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A study of employee perceptions on water saving to align sustainable automotive manufacturing with operations
Get PDFSustainability has become a key strategic management focus area for XY Group. One element of this sustainability goal is water saving. Water saving measures usually entail implementing novel process technologies or processes to measure and reduce consumption. Furthermore, it also requires behavioural changes. Although water sustainability has strategic significance, effective implementation in operations is often lacking in the organisation. In addition, when implementing water sustainability initiatives, the novel and seemingly disconnected nature to the rest of the production activities, lead to more challenges of alignment among the necessary departments. Better alignment will translate to a higher level of commitment and more effective implementation of water sustainability initiatives. This research aimed to understand the perceptions of managers and employees toward water sustainability. In addition, it aimed to identify the factors that could support in driving water sustainability at an organisational level. The research achieved these objectives and identified key drivers of sustainable and lean-green manufacturing. The outcome of the research is a conceptual model that can assist manufacturing organisations in improving the level of alignment and execution of sustainability initiatives. Underpinning this research is a positivistic philosophy using quantitative methodology. Data was collected via an online questionnaire from N=172 respondents. The analysis of this data provided insights that answered the research questions. The primary findings show a sense of urgency and optimism currently exists towards sustainable manufacturing. Underpinning this, the study found a high level of perceived trust within the organisation. In addition, the level of vertical alignment achieved through integration of sustainability into business strategies influenced perceptions. Although, the level of effectiveness of initiatives remains hindered by the level of horizontal alignment within the organisation. Collaboration, combining lean and green manufacturing, and senior management commitment will support driving water sustainability further in future.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 202
The relationship between savings and economic growth in Southern African customs union (sacu) countries
Get PDFThis study empirically investigates the nature of the relationship between savings and economic growth in SACU member countries, namely: South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini, using panel data for the period 1990-2021. A high savings rate is believed to be instrumental in stimulating economic growth, making it vital is for policy makers to understand the nature of the relationship existing between savings and economic growth in order to design and implement appropriate policies. To ensure robustness of the empirical results, this study applied different panel data estimation procedures. Using Pooled OLS, Random Effect, Fully Modified OLS, Dynamic OLS and Mean Group, Pool Mean Group and Dynamic Fixed Effect, the study discovered that gross domestic savings have a positive impact on economic growth among SACU member countries. Based on the results, gross domestic savings emerged with different coefficients indicating sensitivity to the estimation technique although statistically significant. Furthermore, the study dealt with the issue of linearity in the savings-growth nexus, by estimating the threshold level. Estimated results reveal evidence that gross domestic savings above 16 percent threshold have a negative effect on economic growth, while below the threshold, level savings impact economic growth positively. The study recommends, among other things, that policy makers design and implement policies that promote financial inclusion to mobilise domestic savings so as to increase economic growth. The major goal of economic policy should be to encourage households to save and ensure that domestic savings are invested in productive projects and sectors of the economy.Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 202
Introducing VET Africa 4.0
No full textThis book is about vocational education and training (VET). It is concerned with how the current policy and practice orthodoxy is not working despite the efforts of educators and learners. It is driven by a realization that the futures for which VET is intended to prepare people are ever more precarious at the individual, societal and planetary levels. And it is motivated by a sense that while better futures are possible, VET is poorly positioned to respond to the new skilling needs these will require
Isadora duncan: An instrumental case study
Get PDFThe study is an instrumental case study of Isadora Duncan (1877 - 1927). She was a pioneer of modern dance as she developed her unique style of dance that was free-flowing and natural. She further developed her own dance philosophy, which drew the attention of many as its archetypal dancer was a woman who embodied a space that was equal and free. She was not only revolutionary in her unique dance style but also for her strong beliefs. Isadora Duncan believed in anti-marriage, bearing children out of wedlock, and fighting for the emancipation of women where she used dance, her philosophy and post-performance lectures to communicate her thoughts and beliefs. An Instrumental case study is a qualitative method of enquiry, which entails researching an event or individual as a means of providing or gaining insight into a particular phenomenon. Similar to that of a psychobiography, the individual subject can be explored through the lens of a psychological theory for the purpose of creating a coherent psychological case study. The psychoanalytical lens of Carl Jung was used to explore and describe certain aspects of the life and work of Isadora Duncan. The subfield of the Psychology of Women provides a contextual description for the challenges that women faced in the past and in the present, and additionally presents the primary aim of the proposed study. Isadora Duncan was chosen due to her unique dance movement, both literally and figuratively as she developed her ability in giving voice to those emotions that women often kept hidden. She lived during significant times which included radical transformations that brought about noticeable change politically, socially, and culturally. Despite the reformative motions, it did not dismiss its own challenges especially for women. Women faced a constant struggle for freedom from oppression, community rights and gender equality, and Isadora Duncan was no exception to these challenges. Extensive biographical information data was collected and processed into salient features. The study integrates the theory of Carl Jung, the life and dance philosophy of Isadora Duncan and the v challenges faced by women over the centuries and demonstrates the value of using an instrumental case study as a method of inquiry into the exploration of a unique individual. The Psychology of Women provides an understanding of how those past challenges may still be modern-day concerns for the psychology of women today. The findings of the study demonstrated that Isadora Duncan was a unique and innovate women who pushed the boundaries socially. She was determined to perform her unique dance style in times that required women to conform to the cultural expectations. However, in times of trouble and despair, she was able to turn to dance as the individual and collective voice. The contribution of the study rests with its demonstration of the value of a holistic and reflexive exploration of a unique individual woman. It demonstrates the value and application of Jung’s in-depth theoretical understanding of the archetypes in human behaviour and the use of dance as a healing process for psychologically wounded women. Therefore, specific reference to the true inner voice of women allows insight into how clinicians might assist female clients who struggle to release their true inner voice. Furthermore, the study contributes to building knowledge of the challenges that women face in society and allows for future research of exploring integrative theoretical frameworks in understanding the healing of psychologically fragmented women in the 21st century.Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 202
Knowledge, attitudes and practices of municipal workers regarding occupational health and safety in the garden route district municipality, Western Cape
Get PDFBackground: Workers accidents at work have been demonstrated to be increasingly common and expensive, particularly in developing nations like South Africa. The failure of employers and employees to support and comply to (OHS) regulations measures frequently leads to injuries and accidents that are extremely expensive for both the employer and employees. Regardless of South African legislations that aim to prevent accidents and injuries, scourging statistics of industrial accidents are still a characteristic of OHS. Objectives: This study investigates knowledge gaps, attitude, and the practice of municipal workers regarding OHS at Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Methodology: Quantitative approach was taken, and questionnaires were administered to 188 workers employed by the GRDM. A probability sampling method of stratified sampling method was utilised. Results: This study concluded that the workers of the GRDM are knowledgeable about OHS in their workplaces and that municipal workers positively perceive OHS issues in their workplaces. The main reason for this positive perception is because of the management support that the workers receive from the GRDM with regards to OHS matters. Furthermore most workers positively perceived OHS protocols and measures undertaken at the GRDM. Statistical tests proved that the municipal workers who positively perceived OHS protocols and measures were significantly higher (p< 0.05) than those that negatively perceived OHS protocols. Conclusion: The study revealed that GRDM workers were knowledgeable on OHS protocols. This was because of the support that they get from their employer as well as personal health and safety concerns. They positively perceived the OSH measures that are put in place to prevent accidents and injuries. It is only an insignificant percentage of individuals that disagreed with some of the OHS measures and protocols. This study contributes immeasurably to academic research in the field of OHS and extends knowledge that relates workers’ perceptions, safety awareness, as well as workers’ adherence to safety and behaviour.Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 202
Exploring university level admissions decision-making based on access testing and undergraduate admissions variables
Get PDFDecision-making is an essential everyday cognitive function. How people go about making judgements and decisions is difficult to pin down. The reason for this lies in the inherent nature of decision-making, which is uncertain and variable because decision-making is a human cognitive process that is context-dependent. However, the body of research on judgement and decision-making (JDM) is concerned with describing what people are 'actually' thinking, when they make decisions or judgements. This study applied the descriptive theories of the Social-Judgement Theory (SJT) and the Cognitive-Continuum Theory (CCT), in order to understand decision-making in an undergraduate, entry-level admission decision-making context, in which decision-makers used access testing and school results, to make admission decisions at Nelson Mandela University. The sample consisted of four consultants from the Centre for Access Assessment and Research (CAAR) who volunteered to participate in the study. While the sample was small, it was nonetheless deemed to be adequate as 57% of the consultants at CAAR were included in the sample. Using the SJT methodological approach, an experiment was conducted to mirror the real-life context of decision-making at CAAR. As CAAR consultants were used to test, and school results being presented on a profile when they made decisions, a sample of 120 of these was drawn from a repository, with 60 of them requiring decisions for degree admission (to B Com Accounting) and 60 for diploma admission (to the Diploma in Accountancy). Ten degree and 10 diploma profiles were duplicated to check for consistency in decision-making. As SJT suggests restricting the number of cues used, a process was instituted to identify the cues perceived to be used most frequently to make decisions at CAAR. This resulted in 5 cues being included on the cue profile. In Phase 1 of the experiment the CAAR consultants made admission decisions using a familiar cue profile in terms of how the information was presented visually and numerically. In phase 2 the information was presented using a different visual format, which was more closely aligned to the intuitive decision-making mode that most consultants used. A 2 x 2 within-subjects experimental design was thus employed with two independent variables, namely, profile type and program type. Descriptive statistics and correlational and regression analyses were used to describe the judgement policies of the consultants in terms of the time taken, the difficulty ratings, and the cue use and its importance). The indices of the Lens Model Equation (LME) of SJT were used to describe the decision-achievement levels, and the Task-Continuum Index (TCI) was computed to describe which cognitive modes were used. xvii The results revealed that decision-makers have unique, varied, and changeable judgement policies, with regard to the time taken, the perception of difficulty, and the decision outcomes and had a tendency to rely more on the school results, while the regression models derived indicated that test results made a stronger contribution to the decision outcome. The consultants found degree decisions easier than diploma decisions, and the consultants perceived the contribution and weighting of the cues somewhat differently, once the format of the cue profile had changed in Phase 2, although they made decisions more quickly in Phase 2. The decision-makers also displayed individualised patterns of decision achievement that differed for degree and diploma programs. Furthermore, in terms of the cognitive mode, decision-makers were thinking quasi-rationally and they largely used the cognitive modes of computer modelling or expert judgement. Thus, by synergistically using the two theories of JDM, the researcher was able to determine baseline information for understanding decision- making in an admission context. Furthermore, suggestions were made in terms of the nature of the feedback and training that could be provided to decision-makers to enhance their future decision-making. Suggestions were also made regarding how the methodology used and findings of this study could be applied in other contexts, such as when training students in psychological assessment.Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 202
Experiences of psychological practitioners when working with Isixhosa speaking minors in the Eastern Cape.
Get PDFLanguage barriers continue to pose challenges in education and the health sector where psychological assessments and tests are administered in a language that is different from that of the client. The implication this has on the interpretations of test-taker scores may be bias against those whose first language is not English or Afrikaans, which are two of the primary languages majority of the tests currently used in the South Africa are normed against. This study aimed to explore the implications of the current language repertoires on test-taker performance. This was achieved through exploring the experiences of psychological practitioners who use English language psychological tests on isiXhosa speaking child clients in the Eastern Cape. The methodology followed an exploratory-descriptive, qualitative design, adopting Lincoln and Guba's model of trustworthiness. The researcher employed a qualitative method with an exploratory-descriptive research design, and participants were recruited by utilizing a purposive sampling strategy. Thematic analysis was used as a means of data analysis,and the following themes emerged and were discussed: The use of translators & interpreters, and the challenges thereof; practitioner’s own language proficiencies and limitations; cultutral influence and langaage exposure of clients; Adaptation as well as revision of decolonization of testing measures; and training psychological practitioners.Thesis (Ma) -- Faculty of Health Science, 202
Feminist simulations: deep in the dream of a game
Get PDFThis study delves into how the worlds of computer gaming and fine art intersect, employing DIY feminism to reflect on the gendered world of gaming and the links between simulation, reality, and fantasy within the game of Minecraft. I argue for a feminine craft (crochet) to challenge masculine gaming oppressions and the lack of representation, acceptance, and visibility for women in gaming culture. My research question is taken from the End Poem seen when the player has beaten the game's main boss. There is a line within the poem that asks, “But what true structure did this player create, in the reality behind the screen?” (End Poem, 2022). This is the question I have sought to answer within this study, by exploring a methodological approach that combines autoethnography and phenomenology to create a reflexive personal narrative.Thesis (MFA) -- Faculty of Humanities, Fine Art, 202
Vernacular sound technologies: experimenting with reverb in isiXhosa choral recordings
Get PDFAccess restricted. Expected release date 2025.Thesis (MMus) -- Faculty of Humanities, Music and Musicology, 202
The yield spread as a predictor for buy or sell signals for sectoral indices of the JSE
Get PDFThe predictive nature of the yield curve has been of interest to researchers for years. In this thesis, the evidence for the yield curve as a predictor is examine, specifically as a predictor for bear markets in the JSE stock market for 8 sub-sectoral indices. The study explores a dynamic market timing strategy for timing the South African stock market compared to a normal buy-and-hold strategy. First, probit models are estimated for each of the sectoral indices which did not prove to have tracked well all the bear market phases. Then a dynamic market timing portfolio is simulated against a buy-and-hold only strategy, the dynamic market timing portfolio proved to have outperformed a buy-and-hold strategy for almost all the indices. Thus, a Henriksson-Merton parametric model test which tests for market timing ability was done on these sub-indices. The research finds that the yield curve in South Africa is not a useful tool for a buy-sell strategy for most of the sub-sectoral indices of the JSE.Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Economics and Economic History, 202