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Exploring the processes of parenting in the context of multidimensional poverty when children demonstrate behavioural problems: a single case study in post-1994 Apartheid South Africa
No full textBackground: Families are acknowledged in South African and international policy as the cornerstone of a healthy society, with parenting increasingly becoming the focus of occupational therapy intervention for children's behavioural problems. However, emerging literature from the South suggests pervasive structural and situational challenges in which parenting unfolds and must be navigated. Current conceptualisations of parenting within and beyond occupational science are left wanting with regards to understanding how parenting unfolds in these challenging contexts. Different knowledge(s) about how parenting might unfold in diverse contexts are required to inform more responsive support of families in the margins. Aim: This study sought to explore and describe the occupation of parenting when children demonstrate behavioural problems in the context of multidimensional poverty in post-1994 South Africa. This context presents with complex challenges that align well with the study's intention to contribute knowledge from the Global South. Methodology: Drawing upon a post-structuralist paradigm, the study adopted a qualitative single, intrinsic case study design. Data was collected over a 6-month period with two families, recruited purposively. They resided in the same geographical community, where many experienced several markers of poverty, and self-identified as having children with behavioural difficulties. Individual, in-depth narrative interviews served as the primary data collection method, in conjunction with several secondary data sources. Data was analysed using a narrative analytic process and direct interpretation of data sources. Findings: One overarching assertion comprising of two core assertions emerged, revealing that parenting unfolds dynamically as a process of relational emergence. This process is more and less consciously, intergenerationally and contextually enmeshed as caregivers engage with and through iterative relational complexities. Caregivers wrestle with their enmeshment in dominant discourses and practices as they work to resist and adapt these, but also often reproduce them. This wrestling shapes and is shaped by the relational agency of caregivers, children and community members as they influence and respond to everyday parenting situations. Children's behavioural problems did not emerge as a determinant of parenting practices, functioning rather as part of the relational context in which parenting unfolds. Discussion and Conclusion: Parenting as a process of relational emergence is discussed as a possible lens for understanding parenting in the margins, drawing on theories of collective occupation and occupational choice to unpack how intentionality and practical sense might operate within this process. Parenting's complexities demand further research to understand how it truly unfolds in diverse contexts and should be a focus area in undergraduate occupational therapy programmes. Parenting may be further supported in practice through appreciating plurality in parenting knowledge and experiences, and considering parenting's complexities in how support services are developed and appraised
Bird's response to seasonality: investigating the range dynamics of birds through dynamic occupancy models
Get PDFBirds can respond to seasonal environmental fluctuations through migration. Among different migratory species and populations, there is varying sensitivity to different seasonal environmental cues, thus leading to different seasonal range dynamics and migration strategies. In this study, I used dynamic occupancy models on the South African Bird Atlas Project 2 (SABAP 2) data to investigate the seasonal range dynamics of a selection of five migratory and six nomadic bird species in western South Africa. In the context of this study, seasonal range dynamics are defined as when a species arrives and departs a given area. I used dynamic occupancy models to estimate monthly changes in occupancy between 2014 and 2018. I modelled local extinction (departure) and colonisation (arrival) as a function of changes and anomalies in average monthly rainfall, temperature and vegetation. Among the obligate migrants, the best performing models indicated that colonization and extinction parameters were mostly driven by seasonal changes in average rainfall, temperature and vegetation. In nomadic species, colonization was driven by seasonal changes in average rainfall, temperature and vegetation, while extinction was driven by anomalies in rainfall, temperature and vegetation. The models successfully captured the generally known seasonal pattern in occupancy (arrival and departure) of all five obligate migrants, while no regular seasonal fluctuation in occupancy was evident among the nomadic species. Over the four-year period, no species showed a strong shift in seasonal range dynamics in both groups. However, I do suspect that the same methodology done at a finer spatial and temporal scale may reveal changes in seasonal range dynamics of some species. This study demonstrates that dynamic occupancy modelling using citizen science data is a viable methodology for investigating seasonal range dynamics
Fallen things: delineating veil-wound-womb through sculptural practice
No full textFallen things is an exhibition of sculptural objects and accompanying text that investigates how the overlapping motifs of veil-wound-womb can articulate fragility and the erotic in sculptural practice. This research draws from Christian iconographic traditions of the contact relic and vera icon, Surrealist object theory, and the generative potential of the matrixial effect to examine how these conceptual and practical motifs manifest in contemporary artistic practices. Using a wide range of source images in the written component and working with casting, carving and assemblage; I explore how gravity, temporal moments of contact, and subtle material juxtapositions cultivate a tactile dialogue between materiality and form. Nestled in the grey area between abstraction and figuration, and drawing on Barbara Baert's analysis of material tensions between cloth and skin, wound and womb, material and psychological; this body of work delineates a sculptural practice that is associative and intuitive, evoking surfaces that hover between exterior and interior
The regulation of crypto exchanges providing stablecoin services in South Africa: Should they be regulated as banks?
No full textCrypto assets have been declared to be financial products in South Africa and crypto asset service providers (‘CASPs') are required to seek a licence under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002 (‘FAIS Act') to provide advice or intermediary services in respect of stablecoins. Yet, certain events in the crypto asset industry in 2022 (namely, a global industry decline, bad practices, bankruptcies and fraud) raised the question of whether CASPs providing exchange services specifically in relation to stablecoins (‘stablecoin CASPs') should be regulated as banks, and subjected to more rigorous regulatory requirements than those applicable under the FAIS Act. This forms the basis of the research question in this dissertation. The research is qualitative in nature and considers certain aspects of existing legislation and scholarly opinions in investigating the research question. The dissertation uses the European Union's Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation of 2023 (‘MICAR') as a benchmark against which to consider the South African legal position. After examining relevant legislation and considering MICAR's position on crypto assets, the dissertation argues that it is not appropriate to regulate stablecoin CASPs as banks in South Africa. However, the dissertation also finds that, in certain instances, some stablecoin CASPs may have to register as banks, based on the activities that they conduct. The dissertation also identifies certain significant gaps in the existing framework applicable to stablecoin CASPs as financial services providers. It is recommended that, in order to protect vulnerable consumers, a unified regulatory framework should be developed to apply particular standards to stablecoin CASPs; such standards are specifically tailored to stablecoins, and are not generic to traditional financial products. Looking beyond the research question posed, it is recommended that this framework should cover issuers of stablecoins in order to address the macroeconomic risks that they pose. The dissertation concludes that further research is needed to address other aspects of stablecoin CASP regulation that fall beyond the scope of this dissertation
Accounting career decision-making choices of rural high school learners in Amathole East, Eastern Cape, South Africa
No full textCareer decision-making continues to be a concern for high school learners. This is an even bigger concern for learners in rural based high schools due to lack of knowledge about various careers. This study sought to understand accounting career decisionmaking choices of rural high school learners in selected schools of Amathole East in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The purpose of this study was to understand what influences or motivates the career choices of rural high school learners when choosing a career in accounting. The study is grounded upon the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). A quantitative approach was adopted using paper-based questionnaires. The questionnaires were completed by 414 mathematics learners in 9 high schools in the district. The findings indicate that these learners lack knowledge of various accounting careers and that this may impact their decision of whether or not to pursue a career in accounting. The findings of the study also identify relevant interventions to raise awareness about various accounting career pathways for learners in rural high schools, that may be useful to tertiary institutions and professional accounting bodies
Can a state-owned bank be a catalyst for financial inclusion and economic development in South Africa? Lessons from China and India
No full textThe role of state-owned banks in the banking sector as well as countries' economic development is an important topic for debate. It should not be left to the private sector to address market failures. Several studies have been conducted on the role of banking in economic development, however few have examined the role of state-owned banks in financial inclusion and economic development, or the conditions required for the successful establishment and operation of a state-owned bank. The main objective of this study was to draw lessons from China and India as emerging economies that have been able to successfully establish and operate state-owned banks and use them as instruments to improve financial inclusion and economic development. To that end, the researcher produced a conceptual framework that can be used in South Africa to establish a state-owned bank. The research was carried out using qualitative documentary analysis to obtain secondary data from academic papers, central bank reports and statistics. The results of the study reveal that a clear government policy and political support are important conditions for the successful establishment of a state-owned bank (SOB), as these allow for the creation of enabling laws and a supportive regulatory environment. The study also found that SOBs have the capacity to expand the accessibility of their financial services nationwide using both physical and digital infrastructure. The success of SOBs in China and India – two BRICs countries – demonstrates that these banks will continue to play an important role in the world's banking industry and can positively contribute to the financial inclusion and economic development of these countries. The study therefore recommends that South Africa's policymakers consider the conceptual framework devised to establish an effective SOB that can help improve the level of financial inclusion and economic development in the country
The performance of information systems implementation outcomes: The case of an enterprise system implementation in a South African University
No full textProblem statement: The existing landscape of research on the outcomes of information systems (IS) development and implementation suggests that this domain has been extensively researched. Results indicate that most IS implementations fail, yet uptake of these systems is still on the rise. In response to the alarming failure rates, researchers and practitioners have extensively researched the concept of IS success and failure by prescribing and promoting a cumulative list of critical success factors which they believe should improve the success rate. These efforts, however, have not yielded much improvement considering the vast amount of research in this domain. This inconsistency might be as a result of the representational (rational/objective and narrative/subject) approach, which characterises how IS success and failure are currently defined, framed and assessed in research. By adopting a performative view, this study challenges the dominant representational approach which downplays the information technology (IT) system in focus and views outcomes as static and fixed. Purpose of the study: The main purpose of this study was to provide understanding on how the realities of IS success and failure are performed within an organisation. This was necessary given that the performative approach eliminates the idea of the metaphorical middleman (representations) in understanding reality. The performative perspective puts forward IS outcomes as relational consequences enacted by sociomaterial practices of an IS implementation actor-network. Research Question: This research addresses the question: "How are the competing realities of ES implementation outcomes performed?". Research methodology: This study adopted an explanatory purpose guided by the agential realism theoretical perspective. This study employed the actor-network theory as a theoretical lens because it allows researchers to examine the complex network of relationships and intra-actions that shape the performance of IS implementation outcomes. This study used the implementation of an enterprise system at Ìwádí University as a case study to elucidate the phenomenon. We employed semi-structured interviews, documents, system event log, observations, and field notes to gather data. The data was analysed using ANT analysis and event log analysis. Key findings: The findings reveal a multi-step process where competing realities of success and failure emergently unfold across different actor-networks through distinct sociomaterial practices shaped by ontological politics. Implementation outcomes are not pre-given, but relationally co constituted via entangled sociomaterial intra-actions between technologies, organizational actors, vii discourses and situated practices within each network. Coordination mechanisms like meetings and reports perform agential cuts, selectively including/excluding issues to stabilize particular realities aligned with network interests. Originality/contribution: This study challenges binary success/failure notions, providing a performative perspective on how these outcomes manifest as multiple, divergent, relationally enacted realities across organizational actor-networks. Theoretical propositions offer insights into the sociomaterial complexities, ontological politics and constitutive relations underlying competing assessments. It integrates ANT and process mining analyses to capture sociomaterial entanglements and technology performativities. For practice, it highlights adopting inclusive, iterative approaches bridging strategic aims and localized end-user realities through participative translation during implementation
A systematic review of economic evaluations involving childhood obesity
No full textBACKGROUND: Owing to the limited resources in developing countries, effective use of funds is necessary in the health care sector. Understanding the economic burden of prevalent health problems and ensuring cost-effective treatment thereof is, therefore, an important part of policy development. In developing countries, childhood obesity is becoming increasingly prevalent and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study, therefore, examines the economic evaluations around childhood obesity and its interventions. METHODS: A search was conducted on PubMed. Economic evaluations reporting quantitative data were included in the review. Data was extracted and grouped according to common themes. Findings were then described and reported, highlighting similar findings and needs for further research. RESULTS: 105 eligible articles were included in the systematic review. Of these articles, 39 assessed the economic consequences of childhood obesity, with 27 focusing on healthcare costs thereof. The other 66 studies were largely cost-effectiveness analyses of various interventions. The studies examining economic consequences demonstrated that children who were classified as overweight or obese had higher healthcare expenditures than their healthy weight counterparts. Key findings regarding interventions illustrated that the following are cost-effective in addressing childhood obesity: early childhood interventions, school-based interventions targeting physical activity, sleep interventions and policy changes. The lack of studies conducted in low and middle-income countries highlighted the need for further research. CONCLUSION: It is evident that childhood obesity is a pressing health concern with substantial economic consequences within the healthcare sector. Various interventions have been studied, with regards to their effectiveness at managing this illness. Early childhood interventions and school-based programs seemed to have the most supporting evidence regarding their economic benefits; however, further research is needed to determine their comparative effectiveness and their effectiveness in resource-limited setting
The impact of IFRS 17 transition mechanisms legislated by tax authorities on the GloBE effective tax rate of South Africa headquartered insurers
No full textDuring 2021 the Organization for Economic and Cooperative Development (‘OECD') released the Global Anti-Base Erosion Rules (‘GloBE Rules') as part of a two-pillar solution to address the challenges identified regarding the digitization of the economy. This significant development was preceded by the release of IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts in the same year and is issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. IFRS 17 is the culmination of a multi-year two phase project aimed at developing what is considered the first truly international insurance contract standard. The combination of the implementation of these two key developments and the practical impact of them on long-term insurers has not yet been fully ascertained. The research conducted seeks to determine the extent to which the transition mechanism legislated by tax authorities in response to and in preparation for the transition to IFRS 17 may impact the effective tax rate computed under the GloBE Rules. In addressing the research problem a two-pronged approach was taken, the first being a comparative analysis between the transition mechanisms opted for by tax authorities in South Africa and the United Kingdom, and the second being a case study using Discovery Limited, a South Africa headquartered MNE Group as the subject to illustrate the potential impact of the former, on the effective tax rate in the jurisdictions it operates in. The research indicated that the tax transition approach may have a significant impact on the effective tax rate of long-term insurers headquartered in South Africa resulting in the liability for top-up taxes
Evaluation of zero-dimensional furnace models for biomass-fired boilers with the aid of CFD and plant measurements
No full textBiomass combustion is an important and renewable source of energy, and its efficient utilisation has become an area of active research. Modelling biomass boilers is critical for optimising their design, performance, and control. A key challenge is accurately predicting waterwall heat uptake, furnace exit gas temperature (FEGT), and direct radiation impinging on downstream heat exchangers under varying operational conditions. Although radiation heat transfer is highly dependent on three-dimensional geometry, one-dimensional process models that integrate zero-dimensional (0-D) furnace models are commonly used to predict boiler performance. 0-D models simplify complex systems by representing the furnace as a single control volume with averaged properties, rather than capturing spatial variations. These 0-D furnace models are typically based on a combination of fundamental and empirical relationships. However, it has been shown that the existing empirical relationships may not always capture the furnace performance with sufficient accuracy. This study evaluates the predictive accuracy of two widely used 0-D semi-empirical furnace models, the direct method (Hottel) and the projected method (Gurvich/Blokh). These 0-D models were originally developed for large coal-fired boilers, and they are often applied to biomass-fired boilers without a thorough evaluation of their performance. To address this gap, two case studies were conducted on a compact biomass-fired boiler and an industrial biomass-fired boiler, with steam flows of 45 t/h and 105 t/h, respectively. The accuracy of the 0-D furnace models was evaluated by comparing their predictions to validated CFD simulations at both full and reduced loads. Key performance indicators, including waterwall heat uptake and FEGT, were analysed to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the 0-D models. For the smaller boiler, the 0-D models exhibited limitations in accurately predicting radiation heat transfer, especially at reduced loads. Although the projected method outperformed the direct method in some cases, neither model accurately captured the performance of the smaller boiler. In contrast, for the larger boiler, the direct method predicted waterwall heat uptake within 5.1% of the CFD results at full and reduced loads. The projected method, while exhibiting limitations in predicting waterwall heat uptake, performed better in predicting the FEGT, with errors of less than 5.4% across all load conditions. This study highlights the limitations of 0-D furnace models when applied to biomass-fired boilers, particularly for smaller boilers and under reduced load conditions. This emphasises the need to refine these models for broader applicability beyond large coal-fired boilers