African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies
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Foreign Students Perceptions on Selected Service Quality Dimensions, Customer Satisfaction and Future Behavioural Intentions within Visa Facilitation Services Centres in South Africa
Get PDFOutsourcing the management of migration services has grown globally in recent years. With particular reference to South Africa, Department of Home Affairs(DHA) followed this trend d by outsourcing visa issuance to Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) in 2014 to enable more secure and efficient service delivery in the permitting arena. The purpose of the study was to address a need to understand better the effect of service quality dimensions that are critical in assessing customer satisfaction and future behavioural intention in VFS centres within South Africa. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the convergence of three theories. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional quantitative research design and reports on the results from a survey of foreign students in a selected higher education institution (HEI) in South Africa. Descriptive statistics, correlations and regression analysis were used to evaluate relationships between constructs. In terms of predictive relationships, except for tangibility, the other four service quality dimensions showed significant relationships with customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction in turn showed significant relationships with the future behavioural intentions of the respondents towards VFS. In addition, the outcome of this study provides a useful tool for gaining insight into service quality dimensions that foreign nationals requiring visas consider as important. The study concludes by alluding to the limitations and implications for further research
Challenges Associated with Research Management and Administration in Universities
Get PDFHigher education institutions (HEI) face several obstacles because of the digital revolution that must be solved for them to play a more and bigger part in innovation ecosystems and economies. Therefore, HEIs and policymakers are always in need of a research administrative structure that is mainly favorable and creates an atmosphere where researchers can generate high-quality research outputs. This study aims to outline the problems that university research management and administration face when trying to promote research, innovation, and commercialization. There will be a study of the existing literature to propose a theory (The Triple Helix Model) that is relevant to this study. The study followed a scoping review of literature that is relevant to the subject matter. Practical answers to the questions will then be used in this framework. According to the research cited in this article, HEIs must set up strategic structures and activities to advise policymakers on how to frame robust support systems for research, innovation, and commercialization.
The Impact of the Presence of Prosodic Features (Tone Markings) on Comprehending Setswana Words in Reading
Get PDFThe paper is about the impact of prosodic features, more especially tone marking, in extracting the meaning in Setswana readings, because of its contribution to meaning in Setswana. The research was conducted in response to the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which found that more than 80% of Grade 4 students tested in an African Language were unable to read for comprehension. The semiotic theoretical framework, which is concerned with how signs are used for interpretation, served as the foundation for this study. The focus of the study was on the Intermediate Phase learners from eight schools where Setswana is taught as a First Additional Language and/or as a Home Language. Qualitative and quantitative method approaches were used to collect data. Participants were chosen through random sampling. The study discovered that when words are not marked, learners are unable to determine which meaning is intended. It was discovered that in reading the most difficult aspect is comprehending what has been read. The study proposes that new means of emphasizing prosodic markers (such as tones, accent, stress, and rhythm) be given special focus in the South African education system so that learners may be able to extract meaning and comprehend what they read
Exploring Academics’ Performance Management Experiences at a University of Technology in South Africa
Get PDFThis study was designed to explore the academics’ experiences of the performance management system (PMS) at a university and to understand which of their performances enhanced the achievement of the university’s strategic goals. Furthermore, the study sought to establish the support required by the academics to achieve the performance as captured in their key performance indicators (KPIs) within the faculty. A qualitative research design was adopted using semi-structured, in-depth, individual interviews to collect data from 18 academics, coded L1 to L18. Interview questions revolved around the participants’ four KPIs, namely quality teaching and learning, research productivity, community engagement and participation in management activities. Through content data analysis, participants’ experiences were highlighted. It was revealed that PM at the institution revolved around pre-determined KPIs that were given to the academics in advance before the exercise. The four KPIs later came out as the key PM practises applied by the university to enhance the achievement of its strategic goals. It was also possible to establish the participants’ performance, the support given by the university and the gap between the participants’ performance and the institution’s expectations, as captured in the KPIs. It emerged that whilst the participants had the needed competencies to ensure quality teaching and learning, they also required, among others, a mechanism to assess the impact of teaching on the students’ performance. It further emerged that little was done in terms of research productivity; and that participants required enormous support from the university, and rewards to enable them to publish and supervise. Regarding community engagement and participation in administrative activities, participants indicated that it was more challenging due to pressing teaching loads. Based on the findings, recommendations to enhance all the identified KPIs were proposed
The Ramifications of the Neglect of Indigenous South African Languages by the South African Government: COVID-19 as a Case Study
Get PDFSince the outbreak of COVID-19 towards the end of 2019 and its proliferation across the globe, the lives of many populations have been disrupted, causing intense turbulence in social, economic and political dimensions. With that in mind, this article reflects on and problematises the neglect of the indigenous South African languages by the national government in mainstream communications on COVID-19. Qualitative research inquiry is utilised to explore the importance of indigenous languages in South Africa’s healthcare system. By the same token, an attempt to underline some of the predominant challenges within the selected phenomenon is argumentatively presented using a scoping literature review as a research technique. The findings and discussions indicate that the desolation of indigenous South African languages can be regarded as a repetitive episode of the (post)colonial injustices pertaining to indigenous South African languages as well as the healthcare system. Thus, the concluding remarks emphasise the urgency of inculcating indigenous South African languages into all communication systems, with special reference to the healthcare system
Acceptance of Professional Service Robots: A Cross-Cultural Study
Get PDFService robots are humanoid and non-humanoid machines that communicate and deliver services to customers of an organisation. They are Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled and display human intelligence (Wirtz et al., 2018; Blut et al., 2021). Service robots may undertake cognitive-analytical activities and emotional-social duties. Artificial Intelligence is built-in to service robots, allowing them to interact with the customer as regular hospitality services thrive on providing interpersonal interactions to create customer value. As substitutes for human employees, service robots may posit a psychological and emotional challenge to the traditional view of hospitality services, such as human frontline employees. Professional Service Robots (PRS) have proven to have the potential to drastically change the service industry. The use of PSR is lagging in an African context, necessitating more research on factors that may influence acceptance. This study aims to explore the cultural factors that influence consumers’ acceptance of PSR. The Service Robot Acceptance Model (sRAM) is adopted as a guiding framework for this study. Using an exploratory qualitative research approach data is collected using three focus groups, with 16 participants in total, using the simulation method. Interviews were also conducted with seven participants who were purposively selected based on age, gender, and race. Sexual orientation was found to have a positive influence on acceptance while beliefs and norms were barriers to acceptance, with the Ubuntu philosophy being one of the main reasons for rejection. Language appeared to have a huge role, as forwarded by the sRAM. The results suggest that acceptance of PSR is also dependent on cultural factors, however, its influence is lesser in certain types of service sectors. The research recommends that practitioners, service robot developers, and implementers should consider the culture of the consumers when implementing service robots.
Matters Concerning Citing in Academic Discourses
Get PDFThere is a bone of disconcertion concerning citing in academia – a disconcertion that tends to denote that “old” citations and/or references do not generate significant and relevant credibility to an author’s academic discourse. This perception about old references then regularises what I view as an imprecise perception that “old” material makes a less consequential impact on the author’s discourse. Similarly, there is a defective assumption that “new” or “latest” citations or references warrant the author’s credibility in academic discourses. It is these conflicting, and yet competing presumptions that I view problematic. Therefore, my question is, should a particular citation be discredited on the basis that it is gauged “old”? However, I am aware that an “old” citation may suggest a researcher’s lack of extensive research or may be dependent on the researcher’s focus of study. However, what if, as old as it is, it remains applicable and contemporaneously significant? What if as old as it is, it can be figured as a point of departure for future scholarly discourses? Personally, this premise of “old” citation(s) leaves an outstanding gap between what is a credible and determinative citation, and how the philosophy of knowledge is generated from such citations
Contemporary Nigerian Artists' Response to Postmodernist Trends and Its Implications for Effective Artistic Growth
Get PDFThe arguably retrogressive development of infrastructures, socio-political systems and technology in most African states casts a shadow of doubt on Africa’s claim to modernity and by extension, postmodernity. Within the context of the arts, the argument of this paper is premised on two questions: Why do some Nigerian artists claim to be post-modern? What is the viability of such a claim, in a country that, one is wondering whether it is even a modern society? To proffer answers to these questions, the paper enunciates a historical overview of contemporary African art and artists vis-à-vis the generalized concept of post-modernity, from the subjective view that its conceptualization and understanding, have a direct influence on contemporary artistic practice and expression. The paper then interrogates certain arts, within the context of their postmodern trend. The paper's conceptual framework is premised on Peroziosi’s (2009) postulation that artworks are reflective of their original time, place, and production circumstances. The authors conclude that contemporary artists’ responses to and their manifestation of postmodernist trends are such that can be categorised into three: Those who aspire faithfully to postmodernist principles; those who are inspired by postmodernism but want to progress their society by socio-political and economic reflections, criticism and advocacies as well as those who ordinarily would not have been artists perhaps, if not for the freedom provided by postmodernism
‘Senior Citizen’: Ironic Depiction of West Africa’s Herder-Farmer Crisis in a Conceptual Ceramics Exposition
Get PDFThis paper proffers an art-speech of the farmer-herder crisis in Nigeria from the standpoint of the conceptual ceramic’s exposition. Using the figurative construct of ‘senior citizen’ and the visual art form of conceptual ceramics, this paper creates a sort of metaphorized analogy that depicts an allegory of Nigeria’s perennial farmer-herder crisis scenario, where the wellbeing of the citizenry appears to have been subordinated to those of the herders and their herds. The uncommon ceramic art approach that negates traditional production methods has been explored in this study to interrogate the outlined concerns. This process includes the pinching of plastic clay, placing it in the palm, rolling the clay with both palms into a stick-like shape, placing the stick at the foot of the fingers, tightly compressing the clay by closing the fists, and finally releasing the clay to reveal the product. This style that has been termed fragmented clay palm press terracotta on canvas proved effective and fluid enough to achieve the essence of this study. The intriguing situation of Nigeria’s socio-political metaphor vis-à-vis the prevailing farmer-herder conundrum is explored in an attempt to foreground the existential irony that this awkward situation portends
The Effect of Performance Contracting on Public Service Delivery of Employees in Huduma Centres in Western Kenya
Get PDFKenya's government has faced community pressure to enhance service performance. Service delivery has not improved due to privatization, voluntary early retirement, or reorganization. Performance contracting was an option for decreasing service decreases, but only in partnership with Huduma Centres. According to a 2020 Government report, the Centres serviced less than 30,000 customers daily and earned around Kshs 12 billion in revenue. Previous studies on performance contracting were mostly case studies rather than surveys. According to the literature, performance contracting affected service delivery, but Huduma Centres had a dwindling fortune requiring further study. The study's objective was to assess the effect of performance contracting on service delivery. A correlational survey design was used in the study. The target population consisted of 276 workers. The instrument for data collection was the questionnaire, and data was analysed descriptively and using regression analysis. The results revealed that performance contracting increased service delivery by 60.1% or R2=0.601. The study recommends that attention be paid to all the stages in performance contracting to enhance service delivery, and pieces of training and incentives are crucial to performance contracting. The policymakers now know from the study that incentives, goal setting, and performance monitoring are critical to service delivery