerhead and leatherback turtles nesting in South Africa supports the optimal egg size theory with larger turtles producing larger clutches but not larger eggs. Egg size was thus constant irrespective of maternal length. Hatchlings with longer carapaces and flippers had higher swimming speed, suggesting that larger hatchlings are fitter (potentially higher survival) than smaller ones by spending less time in high predation risk areas (i.e. beach and nearshore). The model revealed that dispersal trajectories of both loggerhead and leatherback sea turtle hatchlings were very similar and simulations indicated that initial active swimming (frenzy) as well as variability in oceanic conditions strongly influenced dispersal of virtual hatchlings. The trends observed in this study emphasize the importance of long-term monitoring, examining not only abundance but also individual size, to understand population dynamics, support recovery planning and prioritize future conservation practices. Furthermore, the findings of this study have important implications for overall population growth if smaller hatchlings of lower fitness are produced as a result of climate change and thus have decreased dispersal abilities and lower likelihood of survival.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Le Gouvello du Timat, Diane Z M
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Sea turtles -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/48445 , vital:40877
- Description: The South African rookeries of the South Western Indian Ocean (SWIO) loggerhead and leatherback regional management units have been continuously monitored for more than 5 decades, representing one of the longest-running sea turtle beach protection and monitoring programmes in the world. Although such conservation has been successful in protecting adults on land when they come to nest, it might not be enough to ensure population recovery if survival is not ensured across all life stages. Sea turtles are particularly vulnerable to direct threats and changing environmental conditions because they are long-lived, slow maturing, and have low survival rates at early life stages, making them conservation-dependent. These characteristics also render them difficult to conserve as a consequence of their wide geographic distributions, spanning multiple jurisdictions and legislative systems with different conservation targets, and a complex life cycle with changes in habitats and diets at different life stages. Sea turtle populations have been severely depleted as a result of historical over-exploitation and current threats including fisheries bycatch, direct harvest, habitat loss, pollution and pathogens, and climate change. In many cases however, population declines have been reversed by a variety of effective conservation measures such as beach protection programs, and marine protected areas, enabling successful population recovery around the world. Despite protection and apparent increase in abundance, indirect pressures can still affect turtle populations. Therefore, it is fundamental to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation measures (using fitness traits such as female and hatchling sizes) and examine underlying trends. The aim of this thesis was thus to evaluate the fitness of loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles nesting in South Africa. Long-term female size trends over time were evaluated and the populations were split between first-time nesters and experienced nesters. As sea turtle reproductive output (clutch size only) is correlated with female size and evidence is showing that in some populations individual female size is decreasing, the effects of maternal body size on reproductive output and hatchling fitness were investigated for both species. Crawling and swimming speeds were used as proxies of hatchling fitness, because these two traits positively influence their survival. An oceanic model was further used in combination with a particle tracking framework to estimate, for the first time, post-hatchling dispersal of loggerhead and leatherback turtles in the SWIO. I investigated whether the trend in female size for loggerhead turtles nesting in South Africa is a result of their foraging strategy to determine if there is a foraging dichotomy (neritic and oceanic). Despite an apparent increasing population, a significant 3.7 and 3.6 cm decrease in the size of both recruit and remingrant female loggerhead turtles, but a stable mean size of leatherbacks for both age groups was observed. I hypothesise that these contradictory effects are attributable to the very distinct foraging ecologies of the two turtle species and speculate that these variations in carapace length may be driven by environmental change. The reproductive strategy of both loggerhead and leatherback turtles nesting in South Africa supports the optimal egg size theory with larger turtles producing larger clutches but not larger eggs. Egg size was thus constant irrespective of maternal length. Hatchlings with longer carapaces and flippers had higher swimming speed, suggesting that larger hatchlings are fitter (potentially higher survival) than smaller ones by spending less time in high predation risk areas (i.e. beach and nearshore). The model revealed that dispersal trajectories of both loggerhead and leatherback sea turtle hatchlings were very similar and simulations indicated that initial active swimming (frenzy) as well as variability in oceanic conditions strongly influenced dispersal of virtual hatchlings. The trends observed in this study emphasize the importance of long-term monitoring, examining not only abundance but also individual size, to understand population dynamics, support recovery planning and prioritize future conservation practices. Furthermore, the findings of this study have important implications for overall population growth if smaller hatchlings of lower fitness are produced as a result of climate change and thus have decreased dispersal abilities and lower likelihood of survival.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Water balance processes in indigenous and introduced spaces three production system in the Southern Cape region of South Africa
- Authors: Mapeto, Tatenda
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Hydrology -- Research -- South Africa , Groundwater -- Research -- South Africa Trees -- Breeding Sustainable forestry
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/49325 , vital:41621
- Description: Forests and trees are important modulators of water flow and their position in the landscape impacts the spatial and temporal availability of ground water and surface water resources. As such, the global extent of natural forests is linked to the availability of water. In the circumstances where tree production systems have been introduced and are managed in landscapes previously populated with other forms of vegetation, it is necessary to understand their hydrological impact so as to ensure that the benefits derived from these tree systems do not outweigh the costs of water availability for sustaining human and environmental water requirements.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Mapeto, Tatenda
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Hydrology -- Research -- South Africa , Groundwater -- Research -- South Africa Trees -- Breeding Sustainable forestry
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/49325 , vital:41621
- Description: Forests and trees are important modulators of water flow and their position in the landscape impacts the spatial and temporal availability of ground water and surface water resources. As such, the global extent of natural forests is linked to the availability of water. In the circumstances where tree production systems have been introduced and are managed in landscapes previously populated with other forms of vegetation, it is necessary to understand their hydrological impact so as to ensure that the benefits derived from these tree systems do not outweigh the costs of water availability for sustaining human and environmental water requirements.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2020
The development of an optimised decision based methodology for the replacement timing of frontline equipment utilised within the quarrying industry
- Authors: Basson, Kenneth Mervyn
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Decision making , Industrial equipment Industrial equipment -- Maintenance and repair
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23647 , vital:30592
- Description: At present, frontline equipment employed at B&E International, and operating within the quarrying sector is typically replaced as soon as the operating expenses are deemed to be excessive. From a capital budgeting perspective, the trigger for signalling the replacement of equipment occurs when prescribed operating cost performance metrics are violated. In some instances, a further consideration for motivating the replacement of equipment is when the perception arises that the nonavailability of the equipment employed, results in financial losses being incurred by a company. It can therefore be argued that the current equipment replacement timing methodological approach adopted at B&E International is suboptimal in nature. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that in many instances, escalation of commitment manifests itself whereby unnecessary capital is repeatedly invested in order to extend the life of an asset resulting in a situation occurring whereby the required level of investment return is not achieved. In the event of these situations arising, the decision to replace an asset is prolonged as a result of the suboptimal investment decisions being made. The primary focus of this study is to provide a methodological equipment replacement framework that is based upon sound capital budgeting fundamentals. A comprehensive literature review of capital budgeting approaches that specifically focus on the optimal replacement timing of frontline quarrying equipment, did not yield any relevant studies that have been undertaken in this regard. This study did however investigate contemporary equipment replacement approaches based upon a capital budgeting paradigm and highlighted their respective limitations. Convincing evidence obtained, indicated that the most widely accepted method of identifying the optimal replacement timing of equipment occurs when the economic life of the asset is attained. This in itself would therefore infer that a cost minimisation approach is the most pervasive methodological approach adopted in order to identify the optimal replacement timing of equipment. When considering capital investment based decisions, it was found that the discounted cash flow based methodologies are the most widely used and accepted approach applied in the mining industry. Notwithstanding this, one major caveat manifests itself in that when considering the optimal replacement timing of front line equipment within the quarrying industry, the inclusion of uncertainty, flexibility and the associated financial risks was not evident. In order to model these effects, a probabilistic Net Present Value (NPV) approach was adopted and the required Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) models were constructed. Given the uncertainty of the expected cumulative R&M profiles for the asset classes constituting this study, an extensive statistical analysis was carried out in order to establish the required predictive Repair and Maintenance (R&M) models required for the DCF analysis by means of regression analysis. Further regression analyses were conducted in order to model the overall availability and utilisation metrics for the respective asset classes included in this study. The consequence of incurring downtime was investigated and the resultant DCF analysis yielded a significant impact on the Free Cash Flow (FCF) generated by the respective assets. The magnitude of the incurred consequential financial losses incurred as a result of the respective downtime was found to be significant when considering frontline equipment. In order to model the effect of, and the extent to which, the respective independent variables influence the static NPV outcome, a sensitivity analysis was performed. From this, the influence of the independent variables constituting the NPV model employed in this study, were observed. A Real Options Analysis (ROA) approach was initially employed in order to model the effects of FCF uncertainty and the results of carrying out this analysis indicated a minimal influence on the static NPV model referred to earlier. It was therefore concluded that from an equipment replacement timing perspective, the ROA approach did not provide a robust and accurate representation of the probabilistic NPV outcomes anticipated. In order to address these perceived shortcomings, an Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) model was constructed and the requisite probability distribution functions representing the most influential independent variables determined from the sensitivity analysis were identified and subsequently analysed. The results of the MCS analysis yielded the expected NPV outcomes that were found to be far more conservative compared to the static NPV outcomes referred to previously. Furthermore, the concluding findings of this study indicate that in order to estimate the optimal time to dispose of an asset, a static NPV analysis must first be modelled and thereafter a probabilistic NPV analysis. The respective uncertainty aspects over the lifespan of the assets should be identified to be incorporated into the MCS model. This methodological approach therefore opposes the use of a strictly deterministic based approach and rather predicates the use of a probabilistic NPV based framework. This study further concluded that traditional DCF approaches fail to consider management flexibility in terms of adapting to uncertainty and to also reduce the possibility of “escalation of commitment” occurring as a result of sub-optimal equipment replacement timing decisions by management. The use and acceptance of the traditional DCF approaches are acknowledged, but in order to develop an equipment replacement methodological approach that considers uncertainty and risk on the one hand and also allows for the incorporation of real data over the assets lifetime on the other, the use of an MCS probabilistic NPV based model was found to be the optimal approach to be adopted. The result of updating the static NPV model with updated data as soon as it is obtained enables one to generate accurate probabilistic distribution functions required for the subsequent MCS analysis. By adopting this approach the study has concluded that one can obtain realistic and accurate NPV forecasts from the anticipated FCF estimates. The principal conclusion obtained from this study is that the optimal time in which to replace front line assets employed at B&E International is when the probabilistic net earnings profile, viz., NPV of the equipment is maximized.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Basson, Kenneth Mervyn
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Decision making , Industrial equipment Industrial equipment -- Maintenance and repair
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23647 , vital:30592
- Description: At present, frontline equipment employed at B&E International, and operating within the quarrying sector is typically replaced as soon as the operating expenses are deemed to be excessive. From a capital budgeting perspective, the trigger for signalling the replacement of equipment occurs when prescribed operating cost performance metrics are violated. In some instances, a further consideration for motivating the replacement of equipment is when the perception arises that the nonavailability of the equipment employed, results in financial losses being incurred by a company. It can therefore be argued that the current equipment replacement timing methodological approach adopted at B&E International is suboptimal in nature. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that in many instances, escalation of commitment manifests itself whereby unnecessary capital is repeatedly invested in order to extend the life of an asset resulting in a situation occurring whereby the required level of investment return is not achieved. In the event of these situations arising, the decision to replace an asset is prolonged as a result of the suboptimal investment decisions being made. The primary focus of this study is to provide a methodological equipment replacement framework that is based upon sound capital budgeting fundamentals. A comprehensive literature review of capital budgeting approaches that specifically focus on the optimal replacement timing of frontline quarrying equipment, did not yield any relevant studies that have been undertaken in this regard. This study did however investigate contemporary equipment replacement approaches based upon a capital budgeting paradigm and highlighted their respective limitations. Convincing evidence obtained, indicated that the most widely accepted method of identifying the optimal replacement timing of equipment occurs when the economic life of the asset is attained. This in itself would therefore infer that a cost minimisation approach is the most pervasive methodological approach adopted in order to identify the optimal replacement timing of equipment. When considering capital investment based decisions, it was found that the discounted cash flow based methodologies are the most widely used and accepted approach applied in the mining industry. Notwithstanding this, one major caveat manifests itself in that when considering the optimal replacement timing of front line equipment within the quarrying industry, the inclusion of uncertainty, flexibility and the associated financial risks was not evident. In order to model these effects, a probabilistic Net Present Value (NPV) approach was adopted and the required Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) models were constructed. Given the uncertainty of the expected cumulative R&M profiles for the asset classes constituting this study, an extensive statistical analysis was carried out in order to establish the required predictive Repair and Maintenance (R&M) models required for the DCF analysis by means of regression analysis. Further regression analyses were conducted in order to model the overall availability and utilisation metrics for the respective asset classes included in this study. The consequence of incurring downtime was investigated and the resultant DCF analysis yielded a significant impact on the Free Cash Flow (FCF) generated by the respective assets. The magnitude of the incurred consequential financial losses incurred as a result of the respective downtime was found to be significant when considering frontline equipment. In order to model the effect of, and the extent to which, the respective independent variables influence the static NPV outcome, a sensitivity analysis was performed. From this, the influence of the independent variables constituting the NPV model employed in this study, were observed. A Real Options Analysis (ROA) approach was initially employed in order to model the effects of FCF uncertainty and the results of carrying out this analysis indicated a minimal influence on the static NPV model referred to earlier. It was therefore concluded that from an equipment replacement timing perspective, the ROA approach did not provide a robust and accurate representation of the probabilistic NPV outcomes anticipated. In order to address these perceived shortcomings, an Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) model was constructed and the requisite probability distribution functions representing the most influential independent variables determined from the sensitivity analysis were identified and subsequently analysed. The results of the MCS analysis yielded the expected NPV outcomes that were found to be far more conservative compared to the static NPV outcomes referred to previously. Furthermore, the concluding findings of this study indicate that in order to estimate the optimal time to dispose of an asset, a static NPV analysis must first be modelled and thereafter a probabilistic NPV analysis. The respective uncertainty aspects over the lifespan of the assets should be identified to be incorporated into the MCS model. This methodological approach therefore opposes the use of a strictly deterministic based approach and rather predicates the use of a probabilistic NPV based framework. This study further concluded that traditional DCF approaches fail to consider management flexibility in terms of adapting to uncertainty and to also reduce the possibility of “escalation of commitment” occurring as a result of sub-optimal equipment replacement timing decisions by management. The use and acceptance of the traditional DCF approaches are acknowledged, but in order to develop an equipment replacement methodological approach that considers uncertainty and risk on the one hand and also allows for the incorporation of real data over the assets lifetime on the other, the use of an MCS probabilistic NPV based model was found to be the optimal approach to be adopted. The result of updating the static NPV model with updated data as soon as it is obtained enables one to generate accurate probabilistic distribution functions required for the subsequent MCS analysis. By adopting this approach the study has concluded that one can obtain realistic and accurate NPV forecasts from the anticipated FCF estimates. The principal conclusion obtained from this study is that the optimal time in which to replace front line assets employed at B&E International is when the probabilistic net earnings profile, viz., NPV of the equipment is maximized.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Black South African men’s adjustment to divorce: a divorce-stress-adjustment model
- Muchena, Kudakwashe Christopher
- Authors: Muchena, Kudakwashe Christopher
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Divorce -- Psychological aspects , Social psychology Men -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50121 , vital:42048
- Description: The decision to divorce marks a turning point for each individual involved. It can be viewed as more than just a legal process. From a psychological perspective, it does not matter who initiated the divorce, it always comes with emotional ramifications for all those involved. Statistically there is a high rate of divorce in South Africa and there have been significant shifts in trends over time. However, black South African men’s experience of, action in, and adjustment to divorce has been relatively neglected in the divorce research, yet it is important for understanding contemporary social arrangements and processes, as well as for broadening the understanding of black South African men’s lives. How black South African men describe their situations and respond to marital dissolution may point to their positions in the gender-structured community and to how they interpret the nature of social practice, marriages, divorce and their position in society. The present study aimed at exploring black South African men’s experience of, and adjustment to, divorce. More specifically, the study developed a divorce-stress-adjustment model for divorced black South African men. The theoretical framework underpinning this study was that of Symbolic Interactionism that was complemented and enhanced by Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory, focusing specifically on identity development in adulthood. This was a qualitative study using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as both the research design and data analytic theory and process. The eight participants were volunteers who were recruited purposively. In accordance with IPA guidelines, data for the study was collected using biographical questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The emerging themes were grouped into four superordinate themes, that is, pre-divorce experiences, experiencing divorce, adjustment process and post-divorce experience. Each superordinate theme had corresponding subordinate themes and subthemes. The themes were then used to develop the divorce-stress adjustment model indicating that the experience of divorce is an interconnected process. Weed’s recommendations for interpretative synthesis of interview data were used.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Muchena, Kudakwashe Christopher
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Divorce -- Psychological aspects , Social psychology Men -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50121 , vital:42048
- Description: The decision to divorce marks a turning point for each individual involved. It can be viewed as more than just a legal process. From a psychological perspective, it does not matter who initiated the divorce, it always comes with emotional ramifications for all those involved. Statistically there is a high rate of divorce in South Africa and there have been significant shifts in trends over time. However, black South African men’s experience of, action in, and adjustment to divorce has been relatively neglected in the divorce research, yet it is important for understanding contemporary social arrangements and processes, as well as for broadening the understanding of black South African men’s lives. How black South African men describe their situations and respond to marital dissolution may point to their positions in the gender-structured community and to how they interpret the nature of social practice, marriages, divorce and their position in society. The present study aimed at exploring black South African men’s experience of, and adjustment to, divorce. More specifically, the study developed a divorce-stress-adjustment model for divorced black South African men. The theoretical framework underpinning this study was that of Symbolic Interactionism that was complemented and enhanced by Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory, focusing specifically on identity development in adulthood. This was a qualitative study using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as both the research design and data analytic theory and process. The eight participants were volunteers who were recruited purposively. In accordance with IPA guidelines, data for the study was collected using biographical questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The emerging themes were grouped into four superordinate themes, that is, pre-divorce experiences, experiencing divorce, adjustment process and post-divorce experience. Each superordinate theme had corresponding subordinate themes and subthemes. The themes were then used to develop the divorce-stress adjustment model indicating that the experience of divorce is an interconnected process. Weed’s recommendations for interpretative synthesis of interview data were used.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Investigation of the thermo-chemical behaviour of coal-algae agglomerates
- Authors: Baloyi, Hope
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Biomass energy , Coal -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23913 , vital:30642
- Description: There is a growing research interest in the co-processing of biomass and coal, with the aim of addressing the negative attributes associated with the thermal processing of coal alone. Biomass feedstocks are regarded as a clean, renewable source, and the co-utilization of biomass feedstocks with coal is deemed to have a potential to reduce emission of pollutants (i.e. NOx and SOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Moreover, biomass are thermally reactive and thus facilitate the conversion of coal during co-processing. Biomass material and coal are two autonomous fuel materials with different chemical characteristics and have a dissimilar thermal behaviour making it difficult to achieve chemical interaction between the two solid fuels to contribute to the formation of products. Coalgae® Technology developed at the Nelson Mandela University, involves the biological treatment of coal fines by adsorbing live microalgae biomass (in slurry form) onto waste coal fines to form coal-microalgae agglomerates. This new innovative approach seeks to integrate bio-based feedstock into coal thermal processing and to improve the utilization and thermal efficiency of coal fines as well as the interaction between the volatile components of biomass and coal during thermal processing (e.g. devolatilization), thereby overcoming some of the challenges that confront the co-processing of coal and biomass. Coal fines are low-ranked coals, generally characterized by high contents of sulphur, high ash yields, low calorific values and poor thermal reactivity, and these attributes limits the thermo-chemical processing of the coal fines. Therefore, this investigation was undertaken to assess the thermo-chemical behaviour of coal-microalgae agglomerates, formed by adsorbing live microalgae slurry at varying ratios onto coal fines. For this purpose, the effects of adsorbing microalgae at varying ratios on the chemical characteristics and thermal behaviour of coal fines under pyrolytic conditions were investigated. The primary aim was to assess whether the thermo-chemical behaviour of coal-microalgae agglomerates, formed by adsorption of live microalgae onto fine coal, is substantively modified compared to a simple additive model of the original coal and pre-dried microalgae biomass samples. Results obtained from the proximate analyses performed on an Eltra Thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) thermostep, have shown that the adsorption of microalgae slurry onto coal fines does not possess greater influence in improving the yield of volatiles and ash in coal fines than can be expected from a simple additive model of the original raw materials. Based on the ultimate analyses results, it was found that the adsorption of microalgae slurry resulted in a systematic reduction in the sulphur content, a notable increase in the hydrogen and oxygen contents, however, no significant disparities were found between the measured ultimate properties of coal-microalgae agglomerates as compared to the theoretically-expected ultimate properties from a simple linear combination of parental coal and microalgae biomass. Assessment of the thermal behaviour of parental samples and coal-microalgae agglomerates involved the use non-isothermal (40-900ºC, 20 K/min) thermogravimetry under inert conditions. It was found that the adsorption of microalgae slurry onto coal fines resulted in an improved thermal reactivity of coal fines, although, did not affect the overall pyrolysis characteristics of the coal fines. Comparison of the thermal profiles (measured and calculated TG/DTG curves), revealed that the yield of volatile products during the pyrolysis of coal-microalgae blends do not exceed the expected volatile yields from a simple combination of coal and microalgae biomass. These results suggest that there was no positive or accelerative synergistic interaction between volatile components of adsorbed microalgae and coal fines during pyrolysis. Mild pyrolysis of raw coal and coal-microalgae performed in a fixed-bed reactor furnace (450ºC), resulted in improved yields of Fossil-Bio crude (FBC) oil (derived from coal-microalgae pyrolysis), at increased biomass ratio compared to coal tar. FBC Oil was found to contain relatively high contents of oxygen, hydrogen, and low sulphur content than coal tar. GC-MS analyses showed the presence of a heterocyclic compounds (i.e. Indole and 2, 6 dimethyl pyridine) in the FBC oil and these were not identified in the coal tar. Furthermore, high boiling compounds such as Flourene, pyrene and pentacosane were identified in the coal tar, however not identified in the FBC oil. Simulated distillation results showed notable differences between the FBC oil and coal tar in terms of the distribution of boiling point fractions particularly, high boing point components. Semi-devolatilized chars derived from coal-microalgae agglomerates showed substantial degree of decarboxylation and dehydrogenation compared to the coal chars.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Baloyi, Hope
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Biomass energy , Coal -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23913 , vital:30642
- Description: There is a growing research interest in the co-processing of biomass and coal, with the aim of addressing the negative attributes associated with the thermal processing of coal alone. Biomass feedstocks are regarded as a clean, renewable source, and the co-utilization of biomass feedstocks with coal is deemed to have a potential to reduce emission of pollutants (i.e. NOx and SOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Moreover, biomass are thermally reactive and thus facilitate the conversion of coal during co-processing. Biomass material and coal are two autonomous fuel materials with different chemical characteristics and have a dissimilar thermal behaviour making it difficult to achieve chemical interaction between the two solid fuels to contribute to the formation of products. Coalgae® Technology developed at the Nelson Mandela University, involves the biological treatment of coal fines by adsorbing live microalgae biomass (in slurry form) onto waste coal fines to form coal-microalgae agglomerates. This new innovative approach seeks to integrate bio-based feedstock into coal thermal processing and to improve the utilization and thermal efficiency of coal fines as well as the interaction between the volatile components of biomass and coal during thermal processing (e.g. devolatilization), thereby overcoming some of the challenges that confront the co-processing of coal and biomass. Coal fines are low-ranked coals, generally characterized by high contents of sulphur, high ash yields, low calorific values and poor thermal reactivity, and these attributes limits the thermo-chemical processing of the coal fines. Therefore, this investigation was undertaken to assess the thermo-chemical behaviour of coal-microalgae agglomerates, formed by adsorbing live microalgae slurry at varying ratios onto coal fines. For this purpose, the effects of adsorbing microalgae at varying ratios on the chemical characteristics and thermal behaviour of coal fines under pyrolytic conditions were investigated. The primary aim was to assess whether the thermo-chemical behaviour of coal-microalgae agglomerates, formed by adsorption of live microalgae onto fine coal, is substantively modified compared to a simple additive model of the original coal and pre-dried microalgae biomass samples. Results obtained from the proximate analyses performed on an Eltra Thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) thermostep, have shown that the adsorption of microalgae slurry onto coal fines does not possess greater influence in improving the yield of volatiles and ash in coal fines than can be expected from a simple additive model of the original raw materials. Based on the ultimate analyses results, it was found that the adsorption of microalgae slurry resulted in a systematic reduction in the sulphur content, a notable increase in the hydrogen and oxygen contents, however, no significant disparities were found between the measured ultimate properties of coal-microalgae agglomerates as compared to the theoretically-expected ultimate properties from a simple linear combination of parental coal and microalgae biomass. Assessment of the thermal behaviour of parental samples and coal-microalgae agglomerates involved the use non-isothermal (40-900ºC, 20 K/min) thermogravimetry under inert conditions. It was found that the adsorption of microalgae slurry onto coal fines resulted in an improved thermal reactivity of coal fines, although, did not affect the overall pyrolysis characteristics of the coal fines. Comparison of the thermal profiles (measured and calculated TG/DTG curves), revealed that the yield of volatile products during the pyrolysis of coal-microalgae blends do not exceed the expected volatile yields from a simple combination of coal and microalgae biomass. These results suggest that there was no positive or accelerative synergistic interaction between volatile components of adsorbed microalgae and coal fines during pyrolysis. Mild pyrolysis of raw coal and coal-microalgae performed in a fixed-bed reactor furnace (450ºC), resulted in improved yields of Fossil-Bio crude (FBC) oil (derived from coal-microalgae pyrolysis), at increased biomass ratio compared to coal tar. FBC Oil was found to contain relatively high contents of oxygen, hydrogen, and low sulphur content than coal tar. GC-MS analyses showed the presence of a heterocyclic compounds (i.e. Indole and 2, 6 dimethyl pyridine) in the FBC oil and these were not identified in the coal tar. Furthermore, high boiling compounds such as Flourene, pyrene and pentacosane were identified in the coal tar, however not identified in the FBC oil. Simulated distillation results showed notable differences between the FBC oil and coal tar in terms of the distribution of boiling point fractions particularly, high boing point components. Semi-devolatilized chars derived from coal-microalgae agglomerates showed substantial degree of decarboxylation and dehydrogenation compared to the coal chars.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Vulcanus and Fynbos portfolio orchestral ballet and a chamber work for SSATBarB and two guitars
- Authors: Kinsey, Avril
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Orchestral music, Arranged -- Parts , Ballets Orchestral music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/31349 , vital:31355
- Description: This DMus composition degree is a portfolio (c. 93 minutes) that focuses on creative work with an extensive text in music notation, which embodies the composer’s creative research. The portfolio comprises two large-scale tonal and extended tonal works inspired by nature and informed by a narrative aesthetic. The two scores include an orchestral ballet in two acts and four scenes, Vulcanus (c. 54 minutes), which was created from a scenario by the composer, and which includes the occasional use of guitar and soprano, and a chamber work for SSATBarB and two guitars in nine movements entitled the Fynbos Suite (c. 39 minutes), inspired by the eco-system fynbos oil paintings of Steven Felmore. Both works can be seen as contributing respectively to the discipline of mainstream orchestral works, and guitar and choral writing. The accompanying commentary on the portfolio provides a rationale for the compositions, and outlines some of the creative processes and inspirational influences behind the works. An overview of the musical forms contextualizes the works within their narrative and visual frameworks. The ballet notes discuss the rationale for choosing ballet and include cultural, musical and extra-musical influences. A detailed scenario of the story with a description of the ballet’s characters and corps de ballet follows, while a table lists the dances and narrative mimetic episodes with tempos and time codes suitable for a choreographer to work from. The Fynbos Suite commentary gives some insight into fynbos within nature, and within the context of the paintings and the musical style. Included in the notes are the composer’s lyrics to four songs, and with the kind permission of the artist, the reproduction of the nine inspirational paintings. The recordings of Vulcanus and the Fynbos Suite were realised from the sound files of the Sibelius notation program. The guitar and the orchestral sounds, as well as the voice in Vulcanus are sampled from the Yamaha DGX 620 library, while the four vocal works of the Fynbos Suite were recorded with the Cape Soloists at the Fismer Hall, Stellenbosch University. The guitar in ‘Light on the Edge of Hope’ and the ‘Glory of Nature’ were performed by the composer. In conclusion to the background notes the creative journey, planned and unplanned, is reflected on, highlighting musical imagination with creative serendipity, and what the experiences of the process and outcome mean to the composer.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Kinsey, Avril
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Orchestral music, Arranged -- Parts , Ballets Orchestral music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DMus
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/31349 , vital:31355
- Description: This DMus composition degree is a portfolio (c. 93 minutes) that focuses on creative work with an extensive text in music notation, which embodies the composer’s creative research. The portfolio comprises two large-scale tonal and extended tonal works inspired by nature and informed by a narrative aesthetic. The two scores include an orchestral ballet in two acts and four scenes, Vulcanus (c. 54 minutes), which was created from a scenario by the composer, and which includes the occasional use of guitar and soprano, and a chamber work for SSATBarB and two guitars in nine movements entitled the Fynbos Suite (c. 39 minutes), inspired by the eco-system fynbos oil paintings of Steven Felmore. Both works can be seen as contributing respectively to the discipline of mainstream orchestral works, and guitar and choral writing. The accompanying commentary on the portfolio provides a rationale for the compositions, and outlines some of the creative processes and inspirational influences behind the works. An overview of the musical forms contextualizes the works within their narrative and visual frameworks. The ballet notes discuss the rationale for choosing ballet and include cultural, musical and extra-musical influences. A detailed scenario of the story with a description of the ballet’s characters and corps de ballet follows, while a table lists the dances and narrative mimetic episodes with tempos and time codes suitable for a choreographer to work from. The Fynbos Suite commentary gives some insight into fynbos within nature, and within the context of the paintings and the musical style. Included in the notes are the composer’s lyrics to four songs, and with the kind permission of the artist, the reproduction of the nine inspirational paintings. The recordings of Vulcanus and the Fynbos Suite were realised from the sound files of the Sibelius notation program. The guitar and the orchestral sounds, as well as the voice in Vulcanus are sampled from the Yamaha DGX 620 library, while the four vocal works of the Fynbos Suite were recorded with the Cape Soloists at the Fismer Hall, Stellenbosch University. The guitar in ‘Light on the Edge of Hope’ and the ‘Glory of Nature’ were performed by the composer. In conclusion to the background notes the creative journey, planned and unplanned, is reflected on, highlighting musical imagination with creative serendipity, and what the experiences of the process and outcome mean to the composer.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
A critical analysis of organisational justice in the South African financial service industry
- Authors: Mrwebi, Viwe
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Organizational behavior , Financial services industry -- South Africa -- Management Intrinsic motivation Employee retention Labor turnover
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/33065 , vital:32513
- Description: Organisational justice has captured the interest of scholars in recent years since it is associated with the perceptions and reactions of an individual, to the presence of fairness in an organisation. It thus captures what an individual feel or evaluates to be, morally correct rather than viewing it to be something prescriptive. This study was aimed at investigating the extent of organisational justice on organisational citizenship behaviour, ethical behaviour and employee retention in the South African financial services industry. A hypothetical model and measuring instrument was developed in order to investigate factors that may influence the organisational justice in the financial services industry. Six independent variables (trustworthiness of management, employee engagement, reward system, organisational transparency, two-way communication and organisational climate) were identified as variables that have the potential to influence organisational justice (mediating variable). It was also hypothesised that organisational justice) has the potential to affect the dependent variables (organisational citizenship behaviour, ethical behaviour and employee retention). Furthermore, nine null-hypotheses were developed to test the relationship between independent, mediating and dependent variables. All these variables were clearly defined and operationalised with various items that were obtained from other measuring instruments or self-developed items. A quantitative research approach followed. This study made use of the non-probability sampling technique, specifically convenient and judgemental sampling, as there is no data base of financial services firms available in South Africa. A purposive sample of 800 respondents was drawn from four provinces in South Africa. Factor and regression analyses were used to test the significance of the relationship between the various independent and dependent variables. The mediating variable of organisational justice was viewed by respondents as a two-dimensional construct, namely procedural-interactional justice and distributive justice. Consequently, intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards, organisational transparency and organisational climate were identified as independent variables that could have an impact on the procedural-interactional justice to predict organisational citizenship behaviour and reputable employee retention in the financial services industry. No relationships were identified between trustworthiness of management and employee engagement and procedural-interactional justice. The independent variables, trustworthiness of management, extrinsic rewards and organisational climate, could have an impact on distributive justice to predict organisational citizenship behaviour and reputable employee retention in the financial services industry. No relationships were identified between employee engagement, intrinsic rewards, organisational transparency and distributive justice. The findings of this study have contributed to the body of knowledge in the financial services literature in South Africa, by developing a theoretical model and a measuring instrument of organisational justice in the financial services industry. The antecedents of organisational justice in the financial services industry are not well documented in literature and findings of this study could thus contribute towards closing this gap in literature. The findings of this study could also inform policy formulation to assist with the implementation of organisational justice programmes in the financial services industry. This study provided useful and very practical guidelines to organisations in order to ensure the effective strategising and management of OJ that could enhance their local and global competitiveness and long-term survival.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Mrwebi, Viwe
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Organizational behavior , Financial services industry -- South Africa -- Management Intrinsic motivation Employee retention Labor turnover
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/33065 , vital:32513
- Description: Organisational justice has captured the interest of scholars in recent years since it is associated with the perceptions and reactions of an individual, to the presence of fairness in an organisation. It thus captures what an individual feel or evaluates to be, morally correct rather than viewing it to be something prescriptive. This study was aimed at investigating the extent of organisational justice on organisational citizenship behaviour, ethical behaviour and employee retention in the South African financial services industry. A hypothetical model and measuring instrument was developed in order to investigate factors that may influence the organisational justice in the financial services industry. Six independent variables (trustworthiness of management, employee engagement, reward system, organisational transparency, two-way communication and organisational climate) were identified as variables that have the potential to influence organisational justice (mediating variable). It was also hypothesised that organisational justice) has the potential to affect the dependent variables (organisational citizenship behaviour, ethical behaviour and employee retention). Furthermore, nine null-hypotheses were developed to test the relationship between independent, mediating and dependent variables. All these variables were clearly defined and operationalised with various items that were obtained from other measuring instruments or self-developed items. A quantitative research approach followed. This study made use of the non-probability sampling technique, specifically convenient and judgemental sampling, as there is no data base of financial services firms available in South Africa. A purposive sample of 800 respondents was drawn from four provinces in South Africa. Factor and regression analyses were used to test the significance of the relationship between the various independent and dependent variables. The mediating variable of organisational justice was viewed by respondents as a two-dimensional construct, namely procedural-interactional justice and distributive justice. Consequently, intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards, organisational transparency and organisational climate were identified as independent variables that could have an impact on the procedural-interactional justice to predict organisational citizenship behaviour and reputable employee retention in the financial services industry. No relationships were identified between trustworthiness of management and employee engagement and procedural-interactional justice. The independent variables, trustworthiness of management, extrinsic rewards and organisational climate, could have an impact on distributive justice to predict organisational citizenship behaviour and reputable employee retention in the financial services industry. No relationships were identified between employee engagement, intrinsic rewards, organisational transparency and distributive justice. The findings of this study have contributed to the body of knowledge in the financial services literature in South Africa, by developing a theoretical model and a measuring instrument of organisational justice in the financial services industry. The antecedents of organisational justice in the financial services industry are not well documented in literature and findings of this study could thus contribute towards closing this gap in literature. The findings of this study could also inform policy formulation to assist with the implementation of organisational justice programmes in the financial services industry. This study provided useful and very practical guidelines to organisations in order to ensure the effective strategising and management of OJ that could enhance their local and global competitiveness and long-term survival.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Physiological and mechanistic characteristics of all-out running using the critical speed concept
- Authors: Kramer, Mark
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Aerobic exercises , Physical fitness Running Exercise
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/40511 , vital:36178
- Description: The studies described in this thesis, as far as could be ascertained, were the first to investigate the physiological and mechanistic characteristics of all-out running using the critical speed concept specifically applied to field-sport athletes. In the first study the oxygen uptake (𝑉̇𝑂2) kinetics of linear and shuttle all-out running were investigated. The 𝑉̇𝑂2 kinetic parameters were also related to parameters derived from a graded exercise test. No differences were observed in all 𝑉̇ 𝑂2 kinetic parameters between all-out linear and shuttle running, even though differences in all-out testing parameters were evident. The study was novel in that it was, as far as could be ascertained, the first to implement and investigate differences in 𝑉̇𝑂2 kinetics applied to all-out running. The second study investigated whether the parameters derived from all-out linear and shuttle running were representative of aerobic fitness, and the extent to which the all-out test (AOT) related to already established evaluations of aerobic fitness (e.g., graded exercise test [GXT] and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test [YYIR1]). It was also investigated whether the parameters from the AOTs could be used to predict the time to completion (tLIM) of shuttle-based performances. The outcomes of this study showed that both the linear and 50-m AOTs were indeed valid for the aerobic assessment of fitness by showing high correlations with maximal pulmonary oxygen uptake (𝑉̇𝑂2𝑚𝑎𝑥). Both the linear and 50-m AOT could therefore be used as surrogates for the evaluation of aerobic fitness. Interestingly, in terms of the tLIM prediction, the 25-m AOT showed the greatest utility. This study was novel on several fronts in that it was the first to: (1) investigate the physiological link between linear and shuttle AOTs and the GXT, (2) investigate the difference between AOTs and the YYIR1, and (3) investigate the application of the AOT methodology to field-based athletes such as rugby players. The third study investigated the energetic cost (EC) of locomotion as well as the metabolic power (𝑃̇) required to run at given speeds. The energetic approach provides a more robust evaluation of the differences between linear and shuttle running due to the all-out nature of the tests. Conventional methods of energy assessment often fall short due to the preclusion of a physiological steady-state, hence requiring more robust mathematical models to evaluate all-out running performance. The results of this study showed that differences between linear and shuttle AOTs are more likely neuromuscular as opposed to physiological. Peak EC and 𝑃̇ were significantly greater for shuttle running compared to linear running, showing clear non-linear increases with each successive increase in running speed. However, the mean EC and 𝑃̇ were not different, showing that all-out shuttle running ‘balances’ the lower running speeds (implying a lower physiological load compared to linear running) with the higher metabolic load imposed by the intense directional changes. This study was novel as it was, as far as could be ascertained, the first to apply the energetic approach to all-out running as well as investigate the differences in energetics between linear and shuttle AOTs. The fourth study provided a means by which the speed-time characteristics of all-out running could be objectively quantified. A novel bi-exponential model was applied to both the linear and shuttle speed-time curves and allowed various mechanistic aspects of the speed-time curve to be characterized. Conventional assessment of the AOT allows for the derivation of only two key parameters, namely critical speed (CS) and the finite distance achievable at speeds exceeding CS (D’). The application of the bi-exponential model expands the number of useful parameters that can be derived from an AOT to seven. The additional useful parameters include: maximum speed [𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥], time to maximum speed [𝑡𝑐], amplitude of the difference between 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥 and CS [𝐴𝑑], curvature constant of the exponential decay [𝜏𝑑] and the asymptote of the exponential decay function [𝑆0], fatigue index showing the percent decline between 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥 and CS [FI%], and the finite capacity for running at speeds exceeding CS [D’; representing the area under the curve that is above CS]. The CS and D’ parameters derived from the bi-exponential model were not different to the CS and D’ parameters derived using the conventional method of analysis, thereby showing that the bi-exponential model is a valid means of assessing the curvature characteristics of the AOT, as well as providing additional information that cannot be gleaned from the traditional approach.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Kramer, Mark
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Aerobic exercises , Physical fitness Running Exercise
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/40511 , vital:36178
- Description: The studies described in this thesis, as far as could be ascertained, were the first to investigate the physiological and mechanistic characteristics of all-out running using the critical speed concept specifically applied to field-sport athletes. In the first study the oxygen uptake (𝑉̇𝑂2) kinetics of linear and shuttle all-out running were investigated. The 𝑉̇𝑂2 kinetic parameters were also related to parameters derived from a graded exercise test. No differences were observed in all 𝑉̇ 𝑂2 kinetic parameters between all-out linear and shuttle running, even though differences in all-out testing parameters were evident. The study was novel in that it was, as far as could be ascertained, the first to implement and investigate differences in 𝑉̇𝑂2 kinetics applied to all-out running. The second study investigated whether the parameters derived from all-out linear and shuttle running were representative of aerobic fitness, and the extent to which the all-out test (AOT) related to already established evaluations of aerobic fitness (e.g., graded exercise test [GXT] and the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test [YYIR1]). It was also investigated whether the parameters from the AOTs could be used to predict the time to completion (tLIM) of shuttle-based performances. The outcomes of this study showed that both the linear and 50-m AOTs were indeed valid for the aerobic assessment of fitness by showing high correlations with maximal pulmonary oxygen uptake (𝑉̇𝑂2𝑚𝑎𝑥). Both the linear and 50-m AOT could therefore be used as surrogates for the evaluation of aerobic fitness. Interestingly, in terms of the tLIM prediction, the 25-m AOT showed the greatest utility. This study was novel on several fronts in that it was the first to: (1) investigate the physiological link between linear and shuttle AOTs and the GXT, (2) investigate the difference between AOTs and the YYIR1, and (3) investigate the application of the AOT methodology to field-based athletes such as rugby players. The third study investigated the energetic cost (EC) of locomotion as well as the metabolic power (𝑃̇) required to run at given speeds. The energetic approach provides a more robust evaluation of the differences between linear and shuttle running due to the all-out nature of the tests. Conventional methods of energy assessment often fall short due to the preclusion of a physiological steady-state, hence requiring more robust mathematical models to evaluate all-out running performance. The results of this study showed that differences between linear and shuttle AOTs are more likely neuromuscular as opposed to physiological. Peak EC and 𝑃̇ were significantly greater for shuttle running compared to linear running, showing clear non-linear increases with each successive increase in running speed. However, the mean EC and 𝑃̇ were not different, showing that all-out shuttle running ‘balances’ the lower running speeds (implying a lower physiological load compared to linear running) with the higher metabolic load imposed by the intense directional changes. This study was novel as it was, as far as could be ascertained, the first to apply the energetic approach to all-out running as well as investigate the differences in energetics between linear and shuttle AOTs. The fourth study provided a means by which the speed-time characteristics of all-out running could be objectively quantified. A novel bi-exponential model was applied to both the linear and shuttle speed-time curves and allowed various mechanistic aspects of the speed-time curve to be characterized. Conventional assessment of the AOT allows for the derivation of only two key parameters, namely critical speed (CS) and the finite distance achievable at speeds exceeding CS (D’). The application of the bi-exponential model expands the number of useful parameters that can be derived from an AOT to seven. The additional useful parameters include: maximum speed [𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥], time to maximum speed [𝑡𝑐], amplitude of the difference between 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥 and CS [𝐴𝑑], curvature constant of the exponential decay [𝜏𝑑] and the asymptote of the exponential decay function [𝑆0], fatigue index showing the percent decline between 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥 and CS [FI%], and the finite capacity for running at speeds exceeding CS [D’; representing the area under the curve that is above CS]. The CS and D’ parameters derived from the bi-exponential model were not different to the CS and D’ parameters derived using the conventional method of analysis, thereby showing that the bi-exponential model is a valid means of assessing the curvature characteristics of the AOT, as well as providing additional information that cannot be gleaned from the traditional approach.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The influence of customers’ culture on sales promotions and store equity for pick n pay stores South Africa and Zimbabwe
- Authors: Musekiwa, Albert
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Consumer behaviour
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44565 , vital:38144
- Description: The store industry is globally the main distribution channel for grocery items to reach final consumers. Specifically for South Africa and Zimbabwe the store industry greatly contributes to the countrys economic growth. However, increasing competition in developed countries has forced store chains with a competitive edge in terms of promoting their brands and building market share such as Walmart and Spar to expand into the growing African market. Concomitantly, growing African store chains such as Choppies of Botswana are moving into new African markets such as South Africa and Zimbabwe. Following this increasing competition, Pick n Pay a leading store chain in South Africa has responded by opening stores in African townships and other African countries such as Zimbabwe. This has resulted in Pick n Pay customers’ cultural diversity, and how to build and maintain market share through effective promotional and brand building strategies being areas of concern. Therefore the primary objective of this study is to determine the influence of Pick n Pay customers’ cultural orientations on their buying behaviour towards monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions and store equity in South Africa and Zimbabwe. From a comprehensive literature review, a hypothesised model was developed to determine the customers’ cultural orientations that might influence the buying behaviour towards monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions and Pick n Pays store equity in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Four customers cultural orientations were investigated namely, ubuntu/unhu, power distance, uncertainty avoidance and status consumption. This quantitative research approach study sought the perceptions of Pick n Pays customers on their cultural orientations, buying behaviour towards monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions and on store equity in South Africa and Zimbabwe. A survey was conducted with the aid of a structured hardcopy questionnaire, distributed via fieldworkers in both countries using a combination of convenience- and snowball sampling. A final usable sample of 500 respondents was obtained. The items in the questionnaire were validated by conducting exploratory factor analysis, where after the Cronbachs alpha values were calculated for each of the valid constructs to confirm inter-item reliability. Descriptive statistics in the form of frequency distributions was used to summarise the demographic profiles of the respondents and to describe the means and standard deviations of the valid constructs. The Pearsons product moment correlations revealed moderate correlations between monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions as well as non-monetary sales promotions and store equity in the full sample, and for the South African and Zimbabwean samples. Moderate correlation was also found in South African sample between Ubuntu ubuntu/unhu cultural orientation and non-monetary sales promotions. Multi-collinearity diagnostics testing was conducted prior to multiple regression analysis to confirm that there is no evidence of collinearity between the independent-, mediating- and dependent variables. The multiple regression analysis revealed eight statistical significant relationships between the independent-, mediating- and dependent variables for the full sample while for the South African and Zimbabwean samples four and nine were found respectively. Although the full sample and Zimbabwean sample had similar statistically significant relationships, the relationship between an uncertainty avoidance cultural orientation and store equity was unique to the Zimbabwean sample only. There was only a statistically significant relationship between a power distance cultural orientation and store equity for the South African sample. Structural equation modelling was used as the main statistical procedure to test for mediation in the study. Only two relationships found in the multiple regression analysis were not confirmed in the structural equation modelling results, namely the relationships between an confirmed in the structural equation modelling results, namely the relationships between an uncertainty avoidance cultural orientation and monetary sales promotions, as well as with non-monetary sales promotions. Six path relationships were confirmed in the structured equation modelling. These statistical significant path relationships were between an ubuntu/unhu- cultural orientation with monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions, as well as with store equity. A statistical significant path relationships were also found between a status consumption cultural orientation with non-monetary sales promotions and store equity. The sixth statistical significant path relationship was between non-monetary sales promotions and store equity. Furthermore, SEM confirmed full mediation of monetary sales promotions in the relationship between a status consumption cultural orientation and store equity. On the other hand, there were partial mediations of non-monetary sales promotions in the relationships between an ubuntu/unhu and status consumption cultural orientations with store equity. The SEM results also confirmed that the data fits the complete model. Multi-variant analysis of variance was carried out to determine if respondents’ demographic profiles influenced their cultural orientations and buying behaviour towards monetary-and non-monetary sales promotions. Post-hoc Scheffe tests identified sixteen statistically significant mean differences between the demographic data groups and the cultural orientation and sales promotions variables. Subsequently, the Cohens d analysis confirmed thirteen practical significant relationships, of which only three had large practical significance. Based on the MRA and SEM confirmed relationships, several suggestions are made. Ubuntu/Unhu and status consumption cultural orientations influenced buying behaviour towards non-monetary sales promotions. For ubuntu/unhu orientated customers, it is suggested that Pick n Pay keeps its non-monetary sales promotions open and accessible to most customers and sponsor more popular events such as competitions for baking, cooking and soccer. To target status consumption orientated customers, Pick n Pay should position its non-monetary sales promotions in line with their expectations such as promoting healthy living to appeal to its healthy conscious customers. Pick n Pay should also avoid making price the focal point when communicating to status consumption orientated consumers but rather focus on image building selling points such as store service. For ubuntu/unhu orientated customers, Pick n Pay should underscore the interdependence value in its communication of monetary sales promotions by offering monetary promotions with benefits for all family members. To entrench brand equity, Pick n Pay should engage ubuntu/unhu brand ambassadors from influential family members, friends and community groups such as church groups and provide after-sales service using 24hr customer service hotlines and social media to promote customer interaction any time of the day. Pick n Pay must consider entrenching the status consumption health conscious customers into interaction between themselves or the store through chatrooms or clubs to make sure they remain loyal to the store. It is recommended that Pick n Pay conduct non-monetary sales promotion by creating awareness campaigns for its organic and finest private brands in their Fresh Living Magazine so that customers have product knowledge and encourage them to become regular buyers. In-store distribution of product samples can also help build interest in the brands. Furthermore, employing data mining techniques on customer databases provided in Smartshopper and Rich Rewards loyalty programmes can help understanding specific target customer groups and developing target marketing campaigns. For status consumption orientated customers, Pick n Pay can incentivise the adoption of online shopping through sales promotions such as free delivery for first time shoppers. The store can also have personalised free rewards for its most loyal customers. For ubuntu/unhu orientated customers, it is recommended that Pick n Pay engage in corporate social responsibility that target the needy in the society such as donating to elderly and orphanages and request their customers to donate their loyalty points to charities of their own choices. It is suggested that Pick n Pay promote excellent service and a wide variety of quality products to ensure their status consumption orientated customers remain loyal to the store. They can also offer a suggestions box for these customers to make them feel heard. Their employees should be selected based on contemporary skills such as digital- and green marketing and healthy living product knowledge and they should train their current employees on these areas to enable addressing customers’ queries confidently. This study has added to scarce academic literature on customers’ cultural orientations, sales promotion buying behaviour and store equity in Africa in general. From the hypothesised model developed in this study, a significant contribution has been made in the body of knowledge on the influence of customers’ culture on buying behaviour towards sales promotions and store equity, especially in the retail field for stores such as Pick n Pay. This study was also the first to identify the major role demographics can play in customers’ cultural orientations and sales promotion buying behaviour. The recommendations can be useful to assist with developing marketing strategies suitable for any retail store such as Pick n Pay which wants to venture into African markets.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Musekiwa, Albert
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Consumer behaviour
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/44565 , vital:38144
- Description: The store industry is globally the main distribution channel for grocery items to reach final consumers. Specifically for South Africa and Zimbabwe the store industry greatly contributes to the countrys economic growth. However, increasing competition in developed countries has forced store chains with a competitive edge in terms of promoting their brands and building market share such as Walmart and Spar to expand into the growing African market. Concomitantly, growing African store chains such as Choppies of Botswana are moving into new African markets such as South Africa and Zimbabwe. Following this increasing competition, Pick n Pay a leading store chain in South Africa has responded by opening stores in African townships and other African countries such as Zimbabwe. This has resulted in Pick n Pay customers’ cultural diversity, and how to build and maintain market share through effective promotional and brand building strategies being areas of concern. Therefore the primary objective of this study is to determine the influence of Pick n Pay customers’ cultural orientations on their buying behaviour towards monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions and store equity in South Africa and Zimbabwe. From a comprehensive literature review, a hypothesised model was developed to determine the customers’ cultural orientations that might influence the buying behaviour towards monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions and Pick n Pays store equity in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Four customers cultural orientations were investigated namely, ubuntu/unhu, power distance, uncertainty avoidance and status consumption. This quantitative research approach study sought the perceptions of Pick n Pays customers on their cultural orientations, buying behaviour towards monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions and on store equity in South Africa and Zimbabwe. A survey was conducted with the aid of a structured hardcopy questionnaire, distributed via fieldworkers in both countries using a combination of convenience- and snowball sampling. A final usable sample of 500 respondents was obtained. The items in the questionnaire were validated by conducting exploratory factor analysis, where after the Cronbachs alpha values were calculated for each of the valid constructs to confirm inter-item reliability. Descriptive statistics in the form of frequency distributions was used to summarise the demographic profiles of the respondents and to describe the means and standard deviations of the valid constructs. The Pearsons product moment correlations revealed moderate correlations between monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions as well as non-monetary sales promotions and store equity in the full sample, and for the South African and Zimbabwean samples. Moderate correlation was also found in South African sample between Ubuntu ubuntu/unhu cultural orientation and non-monetary sales promotions. Multi-collinearity diagnostics testing was conducted prior to multiple regression analysis to confirm that there is no evidence of collinearity between the independent-, mediating- and dependent variables. The multiple regression analysis revealed eight statistical significant relationships between the independent-, mediating- and dependent variables for the full sample while for the South African and Zimbabwean samples four and nine were found respectively. Although the full sample and Zimbabwean sample had similar statistically significant relationships, the relationship between an uncertainty avoidance cultural orientation and store equity was unique to the Zimbabwean sample only. There was only a statistically significant relationship between a power distance cultural orientation and store equity for the South African sample. Structural equation modelling was used as the main statistical procedure to test for mediation in the study. Only two relationships found in the multiple regression analysis were not confirmed in the structural equation modelling results, namely the relationships between an confirmed in the structural equation modelling results, namely the relationships between an uncertainty avoidance cultural orientation and monetary sales promotions, as well as with non-monetary sales promotions. Six path relationships were confirmed in the structured equation modelling. These statistical significant path relationships were between an ubuntu/unhu- cultural orientation with monetary- and non-monetary sales promotions, as well as with store equity. A statistical significant path relationships were also found between a status consumption cultural orientation with non-monetary sales promotions and store equity. The sixth statistical significant path relationship was between non-monetary sales promotions and store equity. Furthermore, SEM confirmed full mediation of monetary sales promotions in the relationship between a status consumption cultural orientation and store equity. On the other hand, there were partial mediations of non-monetary sales promotions in the relationships between an ubuntu/unhu and status consumption cultural orientations with store equity. The SEM results also confirmed that the data fits the complete model. Multi-variant analysis of variance was carried out to determine if respondents’ demographic profiles influenced their cultural orientations and buying behaviour towards monetary-and non-monetary sales promotions. Post-hoc Scheffe tests identified sixteen statistically significant mean differences between the demographic data groups and the cultural orientation and sales promotions variables. Subsequently, the Cohens d analysis confirmed thirteen practical significant relationships, of which only three had large practical significance. Based on the MRA and SEM confirmed relationships, several suggestions are made. Ubuntu/Unhu and status consumption cultural orientations influenced buying behaviour towards non-monetary sales promotions. For ubuntu/unhu orientated customers, it is suggested that Pick n Pay keeps its non-monetary sales promotions open and accessible to most customers and sponsor more popular events such as competitions for baking, cooking and soccer. To target status consumption orientated customers, Pick n Pay should position its non-monetary sales promotions in line with their expectations such as promoting healthy living to appeal to its healthy conscious customers. Pick n Pay should also avoid making price the focal point when communicating to status consumption orientated consumers but rather focus on image building selling points such as store service. For ubuntu/unhu orientated customers, Pick n Pay should underscore the interdependence value in its communication of monetary sales promotions by offering monetary promotions with benefits for all family members. To entrench brand equity, Pick n Pay should engage ubuntu/unhu brand ambassadors from influential family members, friends and community groups such as church groups and provide after-sales service using 24hr customer service hotlines and social media to promote customer interaction any time of the day. Pick n Pay must consider entrenching the status consumption health conscious customers into interaction between themselves or the store through chatrooms or clubs to make sure they remain loyal to the store. It is recommended that Pick n Pay conduct non-monetary sales promotion by creating awareness campaigns for its organic and finest private brands in their Fresh Living Magazine so that customers have product knowledge and encourage them to become regular buyers. In-store distribution of product samples can also help build interest in the brands. Furthermore, employing data mining techniques on customer databases provided in Smartshopper and Rich Rewards loyalty programmes can help understanding specific target customer groups and developing target marketing campaigns. For status consumption orientated customers, Pick n Pay can incentivise the adoption of online shopping through sales promotions such as free delivery for first time shoppers. The store can also have personalised free rewards for its most loyal customers. For ubuntu/unhu orientated customers, it is recommended that Pick n Pay engage in corporate social responsibility that target the needy in the society such as donating to elderly and orphanages and request their customers to donate their loyalty points to charities of their own choices. It is suggested that Pick n Pay promote excellent service and a wide variety of quality products to ensure their status consumption orientated customers remain loyal to the store. They can also offer a suggestions box for these customers to make them feel heard. Their employees should be selected based on contemporary skills such as digital- and green marketing and healthy living product knowledge and they should train their current employees on these areas to enable addressing customers’ queries confidently. This study has added to scarce academic literature on customers’ cultural orientations, sales promotion buying behaviour and store equity in Africa in general. From the hypothesised model developed in this study, a significant contribution has been made in the body of knowledge on the influence of customers’ culture on buying behaviour towards sales promotions and store equity, especially in the retail field for stores such as Pick n Pay. This study was also the first to identify the major role demographics can play in customers’ cultural orientations and sales promotion buying behaviour. The recommendations can be useful to assist with developing marketing strategies suitable for any retail store such as Pick n Pay which wants to venture into African markets.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Contesting boundaries: a case of municipal demarcation disputes in Vuwani Vhembe District
- Authors: Khowa, Thandeka Promise
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Geographical boundaries
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50767 , vital:42670
- Description: The research study in Vuwani Vhembe district sought to investigate demarcation disputes, the relationship between service delivery and demarcation disputes. The study further investigates the role of municipal demarcation board and local government adherence to sound governance principles and the causes of the demarcation dispute in Vuwani. The study additionally examines the conceptions and misconceptions, their impact on the current demarcation disputes in Vuwani. It further intended to establish the role and involvement of Vuwani stakeholders such as traditional structures/ leaders, civil unions, community members etc. in the processes of demarcating Vuwani. “What is the cause of Vuwani community member’s rejection of the re-demarcation, which is said to correct the past spatial injustices and promote municipal sizing, thus enabling better performance in service provision by municipalities?” The study employed a mixed-method involving the use of both quantitative (mini-survey) and qualitative (use of in-depth, semi structures interviews and focus group discussions). Research findings suggest that re-demarcation is a sensitive aspect/process in South Africa, mainly due to the past Apartheid era. There was forceful removal of people from their land supported by Apartheid legislation such as the Native Land Act 1913, Group Act 1950, Native Resettlement Act 1954 etc. Thus, fears of the past Apartheid system cloud any attempt to correct spatial injustices of the country. The new democratic South African government, therefore, needs to be cautious in its acts to correct the spatial injustices, thus adhering to sound governance principles. Findings reveal that several misconceptions and lack of adherence of good governance principles by the Municipal Demarcation Board and Local government have, to some extent, fueled the demarcation disputes in Vuwani. Municipal performance in the rendering of service delivery has a major impact and contributes to the community’s acceptance or rejection of demarcation/ amalgamations. The study further reveals that in Vuwani municipal performance with the establishment of the new Collins Chabane municipality has been clouded by fear of the unknown as this form of “demarcation of establishing a new municipality” altogether is relatively new. Rural land authority, the role of traditional leaders, ethnicity ties have all been found to have contributed to the disputes in Vuwani. Limpopo Province is home to three ethnic groups, namely, vaVhenda, baPedi and xiTsonga. The study findings have presented traits of tribalism as contributing to on-going demarcation disputes in Vuwani.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Khowa, Thandeka Promise
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Geographical boundaries
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/50767 , vital:42670
- Description: The research study in Vuwani Vhembe district sought to investigate demarcation disputes, the relationship between service delivery and demarcation disputes. The study further investigates the role of municipal demarcation board and local government adherence to sound governance principles and the causes of the demarcation dispute in Vuwani. The study additionally examines the conceptions and misconceptions, their impact on the current demarcation disputes in Vuwani. It further intended to establish the role and involvement of Vuwani stakeholders such as traditional structures/ leaders, civil unions, community members etc. in the processes of demarcating Vuwani. “What is the cause of Vuwani community member’s rejection of the re-demarcation, which is said to correct the past spatial injustices and promote municipal sizing, thus enabling better performance in service provision by municipalities?” The study employed a mixed-method involving the use of both quantitative (mini-survey) and qualitative (use of in-depth, semi structures interviews and focus group discussions). Research findings suggest that re-demarcation is a sensitive aspect/process in South Africa, mainly due to the past Apartheid era. There was forceful removal of people from their land supported by Apartheid legislation such as the Native Land Act 1913, Group Act 1950, Native Resettlement Act 1954 etc. Thus, fears of the past Apartheid system cloud any attempt to correct spatial injustices of the country. The new democratic South African government, therefore, needs to be cautious in its acts to correct the spatial injustices, thus adhering to sound governance principles. Findings reveal that several misconceptions and lack of adherence of good governance principles by the Municipal Demarcation Board and Local government have, to some extent, fueled the demarcation disputes in Vuwani. Municipal performance in the rendering of service delivery has a major impact and contributes to the community’s acceptance or rejection of demarcation/ amalgamations. The study further reveals that in Vuwani municipal performance with the establishment of the new Collins Chabane municipality has been clouded by fear of the unknown as this form of “demarcation of establishing a new municipality” altogether is relatively new. Rural land authority, the role of traditional leaders, ethnicity ties have all been found to have contributed to the disputes in Vuwani. Limpopo Province is home to three ethnic groups, namely, vaVhenda, baPedi and xiTsonga. The study findings have presented traits of tribalism as contributing to on-going demarcation disputes in Vuwani.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
Foraging ecology of gentoo penguins pygoscelis papua at the Falkland Islands
- Authors: Handley, Jonathan Murray
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Gentoo penguin -- Food -- Falkland Islands Gentoo penguin -- Ecology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14113 , vital:27431
- Description: Marine top predators often occupy broad geographical ranges that encompass varied habitats. Therefore, a pre-requisite towards conserving these animals is to determine the components of their realized niche, and investigate whether a species is a specialist or a generalist. For generalist species, it is also necessary to understand if local specialisation occurs. Uncovering these components can allow us to build models of a species realized niche that may then be used to infer habitat use in unsampled locations. However, fully understanding the components of a marine top predators realized niche is challenging owing to the limited opportunity for in situ observations. Overcoming these limitations is a key step in marine top predator research. It will enhance our understanding of trophic coupling in marine systems, and aid in the development of tools to better study these predators in their dynamic environment. Seabirds, penguins (Spheniscids) in particular, are a group of animals for which investigating their realized niche is of vital importance. This is because numerous species face growing uncertainty in the Anthropocene, and in a time of rapid environmental change there is furthermore a need to better understand the potential use of these birds as indicators of ecosystem health. The aim of this thesis, therefore, is to investigate the foraging ecology of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) at the Falkland Islands. At the Falkland Islands, limited historical information exists regarding this species foraging ecology, with most information coming from a single location at the Falklands. As the Falkland Islands have the world’s largest population of gentoo penguins, elucidating factors influencing this population will have global relevance. Furthermore, historical information indicated potential competition with fisheries, and with prospecting for hydrocarbons and an inshore fishery, there is a need to understand the distribution of these birds across the islands. Penguins are also well suited to carry biologging devices allowing for in situ observations of inter and intraspecific interactions, as well as habitat specific interactions. In this study, I sampled birds over three breeding seasons, from four breeding colonies - chosen for their varied surrounding at sea habitat - across the Falkland Islands. I investigated the diet with stomach content and stable isotope analysis, the at-sea distribution with GPS and time depth recorders, and how these birds behaved at sea using custom made animal-borne camera loggers. Furthermore, I developed a method to recognise prey encounter events from back mounted accelerometers, using a supervised machine learning approach. As part of the first species specific description of diet at this scale for the Falklands, I revealed six key prey items for the birds: rock cod (Patagonotothen spp.), lobster krill (Munida spp.), Falkland herring (Sprattus fuegensis), Patagonian squid (Doryteuthis gahi), juvenile fish (likely all nototheniids), and southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis). The use of animal-borne camera loggers verified that not only do gentoo penguins consume a diverse array of prey items, but they adopted various methods to capture and pursue prey, with evidence of birds following optimal foraging theory. Prey composition varied significantly between study sites with the at-sea distribution and habitat use of penguins reflecting that of local prey. Birds from colonies close to gently sloping, shallow waters, foraged primarily in a benthic manner and had larger niche widths. However, those at a colony surrounded by steeply sloping, deeper waters, typically foraged in a pelagic manner. Contrasting diet patterns were also prevalent from stable isotope data, and the niche widths of birds relating to both stomach content and stable isotope data were larger at colonies where benthic foraging was prevalent. Therefore, it was clear that surrounding bathymetry played a key role in shaping this species’ foraging ecology, and that at the population level at the Falkland Islands birds are generalists. However, at individual colonies some specialisation occurs to take advantage of locally available prey. I developed habitat distribution models - via boosted regression trees – which transferred well in time but poorly across space. Reasons for poor model transfer might relate to the generalist foraging nature of these birds and the reduced availability of environmental predictors owing to the limited range of these birds. I furthermore developed a method to identify prey encounter events that can also, to a degree, distinguish between prey items. This method will be a promising approach to refine habitat distribution models in future. These habitat distribution models could potentially contribute to marine spatial planning at the Falkland Islands. Footage from animal-borne camera loggers clearly showed that prey behaviour can significantly influence trophic coupling in marine systems and should be accounted for in studies using marine top predators as samplers of mid to lower trophic level species. Ultimately, flexibility in foraging strategies and inter-colony variation will play a critical role when assessing factors such as interspecific competition or overlap with anthropogenic activities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Handley, Jonathan Murray
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Gentoo penguin -- Food -- Falkland Islands Gentoo penguin -- Ecology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14113 , vital:27431
- Description: Marine top predators often occupy broad geographical ranges that encompass varied habitats. Therefore, a pre-requisite towards conserving these animals is to determine the components of their realized niche, and investigate whether a species is a specialist or a generalist. For generalist species, it is also necessary to understand if local specialisation occurs. Uncovering these components can allow us to build models of a species realized niche that may then be used to infer habitat use in unsampled locations. However, fully understanding the components of a marine top predators realized niche is challenging owing to the limited opportunity for in situ observations. Overcoming these limitations is a key step in marine top predator research. It will enhance our understanding of trophic coupling in marine systems, and aid in the development of tools to better study these predators in their dynamic environment. Seabirds, penguins (Spheniscids) in particular, are a group of animals for which investigating their realized niche is of vital importance. This is because numerous species face growing uncertainty in the Anthropocene, and in a time of rapid environmental change there is furthermore a need to better understand the potential use of these birds as indicators of ecosystem health. The aim of this thesis, therefore, is to investigate the foraging ecology of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) at the Falkland Islands. At the Falkland Islands, limited historical information exists regarding this species foraging ecology, with most information coming from a single location at the Falklands. As the Falkland Islands have the world’s largest population of gentoo penguins, elucidating factors influencing this population will have global relevance. Furthermore, historical information indicated potential competition with fisheries, and with prospecting for hydrocarbons and an inshore fishery, there is a need to understand the distribution of these birds across the islands. Penguins are also well suited to carry biologging devices allowing for in situ observations of inter and intraspecific interactions, as well as habitat specific interactions. In this study, I sampled birds over three breeding seasons, from four breeding colonies - chosen for their varied surrounding at sea habitat - across the Falkland Islands. I investigated the diet with stomach content and stable isotope analysis, the at-sea distribution with GPS and time depth recorders, and how these birds behaved at sea using custom made animal-borne camera loggers. Furthermore, I developed a method to recognise prey encounter events from back mounted accelerometers, using a supervised machine learning approach. As part of the first species specific description of diet at this scale for the Falklands, I revealed six key prey items for the birds: rock cod (Patagonotothen spp.), lobster krill (Munida spp.), Falkland herring (Sprattus fuegensis), Patagonian squid (Doryteuthis gahi), juvenile fish (likely all nototheniids), and southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis). The use of animal-borne camera loggers verified that not only do gentoo penguins consume a diverse array of prey items, but they adopted various methods to capture and pursue prey, with evidence of birds following optimal foraging theory. Prey composition varied significantly between study sites with the at-sea distribution and habitat use of penguins reflecting that of local prey. Birds from colonies close to gently sloping, shallow waters, foraged primarily in a benthic manner and had larger niche widths. However, those at a colony surrounded by steeply sloping, deeper waters, typically foraged in a pelagic manner. Contrasting diet patterns were also prevalent from stable isotope data, and the niche widths of birds relating to both stomach content and stable isotope data were larger at colonies where benthic foraging was prevalent. Therefore, it was clear that surrounding bathymetry played a key role in shaping this species’ foraging ecology, and that at the population level at the Falkland Islands birds are generalists. However, at individual colonies some specialisation occurs to take advantage of locally available prey. I developed habitat distribution models - via boosted regression trees – which transferred well in time but poorly across space. Reasons for poor model transfer might relate to the generalist foraging nature of these birds and the reduced availability of environmental predictors owing to the limited range of these birds. I furthermore developed a method to identify prey encounter events that can also, to a degree, distinguish between prey items. This method will be a promising approach to refine habitat distribution models in future. These habitat distribution models could potentially contribute to marine spatial planning at the Falkland Islands. Footage from animal-borne camera loggers clearly showed that prey behaviour can significantly influence trophic coupling in marine systems and should be accounted for in studies using marine top predators as samplers of mid to lower trophic level species. Ultimately, flexibility in foraging strategies and inter-colony variation will play a critical role when assessing factors such as interspecific competition or overlap with anthropogenic activities.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
The FAST fabric objective measurement properties of commercial worsted apparel fabrics available in South Africa
- Authors: Das, Sweta
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Textile fabrics -- Testing , Textile fabrics -- Measurement , Textile fibers -- Testing , Textile design
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17814 , vital:28458
- Description: In the last few decades, there has been a shift globally towards the objective measurement of these textile fibre, yarn and fabric properties which determine processing performance and product quality. This shift is also very apparent in the objective measurement of fabric properties, particularly those relating to handle and making-up into a garment. This study was motivated by the fact that the adoption of fabric objective measurement (FOM), specifically the FAST system, will benefit the South African worsted apparel sector, as it has done in various other countries which produce high quality worsted apparel fabrics and garments. FAST is robust and portable, yet inexpensive. The main objective of the study was to develop a FAST referencing system which can be used for benchmarking by the local apparel industry and, as a basis for encouraging and persuading the industry to adopt this system of fabric quality measurement and assurance and thereby improve their product quality and international competitiveness. To achieve the main objective, involved sourcing and FAST testing a representative cross-section of commercial worsted apparel fabrics with the emphasis on wool and wool blends from the local fabric and clothing manufacturing industry, and determining how the various FAST properties were affected by factors such as fabric weave, fibre blend and weight, since this could impact on the specific nature and validity of the referencing system. A total of some 394 worsted type commercial fabrics, mainly in wool and wool blends, were sourced from, and with the inputs of, local apparel fabric and clothing manufacturers so as to ensure the local fabric and garment representative of the sample population and after which the fabrics were tested on the FAST system. ANOVA (regression analysis) was carried out on each of the FAST parameters in order to determine whether fabric weight, weave, thickness and fibre composition (pure wool and wool blends) had a statistically significant effect on them, since this is an important aspect which needs to be clarified prior to the development of a envisaged meaningful FAST system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Das, Sweta
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Textile fabrics -- Testing , Textile fabrics -- Measurement , Textile fibers -- Testing , Textile design
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17814 , vital:28458
- Description: In the last few decades, there has been a shift globally towards the objective measurement of these textile fibre, yarn and fabric properties which determine processing performance and product quality. This shift is also very apparent in the objective measurement of fabric properties, particularly those relating to handle and making-up into a garment. This study was motivated by the fact that the adoption of fabric objective measurement (FOM), specifically the FAST system, will benefit the South African worsted apparel sector, as it has done in various other countries which produce high quality worsted apparel fabrics and garments. FAST is robust and portable, yet inexpensive. The main objective of the study was to develop a FAST referencing system which can be used for benchmarking by the local apparel industry and, as a basis for encouraging and persuading the industry to adopt this system of fabric quality measurement and assurance and thereby improve their product quality and international competitiveness. To achieve the main objective, involved sourcing and FAST testing a representative cross-section of commercial worsted apparel fabrics with the emphasis on wool and wool blends from the local fabric and clothing manufacturing industry, and determining how the various FAST properties were affected by factors such as fabric weave, fibre blend and weight, since this could impact on the specific nature and validity of the referencing system. A total of some 394 worsted type commercial fabrics, mainly in wool and wool blends, were sourced from, and with the inputs of, local apparel fabric and clothing manufacturers so as to ensure the local fabric and garment representative of the sample population and after which the fabrics were tested on the FAST system. ANOVA (regression analysis) was carried out on each of the FAST parameters in order to determine whether fabric weight, weave, thickness and fibre composition (pure wool and wool blends) had a statistically significant effect on them, since this is an important aspect which needs to be clarified prior to the development of a envisaged meaningful FAST system.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Integrating sustainability principles in construction health and safety management practices in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Chigara, Benviolent
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Sustainable construction -- Zimbabwe , Construction industry -- Safety measures Industrial safety -- Zimbabwe -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23459 , vital:30565
- Description: The construction industry is an important industry to national development through the provision of infrastructure and creation of employment, and hence contributing to sustainable development. Nevertheless, the construction industry has a poor health and safety (H&S) and environmental record. Globally, the construction industry is a leading contributor to workplace fatalities, injuries, and disease. In Zimbabwe, the Millennium Towers accident, which resulted in 15 construction workers losing their lives, compromised the integrity of construction H&S management, and highlighted the need to improve H&S management in the sector. This study examined H&S management in Zimbabwe and developed a framework for integrating sustainability into H&S management practices. The study employed a mixed method research design involving the use of interviews and questionnaires to collect primary data from contractors, consultants, government, clients, and workers in Harare and Bulawayo. A total of 101 questionnaires were successfully completed and analysed, representing a response rate of 55.6%. The data from questionnaires were analysed with the help of the SPSS software v.23 to produce descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the study suggest that H&S practices are inadequate as demonstrated by the extent to which workers are exposed to hazards and the occurrence of injuries, disease, and fatalities. The factors contributing to workers’ exposure to hazards and the occurrence of injuries, disease, and fatalities include, inter alia, inadequate planning for H&S, inadequate hazard identification and risk assessments (HIRAs), inadequate management of hazards, inadequate occupational health (OH) surveillance, appointment of stakeholders who do not systematically manage H&S, inadequate design HIRAs, and unsafe work practices. The problem is amplified by inadequate integration of H&S within procurement systems, which limit the extent to which contractors make financial provision for H&S. Regrettably, workplace fatalities, injuries, and disease diminish the quality of life for the injured workers, increase project cost and delays project completion. Against this background, the study investigated the integration of sustainability principles in construction H&S as a strategy to improve H&S practices in Zimbabwe. The outcome of that investigation was a strategy and interventions, and a framework for improved practices in the form of a Sustainability Framework for Construction H&S (SFCHS). The validation of the SFCHS by construction practitioners confirms the importance of the recommended practices to reducing workplace fatalities, injuries, and disease in Zimbabwe and beyond. The development of a SFCHS, as a strategy to improve H&S practices in Zimbabwe, and the validation thereof, resulted in a significant contribution to the related body of knowledge. Nevertheless, the transition to sustainable H&S practices require contractors, consultants, government, clients and workers to take a proactive role relative to the recommended practices in the SFCHS. Further studies can explore the responsiveness of sustainability factors relative to the occurrence of injuries, disease and fatalities based on selected case studies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Chigara, Benviolent
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Sustainable construction -- Zimbabwe , Construction industry -- Safety measures Industrial safety -- Zimbabwe -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23459 , vital:30565
- Description: The construction industry is an important industry to national development through the provision of infrastructure and creation of employment, and hence contributing to sustainable development. Nevertheless, the construction industry has a poor health and safety (H&S) and environmental record. Globally, the construction industry is a leading contributor to workplace fatalities, injuries, and disease. In Zimbabwe, the Millennium Towers accident, which resulted in 15 construction workers losing their lives, compromised the integrity of construction H&S management, and highlighted the need to improve H&S management in the sector. This study examined H&S management in Zimbabwe and developed a framework for integrating sustainability into H&S management practices. The study employed a mixed method research design involving the use of interviews and questionnaires to collect primary data from contractors, consultants, government, clients, and workers in Harare and Bulawayo. A total of 101 questionnaires were successfully completed and analysed, representing a response rate of 55.6%. The data from questionnaires were analysed with the help of the SPSS software v.23 to produce descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the study suggest that H&S practices are inadequate as demonstrated by the extent to which workers are exposed to hazards and the occurrence of injuries, disease, and fatalities. The factors contributing to workers’ exposure to hazards and the occurrence of injuries, disease, and fatalities include, inter alia, inadequate planning for H&S, inadequate hazard identification and risk assessments (HIRAs), inadequate management of hazards, inadequate occupational health (OH) surveillance, appointment of stakeholders who do not systematically manage H&S, inadequate design HIRAs, and unsafe work practices. The problem is amplified by inadequate integration of H&S within procurement systems, which limit the extent to which contractors make financial provision for H&S. Regrettably, workplace fatalities, injuries, and disease diminish the quality of life for the injured workers, increase project cost and delays project completion. Against this background, the study investigated the integration of sustainability principles in construction H&S as a strategy to improve H&S practices in Zimbabwe. The outcome of that investigation was a strategy and interventions, and a framework for improved practices in the form of a Sustainability Framework for Construction H&S (SFCHS). The validation of the SFCHS by construction practitioners confirms the importance of the recommended practices to reducing workplace fatalities, injuries, and disease in Zimbabwe and beyond. The development of a SFCHS, as a strategy to improve H&S practices in Zimbabwe, and the validation thereof, resulted in a significant contribution to the related body of knowledge. Nevertheless, the transition to sustainable H&S practices require contractors, consultants, government, clients and workers to take a proactive role relative to the recommended practices in the SFCHS. Further studies can explore the responsiveness of sustainability factors relative to the occurrence of injuries, disease and fatalities based on selected case studies.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018