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An exploration of leadership practices: a case study in a public high school in Nigeria

  • Authors: Adediji, John Oluwole
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Educational leadership -- Nigeria -- Case studies Teacher participation in administration -- Nigeria -- Case studies School management and organization -- Nigeria -- Case studies Education, Secondary -- Nigeria
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1405 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001955
  • Description: The management of Nigeria high schools are noted for administrative practices in the management of their schools; hence the term administration is commonly used in their daily operations. This fact on ‘administration’ was emphasised by the Nigerian government in the National Policy on Education (Nigeria, 1981, p. 21). Therefor as a researcher from Nigeria, my rationale for embarking on this research study was to find out to what extent a public high school in Nigeria was still operating in a hierarchical, individualistic, authoritarian style of leadership or whether it has started embracing contemporary approaches such as distributed leadership. The main goal of this study was to explore leadership practices in the case study school with the main focus on how different people relate to each other in the various leadership practices of the school, such as staff and briefing meetings of the school. In addition, my research questions aimed at exploring the respondents’ perceptions of leadership and factors enabling or constraining the distribution of leadership in the school. The study is located within the interpretive paradigm. As a researcher in a wheelchair studying in South Africa I needed to find alternative ways of accessing the research site and gathering data. I was able to use electronic communication for the collection of my data. I used four different tools of data collection methods namely document analysis, observation, questionnaire and stimulated recall interviews. Findings from the study indicated that there was limited evidence of contemporary leadership approaches in the case study school. The school was still operating traditional leadership, while school activities were dominated by a hierarchical chain of command. What emerged from the leadership practices of the school could be termed authorised distributed leadership which was under the command of the school principal. Data also indicated that there were some forms of restricted teacher leadership in the management and administration of the school. In addition, findings revealed that the case study school was very good at the management and administrative functions. The school was very effective and efficient in the controlling and management of both human and material resources. Lastly, findings from the case study school indicated some enabling factors to the distribution of leadership in the case study school which include a culture of respect and cordial relations among the SMT and the teachers, Prominent among constraining factors to the distribution of leadership in the case study school were: cultural orientation of the people where the case school was located, exclusionary religious practices by the principal of the school and the inhibiting role played by the Ministry of Education. Finally, based on these findings, recommendations were made both for practice and for future research.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

The Grameen Bank model of microcredit and its relevance for South Africa

  • Authors: Akpan, Iniobong Wilson
  • Date: 2005
  • Subjects: Grameen Bank , Microfinance -- South Africa , Microfinance -- Bangladesh , Credit -- Management , Risk management , Poor -- Finance, Personal , South Africa -- Economic conditions , Bangladesh -- Economic conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:980 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002714 , Grameen Bank , Microfinance -- South Africa , Microfinance -- Bangladesh , Credit -- Management , Risk management , Poor -- Finance, Personal , South Africa -- Economic conditions , Bangladesh -- Economic conditions
  • Description: Among the reasons for financial exclusion is the fact that the poor, being largely illiterate and unemployed, are traditionally perceived as ‘bad credit risks’. This is the dominant perception of the poor in the formal credit markets – a perception that also exists in the microcredit sector. In other words, while information asymmetry is a recognized problem in lender-borrower relationships, lenders consider the problem particularly severe when they contemplate doing business with the poor. A contrasting paradigm, such as the one adopted by Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, views the poor as possessing economic potentials that have not been tapped – that is, as ‘good credit risks’. Grameen Bank’s microcredit features appear to have successfully mitigated the problems of information asymmetry and, to a large extent, made it possible for the poor to access microenterprise credit. Using the Grameen Bank model as a benchmark, this study examined the lending features of private sector microlenders in South Africa and those of KhulaStart (credit) scheme. The aim was to identify how the lending features affect microenterprise credit access. Primary data were obtained through interviews, while relevant secondary data were also used in the study. A key finding of the study was that while the Khulastart scheme was, like Grameencredit, targeted at the poor, the method of its delivery appeared diluted or unduly influenced by the conventional (private sector) paradigm that pre-classifies people as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ credit risks. As a result, the scheme was not robust enough to support microenterprise credit access. This has consequences for job-creation and poverty reduction. Based on the findings, the study maintains that a realistic broadening of microenterprise credit access will not occur unless there is a fundamental paradigm shift in microcredit practices, and unless measures designed to mitigate information asymmetries are sensitive to the historical, economic and sociocultural realities of the South African poor.
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  • Date Issued: 2005

Foucault, historicism and political philosophy

  • Authors: Allsobrook, Christopher John
  • Date: 2006
  • Subjects: Foucault, Michel, 1926-1984 Sartre, Jean Paul, 1905-1980 Political science -- Philosophy Power (Philosophy) Existential phenomenology Knowledge, Theory of History -- Philosophy Historicism
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
  • Identifier: vital:2726 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003073
  • Description: This thesis defends an ontological and epistemological account of Michel Foucault's post-structuralist philosophy, to argue that political philosophy needs to take into account the historical and political contingency of subjectivity and discourse. I show that by addressing the historical and political contingency of knowledge, Foucault's work overcomes the flaw of foundational epistemology in political philosophy, which treats true discourse as universal and disinterested. In doing so I hope to have to refuted the mainly positivistic and humanist schools of thought that lay claim to universal and foundationalist notions, by demonstrating the extent to which their misgivings about Foucault's work are informed by and founded upon an unjustified a-historicism. The thesis is composed of three chapters, the first of which deals with an ontology of the subject, the second, with an ontology of social relations, and the last with epistemology. In each chapter I use dialectical analysis to reveal how interests necessarily mediate subjectivity, social relations, and knowledge. The first two chapters defend Foucault's conception of power, by way of an analysis of the relations between Foucault's work and Sartre's existential phenomenology. I show how both Foucault and Sartre successfully address the problem of historicism for political philosophy with their respective conceptions of human freedom. The final chapter defends Foucault's conception of the relations between power and discourse, to show how it overcomes the a-historicism of universal, foundational epistemology. These three chapters demonstrate the importance of accounting for historicism in political philosophy. Claims to universal interest, because knowledge is conditioned by conflicts of interest, often mask political domination. It is important, then, to remember, in political philosophy, that knowledge is evaluative and interested, reflecting historically and politically mediated evaluations. One should be suspicious of ' natural facts' , used to justify actions or beliefs, thereby masking the choices that inform them. I have used the work of Michel Foucault to motivate this claim.
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  • Date Issued: 2006

Voting and meaning in Hooggenoeg, Grahamstown : an audience's reception of Grocott's Mail's 2011 municipal election coverage

  • Authors: Amzat, Ajibola Taofeek
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Grocott's Mail (Grahamstown, South Africa) Local elections -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Elections -- South Africa Press and politics -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Journalism -- Objectivity -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Newspapers -- Objectivity Journalism -- Political aspects
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:5970 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011729
  • Description: This thesis examines the meanings that residents of the township of Hooggenoeg (in Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa) made of the election coverage in the Grocott’s Mail newspaper during 2011 municipal elections in South Africa. In addition, this study also sought to understand the particular set of ‘normative roles’ played by the paper, both with reference to the well-established body of theory about the normative roles of journalism in a democracy, and in terms of the paper’s own conceptualisation of its role in the functioning of local democracy. Grocott’s Mail, the oldest independent newspaper in South Africa, provided extensive pre-election coverage, which included producing and distributing an unprecedented free edition of the paper. The paper also facilitated a town hall debate in order to encourage residents to vote, and empower them to make a more informed choice about their vote. Three qualitative research methods, namely qualitative content analysis, focus group interviews, and individual interviews were used to examine the relationship between the content provided by the paper and the audience’s process of ‘making sense’ and deriving meaning from the content provided. The study concludes that Grocott’s attempt to encourage democratic culture in Grahamstown, in keeping with the more ‘facilitative’ normative roles that the local media can play, was only partially successful. Much of the election reporting subordinated the voices of the ordinary people, and privileged reporting that focussed narrowly on the voting process, and which foregrounded the views of political parties. Overall this coverage largely failed to resonate with the Grocott’s readers who live in Hooggenoeg (a largely ‘coloured’ area of Grahamstown), whose key concerns in terms of their daily life – such as poverty, unemployment, crime, lack of services – seemed, to them, unaddressed by this election coverage and, consequently, was not as engaging or convincing as the publishers/editors had hoped it would be. It can be also argued that Grocott’s narrow conceptualisation of democracy as entailing only public participation in electoral processes failed to cater for how audiences can be made aware of how they can participate in governance beyond the election period.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

Identity and transformation within the Playhouse Dance Company, 1993-1997

  • Authors: Ballantyne, Tammy Marguerite
  • Date: 1998
  • Subjects: Playhouse dance company , Dance -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:2131 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002363 , Playhouse dance company , Dance -- South Africa
  • Description: This thesis examines the principles and policies underlying the need for transformation within the Playhouse Dance Company (PDC) in Durban and the actualities of implementing these visions and procedures. It is proposed that artistic structures, ideals and processes cannot remain impervious to the climate of change. Alterations in the political arena demand radical permutations within arts councils and their concept of repertoire, educational programmes and training. Transformation is linked to the problem of identity and it is suggested that the company is in the midst of a journey towards "becoming" rather than "being". Chapter One comprises an overview of changing trends in the arts globally and the impact on South Mrican art forms and processes. There is also an examination of the past, the establishment of arts councils and the colonial heritage of the dance companies within these councils. The formative years of the NAP AC Dance Company and the strategies formulated by former artistic directors have, it is suggested, hampered the transformation process. Chapter Two focuses on the PDC's endeavours to transform between the years 1993 and 1997. Lack of funding, conservative public tastes and training processes are. all' issues confronting management, choreographers, educators and performers in attempting to provide a clear direction towards transformation. The company walk a tightrope as they struggle to balance the heritage of their artistic past while giving birth to a new heritage for the future. Chapter Three discusses two areas that reveal measurable attempts at transformation. Hawkins offers re-inventions of the classics which encourages innovation, and Siwela Sonke was conceived to draw on dance forms located in Kwazulu-Natal in the search for a South Mrican dance aesthetic. Chapter Four investigates whether transformative visions are becoming a reality and suggests how the company could extend the process further. This chapter concludes with .. ideas about the nature of culture and how this informs,the exercise of transformation. This thesis proposes that transformation within the PDC is occurring even though it has its shortcomings. The main thrust of the research is to investigate, identifY and document factors that are contributing to current dance trends in Durban.
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  • Date Issued: 1998

Determining and analysing the emergent behaviour from context-aware devices

  • Authors: Bandason, Vivian
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Context-aware computing Mobile computing
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/7907 , vital:30805
  • Description: With the continued miniaturization of technology and the incorporation of Moore’s law, smartphones are more powerful. These mobile devices contain technologies that add other functionalities to them. Technologies such as sensors constantly provide information to the device. The constant stream of information from these sensors often leads to information overload of relevant and irrelevant information. To work towards solving this problem context-aware computing was introduced. Our major concern is that context information in context aware computing is not completely being utilized. The aggregation of context information could unlock more possibilities. This research seeks to aggregate the context of multiple devices such that, through analysis, some emergent behaviour can be observed. In this research context information from the sensors of devices is collected using an Android application and a central Server. The context information is used for pattern analysis. A pattern analysis algorithm is designed and used to observe patterns throughout the data set. It shows patterns that are similar within the dataset. In the case that the pattern observed has no similar pattern or few similar patterns this behaviour can be stated as emergent in the dataset. Further study of this emergent behaviour can be performed were a classifier can be used to give the exact activities that were being performed at that time. The research found this was possible and has many uses. One of these is in disaster prevention were the behaviour of a group of individuals may be monitored to observe any random changes such as masses running at the same time. This could be used as a first warning to natural disasters.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Perceptions of unit managers regarding competencies of newly qualified registered nurses in East London health services

  • Authors: Bengu, Phindiwe Faith
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Nurses -- In-service training -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Community health nursing -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCur
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/13597 , vital:39683
  • Description: The South African Nursing Council requires registered nurses to have the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and values which will enable them to render an efficient service (Morolong and Chabeli, 2005:39). The South African Education and training system, through its policy of outcomes- based education and training, has tabled competency as a national priority. In support of this, the South African Nursing Council (SANC) requires that the newly qualified registered nurse possess competency on the core functions of a registered nurse. The health system also demands competent nurse practitioners to ensure quality nursing care. Due to the fact that competency is a national priority and a statutory demand, the research question that guided the study is what are the perceptions of unit managers regarding competencies of newly qualified registered nurses in East London Health Care services. The study was aimed at describing the perceptions of unit managers regarding the competencies of newly qualified registered nurses in order to propose the recommendations to improve the competencies of such newly qualified registered nurses and to provide quality patient care. A quantitative descriptive non experimental design was used to evaluate the perceptions of unit managers regarding competencies of newly qualified registered nurses from a public nursing college. The sampling method of probability convenience sampling was used in this study. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire administered to ninety unit managers and only eighty one unit managers participated in the study. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 software. Statistical methods enabled the researcher to reduce, summarize, organise, manipulate, evaluate, interpret and communicate quantitative data. Data were cleaned and coded and spoilt data were checked. Findings from the software were displayed in graphs or tables. Concerning the eighty one unit managers who participated in the study, age and sex matched respondents were selected according to their availability.The results showed that there is agreement that competence of the nurses affects the image, mission and staff utilisation in their units and/or institutions. There was no dominant opinion on the possible association between competency and environmental, physical and technological factors. There was unanimous agreement that newly qualified nurses need constant supervision and in-service training. There was moderate agreement on the use of acquired knowledge and skills by nurses and there was no dominant opinion about how newly qualified nurses tolerate differences and handle misunderstandings and shortcomings of other professions. In conclusion newly qualified registered nurses need coaching, mentoring, n-service training and constant supervision. Recommendations regarding strategies to be used to improve competencies of newly qualified registered nurses included exit evaluations of community service practitioners, stipulating the competency framework of newly qualified nurses and assessment criteria of competency. Mentoring and coaching of newly qualified registered nurses during community service, monthly or quarterly meetings with the community service candidate in order to identify their challenges were also recommended. Motivation strategies in order to boost their morale so that they can deliver quality patient care. The newly qualified registered nurses should hold meetings with the unit managers regarding the challenges the unit managers face when assessing competencies of newly qualified registered nurses.
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  • Date Issued: 2017

Cleavage of the precursor coat protein of black beetle virus strain w17 in rabbit reticulocyte lysate

  • Authors: Blackhurst, Diane Mary
  • Date: 1988
  • Subjects: Beetles , Insects -- Viruses
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:3880 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001614
  • Description: Black beetle virus (BBV) is a bipartite single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Nodaviridae. Its host range has been found to be limited to insects. RNA 1, the larger of the two RNA molecules, with a MW of 1,15 x 10⁶ and the smaller RNA 2 with a MW of 0,46 x 10⁶, are both packaged in the same virus particle. The two RNA molecules are translated separately, with RNA 1 coding for protein A of MW 105 x 10³ and RNA 2 coding for protein α of MW 47 x 10³. Protein α is the major capsid protein precursor, which during in vivo maturation is cleaved to form the coat protein β of MW 43 x 10³, and protein γ of MW 5 x 10³. Cell-free translation of BBV (strain W17) mRNA was carried out in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. Protein α was detectable between 0 and 30 minutes after RNA addition. A protein 'β', which was found to co-electrophorese on polyacrylamide gels with authentic β and which was immunoprecipitated by anti-BBV antiserum, was detectable after 30 minutes. Results of this work show that the formation of 'β' could be prevented by the addition of RNase to the lysate, indicating that intact RNA is necessary for α to β cleavage. Arresting protein synthesis by the addition of cycloheximide to the lysate mix did not inhibit the cleavage. The formation of β could also be prevented by cooling the lysate mix to 1°C. Cleavage of α to β still occurred when RNA 2, without the presence of RNA 1, was translated. Therefore the cleavage is not dependent on a translation product of RNA 1. Sedimentation of lysate on sucrose density gradients showed that α to β cleavage was not accompanied by assembly of BBV RNA and protein lnto a viral substructure as has been shown to occur with some viruses, for example certain picornaviruses. Serial dilution of lysate containing α showed that the level of β decreased with increasing dilution, indicating that the cleavage is not mediated by autocatalysis, but by some other unknown factor. Although much work has been carried out on black beetle virus, no work has been published to date concerning α to β cleavage as an indication of assembly in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. Results of these cell-free translation experiments thus indicate that BBV coat protein precursor α, in association with its messenger RNA 2, undergoes a maturation cleavage in the lysate to produce BBV coat protein β. In addition, this cleavage seems to occur without assembly into any intermediate viral structure
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  • Date Issued: 1988

Research portfolio

A possible mechanism for enzymic depilation of skins

  • Authors: Brady, Dean
  • Date: 1989
  • Subjects: Chemistry, Technical , Tanning
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:3877 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001611
  • Description: Streptomyces fradiae is a bacterium which has been previously found to produce extracellular enzymes which are capable of wool degradation and skin depilation. Streptomyces fradiae 3739 and other strains of Streptomyces were found in this study to be able to degrade a keratin source (wool) to a considerable degree. However according to the evidence of SEM micrographs presented here the highly keratinised spindle cells of the paracortex are fairly resistant to protease attack, and it is the cementation material which binds these cells together which is initially degraded by the proteases. A large degree of correlation was found with the strains of Streptomyces studied, between the ability of the individual strains to degrade wool and the ability of their extracellular proteases to reduce the depilation load of sheepskins. With further analysis S. fradiae 3739 was found to produce at least one amylase and four or more proteases. The proteases as a group had maximal proteolytic activity in the 8.0-9.0 pH unit range, and were considerably thermostabilised by the inclusion of calcium ions into the reaction solution. The protease group was found to cause depilation of merino sheepskins. For comparative purposes a protease produced by a strain of Proteus vulgaris isolated from a staling hide with hair slip (natural depilation) was studied. The protease activity was maximal in the alkaline region between 8.0-9.0 pH units. Tbe protease appeared to be a single enzyme with a molecular mass of approximately 44 000 daltons. The protease was maximally active at 40°C, although it was only thermostable to 30°C. The enzyme was ineffectual as a depilant except when the skin was pre-treated with a strong alkali, preferably including sodium sulphite in the protease preparation. One of the most important differences between the extracellular proteases of S. fradiae and P. vulgaris was that the former were greater in variety and caused a greater decrease in the depilation load of sheepskins than the latter. Further research with mixtures of commercial proteases provided evidence that a synergistic depilatory effect occurs when proteases of complementary bond specificities are used in conjunction in enzymic depilatory preparations. Some form of strong alkali treatment of skins was found to be necessary to produce leather of the prerequisite quality when the skin was depilated by proteases, otherwise the skin was found to be depleted and stiff. Calcium hydroxide alone was found to be inadequate for this task, probably owing to the fact that it is less alkaline than the lime-sulphide mixture. The calcium hydroxide (lime) must therefore be used in conjunction with sodium hydroxide (which makes the solution as alkaline as that of the lime-sulphide solution) to produce leather comparable to that produced by the lime sulphide treatment. A combination of the information provided by the present research and that gleaned from the relevent literature allows for the construction of a model to represent the possible mechanism of enzymic depilation of skins, in which depilation is caused by the disruption of the basement membrane at the dermal-epidermal junction by the degradation of its constituent molecular components by general proteases, resulting in the removal of the epidermis and its associated wool or hair
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  • Date Issued: 1989

An interpretative phenomenological analysis of HIV positive individuals’ experiences of being in a support group

  • Authors: Brink, Nicole
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: HIV-positive persons -- Social aspects Self-help groups AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Counseling of AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/62988 , vital:28351
  • Description: People who have been diagnosed HIV positive often experience distress and anxiety due to uncertainties pertaining to the implications of an HIV positive status. Research has shown that support groups have always been a way for people to cope with the distress and stressful circumstances associated with health conditions such as HIV. This research investigated the role of face to face support groups in the lives of those living with HIV. The primary focus of this research project is to provide an in-depth exploration of HIV positive individuals‟ experiences of being in a support group. The study aims to explore the positive and negative experiences of being in an HIV support group and aims to gain an understanding of the role support plays in the lives of those living with HIV. A qualitative research design was used to explore the above mentioned aim. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five individuals, (three women and two men) who had experienced HIV support groups. The interviews were transcribed and then analysed according to the principles of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The findings of this study revealed five super-ordinate themes, which revealed not only the positive and negative experiences of being in a support group, but also the challenges that the participants‟ experienced before joining the group. Getting a sense of the participants‟ experience before joining the group allowed the researcher to get a better understanding of how useful or not the support group has been in helping them deal with the challenges of living with HIV. The themes included: „struggling to survive after diagnosis‟, „struggling to cope: adopting negative coping skills‟, „experiencing a turning-point: a will to survive‟, „attending support group: a sweet experience‟ and lastly, „attending support groups: a bitter experience‟. Findings suggest that for these participants, the advantages outweighed the disadvantages of being in a support group. Therefore this study suggests that face to face support groups are a viable and even necessary option for support. These findings support previous research and literature in regards to the importance of social support in the form of support groups in effectively assisting HIV positive people in their journey to adjust to the consequence of living with HIV.
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  • Date Issued: 2018

The identification of operations strategies based on business principles that will enhance the public sector's ability to retain its client departments

  • Authors: Davids, Shahied
  • Date: 2001
  • Subjects: Eastern Cape (South Africa) -- Public Works Department , Customer services
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
  • Identifier: vital:10941 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1006192 , Eastern Cape (South Africa) -- Public Works Department , Customer services
  • Description: The research problem addressed in this study was to identify operational strategies that will enhance the ability of National Public Works Department (NPWD) of the Eastern Cape to retain its Client Departments. Privatisation has lead to performance management becoming essential to satisfy the client departments needs and requirements. In order to identify operational strategies which will enhance NPWD’s operation’s performance, questionnaires with relevant operation questions were used as well as a brain-writing session. The findings of the literature survey clearly highlight the specific areas where attention is required for improvements.
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  • Date Issued: 2001

Environmentally friendly dyeing and finishing

  • Authors: Dayla, Mackraj
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Dyes and dyeing -- Knit goods -- South Africa , Textile finishing -- South Africa , Bleaching industry -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:10454 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020776
  • Description: The textile industry in South Africa is a significant contributor to the chemical load that public wastewater treatment plants have to process, and the discharge of toxic substances, especially to the aquatic environment. In order to address this issue at factory level, the processes at a textile plant, JMV Textiles were chosen for investigation into the possibilities of minimization of discharges of harmful substances into the environment. The study followed the principles of cleaner production, and the processes that were investigated and revised were: The conventional peroxide bleaching process employed a peroxide stabilizer that did not biodegrade easily. The bleaching process was changed, so that the prevailing conditions in the fabric and dyebath facilitated bleaching without the addition of peroxide stabilizer, and also reduced the alkali and energy requirements. Polyester‐viscose fabric was pretreated by bleaching with hydrogen peroxide, which seemed to be unnecessarily rigorous, because polyester and viscose, unlike natural fibres, are relatively clean and have good whiteness in comparison with natural fibres. The proposed alternate pretreatment was a scour with detergent and alkali. The pretreatment for all polyester‐cotton fabrics was also a hydrogen peroxide bleach. Due to the ability of medium and dark shades to mask the natural tint of cotton fibres, a simpler alternate pretreatment, consisting of an alkaline scour with sequestering agent, was trialled. An unacceptable proportion of the dyeings on polyester was rejected for dye‐stains and dye‐marks. A possible solution exploited the properties of using the finishing auxiliary chemical to alleviate dye‐stains and dye‐marks during the dyeing stage, instead of using the chemical after dyeing. The highly toxic carrier that was used to facilitate level dyeing of polyester fibres that had unacceptable variation in their dyeing properties, was replaced by a less toxic carrier. The formulation for dyeing polyester was simplified to eliminate the auxiliary chemicals that were not essential to the dyeing process. Pale reactive dyed shades on cellulose and polyester‐cellulose were washed off only with hot water instead of detergent. The revised procedures consequential to the study, offered significant environmental benefits by reducing the concentration and volume of effluent produced, substituting a highly toxic carrier with a less toxic one and saving energy and water. Implementation of the suggested changes also offered financial benefits. The management of the factory, however, accepted and implemented some changes, but wanted further investigations for others and a phased approach to the other suggested changes.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Effect of femininity on sexual health decision making of young females

  • Authors: De Wet, Elna
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: Teenage girls -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa , Women -- Identity , Adolescents -- Sexual behavior -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/30298 , vital:30928
  • Description: South Africa is characterised by high levels of HIV infections and unwanted pregnancies, despite the vast amount of interventions aimed at combatting this issue. It becomes important to explore why these interventions are not actively achieving what they aim to. A major cause for concern is the increase in risky sexual behaviour in the adolescence and young adult (15-24 year) age group. In various cultures, women’s socialization has a direct impact on their ability to prioritize their sexual health. Steeped in patriarchal ideology, many South African cultures prioritise the power of masculinity over and above the femxle experience. Improved partner communication leads to decreased risky sexual behaviour, but it becomes tricky when the relationship is characterized by a gender power imbalance. This study is aimed at understanding South African femxle sexual health by focussing on 1) the extent to which the overarching traditional beliefs about femininity is related to their sexual self-efficacy. Furthermore, it is aimed at 2) the extent to which they engage in sexual activity and behaviour that would protect them from STIs and unwanted pregnancies. Research design is quantitative and include an online survey for femxle students between the ages of 18 and 24, enrolled at the Nelson Mandela University, South Africa. The data was analysed statistically, where after the research findings will be interpreted from the perspective of Feminist Psychological Theory.
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  • Date Issued: 2018

Re-imagining love and intimacy in the poetry of Gabeba Baderoon, Ingrid De Kok, and Makhosazana Xaba

  • Authors: Du Preez, Jenny Bozena
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: Women in literature -- History and criticism , Sex discrimination against women
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:8479 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020039
  • Description: This dissertation explores the ways in which the poetry of Gabeba Baderoon, Ingrid de Kok and Makhosazana Xaba challenge the sexist discourses that allow for the exploitation of women‘s bodies. It will also examine how they re-imagine the script 1 of heterosexual romantic love which places women in a submissive position and closes down possibilities for human connections which do not fit within the narrow strictures of this notion of love. The poems selected come from Baderoon‘s two collections, The Dream in the Next Body (2005) and A Hundred Silences (2006), an anthology of Ingrid de Kok‘s poetry spanning all her previous collections entitled Seasonal Fires: New and Selected Poems (2006), and Makhosazana‘s Xaba‘s first poetry collection, These Hands (2005). All three of these contemporary, South African, woman poets present critiques of the sexual exploitation of women and offer explorations of romantic love, relationships and sexual intimacy alternative to contemporary, patriarchal heteronormativity. This analysis will take cognizance of the influence of apartheid and colonial history on the formation of gender politics. It will also examine the representation of women as sexual objects and the spectacularized and graphic depictions of sex and how these poets can be seen to re-present women and re-script sex. Whilst Baderoon and De Kok are concerned with re-imagining heterosexual romantic love and sexual intimacy, their rethinking of love can also be read as useful in engaging with 'queer'2 sexuality and romantic love outside of the heterosexual norm along with Xaba, who is concerned with lesbian desire. Finally, all three poets experiment with traditional poetic form and techniques and it is through this experimentation with poetic language, and the employment of what Julia Kristeva calls the semiotic, that these poets are able to re-imagine love and intimacy. Thus they might be said, to use Kristeva‘s phrase, to stage a 'revolution in poetic language'.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

Martin Luther's attack on monasticism

  • Authors: Enslin, Donovan Bryan
  • Date: 1974
  • Subjects: Luther, Martin, 1483-1546 -- Influence Luther, Martin, 1483-1546 -- Criticism and interpretation Monastic and religious life -- History Monasticism and religious order Monasteries
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Bachelor , BDiv
  • Identifier: vital:1251 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011766
  • Description: No comprehensive study of Luther's attitude towards monasticism is available in English. Most of the English works on Luther devote only a few pages or part of a chapter to this aspect of his life. Two reasons account for the cursory treatment. First, concern with the great themes of Luther's theology has led (Protestants at least) to concentrate on the theological aspects of his critique monasticism as a denial of the free grace of God, and as involving a mistaken view of perfection. Pelikan has commented: "Valid though this concentration on the theological aspects of Luther's polemic against monasticism is, it may obscure the bearing of that polemic upon the structures of the church." Moreover, a concern for theology 'pure and simple': (if such is possible) has led to a tendency to arrive at Luther's view of monasticism by a process of deduction from his great theme of justification by grace through faith alone, so that many of the niceties of his position, and especially the gentleness of his approach, have been obscured. Second, the cursory treatment is possible because there is a real sense in which the arguments Luther adduced in his major work on monasticism - though comprehensive and systematic - were by no means original. Yet, The Judgement of Martin Luther on Monastic Vows was the most decisive critique of monasticism ever presented. Summary, p. 2-3.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 1974

The study of hydroxyoximes and hydroxamic acids supported on macroporous resins and their use in the rapid seperation of metals

  • Authors: Hemmes, Marlene
  • Date: 1979
  • Subjects: Chromatographic analysis , Separation (Technology) , Metal ions , Solvent extraction , Extraction (Chemistry) , Oximes , Metals -- Analysis
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4453 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009512
  • Description: Introduction: The macroporous Amberlite XAD resins were coated with LIX-64N and examined for the rate of uptake of copper . XAD-7 was by far the best support and gave a satisfactory rate of uptake up to loadings of 60% (w/w). The specific surface area of XAD-7 was measured by the adsorption of methylene blue from aqueous solution. The area of the wetted resin was five times less than that of the dry resin. LIX-65N was purified and the anti isomer characterised using spectroscopic techniques . The rate of uptake of copper was not improved by use of purified LIX-65N or by addition of LIX-63. XAD-7 coated with LIX-65N was used in columns. Elution curves for copper showed negligible tailing, and rapid separations of copper from iron (111), nickel, cobalt and magnesium by selective absorption were achieved. Copper was concentrated from very dilute solution at a flow rate of 50 ml min -1 ,and a 99% recovery was obtained. The method was applied to the rapid determination of copper in brass and bronze. A series of long-chain hydroxamic acids were synthesised and tested for suitability as stationary phase on XAD-7. Oleohydroxamic acid and naphthenohydroxamic acid were the most promising. The r ate of uptake of copper was reduced by the use of nonylphenol or amyl alcohol as a diluent. The capacities for copper of the hydroxamic acids were less when supported on XAD-7 than when used as liquid ionexchangers. The distribution coefficients of cobalt, nickel, zinc, lead, vanadium, uranium, iron (111) and copper were measured as a function of pH. XAD-7 coated with oleohydroxamic acid was used in columns for the rapid separation of iron (111) from copper and of copper from nickel, cobalt, lead and zinc. Copper was concentrated from very dilute solution at a flow rate of 45 ml min -1 and a 100,8% recovery was obtained. Copper was successfully separated from nickel by selective elution. The elution curves obtained show negligible tailing. The resin loaded with oleohydroxamic acid lost capacity due to chemical instability. Naphthenohydroxamic acid supported on XAD-7 was not suitable for use in columns, because it was physically unstable.
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  • Date Issued: 1979

A strategy for promoting the use of computers across the curriculum at primary school level: a case study

  • Authors: Heukelman, Delene
  • Date: 1994
  • Subjects: Education, Elementary -- Computer programs Computers and children Education, Elementary -- Data processing Computer-assisted instruction
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003659
  • Description: A growing number of primary schools are acquiring computers, mainly through parent funding. The study concerns the promotion of computer use across the curriculum in primary schools. Teachers need to be trained in the use of computers as a teaching aid in different subjects. A study comparing two periods of training was undertaken. Two model C primary schools, administered by the Department of Education and Culture, with similar profiles of educational computer use, were selected for the purpose. A training course consisting of five sections, where the use of the word processor, spreadsheet and database, both as personal tools and as teaching aids were introduced, was offered. Care was taken to select topics from current syllabi and to demonstrate how these topics could be presented and enhanced by using the computer. The training was presented at school A over a period of 8 months and at school B over a period of 5 weeks. The supporting material and contents of the course were the same for both groups. A comparison between the effectiveness of the two training regimes was made. The researcher's initial perceptions of the teachers' initial low level of computer literacy were confirmed by a questionnaire, responded to by each participant. It would seem that the shorter raining period was more effective in raising the level of computer literacy and that if the training period was longer, the contact time should be increased to maintain support. Neither training period resulted in a significant increase in computer use, either as a personal tool or as a teaching aid. The failure to do so may be ascribed to a number of influences, one of which is the teaching style of individual teachers. Changing the teaching style of an experienced teacher takes time and more effort than was available for either training period.
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  • Date Issued: 1994

An analysis of alternative objective measures of economic performance and social development.

  • Authors: Hlanti, Msawenkosi Madoda
  • Date: 2014
  • Subjects: National income -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Evaluation , Economic development -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Evaluation , Gross domestic product -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- South Africa , Social planning -- South Africa , Economic policy , South Africa -- Social conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:1099 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013144
  • Description: The measurement of economic performance and social development has become increasingly important as societies have evolved and become more complex. At present nations do not only seek to improve economic performance but are also compelled to improve social development through improvements in socially and environmentally sustainable initiatives. Traditional measures such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is derived from United Nations’ System of National Accounts (SNA) have been criticised given the inability to adequately account for these social and environmental aspects of social development. Given these perceived deficiencies in the conventional measures, several alternative objective measures have been proposed in an attempt to address these shortcomings. Therefore the primary aim of this study is to analyse, via a literature survey, these alternative objective measures of economic performance and social development. The alternative measures that constitute the survey are the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW), the Genuine Savings (GS), and the United Nations’ Human Development Index (HDI). Upon the completion of the literature survey, sustainable development theory is used to evaluate the extent to which the National Accounts and the alternative objective measures are consistent with Hicksian and Fisherian definitions of income and capital, which embody the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development. The evaluation reveals that the National Accounts neither conform to the Hicksian nor the Fisherian definitions of income, thus could not be viewed as a measure of sustainable income. It is found that the ISEW is consistent with the Fisherian definition of income and is also a partial indicator of sustainable development. The evaluation of the GS measure reveals that it is consistent with the Hicksian definition but not the Fisherian definition. In terms of overall sustainability, it is argued that GS is a partial measure of weak sustainability. The HDI is similar to the National Accounts, in that it is neither consistent with the Hicksian nor the Fisherian definitions of income and is also not a measure of sustainability. In summary, the study demonstrates that despite GDP's shortcomings as a measure of economic performance and social development, currently, there is no alternative approach which simultaneously addresses every flaw in GDP. However, all the alternatives yield a much better approximation of social development than GDP.
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  • Date Issued: 2014

An investigation of female leaders' perceptions of organisational culture and leadership in a Catholic High School

  • Authors: Jean-Louis, Lily-Claire Virginie
  • Date: 2005
  • Subjects: Catholic schools -- South Africa -- Administration School management and organization -- South Africa Educational leadership -- South Africa Corporate culture -- South Africa Women school administrators -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1625 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003507
  • Description: For the past thirty years, leadership theories have focused on the importance of the individual within the school organisation. The shared assumptions and beliefs of the individuals working in the same organisation shape the school’s organisational culture, and organisational culture is a salient factor which should be considered when understanding educational leadership. The focus of my study is to explore the relationship between organisational culture and leadership. In the same context, new approaches to the study of leadership have explored the issue of gender in leadership. Female leadership studies - the second focus of this study - seek not only to restore the place of the individual but also argue a place for women in educational leadership. Based in the interpretive paradigm, this is a case study of a Catholic all-girl secondary school called the Loreto Convent School of Pretoria. Historically, the Loreto schools have aimed at promoting and empowering girls’ education and female leadership. It was therefore an appropriate site in which to explore organisational culture and its relationship with leadership, particularly female leadership. I purposefully chose three of the school’s female leaders - the school’s principal, the High school Head of Department and the High school head girl - focusing on their perceptions and experiences of their leadership and the school’s culture. My research findings show that an understanding of the relationship between organisational culture and leadership cannot be complete without acknowledging the importance of the leader as an individual, with his/her personal background and values, taking into account gender as well as the multiple roles that the individual has in society. Furthermore, the ‘humane’ characteristic of educational leadership leads to an understanding that the leader is often confronted with conflicting situations where he/she is caught between personal/organisational values and the need to achieve the task. Finally, my findings show that contemporary leaders are now called upon to work and participate in the promotion of social justice in order to fight against society’s socio-economic inequality and improve the quality of education and life.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2005
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