21838 research outputs found
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An evaluation of Tshwane metro police department's crime prevention role in protecting the assets of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng, South Africa
No full textTraffic policing, enforcement of the city’s by-laws, and preventing and combating crime in cooperation with the South African Police Service (SAPS) stand at the forefront of the Municipal Police Service (MPS) main mandate. South Africa has eight Metropolitan Police Departments (MPDs) across five provinces (namely Ekurhuleni (EMPD), Johannesburg (JMPD), Tshwane (TMPD), Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Durban Metro Police Service, and the Cape Town Metropolitan Police Department). Two of these metros (i.e., Mangaung and Nelson Mandela Bay) are yet to be operationalised due to implementation issues and court-related matters. The nature of the mandate, responsibilities, and roles of the MPS in South Africa is quite complex, owing to the fragmented and often cumbersome legislative framework.
Multiple theoretical frameworks through five theories were applied guided by their applicability and relevancy to the current study. Through an interpretivist research paradigm adopting a qualitative mono-single case study strategy, 14 TMPD metro police officers were interviewed to understand their experiences, perceptions, and opinions in their role in the municipal asset protection mandate. Atlas.ti, a qualitative data analysis software was used to analyse data. Five themes emerged: legislative loopholes, synergy inter-and intra-stakeholders, challenges with the asset protection mandate, strategy-oriented mandate, and improvement strategies.
The results of the study revealed a variety of challenges experienced by metro police officers such as the insufficient and inadequate allocation of resources, inadequate management support in the provision of resources, dissatisfaction with remuneration practices and promotion opportunities, lack of regular performance management and evaluation systems, ineffective and inefficient strategy-oriented mandate, lack of effective technology-aided crime prevention techniques and strategies, lack of adequate capacity development interventions and inadequate collaboration with CPFs especially in townships.
Based on the findings and drawing from the limitations of the study, the recommendations for future research are provided, so that a comprehensive understanding of the role of traffic and law enforcement officers in crime prevention and protecting assets of the metropolitan municipalities can be enhanced lack of clarity on the articulating the crime prevention mandate, in the context of MPDs, especially the municipal asset protection function. The contribution of the study is three-fold – empirical and theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions.M.A. (Security Management)Criminology and Security Scienc
An exploration study on marketing communication strategies in the grocery retail sector of KwaZulu Natal province, South Africa
No full textGrocery stores in South Africa require both proactive and reactive communication methods to maintain sales owing to the country's competitive landscape, shifting consumer preferences, and rapidly evolving economic and technological advancements. The aim of the study was to investigate the MCS’s in grocery retail sector of KZN Province, South Africa. Primary and secondary goals were established for this study in order to solve the aforementioned challenges: The primary objective of this study was to investigate the MCS’s in grocery retail sector of KZN Province, South Africa. The following secondary objectives were set for this study to support the primary objective: to determine the MCS’s adopted by the grocery retailers in attracting customers; to determine the application of the MCS’s in the grocery retail industry. to determine the challenges of adopting and implementing MCS’s in the grocery retail industry.
In view of this, a qualitative approach was adopted in the study and case study design with ten grocery retail stores. The study employed thematic analysis and data analysis was also done using Atlas.ti. The study found the specific MCS’s adopted, namely; business sustainability strategy, customer loyalty strategy and effective customer acquisition strategy. The study also discovered that grocery retailers use both new and traditional media. In particular, social media and online marketing are frequently used in communicating and attracting customers. The findings reveal that the success of these MCS’s is determined by improved customer satisfaction and business transformation.M. Com. (Business Management)Business Managemen
Shaping the evolving role of academic librarians in the fourth industrial revolution through continuous professional development at the Durban University of Technology
Get PDFDue to the proliferation of disruptive technologies that drive the fourth industrial
revolution (4IR), academic libraries have undergone an evolution, which has also
changed the role of academic librarians. With disruptive technologies, library services
can be accessed from anywhere in the world, as long as a person is connected to the
Internet of Things. For academic librarians to not be left behind, they need to skill
themselves to be relevant in the 4IR. It is the thesis of this study that such upskilling
can be done through continuous professional development. This explanatory mixed
method research used a conceptual framework to explore how the evolving role of
academic librarians can be shaped through continuous professional development at
the Durban University of Technology (DUT). Quantitative data was collected first
through online questionnaires due to the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by qualitative
data through physical interviews with selected participants. Parallel sampling was
used where different samples for qualitative and quantitative study phases were drawn
from the same population. For the quantitative phase, all librarians at DUT were
chosen, while for the qualitative study, participants were identified and chosen
purposively to the level of saturation to augment the quantitative data. The key findings
suggest that the advancement of disruptive technologies has impacted and
transformed the customary ways of working in the DUT library. To counter the
disruption, academic librarians at DUT have embraced continuous professional
development in order to update their knowledge and skills to allow them to evolve and
adapt accordingly to changes within their profession. The librarians acknowledged that
whilst 4IR provided many advantages, there were still many challenges, such as
learning new skills and keeping abreast with new innovations especially in an
environment where budget cuts are common, to overcome in respect of changes in
their roles and responsibilities. Librarians acknowledged that continuous learning and
development provided an advantage that allowed them to understand the evolving
changes and adapt accordingly. It is concluded that librarians are perceptive and open
to learning new skills to ensure that users' needs are adequately met. The
infrastructure at the DUT library is in place to embrace changes, and the institution is
continuing to improve the existing infrastructure to accommodate future innovations.
The study suggests a framework to align librarian roles and skills with 4IR requirements. A further study on the user point of view and their current needs and
how these needs are evolving with 4IR is recommended.Ph.D. (Information Science)Information Scienc
Perceptions of clients with eye problems before cataract surgery at a public hospital in Sedibeng district, Gauteng Province
No full textDespite efforts to convince patients to undergo cataract surgery, over 50 million people are blind and at least 135 million people worldwide have significant vision impairments, with cataracts accounting for 51% of these instances. Individuals with cataracts are reluctant to undergo surgery, which is why the purpose of the study is to explore and describe the perceptions of clients with eye problems before cataract surgery at a public hospital in Sedibeng district, Gauteng Province. A qualitative descriptive phenomenological was used in this study. The purposive sampling method was used to select participants who met the inclusion criteria. The researcher collected data employing semi-structured, face-to-face individual interviews. Data was collected until saturation was reached with n=15 participants. An audio tape recorder was used with the permission of the participants for the accurate collection of data. Data analysis was done utilising Colaizzi’s seven-step analysis of the open coding analysis framework. Trustworthiness was enhanced by using credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Ethical standards were ensured by adhering to the principle of respect for persons, the principle of beneficence, and the principle of justice. Five (5) themes emerged from the study's findings, notably; clients' positive perceptions regarding cataract surgery; clients’ understanding surrounding cataract surgery; perceived hurdles that are thought to exist surrounding cataract surgery; perceived loss of independence; and perceived coping techniques related to cataracts. Findings were conceptualized within the relevant literature. To eliminate cataracts the study recommended policy formulation, and knowledge reinforcement on cataract surgery through education, awareness and support.M.A. (Nursing Science)Health Studie
Factors affecting technological innovation commercialisation support success in SMMEs in South Africa
No full textText in EnglishThis study outlines the factors affecting technological innovation commercialisation support success of technological innovations for the survival of Small Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs). Technological innovation support, especially financial assistance, was found to be essential and venture capital support was considered to be critical for pre-commercialisation and commercialisation of technological innovations. The main research objective was to explore the factors that influence accessing of support at the early-to-mid stage for commercialisation success. The data was collected through a qualitative research methodology by interviewing SMMEs involved in the development and commercialisation of technological innovation and professionals involved in supporting SMMEs in the technological innovations sector. The key findings include considering previous funding support, early engagement of the stakeholders, involvement of industrial and businesspeople in the management team and its effect on reputation. As well as the critical influence of technical validation reports including marketing research. The support structure of the family and friends especially at the business infancy. Other important factors that were found to influence competitive advantage are market size, flexibility and scalability of the technological innovation. Another key finding was that innovation management is essentially part of project management. A comprehensive business plan should package market assessment, intellectual property (IP) commercialisation plan and business model intended to be adopted. Revenue generation was found to be a key contributor to stimulating support from venture capital firms. It was recommended that a quantitative study with only SMMEs who previously successfully attracted venture capital funding which focuses on approaches SMMEs can adopt to increase the likelihood of receiving venture capital support. Limitations of this study include the participation of professionals and/or SMMEs who have not applied or have insight into venture capital and thus are not able to provide full participation, especially towards venture capital support.M.A. (Business Administration)Business Managemen
An evaluation of first responder police performance in a housebreaking crime scene at Honeydew policing area
No full textUnsolved housebreaking cases in South Africa are a major concern. This raises a question about first responder police performance in housebreaking crime scenes. This study evaluated the first responder police performance in a specific housebreaking crime scene in the Honeydew Policing Area of Gauteng province. A qualitative research approach was adopted, in which a literature review, archives and oral face-to-face interviews were utilised to substantiate the research findings. Interviews were conducted with detectives and visible policing officials who are inter alia responsible for responding to housebreaking crime scenes.
A crime scene is any area where a crime has occurred and the study examined several key related ideas, namely crime scene contamination, evidence/chain of custody, first responder, and housebreaking. The findings reveal that the purpose of visiting the crime scene as a first responder involves the process of planning and implementing measures to take command and secure the crime scene; ensure the authenticity and uniqueness of evidence and exhibits; and investigate. The preliminary investigation is the first phase of a lengthy investigation process.
The study found that the first responding officers who attend housebreaking crime scenes lack knowledge about securing the crime scene, resulting in contamination of the crime scene. Evidence contamination can have a negative impact on whether or not an investigation is successful. Unfortunately, similar mistakes have occurred in several South African cases. This raises the question of whether first responders have adequate training in crime scene management and evidence preservation.
It is recommended that first responders and detectives at Honeydew Police Station should continually be informed of the contents of the SAPS National Instruction 1: Crime scene management of 2015 by means of training interventions. This will provide first responders (visible policing officers and detectives) with the critical knowledge and skills for efficient crime scene management, process planning and implementation, and will also help eliminate the most common mistakes made by first responders at the scene of a crime, because these carry significant weight in the execution of their daily duties. The Honeydew community, the local South African Police Service, and other relevant stakeholders need to fully understand the modus operandi of a housebreaking crime. Understanding the modus operandi would provide a detailed source of information and influence strategies for effectively responding to this crime. These must be understood by the first responders so they can successfully investigate and prosecute perpetrators. This research provides suggestions that will assist in obtaining convictions and reducing the number of housebreaking cases.Criminology and Security Scienc
Search for lepton-flavour violation in high-mass dilepton final states using 139 fb−1 of pp collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector
No full textAbstract
A search is performed for a heavy particle decaying into different-flavour, dilepton final states, using 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at
s
= 13 TeV collected in 2015–2018 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Final states with electrons, muons and hadronically decaying tau leptons are considered (eμ, eτ or μτ). No significant excess over the Standard Model predictions is observed. Upper limits on the production cross-section are set as a function of the mass of a Z′ boson, a supersymmetric τ-sneutrino, and a quantum black-hole. The observed 95% CL lower mass limits obtained on a typical benchmark model Z′ boson are 5.0 TeV (eμ), 4.0 TeV (eτ), and 3.9 TeV (μτ), respectively
The conceptualisation, development and validation of an organisational spiritual leadership measure within the ambit of African management philosophies
Get PDFOrganisational spiritual leadership has been proposed as an alternative to lead a generation where personal values and beliefs are central to employee contentment, and organisational success. However, some suggest that a standardised or homogeneous applicability of organisational spiritual leadership is misplaced and empirically flawed. The aim of this study is to develop an organisational spiritual leadership instrument that is contextualised to our South African organisational realities using African management philosophies. In this research, knowledge was drawn from two bodies of scholarly literature, namely Spiritual leadership (SpL) and African management philosophies (AMP). Literature is systematically reviewed, focusing on three aspects of the body of knowledge, namely concepts, definitions, and typologies (elements). Text analyses were used to expose themes, and these were compared and analysed. A mixed method research approach was adopted, where Interactive Qualitative Analysis (IQA) and quantitative sampling using a questionnaire were used to collect and analyse data. The IQA process involved 8 participants who were identified using the power-relationship dynamic for purposive sampling. The results of the IQA process yielded a model that was used in a quantitative survey. This empirical study was based on a quantitative positivist paradigm, utilising a cross sectional design. A total of 5308 participants completed the self-administered survey from organisations in both the public and private sectors. The quantitative analysis included basic item screening, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), testing for common method bias (CMB), and determination of convergent validity and invariance analysis (configural, metric, and scalar). The results yielded a reliable and valid organisational SpL instrument that was invariant with regards to the private and public sectors used in this study. It was also found that the results of the study were not influenced by CMB, as most heuristics for assessing model fit were passed. The practical and academic value of this research is the newly developed SpL instrument for the context of SA organisations. The research has the propensity to bring a modern and fresh approach to understanding organisational leadership in South Africa and the subtleties of indigenous spirituality and cultural nuances. This advanced understanding can improve organisational leadership practices by enabling organisations to scale their leadership strategies, styles, and development programmes. Empirically and practically the research contributes to the South African field of organisational leadership. It can thus be used with confidence by
organisational researchers and academics within the SA organisational context in both the private and public sectorsD.B.LGraduate School of Business Leadershi
Exploring social processes in transformation: the case of a collaborative water partnership in South Africa
No full textWe explore the social processes supporting transformation towards collaborative water
governance in the uMngeni catchment, South Africa. Using Holling’s adaptive cycle as
a heuristic of phases (conservation, release, reorganisation and exploitation) present during
transformation of social-ecological systems, we consider the role of learning, power, agency
and structure during each phase of the evolution of the uMngeni Ecological Infrastructure
Partnership (UEIP). The UEIP is a partnership between government, research institutions, and
civil society groups that facilitates broader and more collaborative participation in water
management. During the conservation phase, strong control power and institutional structure
(denoted by a hierarchical governance mode embodying control and regulation by the
State) limited the introduction of new ideas and reinforced single-loop learning. The release
phase was triggered by a shock which weakened control power and permitted the introduction
of new ideas thereby enabling double-loop learning. The changing conditions gave rise
to protean power (defined as results of practices of agile actors coping with uncertainty)
which enhanced the agency of key actors who began to mobilise others in a rapid phase of
re-organisation. Triple-loop learning was evident in the exploitation phase as new collaborative
institutions, that were better able to accommodate innovative ideas, began to emerge.
We found the adaptive cycle helpful for delineating phases of change, while the four multifaceted
processes of learning, power, agency and structure proved useful in illuminating
dynamics of change. This understanding may help to inform actions to steer transformations
towards more sustainable and collaborative water governance in South Africa and elsewhere.Political Science