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Investigating the competitiveness of small and medium-sized management consulting enterprises in serving state-owned enterprises: subtitle if needed. If no subtitle follow instructions in manual
No full textThis dissertation examines the competitiveness of management consulting (MC) of small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in serving state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa (SA). The research focused on the preparedness, scalability, and sustainability of MC SMMEs in addressing the strategic challenges faced by SOEs. The mixed-method approach combined self-administered interviews with management consultants and a comprehensive literature review. The qualitative research method allowed for an in-depth exploration of the factors influencing the competitiveness of MC SMMEs. The interviews revealed that MC SMMEs possess the necessary technical expertise and skills, yet they face hurdles related to scalability and sustainability inherent in SMMEs. These challenges include limited access to funding, inadequate marketing capacities, and delayed payment for services rendered. The study highlights that MC SMMEs can handle high-value projects for SOEs but they encounter difficulties within the SOE environment, which is marked by ethical concerns. It emphasises the importance of vigilance and maintaining discipline in service delivery to address these challenges. Additionally, the research provides practical recommendations for SOEs to support and facilitate the growth of MC SMMEs, enabling innovative solutions in their services. By evaluating the competitiveness of MC SMMEs in serving SOEs, this research contributes to understanding the MC industry landscape in SA. It aims to assist in strengthening the capabilities and credibility of local MC SMMEs, fostering their growth and sustainability. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, industry practitioners, and stakeholders seeking to enhance the role of MC SMMEs in driving economic growth and innovation within the context of SOEs.Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 202
The photodynamic therapeutic activities and optical limiting properties of metalated asymmetric porphyrins and corroles
Get PDFCancer is a devastating disease that is a leading cause of death worldwide. Despite the available cancer treatments, there is a significant need to improve the therapeutic approach towards this disease. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an alternative approach for treating cancer, which requires a photosensitiser, molecular oxygen and light. Although some porphyrin-based derivatives have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other similar agencies elsewhere for photodynamic therapy, their relatively poor photophysicochemical properties mean that there is an ongoing need for new photosensitiser dyes. Singlet oxygen photosensitiser dyes can also be used to treat bacteria that develop antimicrobial resistance in the context of photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT). The main aim of this study was to synthesise and characterise a series of porphyrin dyes with 4-quinolinyl, thien-2-yl and 4-bromo-thien-2-yl meso-aryl groups and their Sn(IV) and In(III) complexes, as well as their corrole analogues. Corroles are contracted macrocycles that have interesting optical properties. The corroles selected for study were found to be difficult to synthesise and purify and had unfavourable photophysicochemical properties and were thus omitted from the PDT and PACT biological applications within this thesis. High- and low-symmetry A4 and ABAB type meso-tetraarylporphyrins porphyrins were synthesised to improve the photophysicochemical properties of the photosensitisers; the utility of these dyes as photosensitisers was studied against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line for PDT and against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli for PACT. The thienyl-2-yl rings were introduced to red shift the lowest energy Q band towards the phototherapeutic window, while quaternisation of the nitrogen and sulfur atoms of the 4-quinolinyl and thien-2-yl rings to introduce a cationic nature was explored to improve the bioavailability of the drugs and uptake into the target cell walls for improved efficacy. Heavy Sn(IV) and In(III) central metal ions were introduced to enhance the singlet oxygen quantum yields and limit aggregation through axial ligation. The bromine atoms of the 4-bromo-thien-2-yl meso-aryl rings were also introduced to enhance the singlet oxygen quantum yields of the dyes. Furthermore, the utility of the porphyrin and corrole molecules for optical limiting properties to limit laser radiation to protect optical devices, including eyes, was explored by the z-scan technique. One of the dyes studied, Sn(IV) tetrathien-2-ylporphyrin, that exhibited the most favourable reverse saturable absorbance (RSA) response was embedded into a poly(bisphenol carbonate A) polymer thin film to further explore its suitability for practical applications.Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Chemistry, 202
The state of professional compliance during project implementation in a selected construction industry in Gauteng
Get PDFPublic sector construction projects in South Africa are not always implemented successfully as a result of professional non-compliance in the construction industry by professionals entrusted with the responsibility to deliver construction projects. Professionals in the construction industry registered with the built environment regulatory bodies must demonstrate professionalism in terms of competency and conduct when carrying out their professional duties as prescribed by the relevant regulatory bodies they belong to. This study utilised a qualitative case study to investigate the state of professional compliance during project implementation in a selected construction industry in Gauteng. A purposive sampling method was adopted to select participants with at least two years’ experience in managing public sector construction project implementation in Gauteng, resulting in 11 participants in the study. Semi-structured interview questions were designed and put to the participants during telephonic interviews. The research findings suggest that professional competency and conduct compliance requirements which contribute to effective project implementation include a relevant qualification as an initial step to become professional in the construction industry, followed by work experience, knowledge and registration with relevant regulatory and professional bodies which also require registered professionals to abide by their ethics and code of conduct. The findings suggest that the forms of non-compliance in terms of professional competency and conduct affecting effective project implementation were the result of a lack of experience or knowledge of construction professionals in relation to the project, poor quality of work and professionals’ neglect of duties. The perceived types of professional non-compliance affecting effective project implementation in the construction industry revealed by the findings included amongst others, breach of obligations, corruption, bribery and fraud, conflict of interest and carelessness; and factors of professional non-compliance such as high discounts, community disruptions, junior staff not been monitored, political relations and competition.Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 202
Key drivers for enhancing sustainable livelihoods of national park adjacent communities in Uganda: subtitle if needed. If no subtitle follow instructions in manual
No full textThe growing concern about the negative impact of tourism on the social, cultural, and economic systems of local communities has caused policymakers to envision improved methods of tourism management. Governments realise that the feasibility of protected areas is dependent on giving considerable attention to the livelihoods of host communities and, according to them, a greater role in the management of protected areas. The worrying poverty rate of national park adjacent communities in Uganda has prompted an inquiry into the key drivers that could enhance sustainable livelihoods. As such, an inquiry into the intervention of tourism social enterprises in enhancing the livelihood of park adjacent communities has been sought. Presently, limited academic research has been conducted on the influence of vulnerability context, livelihood capital access and livelihood strategies on enhancing the sustainable livelihood outcomes of national park adjacent communities. Furthermore, the links between tourism social entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods have hardly been explored in literature. Against this background, the primary objective of this study is to investigate the influence of vulnerability context, livelihood capital access and livelihood strategies on the sustainable livelihood outcomes of national park adjacent communities where tourism social entrepreneurship is practised in Uganda. Considering the primary objective of the study and the researcher’s assumptions, a positivistic research paradigm with a deductive approach to theory development was adopted. A quantitative methodological approach was selected, and a survey research strategy and a cross-sectional approach were employed. The study used a questionnaire to gather primary data from potential respondents who were selected through simple random sampling. From the data collection, 364 usable questionnaires from Uganda Community Tourism Association (UCOTA) – exemplifying a tourism social enterprise were obtained. The primary data collected was analysed to investigate the hypothesised relationships between the independent and dependent variables. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed to establish the factor structure of the variables and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for each of the factors was assessed based on various goodness-of-fit indices. The suitability of the measuring instrument was determined by the validity and reliability tests from which the average variance extracted (AVE) estimates and squared correlations between the constructs and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were reported; validity and reliability assessments of the factors were conducted to confirm the suitability of the measuring instrument. A modified hypothesised model was derived based on these analyses, after which the descriptive statistics and correlation results on the dependent and independent variables were then reported. The study used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) statistical technique to test the significance of the hypothesised relationships. Significant relationships between resilience to shock and sustainable livelihood outcomes (improved well-being) and also resilience to seasonality and sustainable livelihood outcomes (improved well-being) for the case of vulnerability context. With regard to livelihood capital access, a significant relationship was found between social capital access and sustainable livelihood outcomes (improved well-being). A significant relationship between tourism-related strategies and sustainable livelihood outcomes (improved well-being was also found).This study has contributed to the body of knowledge of sustainable livelihoods in general as well as how vulnerability context, livelihood capital access and livelihood strategies influence sustainable livelihood outcomes of national park adjacent communities where tourism social entrepreneurship is practised. Theoretically, this study contributes to the application and extension of the sustainable livelihood framework by integrating a theory of access and the capability approach in assessing livelihoods. Practical recommendations were made that could enhance the sustainable livelihood of national park adjacent communities.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, School of Management Sciences, 202
Strategies used by the female principals to manage learner discipline in selected primary schools in the Buffalo City Education District
Get PDFSchool safety is regarded as one of the key drivers of quality teaching and learning. There is however evidence that schools worldwide experience violence and learner disruptive behaviours. The South African education system is amongst other areas, focusing on gender equity in leadership and management positions. Hence this paper explored the strategies used by female principals to manage learner discipline in selected primary schools in the Buffalo City Education District. The Complexity Leadership Theory underpinned the study in conjunction with the Intersectionality theory. Complexity Leadership Theory emphasises the identification and exploration of strategies and behaviour that nurture creativity, learning, and adaptability in the organisation. Data were collected from fourteen participants ranging from female principals, HOD and Vice Principals. Interpretive qualitative and descriptive case study design was used. Data were collected through the use of one-on-one semi-structured interviews, and document review was the second research instrument used in this study. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data and all ethical issues were observed. The participation of participants was voluntary, and anonymity was guaranteed. Some of the major findings were the participants’ use of their gender (female) as a resource in administering discipline, and their awareness and consciousness of the vulnerability of the school context. Parental involvement, community involvement and closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera systems aided the participants in maintaining learner discipline. Rewarding learners for good behaviour or good work habits (behaviourism) was discouraged due to its inability to intrinsically motivate learners to behave and accomplish goals. Instead, it was reported to be a form of a bribery system which teaches learners to work hard to receive something. The findings suggested that tertiary institutions introduce mandatory counselling courses to equip prospective teachers with necessary skills to effectively deal with issues of learner discipline in schools.Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 202
An Exploration of Flow Control Using Machine Learning and Computational Fluid Dynamics
Get PDFAlthough numerous studies relating to computational fluid dynamics and machine learning have been conducted in relation to automotive development, the majority focus on either early development using completed 3D models, or the final testing stages of development, or machine learning accelerated computational fluid dynamic simulations. While this approach is helpful in software development and simulation, it is not easily adaptable to automotive design where the final model is constantly changing and being modified. Consequently, the aim of this study is to propose a method for conducting computational fluid dynamics and machine learning concurrently to accelerate the development process. The proposed method is used to design and improve the aerodynamic efficiency of an object. The approach focuses on developing, implementing, and comparing machine learning models capable of generating optimised three-dimensional objects with the required geometry to direct airflow paths required in applications such as pressure generation, as needed for both active and passive flow control. The study concludes that both decision tree regression and long short-term memory (LSTM) autoencoder models could be used to optimise the aerodynamic efficiency of solid bodies, but that the LSTM autoencoder performs better overall. An undesirable effect of the shape optimisation is an overall reduction in shape size as optimization increases
Current psychological distress and coping strategies reported by university staff in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent disruptions brought about by the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions, provide an unfortunate but useful opportunity to explore employee wellness in response to a crisis, within the Higher Education context. COVID-19 lockdowns meant that university students could no longer access conventional learning through physical attendance at lectures. In response, university staff had to contend with a number of changes to their work environment. These included adapting teaching, learning, and assessment methods to an online platform, which led to changes in job roles, expectations, and increased workload for both academic and support staff. The focus of this research was to explore correlations between the current psychological distress that university employees are experiencing and their recalled coping strategies and sense of coherence in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-method approach using a survey design was used. Surveys were completed by 171 university academic and support staff using the SA CORE-10 and BRIEF Cope, as well as qualitative questions. Results demonstrated that higher levels of current psychological distress correlated positively with avoidant coping strategies, particularly in academic staff as opposed to support staff, while more adaptive coping strategies tracked with a sense of coherence.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Psychology, 202
Paradoxes of cultural interventions in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other social ills in South Africa
Get PDFAppraising the sustainability of groud water quantity and quality
Get PDFSouth Africa is a semi-arid region that suffers from water scarcity. With a changing climate, incidents such as droughts and human migration will exacerbate the water scarcity already experienced. Thus, the assessment of groundwater quality and quantity is a major step toward ensuring a viable sustainable water argumentation for general use and to serve as one of the most basic needs of human beings. Hence, this study appraises the sustainability of groundwater resource availability and assesses its water quality at the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality within the Mthatha River Catchment (MRC). The objectives were to: i) examine the extent of groundwater potential in the area ii) investigate the determinant factors that characterized the groundwater and surface water interaction and assess the impacts of climatic variables on yield iii) compare the physico-chemical and microbial concentration samples collected at different boreholes in the MRC with respect to South African and World Health Organization (WHO) standards and iv) develop the temporal variation trend in modeling the groundwater quality parameters. Using a systematic sampling method, a preliminary survey was carried out to identify the location and selection of the appropriate boreholes’ representation. Thereafter, reconnaissance map and characterisation of the 10 selected borehole's location was made to spatially represent the sites. The water samples were made thrice per site (totally 30 samples). The collected samples were transported to Talbot and Talbot Laboratory, where they were analysed for their physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters using established procedures. Other parameters such as depth of hole, water level, borehole yield, abstraction rate, the screen length, drawdown, morphometry, geological, land-use variables, were generated after rigorous geographical information system (GIS) analysis in QGIS environment and Excel in achieving the study aims. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used for the estimation of the groundwater flow or baseflow drawing strength from the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer flow (Ksat) (mm/day), sub-basin divide for the groundwater system to the main channel Lgw (m), and the water table height (m). Thereafter, the principal iv component analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and correlation analysis were used to assess the controlling factors for the spatial variation of recharge in the watershed characteristics and assess the impacts of climatic variables on groundwater yield. The simulated results revealed a mean monthly water yield range of 2.7-14.8 m3/s for groundwater over the study years (2000-2019). The development of temporal variation trend modeling of the physico-chemical composition of the groundwater varied from one borehole to another despite their proximity, thus, making it difficult to generalise the water quality parameters fluctuation. The water quality results showed that the majority of the variables are not within acceptable standards. Ammonia and total coliform levels depict a range between 1.5 mg/l minimum to 10 mg/l maximum with to 1000 counts/mL for total coliform. Also, there was no clear relationship between the location of the boreholes and the borehole yield among the selected samples. However, there was a significant difference between the borehole yield and the risk description matrix for the various water quality parameters. Most of the borehole water quality depicts a non-health aesthetic, acute health, and disinfectant status for the area. Keywords: Water scarcity, groundwater, seasonal variability, aquifer scaleThesis (Masters) -- Faculty of Natural Sciences, 202
The Emancipatory Nature of Transformative Agency
No full textCultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) research has established an impressive body of scholarship that advances social understanding of human agency in the transformation of society, much of which is captured in contributions to this volume (cf. Hopwood (Chapter 15); Sannino (Chapter 2); Stetsenko (Chapter 3); Bal and Bird Bear (Chapter 8)). The main tenets of this work, building on the historical legacy of Vygotsky and Marx, affirm that humans are not passive recipients of external stimuli or influences but are active co-creators of the world (s) they inhabit. They are capable of using and producing cultural tools to take power over their own volitional action (s)(cf. Sannino, 2015, Chap-ter 2 of this volume; Hopwood and Gottshalk, 2017). Vygotsky’s major legacy in coming to understand transformative agency is that the cultural tools produced and used as mediational means are critical in the emergence of transformative agency (Sannino, 2015, 2020, Chapter 2 of this volume; Stetsenko, 2019; Hopwood, Chapter 15 of this volume) and thus in the transformation of human activity. As shown by Sannino (2015, 2020), such tools offer stimulus for volitional action that can break paralysis, especially when conflicts of motives are experienced