Cape Peninsula University of Technology
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The relationship between change implementation, organisational citizenship behaviour and job satisfaction in the business process outsourcing industry in the Western Cape, South Africa
No full textThesis (MTech (Human Resources Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.Change management is inevitable in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
industry in South Africa, where organisations have to be constantly vigilant when
tackling the interwoven relationship between change implementation, organisational
citizenship behaviour (OCB) and job satisfaction.
The objective of this Master’s thesis study was to examine the nature of change
implementation in the BPO industry, to determine the effects of change
implementation on OCB and job satisfaction and to examine the relationship between
change implementation, OCB and job satisfaction
The interpretation of visual cues on billboards in urban and periurban areas : a semiotic analysis
No full textThesis (MTech (Graphic Design))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.In the South African advertising industry, blame is often cast on the designer for a failed
campaign. However, human interactions are multi-faceted and deserve further exploration,
particularly if the designer is expected to be socially responsible. If this is the case, one has
to consider society as a whole if potentially life-saving or socially transformative advertising
campaigns are going to be impactful. This study focuses on a specific public awareness
campaign related to HIV/Aids education, the loveLife campaign, and how its billboards were
interpreted. This study employs a qualitative research design and semiotic analysis with
student participants from schools in Cape Town, South Africa, to investigate how the target
audience understands and interprets campaign billboards
An in vitro comparison of cellular destruction and metabolic effects occurring in stored, leuco-reduced and irradiated red blood cells
No full textThesis (MTech (Biomedical Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.Biochemical and haematological changes occur in red blood cellular products during the recommended storage period of 35 to 42 days at 1°C to 6°C. The restriction of the sodium/potassium pump at specified temperatures result in low intracellular potassium ion levels while an increase in sodium ion levels are observed and acidosis occurs as a result of low pH concentrations due to glucose consumption. Structural and morphological changes occur such as the release of free haemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase and potassium into the supernatant causing the formation of spheroechinocytes and osmotic fragility. All these factors negatively impact the rheological properties of blood. These changes that transpire in the red cells during the storage period are referred to as “storage lesions”.
Transfusion-associated graft versus host disease is an immunological and often fatal adverse transfusion reaction with gamma irradiation of cellular blood products used as a preventative measure. Gamma irradiation exacerbates storage lesions and of particular concern has been the increased potassium levels resulting in neonatal and infant hyperkalaemia. The storage lesions occurring in non-irradiated red blood cellular products are well documented although the literature regarding its irradiated counterparts has been less studied. A study of this nature has not previously been done in Cape Town, South Africa
Synthesis of clay-based catalysts for bioethanol conversion
No full textThesis (MTech (Chemical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.For decades, clays have been applicable as commercial catalysts mostly for cracking in petroleum industries. Clays are also used for development of useful catalysts for various other industrial applications. Hence, this work was aimed to synthesize clay-based catalysts from clay minerals (Kaolin, bentonite and talc) that will be active for the conversion of bioethanol to fuel hydrocarbons.
Catalyst characterisation techniques employed on the samples produced in this work include the Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and the X-Ray Diffraction pattern (XRD). All catalytic reactions were carried out in a fixed bed reactor (at fixed reaction condition of 6 hour and 350 ⁰C) and corresponding reaction products (liquid and gaseous) were analysed through a Gas Chromatograph- Flame Ionisation Detector (GC-FID) and Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS). The activity of clays in their non-modified state was studied and they were all found active for bioethanol conversion to hydrocarbons. Bentonite was the most active catalyst with bioethanol of 84.95 % and this through subsequent beneficiation and acid-modification approach, led to increased bioethanol conversion of 87.3 %. EDS/SEM characterisation of the catalyst in line to the above modification and increased catalyst activity, revealed that the structural morphology of bentonite and the concentration of basic structural elements (in terms of Si/Al ratio) was increased
An exploratory study on the impact of social media of selected commercial banks in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
No full textThesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.Social media have exacerbated negative impact across all facets of commercial
banks. The evolution and ubiquity of social media has permeated the unprecedented
pressure which is unavoidable in two identified commercial banks located in the
Eastern Cape (OR Tambo District, Mthatha) namely: ABSA and Standard Bank in this
decade of information technology. Thus, social media have imposed negative
impressions on employees’ understanding, thereby resulting in the negative
perceptions of employees regarding its benefits and influence which drastically
amounted to change of employee interactions and communication.
The primary objectives of the study are to investigate the impact made by social media
on teams in the banking sector and to ascertain the types of teams who are utilizing
social media tools. A quantitative research method was employed whereby 194
questionnaires were distributed and 102 completed, thereby generating a response
rate of 53%. The data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. The results present
the descriptive statistics in the form of graphs, cross-tabulations and other figures for
the quantitative data that was collected. Inferential techniques included the use of
correlations and chi square test values which were interpreted using p-values. This
study findings revealed a significant relationship between biographical variables (age,
gender, race, level of education, work experience, job category, job type, job level and
employer) and five dimensions (understanding of social media, social media optimism,
social media influence on human interactions, challenges of social media in banks and
perceptions in business etiquette). The study’s findings revealed a positive and
significant relationship between social networking as a great contributor to business
productivity and that social media, as a medium, enhances communication
effectiveness at 0.448**
.
However, social media optimism was found to be negative due to lack of trust. The
challenges of social media have come with embedded risks of fraud, hacking of
information and so forth. These impacts were identified as risks which could violate
policies and procedures of financial institutions. This study concludes and
recommends that branch managers from commercial banks (ABSA and Standard
Bank) should formulate and develop policies to guide employees on the use of social
media; this is to intensify intervention in the event of inevitable excessive loss in the
financial strength of these commercial bank
Techno-economic evaluation of using maize for bioethanol production compared to exporting it from South Africa
No full textThesis ( MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.Capital investment in bioethanol production requires sound economic feasibility studies.
This study investigated the economic feasibility of using maize as a feedstock to produce
bioethanol in South Africa. There is a huge opportunity to use dedicated underutilised
arable land to grow maize which can be used for both consumption and bioethanol
production. The study used 200 000 ton/year of maize that could have been exported to
SADC countries to size a plant that produces 80 million litres per year of bioethanol. An
advanced bioethanol processing technology that separates the fibre/bran which is burnt in
a steam boiler to produce process steam was selected owing to advantages such as low
energy consumption and capital expenditure on fermentation and distillation equipment.
This study employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data.
The findings from a qualitative instrument indicated that a majority of respondents were in
favour of the decision of excluding maize made by the South African government. Putting
security of food at risk and uncertainty in the profitability of a maize-fed bioethanol plant in
the South African context, were two of the primary reasons the respondents opted for an
explicit exclusion of maize as a feedstock. Findings from quantitative analysis revealed that
the profitability of the bioethanol plant was largely influenced by the prices of feedstock and
bioethanol. The 2016 fiscal year indicated the worst case scenario in terms of economic
viability of the bioethanol. The astronomically high price of maize due to drought
(R5000/ton) rendered the project unprofitable as all of the economic indicators were
negative. In the same marketing year, however, the trade balance of maize was positive,
indicating a surplus. The study recommended that all of the surplus maize should be
exported because it is not economically viable to build a bioethanol plant.
The 2011 fiscal year indicated the best case scenario in terms of the economics of the
project. This was due to the decrease in price of maize (R1726/ton) and a slight increase
in the price of bioethanol. All of the economic indicators were positive, suggesting the
benefits of investing in bioethanol production. It was recommended that under normal
conditions of maize production in South Africa, a bioethanol plant can be operated
simultaneous to maize exportation to other countries without compromising food security,
because a maize-fed bioethanol plant uses only a small proportion of maize (14.3%) from
the total volume of maize that is exported. Furthermore, it generates more revenue (99.9%)
compared to the maize export revenue. It was recommended that sensitivity analysis
should be conducted in a holistic manner whereby all variables in the economic model
must be adjusted to assess the impact of each on the overall project profitability
Synthesis of Co-Cr-Mo/ fluorapatie nano-composite coating by pulsed laser depositionfor dental applications
No full textThesis (MTech (Biomedical Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.Metallic materials play an essential role in assisting with the repair or replacement of bone tissue that has become diseased or damaged. Metals are more suitable for load bearing applications compared to ceramics or polymeric materials due to high mechanical strength and fracture toughness that are exhibited by metallic materials. However, the main limitation in the application of these metallic materials is the release of the toxic metallic ions. The release of these ions is caused by the interaction of metallic materials with human body fluids. These ions react with body tissue, which might lead to various adverse tissue reactions and/or hypersensitivity reactions.
Cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) alloys are one of the most useful alloys for biomedical applications such as dental and orthopedic implants because of acceptable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, the use of these alloys in biomedical applications has of late come under scrutiny recently due to unacceptable revision rates of applications such as hip resurfacing and total hip arthroplasty designs. Failure analysis has demonstrated that solid and soluble wear debris and corrosion products resulted. This release of ions from the joints has resulted in adverse local tissue reactions. Laser-aided deposition is a material additive based manufacturing process via metallurgically bonding the deposited material to the substrate. Due to its capability to bond various materials together, it became an attractive technology. The principal aims of this study were to 1a) fabricate nanocomposite materials by depositing fluorapatite nanopowder onto the Co-Cr-Mo dental alloy using pulsed laser deposition and 1b) evaluate which laser beam energy and layer thickness, based on the exposure time period, would be applicable, and 2) evaluate bioactivity properties on biological material
In vitro conservation of selected endangered plant species indigenous to the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa
No full textThesis (MTech (Horticulture))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.This study focused on optimising four types of in-vitro conservation methods, namely: 1), micropropagation, 2) in-vitro slow growth, 3) seed germination and 4) cryopreservation for selected endangered plant species indigenous to the Cape Floristic Region. It is one of the targets set by United Nations millennium development goals, to integrate different conservation measures in order to preserve plant diversity and mitigate losses of genetic diversity. Therefore this study uses Phalaenopsis hybrids as a trial species that can be studied for the conservation of endangered Disa and Eulophia species through micropropagation and in vitro slow growth. Also conservation attempts on Leucadendron and Mimetes species that occur in the Cape Floristic Region were attemted to increase population densities by increasing germination percentages using smoke. Furthermore, the study attempted to store seeds by assessing different cooling rates for optimising cryopreservation measures for effective conservation. The use of tissue culture to increase propagules especially critically endangered species in South African has proven to be feasible. For the trial hybrids, shoot and protocorm explants of Phalaenopsis Psychosis Pink X P. No. 1; P. Large white X P. Large pink; P. No. 1 X P. Large pink; P. Mini pink X Brighton belle; and the P. aphrodite formed clusters of protocorms and shoots when cultured on ½ strength MS media supplemented with 10, 20 and 30gL-1 banana extract or ½ strength Murashige and Skoog, (1962) (MS) media supplemented with peptone. Continuous protocorms formation could therefore be obtained by culturing endangered Disa and Eulophia shoots and protocorms on banana containing media. Plantlet conversion from somatic embryos produced on 10gL-1 banana extract enriched media was successfully achieved on ½ strength MS supplemented with 20gL-1 sucrose and no plant growth regulators in the medium. However, optimum rooting was achieved on ½ strength MS supplemented with 30gL-1 of banana extract and this medium yielded the highest survival percentages for plantlet acclimatisation. Furthermore, ½ strength MS supplemented with 1gL-1 of peptone served as a stimulant for shoot development and protocorm formation. When coupled with banana extract at all stages of development, regeneration and rooting were enhanced
The relationship(s) between the managerial conduct and the internal control activities of South African fast moving consumer goods SMMES
No full textThesis (DTech (Internal Auditing))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.Although South African Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) play an imperative role in the stimulation of the national economy, previous research studies show that these business entities have severe sustainability problems as approximately 75% of these business entities fail after being in operation for only three years. The latter dispensation is pinned on the belief that South African SMMEs make use of inadequate and/or ineffective internal control systems. Taking into account that a system of internal control comprises five inter-related elements, as well as the fact that management is responsible for the internal control in their respective business entities, this research study placed focus on determining the relationship which exist between the managerial conduct of management and the internal control activities evident in South African fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) SMMEs. In order to achieve the latter, two literature reviews were conducted (see Chapter 2 and Chapter 3) and, in turn, quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire and analysed accordingly through both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (see Chapter 5). Based on the analysed data, a very weak negative statistically significant relationship was identified between the managerial conduct of management and the internal control activities evident in South African FMCG SMMEs. Regardless of the very weak negative statistically significant identified relationship, the results vindicate the importance of appropriate managerial conduct, as well as adequate and effective internal control activities. Stemming from this, a new proposed framework (Control Legacy-K Framework) was developed which South African FMCG SMMEs can implement to help enhance their overall sustainability which, in turn, can help them fortify their continuation rate in the foreseeable future (see Chapter 6)
Optimisation and evaluation of boron analysis for pressurized Water reactor plants
No full textThesis (MTech (Chemistry))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.Boron concentration analysis is an important and critical analysis performed by the Analytical
Chemistry Laboratory at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station (KNPS), because boron controls
reactivity and the concentration determination is a Technical Specification Parameter (safety
parameter). Hence accurate, precise results for boron concentration produced by
laboratories and on-line analysers are important because of their operational implications
associated with reactivity control and also for nuclear safety.
The project focused on comparing the quality of chemical analysis results of boron produced
by analysis techniques/ methods used at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station namely;
Potentiometric Titration, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (Flame) and UV-VIS
Azomethine-H method. The methods were described, optimised, evaluated and compared in
terms of uncertainty of measurement, accuracy, precision, analysis range, limitations,
appropriateness and applicability for boron analysis in 2500 mg B/kg concentration range.
For Potentiometric Titration method, the measurement uncertainty = 2500 ±16 mg B/kg,
accuracy= 0.2%, precision= 0.08% the range of analysis= 5-800 mg B/kg. For Atomic
Absorption Spectrophotometry (Flame) the measurement uncertainty= 2500 ±51 mg B/kg,
accuracy= 0.12%, precision= 0.44% the range of analysis= 0 -500 mg B/kg. For UV-VIS
Azomethine-H the measurement uncertainty= 2500 ±72 mg B/kg, accuracy= 0.08%,
precision= 0.44% the range of analysis= 0 -10 mg B/kg. The INPOs 95% accuracy and
precision criteria for boron is ± 1%. So these techniques could be used for boron analysis in
PWR. Based on the evaluation and assessments mentioned above; the Potentiometric
Titration was found to be the most preferred method for boron analysis for Pressurised Water
Reactors followed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (Flame) that can be of good use
in determining boron especially in waste samples and samples with complex matrices. The
UV-VIS Azomethine-H methods can only be used when it is really necessary to determine
very low levels of boron between 0- 10mg B/kg of which it was never required before. Since it is specifically the B-10 isotope that is responsible for the ability to control reactivity,
the implementation of isotopic boron analysis (by Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass
Spectrometry) at KNPS is explained and the advantage of the programme is illustrated.
Although the current state of instrumental capabilities is adequate for 10B isotope
determination, further work of optimising the methodology for even better results is
recommended