A performative-performance analytical approach: infusing Butlerian theory into the narrative-discursive method
- Morison, Tracy, Macleod, Catriona I
- Authors: Morison, Tracy , Macleod, Catriona I
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6212 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003065 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1077800413494344
- Description: Judith Butler’s theory of performativity provides gender theorists with a rich theoretical language for thinking about gender. Despite this, Butlerian theory is difficult to apply, as Butler does not provide guidance on actual analysis of language use in context. In order to address this limitation, we suggest carefully supplementing performativity with the notion of performance in a manner that allows for the inclusion of relational specificities and the mechanisms through which gender, and gender trouble, occur. To do this, we turn to current developments within discursive psychology and narrative theory. We extend the narrative-discursive method proposed by Taylor and colleagues, infusing it with Butlerian theory in order to fashion a dual analytical lens, which we call the performativity-performance approach. We provide a brief example of how the proposed analytical process may be implemented.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Morison, Tracy , Macleod, Catriona I
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6212 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003065 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1077800413494344
- Description: Judith Butler’s theory of performativity provides gender theorists with a rich theoretical language for thinking about gender. Despite this, Butlerian theory is difficult to apply, as Butler does not provide guidance on actual analysis of language use in context. In order to address this limitation, we suggest carefully supplementing performativity with the notion of performance in a manner that allows for the inclusion of relational specificities and the mechanisms through which gender, and gender trouble, occur. To do this, we turn to current developments within discursive psychology and narrative theory. We extend the narrative-discursive method proposed by Taylor and colleagues, infusing it with Butlerian theory in order to fashion a dual analytical lens, which we call the performativity-performance approach. We provide a brief example of how the proposed analytical process may be implemented.
- Full Text:
A process assessment framework for rural ICT projects in developing countries: an exploration of the Siyakhula Living Lab, South Africa
- Authors: Osah, Umeoniso Joshua
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Siyakhula Living Lab Information technology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Rural development projects -- Evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Communication in economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:1133 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001623
- Description: Rural development can be supported by information and knowledge which are key strategic resources for socio economic development. ICTs enable the facilitation and communication of information between remotely dispersed individuals or groups and more developed regions. While it has become common place that ICTs possess capabilities to potentially support rural development, the concept of ICT for development (ICT4D) is still fraught with challenges and barriers, which impede the success and sustainability of ICT4D projects. It is therefore essential to evaluate rural ICT projects, as such an analysis may aid in revealing information related to the need, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of these projects. This research seeks to further the implementation and exploration of the Rural ICT Comprehensive Evaluation Framework (RICT-CEF), through the application of the Process Assessment domain in a real life rural ICT project environment. The RICT-CEF framework consisting of 7 evaluation domains has the primary objective of evaluating rural ICT projects from their inception stages to post implementation. A process assessment seeks to determine whether or not a rural ICT project is operating to implement its intended functions in the intended way specified in the projects plan. Such an assessment is invaluable to a comprehensive evaluation. Evaluation questions for a process assessment are centred around critical themes of project performance. Critical themes are aspects of a programme or projects implementation which must be enacted in order to achieve desired project outcomes. This research study is aimed at identifying critical themes of process assessment relevant to rural ICT4D projects. To identify critical themes, assessment approaches on social programme process assessments, evaluation of information systems in use, and rural ICT4D project evaluation case studies are comparatively analysed. Fourteen assessment approaches from these three categories are selected based on criteria. To analyse selected assessment approaches, a template is created based on the research questions, foundational literature on process assessment and identified challenges applicable to process assessments of rural ICT4D projects. Comparing and contrasting critical themes from these assessment approaches highlight critical themes essential to assess in the iterative implementation phase of rural ICT projects. Accentuated critical themes include, service utilization, organizational function and external project factors. These themes, along with suggested guiding principles from literature for conducting process assessments enable the creation of a framework for conducting process assessments of rural ICT projects. The framework is labelled "the Rural ICT Project Process Assessment Framework (RICTP-PAF)". The application of the RICTP-PAF in a real life rural ICT project through a design science case study provides lessons learned (suitability and shortcomings) from applying the framework. This essentially demonstrates the sensitivity of the RICTP-PAF to rural contexts in which it is implemented in. For instance, the implemented prototype of the RICTP-PAF reveals that the framework places a great deal of emphasis on rural beneficiary perspectives. A practice which has been lacking in such evaluation exercises. Furthermore, the guiding principles elucidated, bring to mind best practices to deal with issues such as stakeholder conflict, unreliable data elicitation and unethical assessment practices. The RICTP-PAF represents a fundamental tool for process assessments of rural ICT projects, and may be adopted and customized to various rural ICT project contexts in developing countries.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Osah, Umeoniso Joshua
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Siyakhula Living Lab Information technology -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Rural development projects -- Evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Communication in economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:1133 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001623
- Description: Rural development can be supported by information and knowledge which are key strategic resources for socio economic development. ICTs enable the facilitation and communication of information between remotely dispersed individuals or groups and more developed regions. While it has become common place that ICTs possess capabilities to potentially support rural development, the concept of ICT for development (ICT4D) is still fraught with challenges and barriers, which impede the success and sustainability of ICT4D projects. It is therefore essential to evaluate rural ICT projects, as such an analysis may aid in revealing information related to the need, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of these projects. This research seeks to further the implementation and exploration of the Rural ICT Comprehensive Evaluation Framework (RICT-CEF), through the application of the Process Assessment domain in a real life rural ICT project environment. The RICT-CEF framework consisting of 7 evaluation domains has the primary objective of evaluating rural ICT projects from their inception stages to post implementation. A process assessment seeks to determine whether or not a rural ICT project is operating to implement its intended functions in the intended way specified in the projects plan. Such an assessment is invaluable to a comprehensive evaluation. Evaluation questions for a process assessment are centred around critical themes of project performance. Critical themes are aspects of a programme or projects implementation which must be enacted in order to achieve desired project outcomes. This research study is aimed at identifying critical themes of process assessment relevant to rural ICT4D projects. To identify critical themes, assessment approaches on social programme process assessments, evaluation of information systems in use, and rural ICT4D project evaluation case studies are comparatively analysed. Fourteen assessment approaches from these three categories are selected based on criteria. To analyse selected assessment approaches, a template is created based on the research questions, foundational literature on process assessment and identified challenges applicable to process assessments of rural ICT4D projects. Comparing and contrasting critical themes from these assessment approaches highlight critical themes essential to assess in the iterative implementation phase of rural ICT projects. Accentuated critical themes include, service utilization, organizational function and external project factors. These themes, along with suggested guiding principles from literature for conducting process assessments enable the creation of a framework for conducting process assessments of rural ICT projects. The framework is labelled "the Rural ICT Project Process Assessment Framework (RICTP-PAF)". The application of the RICTP-PAF in a real life rural ICT project through a design science case study provides lessons learned (suitability and shortcomings) from applying the framework. This essentially demonstrates the sensitivity of the RICTP-PAF to rural contexts in which it is implemented in. For instance, the implemented prototype of the RICTP-PAF reveals that the framework places a great deal of emphasis on rural beneficiary perspectives. A practice which has been lacking in such evaluation exercises. Furthermore, the guiding principles elucidated, bring to mind best practices to deal with issues such as stakeholder conflict, unreliable data elicitation and unethical assessment practices. The RICTP-PAF represents a fundamental tool for process assessments of rural ICT projects, and may be adopted and customized to various rural ICT project contexts in developing countries.
- Full Text:
A proposed schema for the conditions of creativity in fine art studio practice
- Authors: Belluigi, Dina Z
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64641 , vital:28584 , http://www.ijea.org/v14n19/index.html
- Description: Drawing from creativity and art research, this paper proposes a schema for the conditions for creativity in fine art studio practice. Discussion focuses on how the triad of creative person, artmaking process, and artwork is constructed, and the situating of this creative triad within an enabling environment, which on a structural level includes the curriculum, and on a cultural and agential level involves teaching and learning relationships. An emphasis in placed on affective concerns, particularly the role of uncertainty as an important part of the art student’s learning experience.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Belluigi, Dina Z
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64641 , vital:28584 , http://www.ijea.org/v14n19/index.html
- Description: Drawing from creativity and art research, this paper proposes a schema for the conditions for creativity in fine art studio practice. Discussion focuses on how the triad of creative person, artmaking process, and artwork is constructed, and the situating of this creative triad within an enabling environment, which on a structural level includes the curriculum, and on a cultural and agential level involves teaching and learning relationships. An emphasis in placed on affective concerns, particularly the role of uncertainty as an important part of the art student’s learning experience.
- Full Text:
A qualitative ecological risk assessment of the invasive Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus in a sub-tropical African river system (Limpopo River, South Africa)
- Zengeya, Tsungai A, Robertson, Mark P, Booth, Anthony J, Chimimba, Christian T
- Authors: Zengeya, Tsungai A , Robertson, Mark P , Booth, Anthony J , Chimimba, Christian T
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/123575 , vital:35457 , https://doi.10.1002/aqc.2258
- Description: 1. This study outlines the development of a qualitative risk assessment method and its application as a screening tool for determining the risk of establishment and spread of the invasive Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758), within the central sub-catchment of the Limpopo River basin in northern South Africa. 2. The assessment used known physiological tolerance limits of O. niloticus in relation to minimum water temperature, presence or absence of dams, seasonality of river flows, and the presence of indigenous fish species of concern to identify river systems that would be suitable for O. niloticus establishment. 3. River sections along the Limpopo main river channel and the immediate reaches of its associated tributaries east of the Limpopo/Lephalala river confluence along the Botswana–South Africa–Zimbabwe border were identified as being highly vulnerable to O. niloticus invasion. Rivers in the upper Bushveld catchment (Upper Limpopo, Mogalakwena, Lephalala, Mokolo, Matlabas and Crocodile rivers) were categorized as of medium ecological risk, while headwater streams were considered to be of low ecological risk. The decrease in vulnerability between lowveld and highveld river sections was mainly a function of low water temperatures (8–12˚C) associated with increasing altitude. 4. Oreochromis niloticus is already established in the lower catchment of the Limpopo River basin where indigenous congenerics are at an extinction risk through hybridization and competition exclusion. Oreochromis niloticus, therefore, poses an ecologically unacceptable risk to river systems in the upper catchment where it is yet to establish. The current risk assessment model provides a useful preliminary framework for the identification of river systems that are vulnerable to an O. niloticus invasion where conservation measures should be directed and implemented to prevent its introduction and spread within the Limpopo river system.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Zengeya, Tsungai A , Robertson, Mark P , Booth, Anthony J , Chimimba, Christian T
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/123575 , vital:35457 , https://doi.10.1002/aqc.2258
- Description: 1. This study outlines the development of a qualitative risk assessment method and its application as a screening tool for determining the risk of establishment and spread of the invasive Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758), within the central sub-catchment of the Limpopo River basin in northern South Africa. 2. The assessment used known physiological tolerance limits of O. niloticus in relation to minimum water temperature, presence or absence of dams, seasonality of river flows, and the presence of indigenous fish species of concern to identify river systems that would be suitable for O. niloticus establishment. 3. River sections along the Limpopo main river channel and the immediate reaches of its associated tributaries east of the Limpopo/Lephalala river confluence along the Botswana–South Africa–Zimbabwe border were identified as being highly vulnerable to O. niloticus invasion. Rivers in the upper Bushveld catchment (Upper Limpopo, Mogalakwena, Lephalala, Mokolo, Matlabas and Crocodile rivers) were categorized as of medium ecological risk, while headwater streams were considered to be of low ecological risk. The decrease in vulnerability between lowveld and highveld river sections was mainly a function of low water temperatures (8–12˚C) associated with increasing altitude. 4. Oreochromis niloticus is already established in the lower catchment of the Limpopo River basin where indigenous congenerics are at an extinction risk through hybridization and competition exclusion. Oreochromis niloticus, therefore, poses an ecologically unacceptable risk to river systems in the upper catchment where it is yet to establish. The current risk assessment model provides a useful preliminary framework for the identification of river systems that are vulnerable to an O. niloticus invasion where conservation measures should be directed and implemented to prevent its introduction and spread within the Limpopo river system.
- Full Text:
A role for heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) in fibronectin matrix dynamics
- Authors: O'Hagan, Kyle Leonard
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Molecular chaperones , Heat shock proteins , Metastasis , Cancer -- Treatment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4157 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018260
- Description: To date, a significant portion of research has been devoted to understanding the biological role of the molecular chaperone, heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), in cancer development and metastasis. Studies have alluded to over 300 clients for intracellular Hsp90, many of which are involved in oncogenic signaling pathways, making Hsp90 a bone fide drug target with several inhibitors already in clinical trials. In recent years, a limited number of extracellular Hsp90 clients have been elucidated with roles in cancer cell migration and invasion. Examples of such clients include matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), LRP-1/CD91 and HER-2. Inhibition of extracellular Hsp90 using cellimpermeable inhibitors has been shown to reduce cancer cell migration and metastasis by a hitherto undefined mechanism. Using surface biotinylation and an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, we provided evidence to support that Hsp90 was found extracellularly in cancers of different origin, cell type and malignancy. Next, we isolated extracellular Hsp90-containing complexes from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells using a cell impermeable crosslinker followed by immunoprecipitation and identified by mass spectrometry that the extracellular matrix protein, fibronectin, co-precipitated with Hsp90β. This interaction between Hsp90β and fibronectin was confirmed using pull down assays and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy with the purified proteins. The ability of exogenous Hsp90β to increase the insoluble fibronectin matrix in Hs578T breast cancer cells indicated a role for Hsp90 in fibronectin matrix stability or fibrillogenesis. Hsp90 knockdown by RNA interference or inhibition with the small molecule inhibitor, novobiocin, resulted in a dose and time-dependent reduction of the extracellular fibronectin matrix. Furthermore, novobiocin was shown to cause the internalization of a fluorescently-labeled exogenous fibronectin matrix incorporated into the extracellular matrix by Hs578T cells. This suggested endocytosis as a possible mechanism for fibronectin turnover. This was supported by the colocalization of fibronectin with key vesicular trafficking markers (Rab-5 and LAMP-1) in small, intracellular vesicles. Furthermore, treatment with the vesicular trafficking inhibitor, methyl-β-cyclodextrin, resulted in a dose-dependent recovery in the extracellular fibronectin matrix following treatment with novobiocin. Taken together, these data provided the first evidence to suggest fibronectin as a new client of Hsp90 and that Hsp90 was involved in regulating extracellular fibronectin matrix dynamics.
- Full Text:
- Authors: O'Hagan, Kyle Leonard
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Molecular chaperones , Heat shock proteins , Metastasis , Cancer -- Treatment
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4157 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018260
- Description: To date, a significant portion of research has been devoted to understanding the biological role of the molecular chaperone, heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), in cancer development and metastasis. Studies have alluded to over 300 clients for intracellular Hsp90, many of which are involved in oncogenic signaling pathways, making Hsp90 a bone fide drug target with several inhibitors already in clinical trials. In recent years, a limited number of extracellular Hsp90 clients have been elucidated with roles in cancer cell migration and invasion. Examples of such clients include matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), LRP-1/CD91 and HER-2. Inhibition of extracellular Hsp90 using cellimpermeable inhibitors has been shown to reduce cancer cell migration and metastasis by a hitherto undefined mechanism. Using surface biotinylation and an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, we provided evidence to support that Hsp90 was found extracellularly in cancers of different origin, cell type and malignancy. Next, we isolated extracellular Hsp90-containing complexes from MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells using a cell impermeable crosslinker followed by immunoprecipitation and identified by mass spectrometry that the extracellular matrix protein, fibronectin, co-precipitated with Hsp90β. This interaction between Hsp90β and fibronectin was confirmed using pull down assays and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy with the purified proteins. The ability of exogenous Hsp90β to increase the insoluble fibronectin matrix in Hs578T breast cancer cells indicated a role for Hsp90 in fibronectin matrix stability or fibrillogenesis. Hsp90 knockdown by RNA interference or inhibition with the small molecule inhibitor, novobiocin, resulted in a dose and time-dependent reduction of the extracellular fibronectin matrix. Furthermore, novobiocin was shown to cause the internalization of a fluorescently-labeled exogenous fibronectin matrix incorporated into the extracellular matrix by Hs578T cells. This suggested endocytosis as a possible mechanism for fibronectin turnover. This was supported by the colocalization of fibronectin with key vesicular trafficking markers (Rab-5 and LAMP-1) in small, intracellular vesicles. Furthermore, treatment with the vesicular trafficking inhibitor, methyl-β-cyclodextrin, resulted in a dose-dependent recovery in the extracellular fibronectin matrix following treatment with novobiocin. Taken together, these data provided the first evidence to suggest fibronectin as a new client of Hsp90 and that Hsp90 was involved in regulating extracellular fibronectin matrix dynamics.
- Full Text:
A small town in the early apartheid era: A history of Grahamstown 1946-1960 focusing on "White English" perspectives.
- Lancaster, Rupert Giles Swinburne
- Authors: Lancaster, Rupert Giles Swinburne
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Grahamstown (South Africa) -- History -- 20th Century , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Politics and government -- 20th century , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Social conditions -- 20th Century , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Economic conditions -- 20th Century , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Social life and customs -- 20th Century , Apartheid -- South Africa , Whites -- South Africa -- Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2612 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013161
- Description: This Thesis examines the socio-political perceptions of Grahamstown, a small South African City, during the period 1946 to 1960. The ‘White English’ population of Grahamstown is the specific focus, as it formed the dominant social group during the period and consequently provided the majority of information for this work. During this period the majority of Grahamstowns ‘White English’ population thought of their City as holding many attractive features and experiences despite the slum-conditions and poverty that were rife in the Locations. During the British Royal Familie’s tour of the Union of South Africa in 1947, Grahamstown was one of the Cities visited. The loyalty that Grahamstown’s ‘White English’ citizens felt towards the Royal Family and the United Kingdom is explored in connection with the regard that ‘White English’ Grahamstown held for the 1820 Settlers. To highlight the Grahamstown City Council’s activities during this period five events are analysed: The Grahamstown Financial Crisis, The Grahamstown Housing Crisis, The Beer Hall Debate, The establishment of a Tuberculosis Hospital and the granting of Full University Status to Rhodes University College. It is shown, with regard to the politics of the period, that ‘White English’ Grahamstown, unequivocally supported the United Party and were vocally anti-Nationalist. The implementation of Apartheid policies within Grahamstown is explored, with specific focus placed upon the Group Areas Act. Finally the anti-republican sentiment espoused by ‘White English’ Grahamstown is reviewed.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Lancaster, Rupert Giles Swinburne
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Grahamstown (South Africa) -- History -- 20th Century , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Politics and government -- 20th century , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Social conditions -- 20th Century , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Economic conditions -- 20th Century , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Social life and customs -- 20th Century , Apartheid -- South Africa , Whites -- South Africa -- Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2612 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013161
- Description: This Thesis examines the socio-political perceptions of Grahamstown, a small South African City, during the period 1946 to 1960. The ‘White English’ population of Grahamstown is the specific focus, as it formed the dominant social group during the period and consequently provided the majority of information for this work. During this period the majority of Grahamstowns ‘White English’ population thought of their City as holding many attractive features and experiences despite the slum-conditions and poverty that were rife in the Locations. During the British Royal Familie’s tour of the Union of South Africa in 1947, Grahamstown was one of the Cities visited. The loyalty that Grahamstown’s ‘White English’ citizens felt towards the Royal Family and the United Kingdom is explored in connection with the regard that ‘White English’ Grahamstown held for the 1820 Settlers. To highlight the Grahamstown City Council’s activities during this period five events are analysed: The Grahamstown Financial Crisis, The Grahamstown Housing Crisis, The Beer Hall Debate, The establishment of a Tuberculosis Hospital and the granting of Full University Status to Rhodes University College. It is shown, with regard to the politics of the period, that ‘White English’ Grahamstown, unequivocally supported the United Party and were vocally anti-Nationalist. The implementation of Apartheid policies within Grahamstown is explored, with specific focus placed upon the Group Areas Act. Finally the anti-republican sentiment espoused by ‘White English’ Grahamstown is reviewed.
- Full Text:
A social realist account of the tutorial system at the University of Johannesburg
- Authors: Layton, Delia Melanie
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: University of Johannesburg Education, Higher -- South Africa Tutors and tutoring -- South Africa College teaching -- South Africa Archer, Margaret Scotford College student development programs -- South Africa Social realism , Tutorial system
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1314 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001621
- Description: Using Margaret Archer’s social realist methodology, this study critically examines the construction of the tutorial system in several departments and faculties at the Auckland Park campus of the University of Johannesburg. The purpose of the study is to investigate the extent to which tutorials support the acquisition of programme and disciplinary epistemologies. Social realism calls for analytical dualism of ‘the people’ (agents) from ‘the parts’ (structure and culture). This requires the separate consideration of structures (social systems, rules, roles, practices, policies, institutions, and organisational structures like committees, units, departments, faculties), culture (ideologies, theories, beliefs and values as evidenced in discourses), and agency (people and their ability to act within and upon their own world in terms of their social roles and positions dependent on their ability to activate their emergent properties and powers). Through this investigation, an understanding was gained into how the emergent properties and powers contained within the material, ideational and agential elements helped to generate certain events and practices in the tutorial system. These generative mechanisms were examined to explore whether they enabled or constrained the construction of the tutorial system to provide epistemological access. The study shows that while many official policy documents construct the tutorial system as being an intervention to support academic success, particularly for first-years, there are some tensions within the document discourses, where, on the one hand, student success is constructed in terms of throughput numbers, or, on the other hand, as being about becoming a particular kind of person who is able to access and add to powerful knowledge. Furthermore, the study found that policies are not being consistently implemented. While certain key agents and actors, in the form of management, academics and tutors, were found to be able to overcome constraints and introduce innovative ways of enhancing access to target epistemologies, there is a need for consideration of structural and cultural constraints. For example, structures in the form of funding, venues and timetabling were found to constrain the tutorial system as did some of the discourses in the cultural domain: for example, in the form of certain dominant discourses around teaching and learning, beliefs about the purpose of the tutorial and the relationship between academics and the tutorial system. The study also found that the ontological aspects of ‘learning to be’ were not fore-grounded to any great extent in the ways in which the tutorial system was constructed. There needs to be more consideration of the ontological as well as the epistemological aspects of first-year study so as to take cognisance of the different learning needs of an increasingly diverse student body and to encourage the development of the student agency necessary for a deep engagement with the disciplinary epistemologies.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Layton, Delia Melanie
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: University of Johannesburg Education, Higher -- South Africa Tutors and tutoring -- South Africa College teaching -- South Africa Archer, Margaret Scotford College student development programs -- South Africa Social realism , Tutorial system
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:1314 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001621
- Description: Using Margaret Archer’s social realist methodology, this study critically examines the construction of the tutorial system in several departments and faculties at the Auckland Park campus of the University of Johannesburg. The purpose of the study is to investigate the extent to which tutorials support the acquisition of programme and disciplinary epistemologies. Social realism calls for analytical dualism of ‘the people’ (agents) from ‘the parts’ (structure and culture). This requires the separate consideration of structures (social systems, rules, roles, practices, policies, institutions, and organisational structures like committees, units, departments, faculties), culture (ideologies, theories, beliefs and values as evidenced in discourses), and agency (people and their ability to act within and upon their own world in terms of their social roles and positions dependent on their ability to activate their emergent properties and powers). Through this investigation, an understanding was gained into how the emergent properties and powers contained within the material, ideational and agential elements helped to generate certain events and practices in the tutorial system. These generative mechanisms were examined to explore whether they enabled or constrained the construction of the tutorial system to provide epistemological access. The study shows that while many official policy documents construct the tutorial system as being an intervention to support academic success, particularly for first-years, there are some tensions within the document discourses, where, on the one hand, student success is constructed in terms of throughput numbers, or, on the other hand, as being about becoming a particular kind of person who is able to access and add to powerful knowledge. Furthermore, the study found that policies are not being consistently implemented. While certain key agents and actors, in the form of management, academics and tutors, were found to be able to overcome constraints and introduce innovative ways of enhancing access to target epistemologies, there is a need for consideration of structural and cultural constraints. For example, structures in the form of funding, venues and timetabling were found to constrain the tutorial system as did some of the discourses in the cultural domain: for example, in the form of certain dominant discourses around teaching and learning, beliefs about the purpose of the tutorial and the relationship between academics and the tutorial system. The study also found that the ontological aspects of ‘learning to be’ were not fore-grounded to any great extent in the ways in which the tutorial system was constructed. There needs to be more consideration of the ontological as well as the epistemological aspects of first-year study so as to take cognisance of the different learning needs of an increasingly diverse student body and to encourage the development of the student agency necessary for a deep engagement with the disciplinary epistemologies.
- Full Text:
A social realist analysis of learner agency and access to education : the case of Grade 11 learners in public secondary schools in the Makana District, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Namakula, Halima
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Active learning -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Educational equalization -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Student-centered learning -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Competency-based education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Education, Secondary -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1404 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001954
- Description: The South African government has shown enormous commitment to the achievement of “Education for All” (EFA) through its policies premised on the right to basic education for all which is enshrined in the constitution. Central to the South African constitution, is a fundamental right of all citizens to basic education, equity, redress, and the improvement of quality of schooling. Further, pro-poor funding policies such as school fee exemptions, social grants and, most recently, the designation of 60% of all schools as ‘no fee’ schools, have made it possible for even the poorest learners to attend school. This has affirmed South Africa’s commitment to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. In light of Notwithstanding the progress made in South Africa in universalising education, there are concerns regarding learner access to quality education, especially in poor provinces such as the Eastern Cape where this study is situated. Thus, the purpose of this study is to further understanding of the interface between learners’ agency and access to education in two township public high schools in Makana District in the Eastern Cape Province. In doing so, the research addresses the current under-representation in the literature of the voices of learners about their experiences of access to education. Drawing on Margaret Archer’s social realist approach to the relationship between structure and agency, the study explores learner agency with the aim of understanding how learners exercise their agency as they struggle to negotiate and overcome difficult and challenging circumstances in order to access education. The data collection was carried out during the academic year 2011, using a qualitative case study approach. Multiple methods of data collection were used. First, data was collected through questionnaires administered to learners. This questionnaire asked for basic information about the schools (for example, subjects, resources and teachers ), parents ( their education, employment, qualification etc.) and learners’ aspirations (their role model; where they see themselves in 5 years; which university they would like to attend; and what they would like to become in future). Secondly, observation method was used to collect data that would inform an assessment of the school’s structure and cultural practices and the impact these have on learners’ access to education. The focus here was also on classroom interaction between learners and teachers, as well as classroom participation, participation in extra-mural activities and voluntary activities, and interaction with peers and others in a variety of school settings. Thirdly, interviews with learners, educators, principals, and parents were used to provide insight about how participants construct their social worlds. In this study the primary data was collected through semi-structured individual and focus group interview. And finally, document analysis was used to analyse the attendance and performance of learners on attendance registers. Findings from this research have enabled new themes and areas for reflection about learner agency to emerge. These themes reflect current and ongoing constraints and enablements towards learners’ educational experiences. In particular, themes such as the following have surfaced: learners changing their lives; the desire to succeed; shaping the future; the value of education; family pride; aspirations and careers. This study addressed these developments by examining agency as temporally located reflexive deliberations of learners upon their future goals and present social environment. This allowed for the identification of individuals’ future goals in relation to access to education and the strategies that they intend to pursue to achieve them, in relation to their personal and social contexts. The findings show the choices and decisions learners are prepared to make and the strategies they use as they engage with socio-cultural environments. Archer’s nuanced approach to agency and structure offers tools to help make sense of learners’ equally nuanced way of engaging with various social structures and making considered decisions about their social environment. Key findings of this research suggest that despite the constraining social structures in their homes, communities and schools, learners make decisions and choices that enable them to navigate social contexts to their advantage. Put differently, for learners, social structures provided the impetus for the projects they created, and to this extent enabled rather than constrained their courses of action.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Namakula, Halima
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Active learning -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Educational equalization -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Student-centered learning -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Competency-based education -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Education, Secondary -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1404 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001954
- Description: The South African government has shown enormous commitment to the achievement of “Education for All” (EFA) through its policies premised on the right to basic education for all which is enshrined in the constitution. Central to the South African constitution, is a fundamental right of all citizens to basic education, equity, redress, and the improvement of quality of schooling. Further, pro-poor funding policies such as school fee exemptions, social grants and, most recently, the designation of 60% of all schools as ‘no fee’ schools, have made it possible for even the poorest learners to attend school. This has affirmed South Africa’s commitment to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. In light of Notwithstanding the progress made in South Africa in universalising education, there are concerns regarding learner access to quality education, especially in poor provinces such as the Eastern Cape where this study is situated. Thus, the purpose of this study is to further understanding of the interface between learners’ agency and access to education in two township public high schools in Makana District in the Eastern Cape Province. In doing so, the research addresses the current under-representation in the literature of the voices of learners about their experiences of access to education. Drawing on Margaret Archer’s social realist approach to the relationship between structure and agency, the study explores learner agency with the aim of understanding how learners exercise their agency as they struggle to negotiate and overcome difficult and challenging circumstances in order to access education. The data collection was carried out during the academic year 2011, using a qualitative case study approach. Multiple methods of data collection were used. First, data was collected through questionnaires administered to learners. This questionnaire asked for basic information about the schools (for example, subjects, resources and teachers ), parents ( their education, employment, qualification etc.) and learners’ aspirations (their role model; where they see themselves in 5 years; which university they would like to attend; and what they would like to become in future). Secondly, observation method was used to collect data that would inform an assessment of the school’s structure and cultural practices and the impact these have on learners’ access to education. The focus here was also on classroom interaction between learners and teachers, as well as classroom participation, participation in extra-mural activities and voluntary activities, and interaction with peers and others in a variety of school settings. Thirdly, interviews with learners, educators, principals, and parents were used to provide insight about how participants construct their social worlds. In this study the primary data was collected through semi-structured individual and focus group interview. And finally, document analysis was used to analyse the attendance and performance of learners on attendance registers. Findings from this research have enabled new themes and areas for reflection about learner agency to emerge. These themes reflect current and ongoing constraints and enablements towards learners’ educational experiences. In particular, themes such as the following have surfaced: learners changing their lives; the desire to succeed; shaping the future; the value of education; family pride; aspirations and careers. This study addressed these developments by examining agency as temporally located reflexive deliberations of learners upon their future goals and present social environment. This allowed for the identification of individuals’ future goals in relation to access to education and the strategies that they intend to pursue to achieve them, in relation to their personal and social contexts. The findings show the choices and decisions learners are prepared to make and the strategies they use as they engage with socio-cultural environments. Archer’s nuanced approach to agency and structure offers tools to help make sense of learners’ equally nuanced way of engaging with various social structures and making considered decisions about their social environment. Key findings of this research suggest that despite the constraining social structures in their homes, communities and schools, learners make decisions and choices that enable them to navigate social contexts to their advantage. Put differently, for learners, social structures provided the impetus for the projects they created, and to this extent enabled rather than constrained their courses of action.
- Full Text:
A source analysis of the conficker outbreak from a network telescope.
- Authors: Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429742 , vital:72636 , 10.23919/SAIEE.2013.8531865
- Description: This paper discusses a dataset of some 16 million packets targeting port 445/tcp collected by a network telescope utilising a /24 netblock in South African IP address space. An initial overview of the collected data is provided. This is followed by a detailed analysis of the packet characteristics observed, including size and TTL. The peculiarities of the observed target selection and the results of the flaw in the Conficker worm's propagation algorithm are presented. An analysis of the 4 million observed source hosts is reported, grouped by both packet counts and the number of distinct hosts per network address block. Address blocks of size /8, 16 and 24 are used for groupings. The localisation, by geographic region and numerical proximity, of high ranking aggregate netblocks is highlighted. The observed shift in geopolitical origins observed during the evolution of the Conficker worm is also discussed. The paper concludes with some overall analyses, and consideration of the application of network telescopes to the monitoring of such outbreaks in the future.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Irwin, Barry V W
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/429742 , vital:72636 , 10.23919/SAIEE.2013.8531865
- Description: This paper discusses a dataset of some 16 million packets targeting port 445/tcp collected by a network telescope utilising a /24 netblock in South African IP address space. An initial overview of the collected data is provided. This is followed by a detailed analysis of the packet characteristics observed, including size and TTL. The peculiarities of the observed target selection and the results of the flaw in the Conficker worm's propagation algorithm are presented. An analysis of the 4 million observed source hosts is reported, grouped by both packet counts and the number of distinct hosts per network address block. Address blocks of size /8, 16 and 24 are used for groupings. The localisation, by geographic region and numerical proximity, of high ranking aggregate netblocks is highlighted. The observed shift in geopolitical origins observed during the evolution of the Conficker worm is also discussed. The paper concludes with some overall analyses, and consideration of the application of network telescopes to the monitoring of such outbreaks in the future.
- Full Text:
A standardised protocol for roadkill detection and the determinants of roadkill in the greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, Limpopo Province, South Africa
- Authors: Collinson, Wendy Jane
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Roadkill -- South Africa -- Mapungubwe Site , Traffic safety and wildlife -- South Africa -- Mapungubwe Site
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5606 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002056 , Roadkill -- South Africa -- Mapungubwe Site , Traffic safety and wildlife -- South Africa -- Mapungubwe Site
- Description: Despite evidence suggesting that road traffic is a major threat to biodiversity loss, very little is known about its actual impact on wildlife populations in South Africa. Globally, road density and traffic volumes are increasing, and although huge budgets are devoted to the construction and upgrading of roads, there is little or no allocation to mitigation measures for protecting fauna in most countries, particularly Africa. Further, no global standardised protocol exists for the rapid assessment of roadkill or the most economical and efficient approach for assessing roadkill rates. Using vehicle field trials, the reliability of detecting artificially deployed roadkill was assessed. Roadkill detection rates decreased significantly at speeds >50 km/h and were also significantly influenced by light conditions (i.e. detection success was greater when the sun was high) and the position of the roadkill on the road (i.e. smaller roadkill on verges were often missed). These results suggest that roadkill sampling was most effective between 1.5 hours after dawn and 1.5 hours before dusk and that driving at slower speeds (<50 km.h⁻ₑ) was required to detect roadkill. This protocol was implemented across three ecological seasons on a 100 km paved road and a 20 km unpaved road in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Driven daily over a 120-day period (three periods consisting each of 40 days), a total of 1,027 roadkill were recorded. These comprised 162 species from all terrestrial vertebrate groups with birds being the most commonly encountered roadkill (50% of all incidents). The high numbers of vertebrates identified as roadkill suggests that road traffic could have potentially unsustainable impacts on wildlife populations and hence the biodiversity of the area. Seventeen variables were identified as possible determinants of roadkill occurrence with season, rainfall, minimum and maximum temperature, habitat type, grass height, grass density, fence type and vehicle type significantly influencing roadkill numbers. Significantly more roadkill were detected on the paved road (9.91/100km) than on the unpaved road (1.8/100km) probably because of greater traffic volumes and the increased speed that vehicles travelled on the paved road. Warmer temperatures and increased rainfall in the preceding 24 hours also increased road mortality numbers as animals tended to become more active during these times. Interestingly, more roadkill was detected in open roadside habitats compared to dense roadside habitats on both the paved and unpaved roads and when grass on the roadside verge was of intermediate height. Open habitat possibly may provide a natural corridor for wildlife which ultimately end up on the road. Roadkill numbers increased when certain other physical barriers, such as cattle fences, were present, probably because these barriers were more penetrable than electric fencing. A series of mitigation measures are proposed to reduce the impacts of roads on wildlife in South Africa. These mitigation measures highlight the need to address the balance between the development of a country’s transport infrastructure and the conservation of its fauna. It is important that research on the impacts of roads becomes standardised to enable robust statistical comparisons which will provide a greater understanding of the potential threats to vertebrate biodiversity
- Full Text:
- Authors: Collinson, Wendy Jane
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Roadkill -- South Africa -- Mapungubwe Site , Traffic safety and wildlife -- South Africa -- Mapungubwe Site
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:5606 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002056 , Roadkill -- South Africa -- Mapungubwe Site , Traffic safety and wildlife -- South Africa -- Mapungubwe Site
- Description: Despite evidence suggesting that road traffic is a major threat to biodiversity loss, very little is known about its actual impact on wildlife populations in South Africa. Globally, road density and traffic volumes are increasing, and although huge budgets are devoted to the construction and upgrading of roads, there is little or no allocation to mitigation measures for protecting fauna in most countries, particularly Africa. Further, no global standardised protocol exists for the rapid assessment of roadkill or the most economical and efficient approach for assessing roadkill rates. Using vehicle field trials, the reliability of detecting artificially deployed roadkill was assessed. Roadkill detection rates decreased significantly at speeds >50 km/h and were also significantly influenced by light conditions (i.e. detection success was greater when the sun was high) and the position of the roadkill on the road (i.e. smaller roadkill on verges were often missed). These results suggest that roadkill sampling was most effective between 1.5 hours after dawn and 1.5 hours before dusk and that driving at slower speeds (<50 km.h⁻ₑ) was required to detect roadkill. This protocol was implemented across three ecological seasons on a 100 km paved road and a 20 km unpaved road in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Driven daily over a 120-day period (three periods consisting each of 40 days), a total of 1,027 roadkill were recorded. These comprised 162 species from all terrestrial vertebrate groups with birds being the most commonly encountered roadkill (50% of all incidents). The high numbers of vertebrates identified as roadkill suggests that road traffic could have potentially unsustainable impacts on wildlife populations and hence the biodiversity of the area. Seventeen variables were identified as possible determinants of roadkill occurrence with season, rainfall, minimum and maximum temperature, habitat type, grass height, grass density, fence type and vehicle type significantly influencing roadkill numbers. Significantly more roadkill were detected on the paved road (9.91/100km) than on the unpaved road (1.8/100km) probably because of greater traffic volumes and the increased speed that vehicles travelled on the paved road. Warmer temperatures and increased rainfall in the preceding 24 hours also increased road mortality numbers as animals tended to become more active during these times. Interestingly, more roadkill was detected in open roadside habitats compared to dense roadside habitats on both the paved and unpaved roads and when grass on the roadside verge was of intermediate height. Open habitat possibly may provide a natural corridor for wildlife which ultimately end up on the road. Roadkill numbers increased when certain other physical barriers, such as cattle fences, were present, probably because these barriers were more penetrable than electric fencing. A series of mitigation measures are proposed to reduce the impacts of roads on wildlife in South Africa. These mitigation measures highlight the need to address the balance between the development of a country’s transport infrastructure and the conservation of its fauna. It is important that research on the impacts of roads becomes standardised to enable robust statistical comparisons which will provide a greater understanding of the potential threats to vertebrate biodiversity
- Full Text:
A study of electrospun nanofibers and diatomaceous earth materials for the extraction of alkaloids, flavonoids and aromatic amines in various matrices
- Mothibedi, Kediemetse (Kedimetse)
- Authors: Mothibedi, Kediemetse (Kedimetse)
- Date: 2013 , 2013-04-07
- Subjects: Nanofibers , Electrospinning , Sorbents , Extraction (Chemistry) , Alkaloids , Flavonoids , Amines , Matrices , Goldenseal , Ginkgo , Dyes and dyeing -- Chemistry
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4288 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003052 , Nanofibers , Electrospinning , Sorbents , Extraction (Chemistry) , Alkaloids , Flavonoids , Amines , Matrices , Goldenseal , Ginkgo , Dyes and dyeing -- Chemistry
- Description: The thesis explored the use of different sorbent materials in solid phase extraction method development. The methods included the use of the polymeric Agilent Bond Elut Plexa solid phase extraction and electrospun polymer-silica composite sorbents for clean-up and preconcentration. Sample clean-up for alkaloids (hydrastine and berberine) in goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin) in Ginkgo biloba was achieved using Bond Elut Plexa SPE sorbent. Clean-up of flavonoids in Ginkgo biloba was also achieved using electrospun polymer-silica composite (polystyrene-silica, polyacrylonitrile-silica and nylon 6-silica) sorbents. All analysis of flavonoids and alkaloids was carried out using an Agilent 1200 Series HPLC coupled with a diode array detector. Good peak separation was achieved in less than 6 min employing an Agilent ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 column (4.6 x 75 mm, 3.5 μm) at 35⁰C. The mobile phases employed were 0.1% phosphoric acid/methanol gradient and 0.5% phosphoric acid/methanol (40:60) for alkaloids and flavonoids respectively. The calibration curves exhibited linearity up to 120 μg mL⁻¹ with correlation coefficients of more than 0.9980. The recoveries ranged from 73-109% with relative standard deviation of less than 5% for all analytes. Agilent Chem Elut supported liquid extraction was employed for the development of a sample preparation method for the determination of 24 banned aromatic amines from azo dyes in textile following the EU standard method EN 14362-1:2003 (E) and the Chinese standard method GB/T 17592-2006. The supported liquid extraction was effective in the extraction of the aromatic amines from textile (cotton, wool and polyester/cotton [80%:20%]). Most of the recoveries obtained were conforming to the minimum requirements set in the EN 14362-1:2003 (E) standard method and the relative standard deviations were less than 15%. Good peak separation was obtained within 70 min run time using the Agilent Zorbax SB-Phenyl column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5-micron) or the Agilent DB-35 MS (J & W) (30 m x 0.25 mm, 0.25 μm film thickness. It was demonstrated that the polymeric Agilent Bond Elut Plexa, electrospun nanofibers and diatomaceous earth were effective in extraction of alkaloids, flavonoids and aromatic amines in different matrices. The developed methods were simple, rapid and reproducible.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mothibedi, Kediemetse (Kedimetse)
- Date: 2013 , 2013-04-07
- Subjects: Nanofibers , Electrospinning , Sorbents , Extraction (Chemistry) , Alkaloids , Flavonoids , Amines , Matrices , Goldenseal , Ginkgo , Dyes and dyeing -- Chemistry
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4288 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003052 , Nanofibers , Electrospinning , Sorbents , Extraction (Chemistry) , Alkaloids , Flavonoids , Amines , Matrices , Goldenseal , Ginkgo , Dyes and dyeing -- Chemistry
- Description: The thesis explored the use of different sorbent materials in solid phase extraction method development. The methods included the use of the polymeric Agilent Bond Elut Plexa solid phase extraction and electrospun polymer-silica composite sorbents for clean-up and preconcentration. Sample clean-up for alkaloids (hydrastine and berberine) in goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin) in Ginkgo biloba was achieved using Bond Elut Plexa SPE sorbent. Clean-up of flavonoids in Ginkgo biloba was also achieved using electrospun polymer-silica composite (polystyrene-silica, polyacrylonitrile-silica and nylon 6-silica) sorbents. All analysis of flavonoids and alkaloids was carried out using an Agilent 1200 Series HPLC coupled with a diode array detector. Good peak separation was achieved in less than 6 min employing an Agilent ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 column (4.6 x 75 mm, 3.5 μm) at 35⁰C. The mobile phases employed were 0.1% phosphoric acid/methanol gradient and 0.5% phosphoric acid/methanol (40:60) for alkaloids and flavonoids respectively. The calibration curves exhibited linearity up to 120 μg mL⁻¹ with correlation coefficients of more than 0.9980. The recoveries ranged from 73-109% with relative standard deviation of less than 5% for all analytes. Agilent Chem Elut supported liquid extraction was employed for the development of a sample preparation method for the determination of 24 banned aromatic amines from azo dyes in textile following the EU standard method EN 14362-1:2003 (E) and the Chinese standard method GB/T 17592-2006. The supported liquid extraction was effective in the extraction of the aromatic amines from textile (cotton, wool and polyester/cotton [80%:20%]). Most of the recoveries obtained were conforming to the minimum requirements set in the EN 14362-1:2003 (E) standard method and the relative standard deviations were less than 15%. Good peak separation was obtained within 70 min run time using the Agilent Zorbax SB-Phenyl column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5-micron) or the Agilent DB-35 MS (J & W) (30 m x 0.25 mm, 0.25 μm film thickness. It was demonstrated that the polymeric Agilent Bond Elut Plexa, electrospun nanofibers and diatomaceous earth were effective in extraction of alkaloids, flavonoids and aromatic amines in different matrices. The developed methods were simple, rapid and reproducible.
- Full Text:
A study of maximum and minimum operators with applications to piecewise linear payoff functions
- Authors: Seedat, Ebrahim
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Options (Finance) Piecewise linear topology Geometry, Affine Riesz spaces Lattice theory Algebra, Boolean Pricing , Max and min operators
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:931 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001457
- Description: The payoff functions of contingent claims (options) of one variable are prominent in Financial Economics and thus assume a fundamental role in option pricing theory. Some of these payoff functions are continuous, piecewise-defined and linear or affine. Such option payoff functions can be analysed in a useful way when they are represented in additive, Boolean normal, graphical and linear form. The issue of converting such payoff functions expressed in the additive, linear or graphical form into an equivalent Boolean normal form, has been considered by several authors for more than half-a-century to better-understand the role of such functions. One aspect of our study is to unify the foregoing different forms of representation, by creating algorithms that convert a payoff function expressed in graphical form into Boolean normal form and then into the additive form and vice versa. Applications of these algorithms are considered in a general theoretical sense and also in the context of specific option contracts wherever relevant. The use of these algorithms have yielded easy computation of the area enclosed by the graph of various functions using min and max operators in several ways, which, in our opinion, are important in option pricing. To summarise, this study effectively dealt with maximum and minimum operators from several perspectives
- Full Text:
- Authors: Seedat, Ebrahim
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Options (Finance) Piecewise linear topology Geometry, Affine Riesz spaces Lattice theory Algebra, Boolean Pricing , Max and min operators
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:931 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001457
- Description: The payoff functions of contingent claims (options) of one variable are prominent in Financial Economics and thus assume a fundamental role in option pricing theory. Some of these payoff functions are continuous, piecewise-defined and linear or affine. Such option payoff functions can be analysed in a useful way when they are represented in additive, Boolean normal, graphical and linear form. The issue of converting such payoff functions expressed in the additive, linear or graphical form into an equivalent Boolean normal form, has been considered by several authors for more than half-a-century to better-understand the role of such functions. One aspect of our study is to unify the foregoing different forms of representation, by creating algorithms that convert a payoff function expressed in graphical form into Boolean normal form and then into the additive form and vice versa. Applications of these algorithms are considered in a general theoretical sense and also in the context of specific option contracts wherever relevant. The use of these algorithms have yielded easy computation of the area enclosed by the graph of various functions using min and max operators in several ways, which, in our opinion, are important in option pricing. To summarise, this study effectively dealt with maximum and minimum operators from several perspectives
- Full Text:
A study of the first group of Friars Minor (Franciscans) in South Africa, c. 1932-1960
- Authors: Nogemane, Vumile
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Franciscans -- South Africa -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2530 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001859
- Description: In 1932, six Missionary Franciscan Friars from Bavaria came to South Africa at the invitation of Bishop Adalbero Michael Fleischer (1874-1963), a Mariannhill missionary in Natal. His vision was that they would establish a “Franciscan Family” there. Despite this invitation, the Friars were not welcomed by the Mariannhill community and went on to found the Mount Currie Prefecture (Diocese of Kokstad) in 1935. There the Franciscans became involved in the life of the ordinary people, who were otherwise abandoned by the government. Among other activities, they provided schools and gardens, and embarked on skills development projects for the youth. The Holy Cross Sisters - whose arrival in 1926 pre-dated that of the Friars - played a crucial role in these developments. From 1952, their educational work would be supplemented by the medical work of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Sisters. The arrival of Irish Franciscans (1946) and English Franciscans (1948) brought tensions and differing interpretations of the form that the vision should take. In addition, the Friars were men of their times and products of their particular backgrounds. For example, while some saw their African converts as equals, others were prejudiced against them. However, this thesis – the work of an “insider” to the faith and to the Order, argues that despite tensions and shortcomings, the settlement, and continuing presence, of the Franciscan Friars and Sisters in the Eastern Cape was an eventual realization of Bishop Fleischer’s vision, even though in a slightly different manner from the original ideal. In the early nineteen sixties a new and powerful spirit invaded the Catholic Church. The Second Vatican Council took place from 1962 to 1965. It may be argued that, from that time onward, the Church has never been the same again. In accordance with this call and invitation of the Second Vatican Council for quite some time it has been my earnest desire to get down into a more in-depth study of the history of the Franciscans in South Africa than that provided by the two existing works on this topic. It is my hope that this thesis will contribute to a soul-searching of the Franciscans as they continue to live and minister to the people of South Africa. This history will hopefully teach us to learn from and be inspired by the great and heroic deeds of our spiritual forebears – our Franciscan brothers and sisters – and also teach us to learn from their mistakes.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Nogemane, Vumile
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Franciscans -- South Africa -- History
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:2530 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001859
- Description: In 1932, six Missionary Franciscan Friars from Bavaria came to South Africa at the invitation of Bishop Adalbero Michael Fleischer (1874-1963), a Mariannhill missionary in Natal. His vision was that they would establish a “Franciscan Family” there. Despite this invitation, the Friars were not welcomed by the Mariannhill community and went on to found the Mount Currie Prefecture (Diocese of Kokstad) in 1935. There the Franciscans became involved in the life of the ordinary people, who were otherwise abandoned by the government. Among other activities, they provided schools and gardens, and embarked on skills development projects for the youth. The Holy Cross Sisters - whose arrival in 1926 pre-dated that of the Friars - played a crucial role in these developments. From 1952, their educational work would be supplemented by the medical work of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Sisters. The arrival of Irish Franciscans (1946) and English Franciscans (1948) brought tensions and differing interpretations of the form that the vision should take. In addition, the Friars were men of their times and products of their particular backgrounds. For example, while some saw their African converts as equals, others were prejudiced against them. However, this thesis – the work of an “insider” to the faith and to the Order, argues that despite tensions and shortcomings, the settlement, and continuing presence, of the Franciscan Friars and Sisters in the Eastern Cape was an eventual realization of Bishop Fleischer’s vision, even though in a slightly different manner from the original ideal. In the early nineteen sixties a new and powerful spirit invaded the Catholic Church. The Second Vatican Council took place from 1962 to 1965. It may be argued that, from that time onward, the Church has never been the same again. In accordance with this call and invitation of the Second Vatican Council for quite some time it has been my earnest desire to get down into a more in-depth study of the history of the Franciscans in South Africa than that provided by the two existing works on this topic. It is my hope that this thesis will contribute to a soul-searching of the Franciscans as they continue to live and minister to the people of South Africa. This history will hopefully teach us to learn from and be inspired by the great and heroic deeds of our spiritual forebears – our Franciscan brothers and sisters – and also teach us to learn from their mistakes.
- Full Text:
A study of the photophysicochemical and antimicrobial properties of two zinc phthalocyanine–silver nanoparticle conjugates
- Rapulenyane, Nomasonto, Antunes, Edith M, Nyokong, Tebello
- Authors: Rapulenyane, Nomasonto , Antunes, Edith M , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232522 , vital:49999 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1039/C3NJ41107A"
- Description: This work reports conjugation of two mono carboxy substituted zinc phthalocyanines with glutathione capped silver nanoparticles (GSH-AgNPs). The photophysicochemical behaviour of the novel phthalocyanines–silver nanoparticle conjugates was investigated together with simple mixtures of the silver nanoparticles with low symmetry phthalocyanines (i.e. with no direct chemical bond formation). It was observed that upon conjugation of the phthalocyanines to the silver nanoparticles, a blue shifting of the Q band was induced. The triplet lifetimes and quantum yields improved upon conjugation as compared to the phthalocyanines alone. Fluorescence lifetimes and quantum yields decreased for conjugates compared to the phthalocyanines alone due to quenching caused by the silver nanoparticles. The low symmetry phthalocyanines and their conjugates showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli in the presence and absence of light.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Rapulenyane, Nomasonto , Antunes, Edith M , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/232522 , vital:49999 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1039/C3NJ41107A"
- Description: This work reports conjugation of two mono carboxy substituted zinc phthalocyanines with glutathione capped silver nanoparticles (GSH-AgNPs). The photophysicochemical behaviour of the novel phthalocyanines–silver nanoparticle conjugates was investigated together with simple mixtures of the silver nanoparticles with low symmetry phthalocyanines (i.e. with no direct chemical bond formation). It was observed that upon conjugation of the phthalocyanines to the silver nanoparticles, a blue shifting of the Q band was induced. The triplet lifetimes and quantum yields improved upon conjugation as compared to the phthalocyanines alone. Fluorescence lifetimes and quantum yields decreased for conjugates compared to the phthalocyanines alone due to quenching caused by the silver nanoparticles. The low symmetry phthalocyanines and their conjugates showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli in the presence and absence of light.
- Full Text:
A study of women's representation in relation to poverty: a case study of The Post March 2009
- Gwanvalla, Delphine Ngehndab
- Authors: Gwanvalla, Delphine Ngehndab
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Journalism, Commercial -- Social aspects -- Cameroon Women -- Cameroon -- Social conditions Poor women -- Cameroon Mass media and women -- Cameroon
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3504 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007144
- Description: The media, specifically tabloids, have the potential to portray poverty-related issues in a manner that informs the public and government about the experiences of people living in poverty so that it can be tackled with urgency. Poverty has blighted the lives of many, especially women, children and widows in Cameroon. The role of the media in reporting the plight and suffering of the ‘masses’ potentially shapes the way in which these issues are handled by those in authority. The study notes that the tabloid press has the potential to expose certain experiences of ordinary people thereby constituting that alternative sphere for the disadvantaged. The study investigates the manner women are represented in The Post which is an English tabloid published in Cameroon. The representation of women in this study looks at the institutional policies which drive the representation of women in news constructs, analyses the news values which shape news production, and uses Thompson’s modes of ideology to unravel the underlying meanings in the reported stories. The study is inspired by the claims that since women make up the majority of the world's poor, so too would media representations depict them as such. It utilises thematic analysis to understand the manner in which women are represented in The Post. It also uses interviews with the regional bureau editor of the North West region to probe what news values and institutional policies drive the stories on women’s poverty. Document analysis is used to better comprehend the institutional guidelines which govern the representation of women during the month of March 2009.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Gwanvalla, Delphine Ngehndab
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Journalism, Commercial -- Social aspects -- Cameroon Women -- Cameroon -- Social conditions Poor women -- Cameroon Mass media and women -- Cameroon
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3504 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007144
- Description: The media, specifically tabloids, have the potential to portray poverty-related issues in a manner that informs the public and government about the experiences of people living in poverty so that it can be tackled with urgency. Poverty has blighted the lives of many, especially women, children and widows in Cameroon. The role of the media in reporting the plight and suffering of the ‘masses’ potentially shapes the way in which these issues are handled by those in authority. The study notes that the tabloid press has the potential to expose certain experiences of ordinary people thereby constituting that alternative sphere for the disadvantaged. The study investigates the manner women are represented in The Post which is an English tabloid published in Cameroon. The representation of women in this study looks at the institutional policies which drive the representation of women in news constructs, analyses the news values which shape news production, and uses Thompson’s modes of ideology to unravel the underlying meanings in the reported stories. The study is inspired by the claims that since women make up the majority of the world's poor, so too would media representations depict them as such. It utilises thematic analysis to understand the manner in which women are represented in The Post. It also uses interviews with the regional bureau editor of the North West region to probe what news values and institutional policies drive the stories on women’s poverty. Document analysis is used to better comprehend the institutional guidelines which govern the representation of women during the month of March 2009.
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A systematic study of Berkheya and allies (Compositae)
- Authors: Phaliso, Ntombifikile
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Compositae -- Africa, Southern , Daisies -- Africa, Southern , Compositae -- Phylogeny -- Africa, Southern , Compositae -- Geographical distribution -- Africa, Southern , Compositae -- Classification -- Africa, Southern , Cladistic analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4179 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003054
- Description: Berkheya Ehrh. is a genus of daisies in the tribe Arctotideae, subtribe Gorteriinae with over 80 species, most of which occur in southern Africa. This genus has centres of diversity associated with the montane regions of South Africa, including the Drakensberg Alpine Centre and Mpumalanga escarpment regions. Previous molecular and morphological studies indicate that Berkheya is paraphyletic. I present phylogenies based on nrDNA (ITS; Internal Transcribed Spacer) and cpDNA (psbA-trnH) sequence data analysed with Bayesian Inference and Parsimony. A phylogeny of combined cp- and nrDNA is also presented. These phylogenies are used to assess generic limits and to investigate the biogeographic patterns of Berkheya and its allies. The ITS phylogeny shows five well supported clades of Berkheya, two of which (Clades I and 2) are monophyletic summer rainfall region clades. Clades 3 to 5 are all paraphyletic winter rainfall clades with Cullumia occurring in the third clade, Cuspida occurring in the fourth and Didelta in Clade 5. Both psbA-trnH and combined phylogenies show concordance with the clade distribution shown in the ITS phylogeny. The ITS phylogeny was used to analyse correspondence with Roessler’s (1959) Series. It was found that the phylogeny showed considerable agreement with Roessler’s series, but B. bipinnatifida and B. spinosa of Series Speciosae may require some revision as well as taxa of monotypic series Cruciatae and Angustae. It is suggested that the latter series be merged with Cullumia species to form a single series. Some consideration should be taken to include Didelta species into Series Fruticosae as Didelta occurs in subclade 5b of Clade 5 with other Series Fruticosae taxa. Achene morphology was examined from species from each of the five clades to investigate the relationships of Berkheya and its allies, as well as to determine if there were any consistent achene features for each clade. The structure of surface cells on the fruit, the presence, absence and morphology of twin hairs as well as the structure of the pappus scales were found to be most useful in reflecting phylogenetic relationships within the clades. When compared with the clades of the ITS phylogeny, achene morphology showed consistent characters between taxa occurring in the same clades. As the most comprehensive study involving Berkheya, this phylogenenetic investigation was able to confirm that Berkheya is a paraphyletic genus with Didelta, Cullumia and Cuspida needing to be subsumed into Berkheya. An alternative classification is that taxa of Clade 5 could possibly be erected as an expanded Didelta, separate and sister to Berkheya.
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- Authors: Phaliso, Ntombifikile
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Compositae -- Africa, Southern , Daisies -- Africa, Southern , Compositae -- Phylogeny -- Africa, Southern , Compositae -- Geographical distribution -- Africa, Southern , Compositae -- Classification -- Africa, Southern , Cladistic analysis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4179 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003054
- Description: Berkheya Ehrh. is a genus of daisies in the tribe Arctotideae, subtribe Gorteriinae with over 80 species, most of which occur in southern Africa. This genus has centres of diversity associated with the montane regions of South Africa, including the Drakensberg Alpine Centre and Mpumalanga escarpment regions. Previous molecular and morphological studies indicate that Berkheya is paraphyletic. I present phylogenies based on nrDNA (ITS; Internal Transcribed Spacer) and cpDNA (psbA-trnH) sequence data analysed with Bayesian Inference and Parsimony. A phylogeny of combined cp- and nrDNA is also presented. These phylogenies are used to assess generic limits and to investigate the biogeographic patterns of Berkheya and its allies. The ITS phylogeny shows five well supported clades of Berkheya, two of which (Clades I and 2) are monophyletic summer rainfall region clades. Clades 3 to 5 are all paraphyletic winter rainfall clades with Cullumia occurring in the third clade, Cuspida occurring in the fourth and Didelta in Clade 5. Both psbA-trnH and combined phylogenies show concordance with the clade distribution shown in the ITS phylogeny. The ITS phylogeny was used to analyse correspondence with Roessler’s (1959) Series. It was found that the phylogeny showed considerable agreement with Roessler’s series, but B. bipinnatifida and B. spinosa of Series Speciosae may require some revision as well as taxa of monotypic series Cruciatae and Angustae. It is suggested that the latter series be merged with Cullumia species to form a single series. Some consideration should be taken to include Didelta species into Series Fruticosae as Didelta occurs in subclade 5b of Clade 5 with other Series Fruticosae taxa. Achene morphology was examined from species from each of the five clades to investigate the relationships of Berkheya and its allies, as well as to determine if there were any consistent achene features for each clade. The structure of surface cells on the fruit, the presence, absence and morphology of twin hairs as well as the structure of the pappus scales were found to be most useful in reflecting phylogenetic relationships within the clades. When compared with the clades of the ITS phylogeny, achene morphology showed consistent characters between taxa occurring in the same clades. As the most comprehensive study involving Berkheya, this phylogenenetic investigation was able to confirm that Berkheya is a paraphyletic genus with Didelta, Cullumia and Cuspida needing to be subsumed into Berkheya. An alternative classification is that taxa of Clade 5 could possibly be erected as an expanded Didelta, separate and sister to Berkheya.
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A tale of two neglected systems-structure and function of the thin- and thick-walled sieve tubes in monocotyledonous leaves
- Authors: Botha, Christiaan E J
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:6499 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004514 , http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2013.00297
- Description: There is a large body of information relating to the ontogeny, development and the vasculature of eudicotyledonous leaves. However, there is less information available concerning the vascular anatomy of monocotyledonous leaves. This is surprising, given that there are two uniquely different phloem systems present in large groups such as grasses and sedges. Monocotyledonous leaves contain marginal, large, intermediate, and small longitudinal veins that are interconnected by numerous transverse veins. The longitudinal veins contain two metaphloem sieve tube types, which, based upon their ontogeny and position within the phloem, are termed early (thin-walled) and late (thick-walled) sieve tubes. Early metaphloem comprises sieve tubes, companion cells and vascular parenchyma (VP) cells, whilst the late metaphloem, contains thick-walled sieve tubes (TSTs) that lack companion cells. TSTs are generally adjacent to, or no more than one cell removed from the metaxylem. Unlike thin-walled sieve tube (ST) -companion cell complexes, TSTs are connected to parenchyma by pore-plasmodesma units and are generally symplasmically isolated from the STs. This paper addresses key structural and functional differences between thin- and thick-walled sieve tubes and explores the unique advantages of alternate transport strategies that this 5–7 million years old dual system may offer. It would seem that these two systems may enhance, add to, or play a significant role in increasing the efficiency of solute retrieval as well as of assimilate transfer.
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- Authors: Botha, Christiaan E J
- Date: 2013
- Language: English
- Type: Article , text
- Identifier: vital:6499 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004514 , http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2013.00297
- Description: There is a large body of information relating to the ontogeny, development and the vasculature of eudicotyledonous leaves. However, there is less information available concerning the vascular anatomy of monocotyledonous leaves. This is surprising, given that there are two uniquely different phloem systems present in large groups such as grasses and sedges. Monocotyledonous leaves contain marginal, large, intermediate, and small longitudinal veins that are interconnected by numerous transverse veins. The longitudinal veins contain two metaphloem sieve tube types, which, based upon their ontogeny and position within the phloem, are termed early (thin-walled) and late (thick-walled) sieve tubes. Early metaphloem comprises sieve tubes, companion cells and vascular parenchyma (VP) cells, whilst the late metaphloem, contains thick-walled sieve tubes (TSTs) that lack companion cells. TSTs are generally adjacent to, or no more than one cell removed from the metaxylem. Unlike thin-walled sieve tube (ST) -companion cell complexes, TSTs are connected to parenchyma by pore-plasmodesma units and are generally symplasmically isolated from the STs. This paper addresses key structural and functional differences between thin- and thick-walled sieve tubes and explores the unique advantages of alternate transport strategies that this 5–7 million years old dual system may offer. It would seem that these two systems may enhance, add to, or play a significant role in increasing the efficiency of solute retrieval as well as of assimilate transfer.
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A teaching case study of the strategic alignment of business strategy and information technology strategy at Nedbank
- Authors: Tsoaeli, Tebalo
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Nedbank Banks and banking -- South Africa Business planning Information technology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:720 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001883
- Description: In today’s business world, a lot of organizations are investing heavily in Information Technology (IT) in order to develop a competitive edge. According to Loukis, Sapounas and Milionis (2009:85) “firms all over the world make significant investments in IT aiming to increase their efficiency and effectiveness”. According to Cline and Guynes (2001:10), “during the last 30 years, IT has become an increasingly integral part of business operations”. Most of the times, organizations fail to get real value from the investments made in IT. This is mainly due to the fact that organizations fail to realize the value brought about by aligning IT strategy with Business strategy. Hu and Huang (2004:60) state that “each year organizations invest in IT to improve their competitive advantage and ultimately their business performance; however, more often than not, the anticipated benefits of IT investments fail to materialize due to misalignment of or lack of alignment, between the business and IT strategies”. Henderson and Venkatraman (1999:475) emphasize that “alignment is a desired state for organizations investing in IT that is not always achieved, as it often entails a radical change in the way managers consider IT”. It is through the alignment of IT strategy and Business strategy that organizations are able to realize the value brought about by investing in IT. Papp (2001:20)illustrates that “misalignment can cause problems with not only the development and integration of business and IT strategies, but can actually prevent IT from being fully leveraged to its maximum potential within an organization”. An organization that realizes the value of aligning IT strategy and Business strategy is able to develop a competitive advantage over its competitors. According to Daneshvar and Ramesh (2010:1) “each organization is aware of the special effects, benefits and implication of IT in business performance and also its capacity in building sustainable competitive advantages”.
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- Authors: Tsoaeli, Tebalo
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Nedbank Banks and banking -- South Africa Business planning Information technology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:720 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001883
- Description: In today’s business world, a lot of organizations are investing heavily in Information Technology (IT) in order to develop a competitive edge. According to Loukis, Sapounas and Milionis (2009:85) “firms all over the world make significant investments in IT aiming to increase their efficiency and effectiveness”. According to Cline and Guynes (2001:10), “during the last 30 years, IT has become an increasingly integral part of business operations”. Most of the times, organizations fail to get real value from the investments made in IT. This is mainly due to the fact that organizations fail to realize the value brought about by aligning IT strategy with Business strategy. Hu and Huang (2004:60) state that “each year organizations invest in IT to improve their competitive advantage and ultimately their business performance; however, more often than not, the anticipated benefits of IT investments fail to materialize due to misalignment of or lack of alignment, between the business and IT strategies”. Henderson and Venkatraman (1999:475) emphasize that “alignment is a desired state for organizations investing in IT that is not always achieved, as it often entails a radical change in the way managers consider IT”. It is through the alignment of IT strategy and Business strategy that organizations are able to realize the value brought about by investing in IT. Papp (2001:20)illustrates that “misalignment can cause problems with not only the development and integration of business and IT strategies, but can actually prevent IT from being fully leveraged to its maximum potential within an organization”. An organization that realizes the value of aligning IT strategy and Business strategy is able to develop a competitive advantage over its competitors. According to Daneshvar and Ramesh (2010:1) “each organization is aware of the special effects, benefits and implication of IT in business performance and also its capacity in building sustainable competitive advantages”.
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Academic freedom and the enclosure of knowledge in the global university
- Authors: Federici, Sylvia
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Academic Freedom -- South Africa Universities and colleges -- South Africa Equality Liberty Education and state -- South Africa Education, Higher -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/773 , vital:19989
- Description: A discussion of 'academic freedom' is timely as everywhere, across the planet, this long fought-for principle is under siege. Trends, already emerging in Africa in the 1980s, are extending to every part of the world, contributing to what we can call 'a global enclosure of knowledge. ' This is the restriction of access to education to the 'happy few,' as knowledge and education are becoming commodified and profitability is becoming the sole logic by which the university is structured. Here I examine the most salient ways in which academic freedom is affected by these developments (with special reference to the United States) and, most important, how we can resist them. First, however, I consider what we mean by 'academic freedom,' since it is a concept that has been evolving, taking on new meanings, and is presently used with different connotations.
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- Authors: Federici, Sylvia
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Academic Freedom -- South Africa Universities and colleges -- South Africa Equality Liberty Education and state -- South Africa Education, Higher -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/773 , vital:19989
- Description: A discussion of 'academic freedom' is timely as everywhere, across the planet, this long fought-for principle is under siege. Trends, already emerging in Africa in the 1980s, are extending to every part of the world, contributing to what we can call 'a global enclosure of knowledge. ' This is the restriction of access to education to the 'happy few,' as knowledge and education are becoming commodified and profitability is becoming the sole logic by which the university is structured. Here I examine the most salient ways in which academic freedom is affected by these developments (with special reference to the United States) and, most important, how we can resist them. First, however, I consider what we mean by 'academic freedom,' since it is a concept that has been evolving, taking on new meanings, and is presently used with different connotations.
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Adsorption and separation of platinum and palladium by polyamine functionalized polystyrene-based beads and nanofibers
- Fayemi, Omolola E, Ogunlaja, Adeniyi S, Kempgens, Pierre F M, Antunes, Edith M, Torto, Nelson, Nyokong, Tebello, Tshentu, Zenixole R
- Authors: Fayemi, Omolola E , Ogunlaja, Adeniyi S , Kempgens, Pierre F M , Antunes, Edith M , Torto, Nelson , Nyokong, Tebello , Tshentu, Zenixole R
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/241694 , vital:50961 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2013.06.006"
- Description: Adsorption and separation of platinum and palladium chlorido species (PtCl62- and PdCl42-) on polystyrene beads as well as nanofibers functionalized with ammonium centres based on ethylenediamine (EDA), diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetramine (TETA) and tris-(2-aminoethyl)amine (TAEA) are described. The functionalized sorbent materials were characterized by microanalysis, SEM, XPS, BET and FTIR. The surface area of the functionalized fibers was in the range 69–241 m2/g while it was 73–107 m2/g for the beads. The adsorption and loading capacities of the sorption materials were investigated using both the batch and column studies at 1 M HCl concentration. The adsorption studies for both PtCl62- and PdCl42- on the different sorbent materials fit the Langmuir isotherm with R2 values >0.99. The highest loading capacity of Pt and Pd were 7.4 mg/g and 4.3 mg/g respectively for the nanofiber sorbent material based on ethylenediamine (EDA) while the beads with ethylenediamine (EDA) gave 1.0 mg/g and 0.2 mg/g for Pt and Pd respectively. Metals loaded on the sorbent materials were recovered by using 3% m/v thiourea solution as the eluting agent with quantitative desorption efficiency under the selected experimental conditions. Separation of platinum from palladium was partially achieved by selective stripping of PtCl62- with 0.5 M of NaClO4 in 1.0 M HCl while PdCl42- was eluted with 0.5 M thiourea in 1.0 M HCl. Separation of platinum from iridium and rhodium under 1 M HCl concentration was successful on triethylenetriamine (TETA)-functionalized Merrifield beads. This material (M-TETA) showed selectivity for platinum albeit the low loading capacity.
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- Authors: Fayemi, Omolola E , Ogunlaja, Adeniyi S , Kempgens, Pierre F M , Antunes, Edith M , Torto, Nelson , Nyokong, Tebello , Tshentu, Zenixole R
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/241694 , vital:50961 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2013.06.006"
- Description: Adsorption and separation of platinum and palladium chlorido species (PtCl62- and PdCl42-) on polystyrene beads as well as nanofibers functionalized with ammonium centres based on ethylenediamine (EDA), diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetramine (TETA) and tris-(2-aminoethyl)amine (TAEA) are described. The functionalized sorbent materials were characterized by microanalysis, SEM, XPS, BET and FTIR. The surface area of the functionalized fibers was in the range 69–241 m2/g while it was 73–107 m2/g for the beads. The adsorption and loading capacities of the sorption materials were investigated using both the batch and column studies at 1 M HCl concentration. The adsorption studies for both PtCl62- and PdCl42- on the different sorbent materials fit the Langmuir isotherm with R2 values >0.99. The highest loading capacity of Pt and Pd were 7.4 mg/g and 4.3 mg/g respectively for the nanofiber sorbent material based on ethylenediamine (EDA) while the beads with ethylenediamine (EDA) gave 1.0 mg/g and 0.2 mg/g for Pt and Pd respectively. Metals loaded on the sorbent materials were recovered by using 3% m/v thiourea solution as the eluting agent with quantitative desorption efficiency under the selected experimental conditions. Separation of platinum from palladium was partially achieved by selective stripping of PtCl62- with 0.5 M of NaClO4 in 1.0 M HCl while PdCl42- was eluted with 0.5 M thiourea in 1.0 M HCl. Separation of platinum from iridium and rhodium under 1 M HCl concentration was successful on triethylenetriamine (TETA)-functionalized Merrifield beads. This material (M-TETA) showed selectivity for platinum albeit the low loading capacity.
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