UCT Open Access Journals (Univ. of Cape Town)
Not a member yet
801 research outputs found
Sort by
Investor Confidence and the Growth of Reits in Kenya
Full text linkThe introduction of REITs at the securities market was intended to broaden capital markets, allowing them to be used to raise funds for affordable housing while also serving as an alternative investment choice. However, since its introduction, Kenya’s REITs market has experienced slow development and information is scant on how investor sentiments may influence performance of REITs. The objective of this study was to examine how investor sentiments influence performance of REITs in Kenya. Predictive correlational research design was employed while target population comprised of Fund Managers, Stock Brokers and Investment Banks and Property Developers. Stratified random sampling was used to determine a representative sample size. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data. To summarise the findings, descriptive statistics were employed. Inferential statistics such as the Structural Equation Modelling which incorporated factor analysis, regression analysis and path diagrams were used to test the hypothesized relationships at 5% significance level. The findings Results show that there exists a positive significant influence of investor sentiments on the performance of REITs in Kenya. The study concludes that investor sentiments majorly risk and return are influencing the performance of the REITs market in Kenya, leading to REITs unexpected performance. Continuous engagement sessions between securities market regulatory authority, REITs Association of Kenya, and investors will enhance market confidence, thus lowering the risk-return sentiments. The study recommends that the Capital Markets Authority review the existing market legislation that governs the listing of REITs especially policies on tax for issuance of REITs. In conjunction with the ministry of finance, CMA should consider exempting stamp duty which is charged during the transfer of property into a REIT firm
Plumage maturation, ageing and moult of the Southern Pied Babbler Turdoides bicolor
Full text linkBird ringing allows close contact with different species and allows one to observe details that are impossible to see when viewed from a distance. In this study, we offer indicators for determining the age of Southern Pied Babblers Turdoides bicolor, specifically changes in plumage and the colour of the eye, bill, and gape. We reveal the developmental progression from juvenile to adult-like characteristics, typically occurring within 4–6 months. Additionally, we present moult data gathered from 24 individuals in Namibia, shedding light on the replacement of feathers and timing of complete moult events from this region. Understanding these age-related changes provides valuable insights into this species’ life history and ecology
Re-imagining the Factors Influencing the Choice of Project Management Tools and Techniques in Tanzanian Infrastructure Projects: Elicitation of Practitioners’ Perspectives
Full text linkConstruction project Management tools and Techniques (CPMTT) are vital for the success of construction projects. Nonetheless, there is a paucity of studies that examined the factors influencing the choice of CPMTT in developing countries, particularly, Tanzania. The objective of the study was to analyze the factors influencing the choice of CPMTT in Tanzanian public infrastructure projects, with the aim to fill the knowledge gap. The study was descriptive in nature and employed a mixed method approach. Using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, data was collected from 60 out of 70 Project management practitioners including Consultants and project Coordinators within Dar-es-salaam Metropolitan Development Projects (DMDP) and similar infrastructure projects. Fifty valid responses were received equivalent to 83% response rate and interviews were done. Quantitative data from respondents was analyzed using IBM SPSS v25. The directed content analysis method was employed for qualitative data from 10 Resident Engineers to supplement the quantitative results. Using factor analysis, four groups of organization support, ease of access and usefulness of tools, fulfilment of project objectives, and project environment and idea generation were determined to influence the choice of CPMTT. Project managers frequently choose tools that are easily accessible without considering the organization's project objectives or resource commitment. The findings could be used as a guide for project practitioners to critically assess the areas of weakness and select CPMTT that can help address those weaknesses and hence improve project delivery in Tanzania, an unexplored context. Project managers are called to re-imagine project needs based on priority and select the CPMTT that satisfies the needs based on experience, skills and project objectives as crucial factors in the selection of CPMTT rather than using their discretion. This would improve the delivery of infrastructure projects and, hence, performance outcomes in the construction sector in Tanzania and other emerging countries. This study was limited to DMDP public infrastructure projects in Tanzania.
Keywords: Construction Project Management Tools and Techniques (CPMTT), Decision analysis, mixed-methods, Tanzani
First record of African Dusky Flycatcher on Robben Island
Full text linkAn African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta was observed on 23 May 2024 on Robben Island, Table Bay, South Africa. This brings the total number of bird species recorded on Robben Island to 166; the number reported since 2000 is 135
Graduate Competency and Employer Satisfaction: A Concern for Employment Sustainability of Nigerian Real Estate Graduates
Full text linkReal estate educational institutions in Nigeria seem to rely on student academic performance, programme accreditation status and short time industrial training for self-assessment of their undergraduate programme performance. Little emphasis has been placed on the post-graduation industrial performance to monitor the level of Real Estate Graduate Employer (REGE)’s satisfaction of their Real Estate Graduate (REG)’s competency. This study focused on the ‘hands on’ feedback of the competency of REG (university and polytechnic) compares with the level of satisfaction of their employers (accredited real estate firms) in Nigeria. Data were collected with the use of questionnaire, administered on 339 head of real estate firms in Nigeria and analysed with frequency/percentages and Likert summation scaling/ranking. The finding indicates a mismatch between employer’s competency requirements and satisfaction with REG industrial competency especially in commercial awareness coupled with decreasing competency and increasing employer’s dissatisfaction. The consequent effect may be a threat to the relevance of real estate education in Nigeria tertiary institutions. The study recommended among others, a need for tertiary institutions (offering real estate programme) in Nigeria to identify commercial awareness as a vital competency requirement of the REGE and effectively incorporate such in their curriculum towards stemming the rising substitutes for REG
Service quality attributes and students’ loyalty in influencing housing choice in South Africa
Full text linkStudent accommodation has been lauded as an important aspect of student’s university experience, supporting the performance of a student during their university tenure. Using the service quality model, the study’s objective was to investigate the impact of service quality attributes on student loyalty to a particular student housing.
The constructs were measured on a 5-point Likert scale, with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree. A total of 542 responses were collected from students residing within the Johannesburg area and analysed using SPSS version 28 and AMOS version 29. The results showed that 3 hypotheses were confirmed and 2 were rejected. Both academic and managerial implications were discussed, limitations highlighted, and recommendations made for future research. Overall, the quality of service offered by student housing will have an influence on student loyalty to that residence
Green building certification in South Africa: evaluating adoption, greenwashing and location clusters trends.
Full text linkThis study seeks to investigate the emerging growth trends of green certification in South Africa. It adopts a quantitative descriptive approach to exploring the growth trends and patterns in Green Building certification across South Africa. Variables including the location, owners, rating star level, and rating categories were collected for a sample size of 510 case studies, identified using a purposive sampling technique. The data which spanned 12 years between 2011-2023 was analysed using google spreadsheet and SPSS, to develop time series charts, bar charts, stacked bar charts, and a chi-square test. The study found an increasing growth in green certification adoption in South Africa. It also saw a significant geographical and ownership dispersion alongside a growing inclusion of existing buildings. This study provides the first empirical exploration of the trends in green building certification across South Africa with evidence of the strength of the Green Star rating against the chances of greenwashing the building sector. 
JARER Editorial Vol 9, Issue 1, June 2024
No full textThis is JARER Editorial Vol 9, Issue 1, June 202
Southern giant petrels Macronectes giganteus as indicators of ocean surface currents
Full text linkA Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus was satellite tracked during a long foraging trip. While at rest on the sea surface, the giant petrel drifted in a counterclockwise corkscrew pattern that is characteristic of an inertial oscillation in the Southern Ocean. This note demonstrates that tracking data from resting seabirds can be used as passive drifters to estimate ocean surface currents in a notoriously stormy environment where data near the air-sea interface are difficult to obtain.
Cultivating Procurement Strategies to Manage the Tender Price Level for Public Infrastructure: : A Case Study of IRCP (World Bank) Projects in Zambia
Full text linkPublic infrastructure-based clients implement extant procurement strategies without carefully evaluating particular requirements to select and adapt the most appropriate practices that cultivate the best and most practical benefits of a chosen procurement strategy. The study explored procurement strategies for managing and optimizing construction tender-price levels. The study is an exploratory case study utilizing a desktop review of numerous publications, public domain reports, and person-to-person interviews. The choice of methodology corresponds to the specific nature of the research environment and phenomena characterization of the lack of detailed primary research. The research involves a robust examination of documents and trend analysis of public procurement. It results from extensive extant literature, nine case study packages of improved rural connectivity projects (IRCP), and 21 expert interviews. Improved rural connectivity project (IRCP) is a World Bank-funded project for improving Zambia’s rural road accessibility and strengthening institutional capacity. Eight fundamental characteristics related to a successful procurement strategy identified are cash flow assurance, guaranteed payments, and completeness of designs. Other characteristics include level and type of competition, contractor’s breakeven point, adopted procurement process (work packaging), nature of government support, and protecting market share. The study further identifies central areas for developing a successful and responsive procurement strategy: procurement planning, preferential procurement policy (protectionism), and establishing differential procurement laws. These findings form an appropriate basis for developing relevant procurement practices that improve a procurement strategy for managing construction bid prices. The study indicates the possibility of further exploiting the potential of current procurement strategies for managing construction prices by suggesting a link between poor tender-price management and a high occurrence of procurement-related lapses. The findings highlight gaps only identifiable in tender-price management studies when taking a client perspective and considering the procurement context. This study assists to develop procurement strategies that enhance the chance of deriving value for money while maintain reasonable price levels.
Keywords: construction, construction tender price, procurement strategy, public project