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The influence of sponsorship on consumer behaviour in Ghana football
No full textSubmitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management Sciences, Specialising in Marketing, at the Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2024.Sports sponsorship is a vital marketing strategy where companies provide financial support,
resources, or products to sports entities in exchange for brand exposure. This practice boosts brand
visibility taps into passionate fan bases, and fosters customer loyalty. However, Ghana's Premier
League (GPL) faces sponsorship challenges despite its significance. This study investigates
sponsorship's impact on purchase intentions among Ghanaian soccer fans.
The research aims to bridge the gap in understanding how sponsorship influences fans' behavior,
specifically their purchase intentions. Objectives include assessing fan attitudes, evaluating fan
involvement's impact, measuring sponsor-event fit's effect, gauging brand image's role,
understanding sponsor brand perception's influence, and examining soccer fan characteristics'
moderating role.
The literature review critically analyses sports sponsorship's effect on fans' purchasing intentions.
Drawing from theories and foundational works, the study's framework delves into core variables,
rooted in prior literature. Hypotheses are derived from a rigorous synthesis of theories and
literature.
The research design is explanatory, and the approach is quantitative. A non-probability sampling
technique, specifically, convenience sampling, is used to select participants from the two clubs,
found within a 50-kilometer radius of the club’s home base. Using survey data from 389
respondents in Accra and Kumasi, a conceptual framework is developed and validated. Data was
collected using a questionnaire, with items used in the questionnaire sourced from previous studies.
Collected data was entered in Excel and transferred into SPSS version 26.0 and Smart PLS for
further analysis. The analyses employed both descriptive and inferential statistics.
Findings indicate fan attitude significantly influences purchase intention. Sponsor-event fit doesn't
significantly impact purchase intention, but sponsor brand perception does. Moreover, customer
characteristics don't moderate sponsorship's effect on purchase intention.
This study informs practitioners about effective sponsorship strategies from a fan's perspective. It
expands sports marketing literature in emerging economies. Recommendations include building
emotional connections, aligning with fan values, and leveraging user-generated content.
In conclusion, this research advances the understanding of fan attitudes, involvement, brand
perception, and image in shaping purchase intentions among Ghanaian soccer fans. It contributes
to both theoretical knowledge and practical strategies in sports marketing.
Rereading art workshops as an interaction ritual for knowledge formation and artists’ development
No full textArt workshops are organised as a space for artists to share ideas and collaboratively create artwork within a period of two to four weeks. I argue that Collins’ theory of interaction ritual can be adapted in the explanation and understanding of the aims, particularities and developmental impacts of art workshops on participating artists, who are integral members and collaborators in the knowledge and identity formations in the creative community. I draw on the experiences of two Professors of art–Tonie Okpe and Jacob Jat Jari, in their participation in art workshops in different parts of Africa, Europe and the United Kingdom (U.K.), as well as their organisation of art workshops in Nigeria. Collin’s theory offers fresh insights into the participation of artists like Okpe and Jari in these workshops, showcasing how continuous engagement in such intellectually stimulating and culturally rich communities enhances their knowledge and cultural capital. A major recommendation of the study is that artists can strategically supplement their learning through these informal intellectual platforms, given the impacts of art workshops and the rising costs of formal art education globally. The diverse array of experiences gained from such workshops can significantly expand their horizon and shape their worldview
Promoting youth peacebuilding through social entrepreneurship in Mbare, Zimbabwe
No full textSubmitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration – Peace Studies in the Faculty of Management Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2023.The interest of this study is premised on the urgency for new contextual practices that
interact with young people and allow them to be part of the solution in addressing the
patterns of violent conflicts that disrupt peace within their communities. Hence, the
study promoted the role of social entrepreneurship as a peacebuilding tool that has
much to offer towards promoting youth agency and positive participation in building
peace in the context of Mbare, Zimbabwe. The aim was to contribute to youth violence
prevention mechanisms in Mbare, which is a hub of complex violent youth activities
that involve electoral and political trends, drug abuse, and various socioeconomic
issues tied to the political economy of informal business. These factors have
disenfranchised youth from participating positively in the broader community as they
have gained a reputation as violent and problematic. The study addressed this gap,
with the drive to contribute towards Zimbabwe’s still budding peacebuilding frontlines
and invest in ideas that help to promote and shape sustainable measures that channel
young people to participate positively in promoting peacebuilding within their
communities. This study employed practical and alternative strategies for engaging
youth in peacebuilding. It utilised action research to explore social entrepreneurship
and peace innovation lenses to reflect on ideas and practical steps that can harness
the potential of youth peacebuilding in the local urban community of Mbare. The
synergistic integration of qualitative stakeholder interaction with quantitative outcomes
to guide action/intervention design was crucial in identifying how social
entrepreneurship tools can attract and facilitate youth agency in peacebuilding
practice. The findings revealed how social entrepreneurship offers practical
educational tools to promote youth's role in peacebuilding by building capacity for
different peace ventures. The study responds to the UNSC Resolution 2250 global
policy recommendation to engage and promote local youth peacebuilding strategies.
It established how social entrepreneurship as a peacebuilding tool helped create an
interactive platform for the participation of youth from different political orientations and
encouraged innovative and actionable knowledge.
An exploration of domestic tourists’ behaviour and responses towards leisure market services and destination choice during COVID-19 : a case of KwaZulu-Natal
No full textSubmitted in fulfilment to the academic requirements of the Degree of Master of Management Sciences Specialising in Hospitality and Tourism at the Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2024.The purpose of this study was to determine the behaviour of domestic tourists towards destinations and tourism services in KwaZulu-Natal in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous studies confirm that the tourism industry is prone to unforeseen circumstances. Globally, the pandemic has developed a radical and inescapable change in the world and has had a severe impact on the tourism industry as it witnessed a significant shift in travel behaviour both locally and internationally. Internationally, governments imposed strict regulations to curb the spread of the pandemic such as closing their borders and restricting international travel. Equally, domestic travel was restricted as there were national lockdowns implemented which limited peoples’ movements within their country of residence. Hence, the COVID-19 pandemic adjusted how domestic leisure tourists plan their travel and travel behaviour when preparing for their leisure trips. According to the literature, during a pandemic, tourists prefer going to places that are remote and not crowded while some seek destinations that include technological innovations to eliminate human contact. Furthermore, the literature shows that whilst there are several factors that influence the behaviour of tourists’, this study focused on the social, situational, personal, and economic factors and these factors fall under external and internal factors. There are numerous scholars focusing on international tourist behaviour, however, limited literature is available regarding domestic tourist behaviour especially with the KwaZulu-Natal context. This study adopted a convergent mixed- method approach by using a purposive sample of 10 tourism role-players that represented the qualitative data as well as a snowball sample of 89 domestic leisure tourists representing the quantitative data. Primary data was obtained through the administration of online questionnaires as well as through conducting virtual interviews. The quantitative data was analysed using SPSS and the qualitative data was analysed using NVIVO. According to the findings, there were several changes in domestic tourist behaviour during the pandemic. The study highlights risk aversion behaviour and extreme safety precautions from domestic tourists as a primary priority when making holiday bookings during a pandemic. Furthermore, both qualitative and quantitative data reveal that many domestic tourists experienced financial difficulties that led to booking cancellations and lesser participation in tourism offerings amidst the pandemic. Moreover, the primary and the secondary data concur that there was a greater preference for domestic travel during and after the pandemic. Notably, there was a minority of young domestic tourists who still preferred crowded spaces amid the pandemic. This study provides opportunities for Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) and tourism role-players to focus on economic and psychosocial sustainable strategies that will promote domestic tourism during a pandemic.
Informal support networks as a source of strength for mother-headed households in Cato Crest informal settlement, eThekwini
No full textSubmitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters in Health Sciences degree at the Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2024.The purpose of this study was to explore how informal support networks are used as a source
of strength among mother-headed households in an informal settlement. The four objectives of
this study were to understand the challenges mothers face in mother-headed households in an
informal settlement; to explore how mothers deal with such challenges personally, within their
families and in the context of the settlement; to inquire about what support systems exist to
strengthen mother-headed households in informal settlements; and to understand how such
support systems are used to transcend difficulties experienced.
This study used a qualitative descriptive design which explored the experiences of mothers
between the ages of 21-59, who headed households in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal. Purposive,
convenience and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants for this study. The data
was collected through 12 semi-structured interviews and subsequently analysed using thematic
analysis. From the study, four main themes emerged.
Theme one focused on the nature of the support systems. The three sub-themes that emerged
were the social systems that participants got from religious organisations/churches; family and
neighbours; and social media sites.
Theme two related to the benefits of social networks experienced by the participants. The three
sub-themes that emerged were dealing with personal difficulties and celebrating success;
comfort and support during death and bereavement; and economic benefits.
Theme three focused on the challenges faced by mothers who head households. The nine sub themes that emerged were stress and anxiety; overload of the role as a mother; unemployment
and poverty; food insecurity; poor infrastructure, service delivery and unhealthy living
conditions; energy poverty; exposure to natural vulnerabilities and shack fires; discrimination,
social class bias and stigmatisation; and crime and gender-based violence. Theme four focused on the coping skills used by the mothers. The three sub-themes that
emerged were the coping skills based on the informal social support; degree of spirituality and
religiosity; and resilience and hope.
This is one of the first qualitative studies in KwaZulu Natal, known to the researcher, to
highlight how informal support networks are used as a source of strength among mother-headed
households in an informal settlement. It emerged that informal support networks are a source
of strength for mothers; hence it improved the quality of life. All participants had favourable
experiences with informal social networks, with some mothers expressing that informal social
networks were the most effective way of accessing their social and livelihood needs. This was
despite their experience with different socio-economic challenges. This study builds on the
body of knowledge for informal social networks management and supports the use of these
networks for livelihood and household management.
Future studies should include more qualitative research studies on the psychosocial impact of
informal networks amongst the informal settlement population. The impact of poverty,
inequalities and crime on informal networks should be further investigated in other qualitative
studies. A more detailed study should be undertaken to ascertain the impact and efficacy of
informal networks for the reduction and eradication of socio-economic challenges faced by
residents in the informal settlements.
The role of environmental disclosures in enhancing firm value : evidence from listed manufacturing firms
No full textThe traditional approach to financial performance reporting has experienced a significant shift
as stakeholders increasingly demand greater transparency regarding firms' environmental and
social impact. This has elevated the importance of environmental reporting due to its potential
influence on firms' financial strength. This study investigates the relationship between
environmental reporting and the value of manufacturing firms listed on the Johannesburg Stock
Exchange (JSE) in South Africa. The study conducted a content analysis on 250 annual
integrated reports from 50 manufacturing firms listed on the JSE between 2016 and 2020 and
utilized a multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed a negative relationship between
environmental reporting and firm value, suggesting that adopting environmental reporting may
involve additional financial resources, which are perceived as an outflow of funds in an
economic context. Consequently, this study recommends that manufacturing companies
analyse their stakeholders' characteristics and information needs to present relevant
environmental reporting in their annual integrated reports. By doing so, companies can enhance
their legitimacy with stakeholders, maximise shareholder value, and ultimately increase firm
value. This research contributes to the existing literature on environmental, social, and financial
reporting, particularly in South Africa, by focusing specifically on manufacturing firms listed
on the JSE
Determinants and acceptability of HIV self-testing among vulnerable groups in sub-Saharan Africa : a scoping review protocol
No full textHIV self-testing (HIVST) is where individuals collect their specimens and perform the HIV test privately. HIVST has improved testing uptake and coverage, especially among vulnerable groups of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Vulnerable groups include key populations such as men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and young women. However, little is known about the determinants and acceptability of HIVST among these groups in SSA. Therefore, this scoping review aims to explore the determinants and acceptability of HIVST among vulnerable groups in SSA.MethodsA scoping review will be conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework and further refined by Levac framework. The review will follow a six-step approach: (1) identifying the research question, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) study selection eligibility, (4) charting the data, (5) collating, summarising and reporting the results and (6) consultation. A comprehensive search strategy will be developed, and the following electronic databases will be searched: MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health and the Cochrane Library. Grey literature will also be searched, including conference abstracts and reports. Eligibility criteria will include studies conducted in SSA, published between 2010 and 2023, focusing on vulnerable groups and exploring the determinants and acceptability of HIVST. Two independent reviewers will screen identified studies' titles, abstracts and full texts. Any disagreements will be resolved through discussion or consultation with a third reviewer. Data extraction will be conducted using a standardised form.Ethics and disseminationThis review, not requiring ethical approval, aims to inform policy and intervention design to boost HIV testing adoption within vulnerable communities. We plan to disseminate our findings via a peer-reviewed journal, policy briefs, conference presentations and stakeholder engagement
Registered nurses’ experiences about organisational culture and its impact on the neonatal continuum of care in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
No full textCulture could influence clinical practice within the neonatal continuum of care (NCC). To examine
the influence of culture on clinical practices within the NCC, participant observation and semi structured interviews were undertaken to gather data over a twelve-month period from a purposive
sample of registered nurses (n=21) at a tertiary institution and community health centre in the
eThekwini District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Based on thematic data analysis, the nurses'
cultural practices in the NCC were identified as including communication culture, insensitivity,
work overload, and resource limitations. Understanding these cultural practices is essential for
transformation of nursing services in the NCC to ensure good quality care delivery. For effective
operations and transitions within the NCC, practical changes are required to facilitate quality
nursing care. The study shows how organisational culture can influence the care of a neonate within
clinical practice related to the cultural dynamics of nursing within the NCC. Since nurses are
responsible for ensuring that patients receive good quality nursing care, awareness of their cultural
patterns and behaviours will empower them to transform their current practices to achieve effective
NCC
An employee engagement framework linked to leadership practices and organisational culture at a selected University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal
No full textSubmitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Human Resources Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2024.The main objective of the research study was to develop an employee engagement framework linked to leadership practices and organisational culture for the Durban University of Technology. Continuous and disruptive change in the higher education sector has resulted in a widening disconnect between leadership and employees as well as low levels of employee engagement in higher education institutions in South Africa. The research objectives for the study focused on investigating the role and importance of employee engagement; the relationship between employee engagement and leadership practices; the relationship between employee engagement and organisational culture, as well as between leadership practices and organisational culture; and suggesting ways in which the Durban University of Technology can integrate organisational culture and leadership practices towards enhancing employee engagement. The literature on employee engagement, leadership practices and organisational culture indicated that there is more focus on the business sector as compared to the higher education sector. The findings of the research study are beneficial to employees, employee engagement practitioners and researchers, the Durban University of Technology and other universities. In addition, the study contributed knowledge on employee engagement, leadership practices and organisational culture in the higher education sector, particularly universities of technology. The study adopted a quantitative research methodology which entailed the researcher using a structured closed-ended questionnaire to collect primary data from sample respondents. The target population was N=1861 and a sample size of n=320 was selected using simple random sampling without replacement. After data collection and data cleaning, a response rate of 71.0% was achieved, which was deemed to be acceptable. The collected data was captured to form a data set which was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27 for Windows. Furthermore, various robust parametric and non-parametric tests were conducted to determine the existence of relationships amongst the variables under study as well as the tenability of the employee engagement framework. The Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) resulted in 16 hypotheses being developed, of which seven hypotheses were statistically significant and accepted, whilst nine hypotheses were statistically not significant and rejected. The results of the study were corroborated by previous research studies conducted nationally and globally. The main findings from the research were that line management leadership practices have a significant and positive effect on the employee engagement dimensions of work ethic and supportive environment; a goal-oriented organisational culture has a positive and significant effect on the employee engagement dimension of supportive environment; and a supportive organisational culture has a positive and significant effect on employee centred, inclusive institutional leadership practices as well as line management leadership practices. The research findings suggest that it is vital for the university to find ways to enhance employee engagement across the institution because an engaged workforce benefits an organisation through thriving employees and students. The research study contributed towards the ongoing development of employee engagement literature in the higher education sector and concluded with suggestions/directions for future research studies.
39th Johannesburg International Conference on “Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering” (JCBEE-23) Nov. 16-17, 2023 Johannesburg (South Africa)
No full textAbstract—Recent energy demand and environmental concerns associated with fossil fuels makes
algae biomass a desirable energy source. Algal biomass has a high organic content and a variety of
metabolic properties that make it a promising resource for managing wastewater and sequestering
CO₂, in addition to producing profitable biobased products. However, the operation and valorization
of algae biomass on a large scale are accompanied by significant costs and setbacks. Therefore, the
transition towards a biobased economy requires this study to examine emerging technologies that
could utilize algae biomass as an industrialized feedstock from the wastewater settings. A
comprehensive analysis of various green technologies of producing high-value products (lipids and
hydrocarbons) from algae biomass was reviewed. The fundamental principles that limit the
cultivation , extraction, and conversion of different types of algae biomasses for
commercialization are discussed. Furthermore, the challenges, future research directions and
potential opportunities of valorizing algae biomass was highlighted. It was noted that, exploring
algae biomass towards sustainable waste management with resources recovery is viable for
industrialization