1,721,018 research outputs found
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
The impact of accountability and service delivery in Dr Ruth S Mompati district municipality
No full textMBA North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2010This paper reports an evaluation of accountability and its impact on service delivery
in the Dr Ruth S Mompati District Municipality. Historically, services were delivered
but not to the expectation of communities since there was no consultation and proper
planning. The Dr Ruth S Mompati District .Municipality communities are consulted
and they have an Integrated Developmental Plan as it is required by legislations.
The communities of this District are satisfied with the services that are rendered and
they believe that the services are sustainable.Master
The challenges construction companies headed by black women face in sustaining businesses, in Ngaka Modiri Molema district, North West province
No full textThesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2012The South African government has placed great emphasis on SMMEs being the
group that could assist in steering the economy. It reviewed the measure of
introducing women to the mainstream economy, as a marginalised group that are
a majority in numbers, but a minority in the economy due to circumstances
surrounding their traditional role and especially due to the constraints of the
previous regime. The current government has introduced sweeping reforms
through regulations aimed at preferential procurement of female-owned
companies, but regardless of all government's initiatives female owned companies
still struggle to compete with their male counterparts in the construction industry.
The research problem questions the processes and systems put in place to alter
the social, political and economic climate in South Africa that created a new cycle
of opportunities and threats for the different stakeholders. It gave rise to hidden
occlusions based on gender and race that need to be addressed. Frustrations
such as those found in the empowerment initiatives of BEE that resulted in the
decline of standards and an increase in the disadvantaged groups trapped into
worse liabilities are worth mentioning. The literature review has produced
important recommendations that when implemented may resolve the flaws that
tend to create opportunities for unintended parties. Issues such as motivational
factors, collaboration between partners, sound partnering relationships and
establishing an organisational culture will assist role players to take stock, enable
them to make a turn-around, view challenges in terms of concealed manifestations
and ultimately effectively address said challenges.Master
A study of the effectiveness of performance management in Mafikeng High Schools
Full text linkMBA North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2010This research is about the implementation of performance management system
called Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in schools. Educators have
always complained that IQMS is a waste of time and energy as well as too
cumbersome. This research is intended to find about the feelings of educators
about the system. how important the system is and if there is any need for the
improvement thereof. The approach to the study has been one of quantitative
method. A sample of some 226 participant was done and questionnaires were
distributed. This sample had to be representative of all level of educators from the
lowest level to the principal teachers. The result of the study are such that
educators are positive about IQMS especially those with some status and higher
qualifications but those in the lower level are not as positive. Another· interesting
observation is that almost all participants feel that the system is not objective
enough. Half the number of respondents felt that their principal do not know how to
do appraisal. There needs to be an in-depth research on a much broader scale to
find out why senior teacher are more positive about appraisal than their junior
counter parts.Master
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
The evaluation of municipal electronic government capacity and service delivery at Ngaka Modiri Molela Dristrict Municipality
Full text linkThesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2013This dissertation investigates efficiency in municipal service delivery, the capability and
competency of staff, the degree of service quality experienced by the community and the e-Government
efficiency and effectiveness at Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality. It
highlights problems relating to municipal incapacity and incompetency, and inefficiency of
e-Government system. However, municipalities are expected to lead economic development
in their respective communities, democratic and governance programmes. Then review of the
literature relevant to e-Government capacity and municipal service delivery, serves as a
primary data that adds value to the dissertation. Collation of the relevant data was followed
by discussion of the employee perception on e-Government capacity and municipal service
delivery. Local government struggles to provide services to citizens, but the poor service
erodes trust. Service delivery backlogs continue to be unattended and significant segments of
the community remain economically inactive and municipal capacity is the catalyst of the
whole scenario.The relative lack of research on municipal e-Government capacity and service
delivery is the primary motivation for this study to evaluate the e-Government and municipal
service delivery and demonstrate that should e-Government capacity and service delivery be
enhanced, the episode of local government protest can be eradicated and efficient service
quality promoted.The sample was drawn from Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality
employees who were cooperative in the execution of the study. As a result of this, the
research on the subject has moved beyond imperfect borders of e-Govemment capacity and
mtmicipal service delivery issues and has begun to focus more on aspects that can be
considered to enhance e-Government capacity and municipal service delivery.The findings of
this study provide a strong point of departure for the evaluation of muniicipal e-Government
capacity and service delivery at Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality and indicate that
there is a lack of capacity and competency, and inefficiency in the e-Government service.
Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality management should explore opportunities to
ensure that training and development are provided to municipal staff to improve capacity and
competency and also explore the opportunity to increase e-Government efficiency and
effectiveness.Master
The evaluation of training on entrepreneurship skills by Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) in Johannesburg, South Africa
Full text linkThesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2011Many studies have revealed that training contributes significantly in the growth of
enterprises. Training adds to the skills of SMMEs' owners, change their behaviour on
how they perceive and conduct business activities and in turn enhance their ability to
perform better. This dissertation investigates impact of entrepreneurship skills
training and education as one of the factors that will help in both the survival and
sustainability of SMMEs serviced by Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP) in South
Africa (SA). It highlights problems of the current entrepreneurship skills training and
education by delineating the weakness and pitfalls. The relevant literature has been
visited and served as a primary data that add value to the dissertation. Collation of
the relevant data is followed by a discussion of the impact of entrepreneurship skills
training and education as one of the factors that will help in both the survival and
sustainability of SMMEs. The relative lack of research on impact of entrepreneurship
skills training and education is the primary impetus of this study. The sample was
drawn from SMMEs who attended entrepreneurship skills training offered by
Gauteng Enterprise Propeller. The majority of the respondents were cooperatives in
Johannesburg, South Africa. The study findings indicate that the entrepreneurship
skills training have the following five major deficiencies: there is deficiency in
entrepreneurship skills training and education; lack of involvement in the training
program; lack of quality in training; training not being relevant to organizational
needs; and lack of training programs. It is suggested that GEP management should
explore opportunities to ensure that the training addresses business needs; involve
trainees in training evaluation to improve quality; improve the effectiveness of
training and its impact; and ensure that respondents are trained on formulation of
training programs and policy to address organisational needs.Master
An empirical investigation of rigour versus relevance in information systems research
No full textThesis (M.Com.(Information Systems) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2013The purpose of the study was to investigate the rigour and relevance of IS research; as
researchers and practitioners are divided and living in a different world of aspiration m
conducting research. This division is as a result of many reasons. The gap between researchers
and practitioners has promulgated debate and argument among the two that has lasted for years.
Many believed that IS research is effective and others opposed it. Others within or outside the
discipline consider whether IS research output affects and impacts decision making in the
industry. Meanwhile, the debate on rigour and relevance has lasted for decades but, in reality, the
differences gap still persists, in spite of efforts by researchers. Their efforts and hard-work seem
not to be very effective. This study seeks to determine whether practitioners meet their needs and
expectations and whether they address them through the rigour and relevance of IS/academic
research. It is also to determine whether this debate which has lingered over the years is worth it.
The growing problems and needs in the practitioners' world call for an investigation into this
rigour and relevance. There is an on-going criticism that IS research lacks rigour, relevance.
effective communication and acceptance in the field as noted in the literature. The identified
problem under investigation now is lack of rigour, relevance and other issues such as
consistency, transparency, communication and inaccessibi lity in IS research. The population for
the study comprised academic lecturers attending the South African Institute for Computer
Scientists and Information Technologists (SAICSIT 2012) conference and North-West
University IS and Computer Science (Mafikeng Campus) academics. The population was 90
lecturers/academics and the sample size of 73 answered the questionnaires.Master
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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