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A combinatorial analysis of barred preferential arrangements

  • Authors: Nkonkobe, Sithembele
  • Date: 2016
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/36228 , vital:24530
  • Description: For a non-negative integer n an ordered partition of a set Xn with n distinct elements is called a preferential arrangement (PA). A barred preferential arrangement (BPA) is a preferential arrangement with bars in between the blocks of the partition. An integer sequence an associated with the counting PA's of Xn has been intensely studied over a century and a half in many different contexts. In this thesis we develop a unified combinatorial framework to study the enumeration of BPAs and a special subclass of BPAs. The results of the study lead to a positive settlement of an open problem and a conjecture by Nelsen. We derive few important identities pertaining to the number of BPAs and restricted BPAs of an n element set using generating- functionology. Later we show that the number of restricted BPAs of Xn are intricately related to well-known numbers such as Eulerian numbers, Bell numbers, Poly-Bernoulli numbers and the number of equivalence classes of fuzzy subsets of Xn under some equivalent relation.
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A combined modelling approach for simulating channel–wetland exchanges in large African river basins

  • Authors: Makungu, Eunice J
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Watersheds -- Africa , Watershed management -- Africa , Water resources development -- Africa -- International cooperation , Floodplain management -- Africa , Wetland ecology -- Simulation methods -- Africa , Wetland management -- Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/123288 , vital:35424
  • Description: In Africa, many large and extensive wetlands are hydrologically connected to rivers, and their environmental integrity, as well as their influence on downstream flow regimes, depends on the prevailing channel–wetland exchange processes. These processes are inherently complex and vary spatially and temporally. Understanding channel–wetland exchanges is therefore, indispensable for the effective management of wetlands and the associated river basins. However, this information is limited in most of the river basins containing large wetlands in Africa. Furthermore, it is important to understand the links between upstream and downstream flow regimes and the wetland dynamics themselves, specifically where there are water resource developments that may affect these links (upstream developments), or be affected by them (downstream developments). Hydrological modelling of the entire basin using basin-scale models that include wetland components in their structures can be used to provide the information required to manage water resources in such basins. However, the level of detail of wetland processes included in many basin-scale models is typically very low and the lack of understanding of the wetland dynamics makes it difficult to quantify the relevant parameters. Detailed hydraulic models represent the channel-wetland exchanges in a much more explicit manner, but require relatively more data and time resources to establish than coarser scale hydrological models. The main objective of this study was, therefore, to investigate the use of a detailed hydraulic wetland model to provide a better understanding of channel–wetland exchanges and wetland dynamics, and to use the results to improve the parameterisation of a basin-scale model. The study focused on improving the water resource assessments modelling of three data-scarce African river basins that contain large wetlands: the floodplains of the Luangwa and Upper Zambezi River basins and the Usangu wetland in the Upper Great Ruaha River basin. The overall objective was achieved through a combined modelling approach that uses a detailed high-resolution LISFLOOD-FP hydraulic model to inform the structure and parameters of the GW Pitman monthly hydrological model. The results from the LISFLOOD-FP were used to improve the understanding of the channel–wetland exchange dynamics and to establish the wetland parameters required in the GW Pitman model. While some wetland parameters were directly quantified from the LISFLOOD-FP model results, others, which are highly empirical, were estimated by manually calibrating the GW Pitman wetland sub-model implemented in excel spreadsheets containing the LISFLOOD-FP model results. Finally, the GW Pitman model with the inclusion of the estimated wetland parameters was applied for each basin and the results compared to the available downstream observed flow data. The two models have been successfully applied in southern Africa, with the GW Pitman model being one of the most widely applied hydrological models in this region. To address the issue of data scarcity, during setup of these models, the study mainly relied on the global datasets which clearly adds to the overall uncertainty of the modelling approach. However, this is a typical situation for most of the data scarce regions of the continent. A number of challenges were, however, faced during the setup of the LISFLOOD-FP, mainly due to the limitations of the data inputs. Some of the LISFLOOD-FP data inputs include boundary conditions (upstream and downstream), channel cross-sections and wetland topography. In the absence of observed daily flows to quantify the wetland upstream boundary conditions, monthly flow volumes simulated using the GW Pitman monthly model (without including the wetland sub-model) were disaggregated into daily flows using a disaggregation sub-model. The simulated wetland inflows were evaluated using the observed flow data for downstream gauging stations that include the wetland effects. The results highlighted that it is important to understand the possible impacts of each wetland on the downstream flow regime during the evaluations of the model simulation results. Although the disaggregation approach cannot be validated due to a lack of observed data, it at least enables the simulated monthly flows to be used in the daily time step hydraulic model. One of the recommendations is that improvements are required in gauging station networks to provide more observed information for the main river and the larger tributary inflows into these large and important wetland systems. Even a limited amount of newly observed data would be helpful to reduce some of the uncertainties in the combined modelling approach. The SRTM 90 m DEM (used to represent wetland topography) was filtered to reduce local variations and noise effects (mainly vegetation bias), but there were some pixels that falsely affect the inundation results, and the recently released vegetation-corrected DEMs are suggested to improve the simulation results. Channel cross-section values derived from global datasets should be examined because some widths estimated from the Andreadis et al. (2013) dataset were found to be over-generalised and did not reflect widths measured using high-resolution Google Earth in many places. There is an indication that channel cross-sections digitised from Google Earth images can be successfully used in the model setup except in densely vegetated swamps where the values are difficult to estimate, and in such situations, field measured cross-section data are required. Small channels such as those found in the Usangu wetland could play major role in the exchange dynamics, but digitising them all was not straightforward and only key ones were included in the model setup. Clearly, this inevitably introduced uncertainties in the simulated results, and future studies should consider applying methods that simplify extractions of most of these channels from high-resolution images to improve the simulated results. The study demonstrated that the wetland and channel physical characteristics, as well as the seasonal flow magnitude, largely influence the channel–wetland exchanges and wetland dynamics. The inundation results indicated that the area–storage and storage–inflow relationships form hysteretic curves, but the shape of these curves vary with flood magnitude and wetland type. Anticlockwise hysteresis curves were observed in both relationships for the floodplains (Luangwa and Barotse), whereas there appears to be no dominant curve type for the Usangu wetlands. The lack of well-defined hysteretic relationships in the Usangu could be related to some of the difficulties (and resulting uncertainties) that were experienced in setting up the model for this wetland. The storage–inflow relationships in all wetlands have quite complex rising limbs due to multiple flow peaks during the main wet season. The largest inundation area and storage volume for the Barotse and Usangu wetlands occurred after the peak discharge of the wet season, a result that is clearly related to the degree of connectivity between the main channel and those areas of the wetlands that are furthest away from the channel. Hysteresis effects were found to increase with an increase in flood magnitudes and temporal variations in the wetland inflows. Overall, hysteresis behaviour is common in large wetlands and it is recommended that hysteresis curves should be reflected in basin-scale modelling of large river basins with substantial wetland areas. At a daily time scale, inflow–outflow relationships showed a significant peak reduction and a delayed time to peak of several weeks in the Barotse and Usangu wetlands, whereas the attenuation effects of the Luangwa floodplain are minimal. To a large extent, the LISFLOOD-FP results provided useful information to establish wetland parameters and assess the structure of Pitman wetland sub-model. The simple spreadsheet used to estimate wetland parameters did not account for the wetland water transfers from the upstream to the next section downstream (the condition that is included in the LISFLOOD-FP model) for the case when the wetlands were distributed across more than one sub-basin. It is recommended that a method that allows for the upstream wetland inflows and the channel inflows should be included in the spreadsheet. The same is true to the Pitman model structure, and a downstream transfer of water can be modelled through return flows to the channel. The structure of the wetland sub-model was modified to allow an option for the return flows to occur at any time during the simulation period to provide for types of wetlands (e.g. the Luangwa) where spills from the channel and drainage back to the channel occur simultaneously. The setup of the GW Pitman model with the inclusion of wetland parameters improved the simulation results. However, the results for the Usangu wetlands were not very satisfactory and the collection of additional field data related to exchange dynamics is recommended to achieve improvements. The impacts of the Luangwa floodplain on the flow regime of the Luangwa River are very small at the monthly time scale, whereas the Barotse floodplain system and the Usangu wetlands extensively regulate flows of the Zambezi River and the Great Ruaha River, respectively. The results highlighted the possibilities of regionalising some wetland parameters using an understanding of wetland physical characteristics and their water exchange dynamics. However, some parameters remain difficult to quantify in the absence of site-specific information about the water exchange dynamics. The overall conclusion is that the approach implemented in this study presents an important step towards the improvements of water resource assessments modelling for research and practical purposes in data-scarce river basins. This approach is not restricted to the two used models, as it can be applied using different model combinations to achieve similar study purpose.
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A commentary on Nepos' Life of Alcibiades

  • Authors: Jackson, John Leonard
  • Date: 1982
  • Subjects: Classical biography -- Criticism and interpretation , Nepos, Cornelius -- Life Of Alcibiades -- Criticism and interpretation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:3621 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007223
  • Description: From Introduction: Much of the commentary is historical and biographical in its emphasis. In making detailed reference to other accounts , I have tried to fill important gaps in Nepos' brief and (in places) abrupt account, to compare the picture of Alcibiades in his account with that of other accounts and to trace sources which he may have used important passages have been quoted in full so that verbal similarities can be seen. A striking feature of Nepos' work is his tendency to describe many non-Roman situations in Roman terms. This reflects not only his vagueness about details (a common fault in his writing), but also perhaps a desire to make his Lives more relevant to his reading public and thus more readable. From antiquity to the present day biography and history have tended to be distinguished from each other, and biography has had the greater popular appeal. Readability is perhaps the most abiding quality of Nepos' Lives and Alcibiades may be the most readable of them all. On the whole Nepos portrays him consistently, although of course he also emphasises the inconsistency which was such an important part of his nature. He has told the story simply, yet dramatically; many of the complicated details about Alcibiades are omitted, yet particular incidents are highlighted, notably the return to Athens and the assassination. Above all, from Nepos' Life there emerges the impression that Alcibiades was unique and worth writing about.
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A commentary on the eleventh book of the Punica of Silius Italicus

  • Authors: Matier, K O (Kenneth Ogilvie)
  • Date: 1980
  • Subjects: Silius Italicus, Tiberius Catius. Punica Latin literature -- History and criticism
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:3624 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007535
  • Description: Preface: The scope of the commentary is limited. I have been concerned with establishing the diction of Silius in Book 11. I have shown which words are confined to epic, which words are poetic and which words are prosaic. I have not attempted to establish whether there is a correlation between Silius' use of 'poetic' and' prosaic' words and the content of what he is saying. But I have noticed that Silius frequently uses prosaic words when he is following Livy or some other historical source. In other cases, Silius may be using prosaic words because of his own training as an orator. He is clearly indebted to Cicero. Nor have I attempted to establish whether there is any particular effect when Silius uses a'poetic' or 'prosaic' word or phrase or construction. I have been influenced by considerations of length and also by the fact that I believe any such attempted interpretation, although it might produce valuable results, would of necessity be much more subjective than what I have actually done. I leave any such interpretation to future researchers of Silius.
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A common analysis framework for simulated streaming-video networks

  • Authors: Mulumba, Patrick
  • Date: 2009
  • Subjects: Computer networks -- Management , Streaming video , Mass media -- Technological innovations
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4590 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004828 , Computer networks -- Management , Streaming video , Mass media -- Technological innovations
  • Description: Distributed media streaming has been driven by the combination of improved media compression techniques and an increase in the availability of bandwidth. This increase has lead to the development of various streaming distribution engines (systems/services), which currently provide the majority of the streaming media available throughout the Internet. This study aimed to analyse a range of existing commercial and open-source streaming media distribution engines, and classify them in such a way as to define a Common Analysis Framework for Simulated Streaming-Video Networks (CAFSS-Net). This common framework was used as the basis for a simulation tool intended to aid in the development and deployment of streaming media networks and predict the performance impacts of both network configuration changes, video features (scene complexity, resolution) and general scaling. CAFSS-Net consists of six components: the server, the client(s), the network simulator, the video publishing tools, the videos and the evaluation tool-set. Test scenarios are presented consisting of different network configurations, scales and external traffic specifications. From these test scenarios, results were obtained to determine interesting observations attained and to provide an overview of the different test specications for this study. From these results, an analysis of the system was performed, yielding relationships between the videos, the different bandwidths, the different measurement tools and the different components of CAFSS-Net. Based on the analysis of the results, the implications for CAFSS-Net highlighted different achievements and proposals for future work for the different components. CAFSS-Net was able to successfully integrate all of its components to evaluate the different streaming scenarios. The streaming server, client and video components accomplished their objectives. It is noted that although the video publishing tool was able to provide the necessary compression/decompression services, proposals for the implementation of alternative compression/decompression schemes could serve as a suitable extension. The network simulator and evaluation tool-set components were also successful, but future tests (particularly in low bandwidth scenarios) are suggested in order to further improve the accuracy of the framework as a whole. CAFSS-Net is especially successful with analysing high bandwidth connections with the results being similar to those of the physical network tests.
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A common law view of "carrying on a trade"

  • Authors: Mkonza, Qhinga Aidan
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: Business , Common law -- South Africa , Income tax -- South Africa , Agriculture -- Taxation -- South Africa , Property tax -- South Africa , Moneylenders -- Taxation -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/60888 , vital:27883
  • Description: The term “trade” is defined in very wide terms in the Income Tax Act and includes a “business” and a “venture”. For a taxpayer to claim certain deductions in arriving at taxable income, the taxpayer must be carrying on a trade. The expression “carrying on a trade” is not defined in the Income Tax Act. Whether or not a taxpayer is carrying on a trade is a matter of fact. Case law has established certain principles and tests to be applied in determining whether a taxpayer is carrying on a trade. The goal of the thesis was to determine to what extent an activity can be considered as carrying on a trade. This research focused on the letting of property, money-lending, or farming operations in relation to carrying on a trade or business or engaging in a venture. The thesis also discussed at what stage a taxpayer ceases to carry on a trade and what the tax consequences are of ceasing to trade. An interpretative research approach was used in the research as it sought to understand and describe. No interviews conducted for this research and the data used for the research are publicly available. It was established that “carrying on a trade”, including a business, requires an active step taken by the taxpayer to trade. It involves regularity of buying and selling or rendering of services. The intention to trade is important but it is a subjective matter and cannot be persuasive in determining whether a taxpayer is carrying on a trade; objective factors are also considered. If the stated intention to trade matches the actions of the taxpayer, the taxpayer will be considered to be carrying on a trade. In determining whether a taxpayer is carrying on a trade each case must be considered with its own merits.
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A community partner’s perceptions of a service-learning partnership

  • Authors: Queripel, Kathryn
  • Date: 2017
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/6978 , vital:21206
  • Description: Literature has highlighted the importance of university-community partnerships in servicelearning (SL) as a vehicle for conducting a mutually beneficial service-learning programme (Dorado & Giles, 2004). This research aimed to investigate factors influencing a SL partnership through the insights of a particular community partner. Based on a case study of a rural school in the Eastern Cape, three community partners perceptions were obtained through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Thereafter, thematic analysis was used to analyse the data using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six phase guide. Three main theme’s emerged from the data that shed light to the key issues shaping community partners perceptions. These were centred on the effects of apartheid including resources, geographic location, and level of commitment from the university. The findings of this research brought forward the importance of awareness of context, responding to the context and commitment displayed in the partnership. This research further highlights the need for community partner’s perspective in literature.
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A community–wide trophic structure analysis in intertidal ecosystems on the south coast of South Africa

  • Authors: Gusha, Molline Natanah C
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: Food chains (Ecology) , Coastal ecology -- South Africa , Intertidal ecology -- South Africa , Marine animals -- Climatic factors -- South Africa , Marine animals -- Food -- South Africa , Marine animals -- Habitat -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63312 , vital:28392
  • Description: Coastal ecosystems are more than microhabitats for marine species. Acting as atmospheric carbon filters, species in coastal environments are directly and/or indirectly associated with transferring organic carbon to species at higher trophic levels. However, the progressing change in global climatic conditions has created the need to assess the consequences of the shifting conditions on both direct and indirect interactions of physical and biological parameters at species and/or community levels. From these perturbations, the effects of biotic homogenization on ecosystem functioning and resilience can also be realised. Herein, I discuss the effects of temperature, nutrients, biotic interactions and habitat characteristics on community dynamics within intertidal rock pool systems on the south coast of South Africa using complementary qualitative and quantitative analytical methods. Seasonality had a significant impact on rock pool species with changes in composition and higher richness in winter than summer. The first two axes of the Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) of the plant and animal communities each explained ~20% of the relationship between physico-chemical parameters and biological variables. The CCA highlighted that seasonal shifts in chlorophyll-a, conductivity, salinity, water depth, surface area and substratum type indirectly influenced species composition. For example, pools with heterogenous substratum comprising a mixture of sand and rock exhibited higher species diversity than homogenously bedded pools. Furthermore, a Bayesian analysis of community structure based on stable isotope ratios was used to assess how trophic pathways of carbon and nitrogen elements reflected community composition and richness. Isotopic biplots showed an increase in food web size, food chain length and the trophic positions of fish and some gastropods in winter compared to summer. There was greater dietary overlap among species in larger pools. In addition, while isotopic nearest neighbour distance and species evenness also showed a positive increase with pool size in summer, the same metrics were almost constant across all pool sizes in winter. These changes in food web packing and species evenness suggest seasonal preferences or migration of species in summer from small pools to larger pools with stable physico-chemical parameters. Furthermore, the presence of fish was seen to promote trophic diversity within some pools. The results from laboratory microcosm grazing experiments demonstrated significant direct and indirect effects of temperature and nutrients within plankton communities. Copepod grazing had an indirect positive influence on phytoplankton biomass and size structure while the interactive effects of temperature and nutrients had contrasting effects on both phytoplankton communities and copepod biomass. Shifts in water chemistry and nutrient treatments were also observed in the presence of copepods. Phosphate addition had a recognisable impact on plankton communities. The presented synthesis of the literature mainly highlighted that positive effects at one trophic level do not always positively cascade into the next trophic level which is evidence of complex interactive biotic, habitat and water chemistry effects within these intertidal ecosystems. Thus, to further understand cascading effects or community structure functioning in general, there may be a need to incorporate and understand species functional traits and how they contribute to trophic diversity, community restructuring and functioning in coastal habitats.
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A comparative analysis of derivative regulation following the global financial crisis : an emerging markets perspective

  • Authors: Mpala, Nqobile Natasha
  • Date: 2015
  • Subjects: Derivative securities , Global Financial Crisis, 2008-2009 , Capital market -- Developing countries , Derivative securities -- Developing countries , International economic relations
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:1121 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1018660
  • Description: The international financial environment has become riskier due to the recent developments in product offerings and failure of regulation to keep abreast with these changes. The Global Financial Crisis exposed inadequacies of regulation, thus consensus on the need for comprehensive and uniform regulation was made by G-20 member states. Imposing exchange trading, clearing, reporting and capital requirements on the derivatives market are some of the ways of dealing with the problems caused by lax regulatory oversight. In this study, through the comparative analysis of derivatives regulation in South Africa, Brazil, India and Turkey, it was established that emerging countries are taking active steps to implement the G-20 agreement. Uniformity in the core rules was noted, with differences in the supportive legislation. Country specific rules which support the macroeconomic factors that are faced by these countries and the infrastructure available for regulatory execution are used amongst countries. The study concluded that current regulation in emerging countries is accommodative and regulatory differences are in line with economic factors in each country.
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A comparative analysis of environmental policies of South African universities

  • Authors: Gyan, Cecilia Adwoa
  • Date: 2006
  • Subjects: Environmental education -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- Study and teaching , Education, Higher -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- Environmental aspects , Environmental policy -- South Africa , Campus planning -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4773 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1008067 , Environmental education -- South Africa , Sustainable development -- Study and teaching , Education, Higher -- South Africa , Universities and colleges -- Environmental aspects , Environmental policy -- South Africa , Campus planning -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa
  • Description: There has been ongoing global concern on environmental issues and which is supposed to have moved down into smaller institutions and areas through local agenda 2l. Environmental issues are associated not only with care for the environment but also sustainable development. Various universities are beginning to strive for sustainable development and care for the environment. Some universities are therefore integrating care for the environment in their curricula and in their daily operations on campus. The greening of higher educational institutions as models is important as they are the seat for research and training of undergraduates who will become future leaders and policymakers and caretakers of the environment. It is therefore important for undergraduates to be exposed to greening processes in operations, research and curricula whilst still on campus. This study examines the process of formulating a policy and applies that to forming an environmental policy. The study involved a comparative analysis of environmental policies of various tertiary educational institutions from different countries. The study focused on how many universities in South Africa have environmental policies and how the universities which have environmental policies went about their formulation process. The study further examines the duration of the formulation process and the constraints encountered by universities. The study then reviews strategies on how the environmental policy is being implemented and how effective the implementation process is practically and the constraints these institutions face. The findings of the study reveal that few universities ill South Africa have an environmental policy. The universities are making efforts in their implementation process however, not all the principles found in the policies are being implemented effectively as there are no environmental management systems in place and there are no measurable objectives and targets set for proper evaluation of the success or failure of the policy.
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A comparative analysis of Java and .NET mobile development environments for supporting mobile services

  • Authors: Zhao, Xiaogeng
  • Date: 2003 , 2013-05-23
  • Subjects: Microsoft .NET , Java (Computer program language) , Mobile computing , Wireless communication systems
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4578 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003064 , Microsoft .NET , Java (Computer program language) , Mobile computing , Wireless communication systems
  • Description: With the rapid development of wireless technologies, traditional mobile devices, such as pagers and cellular phones, have evolved from a purely communications and messaging-oriented medium to one that supports mobile data communication in general and acts as an application platform. As shown in a recent survey conducted by MDA, easy access to the present-day wireless Internet has resulted in mobile devices gaining more and more attention and popularity. The growth of and demand for mobile Web applications is expected to increase rapidly in the near future, as a range of software companies and mobile device manufacturers release increasingly accessible tools for creating mobile Web application and services. From a variety of possible development environments of this kind, the author has selected and examined two leading contenders, the J2ME and the Microsoft .NET mobile Web application development environments. This document reports the product life cycle of pilot mobile web applications, designed and implemented in each host environment in tum. A feature-by-feature investigation and comparison of the J2ME and .NET environments was carried out, covering the range of issues necessary for a complete mobile Web application development life cycle. The resulting analysis addresses features and efficiencies of the application development environment and the target deployment environment, the degree to which the resultant services are compatible on a variety of platforms, and the ease with which applications can be designed to be extensible. The thesis offers an objective evaluation of the J2ME and the .NET mobile development environments, which highlights their strengths and weaknesses, and suggests guidelines for designing, creating, and deploying high quality mobile Web applications. The research uncovers no clear winner across all categories assessed. J2ME currently favours situations in which bandwidth is limited and client side processing power is relatively sufficient, it exerts the processing power of mobile devices over distributed network environments. .NET requires a less constrained network throughput, but performs adequately on clients with more limited processing power, supports a more diverse target platform range, and offers a more efficient, in terms of development time, development environment. Both technologies are likely to receive significant user support for some time. , KMBT_363 , Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in
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A comparative analysis of social media brand image of insurance companies in South Africa: a longitudinal study

  • Authors: Gudu, Daniel
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Social media -- South Africa , Internet marketing -- South Africa , Chernoff faces , Ínsurance companies -- South Africa -- Marketing , Insurance companies -- South Africa -- Case studies , Multivariate analysis -- Graphic methods
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/144277 , vital:38327
  • Description: Social media is changing the way business is conducted. Almost five billion videos are watched on YouTube every single day. Social media has an extensive worldwide presence. Out of the total global population of over 7,5 billion people, over 4 billion are internet users. Of these, over 3 billion are active on social media. Social media is very influential in today's decision-making processes. Businesses must integrate social media into their strategies. The purpose of this research was to investigate the use of a novel method, Chernoff Faces, to assess and compare the social media brand images of six insurance companies in South Africa based on social conversation measurement. The intention of research was towards observing existing situations at hand and pointing out the game changers that can provide the industry with a new leap. Social media are multidimensional and understanding them requires tracking different measures simultaneously. Integrating social media into a communication strategy leads to a problem in finding the best way to portray and communicate multivariate data. It is essential to find the best way to represent and transmit the data so that marketing executives can quickly and easily monitor changes in brand images. Previous studies have successfully proved the possibility of using this method to gauge a "snapshot in time." This study took the concept further by closely monitoring the results for a set of brands over a period to account for the dynamic nature of social media. Accordingly, the study was a longitudinal study of 30 days. Data on the insurance companies was collected from Social Mention, a social media search and analysis platform that aggregates user-generated content into a single stream of information. A tool in the statistical software Stata, Chernoff's faces, was used to analyse the results by generating facial expressions to the metrics associated with the social mentions of each of the insurance companies. The resulting facial expressions were then analysed to recognise the more favourable and stable brands and those that need appropriate risk management. Managing Social Media is challenging as managers must always keep it as positive as possible. Brand managers, therefore, need a better tool to gauge the mood in social media conversations due to the fast-changing nature of social media and the importance of social media to business especially insurance.
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A comparative analysis of the divisia index and the simple sum monetary aggregates for South Africa

  • Authors: Moyo, Solomon Simbarashe
  • Date: 2009
  • Subjects: Monetary policy -- South Africa , Money supply -- South Africa , Inflation finance -- South Africa , Index numbers (Economics)
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: vital:945 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002679 , Monetary policy -- South Africa , Money supply -- South Africa , Inflation finance -- South Africa , Index numbers (Economics)
  • Description: The effectiveness of monetary policy in achieving its macroeconomic objectives such as price stability and economic growth depend on the monetary policy tools that are implemented by the Central Bank. Monetary aggregates are one of the tools that have been used as indicators of economic activity and as intermediate targets to achieve these economic objectives. Until recently, monetary aggregates have been questioned and criticised on their usefulness in monetary policy. This has been attributed to the economic, financial and technological developments that have distorted the relationship between monetary aggregates and major macroeconomic variables. This study investigates the relevance of monetary aggregation by comparing the traditional simple sum and Divisia index monetary aggregates which was constructed for the first time for South Africa using the Tornquist-Theil method. The Polynomial Distributed Lag model is employed to compare the performance of these monetary aggregates using their relationship with inflation and manufacturing index. Furthermore, the aggregates are compared in terms of their controllability and information content. Overall, the study found a very strong relationship between inflation and all the monetary aggregates. However, more specifically the results suggested that the Divisia indices are superior to the simple sum in terms of predicting inflation. The evidence further suggests that the Divisia aggregates provide higher information about inflation than the simple sum aggregates. Regarding the controllability of the monetary aggregates, the findings suggest that the monetary authorities can hardly control the monetary aggregates using monetary base. Finally, the relationship between manufacturing index and all the monetary aggregates was very weak.
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A comparative analysis of the intermediary systems in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia

  • Authors: Wilkerson, Tendai Marowa
  • Date: 2011
  • Subjects: Juvenile courts -- South Africa , Juvenile courts -- Namibia , Juveline courts -- Zimbabwe , Juvenile courts -- Ethiopia , Children -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- South Africa , Children -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Namibia , Children -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Zimbabwe , Children -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Ethiopia , Child witnesses -- South Africa , Child witnesses -- Namibia , Child witnesses -- Zimbabwe , Child witnesses -- Ethiopia , Mediation -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Mediation -- Law and legislation -- Namibia , Mediation -- Law and legislation -- Zimbabwe , Mediation -- Law and legislation -- Ethiopia , Children's rights -- South Africa , Children's rights -- Namibia , Children's rights -- Zimbabwe , Children's rights -- Ethiopia
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
  • Identifier: vital:3698 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003213 , Juvenile courts -- South Africa , Juvenile courts -- Namibia , Juveline courts -- Zimbabwe , Juvenile courts -- Ethiopia , Children -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- South Africa , Children -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Namibia , Children -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Zimbabwe , Children -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Ethiopia , Child witnesses -- South Africa , Child witnesses -- Namibia , Child witnesses -- Zimbabwe , Child witnesses -- Ethiopia , Mediation -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Mediation -- Law and legislation -- Namibia , Mediation -- Law and legislation -- Zimbabwe , Mediation -- Law and legislation -- Ethiopia , Children's rights -- South Africa , Children's rights -- Namibia , Children's rights -- Zimbabwe , Children's rights -- Ethiopia
  • Description: Prior to 1990, very few countries in the world offered special protection to child witnesses interfacing with the justice system. There were no legal provisions permitting testimonial accommodations for children in court. The courtroom experience was significantly traumatic for the children. With the international focus shifting from protecting and upholding the rights of the accused in the courtroom towards a more victim-centred approach, various international and regional instruments have strongly dvocated that children deserve special protection because of their vulnerability. In order for the courts to be able to elicit accurate evidence from the child without further traumatizing the child, research has shown that the child needs assistance. An intermediary may be defined as a person who facilitates communication between the child and the courtroom in a manner that takes into account the child‟s cognitive and developmental limitations. The thesis was prompted by the need to make a contribution to the currently limited body of literature on the intermediary systems in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia by investigating how the systems can be improved and sustained in a way that helps to protect the child witness in court. Despite the problems the South African courts have had in identifying the appropriate interpretation of its intermediary legislation, the country emerges as a clear leader for the steps it took by creating a positive legal framework within which child protection issues are addressed and introducing the concept of the intermediary. This concept proved to be an inspiration to its neighbours, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The influence of the South African intermediary legislation is evident in the Namibian and Zimbabwean legislation. Although Namibian legislators have drafted laws that permit intermediary assistance in court, there are as yet no intermediaries appointed. In Ethiopia, although there is no discernible intermediary legislation, the country has managed to establish an intermediary system. As a result of the analysis conducted, it is evident that the efficacy of the intermediary system is dependent on the presence of an enabling legislation, its clarity and ease of interpretation, the sensitisation of court role players on child vulnerabilities, the significance of intermediary assistance, and finally a government's commitment towards the implementation process.
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A comparative analysis of the new behaviours and terms introduced in the understatement penalty table in section 223 of the Tax Administration Act

  • Authors: Doolan, Kim
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: South Africa. Tax Administration Act, 2011 , Taxation -- South Africa , Taxation -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Tax administration and procedure -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Tax penalties -- Law and legislation -- South Africa , Taxpayer compliance -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/5802 , vital:20977
  • Description: The Tax Administration Act became effective on the 1 October 2012 and in Chapter 16 introduced the understatement penalty regime which replaced section 76 of the Income Tax Act. The understatement penalty is calculated by applying a percentage in terms of the table included in section 223 of the Tax Administration Act to the shortfall in tax giving rise to the imposition of the penalty. There are five behaviours reflected in the understatement penalty table in section 223, namely, “substantial understatement”, “reasonable care not taken in completing return”, “no reasonable grounds for tax position taken”, “gross negligence” and “intentional tax evasion”. “Substantial understatement” is the only behaviour defined in the Tax Administration Act. Section 222(1) of the Tax Administration Act requires SARS to impose the penalty reflected in the table in the event of an “understatement”, unless the “understatement” results from a “bona fide inadvertent error”. The term “bona fide inadvertent error” is not defined in the Tax Administration Act; neither is the term “obstructive”. The Memorandum on the Objects of the Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill confirmed that guidance would be developed in this regard for the use of taxpayers and SARS officials. This guidance has not yet been released. Media reports express the view that the lack of definition of the behaviours is problematic for both SARS and taxpayers as the table is new and there is still room for interpretation and understanding of the meaning of each of the behaviours. The primary goal of this study was is to obtain a better understanding of the meaning of the new behaviours and terms introduced in the understatement penalty table. In addressing this main goal, the penalty tables and behaviours in legislation in New Zealand were compared to South Africa’s understatement penalty. The similarities and differences between the understatement penalty imposed in terms of Chapter 16 of the Tax Administration Act and the additional tax previously imposed in terms of section 76 of the Income Tax Act were also discussed to determine whether this would be of assistance in enabling a better understanding of the meaning of the behaviours and terms in section 223. Guidance on the interpretation of the various behaviours and terms was developed and a definition was proposed for the meaning of “bona fide inadvertent error” and “obstructive” to assist in the objective and consistent application of the understatement penalty table in relation to each shortfall identified. The proposed definition for “bona fide inadvertent error” is as follows: “An honest mistake made or simple oversight, which the taxpayer was not aware of, despite taking reasonable care and displaying a prudent attitude while making a genuine attempt to comply with all applicable tax obligations.” The definition for “obstructive” is proposed as: “Deliberately interfering with, causing difficulties (impeding) or delays in, or preventing the progress of a SARS audit or review.”
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A comparative analysis of the use of participatory practices by indigenous trusts and mainstream development NGOs in Zvimba Communal Area Zimbabwe

  • Authors: Mbanje, Bowden Bolt
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: Caritas Zimbabwe , Zvimba Community Share Ownership Trust (ZvCSOT) , Non-governmental organizations -- Zimbabwe -- Zvimba District , Community development -- Zimbabwe -- Zvimba District , Rural development -- Zimbabwe -- Zvimba District , Zvimba Communal Land (Zimbabwe)
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167099 , vital:41437
  • Description: This thesis compares the extent to which participatory practices have been used by Caritas Zimbabwe, a mainstream NGO, and the Zvimba Community Share Ownership Trust (ZvCSOT), an indigenous Trust, in Zvimba District, Zimbabwe. Participatory development initiatives are common practice in NGO and government development work in Zimbabwe. The thesis begins with a discussion of two aspects of participatory development (PD). Firstly, PD is discussed in relation to decentralization processes where central government transfers administrative and financial authority to sub-national government units in order to enhance the participation of rural communities in development interventions. Secondly, PD is discussed in relation to the increased role of NGOs in development work. During the 1980s and 1990s, shifts in development thinking resulted in NGOs being perceived as important actors who could attend to the development gaps left by an economically incapacitated state. Both NGOs and sub-national government units were seen to be closer to rural communities and so were thought to be in a better position to enhance the participation of these communities in meaningful development projects. An analysis of the practices of the NGO and CSOT under consideration in this study shows that while there has been much rhetorical commitment to participation, community participation in the development interventions of the NGO and the CSOT is inadequate. In introducing and implementing development interventions, there has been a tendency by both the NGO and CSOT to give priority to organizational preferences over local needs. While recognizing the participatory efforts made by mainstream development NGOs (Caritas in particular) and indigenous Trusts (Zvimba Community Share Ownership Trust in particular) in Zimbabwe, this thesis also considers the impact of other factors on participatory development initiatives. A major observation from the study is that in as much as we expect genuine participatory approaches which include grassroots communities’ inputs from the project’s conceptualization all the way to its evaluation, the challenge is that the elites at the higher level (central government and donor offices) have their own development preferences and interests while the elites at the lower levels (local government and NGO offices) also have their own priorities and needs. Consequently, local communities tend to be confined to implementing development projects foisted on them by elites at the higher level as well as those at the lower level. Worse still, the study shows that elites at the lowest level (community) sometimes hijack or take advantage of the imposed projects. Participation has been stalled by elites at various levels of the participatory development ladder. Thus, unless power imbalances are seriously addressed at all levels, participatory development will remain elusive.
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A comparative analysis with selected jurisdictions of structural challenges facing the South African office of the tax ombud

  • Authors: Mothiba, Boitumelo Charity
  • Date: 2020
  • Subjects: South Africa. Office of the Tax Ombud , Tax administration and procdure -- South Africa , Taxpayer advocates -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/140360 , vital:37882
  • Description: The Office of the Tax Ombud is critical in the protection of South African taxpayers' rights. The office has only been in existence for a little over five years and to ensure that it fulfils the purpose for which it was established, it must be properly structured. This includes that it ought to be independent from any external influence and manipulation. Any such external influence on the Tax Ombud creates the risk that the general public will lose confidence in the Tax Ombud as an independent recourse. The study, therefore, is designed to review the structure relating to the independence and powers of the South African Tax Ombud. The study assesses and evaluates the legislative safeguards of the structure of the Tax Ombud office in order to determine whether the legislative framework (the Tax Administration Act) safeguarding the Office of the Tax Ombud is adequate to ensure its independence and also to ensure a strengthened structure, without interference in the decision-making process of the office. To achieve this, a comparative analysis was made with selected foreign institutions of Tax Ombudsmen, or equivalent institutions, in order to draw from the best international practice. The study found that the structure of the Office of the Tax Ombud is relatively weak and does not fully provide the legislative powers to protect taxpayers from the well-resourced South African Revenue Service. The study also revealed that most of the institutional features in the structure of the South African Tax Ombud were found to be in line with standard international practice. The study has made recommendations aimed at strengthening the structure of the South African Tax Ombud by suggesting reforms in the legislative framework of the Tax Ombud.
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A comparative bioinformatic analysis of zinc binuclear cluster proteins

  • Authors: Mthombeni, Jabulani S
  • Date: 2005
  • Subjects: Bioinformatics , Zinc proteins , GABA
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: vital:4004 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004064 , Bioinformatics , Zinc proteins , GABA
  • Description: Members of the zinc binuclear cluster family are important fungal transcriptional regulators sharing a common DNA binding domain. Da181p is a pleotropic zinc binuclear cluster protein involved in the induction of the UGA genes required for the γ-aminobutyrate nitrogen catabolic pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The zinc binuclear cluster domain is indispensable for function in Da181p and little is known about other domains in this protein. The aim of the study was to explore the zinc binuclear cluster protein family using comparative bioinformatics as a complement to biochemical and structural approaches. A database of all zinc binuclear cluster proteins was composed. A total of 118 zinc binuclear proteins are reported in this work. Thirty nine previously unidentified zinc binuclear cluster proteins were found. Four homologues of Da181p were identified by homology searching. Important sequence motifs were identified in the aligned sequences of Da181p and its homologues. The coiled coil motif found in the Ga14p zinc binuclear cluster protein could not be identified in Da181p and its homologues. This suggested that Da181p did not dimerise through this structural motif as other zinc binuclear cluster proteins. Solvent accessible site that could be phosphorylated by protein kinase C or casein kinase II and the role of such sites in the possible regulation of Da181p function were discussed.
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A comparative case study of the strategies used by grade one teachers who teach through the medium of English

  • Authors: Jackson, Gail
  • Date: 2004
  • Subjects: Native language and education -- South Africa Language policy -- South Africa Language and education -- South Africa English language -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa Multilingualism -- South Africa Education, Bilingual -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1941 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007855
  • Description: This research project begins by exploring the problems surrounding the implementation of the 1997 Language in Education Policy (LiEP), and offers insight into why some schools, despite the promotion of additive bilingualism, choose English as the primary medium of instruction. It is a comparative case study of two Grade 1 classes in different situational contexts, which highlights the teaching strategies and language practices of teachers who teach predominantly non-English speakers through the medium of English. Research carried out through this case study illustrates the use of a wide range of teaching strategies, which assist young learners when learning through an additional language. In School A, thematic linking between different learning areas to maximise vocabulary development in both the mother tongue and the additional language, as well as repetition, recycling, scaffolding and contextualisation of content were found to be important. In addition, the use of questioning to elicit understanding, as well as classroom organisation and code-switching were strategies which assisted both the teacher and learners in this multilingual environment. In School B, class size, group work and the inclusion into the timetable of a wide range of diverse activities over and above the main learning areas, which provided opportunities for language development, were important considerations. In addition, routine, predictability and an attention to detail, in keeping with a form-focussed approach, aided the children in understanding the mechanics of literacy and guiding them towards becoming phonologically aware.
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A comparative developmental study of the fear of snakes

  • Authors: Bartel, P R
  • Date: 1972
  • Subjects: Snakes , Fear
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:3198 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1009505 , Snakes , Fear
  • Description: This study was conducted to determine the influence of age and culture on the fear of snakes. Five age groups, consisting of 20 White and 20 Xhosa subjects each, were tested. In addition to a behavioural and a GSR measure of fear, questionnaires were applied to determine the extent of the subjects' personal and vicarious aversive experiences of snakes and attitudes towards snakes. The behavioural measure showed a significant decrease in the fear of snakes between the 9 - 11 year and the 14 - 16 year White groups, while, for the Xhosa subjects, the fear of snakes increased significantly between the age groups 14 - 16 years and 18 - 20 years. The GSR measure showed a consistent level in the fear of snakes for White subjects. For the Xhosa subjects the mean GSR score for the 18 - 20 year .group was considerably higher than the means for the other age groups. The intensity of the fear of snakes for White and Xhosa subjects of the same age was remarkably similar. Xhosa subjects had significantly more negative attitudes towards snakes than white subjects. This finding was explained in terms of Whites having had greater opportunities to obtain factual information about snakes. No significant relationships were found between (a) the measures of the extent of the subjects' aversive experiences of snakes; (b) the degree of negative attitudes towards snakes; and the measures of the fear of snakes. On the basis of these measures, the etiology of the fear of snakes cannot be explained in terms of aversive experiences with snakes per se. The striking similarity of responses to a live snake by subjects from two widely different cultures suggests caution in an over-hasty dismissal of the theory of an innate fear of snakes.
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