African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies
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An Assessment of University in Entrepreneurship Training as a Means of Reducing Youth Unemployment in South Africa: A Case of Durban University of Technology
Get PDFYouth entrepreneurship is considered an important factor in economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation. Although youth entrepreneurship is considered a key to addressing unemployment, the youth unemployment rate remains worrisome in developing countries. This paper assessed the entrepreneurship training in universities as a means of reducing youth unemployment. Youth unemployment is an impediment to inclusive economic development, limits the earning potential and future prospects of a new generation of South Africans, stymies business growth, threatens social cohesion, and puts pressure on government resources. Data was collected from the Durban University of Technology students in Durban. A qualitative approach was adopted in which semi structured interviews were used to obtain an understanding of the importance of universities in reducing the rate of unemployment in South Africa. In addition, nonprobability sampling, specifically purposive was used in the study to select the Durban University of Technology’s benefiting students from the Durban Entrepreneurship Centre. The data collected was coded and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that universities play a crucial role in supporting youth entrepreneurship in South Africa, which has led to a reduction in the rate of unemployment in South Africa. Findings were categorised into themes. Universities’ effort to reduce unemployment has yielded positive results, however, both the students and the universities are faced with a number of challenges. It is recommended that universities work together with the government to design strategies that help to reduce unemployment in South Africa
Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge to Agricultural Growth in South Africa: A Case of Disaneng Community in the Ratlou Local Municipality
Get PDFIndigenous knowledge is the cornerstone of the society’s agricultural growth; however, its documentation and dissemination remain big challenges. This paper explores the contribution of indigenous knowledge to agricultural growth in the Disaneng community. A qualitative research approach was employed in the study. Twenty participants took part in the study and semi-structured and unstructured interview guides were utilized to collect data from participants. The thematic approach was used to analyze results and five themes emerged during the study. Key themes that emerged include weather patterns, land preparation, seed selection, soil fertility, and stockpiling. The findings revealed that locals are endowed with indigenous knowledge (IK) on land preparation, seed selection, stockpiling, and soil fertility, and this promotes agricultural growth. The study concludes that IK acts as a vehicle for enhancing agricultural growth. However, challenges such as disregard of IK by some religious beliefs continue to hinder the application of IK for the growth of agriculture. Hence, for IK to continue influencing agricultural growth positively, effective measures should be introduced to mitigate the hindrances
Poverty, Agency and Suicide: Men and Women
Get PDFAssumptions linking poverty with sex, associating poverty with agency, as well as connecting agency with suicide, are widespread. Women are often seen as being affected more by poverty than are men. Men are frequently considered to possess more agency than are women, and men are also more prone to suicide than are women. The research aims to assess if poverty, agency, and suicide differences occur across sexual lines, if a poverty-agency-suicide ideation relationship is supported by data, and how this relationship is influenced by sex. A cross-sectional survey design was used, and interviews were conducted with 3,531 participants. Analyses of variance were performed to calculate whether differences in poverty, agency and suicide ideation exist across sexual lines. Correlation analysis was implemented to test for the poverty-agency-suicide ideation relationship, and regression analyses were used to test the moderating effects of sex on the poverty-agency-suicide ideation relationships. Men and women did not differ significantly in terms of levels of poverty, agency, or suicide ideation. Poverty did relate to agency (a negligible effect), but agency did not influence suicide ideation. Poverty had a significant but small effect on suicide ideation. Sex moderated did not moderate the poverty-agency-suicide ideation relationship. The data do not support established stereotypes and empirical findings regarding sex differences across the poverty, agency, and suicide ideation spectrums. The data also do not support the poverty-agency-suicide ideation relationship, nor does sex influence this relationship. Healthcare professionals should be aware that (well-established) stereotypes do not necessarily materialise in all populations
Impact of Sintering Temperature of the Mechanical Properties of a Fe20Cr20Mn20Ni20Ti10Co5V5 Medium Entropy Alloy
Get PDFMedium entropy alloys (MEAs) are new emerging engineering alloys comprising four principal elements characterised by a low enthalpy of mixing and entropies of formation between 1 and 1.5 molar gas constant. They have high strength, wear, and thermal properties. MEAs have generated interest as an alternative material in the last two decades in nuclear, aerospace, and high strength engineering applications. In this research a medium entropy alloy Fe20Cr20Mn20Ni20Ti10Co5V5 with principal elements Fe, Cr, Mn, and Ni was fabricated using spark plasma sintering. Elemental powder mixture was sintered at temperatures of 870oC, 900oC and 950oC under 35 bar pressure under an inert argon atmosphere for 45 minutes using an FCT Systeme GmbH spark plasma sintering machine. After sand blasting the densities of the samples were measured before grinding, polishing, and etching for characterisation. Microstructure analysis was carried using scanning electron and optical microscopy. Microhardness was measured using Falcon 507 hardness tester, modulus using by Anton-Paar Nanoindenter and wear using Anton-Paar TRB3 Tribometer. The elements form a solid solution with presence of a hard μ phase and soft γ-phase were observed. The hardness of the alloys sintered at 870oC and 900oC were 397 and 424 Vickers respectively. The alloy sintered at 950oC showed a hardness of 674 Vickers. After annealing the hardness increased to 736 Vickers. The modulus of elasticity and creep resistance increased after heat treatment at 700oC.The other alloys showed a decrease in hardness and other properties after annealing. Unlike in steels, where annealing reduces, in this alloy annealing increased hardness at an appropriate temperature. Fe20Cr20Mn20Ni20Ti10Co5V5 MEA exhibited good thermal stability. Further work on the alloy will involve its crystallography, and feasibility for use elevated temperature energy applications such as fuel cells, turbines and wear resistant machine components
An Integrative Review to Progress the Responsible Development of Nano-Drugs
Get PDFThere has been extensive research on improving and innovating current treatments for irritable-bowel-syndrome using nanotechnology. However, there are growing challenges to progress these drugs to clinical trials and commercialisation. This study sought to develop a framework to manage key features, overlooked in current studies, to improve the development of drugs. An integrative literature review was used to extract themes by using a summative content analysis to interrogate information. Validity was established when saturation of information was achieved. Reliability focussed on the repeatability of key information. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity, quality by design attributes, metrology, and standardisation of practice emerged as important themes. These themes together among others, were used to develop the framework to manage the drug development process: Knowledge-based society, Foresight planning, Multidisciplinary approach, Unified definition, Adapt to existing standards and guidelines, Precautionary principle, Case-by-case approach, Quality-by-design, Scale-up and Training. The framework provided reflections that no study has considered. The framework will ensure that drug development will be approached strategically to avoid duplication of research-designs, including risk mitigation, quality at the source and supplier-chain management to progress drug development to clinical trials and beyond
Examining the Function and Contribution of Entrepreneurship through Small and Medium Enterprises as Drivers of Local Economic Growth in South Africa
Get PDFThe function and contribution of small and medium-sized firms in ensuring local economic growth are explored in this study. Previous studies show that small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) have many different definitions and metrics. It was indicated that employment is the most popular metric for measuring company size in many different nations in terms of job creation through Small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurship. Although many nations, notably those in the European Union, adopt a lower cut-off point of 250 people, SMEs are typically classified as businesses with less than 500 employees. The goal of the research was to develop a better knowledge of the elements influencing the success of SMEs in South Africa. The study interrogates the question of what role entrepreneurship plays in inspiring the local economic growth of a country. Findings show that entrepreneurs and SMEs are key drivers of local development. The research calls for government investment in SMEs to help them overcome the problems they confront. The study indicated that the contribution and function of SMEs in local government is to stabilize the economy, especially in local communities with the perspective of empowering individuals. The study recommends that the government invest in SMEs to help them deal with socioeconomic issues including unemployment and poverty based on the obstacles encountered by SMEs
Curriculum Theorising in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Get PDFCurriculum theorising is a crucial part of curriculum studies in general and the curriculum discourse in particular. This is why theorising is vital in the articulation of solutions to curriculum problems or challenges. In this era of the Fourth industrial revolution where technology is changing the processes of learning, what it means to learn and how best to learn, the solutions of yesteryears would not solve the educational challenges of today, creating the need for further theorisation. What should curriculum theorisers be responding to in this era, how should they be responding to it and what solutions should they proffer to the new challenges being created by the fourth industrial revolution. This paper seeks to explore these issues and theorise possible pathways or starting points from which curriculum theorisers can begin the theorising of curriculum in this era of the fourth industrial revolution
Learning Financial and Business Skills for the Sustainability of Female Necessity Entrepreneurs in the Informal Street Trade in South Africa
Get PDFWestern-centric studies on opportunity-based entrepreneurship have dominated the literature on female entrepreneurs. Existing research has also tended to focus on the experiences of women in the formal rather than the informal sector. In this article, we examine female necessity entrepreneurs' experiences of learning financial and business skills in the informal street trade in South Africa. The theoretical framework for this research, which was located within a critical feminist paradigm and used a feminist phenomenological design, drew on African feminisms, resilience, and informal learning. Phenomenological, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of twelve women in the informal street trade in the Durban area of KwaZulu-Natal, to capture the essence of their experiences of running their businesses. The main findings showed that poor black women, especially those trading without permits in the informal street trade, faced multiple challenges, but were able to learn some of the financial and business skills necessary for survival. However, this learning was reactive, problem-centred, observation based, imitative, and partial. These findings emphasised the need for these entrepreneurs to upgrade their financial and business skills in order for their businesses to remain sustainable. The study recommended various targeted policy initiatives to support female necessity entrepreneurs
Improving South African Masonry Construction Industry
Get PDFGiven the current state of the masonry construction industry (MCI) in South Africa (SA), this study is long overdue. The issues that require immediate attention are: (1) noncompliance; (2) unethical behaviour and (3) lack of knowledge. Evidence to be presented later demonstrates that not all designers and contractors adhere to building policies, regulations and standards. As the demand for buildings constructed of masonry increases significantly over the next few decades, an intolerably high level of adverse overall impact will result. The study’s aim is to propose a first step toward a remedy strategy to improve the SA MCI’s current state. The objectives are to: (1) present through already published case studies and reports how lack of compliance, ethics and knowledge affects the MCI and (2) suggest recommendations to improve the situation. The study concludes that compliance (predominantly), ethics and knowledge need to be improved in MCI. The study identifies how SA government can improve MCI by systematically implementing ISO 9001: 2015 to improve (1) compliance, (2) ethical behaviour and (3) knowledge in MCI
Socio-Economic Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Impact on the South African Informal Economy
Get PDFThe informal business sector in many developing economies is often seen as a driver of economic growth due to the role that this sector plays in the creation of employment opportunities, increasing the social activities of its communities, and providing business opportunities for rural entrepreneurs. The informal economy has been known to be insulated from macro-economic volatility in the global markets, but this could be an oversight on the part of the national government as they have not taken this sector into account when determining GDP or strategic imperatives to bolster the economy. The COVID-19 pandemic showcased how unprepared many economies were in the face of harsh government-imposed lockdowns and the resultant job losses that occurred due to individuals being unable to go to work. The South African government, whilst acknowledging the informal sector and the subsequent economic and social role it plays, lacks the necessary policy framework and enablement of this sector, as well as a platform that enables the continuation of business practices for informal traders that will protect them from the daunting impacts of a pandemic or another global catastrophe. The purpose of this study is to comprehend and analyse the socio-economic ramifications of the COVID-19 epidemic and its impact on the informal economy in South Africa. To do so, the study utilises discourse analysis and which is carried out using a secondary data collection approach. Theses for master's and doctoral degrees, papers presented at conferences, policy documents, government gazettes, statistical data from governments, and reports from international organizations are all taken into consideration. Articles published in scientific journals that have been subject to the process of peer review are also taken into account. According to the findings of the study, in order to protect the informal sector from unforeseen disasters in the future, it is recommended that policies and protection mechanisms be put into place