UNAM Gā-aisib Repository (University of Namibia)
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An assessment of the effectiveness of performance based reward systems on employee performance at the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund in Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master in business administration management strategyEmployees are rightly regarded as the most valuable assets in an organisation. In
businesses, compensation is a critical issue that administrators, particularly human
resource managers, must properly manage. The MVA Fund introduced the rewards and
recognition policy and Performance Management Policy in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
A mixed methods approach consisting of both interpretivist, and positivist approaches
was imperative for this study as it also allowed the researcher to gain a deeper
understating of the research problem. During the quantitative phase of this study, a
survey in this research included a sample selected from managerial and non-managerial
employees at the MVA Fund Headquarters in Windhoek by use of questionnaires in
order to determine their perceptions on the effectiveness of performance-based reward
systems on their performance. The qualitative made use of a case study by means of
interviews. Descriptive data analysis was performed, to analyse the demographics of
respondents who showed a youthful population, with 71 percent females and 79 percent
being general employees. 51 percent worked for 6 to years and 32 percent possessed
master’s degrees. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative results under literature control
indicate that extrinsic rewards comprising of Salary increase, Bonuses, Commission,
Supervision, Employee motivation, Employee commitment and Employee satisfaction
have a positive effect on employee performance. The correlation coefficient is at r=
0.329, indicating a positive but weak correlation between Employee performance and
Supervision of employees. Correlation between Employee performance and intrinsic
rewards are all significant with P values less than 0.05, for all the seven variables the
two tailed Significant value is p= 0.0000, meaning that we reject H0, concluding that
there is a significant relationship between intrinsic rewards and employee performance.
Results from focus group interviews also confirmed that there is a positive and strong
relationship between performance-based rewards and employee performance. The study
recommends that employee participatory decision making should be encouraged, also
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that there should be an improvement in leadership behavior and the work environment to
keep career developmen
Demographic and socio-economic factors influencing medical care-seeking behaviour among people who experienced mental health issues in Namibia
No full textA research thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Public HealthThe current study originated from the effort to establish if the demographic and socio-economic factors influence the medical-care seeking behaviours of people who experienced mental health issues in Namibia. The study identifies geographically diverse populations in Namibia through the secondary data collected from the 2013 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) to gain information regarding overall influences on medical-care seeking behaviours. The study employed a quantitative approach, and cross-sectional, analytical design. Thereafter, descriptive and inferential statistics, lineal regression and Chi-square were used to determine the demographic factors and socio-econmic factors influences on medical-care seeking behaviours of respondents with mental health problems. The study established an association between the medical care-seeking behaviour of respondents with mental illnesses and demographic factors such as age, gender, place of residence, and their regions. This association includes the socio-economic factors such as wealth and education. Women were found to develop mental challenges than their men counterparts, yet are likely to seek medical care than their men equivalents. Other results showed that mental-health illness were more common among women than their men counterparts and they are more likely to seek medical care compared with men. Although the age group from 15-44 is more susceptible to encounter mental health challenges, they are more likely to seek medical care than those in the age group from 45 and above. Rural resopndents are more likely to seek medical care compared to urban dwellers. It is important to study whether these influences are changing over time, and ii whether help seeking for mild and common disorders versus severe mental illness is becoming easier or harder as a result of the overall combination of influences
Factors influencing the retention of clients receiving HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis in Engela district, Namibia.
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of requirements for the Degree of Master of Public HealthHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the epidemics that has affected the world for years now. Namibia remains one of the countries burdened and overstrained by the HIV epidemic. Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is now included as an additional option for people at substantial risk of HIV infection in the context of a combination HIV prevention package in Namibia. However, the retention rate in PrEP care remains low. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the factors influencing the retention rate of clients receiving PrEP in Engela district, Namibia. The objectives of the study were to determine the retention rate of clients in PrEP care three months after initiation, to identify socio-demographic factors that affected retention in care of clients on PrEP, to describe structural factors affecting retention in care of clients in PrEP, and to determine factors and strategies to improve retention of clients on PrEP in the Engela district, Namibia. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used for this study. Two hundred and fifty participants for the study were selected using a proportional stratified random sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. SPSS version 28 was used to analyse the data. Statistical tests used included Chi-square tests and logistic regression. The findings from this study showed that the participants’ retention rate in PrEP care was 35.6%. Chi-square tests showed associations between retention in PrEP care and sex, relationship status, education, and employment status (p55 years. Males were statistically significantly less likely to be retained in PrEP care compared to females. Divorced participants and participants in a relationship were statistically significantly less likely to be retained in PrEP care compared to single participants. The unemployed participants were statistically significantly less likely to be retained in PrEP care compared to the employed. More than three-fifths of the participants agreed or strongly agreed that distance to the healthcare facilities, lack of friendly staff at the healthcare facilities, shortage of staff at the healthcare facilities, and having a supportive partner would strongly influence their retention in PrEP care. In conclusion, it was therefore recommended that PrEP education be offered to patients and the public at healthcare facilities and other public places, PrEP services are ii decentralised, operating hours of healthcare facilities be expanded, healthcare facilities are adequately staffed, and PrEP drugs’ availability is improved
A cognitive stylistics study of the Nama-Herero genocide in Kubuitsile’s the scattering, Utley’s lie of the land, Tjingaete’s the weeping graves of our ancestors and Van Den Berg’s parts unknown
No full textThis study examined four Namibian Nama-Herero literary texts about the genocide in Namibia through the application of the cognitive stylistics theory as a framework for analysis. These are namely, Lauri Kubuitsile’s The Scattering (2016), Jaspar D. Utley’s Lie of the Land (2017), Rukee Tjingaete’s The Weeping Graves of our Ancestors (2017) and Zirk van den Berg’s Parts Unknown (2018). The four novels were chosen because they present the Nama-Herero genocide, which took place from 1904 -1908 where over 65,000 Ovaherero and 10,000 Nama people died in what is known as the first genocide of the twentieth century. The study aimed at probing how the usage of the tools of cognitive stylistics can aid the reader to better understand the construction of narratives of the genocide in the selected Namibian fictional imaginaries. The study promotes new discourses on cognitive stylistics studies of Namibian literary works. The study is significant to researchers and readers as it is a useful reference tool for students, politicians and researchers conducting studies in the field of cognitive stylistics. Cognitive stylistics combines explicit, rigorous and detailed linguistic analysis of literary texts. Cognitive linguistics argues that a particular situation in a literary text can be interpreted in different ways. The study followed a qualitative approach whereby a content analysis instrument was used to collect the data. It was a desktop analysis study as no fieldwork was carried out. Observations from nuanced readings of the texts indicated that themes in the selected texts largely centre on the natives’ experiences of the genocide during this period of colonial occupation and encounter. Conceptualising and implementing cognitive tools, the study also analysed how the Herero and Nama people suffered at the hands of German colonial rule, whereby natives were incarcerated, tortured, raped, and killed and their livestock confiscation. This was achieved through the examination of literary creativity through the use of cognitive ii metaphor, genocidal trauma, and mental and physical oppression. Several creative writing resources were used to project genocidal narratives in telling genocidal fictionalised stories. In addition to that, conceptual metaphors were used to establish a connection between the reader and the connection extends beyond the reader and text to include specific contextual aspects. Considering the extent of the Nama-Herero genocide where an estimated 80% of the Ovaherero and about 20% of the Nama populations were wiped out, the study concluded that ordinary human beings do not take pleasure in killing fellow humans unless it is evil-spirited and coupled with the extreme hate for people from other races or owing to differences in opinion. The study also concluded that the Germans used crime and punishment to colonise the then-German South West Africa. One of their plans was to exterminate the local Ovaherero and Nama populations as a form of punishment. The extermination of the local Ovaherero and Nama populations was the punishment for the local indigenous people for their resistance to German’s occupation. It was concluded that reading, analysing and schematising genocidal fictional works can reflect a negative past for current world citizens to understand and adopt ways that can be used to prevent genocide
Challenges facing principals in managing the implementation of the revised curriculum: A case of the Ohangwena region of Namibia
No full textA research thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Leadership, Management and Policy studies)The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges facing principals in managing the implementation of the revised curriculum in secondary schools in the Ohangwena region in Namibia. The study drew from Mintzberg’s education management roles theory. The findings from this research can assist the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in addressing some of the challenges that principals encounter in managing the curriculum, and they can help in introducing management programmes and strategies that may improve principals’ curriculum management skills. The study used a qualitative case study design. The population comprised of all secondary school principals and inspectors in the Ohangwena region. Purposeful criterion sampling was employed to select the sample. The sample consisted of four secondary school principals running better performing schools and four inspectors supervising the principals of the selected schools. Document analysis and semi structured interviews were used as data collection instruments. It was established from the study findings that principals tried to fulfil their roles as curriculum leaders but they are faced with some challenges such as lack of teaching and learning resources, lack of qualified teaching personnel and the phasing in of higher grades among others. However, measures were suggested to mitigate the challenges. The study concluded by pointing out that although principals tried to execute their duties as curriculum managers, they still require training and ongoing support to execute certain aspects of their duties of managing the implementation of the curriculum. As such, the study recommended effective training for curriculum management, clear guidelines on managing curriculum implementation, and knowledge about the curriculum, inclusive of the process and practice, which should ii be provided to the principals. The researcher further recommended a more comprehensive study in curriculum management and leadership in secondary schools
Health care seeking behaviour of caregivers for children under five years towards diarrhoea in Havana – Windhoek, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in a partial fullfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master’s Degree in Public HealthPoor sanitation, lack of access to clean water supply and inadequate personal hygiene are responsible for 90 % of diarrheal disease occurrences worldwide. This study identified the health care seeking behaviours of caregivers toward diarrhoeal disease among children under-five years in the Havana informal settlement in Windhoek Namibia. The research methodology utilized a mixed method approach, with explanatory sequential design. The study recruited 147 participants using systematic random sampling for the quantitative data and 8 participants using purposive sampling for the qualitative data. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire for quantitative data and in-depth interviews for qualitative data. SPSS version 25.0 was used to analyse the quantitative data and thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Quantitative findings revealed that 44.9 % of the children had diarrhoea in three months before the study and 46.94 % of those caregivers sought medical care. The study found that there is no significant association between health seeking behaviour and Caregiver’s s Marital Status (p=0.474), Caregiver’s Age (p= 0.478), Employment Status (p=0.95), Health Insurance Status (p=0.209) and Household Monthly Income Range (p=0.307).Qualitative data revealed that “the caregivers perceive diarrhoea a disease that is easy to treat and that they do not seek medical care because the disease disappears on its own without the need for medical care”. The study recommends that the Ministry of Health and Social Services should increase awareness about diarrhoea in Informal settlement
Characterisation of bacterial symbionts in selected drought-tolerant legumes for biofertilisers development for use in Namibia
No full textA dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy in microbiologyNamibia is a semi-arid country with approximately 1% of arable land. Crop cultivation
is profoundly challenged by nutrient-poor sandy soils combined with low water
retention. To meet the increasing food demand, farmers resort to applying synthetic
fertilisers and pesticides despite their environmental consequences. However, there is
increasing evidence that arid or semi-arid plant microbiomes offer an unexploited
reservoir that is pivotal to plant health, growth, and development. Plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) are of increased interest as they offer sustainable
alternatives to environmentally unfriendly and unsustainable chemical fertilisers. The
present study aimed to isolate, identify, and characterise plant-associated bacteria from
five drought-tolerant legumes grown in Namibia. Identification was done using 16S
rRNA sequencing and bioinformatics. Plant growth-promoting (PGP) abilities were
characterised based on exopolysaccharide production, antifungal activity, indole acetic
acid production, phosphate solubilization, siderophore production, and bacterial
nitrogen fixation. Using 16S Illumina metagenomic sequencing, this study
characterised the plant microbiomes of the nodules, roots, rhizosphere, and seeds.
Isolates identified from the roots and rhizosphere were from the Proteobacteria (72%),
Actinomycetota (15%), Bacteroidetes (5%) and Firmicutes (8%) phyla and included
known plant growth-promoting species such as Stenotrophomonas pavanii,
Streptomyces murinus, and Enterobacter cloacae. Nodule endophytes were mostly
from the phylum Firmicutes (88%). The identified genera include Bacillus, Priestia,
Paenibacillus, Gottfriedia, Neobacillus, Lysinibacillus, Fictibacillus, and
Brevibacillus. Characterisation found that rhizobacteria expressed more plant growth promoting traits compared to root endophytes. Siderophore production was observed
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in most root endophytes and rhizobacteria. The following isolates, CRhi10, CRhi15,
MBRhi17, HR5, RMBRhi4, RMBRhi1 and IPCRhi7 from the legume root
endospheres and rhizospheres showed the most potential as plant growth promoters.
A total of 34 nodule endophytes tested positive for at least one plant growth-promoting
trait. Isolates MB1, MB3.1, H14, M25-11, M8-16.1 and M8-16.2 showed the most
potential as plant-growth promoters. CRhi15 (S. maltophilia), HR5 (E. mori), H14 (P.
aryabhattai), M25-11 (L. boronitolerans), and M8-16.1 (Bacillus sp.) were selected
and assessed for their ability to induce drought tolerance on Vigna unguiculata seeds
in potted trials. The inoculants were also combined and assessed in a consortium.
Drought tolerance was observed to be highest with S. maltophilia (CRhi15), Bacillus
sp. (M8-16.1) and E. mori (HR5). The average root length under drought stress was
37.5 cm, 51.8 cm, and 33.7 cm respectively while the average shoot length was 63.1
cm, 80.6 cm, and 75.3 cm. Microbiome analysis of the root, rhizosphere and seed
microbiomes found important plant growth-promoting genera. These include Bacillus,
Mesorhizobium, Pseudomonas, and Bradyrhizobium. The nodule microbiome was
predominantly Bradyrhizobium. The relative abundance of the nitrogen-fixing
Bradyrhizobium genus was determined in four drought-tolerant legume species- Vigna
aconitifolia (mothbean), V. unguiculata (cowpea), Lablab purpureus (dolichos), and
Macrotyloma uniflorum (horsegram). Both culture-dependent and independent
methods revealed that these PGP bacteria can promote plant growth under drought,
nutrient and biotic stress conditions. Therefore, S. maltophilia (CRhi15), Bacillus sp.
(M8-16.1) and E. mori (HR5) may be further explored in field trials in efforts to
develop commercial biofertiliser
A development financiers’ experience in financing land and housing developments with reference to the Development Bank of Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master in business administration- FinanceThe objective of the study was to examine key challenges faced by the Development Bank
of Namibia (DBN) and land and housing Developers in the financing and development of
land and housing projects, with a view to recommending strategies to enhance the
provision of housing finance. The DBN is a Development Finance Institution (DFI), which
endeavours to provide solutions to pressing national economic priorities such as housing.
The study took a descriptive approach with a surveying three distinct participants involved
in the housing provision process, i.e., DBN staff members, Developers and Contractors as
well as Consulting Engineers. The study identified the rising non-performing loans as the
main challenge faced by DBN using cross case analysis. The rising non-performing loans
are ascribed from a combination of internal and external factors such as weak credit risk
assessment, portfolio management inefficiencies by the DBN and weak project
management on the part of Developers or Contractors. Moreover, the study found that
Developers and Contractors lack capital to contribute to equity as required by financial
institutions such as the DBN. Furthermore, the study found that Developers and
Contractors lack technical capacity to execute land and housing projects successfully. The
study recommends for the DBN to refine its credit risk assessment and strengthen its
portfolio management function in evaluating projects. The study further recommends
Developers to enhance their project management skills in order to improve their project
implementation skill
Digital preservation maturity at the office of the Prime Minister of Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts (Records and Archives Management) of the University of NamibiaDigital preservation involves actions that are aimed at making sure that digital records remain accessible for as long as they are needed. In order to assure the effective long-term preservation of digital records, certain standards and best practices have to be met and adhered to. Assessing the effectiveness of digital preservation is crucial, particularly for organisations that are in the business of digital preservation. This study investigated and assessed the extent to which digital preservation is carried out in the context of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) of Namibia. A qualitative case study was the appropriate design for the study. The population of this study consisted of individuals that were involved in the entire process of the preservation of electronic records with long-term or permanent values, specifically staff members of the EDRMS department and the OPM at large. At the time of conducting the study, the OPM had a total of three hundred and eighty-seven (387) staff members. A census sampling technique was applied to include all seven (7) members of the EDRMS Department. Using the snowball technique, the Head of Archive referred the researcher to two (2) staff members from each of the twelve (12) departments, bringing the total sample to thirty-one (31). This study made use of semi-structured interviews and observation as the data collection methods and these were supplemented by document reviews. The collected data collected were analysed through content analysis. Among others, the main findings of the study include the unavailability of a digital preservation policy and strategy, formal information governance, collaboration framework, and written agreements with users and producers. The study also found that the institution did not provide extra training to its staff members and as such, they did not have specialised and professional technical expertise. ii The study recommended that the OPM should implement a Digital Preservation Policy and invest in collaboration, training and grooming of specialised professional technical expertise
Experiences and coping strategies of clinical psychologists and intern clinical psychologists working with victims of trauma in the Khomas region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of masters of arts in clinical psychologyThe occurrence of traumatic incidences is common in Namibia. Clinical and intern clinical
psychologists at times work with clients who have experienced these traumatic events
during therapy. This puts them at risk of being affected by the accounts of their clients’
experiences. There is limited research that has been conducted on the impact of working
with victims of trauma in Namibia. This research, therefore, examined the experiences of
working with victims of trauma from the perspectives of clinical and intern clinical
psychologists. The impact of trauma work and the coping mechanisms utilised by clinical
and intern clinical psychologists who work with victims of trauma were determined. The
study applied a qualitative approach together with a case study design. Eleven
participants, of which 90% were female, took part in the research and were all based in
the Khomas region of Namibia. Data were collected by interviewing the participants using
a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis
was applied for data analysis. The themes from the analysis were: the helper’s
perspectives on trauma work, responses to trauma work, risk factors, the role of empathy
in trauma work, discomfort with the limitations of the role, work and professional issues,
coping with trauma work, social support and self-care. Clinical and intern clinical
psychologists are impacted in both negative and positive ways through their work with
victims of trauma. These experiences were vicarious traumatisation, secondary traumatic
stress, compassion fatigue, burnout, compassion satisfaction, vicarious resilience and
post-traumatic growth. Institutions of higher learning should equip students with coping
mechanisms for working with victims of trauma and with therapy work in general. The
research findings will be shared and made available to the Psychological Association of
Namibia and the Ministry of Health and Social Service